Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine Paperback – 16 June 2009

Good book.

I have always believed that a lack of common sense is what is wrong with the government and people today.Sensible book and a good read.

Glenn Beck has written a 2009 update for Thomas Paine's 1776 Pamphlet that helped the general public understand why a revolution to free the country from British Rule was necessary. The update to Paine's masterpiece "Common Sense" explains why a second, but "bloodless and non-violent" American Revolution is needed. Both major American political parties have betrayed the American Republic. This is a nonpartisan book. The author provides dozens of examples of how and why our forefather's "Checks and Balances" system of government has been deliberately corrupted. He explains why so many citizens are having doubts about the wisdom of our political leaders. He describes the feeling of unease of so many average working Americans who realize that our government is telling us things that just don't make sense. He explains why things that don't work in our own homes, also won't work when practiced by our government. Too many Americans are beginning to examine why they distrust their governments. They are beginning to look at the lies that our politicians have been telling us with a straight face for decades. One obvious example is that every U.S. President since Carter has been telling us they will eliminate America's reliance on foreign oil, but instead we are now a prisoner of those unstable foreign oil producers most of which hate America and in many cases are using our money to fund our enemies as they attack and kill us anyway possible. A more recent lie is that we will build a fence to protect our southern border. How many years does it take the nation that sent men to the moon to build an 800-mile security fence? Then there are the really big lies our government has told us. Two of them are the biggest Ponzi schemes in the history of the world. One is called Social Security, the second is Medicare. Both of these programs were supposed to be paid for by individual tax contributions that would be put aside in interest bearing accounts and eventually be returned to those who paid the taxes. However, the truth is that the money was not put into one of Al Gore's infamous, but laughable "lock boxes" it was spent by the same politicians who continue to tell us that all is well. They are liars, liars, damned liars and if they worked for private industry they would be headed for "life in prison." The combined unfunded liability of the above-mentioned two Ponzi schemes is already in the 100 Trillion Dollar range not counting interest. The interest on ONLY our current $11 Trillion debt runs about $26 billion per month or $300 billion per year. "That would fully fund the Departments of Commerce ($8.1 billion), Education ($68 Billion), Housing and Urban Development ($52.3 billion), Housing and Urban Development ($52.3 billion), Energy ($23.2 billion), Justice ($25 billion), and Labor ($49.6 billion) for an entire year.""By 2019, annual interest payments on the national debt will balloon to a projected $806 billion! That $806 billion is more than what it cost us last year to fund the entire Department of Defense ($583 billion), Veterans Affairs ($86.6 billion), the Department of Transportation ($68.7 billion), and the State Department ($18.9 billion)...combined." There is simply no way that the current generation can pay off that debt. There isn't enough value in all of America's corporations and wealthy individuals to even begin to pay off the debt and seizing it would be a one-time event because after that there wouldn't be anything left to seize or anyone to provide jobs. And as the country's credit rating drops, the interest rates will go up, up and away as they say. Most of our politicians know this, but they are trying to keep it secret or delay the fall until they are out of office. The book points out how the federal government's present plan to quickly spend enough money to solve the economic woes defies the laws of economics as well as the laws of nature. This rapid spending will be incurred before the tax payers realize that every American and his children and grandchildren will never be able to repay it and instead will become serfs of the government and our nation's foreign creditors. The citizens will then all be working for the government instead of visa versa. What our founding father's most feared will have occurred. The Republic they provided us after the American Revolution will, as Ben Franklin feared, have been permanently lost. This book is crammed full of examples of how both parties caused this problem. The drug bill that was recently passed for Social Security and Medicare recipients has in only three years already run up an additional un-paid bill of nearly $17.2 Trillion Dollars. Our politicians have been using manufactured "crises" to rush through their massive spending cures. As one White House Chief of Staff recently stated, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things that you could not do before." Thomas Jefferson wrote that no government should spend the wealth of its next generation. He knew the dangers of debt. He knew how easy it is to spend other people's money. He feared both forms of economic quicksand. Beck also discusses the importance of private property, which the Constitution guaranteed. One quote from Karl Marx described his system of economics and government as "The theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property." Like Thomas Paine's original pamphlet, this is a call for the average citizen to wake up and save their freedoms and their country. It's time for debate, not political correctness. It's time to challenge junk science and not allow the elitists to shout down the opponents for asking simple basic question or challenging questionable data. It's a time to slow down and exercise some common sense before throwing trillions of borrowed dollars at problems that the government caused. The people need to change the government and that includes a wholesale changes in both parties. The author stresses that our founding fathers set up our government so that the people could change the government without a violent revolution. That is the chief reason that members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years. Mr. Beck fears that by the time the next election occurs, so much money will have been spent that nothing can be done; the nation's credit cards will all be exhausted, forever. We will face bankruptcy, stagflation or hyperinflation or all three. The nation will have been asleep while its freedoms were stolen from within. We will be a nation of serfs working for the King and his royal court in Washington, D.C. No matter what your personal politics, this book is worth reading because like Thomas Paine's original warnings, this slightly over 100-page volume is intended to have the same effect. If nothing else, it will force the readers to open their eyes, think about what they see and then decide if they feel things are out of control and maybe they should rise up and do something about it while they still can. Voters should ignore party affiliations and only support those fiscally responsible Congressmen and women who want to protect our children and grandchildren from the poor house. Why should we the people turn over to our totally bankrupt government the control of our private banks, automobile industry and most importantly to each of us, our health care? They've already done such a great job with Social Security, Medicare and Veterans Health Care. Should we be giving the bureaucrats the power of life and death over each of us? Will some government zealots look at an individual's political voting history when rationing health care services? None of the incomprehensible-sized spending programs currently being rushed through Congress without debate, transparency, or even being read before they are voted upon, have ever worked anywhere in the world during the entire history of the world. "Common Sense" is a thought provoking, common sense page-turner. It's a call to action for adults. Follow your gut. If something you do doesn't work, it won't work for the government either--no matter what they promise you.

This is a "MUST" read !An eye opener well written. Thanks Glenn !

Firstly, and I probably don't need to say this, but I will...when looking over the reviews, if they are one star and the comment is about the author and not an honest point of contention with the book, don't waste your time. Also it's very enlightening to look at folk's "other reviews".Now Glenn's book it's probably an eye opener if you are open minded and have not been watching what's been going on in this country for some time now. So I'll rate it high as it is worthy in that respect. However, if you are somewhat like I am, and an independent voter and I consider myself a free thinker, there is not a lot of revelation here, but it is - to be somewhat pun-ish - "Common Sense."I could write a book three times that size from what I've learned in my nearly 70 years on this planet, but no one would buy it as I'm just an unknown. But I've witnessed an America that has gone far adrift from the intentions of the founders and at an ever accelerating rate and I can't point it all out without that book I haven't written, so I suggest you read not only Glenn's "Common Sense" but also read Paine's version, which is available here on Amazon and cheap. It's not a long book, but the reading is a bit tougher than Glenn's. You might read Paine's "Rights of Man" as well or his collective publishings before you pan Glenn's book and please show some intellectual reasoning besides "Garbage", "Don't Bother" or something like "Glenn is a Jerk".There is a movement in Vermont to secede. Personally I'd prefer a massive recall election, limit terms, take away all or most their perks, no bills over 30 pages, no pork, no earmarks, a Red Book ala Canada so we can see what they do up there, and for anyone in power who abuses it, double the penalties. Revoke all bench legislation to put that branch in it's place and put the fear of God (even if they don't believe) in politicians, instead of us fearing them, and obey ALL LAWS of the country or change them "honestly"...and that's just for starters.I'll give just one more small rant and then stop. Healthcare. No one is addressing the root problem. Lawsuits!! Health care, like a driver's license, is not a right. If you want to be helped you agree with a doctor that you want help. He tells you what could go wrong and you agree to a reasonable settlement if it does go wrong, or you elect to not get help. Doctors need a Red Book too...if you are a hack Dr., well...find another profession. Remember...when lawyers sue any big company, the company doesn't pay to make the damaged party or lawyers rich, YOU AND I DO through increased costs of everything those companies produce. If pharmaceutical companies or Dr.s deliberately lie and you die or are injured then jail and lawsuits are in order...punitive damages go to defer our taxes, not to fatten pocketbooks.If you've got a better "workable" plan, let's hear it. OR, if you are like some of the "intellectual" commentators here, I'll expect you'll call me a name...but don't' worry...whatever you come up with I've heard it before. And maybe you should actually READ Glenn's book.