Media

‘12 in 2012’: Freedomworks Joins Beck to Explain Their Plan to Hold the GOP Accountable Through Their Platform

Freedomworks and Glenn Beck both know that the Republican party, despite sometimes running candidates with a pro-freedom philosophy, can be inconsistent in its support of a freedom-centric philosophy. As such, the argument goes, someone needs to hold the party‘s feet to the fire to make sure it doesn’t back out of its commitments to the liberty of the American people. To that end, representatives from Freedomworks joined Beck on today’s show to explain their new “My platform 2012” initiative, which will allow everyday voters to make their preferences regarding the GOP’s 2012 platform known – preferences that Freedomworks will aggregate in deciding what issues to pressure the national party about. (Related: FreedomWorks Unveils Theme Of Its 2012 Agenda to TheBlaze – And How You Can Help Decide It)

Naturally enough, there is a catch that allows Freedomworks to rank their followers’ priorities. That catch is that voters can’t simply put all their most radical ideas into a document and hit “Send.” Rather, they’ll have to choose between competing priorities in deciding what really matters to them as part of the GOP agenda.

“And it’s ugly,” Beck laughed about this part of the plan. “You‘ll sit there and go ’I want both of them really bad.’”

However, making the hard choices is still needed, especially given that party platforms can get ludicrously slippery. As former Representative Dick Armey put it in the segment, “It’s a political document. You have to understand, a political document is always going to be intellectually and morally inferior to any other kind of a document, because the purpose for which it’s written is not to express a sincere commitment to get this done, but to be attractive enough to get your votes.”

Watch Beck, Armey and other representatives of Freedomworks explain their method for impacting this “political document” below:

Comments (25)

  • gingerbread
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:51pm

    I realise that it will take a long time to change what has happened in Washington. We may not be able to do that in one or two years, But as long as we keep these politicians’ feet in the fire, we will eventually get to where we are going. We not only have to change the Washington thought processes, but we also have to change the group think that is prevelent among our voters. A large majority of our voter believe that the government OWES” them something.

    Report Post » gingerbread  
  • cykonas
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:30am

    The bottom line for me is very, very simple. If they are supporting Governor Romney then I will not stand with them.

    If Romney is elected, and the Senate majority goes to the R party, he will make a big initial splash by repealing the ACA. Then he will wait for the sheep to go back to sleep with a warm fuzzy feeling in their bellies. Then, as he has said a number of times, he will seek to replace it with something else. Am I to believe that is a step toward restoring our liberty? It isn’t in my book.

    When the national Tea Party groups, like Kibbes’, step away from the establishment R party I will might pay attention to them. When the establishment R party comes out for unfettered ballot access for all, equitable campaign financing reform rules, and allowing all parties access to the Presidential debates then I might pay attention to them. I consider these to be good first steps, not the final product.

    The R’s will never do that, though, because they are more invested in the preservation of their collective power than they are in restoring our Constitutionally guaranteed liberties. I am not going to accuse Glenn of selling out, but I do think he made a wrong turn when he chose to align himself with groups like this one. Romney is a progressive of the highest order and I cannot/will not support him. Peace.

    Report Post » cykonas  
    • GrayPanther
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:11pm

      Well “Beagle Man” you are cutting off your own nose to spite your own face. As a true conservative I can agree, Romney is not apparently “perfect”. Certainly, none of the other Republican candidates were as well. However, three quarters of a loaf (or more) is available with Mitt Romney. There is NO other choice if America is to survive. Hopefully you and other Ron Paul supporters will grow up and vote for America and not stay home and have a “pity party”. Now THAT would be dumb.

      Report Post » GrayPanther  
    • justangry
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:38pm

      @GrayPanther, If we do what you suggest, why would the GOP change the way they behave next time around?

      Report Post » justangry  
    • dontbotherme
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 1:35pm

      cykonas: I see. You will assist in getting Obama re-elected. Got it.

      Report Post »  
    • cykonas
      Posted on July 28, 2012 at 10:43am

      @GRAYPANTHER- IN RE: However, three quarters of a loaf (or more) is available with Mitt Romney.

      If I believed that Governor Romney was anywhere near 75% constitutionally sound I would get in line with you and support him. There’s one small problem though. He’s not constitutionally sound to any level even remotely close to that. He’s a stone cold Progressive. His Gubernatorial record bears out that fact and I‘ve haven’t seen anything from him that would lead me to believe he would govern any differently at the Chief Executive of our Republic.

      I can assure you, however, that libertarians, like myself and disaffected Republicans will not be holding any pity parties, as you term them. Nor will we eschew our duty to vote on November 6. We will be there and will express the voices of our consciences. We just won’t vote blindly for Progressives because we are told to, or because we are scared, or because someone calls us a name (like Beagle Man) to shame us into it.

      It was a very small percentage of the new Americans who were actually willing to take on England in defense of our then new found freedom in 1776. Likewise today, it’s a very small percentage willing to stand up to the establishment parties that are killing our Republic. I’ve been waiting a long time for these changes, and they are finally starting to gain critical mass. We won’t win this time, but it’s coming. In the meantime do what you are told and vote Progressive. Peace.

      Report Post » cykonas  
    • cykonas
      Posted on July 28, 2012 at 10:50am

      @DONTBOTHERME

      The way I see it the establishment Republican party is the culprit in aiding and abetting President Obama. You would think that after they got their rears kicked by nominating a Progressive John McCain in 2008 they would have wised up. Instead it appears you’re getting ready to make the exact same mistake a mere four years later. It appears you are going to nominate Progressive Mitt Romney.

      Those that fail to learn from their failures are doomed to repeat them. Sally forth, and good luck. Peace.

      Report Post » cykonas  
    • CapitalismWorks
      Posted on August 5, 2012 at 10:35pm

      So what ARE you going to do? Romney was not my choice for the GOP ticket by any means. Although I disagree with Romney on several issues, he will get my vote. When all I can do is choose between the lesser of two evils, I will still make a choice.

      Report Post » CapitalismWorks  
  • TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:08am

    Good morning. I see the faux (part-time) Conservative (thrifty-Liberal) carpet-bag’grs, insulters of you (not to mention America), insulters of your Primary and Caucus vote and those you previously supported (Gingrich, Bachmann, Cain, Perry, Santorum, Huntsman, Pawlenty) and now support the GOP Nominee (Romney) and those desiring the destruction of the Republican Party (Libertarians- pushers for Paul and Johnson)… are as thick as thieves on here so far.

    Doesn’t matter what few good ideas they may bring with them, does not matter at this moment in time… today… July 26, 2012 what they pine for. For they are here soley at this point to continue to divide you, insult you, inult your support of the only game in town which happens to be Romney.

    Romney‘s no Reagan and Romney’s no Conservative, but this stripe and diseased strain of Libertarian and Libertarianism, their heroes (nope, not the Founders) weren’t satisfied with “The Gipper” either. They didn‘t and don’t envision America as “shining city on a hill”…. they envision the death the destruction of the Republican Party and choose to enable Barrack Hussein Obama. That is what they desire… nothing more and nothing less at this moment in time in history… July 26, 2012.

    They feel it’s payback time just as they did in 2008… and YOU, ME… Romney, and the rest of the GOP are their continued enemy.

    Barrack Hussein Obama, Joe Biden and the rest of Donkey Party loves them for it too…

    Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12  
  • Classical Liberal
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 2:28am

    @Winstonsmith, Absolutely correct. These carpet baggers are establishment footsoldiers working to co-opt the libertarians, constitutionalists, and lovers of liberty (Ron Paul supporters), to ensure their leftist in disguise candidate and their neo-con/liberal progressive/big banking institution agenda maintain the status quo.

    Glenn beck has either been fooled into this scheme or he has been completely co-opted by what he once claimed to work against. We must be vigilant of those evil men who would work to undermine, diminish, crush, or limit personal liberty and we have to stand by our principles no matter what the temptations and promises of those who would try and smash our resolve.

    Many here have allowed the politicians of yesterday to lead you astray with the promise they have changed, that this time will be different, that they will now work to fix the country. I’m asking you blaze users to reconsider that, in supporting the establishment, “have we compromised our principles”?

    If, in sacrificing your principles throughout the election process, the only principle left to you is “anybody but Obama”, then all hope of restoring our country may be lost.

    Report Post » Classical Liberal  
    • encinom
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 10:40am

      Beck is the happy smiling face to hide the fact that he is spreading the message of DC insiders from Freedom Workers and the GOP controlled Tea ****** party.

      Report Post »  
  • inblack
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:52am

    Freedomworks – Just another political group that wants your email address and money.

    I’m tired of tea party hijacking.

    This is simple – Submit a balanced budget year 1.

    Cut spending, cut departments, cut foreign aid and intervention, balance the budget.

    Report Post »  
    • justangry
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:50am

      I’d settle for a repeal of the Patriot Act, NDAA, HR347, whatever the law is that allows the government to legally use propaganda on us and some outrage from the right over all the Exec Orders ushering in martial law by the president.

      Report Post » justangry  
  • Patriot711
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:36am

    The parties do not tell anyone the truth of how the system works. You think your vote counts when you vote in a Presidential Preference Primary! Well it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter how many votes the candidate actually gets, the only votes that count are the party chairman, the State committeeman and the State committeewoman in each county. Most of them are RINOS and vote the way the party tells them to vote. If you want to see a real citizen candidate check out Marielena Stuart for US Senate in Florida. http://www.Stuart2012.com

    Report Post » Patriot711  
  • PoliticiansRCrooks
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:29pm

    All this quite shocks me. Freedom Works? I mean Glenn Beck really shows his hypocrisy. Romney will never defend our Freedom. He will do nothing and continue the same agenda Beck has been going against for years now. Does any of this make sense? Nope.. Beck was threatened and he sold his soul to Corruption.

    Report Post » PoliticiansRCrooks  
    • capta45
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:01am

      Have to agree with PoliticiansRCrooks. Voting for Romney in hopes that he will just slow down our demise ought to consider that ‘Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither’

      Report Post » capta45  
    • Classical Liberal
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 2:37am

      @capt,

      Good use of that quote sir. I don’t think any man today could have put that better than Franklin and certainly no man here would have thought to apply it this way.

      For those of you who have sold out your principles and potentially your liberty, for the false security of “mittens the cookie cutter candidate”, I can only hope that you recognize the error you have made, and learn and grow from your mistake.

      Report Post » Classical Liberal  
  • Brother Winston Smith
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:04pm

    ALERT!!!

    The phrase “pro-freedom“ and ”liberty” HAVE BEEN STRATEGICALLY INCLUDED because the FAKE-TEA GOP Freedomworks and friends ARE CURRENTLY BEGINNING A CO-OPTING OF THE LIBERTY MOVEMENT (or “freedom” movement – Ron Paul supporters). They have had great success in CO-OPTING the naive, politically unsophisticated Tea Party for the LEFTIST ESTABLISHMENT GOP by using words like “conservative.”

    But as they further their attempted co-opting of the Liberty movement (Ron Paul supporters), we will see their language PURPOSELY shift from “conservative” to either “liberty” or “freedom.” To co-opt a movement, you must first co-opt their language. Once they co-opt the language, THEY WILL TWIST THE LANGUAGE TO MEAN THE OPPOSITE, came as they did with “conservative.”

    Speaking of language… has anyone else noticed the strange OMISSION of the word “Constitution?” Why? That’s what the “tea party” stands for… right?

    Report Post » Brother Winston Smith  
  • Brother Winston Smith
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:53pm

    Remember the “tea party” (FAKE-TEA GOP) “tsunami of 2010?”

    Bachmann – UNCONSTITUTIONAL nation-building and UNCONSTITUTIONAL “Patriot” Act.
    West – INCREASED debt ceiling, UNCONSTITUTIONAL “Patriot” Act, NDAA, CISPA.
    Rrrrr(tongue roll)rrrrrubio’s DREAM AMNESTY.
    Scott Brown… don’t know where to begin…

    IS FREEDOMWORKS HOLDING THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR LEFTIST LEGISLATION?!?!?!?!
    Has Freedomworks targeted them for replacement?
    WHAT EXACTLY is Freedomworks DOING to hold these individuals accountable?
    WHO EXACTLY is Freedomworks lining up to replace them?

    … crickets…

    Report Post » Brother Winston Smith  
  • KC1
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:31pm

    How gullible can these guys be? Romney when elected will not care what the Constitutionalist Tea groups think. He will expect all you drooling morons to fall in line in 2016 despite his record, just like you are doing now. His expectation is spot on, I believe all of you neo cons will start chanting your bumper sticker rhetoric when the GOP gives the order and leave Constitutional principals on the back burner. You deserve the tyrannical policies of Obama and Romney. When the dollar bubble pops its your fault for voting for a guy who doesnt touch the Fed issue and only cuts growth of future spending by 10 percent, Pathetic! The founders would be ashamed of all Romney and Obama voters.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jzno_apP1Q
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQwrB1vu74c&feature=related
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZLqsRqKFyI

    Report Post »  
  • woodyee
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:20pm

    And here’s ANOTHER way to help; check out this ad!

    http://www.patriotsuperpac.net/1951/offer.asp?Ref_ID=16910&CID=951&RID=36441143

    Report Post » woodyee  
  • TRILO
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:07pm

    Really… Freedomworks is going to hold the GOP responsible. No one has held them responsible yet. The majority of the so called Tea Party republicans have voted with the majority establishment republicans since getting into office. Just how are they going to hold the very same people who want to “Repeal and Replace” Obamaromney care responsible to their mantra of limited government when “Repeal and Replace” is nothing more than another big government intervention and manipulation of the market? IF they were true conservatives and BELIEVED in limited government they would tell the federal government to get the hell out of healthcare all together.

    Face it… most conservatives are hypocrites. They cry for limited government yet support big federal government involvement in issues that they want, same goes for the liberals, progressives, etc. Lets not forget that the general population wants the government to control everything because it abdicates their responsibility to make choices which will lead to their success or failure. Politicians just want the power.

    On a different note, the House passed the audit the fed bill. We shall see what the Senate does. My bet …. a BIG FAT nothing.

    Report Post » TRILO  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love