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Presidents Are Not Elected to ‘Play Small Ball’: Beck Blasts Obama For Limiting Our Ambition

Oct. 17, 2012 9:50pm Tiffany Gabbay

On Wednesday evening Glenn Beck delivered his weekly Oval Office speech, this time dedicated to American exceptionalism as manifest by Felix Baumgartner, who recently leapt from 24 miles above the earth. Oddly, a drink manufacturer, Red Bull, concocted the amazing feat, prompting Beck to wonder what NASA could achieve if this is what an energy drink company could help make possible.

“We set big goals precisely because we believe we should achieve them,” Beck noted that past presidents who have sat in the Oval Office were not elected “to play small ball.”

“They were trusted to put America on a path of greatness… a path of exploration… a path of discovery. And when a president limits our ambition… actually puts an end to the single greatest act of discovery we can undertake… it is not just a violation of the mission of this office…It’s a violation of the principles that have made America great.”

Beck noted that children around the country are the still dreaming and curious, “hoping that life will be filled with new horizons.”

“Let’s not disappoint them any more. Let’s bring back our own sense of the possible.”

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Comments (45)

MarsBarsTru7
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 1:19pm
Bull crap. You’re proud of the moon landing? I abhor it! It is the equivalent of the pharaohs having pyramids built. Who benefited from it? What did it produce? Who is to say what people wouldn’t have done by now if there were less taxes, less regulation, and no NASA chewing up our resources? NASA should stand out as a monument for what not to do. It is pure collectivism. Tell me, how many homeless were housed because of NASA? How many starving people were fed? How many received medical care? How many people have lost their jobs and become impoverished in the last 54 years?

NASA has been building pyramids on the backs of American taxpayers for the last 54 years. Do you want to see accomplishments? Do you want to see innovation? Do you want to see worthwhile space exploration that actually turns a profit and produces something of worth? Then utterly reject any funding programs of enslavement like NASA.

People around here claim to be “small government” or “minimal government” types. Well how do you reconcile cheering for NASA and advocating small government at the same time? They’re diametrically opposed ideas.

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- Mudd
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:32pm
  There were a lot of benefits from the space program, products that are in use today, turning profits, providivg employment. You can argue the merits of a government project of that scale but to call it a total bust is untrue.
  
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Codger
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 9:08am
Glenn… I love you like a brother but… I think you’re a bit off base on this subject. We all talk about how the government should keep as far back from our lives and our dreams as possible and let private industry lead the way.
Well like you say, that’s what happened with Red Bull and Felix Baumgartner’s spectacular feat. That’s what also happened a couple weeks ago with the private SPACEX launch to resupply the Space Lab with more launches to follow. Even including manned launches one day.
I have no problem with the federal government… if we as a people can afford it… to put grants of money as a carrot out their like John Kennedy did and use government resources to coordinate things like we did with the challenge to put a man-on-the-moon by the end of the decade edict.
I too miss the spectacular success (and learning from the failures) of the space shuttle era but it’s time to move on brother. Better things are around the corner… I hope.

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Totally Domestic
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:58am
Truly one of Glenn’s all time best speeches!!!!

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ChrisDiamond
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:45am
This is somewhat odd for me… as pro-Constitution as Beck seems to be, he shouldn’t be advocating for a ‘big vision’ or actiivist president. Government is best which governs least… and what we’ve learned over our history is, when government ‘does’ things, people are stolen from and have their liberty diminished. Why shouldn’t we have and promote a candidate who wanted to UNdo so much of the ridiculous BS that has come out of Washington DC, like executive orders harmful to the Constitution? I mean, if the notion is that people do best when government gets out of the way, then shouldn’t we want a president to play ‘small ball’ from the Oval Office, demanding that the Congress do the same, and let the PEOPLE work and prosper? I believe that Obama has definitely limited our ambition, but almost precisely because he has been so active, doing things like pushing deals for his corporate pals… Obama has not played ‘small ball,’ and we have all suffered as a result. Romney won’t play small ball either, and things might get a little better financially for us, but I’ll bet dollars to donuts the majority of the benefit will hit Wall Street instead of main street.

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EtchASketch
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:18am
Conservatives should be ELATED that a PRIVATE business CAPITALIZED on INNOVATION.

Now all of a sudden they wish for more Federal money to be put into something that is so obviously PRIMED for excellent free market competition/development.

Two words come to mind: Opportunistic liars.

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Beachbaby
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:15am
He only want the Chinese and Russians up there so they can control our grids. Chaos is their code word. To bring about 666. Cant buy or sell without it.

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davetrav
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:09am
This is why we need to VOTE OBAMA OUT—We are not puppets to have the government telling us what is best for our families and country. VOTE OBAMA OUT.

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voting-for-romney
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:51am
Limiting the ambition of the private sector, by suggesting that universities (where intellectual property is certainly not a priority to defend?) were key to the research of the future, is like going to an amusement park and looking at ourselves in the mirrors designed to make us look silly?

Limiting the ambitions of government guarantees the spark of innovation that the private sector uses, to light the torch of liberty, fair taxes, the pursuit of happiness, and tranquility itself?

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- bobdiamond
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 5:29am
  The biggest shame of the Obama adminsitration is the lowering of expectations of the American people. Read political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
  Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:21am
you can see the contempt, feel the hatred for anybody that has more money than obama, never mind the fact that mitt earned it. this obama needs to see some mental dr.s. he just about lost it last night, if it werent for candy stepping in, we wouldve seen a complete meltdown. he is so egotistical and arogant, he cant take any pressure at all.

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ShyLow
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:38am
Day they left the moon 7/21 Length of video 7:21
Just a coincidence? Yep. One of many

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Jenasus
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:17am
Obama is trying to turn the American Dream into the American Nightmare.

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- freedomnetworker
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:27am
  I love how the liberals still get away with blaming bush for the Housing crisis and the major downturn we had in 2007. He, Bush, tried to get it under control several times. Here is the proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb03-UI3LC8&feature=share&list=UUoraMikfXRAM1iETaLFPEsQ
  
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acidovorax
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:41pm
And here we see the schizophrenic mentality of conservatives. They claim to be for small government and fiscal responsibility and then demand the State do more large projects all for “American Exceptionalism”.

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- acidovorax
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:16am
  This has to be some of the worst “Dear Leader” worship I have ever read. It reads as if he plagiarized it from a Thomas Friedman column extolling the awesomeness of the Chinese because they can “get things done”. Is Beck actually clalming that Presidential policy is what gives individuals “ambition”? We need the exact opposite: officials who do very little. When they implement these “national greatness” plans it consumes vast amounts of private resources that would be better left in the hands of those who earned it.
  
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GMONEY66
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:34pm
Mr. Beck… I’m sick of reading how great Felix is… Felix merely copied what Joe Kittinger accomplished in 1960 while in the USAF !!!! He just jumped at a higher altitude. If not for men like Kittinger, NASA wouldn’t have been so successful. Kittinger is a man that is a real AMERICAN HERO !!! Kittinger jumped 4 times… And paved the way for the American space program. Do a story about Kittinger

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Chromo200
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:28pm
No matter who wins, although I hope Romney wins, my attitude will remain such that I will do everything possible to be happy and do the best I can in my job. I don’t care if others drop the ball, i know I will be able to come home and hug my wife and tell her I realty did a good job today, I earned my pay and when I look in the mirror I won’t feel guilty and I know the Lord is smiling on me,

I hear this optimism fro Beck all the time.

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DOra Glasberg
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:44pm
Maybe if Republicans hadn’t spent 3 decades running our economy into the ground
we would have the funds to do these things.

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- Diane TX
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:53pm
  Sure, the Democrats are blameless.
  
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- hi
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:57pm
  The government forced banks to make loans to people who could not afford them. That is why things failed.
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:02pm
  @HI
  And the reason the government could force them to make loans is because the Federal Reserve kept interest rates too low for too long, encouraged risky derivatives, and printed too much money
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:44pm
  Welcome back DORA!
  
  Are you and VERCE ever gonna settle down and make some li’l croutons?
  
  Report this comment
- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:34am
  Your such a silly woman.
  Democratic president – LEAVE SURPLUSES.
  Stop embarrassing yourself with your Pee Wee Herman
  “That’s what you are, but what am I” responses.
  Oh, and insults are very big here too,
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 7:29am
  Just be quiet and enjoy your Obamaphone and EBT card Dora…while you still can.
  
  Report this comment
dickdastardly
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:35pm
Homeland Security Graduates First Corps Of Homeland Youth…YOU SHOULD BE ALARMED!!!

http://www.whiteoutpress.com/articles/q42012/homeland-security-graduates-first-corps-of-homeland-youth/

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blackyb
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:31pm
You don’t aid and abet the enemy either unless you are an enemy yourself.

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Mudd
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:29pm
Imagine this generation of leaders attempting to tame the wild west, dig the Panama Canal, construct the Hoover Damn, go to war with facist Germany, put a man into space, go to the moon. We haven’t done anything but develope telephones that we can carry in our pockets.

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- Diane TX
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:39pm
  True, but those “telephones” are really miniature computers that do amazing things. Faster and better than the clunky mainframes of yesteryear.
  
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- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:00pm
  Is that Mudd or Teddy Roosevelt?
  
  This generation of leaders will be far more successful than the early progressives you just referred to. This generation of leaders will collapse the economies of the world and unite them under one government and mix in some millions of deaths to spice it up. Good times
  
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- Mudd
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:27pm
  Soybomb, so your saying my refrences to freedom and innovation were bad things? As for the intentions of this generation of progressives, your preaching to the choir.
  
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- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 7:48am
  if you think government taking money from people to do ‘great things’ is freedom an innovation, then you are closer to the progressives than you think
  
  Report this comment
- Mudd
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 10:57am
  Taking money to do “great things”, or things that need to be done, you bet. Taking money to enslave the ignorant and lazy, to even the playing field and take the place of private charities, no way. I’m willing to acknowledge a good idea or an amazing feat, regardless who comes up with it.
  
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- acidovorax
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 5:45pm
  MUDD wrote: “Taking money to do “great things”, or things that need to be done, you bet.”
  
  You’ve just demonstrated the myopic mentality of every statist. You have no problem stealing from others to pay for your “great things”, you only resist when it’s not you determining what these “great things” are.
  
  Report this comment
blackyb
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:25pm
Obama thinks small because he is used to small people, liars, deceitful fringes who are like chaff scattered in the wind.

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soybomb315_II
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:24pm
I dont understand where Beck is coming from – Government has ALWAYS been the enemy of freedom and innovation

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- Mudd
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:30pm
  Wrong.
  
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- blackyb
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:36pm
  Government wants freedom for only those in power when they are like Obama. He speaks of freedom, but he is using freedom as a noose to hang people who are opposed to him and his deceits of America. He allows freedom to those he can use. When their usefulness to him is used up, he will tighten the noose.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:39pm
  Hi Soybom315,
  
  It won’t cost you anything and you’ll also have access to watch the “Rumors of War” 2 or3 part special and the “The Project” 2 part special.
  
  Watch what you want and cancel before the 14 day trial is up. The reason for asking for the CC info is so that people just don’t make up info and keep a new 14 day trial every 2 weeks. You know… like the trolls do on The Blaze when they get banned.
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:47pm
  sorry monk i dont want to give out more information on the sign-up than i already have
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:54pm
  No prob….
  
  Report this comment
- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:31am
  Actually I haven’t a clue what the heck Beck is talking about?
  He sets up a fake premise than discusses it.
  
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blackyb
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:23pm
What do you expect from someone who has a pink pair of small ones?

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lifelibertyandthepursuitofhappiness
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:20pm
So true – This is the United States of America! This country used to lead the world in everything. We made the impossible possible – now NASA has been turned over to the muslims. i Don’t want a president that apologizes to other countries for the U.S. I don’t want a president with limited thinking that only has secret combinations to make the U.S. a communist country. No oppressive government can survive economically. It is impossible. We were the leaders of the Free world – fought to liberate peoples everywhere from tyranny – Khrushchev said he would destroy this country from with in. He said he would do it with the same hammer the west sold him. now look – we have a president in office that was mentored from a young age by a marxist that used to get drunk with his grandfather. wow, what a role model huh? all this to turn a super power into a super looser. Well, he is apologizing for his own inadequacies not mine or the rest of the countries. The U.S.A has nothing to apologize for. or should we be sorry for all of our aid to other countries or sending our best and brightest engineers, farmers and all the other good people to help 3rd world nations living in poverty. maybe the US should just keep our people and money to ourselves and let them people sink or swim. they hate us – well then they hate our money also. you do not aid abed the enemy.

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- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:54pm
  i have yet to hear exactly what ‘apologizing’ has been done. Sounds like people are just repeating a Hannity talking point
  
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