More Glenn Beck!

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Politico:

Glenn Beck, the controversial Fox News television host, is planning on becoming more active in the populist conservative movement he spawned, according to sources familiar with his thinking.

What must it be like to be someone "familiar" with Glenn Beck's "thinking"? It must be a nightmare.

At a rally Saturday at a massive retirement community in Central Florida, Beck is planning to unveil what he has billed as a "big plan" for 2010, which is expected to involve the 9.12 Project, the group he started earlier this year and named for the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he says the nation was unified.

"Coming this January, my whole approach changes on this program," he hinted cryptically on his Wednesday show. "This next year is going to be critical, and I think it's going to change and I think we are going to set it right, at least set our course right. And if that means the Democrats or the Republicans are destroyed along the way, well, good. Good."

Let me be clear about something: Glenn Beck is dangerous. And not in a good way. What he represents, what he leads, is a movement of darkness, of hatred and paranoia, of fear and resentment and bitterness.

And yet, in a way, should we -- those of us on the other side, those of us who hope for, and are working towards, a brighter future -- not want him to maintain, if not expand, his domineering profile as a leading figure of the right? Should we not want him to continue to be a leading face of American conservatism, right up there with Dear Leader Rush? I mean, as frightening as it is that he is so popular, and has so many followers, there's no way the American people will ever flock to him in significant enough numbers to make much of a difference -- politically speaking. (Am I wrong about that?) For all his popularity, that is, he is actually extremely bad for conservatism, and for the Republican Party. All the more reason to urge him on.

Now, what's with this big announcement? Is he forming his own party? Well, that would be fine, would it not? Would that not severely weaken the Republican Party? His supporters aren't exactly Democrats, after all.

At Hot Air, Allahpundit thinks that Beck may be launching his very own political action committee:

And if he does, given his nonchalance about the destruction of the GOP, then what? Let's say his PAC endorses Rubio, who goes on to lose narrowly to Crist in the Florida primary. Will the PAC be indifferent in the general election? Or will it actually call on conservatives to stay home and not vote to protest the lack of a true small-government choice among the two candidates? This is what I mean when I say that, theoretically at least, he's on a collision course with Limbaugh. As much as Rush hates RINOs, he's made it perfectly clear that he’s prepared to elect them and accept half a loaf instead of none at all. Beck, it increasingly seems, is not. Which way, true believers?

Good question. As one who is anything but a true believer of the right, I can't answer it. But I'm sure looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

It was bad enough -- for the GOP -- in NY-23. We ain't seen nothin' yet.