Glenn Beck: 'The Federal Government Wants to Nationalize the States!'

Posted by Tana Ganeva, AlterNet at 12:18 PM on May 18, 2009.

On his radio show today, Glenn Beck yet again stoked the paranoia of the type of people who think the federal government wants to take their guns/land/freedom and force their kids to watch gays make out.

This time, Beck used some very twisted logic and no fact-based information to sound the alarm over the federal government, led by our glorious Socialist/Fascist leader, Barack Obama, "nationalizing" the states. Don’t think it won’t happen!!!

As is often the case, Beck's rant was triggered by a caller saying something crazy and weird. A listener named Ed brought up the point that  if the federal government "bails out California, and every taxpayer from Coast to Coast is now part owner of this state, shouldn't California now cease to exist as a state?" He goes on to articulate the conservative wet dream of California dropping Nancy Pelosi, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and all of its electoral votes.

"Ha!" says Beck, and concedes that the caller might be onto something. But then he goes on to point out that state nationalization is NO laughing matter, because it is, in fact, what the federal government wants to do.

Unfortunately, I think they're SERIOUS, in Washington about that. I really think they would nationalize these states, and then you’ll have to adopt these policies and in effect, the state would be gone. They’re already trying to do an Enron against South Carolina. sc or nc? one of the carolinas ..... [what follows is a long rant showcasing Beck's comedic chops about how having two Carollinas is confusing] ... they’re already trying to strong-arm some of those states. If the Governor doesn’t want stimulus funds, they’re going to force them. You don’t think that’s going to happen with California? Massachusetts? Of Course; they’ll lose their sovereignty. Or is that what they want you to think?

Here's the entire segment, from Media Matters:

Tagged as: media, socialism, fascism, obama, conservatives, california, glenn beck, nationalize