Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Ouf-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine

Glenn Beck

Jun 2009 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Glenn Beck, the New York Times bestselling author of The Great Reset, revisits Thomas Paine's Common Sense.

In any era, great Americans inspire us to reach our full potential. They know with conviction what they believe within themselves. They understand that all actions have consequences. And they find commonsense solutions to the nation’s problems.

One such American, Thomas Paine, was an ordinary man who changed the course of history by penning Common Sense, the concise 1776 masterpiece in which, through extraordinarily straightforward and indisputable arguments, he encouraged his fellow citizens to take control of America’s future—and, ultimately, her freedom.

Nearly two and a half centuries later, those very freedoms once again hang in the balance. And now, Glenn Beck revisits Paine’s powerful treatise with one purpose: to galvanize Americans to see past government’s easy solutions, two-party monopoly, and illogical methods and take back our great country.

Ratings and reviews

Like him or not the book points out many awesome points about spending, government, and political issues we are facing as a country today. Standing on the shoulders of Thomas Paine, Beck provides his insight and opinion on government control and intervention into citizenship in today's society and how we should limit government interaction and involvement at all costs. I don't read many political books but this one was a quick and fun read given Beck's sense of humor and candor.

Mr. Beck, who relies heavily on the Founding Fathers for the foundation of his pamphlet, misses the trembling fault that is quaking the Republic. The Founders understood that nothing checks ambition better than ambition hence the tri-cameral government with each branch checking each other. More importantly the Founders provided mechanisms for the most important component, the States checking the growth and ambition of the Federal government. This, more than anything else, was the utmost concern of the Founders. Jay, Hamilton, Madison, Washington, Franklin et al knew that only a House Divided could stand for generations amidst the ambition and greed of humanity no matter how Nobel the generation. Unfortunately, the most important checks the States held to limit the Federal Government have been nearly obliterated with measures like the 16th and the 17th amendments. The 17th neutered the States' as they no longer have the power to check the Federal government through the US Senate as envisioned by the Founders. Senators are not elected by State legislatures but by capital rich media campaigns and/or the entrenchment of incumbent brand awareness that sways popular vote to an agenda not in the best interest of the 50 States. The 16th Amendment bequeathed the power of the US purse to Washington which now has the States begging for dollars and favorable legislation. There is much more that Beck misses in his Common Sense which is a historic blunder due to the affiliation to Paine. Consequently, the ideas to "take back" the Republic are merely band aides BUT he is shining a national spotlight US Founding rhetorical reasoning. This is a good thing. -- Stan Klos

Great piece of writing and useful to revisit the work of Thomas Paine. Our history was full of brave men and women who stood for peace and freedom in the face of tyranny. This book brings this back to light and reminds us that our nation is a nation "for the people and by the people!"

About the author

Glenn Beck, the nationally syndicated radio host and founder of TheBlaze television network, has written thirteen #1 bestselling books and is one of the few authors in history to have had #1 national bestsellers in the fiction, nonfiction, self-help, and children’s picture book genres. His recent fiction works include the thrillers Agenda 21, The Overton Window, and its sequel, The Eye of Moloch; his many nonfiction titles include The Great Reset, Conform, Miracles and Massacres, Control, and Being George Washington. For more information about Glenn Beck, his books, and TheBlaze television network, visit GlennBeck.com and TheBlaze.com.