Which Revolutionary Will America Choose — Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump or Ted Cruz

February 09, 2016

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The Context

Are we facing a revolution? Are we already there? Glenn thinks so. But the revolution could go either way.

"I think we're still pre-revolution, but the country is a lot farther down this road than anyone in Washington or the media really understands," Glenn said Tuesday on The Glenn Beck Program.

Four more years of moderate, wishy-washy conservatives like Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich --- or a Hillary Clinton that keeps the steady "progress" going --- will only lead to more discontent. And if Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump get elected, that discontent will only escalate with their dramatic changes.

"I've been struck by the media saying that people like Ted Cruz are extremists, but at the same time they continue to say that Bernie Sanders is leading a revolution," Glenn said. "And it has stuck out to me because that's exactly what's happening."

If the People Ain't Happy . . .

American citizens are not happy with the way their government is being run — and they haven't been for a long time. Glenn listed these disturbing stats on what Americans currently believe:

• 81% believe the power of ordinary people to control our country weakens every day

• 80% believe the federal government is its own special interest, primarily looking out for itself

• 79% believe we need to recruit and support more candidates for office at all levels of government who are ordinary citizens, rather than professional politicians or lawyers

• 78% believe the Democratic and Republican Parties are essentially useless to create meaningful change because they both are beholden to special interests

• 76% agree with the statement that America cannot succeed unless we take on and defeat the corruption and crony capitalism that is happening in our government

• 75% believe the U.S. government is not working for the people's best interest

• 75% believe powerful interests have used campaign and lobbying money to rig the system for themselves

• 74% See the bias and slanted news coverage of the media as part of the problem

• 72% believe the U.S. has a two-track economy where most Americans struggle every day, where good jobs are hard to find and where huge corporations get all the rewards

• 72% believe the reason families and our middle class have not seen economic conditions improve for decades is because of the corruption and crony capitalism in Washington

• 71% believe our government is not only dysfunctional, but collapsing before our eyes

• 70% believe the government in Washington does not govern with the consent of the people

• 56% wish there was a third party with a chance of success to fight for their interests

• 15% say the values and principles of their political party are so important that they strongly prefer to vote for the candidates of their party

"If that's not a revolution waiting to happen, nothing is," Glenn said.

Common Sense Bottom Line

America is headed for a revolution. In fact, there are three revolutionaries that will dramatically change the country — Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz — currently in the race for president. Only one is tied to the Constitution.

"These are the three that understand what is happening right now in America," Glenn said. "And the choice is socialism, a strongman or the Constitution. Which one do you want? Because the others will just continue this same game."

Enjoy this complimentary clip from The Glenn Beck Program:

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: You know, I've been struck by the media saying that people like Ted Cruz are extremists, but at the same time they continue to say that Bernie Sanders is leading a revolution. Have you heard that? They all are saying that there's a revolution that is going on, and they're saying it in a way to protect Hillary Clinton. You know, Bernie Sanders is calling for a revolution. You know, we don't want a revolution, right, Hillary? So revolution. And it has stuck out to me. And it stuck out to me because that's exactly what's happening.

I think we're pre -- I think we're still pre-revolution. But the country is a lot farther down this road than anyone in Washington or the media really understands.

Let me give you some stats. 84 percent of all Americans believe political leaders are more interested in protecting their power and privilege than doing what is right. We all agree with that? 84 percent do.

STU: Yes.

GLENN: 81 percent believe the power of ordinary people to control our country is getting weaker every day, as politicians of both parties fight to protect their own power and privilege. 80 percent believe the federal government is its own special interest, primarily looking out for itself. 79 percent of voters believe we need to recruit and support more candidates for office at all levels of government who are just ordinary citizens, rather than professional politicians or lawyers. 78 percent believe the Democratic and Republican Parties are essentially useless in changing anything because both political parties are too beholden to special interest to create any meaningful change. 76 percent of all Americans agree with the statement that America cannot succeed unless we take on and defeat the corruption and crony capitalism that is happening in our government. 75 percent of all Americans believe the US government is not working for the people's best interest. Seventy-five people -- 75 percent of the people believe that powerful interests have used campaign and lobbying money to rig the system for themselves.

So far, I agree with absolutely every one of these. Do you?

STU: The only one I disagree with was the one where you said both parties can't get anything done because they only care about their own interests. The Democrats get a lot of stuff done. They get stuff done all the time. They move the country significantly to the left. And they've been successful over a long period of time --

GLENN: It's all moving towards their interest, not the interest of the people.

STU: I suppose. But their interest -- their interest is to make the government bigger. I think that's against the interests of the people, but that's the only one I would even quibble with.

GLENN: Yes. 74 percent see the bias and slanted news coverage of the media as part of the problem. 72 percent of Americans believe the US has a two-track economy where most Americans struggle every day, where good jobs are hard to find and where huge corporations get all the rewards. 72 percent believe that the reason families and our middle class have not seen their economic condition improve for decades and economic growth is stalled, because of corruption and crony capitalism in Washington.

71 percent believe our government is not only dysfunctional, it is collapsing before our eyes. 70 percent of people believe the government in Washington does not govern with the consent of the people. The majority, 56 percent, say they wish there was a third party with a chance of success to fight for their interests. And only 15 percent say the values and principles of my political party are so important that I strongly prefer to vote for the candidates of my party.

If that's not a revolution waiting to happen, nothing is. That's why, quite honestly, if America picks Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, or Hillary Clinton, we are setting ourselves up, I believe, for more revolution and revolutionary discontent in four years from now. Because things are going to get so bad that we need somebody who is going to be dynamic in their change.

Now, you get somebody like Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, I believe that's going to be even worse. Because they are going to move the country, but they're going to move the country in a way that I believe Americans don't really fully understand at this point. They're looking for change. Because of these things they're looking for dramatic change, but neither of them are pegged to the Constitution. Rand Paul was pegged to the Constitution. Cruz is pegged to the Constitution. And there was an interesting thing that I heard Ted Cruz talk about, where Ted was -- was speaking about how he had respect for Bernie Sanders.

Now, he's the first guy that I've heard say this. Listen carefully.

TED: You know, actually when it comes to diagnosing the problem, many folks in the press are often surprised when I say in large part, I agree with Bernie Sanders. I agree with Bernie Sanders, that the fix is in, that Washington is corrupt, that it is responding to the giant corporations and the special interests, and the people getting the short end of the stick are the working men and women of this country.

(applauding)

GLENN: Listen to that. Applause, I agree with Bernie Sanders.

TED: Now, where I disagree with Bernie Sanders is on the solution. If government is corrupt, Bernie's solution is, we need more government. I think that's getting it backwards. So I think when it comes to income inequality, Republicans ought to be campaigning on it. What I'm campaigning is all the people trapped away from getting the economic dream, we can get back to the robust economic growth that enables anybody starting with nothing to achieve anything. I think that's the core of our message and how we win.

GLENN: Getting back to the principles of the Constitution. But the problem is that most people aren't talking about the Constitution. Most people don't even understand what the -- I Googled the Bill of Rights this morning, and I thought, "How low on the Google list is the Bill of Rights, compared to, what is socialism? How many people are actually A/B comparing, wait a minute. What is socialist? What is the Bill of Rights saying?" Nobody is paying attention to the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution are the things that have always brought us together.

On the other hand, you see Bernie Sanders with his righteous indignation, but nobody is listening to his solution. They don't know what socialism is. That's a proven fact now. Nobody knows what socialism really means.

On the other hand, you have Donald Trump playing into the same -- there are three revolutionaries. There is Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Ted Cruz. Only one of those revolutionaries is pegged to the Constitution now. You also had the fourth for a while was Rand Paul.

PAT: Paul.

GLENN: Now you only have three left. So we know that Ted Cruz, revolutionary, but he is saying, "Go back to the Constitution." Bernie Sanders, his solution is socialism. But most people don't even know what that means. And Donald Trump is revenge. And let me show you an example here. This is getting an awful lot of -- cut 250. This is getting an awful lot of play now. What happened at a rally and what -- this is where the disagreement comes, what he called Jeb Bush after a woman in the audience called Jeb Bush this.

PAT: This is Ted Cruz.

STU: Ted Cruz.

GLENN: Or, yeah, Ted Cruz.

DONALD: Asked Ted Cruz a serious question: Well, what do you think of waterboarding? Is it okay?

And honestly, I thought he'd say absolutely, and he didn't. He said, well, it's -- you know, it's --

(inaudible)

DONALD: Okay. You're not allowed to say, and I never expect to hear that from you again. She said -- I never expect to hear that from you again. She said he's a (bleep).

Because some people -- she just said a terrible thing. You know what she said?

Shout it out because I don't want to --

VOICE: Pussy! (bleep)

DONALD: That's terrible. Terrible.

STU: Unbelievable.

PAT: It's so ridiculous. And he's -- he had her do it again so that everybody would know -- he repeats it.

GLENN: Yeah, he repeats. And his supporters are saying, he never said it. Well, yes, technically he did, and he was just using her as a foil to say this.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: Now, listen to how sick the supporters are. This is CNN. You're going to hear a woman fighting against this. She is clearly a leftist, but if you listen to her, she's making sense. And the other woman who is supporting Trump, is a woman who is wearing a cross prominently displayed on her chest.

Now, listen to this.

VOICE: Has anyone heard that word being used in a campaign before? Were you there?

VOICE: Never been used.

VOICE: Look, here's my take. I was not there. But here's my take on this. I'm not a prude, but I think this is the culture of degradation. I think this is an example of why Donald Trump is surging. I do not think you could get away with this even ten years ago. And I think this is an example of really -- I don't want to say the dumbing down, but the lowering of our standards for what is presidential. This should not be accepted.

VOICE: No. Well, but nobody else can get away with it either. I mean, this is very unique to Donald Trump.

PAT: Right. That's true.

VOICE: He has been able to say, really, the most outrageous, amazing things one after the other, time after time. And we've seen his poll numbers go up.

You see, tomorrow, he's going to go on TV, and he's going to tell us he was talking about a baby cat.

VOICE: You're probably right.

GLENN: Now, this is the leftist lady. This is the conservative.

VOICE: I don't think you're understanding what's happening in America. Everyone is talking about Donald Trump's rhetoric. But that's not why he's resonating with one-third of the Republican Party. He's resonating because Americans care about ISIS. They care that 60 ISIS fighters were in Europe on the day 130 Parisians were killed --

VOICE: But, Kaley, he's not saying that. He's calling someone the P-word or repeating that.

VOICE: He did not call someone that.

VOICE: Okay. You're right, but he's repeating a word.

VOICE: He said you shouldn't say that word.

STU: Come on.

PAT: Isn't that pathetic?

VOICE: I was embarrassed. I was there with my 15-year-old daughter, my intern/daughter. And there were a lot of kids in the crowd. I just thought it was one of those -- it was one of those wash-your-mouth moments. I mean, I'm glad my mom wasn't in the audience, or there --

VOICE: You don't have a problem with that as a woman?

VOICE: I don't have a problem with that --

VOICE: Well, I sure as hell do. He said that the POWs were losers.

VOICE: No, he did not. No, he did not say that.

VOICE: I don't know how much Kool-Aid you have to drink in order to lose your ability to hear.

VOICE: Words -- words matter.

VOICE: -- the man today was being sarcastic. Of course, words matter. That's what we're talking about.

GLENN: Did you hear what she just said? Stop for a second. I don't know how much Kool-Aid you have to drink to lose your ability to hear.

PAT: That's a great point.

STU: That's a great point.

PAT: That's a great, great point.

GLENN: Hang on just a second. Let me go back to the original point. How much Kool-Aid do you have to drink to lose your ability to question what socialism is? It goes back to these numbers. We are in a revolution. And the mainstream media refuses to see it. The -- the regular political class refuses to see it. There are three people now running that understand it: Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Ted Cruz. Those are the three that understand revolution. Those are the three that understand what is happening right now in America. And the choice is socialism, a strongman, or the Constitution. Which one do you want? Because the others will just continue this same game.

At one level or another, they will continue the crony capitalism and deal-making. Strongman, socialist, or constitutionalist?

PAT: And what's the slogan of New Hampshire?

GLENN: Live free or die. They're picking the die part.

Featured Image: Getty Images

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

Without civic action, America faces collapse

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

Glenn's Show Prep

Which Revolutionary Will America Choose — Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump or Ted Cruz

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

Without civic action, America faces collapse

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Taking up the torch

Start small and local

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family