Beck originally intended to use the rally to promote his next-to-be-released political book, The Plan, in which he would outline a century-long plan to "save the country," but soon decided to re-focus the event on raising awareness and funds for the charity the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.[65] Beck named his planned rally "Restoring Honor," saying its theme was "about honoring character" as well as honoring the sacrifices of U.S. Armed Services personnel.[66]
Commentators noted that the planned date would be the forty-seventh anniversary of the Great March on Washington, at which, on August 29, 1963, King had accompanied an assemblage of 250,000 African-American Civil Rights Movement marchers from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Beck said the timing and place for his event was coincidental but appropriate, with its theme agreeing with King's "message of focusing on the content of a person's character above all else."
Beck has described himself as a conservative with libertarian leanings.[29][30] Among his core values Beck lists personal responsibility, private charity, the right to life, freedom of religion, limited government, and family as the cornerstone of society.[31] Beck also believes in low national debt, and has said "A conservative believes that debt creates unhealthy relationships. Everyone, from the government on down, should live within their means and strive for financial independence."[32]
his show's high ratings have not come without controversy from both outside and inside Fox News.[76] The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz reported that Beck's use of "distorted or inflammatory rhetoric" has given him a "lightning-rod status", that in turn, has complicated the channel's and their journalist's efforts to neutralize White House criticism that Fox is not really a news organization.
Responding almost directly to an op-ed published Thursday by ex-Fed vice chairman Alan Blinder saying the Fed was running low on ammo, Bernanke said: "The issue at this stage is not whether we have the tools to help support economic activity and guard against disinflation. We do. As I will discuss next, the issue is instead whether, at any given juncture, the benefits of each tool, in terms of additional stimulus, outweigh the associated costs or risks of using the tool."
One policy option Bernanke rebuffed was to increase medium-term inflation goals above levels consistent with price stability. "I see no support for this option on the FOMC," the central bank chief said.
Lovers of free markets (including The Economist) feared that Mr Obama might use GM as a political tool: perhaps favouring the unions who donate to Democrats or forcing the firm to build smaller, greener cars than consumers want to buy. The label “Government Motors” quickly stuck, evoking images of clunky committee-built cars that burned banknotes instead of petrol—all run by what Sarah Palin might call the socialist-in-chief.
Yet the doomsayers were wrong. Unlike, say, France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, who used public funds to support Renault and Peugeot-Citroën on condition that they did not close factories in France, Mr Obama has been tough from the start.
GM had to promise to slim down dramatically—cutting jobs, shuttering factories and shedding brands—to win its lifeline. The firm was forced to declare bankruptcy. Shareholders were wiped out. Top managers were swept aside.
Congress has put pressure on GM to build new models in America rather than Asia, and to keep open dealerships in certain electoral districts. But by and large Mr Obama has not used his stakes in GM and Chrysler for political ends.
On the contrary, his goal has been to restore both firms to health and then get out as quickly as possible. GM is now profitable again and Chrysler, managed by Fiat, is making progress. Taxpayers might even turn a profit when GM is sold.
Whoever forms a government, it is clear that the big winner is the Greens. In addition to their seat in the lower house, they will control the balance of power in the upper house, the senate. They look set to win 12% of the vote nationally, 50% more than last time. They could also double their number of seats in the combined houses of parliament.