Glenn Beck Blogs: Long Hours, the FCC and Obama

Television host and conservative pundit Glenn Beck challenges everything from politics to political correctness on his hour-long CNN Headline News show. Beck, however, has become a business franchise of his own, with a radio show, website, speaking tours, bestselling books, and a comedy magazine, Fusion Magazine, that he publishes. Beck spent Thursday blogging about his business and yours. One day. One place: Portfolio.com.

Thanks to all of you who've been reading my posts and thanks to Portfolio.com for giving me this opportunity--it's been a lot of fun. I want to finish by answering a few of the questions that some of you posted earlier.

Brandon asked, "How do you find time during the day to work on everything?"

Actually, it's impossible to find enough hours in the day, which is why I have to use the night as well.

The truth is that I do work a lot of hours, but before I start sounding like "woe is me," I should point out that I work this much because I want to. When your work and your passion is one and the same, the long hours don't seem to matter as much.

I should also point out that long hours are all relative. Sixty-hour weeks may seem like a lot, until you consider that Jeffrey Immelt, the C.E.O. of General Electric, has been putting in 100-hour weeks for 27 years. (It would be way too easy to make a joke about how all of those hours haven't helped the stock price, so I won't).

Eric asked, "My dream is to start a business. I'm finishing up at law school and I'm married with four children. What's your advice for balancing family and finances during the startup process?"

I'll be very honest: The entrepreneur in me (my Dad owned his own bakery) wants to tell you to follow your dream at all costs, but the father in me (I have four kids, too) wants to tell you to put in your hours and collect enough paychecks until you can make a break without breaking the bank.

I've always been a believer of "risk big, win big," but I have to tell you that kids and a family really changes that equation. Twenty years ago I could've spent every nickel I had (or didn't have) starting a business and I wouldn't have cared if I ended up living under a bridge. But now that underpass would be pretty crowded (and really smelly--my youngest is two), and that changes my priorities.

I don't know what your financial situation is, but if risking big would mean moving from a house near I-5 to I-5 itself, then I'd argue against it for now.

Misrold asked, "Do you think a Fairness Doctrine or F.C.C. mandate/rule will be the death of AM radio?"

For anyone who doesn't know, the Fairness Doctrine was an F.C.C. policy that basically required the broadcast of opposing viewpoints. It was abolished in 1987, but some people believe that it may come back in another form, especially if Barack Obama takes the White House.

It is, of course, a completely ridiculous concept. Legislating fairness is not only impossible, it's anti-American. If someone has trouble finding an "opposing view" in this age of radio, satellite radio, blogs, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, cable and satellite TV, the Web, email, and instant messaging, then, quite frankly, he or she is a moron. The Fairness Doctrine simply attempts to use politicians to accomplish something that capitalism couldn't: taking down conservative talk radio.

As far as whether that would happen if the F.D. were revised, I do think it's possible. But I also think that the audience for conservative talk is large and passionate (just look at what happened to the McCain immigration bill) and they wouldn't stand for the government shutting down political discourse.

Craig asked, "I think eight years of Obama would make the word "apocalypse" seem mild. How do you feel about me not voting for McCain so much as voting against Obama?"

I actually hate that idea. A lot of people have called in lately asking about this and my opinion is that America is not a country that should settle for second best. We don't vote against things, we vote for them. If you don't like either of the two major candidates, then go out and find another one that you do feel passionate about. They may not win, but if you pull the lever for Obama or McCain because you're a two-party zombie then I guarantee they won't. Voting for a unknown candidate is like the lottery: You can't win if you don't play.

Sue asked, "Any thoughts on preventing the Obama coronation by exploring whether he actually meets the definition of a 'natural born citizen'?"

Of course I have thoughts, it's my job. I actually think it's a terrible idea. If you go to snopes.com and search for Obama there are a million different myths and allegations that have been circulated and thoroughly debunked. Focusing on rumors (that almost always turn out to be false) takes attention away from the issues--and that's where the real scary stuff is. My advice is to stop worrying about birth certificates and religions, and start worrying about Obama's plans for health care and taxes.

SassySandich asked, "Do you even know what a blog is, playa?"

Hey Playa--of course I know what a blog is. It's the thing that Al Gore will take credit for as soon as he decides to run for president again.