"Time value of money" argument is nonsense, but works on people who are mathematically challenged.  It helps explain why people are doing this for no good reason.  It also assumes that no tax laws will be changed.  When they came for inherited IRA's, I said nothing, because I didn't have an inherited IRA; when they came for Roth IRA's, the taxpayers with inherited IRA's just shrugged.

Advertising requires listeners, which requires content, even when there is no good advice to be given.  There are a lot of snake-oil salesmen touting a particular political philosophy, when they know little either about social developments or the nutritional supplements they promote.  Then there are those who are gold bugs.  I worked in radio for a few years, and learned about brokered time -- on weekends, even on major stations, you can buy half an hour and produce your own "show" that promotes your own financial advice, or health cures, or travel planning.  The less educated eat this stuff up because they don't realize it's just a commercial.  If it's on the radio, it must be true -- just like now, with the Internet.  

Hard to believe it has been 10 years since Bruce Williams retired.  He paved the way for Ramsey, but without the preachy, you-kids-get-off-my-lawn style.  They are both good entertainers, but shouldn't be taken seriously for one-size-fits-all advice.