I saw an article by Ben Stein this afternon. I recognize who he is, from media, but being not a movie or TV buff, I’ve not really ever paid too much attention to him.
I looked him up in Wikipedia, and ran across this, a view of Richard Nixon novel to me.
quote:
If there is such a thing as karma, if there is such a thing as justice in this life or the next, Mark Felt has bought himself the worst future of any man on this earth. And Bob Woodward is right behind him, with Ben Bradlee bringing up the rear. Out of their smug arrogance and contempt, they hatched the worst nightmare imaginable: genocide.
In 2005, Stein said in the American Spectator:
Can anyone even remember now what Nixon did that was so terrible? He ended the war in Vietnam, brought home the POWs, ended the war in the Mideast, opened relations with China, started the first nuclear weapons reduction treaty, saved Eretz Israel's life, started the Environmental Protection Agency. Does anyone remember what he did that was bad?
Oh, now I remember. He lied. He was a politician who lied. How remarkable. He lied to protect his subordinates who were covering up a ridiculous burglary that no one to this date has any clue about its purpose. He lied so he could stay in office and keep his agenda of peace going. That was his crime. He was a peacemaker and he wanted to make a world where there was a generation of peace. And he succeeded.
That is his legacy. He was a peacemaker. He was a lying, conniving, covering up peacemaker. He was not a lying, conniving drug addict like JFK, a lying, conniving war starter like LBJ, a lying, conniving seducer like Clinton—a lying, conniving peacemaker.
What else is there about this guy?
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown
October 22, 2018, 04:30 PM
OcCurt
quote:
Originally posted by JALLEN: I saw an article by Ben Stein this afternon. I recognize who he is, from media, but being not a movie or TV buff, I’ve not really ever paid too much attention to him.
I looked him up in Wikipedia, and ran across this, a view of Richard Nixon novel to me.
quote:
If there is such a thing as karma, if there is such a thing as justice in this life or the next, Mark Felt has bought himself the worst future of any man on this earth. And Bob Woodward is right behind him, with Ben Bradlee bringing up the rear. Out of their smug arrogance and contempt, they hatched the worst nightmare imaginable: genocide.
In 2005, Stein said in the American Spectator:
Can anyone even remember now what Nixon did that was so terrible? He ended the war in Vietnam, brought home the POWs, ended the war in the Mideast, opened relations with China, started the first nuclear weapons reduction treaty, saved Eretz Israel's life, started the Environmental Protection Agency. Does anyone remember what he did that was bad?
Oh, now I remember. He lied. He was a politician who lied. How remarkable. He lied to protect his subordinates who were covering up a ridiculous burglary that no one to this date has any clue about its purpose. He lied so he could stay in office and keep his agenda of peace going. That was his crime. He was a peacemaker and he wanted to make a world where there was a generation of peace. And he succeeded.
That is his legacy. He was a peacemaker. He was a lying, conniving, covering up peacemaker. He was not a lying, conniving drug addict like JFK, a lying, conniving war starter like LBJ, a lying, conniving seducer like Clinton—a lying, conniving peacemaker.
What else is there about this guy?
Bueller?...Bueller?...
October 22, 2018, 04:30 PM
rduckwor
He's a pretty sharp political and economics commentator. Not quite to the level of James Wood's tweets, but not far behind. He did some acting too.
Apparently the exposure to the Hollywood types did not fry his conservative fuse.
RMD
TL Davis: “The Second Amendment is special, not because it protects guns, but because its violation signals a government with the intention to oppress its people…” Remember: After the first one, the rest are free.
October 22, 2018, 04:30 PM
SIGnified
He is quite wealthy, and often talks about $$$s mgmt. I think he had a head start from his folks. Lives in Sandpoint, ID.
"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." ~Robert A. Heinlein
October 22, 2018, 04:36 PM
Mikito
Don't forget game show host. Win Ben Stein's Money
Originally posted by Mikito: Don't forget game show host. Win Ben Stein's Money
Great show. Very Smart guy.
October 22, 2018, 04:46 PM
jhe888
quote:
Originally posted by rduckwor: He's a pretty sharp political and economics commentator. Not quite to the level of James Wood's tweets, but not far behind. He did some acting too.
Apparently the exposure to the Hollywood types did not fry his conservative fuse.
RMD
Ben Stein is the real deal who happened to do a little acting. He is a lawyer (Yale), and has an economics undergrad degree from Columbia. (While there isn't much that is more worthless than an undergrad econ degree, he has some knowledge.) He started as a speech writer for Nixon, and then went into entertainment and commenting. He is a geniunely smart guy.
Woods is smart, but he is more an actor who does a little political commenting.
The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything.
October 22, 2018, 04:52 PM
IntrepidTraveler
quote:
Originally posted by Mikito: Don't forget game show host. Win Ben Stein's Money
Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry
"Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it)
October 22, 2018, 05:04 PM
Aquabird
Ah yeah, Stein. He is ok.
But Nixon did start the EPA, so that is far worse than hiding some petty B&E.
NRA Life Endowment member Tri-State Gun collectors Life Member
October 22, 2018, 05:18 PM
RogB
His dad, Herb Stein, a respected economist. Ben also writes for the American Spectator. He's no longer enamored with Jimmy Kimmel who he helped bring into public view via Ben Stein's Money.
_______________________________________
NRA Life Member Member Isaac Walton League
I wouldn't let anyone do to me what I've done to myself
October 22, 2018, 05:40 PM
Fenris
quote:
Originally posted by Aquabird: But Nixon did start the EPA, so that is far worse than hiding some petty B&E.
IIRC, he also took us off the Gold Standard.
God Bless and Protect our Beloved President, Donald John Trump.
October 22, 2018, 05:48 PM
JALLEN
quote:
Originally posted by Fenris:
quote:
Originally posted by Aquabird: But Nixon did start the EPA, so that is far worse than hiding some petty B&E.
IIRC, he also took us off the Gold Standard.
Nixon, you mean.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown
October 22, 2018, 06:38 PM
JALLEN
quote:
Originally posted by jhe888:
quote:
Originally posted by rduckwor: He's a pretty sharp political and economics commentator. Not quite to the level of James Wood's tweets, but not far behind. He did some acting too.
Apparently the exposure to the Hollywood types did not fry his conservative fuse.
RMD
Ben Stein is the real deal who happened to do a little acting. He is a lawyer (Yale), and has an economics undergrad degree from Columbia. (While there isn't much that is more worthless than an undergrad econ degree, he has some knowledge.) He started as a speech writer for Nixon, and then went into entertainment and commenting. He is a geniunely smart guy.
Woods is smart, but he is more an actor who does a little political commenting.
It turns out his dad was Herbert Stein, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors under Nixon and Ford.
He seems to have gotten some recent attention because a Dodger pitcher is named “Buehler.” I guess we have that to look forward to next week.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown
October 22, 2018, 06:55 PM
TigerDore
He's a brilliant man, well-trained in economics and law(Class Valedictorian at Yale). Stein has an Ivy league education, but escaped indoctrination.
His film "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" is a delightful, humorous documentary, filmed in the understated manner of his marksman-like, dry wit.
.
October 22, 2018, 10:39 PM
jigray3
quote:
Originally posted by jhe888: While there isn't much that is more worthless than an undergrad econ degree
Hey! Did I say anything about law degrees???.....
If you had qualified it as an Econ degree from COLUMBIA, well then, I have no beef.
"We have a system that increasingly taxes work, and increasingly subsidizes non-work" - Milton Friedman
October 22, 2018, 10:58 PM
JALLEN
quote:
Originally posted by jigray3:
quote:
Originally posted by jhe888: While there isn't much that is more worthless than an undergrad econ degree
Hey! Did I say anything about law degrees???.....
If you had qualified it as an Econ degree from COLUMBIA, well then, I have no beef.
His dad was Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. Isn’t that pretty much the top job for economists? At least help with homework?
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown
October 22, 2018, 11:20 PM
corsair
October 23, 2018, 01:47 AM
Jimineer
He doesn’t believe that you or I need an AR-15. He said so on a Fox News commentary after the Florida school shooting. So I’d say he a frickin’ idiot. Don’t judge a man by his degrees.
October 23, 2018, 03:52 AM
46and2
I've only known one professional Economist, as far as I know, and he was eventually the Treasurer for an entire (small) country (his signature is even on the paper money from that era, which is pretty damn cool, IMO). I'd always considered it a purely academic pursuit.
Apparently one in a zillion of them go on to have interesting jobs.