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What's with Ben Stein?

Posted on 12/06/2008 3:09:54 PM PST by EveningStar

What's with Ben Stein, anyway? He's been acting a bit goofy for a while now, but what he said yesterday makes me wonder if he's lost it.

Michael Medved had Stein on his show yesterday. Ben made several pronouncements:

-- He supports the bailout. Moreover, he would bail out states if needed.

-- He was vehemently opposed to the Sarah Palin pick for VP. I checked out a past YouTube video where he was quite vitriolic about it.

-- He's for taxing the rich at a higher rate. OK. I already knew about this. But, WTFF???

No. I don't think he supported Obama in the election At least I hope not.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: benstein; vanity
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To: jobim
Should ID proponents be silenced in academia, as Stein contends is happening?

That question should be left up to the institutions in question. I have no desire to dictate who should - or shouldn't - be allowed access to or residence in the Ivory Tower.

Should there exist, does there exist, this "Berlin Wall" of demarcation?

See previous answer. :)

My Catholic faith leaves open the possibility for evolution, big bang, or however God decided to make us come about.

Matter of faith. Science and faith are different creatures.

Example: I have faith in man's ability to one day figure out a method to travel faster than light. There is zero evidence to support this belief and I accept that. Given our current understanding, it is impossible. Science tells me I am wrong, yet I still believe.

But why the antagonism to the ID folks?

Because Intelligent Design is dressed up Creationism pretending to be science.

If a man tells me he truly believes the creation account in Genesis, I can respect that. We disagree, but we're being honest with each other.

Intelligent Design supporters - most I've encountered, anyway - go to great lengths to attack the theory of evolution and shove God into each and every possible "hole" they think they've discovered.

It doesn't explain anything. It doesn't present testable, falsifiable ideas.

It merely states "God Did It!" and goes about attacking anyone who doesn't agree as a "God hater".

It's not my arena, so I genuinely wonder what is happening in the academic world of science.

Not my world, either. I'd be more likely to hang out at a fraternity house getting drunk. ;)

61 posted on 12/06/2008 5:21:17 PM PST by CE2949BB (Fight.)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

I don’t think he’s gay and “vitriolic” is my interpretation.


62 posted on 12/06/2008 5:22:05 PM PST by EveningStar
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To: EveningStar

Just saying.


63 posted on 12/06/2008 5:22:42 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network ("Free Trade" = Fire Americans. Buy another company then fire more Americans.)
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To: jobim
My Catholic faith leaves open the possibility for evolution, big bang, or however God decided to make us come about. But why the antagonism to the ID folks? It's not my arena, so I genuinely wonder what is happening in the academic world of science.

The answer is simple. ID is not science, although it pretends to be.

Science relies on evidence, and the scientific method. ID attempts to bypass both. Is it any wonder that it receives a cool reception from mainstream science?

64 posted on 12/06/2008 5:27:31 PM PST by Coyoteman (Religious belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge.)
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To: jobim
But why the antagonism to the ID folks?

Why the antagonism to the ACORN folks?

So All Good. But don't examine the folks behind the facade too closely
65 posted on 12/06/2008 5:27:47 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel - Horace Walpole)
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To: Rockingham; All
Ben Stein article from two years ago:

In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class Is Winning

You don't have to read the whole thing if you don't want to. The first few paragraphs are sufficient to give you the gist of it.

66 posted on 12/06/2008 5:32:54 PM PST by EveningStar
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To: Coyoteman
With that movie he has joined the Michael Moore school of film making.

What's funny is that you guys gave it so much free publicity carrying on about it. I suspect when I do see it it will turn out to be the same as the Anne Coulter book - a big din by Darwinists over nothing that resembled their accusations.

Oddly, I don't recall Darwinists getting upset over Mr. Moore. Probably missed it.

67 posted on 12/06/2008 5:48:38 PM PST by Hacksaw
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To: CE2949BB
I wrote the guy off when he started supporting Creationism - uh, er - “Intelligent Design”.

I didn't like this either, but at least he hasn't joined al Qaeda yet, like Paul Craig Roberts.

68 posted on 12/06/2008 6:02:55 PM PST by BlazingArizona
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To: Hacksaw
Oddly, I don't recall Darwinists getting upset over Mr. Moore. Probably missed it.

Was that a backhanded way of accusing me of being a liberal?

My comment, "With that movie he has joined the Michael Moore school of film making" was not a compliment.

69 posted on 12/06/2008 6:14:58 PM PST by Coyoteman (Religious belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge.)
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To: EveningStar
EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS
In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class Is Winning
By BEN STEIN
Published: November 26, 2006

Thanks, but I'm not registering with the New York Times for free access to the story.

Besides, the first sentence gives you more than enough of the gist: "The rich pay a lot of taxes as a total percentage of taxes collected, but they don’t pay a lot of taxes as a percentage of what they can afford to pay."

You first, Ben.

Sounds like what a lot of us Stein fans thought was a blip two years ago was actually a leading indicator.

70 posted on 12/06/2008 6:21:10 PM PST by Tenniel2 (Sometimes you have to confront evil head-on. Mutt-boy delenda est.)
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To: Tenniel2; All
OK. Here are the first few paragraphs. It should be enough:

NOT long ago, I had the pleasure of a lengthy meeting with one of the smartest men on the planet, Warren E. Buffett, the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, in his unpretentious offices in Omaha. We talked of many things that, I hope, will inspire me for years to come. But one of the main subjects was taxes. Mr. Buffett, who probably does not feel sick when he sees his MasterCard bill in his mailbox the way I do, is at least as exercised about the tax system as I am.

Put simply, the rich pay a lot of taxes as a total percentage of taxes collected, but they don’t pay a lot of taxes as a percentage of what they can afford to pay, or as a percentage of what the government needs to close the deficit gap.

Mr. Buffett compiled a data sheet of the men and women who work in his office. He had each of them make a fraction; the numerator was how much they paid in federal income tax and in payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare, and the denominator was their taxable income. The people in his office were mostly secretaries and clerks, though not all.

It turned out that Mr. Buffett, with immense income from dividends and capital gains, paid far, far less as a fraction of his income than the secretaries or the clerks or anyone else in his office. Further, in conversation it came up that Mr. Buffett doesn’t use any tax planning at all. He just pays as the Internal Revenue Code requires. “How can this be fair?” he asked of how little he pays relative to his employees. “How can this be right?”

Even though I agreed with him, I warned that whenever someone tried to raise the issue, he or she was accused of fomenting class warfare.

“There’s class warfare, all right,” Mr. Buffett said, “but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”

71 posted on 12/06/2008 6:44:42 PM PST by EveningStar
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To: EveningStar

In his article in the NewsMax magazine he states, “We have just elected....” If that doesn’t portend that he voted for Obama I don’t know what else can. He also states, “Frankly, I feel pretty good about it.” Now who would vote for someone else and then state how much they like the other guy?
Then there is this video of him stating that Palin was the worst VP pick ever. http://weneedobama.blogspot.com/2008/09/conservative-ben-stein-dumbfounded-by.html
His column in NewsMax wanted to make me barf.


72 posted on 12/06/2008 8:30:46 PM PST by taxesareforever (Quick justice for the senseless killing of Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Crutchfield.)
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To: EveningStar

Among other counterpoints to Stein, Social Security and Medicare are not just taxes but also pension type benefit and welfare systems and hence distinct from general taxation.


73 posted on 12/06/2008 9:10:46 PM PST by Rockingham
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What’s with Ben Stein? He seemed cool with his game show, I loved that, then he turned into a wacko flake with his ID movie. It’s no surprise with how flaky he’s gotten that he doesn’t like our Sarah either.


74 posted on 12/06/2008 9:12:29 PM PST by RIghtNowAndAlways (Sarah in '012!)
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To: EveningStar
Ben Stein has been a wacko for quite some time.

Ben Stein thinks the war in Iraq is a mess – the speech he would have written for GWB:
Oct. 29, 2006 - What Ben Stein Thinks Bush Should Do - It Is Time For Rumsfeld To Go And For The President To Admit That Iraq Is A Mess, Says Stein - Sunday Morning contributor Ben Stein thinks it is time for President Bush to admit that Iraq is a disaster.

Ben Stein still thinks the war in Iraq is a mess and a mistake but hey the economy is great!
Jan. 28, 2007 - Ben Stein: Bush Is Not All Bad - Iraq Is A Mess, But There Is A Lot Of Good In the U.S.

Ben Stein thinks the rich are getting richer while the war rages on…bad rich people.
Feb. 18, 2007 - Rich Get Richer While War Rages On - Ben Stein Says Life Is Great For The Wealthiest Americans - (CBS) Sunday Morning commentator Ben Stein says America's ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan are worsening but here at home, the stock market soars.

Ben Stein says the economy is just fine:
March 18, 2007 - Sunday Morning Commentator Says Don't Worry About Foreclosure Blues, The Mortgage Market Is Robust

Now Ben says we are on the verge of a Depression – bail out needed!:
Nov. 16, 2008 - Ben Stein Votes "Yes" On Big Three Bailout Says Gov't Must Save Detroit To Avoid a Depression - What economic problem should be the government's top priority? Contributor Ben Stein has his nominee:

Ben Stein finally admits he’s stupid (and on that he and I finally agree):
Aug. 3, 2008 - I'm Ben Stein, And I've Erred Financially Feeling Bad About Your Recent Financial Choices? You're Not Alone

Oh and this great tidbit of wisdom from Ben – defending Elliot Spitzer – he’s a great guy and what’s so wrong with prostitution?
Mar. 16, 2008 - Elections More Important Than Call Girls

And don't even get me started on his "movie" Expelled.

Please Ben - shut your trap and and go back to something you were actually good at: a B grade character actor, TV pitchman for Red Eyes and and an MTV game show host.
75 posted on 12/07/2008 7:19:29 AM PST by Caramelgal (Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.)
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To: Caramelgal

Good post. Thanks for the info. :)


76 posted on 12/07/2008 9:20:19 AM PST by EveningStar
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To: taxesareforever

Thanks. That’s the video I was referring to in my initial post.

Screw you, Ben.


77 posted on 12/07/2008 9:24:49 AM PST by EveningStar
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To: Oratam

He lives in Malibu, Ca...he has a summer place in Sandpoint, Idaho...we don’t claim him.


78 posted on 12/07/2008 9:26:52 AM PST by Cuttnhorse
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To: CE2949BB
I wrote the guy off when he started supporting Creationism - uh, er - “Intelligent Design”.

It was a joke. Stein's movie, Expelled, is satire. It is amazing that so many have fallen for it. Old Ben is laughing his ass off.

79 posted on 12/30/2008 4:46:35 AM PST by Jeff Gordon ("An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last." Churchill)
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