The American Spectator : The Woman on the Plane

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The Woman on the Plane

By Ben Stein on 10.18.11 @ 6:08AM

Don’t kid yourself. We are heading into oblivion.

Monday
Here I am in my sickbed in Beverly Hills. I traveled last week from LAX to DCA, where I sat one row in front of the absolutely fattest woman I have ever seen. How she got on the airplane and down the aisle to her seat is a puzzle. She was so large that even sitting still, her ample knees pressed against the back of my seat.

Plus, she shifted often in her seat. I don’t think I will sit in that seat again. Bad karma. I had felt a bit off when I got on the plane and the vibe of sitting next to that extravagantly enormous woman knocked me off my bearings totally.

I didn’t even feel the usual elation I feel when I step on the marble floor of DCA.

In D.C., it’s not the same at all now. My pal Russ is no longer there. I got in too late to see his girlfriend, Clare, and I did not feel up to going out to Clyde’s. So my driver and pal, Bob Noah, and I just had ham sandwiches in my kitchen at the Watergate. Then I watched the Military Channel, about a terrifying tank battle in Iraq, until I fell asleep. I really miss Russ, who is an amazingly smart young man with a truly unique sense of humor and ability to tell the truth. However, he’s in Charlotte now, following the life of the law. His destiny, I guess.

The next day, off Bob — who is also a great guy — and I went by car to Philadelphia. It was a gray, miserable day, with rain threatening. Bob talked incessantly about baseball and football, as to which he seems to know every possible detail.

I was still feeling dazed, forgot my phones until we were on Capitol Hill, then had to go back to the Watergate for them, a total waste of time.… Very typical of what my brain does when assaulted by fatigue. I blame that immense woman who sat behind me.

We stopped at the Maryland House, a fine rest stop with many different restaurants between Baltimore and Wilmington. Bob and I had crab cakes at Phillips Crab House, and they were swell. We even had cream of crab soup, which was also fine. There was a high school field trip stopping at the Maryland House. The kids looked bleary-eyed but they recognized me and crowded around me for photos. I liked that. I felt physically better almost immediately. I love positive attention. Like a dog.

Really, at heart, like Homer Simpson, I am a big dog.

Rain was falling as we headed back towards Philadelphia, I fell into a deep sleep until we arrived near the hotel. We passed and then went back to a totally, 100 percent empty CVS. We could not even find a clerk for five minutes.

Then, into the Marriott. I’m a stockholder, but I don’t like them at all. The halls are too narrow and the room service is pitiful. It took them way over an hour to bring me toast. That’s pathetic.

I watched a bit of the news. Lots of it about the Occupy Wall Street people. I am getting sad about them.

1. They don’t know anything about Wall Street. If they did, they would know that Wall Street is all about greed. It’s a sort of intensified microcosm of the human soul, where greed comes out to feed upon greed. Wall Street is not a foreign body in our midst. Wall Street is us. They — the demonstrators — are not morally superior to the people on Wall Street. If they had a chance to make money, they would make money, too. The main difference between them and the people on Wall Street is that the Wall Streeters work. These guys play and pretend it’s revolution. They are very lucky it’s not revolution. We already have the best system there is. Whatever comes after this will be dictatorship. (How long until the demonstrators are shouting about “the Jew blood suckers,” I wonder.)

2. The demonstrators don’t have a clue about what to do to fix the economy. The economy is afflicted by fear following the credit collapse in late 2008. The economy will revive when confidence revives. Businessmen’s confidence will not revive while they are being reviled, spat on, targeted by Mr. Obama and his pals and by these often-violent Occupy Wall Street children.

Businesses are like animals. When they are confident and there’s a meal around, they are extremely active. When they are being hunted, they are fearful and they hide.

For the demonstrators to be taken at all seriously just amazes me. They are just whining children. WHY DO WE PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THEM?

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About the Author

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (209) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Appleby| 10.18.11 @ 6:34AM

Thank you for letting us know that you still enjoy being rich.

ENOUGH ROPE| 10.18.11 @ 12:43PM

Ben Stein's diary is a welcome diversion from the hard news of political and economic reality. There are times when I disagree with him, but his vivid descriptions of quotidian upper class life are as entertaining as if one were reading a few pages of a novel by Waugh or Fitzgerald.

Thank you Ben.

Debt Serf| 10.18.11 @ 5:31PM

I like it when he talks about all the models with long legs that hang out with him by the swimming pool, and him just a skivvy little git and all. It gives you hope.

Vern Crisler | 10.18.11 @ 5:45PM

Well, Ben is a movie and tv star....go figure.

Unfortunately, Ben's analysis of the problem with the economy is no better to FDR's: the only enemy is fear.

Ben forgets that high taxes, excessive regulation, Federal Reserve folly, and government interventionism, have all combined to drag the economy down. It is not just a matter of psychology.

rendite| 10.19.11 @ 1:07AM

Mr. Crisler, please add government jobs growth, public debt to pay for government retiree pensions (current) and government retirees as the baby boomer feds put their gumshoes under the bed permanently.

You can hear college seniors whispering to each other, "The only place hiring right now......is www.usajobs.gov"

Sad. Very sad but true, is it not?

Thanks. My iguana has a better handle on the national economic woes and our government fools than ole Benny Boy.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 12:59PM

Hello Appleby! Actually, I suspect he's not reminding us he's rich with the fat lady story because someone like that wouldn't inconvenience him in business class. The seats are huge and usually stewardesses can accommodate Stein in moving his seat. I'm surprised that someone who travels as often as he does would be in economy.

rdd| 10.18.11 @ 1:28PM

What, you think fat women cannot afford to fly first class?

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 2:38PM

No, Rdd. I have flown in business class (not first) and the legroom is quite, well, large. Yeah, it's possible that she flew in first or business class and could still bump Mr. Stein.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 3:19PM

Also, there usually are extra seats in first or business class and they would rather let them sit empty than allow an "Elaine" from Seinfeld to sneak up front and enjoy them. So Ben probably could have easily moved if he was in first or business.

No, I think it's 99% likely that our beloved and crazy diary writer was riding in, dare I say it? Coach!

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:28PM

And if he was, he could have afforded 1st class. I can when I want to. I just don't and don't whinge about it. The times I have ridden first class have not been so much more comfortable for me (as I don't drink, the stewardesses are not attractive on Delta and I'm happily married, and the food in 1st is not that much better) that I routinely do so.

Ben, McDonald's is NOT "American homestyle cooking," either. You insult my beloved late mother-in-law when you say that, who was truly a magnificent "country cook" and lived on a cattle ranch.

I could go on, but punching Ben is like hitting a rabbit. What's the point?

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:29PM

By the way, Ben, that fat woman probably physically hurts. All the time. You are truly a Hollywood type---a self-centered asshole.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 4:55PM

OC, you're not the first to notice this about Ben and that's the point. Ben is honest about it and exposes it for all to see here. This is different than Huffington post where they are clueless and try to pretend like they're not spoiled. Ben will be the first to say, usually in his diary, that he's spoiled rotten.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 7:34PM

Yes, PK, you are right (as you are about, say, 80 percent of the time). Still, he's Jewish and it annoys me, like I'm sure ZB of the Carter years pisses you off.

He's spoiled rotten, and an asshole to people. It embarrasses me a lot.

PolishKnight| 10.19.11 @ 3:29PM

80 percent is unusually high considering I go out of my way to be controversial. I must not be trying hard enough...

Curious: in what way specifically is he an asshole to people? I don't read all of his diary entries so maybe I missed something or maybe you read something else?

Controversy alert: We live in an era where we are told to feel guilty if we view people by their ethnicity or gender yet, simultaneously, we have to be careful not to say or observe anything that may unintentionally offend people for that same reason. It may amaze you to read that I don't think of Ben as Jewish when I read his diary or watch his commercials. He eats pork and so do I, on Fridays at that, so it's hard for me as a very lapsed Catholic to think of him as Jewish beyond as mere fact.

emo| 10.18.11 @ 8:18PM

OC....dont call it that

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:35PM

Just so you know Ben, Obama's going to lose in 2012 like the whipped dog he is. Beverly Hills and Malibu are not America. Thank God (not taking the L-rd's name in vain---thoroughly heartfelt). You live in a pushole, Ben. I had a chance to join you there and turned it down like a bedspread.

John Navratil| 10.18.11 @ 4:46PM

Occam's Tool,

I've got a Senior at Pepperdine. He loves the place, and I can see why - he likes to surf and is otherwise "off the economy". I've visited, staying in a great older hotel - Casa Malibu, and am looking forward to returning for his graduation. But, it's a break, not a life.

Next year my son will be making his own money. It'll will be interesting to see where he ends up. I don't expect his 3-BR condo at $5,000 per month is in the cards.

beebop2| 10.18.11 @ 7:08PM

Casa Malibu!!!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Took myself there for a long weekend for my 50th birthday. Thank goodness the owners are the wonderful people they are. Thanks for the memory!

John Navratil| 10.18.11 @ 9:10PM

beebop2,

The owners are sympatico, the staff are like old friends, the setting is unpretentious... it's an oasis in a sea of banality. Shhhhh!

beebop2| 10.19.11 @ 8:20PM

Mum is the word ... you didn't hear the glowing endorsement from me ... ;)

Otso Odge| 10.18.11 @ 7:10PM

Fat women can afford to feed themselves, and this is no small thing.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:17PM

I do not understand any of the commenters here. You don't agree regarding those spoiled brats at the occupation? I would think you would agree with almost everything Ben said, but because of a few words, you go attack him.

And why read a column you know you won't like? Don't you have lives?

Michael O'Donohue| 10.18.11 @ 5:34PM

I'm a faithful Irish Catholic and I an condemned to suffering. That's why I never miss a column.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 7:44PM

Dear John,

yeah, when I was training at UCLA I would drive past Pepperdine. I thought of how much fun it would have been to go to college there, if it is possible to have fun anywhere as a pre-med. Texas, as a State Resident, is actually THE best place in the country to be a pre-med.

I hope your son gets a job and may he live and be well.

MZK1, Ben is a Mackerel by Moonlight. He shines even as he stinks.

But the point I was making was that I was dating the daughter of the VEEP of the New Jersey Nets at one time while in So-Cal. She was a babysitter for the Nimoys, and through daddy and the prominent East Coast Jewish connections knew everyone that I could have wanted to know to get my foot in the door for a Beverly Hills practice. My family wanted me to marry her.

I moved to rural Alabama instead. After the riots, I learned that not only was LA weird, it was randomly dangerous. And my girlfriend's values were not mine---I like money and financial security, don't get me wrong, but I'm the same person whether or not I drive a Dodge Duster or a Caddy Catera (I much prefer the Duster, for example.), and she once stated to me, "you know, you are what you drive."

That view of hers, written large, is what Ben is all about (she was still chasing me 2 years after I moved to 'Bama, hoping that I would move back to SoCal), and it really nauseates me. He lectures at places like Harding and Kentucky State Universities, but he really doesn't have a clue about these people.

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 10.18.11 @ 6:44AM

Claiming that real greed is found on Wall Street ignores the fact the true greed is found inside the beltway.

Unlike the minions of Wall Street, the minions inside the beltway make the rules and Rule Number One is don't change anything that could shake up the political establishment.

The politicians on Capitol Hill are not morally superior to the rest of us but exist off of a culture of greed and corruption and it's getting worse, even in the midst of a recession the political thievery goes on.

In fact, Mr. Stein, contrary to what you indicate, we already have a dictatorship when the government can force you to buy health care and may soon run the health care system.

As to your second point that the demonstrators don't have a clue as to how to fix the economy that's true. But what is even more frightening is that our political leaders don't have a clue either.

That alone should scare you even more.

Jp Stormont | 10.18.11 @ 2:07PM

Two excellent (and frightening) points!

AhiaGuy| 10.18.11 @ 3:12PM

...and also unlike the minions of Wall Street, the covetous legions in DC take money they never earned from those who actually worked for it.

Harry Hunter| 10.18.11 @ 7:24AM

Sorry, I've no intention of getting used to him.

Ken (Old Texican)| 10.18.11 @ 7:48AM

Harry,
Ditto!
In the final analysis, I guess I'm in the "anybody but Obama" camp.I DO know there is only one R candidate who has proven he can govern properly.

Along about December, Mr. Cain is going to run out of cash...and with no volunteer organization.

I do hope Mr. Perry has been boning up on one line zingers.

Harry the Horrible| 10.18.11 @ 10:01AM

I like Cain and he has my vote in the Primary.
But, sad to say, I'm intrigued by the looney Ron Paul with his $1 Trillion in cuts for the Federal Budget (starting with useless things like the Dept. of Education!).
I hope Herman Cain doesn't hesitate to beg, borrow or steal those policies from Ron Paul.

John Navratil| 10.18.11 @ 10:05AM

Harry the Horrible,

Ron Paul is a fine man and well suited to his current position. No hagiography here, he's not perfect either, but he would make a very bad Commander in Chief in my opinion.

Here's hoping that Cain adopts the notion of eliminating Cabinet level positions. Why did Paul stop where he did? What other cabinet offices do we need besides Interior, Defense, States, Treasury and Justice?

Stan| 10.18.11 @ 1:14PM

Fully agree with you and for using the word hagiography, which I like because it means the opposite of how it sounds!

Harry the Horrible| 10.18.11 @ 1:16PM

I'd like to rename "Defense" to "War" so that it doesn't lose sight of its job so often...

John Navratil| 10.18.11 @ 1:23PM

Harry the Horrible,

That was, of course, its original name.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:22PM

I'm sure he knows. But remember, Navy was always Navy. And already in the war of 1812, it was realized that we needed a decent standing army. I've often thought we should amend the constitution to allow for it specifically.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 7:48PM

John, I totally agree with you on the number of Cabinet offices we need. In addition, the UN ambassador should NOT be a Cabinet position by its lonesome, as it is now.

Jack in Wi.| 10.18.11 @ 11:08PM

Ron Paul gets more contributions from members of the active military then all other candidates combined, including Obama. He would be agreat commander in chief. He would only put troops in harms way when the countries actual defense and intrest were at risk and only after a Constitutional declaration of war. He and Rick Perry are the only ones on stage to actually served in the military. He has seen the death and destruction of war in military and VA hospitals.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:31PM

Umm, if you recall, I've been advocating draconian cuts in Cabinet positions for quite some time. Well before Paul publicized his. In writing.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:20PM

Almost. I cannot support a pure libertarian. What would the world be like without the US patrolling the seas? (And the constitution does differentiate between the Army and the Navy.)

I really hope Cain can make it, but I'll settle for Romney if necessary.

loulou| 10.18.11 @ 12:33PM

That's just Ben's depression talking. Of course we can beat him.

Rachel| 10.18.11 @ 12:51PM

I also have no intention of getting used to him.

Leslie | 10.18.11 @ 2:26PM

Ditto. I will never get used to it. Maybe you should stop apologizing for him,Ben.
Pay your higher taxes and let the rest of usWork towards ending his regime.

Ironman| 10.18.11 @ 7:25AM

Touching piece, Mr. S., in the musing vein. Sorry you be blue, but, you know, it's only human to feel despondent at time. But one question: Did the fat lady sing?

JimH| 10.18.11 @ 10:32AM

Considering Ben only flys first class, she must have really huge unless he was trying to recline his seat.

Appleby| 10.18.11 @ 11:29AM

If she was flying First Class, why did he assume she was a prole?

loulou| 10.18.11 @ 12:34PM

In Ben's elite mind, fat=prole.

Stan| 10.18.11 @ 1:15PM

And that has become the case. Obesity is rampant among the poor.

canuckistani| 10.18.11 @ 2:21PM

Starve the beast?

Albert| 10.18.11 @ 7:47AM

Predicting that Obama will win is making a certain conclusion based on uncertain evidence. Bad move, Mighty Benster. You did better with crab cakes, based on certain evidence.

Shamus| 10.18.11 @ 7:15PM

I give Obama a 42% chance to win. That's his approval rating among likely voters and it shows his likely level of support. Obama's best chance to win would be if a third party candidate runs. If it's down to two, then he's probably going back home.

Intelligent Design| 10.18.11 @ 7:58AM

No president has won re-election in such a horrible economy, except F. Roosevelt during the Depression. People thought he was indispensable. In contrast, about two-thirds of the public can hardly wait for November 2012, to vote for the other guy. Obama is beyond failure. The economy won't recover until he is a Professor of American Un-Exeptionalism at Columbia or Harvard.

Jim | 10.18.11 @ 2:10PM

Why anyone puts automatic value on an Ivy education given the nimrods of Cornell West and Obozo and Holder is beyond me

Intelligent Design| 10.18.11 @ 2:41PM

What's really amazing is how parents and students continue to borrow, beg and steal for the dubious privilege of being brain-washed by collectivist, anti-American professors. And then after paying $$$,$$$ to graduate, the colleges have the chutzpah to ask for donations, to "give back" to the college. And the undergraduate degree has so little value, it's necessary to spend $$$,$$$ more at grad school to qualify for a good job. This is an IQ test, and it's beyond stupid.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:24PM

The problem is also the employers, who insist on it.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:24AM

Why shouldn't they?

AhiaGuy| 10.18.11 @ 3:14PM

As Dennis Miller said, "If this is the best we get from the Ivy League, I'm ready to try the community college grads."

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:36PM

For all of FDRs faults, and they were many and numerous, he loved this country and wanted to see it stronger than all the others.

The same cannot be said of our current spaz.

Daniel| 10.18.11 @ 8:27AM

I just wasted three minutes of my life reading this pointless, aimless drivel. Thanks for nothing, Ben.

russel| 10.18.11 @ 10:03AM

Didn't get that far , but if he's another of the depressing dweebs who think Captain Marvel will win again , go f.o. , you're not doing anyone any good .

Grzmlyk| 10.18.11 @ 2:00PM

Daniel, I quit reading Stein a couple of years ago.

I can't tell you how much better I feel now that I've cut self-serving, white guilt-ridden, RINO-marinated treacle out of my diet.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:24PM

So why click on it?

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 7:50PM

MZK1: did you ever have a tooth cavity that you knew needed looking at? And, despite your best intent, your tongue kept on coming back to it, probing the depth and severity of pain, worrying at it and annoying the hell out of you?

That's Stein.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:25AM

It's also Obama.

Dustoffmom| 10.18.11 @ 8:36AM

We don't have anyone who can beat him? I disagree....Elmer Fudd could beat him come November. And will do so!

hardcard| 10.18.11 @ 8:42AM

Benny,
What the hell are you doing and why does Bob T. let you do it ? You are a pathetic weasel. Get used to a dictator that is destroying my country NFW. I think you are watching to many hitler movies. Take a pill.

Gene| 10.18.11 @ 8:46AM

Crab cakes and crab soup. Sounds appetizing.

For some reason, I thought that Ben Stein would follow a Kosher diet. Why I do not know. Many people do not. For some reason those facts stood out in the article.

I just assumed that being Conservative he would also be Conservative or Orthodox in Religion.

A false and erronious assumption. Keep writing Benjamin. I will keep reading.

God Bless and have a wondrous week!

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:38PM

I'm Conservative and Jewish, and I think Bacon is great. Some things are some things.

Ghost Estate| 10.18.11 @ 7:17PM

I like bacon wrapped around a hard boiled egg and deep fried.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:28PM

It makes me uncomfortable, but I put up with it; his knowledge of Judaism is pretty much nil. Why other can't put up with his departures from political orthodoxy and are so fanatical politically is beyond me. It's the Dems who make a religion out of their politics.

There's a word for it - statism. I don't care if you're libertarian; if politics is your god, you're a statist.

johninflorida| 10.18.11 @ 8:55AM

every time I open one of his postings, I ask myself AGAIN, why do I do this to myself? Why do I open ANYTHING with his name on it?
And the answer is that I must be (to quote Levin) A BIG DUMMY!

rdd| 10.18.11 @ 1:36PM

Me, too. I always get indigestion reading BS.

How much food consumption can a writer squeeze into a few paragraphs?

And how much faux praise? Nearly every article he praises some eatery as being the absolute best on the planet.

Also: He's an inveterate whiner/complainer.

Last: He doesn't realize that all his "buddies" and "pals" are around him only due to the $$.

A sad life, sadly lived.

Grzmlyk| 10.18.11 @ 2:07PM

I just wish he'd get the hell off of this site and hang out at the Huffington Post, where his brand of preening would fit right in.

Seriously, why is this incubator for flatulence tolerated?

canuckistani| 10.18.11 @ 2:16PM

Dunno.

I think Fund and Tyrell are ass pirates of his.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:30PM

Why do you? He has his audience, and frankly kept TAS afloat during many lean years.

There's plenty here to read; why click on something you (plural) don't like?

Anthony| 10.18.11 @ 9:33AM

Rumor had it Ben, that you went in for surgery so that you wouldn't end up being like that fat woman on the plane. One of your fans yesterday here at TAS was concerned about you, no, it wasn't me.
Problem is, your head is still fatter than your stomach. I'm not sure there's a medical procedure for that.
What a crock of banal stream of consciousness you spill out. So Wall St. is greed, yet you fail to give the credit that it's due for the engine of economic growth that Wall St. is, such as your Marriott stock, from which you get dividends so you can hold up at the Watergate and eat ham sandwiches.
You are an insufferable bore, and getting used to both Obozo and you are two things that will not happen in my life time.
Your next surgical procedure needs to address your terminal idiocy, it's called a lobotomy. Many of us at TAS will be happy to contribute.

mwhitmore| 10.18.11 @ 9:44AM

Read 13 Keys to the PResidency. Elections are a referendum on the incumbent party. NO PRESIDENTBCOULD HAVE FIXED THIS ECONOMY. BUt he will be blamed. It does not matter who the REplublican nominee is.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 10:15AM

So adulation for The One at his inauguration was worthless after all!

Yet, there's plenty that a president could have done to "fix" the economy albeit measures that the left and even many on the right would object to. These include:

1) Deport all illegal aliens and their children, cancel H1B's for jobs that can be filled by Americans (99% of the H1Bs fall into that category). Instant savings on hospitals, schools, and incarceration of violent criminals along with millions of jobs created and not just low paying jobs either. In addition, jobs that are currently low paying, such as construction, would rise in rate as they should.

I love hearing "It's impossible to deport all those aliens" yet seemingly it IS possible to provide taxpayer funded college education and healthcare for all of them. In other words, these claims are nonsense. The laws are already on the books and the President's Constitutional role is executive. Order the FBI to rotate enforcement state by state. Hit the schools and collect names and offer limited amnesty (1% of total) for worthy snitches. Turn in 20 other illegals, and you're allowed to stay. This could be done in a matter of months.

2) Kill the government unions and review all the pensions signed under RICO statutes. Again, another Presidential order. Imagine all the billions saved there and cities that are crumbling coming back to life after the Democrat Union thugs are taken care of.

3) Resume hiring and government contracts based upon merit rather than race or gender. Imagine if your roads were repaired by a crew hired for their ability to get the job done quickly and at minimum cost rather than a gender or race quota. Again, another Presidential order would do it.

4) Suggest an import tariff on high energy goods and other products that provide jobs at home. This is more difficult and may require reviewing trade agreements but we've been on the wrong end of these for years. Why spend 20 cents in energy and shipping costs to import strawberries, say, for a dollar when with slightly higher legal labor costs (see above) it might cost a dollar and a dime to grow them at home? The consumers save a dime but on the backend, lose jobs, infrastructure, and precious energy to transport those assets. That leads us to:

5) Perhaps the left has a point about worthless neocon wars: Let's bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan as policeman. Bring home troops from Western Europe. If those regions flare up and start exporting bombs, cut them off of International flights we allow to ship to us (like we did with with Yemen).

There, that ought to do it. Number 5 I'm flexible on but note that most of the above are all under the authority of the President and could have easily fixed the economy. The problem is that the left wants the impossible: To make the USA into Sweden by making it look like Detroit. The right wants to get along with the left and is too moderate or wasting time on either protecting tax breaks for millionaires or gay marriage. Neither of those will fix the economy hence McCain would probably not have done much better.

But yeah, it takes just one president to get the job done.

Al Adab| 10.18.11 @ 11:11AM

PK:
You present a thoughtful analysis of issues along with some good suggestions for policy. Major and deep cuts in both the budgets and the authority of the regulatory agencies whixh are sucking the lifeblood from the nation would be in order.

The Left still pursu7es their Utopian chimera believing that, if only they are in charge of it, their central planning agenda can succeed where every attempt elsewhere has failed. That is why I disagree with Steins suggestion that we ignore the OWS folks. We should not give them media attemtion which serves only to legitimize their views but we should recognize in them a clear and present danger to our institutions and our freedoms. This is simply a dress rehersal for actions at the party conventions next summer and whatever other "causes" they might discover or create. Urban riots and unrest across the country next year plays right into the hands of the Ceasars or Bonapartes in our midst. It is a dangerous road.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 12:57PM

Hello AlAdab. What I wanted to present was simplicity and tasks within the constitutional scope of the President. One of them is certainly regulatory. Just as Obama is going after Gibson guitars, it's possible to use regulation as a stick to beat up the left and they would go down like a Brit fighting Klitschko. :-) You want green energy? Fine. Put up those windmills off of Martha's Vineyard. :-)

Regarding central planning. I don't believe in dismissing the opinions of the left outright because it's more useful to look at it from a pragmatic basis. The danger of leftist worship of central planning is that, in theory and even in limited practice, it can work. They point of small European states and in a limited sense, they are nice places to live but only precisely because they are in a sense, limited governments (by size). If you have some small under 100 million people place, then they can generate a cohesive agenda that works for the majority.

Ironically, the nonsensical, cynical leftist embracement of "diversity" is killing their socialist model and this pains them when I point it out. Most of them live in white suburbs. They view diversity as a way to buy Democrat votes in the states but outside of here, they know that it not only kills their whole Western European socialist model, but also is contrary to central planning. Think about it: How can a centralized system work with "diversity?" It's like saying that everyone gets the car they want, provided it's, er, black (that quote unfortunately is ironic with this point) but in the meantime they claim that everyone should be able to do what they want.

So all these people with different needs will all have a centralized state that serves their particular needs perfectly. It only "works" politically in the states because they're all bashing white males and share that in common (again, while claiming that they care about minorities and are "compassionate" about underdogs. Ask them if they care about whites living in trailer parks.) But without us? They'd tear each other apart like wolves (pardon the insult to the wolves.)

I doubt the flea partiers will get much done for Obama rather than embarrassing him. They're just a bunch of smell, dirty hippies after all. If they riot on his watch, he'll have to put them down and he will because if something else happens and he appears weak on national defense, game over man. One good thing about the stupid party's "security" motto is nobody doubts the right is better than the left on issues such as law and order and national defense. In addition, keep in mind that NYC is a liberal town so if they tear is apart, it will be hilarious as the left watches their million dollar condo windows break.

Rachel| 10.18.11 @ 12:55PM

I hope all of the Republicans running for president have your resume.

Danni| 10.18.11 @ 1:32PM

Love your ideas! Run for Prez!

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 3:09PM

Hahaha! I'm waay too far out there to even think about getting involved in politics, even local politics. I pride myself that even Ann Coulter might do a double take on my ideas.

The left won the culture war with a series of slightly radical left wingers. Imagine if Nancy Pelosi were to try to run for office in 1960 even in New York at the time. They had their radicals, like me, writing up ideology behind the scenes with front runner just-below-the-radar leftists getting the votes and cutting deals.

Back in the late 1940's, the radical left already were proposing much of what we're shocked to discover today: A homosexual ruling class and the destruction of two parent homes, women's equality based upon lesbianism (Betty Freidan was no heterosexual housewife!), using immigration as a demographic tool to win elections, and the use of race politics for political domination.

It was all there for those who wanted to see it. They played upon greed, laziness, and apathy of the working and middle classes in the USA including conservatives who say: "Oh, it's not at revolution level yet so we'll just play nice and not try to make any waves." Yet, here we are in times where the left engages in race and gender politics that ought to be an outrage. These are Jim Crow style laws we're living with but rather than being confined to the South, they're nationwide. The primary demographic of the conservatives, white males and their families, are third class citizens who can be arrested at the slightest accusation or lose their job because of Orwellian diversity policies and there's almost no coverage in the media and even Foxnews doesn't call it out openly for fear maybe of addressing the gorilla in the room.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:40PM

I'm not a big fan of nation building, PK. But I am a big fan of nation destroying: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen....

Destroy and let them put themselves back together without help from the ruins, if they can. "They have made a desert and called it peace."

Jack in Wi.| 10.18.11 @ 11:14PM

Occam: A typical neocon Zionist response. Destroy a dozen countries who have done us no harm so that your fantasy religion can continue to rule forever in the Middle East. All of it done with the declining blood and treasure of the USA.

PolishKnight| 10.19.11 @ 10:17AM

Saudi Arabia in particular has actually cut us slack on oil prices, haven't they? If the cartel really wanted to shaft us, couldn't they? Imagine if they engaged in an embargo.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:31PM

AND get rid of "fair wage" laws and regs, meant (originally) to keep Blacks out and forcing government contracts to unionized labor

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:28AM

PolishKnight for President ! Well said, PK.

jmulcahy| 10.19.11 @ 1:49AM

Well, I hope the 13 keys are not on your keyboard, mwhitmore. That was awful typing.

mwhitmore| 10.19.11 @ 2:32PM

Yeah, I know. Better on a real keyboard, but that was from my phone.

mwhitmore| 10.19.11 @ 2:44PM

13 Keys to the Presidency is the only work fo political science (AFAIK) about how prez elections work. The campaign has no effect on the election, only easily observable facts on the ground, like how badly the incumbent party did in the midterm election, how the economy is doing etc. If the economy were humming BHO would be a shoe-in. As it os, the Repubs could nominate Elmer Fudd...

ncatty| 10.18.11 @ 9:52AM

I disagree with Ben's opinion on when the recovery will occur. He thinks it will be when confidence is restored and credit is easier. But the necessary precondition is household deleveraging of debt, and that will take years.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 10:17AM

I agree. This is truly voodoo economics that if people feel good, an economy will recover. Certain things, such as high energy costs and overpriced housing simply can't be simply wished away.

Buck Ofama| 10.18.11 @ 10:40AM

Newt: "The day the economy will begin to improve is the day that [Ovomit] is removed from office."

canuckistani| 10.18.11 @ 2:20PM

Buck, what has BHO done that any RINO would not have done exactly the same?

Zip, zilch, nadda.

And quoting Newtie on any issue younger than 12 years is a waste of time.
Back to bed you go.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:34PM

They would have realized they were wrong and done something else.

AND kept taxes low, not stupid "cuts" for people (like me!) not paying taxes, and less oppressive regulations and finanace laws, and.... Stop looking at TARP and look at all of the other things Bush did. Even NCLB is being turned into pure welfare by BHO.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:33AM

Canuck, that was then, this is now. Don't use that as an excuse to not kick Ol' Joe Bama out.

CaCentralCoast| 10.18.11 @ 1:25PM

You're spot on. Credit is already easy. Does anyone really think another half point off mortgage rates would turn the ship? Of course not...

I agree with the need for deleveraging, but you only got half the picture. The household debt is part of the problem, the other is sovereign debt deleveraging (witness europe, then US in not too distant future). The debt bubble ends with the sovereigns and ultimate re-structuring. This combined with the demographic of the boomers does not bode well for the economy over the next decade. We'll be in the doldrums for some time...

ncatty| 10.18.11 @ 1:40PM

You are right about deleveraging applying to government as well.

Merrie Sunshine| 10.18.11 @ 7:21PM

Recovery will arrive in 2019. This will be two years after Obama leaves office, providing time for the legislature to fix the hideous mess created during his two terms.

1ConservativeUSA| 10.18.11 @ 10:10AM

An open letter to Mr. Stein:

Ben, while you frustrate me, I'm going to continue the goodwill you earned from your acting in Ferris Bueller to write to you.

I think you're a good person, but I can't figure out why you (or anyone else) are in the "tax the rich" crowd.

My view is that regardless of the tax rate, the percentage of total tax paid by a certain group, or the method of paying tax, picking one group out for higher taxation is not only intellectually and morally wrong, it in no way addresses or solves the REAL PROBLEMS.

Our government, I think you will agree, spends far too much, far too recklessly, and in many cases, spends and operates without the consent of the governed. Under Obama, there is obviously a strong initiative for central planning, vilifying the productive and successful, and income re-distribution.

There will always be a political debate about the proper spending level and proper scope of the government, but many of us non-political types now understand that, because of it’s policies, the current administration is a direct threat to our nation, as founded.

This is the simple message of the Tea Party.

When you have a person or entity that is out of control, you don't take steps to enable more bad behavior. By calling for increased taxation of "the rich", you not only create the problems of why, who, how and how much but you distract attention from the REAL PROBLEMS, profligate government spending and non-representative government.

It's like calling for more alcohol for an alcoholic or more drugs for a drug addict. More to the point, it's exactly like increasing the credit card limit for a person who spends uncontrollably.

Taxing "the rich" is not the solution. You can't find the right answer unless you ask the right question. All the tax money in the world, from whomever it is collected, will not solve the REAL PROBLEMS.

Therefore, your call, like Obama's call, to tax "the rich" is completely frustrating to me. It is also damaging to our nation. Your "tax the rich" argument is directly responsible for enabling the Marxist protests we now see littering out streets.

My only theory as to why you do this is that you are bitter. I understand that your account balances have suffered in these turbulent markets and you may not be living the kind of life you'd like. After many years of disciplined saving and investing, my accounts have fluctuated too. But hey, travel, crab cakes and crab soup everyday - not too shabby.

The point is, we're still Americans and we were born into a free country, paid for by the blood of those who did not know us. This country was made great because people were allowed to be free. They were allowed to pursue their happiness, whatever that may be. Why would we throw that away? To enable Obama to central plan our lives and can pay off his cronies?

So please Ben, think about this and feel free to contact me to discuss. Let's get back to addressing and solving our REAL PROBLEMS. I'm a CPA, so I know a thing or two about tax, finance and budgeting.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 10:44AM

Perhaps the real solution is to take the tax-the-rich paradigm out of the equation. Give Obama his tax increase on the rich and then... watch the whole thing fail. Instead, the right continues to allow this "republicans are for the rich" game since FDR times.

There are two major issues that the republicans get hit on: Taxing the "rich" and not enough entitlements for non-white males. And they're getting pounded. In the meantime, they worry about gay marriage and abortion. They truly are the "stupid" party.

Simple "flat tax": A tax on all property across the board. Income is an arbitrary and easily defined away concept hence tax attorneys and accountants making big bucks. A wealthy person can split himself up into 100 trusts and make himself into 100 "poor" people earning just a few thousand a year. But property? Whether it's owned by the bank of Scotland, or some name from a Chicago grave marker, it WILL be taxed at the full rate!

How to enforce? Quite simple: If you have it registered or insured, it's taxable. Have a building full of assets that are insured for a billion dollars against fire? Then you pay the property tax on all that stuff (you wouldn't lie to your insurance company, would you?)

A sales tax as proposed by Cain is insanity. Imagine having to keep all the receipts for everything you own FOREVER. Yikes!

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:42PM

Sales tax is collected at point of sale. I only keep receipts for things that are tax deductible (business, like textbooks and educational seminar expenses). I expect Cain's sales tax will work the same way.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 4:53PM

Hello OC. Consider this scenario: A builder wants to put up a home. Does he have to pay sales tax at home depot (example) for supplies and THEN the buyer of the home hit again?

In a supply chain, these "vat" taxes add up quickly. In theory, small businesses would be hit harder since large corporations could "barter" with itself and work with raw materials to completion.

OK then, the raw materials are exempt. But then... what's to stop a worker at the builder from picking up some spare lumber to do some work on his own home? Or grab a wholesale priced refridgerator? That's where I'm talking about keeping receipts.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 7:55PM

Hey, PK. How do people get around state sales taxes now? I have a feeling that this sales tax would apply right at point of sale like the state collects.

I remember having to pay County taxes on my gross receipts in county, for example.

But Cain could do better with double 14%, for example: 14% on income, 14% on corporations, with 1 exemption sufficient to keep those earning below the poverty line off the tax rolls. Nice, flat, easily understandable.

PolishKnight| 10.19.11 @ 10:14AM

I know people in Europe who get around the VAT all the time pretty much the same way that income tax cheaters do in the USA: They don't declare assets or income, they use account tricks to avoid it being declared as taxable, etc, or they underdeclare. Most of them have small businesses that allows them to control the books (in other words, they aren't some Joe Six Pack trying to save a hundred bucks on the fridge.)

Small business owners and employees will be VERY tempted to buy things using a wholesale license or order in order to avoid sales tax. It goes on today but it's limited. It's sure to explode if a national sales tax is implemented and so will audits.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:37PM

Let me understrand. Mass murder of unborn children is unimportant? I'd rather be stupid than evil.

David T| 10.18.11 @ 10:37AM

Ben--The problem is not a "credit crunch." There's plenty of money to be lent. The problem is government overreach and political uncertainty. It will be solved when we throw out Obama and his cronies and restore principled leadership to this country. I do agree, however, that Downfall is an intriguing movie. The actress who plays Traudl Junge, Alexandra Maria Lara, is an exquisite beauty. For some hearty laughs, check out the spoofs of the movie on YouTube.

Buck Ofama| 10.18.11 @ 10:39AM

Is there supposed to be a theme to this shitty article? Stein, I don't care about the fat slob on the airplane, nor about your sickness, nor about the protesting crybabies.

JBB| 10.18.11 @ 1:20PM

But somehow you cared enough to write. How odd.

Buck Ofama| 10.18.11 @ 2:05PM

Fool, don't confuse annoyance with care of, or interest in the author's juvenile writing style.

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:38PM

JBB -precisely. What is this - the Political Orthodoxy patrol?

mzk1| 10.18.11 @ 5:39PM

So why click on it? You have no life?

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 7:55PM

MZK1: you found me out. I have no life.

no name| 10.18.11 @ 10:40AM

Good writing Ben, wish I had that ability. I just look a things as a small part of a larger picture, and the older I get the larger the picture, the picure has no bounds nor limits that I can see and perceive. The fat lady perhaps was seated there to give you a good subject to write this article, tho not much was mentioned about her, but enough I reckon. The (I callem) Zombies on Wall Street are there Tho like you I don't know why, perhaps they are like the humming birds that recently left my feeders and headed south. They most likely didn't know why they headed south, they just did. That may be why the Zombies are there, they don't know. Perhaps the daylight hours have grown shorter, the temperatures cooler, etc. Unlike the Hummers tho, their presence may be indictive of the (economic) winter approaching. For a small dose of perspective, like the other commentors I would like to submit mine. I don't play the Wall Street game, got burned a few times and figured out why. No story on that. But after retiring and having time I watch a lot of tv, including financial channels, interesting, That got me to remembering, tha 80's Gold was $800. per ounce, the stock markets DOW was close to $1000. Now Gold is around $1600, per ounce, the DOW is around $12000. Now using simple math, The I come up beliving with the DOW around $12000, Gold should be $9,600 per ounce, or with Gold around $1600 per ounce the Dow should be around $1920. Now I know that prices must be flexible, its about price and demand, bla, bla.. But I belive it could be food for thought. In the 1980's we didn't have 401k. The 401k I belive will go the way of Social Security. Too many human sticky fingers, the human mind is quick. If one person can hide value, another can get to it. Its like the Gold that used to be in Fort Knox. Right out from under the peoples noses. Keep up the good work Ben, I enjoy you on tv also.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:35AM

Well, the fat lady got my attention !

Cabermon| 10.18.11 @ 10:46AM

Ben, it has already started.
I saw video on Fox News yesterday of an Occupy Something demonstration. They interviewed a woman who described herself as an official with the California teachers union saying that the problem was "Zionist Jewish bankers." It gave me chills. The radical Left is as antisemitic as the Nazis. Never again.

A Gentle Gentile

Al Adab| 10.18.11 @ 11:14AM

I too saw that news clip and at risk of noticing the woman was a black women who did indeed represent herself as a teachers union official. Her diatribe revealed incredible bigotry. Has anyone posted her screed online? Its very instructive.

Jack in Wi.| 10.18.11 @ 11:20PM

Bernanke, Greenspan, Madoff, Rubin , Barney Frank, Goldman Sachs, Greenberg of AIG, Summers, Emmanuel, Schumur, Lehman brothers, Rothchild etc. maybe the black lady from California got it right.

missbosslady| 10.18.11 @ 11:30AM

Mr. Stein,

It seems that you have shuffled off to that place along side Warren B., who at every opportunity reminds us that there is no fool like an old fool.

I had to laugh at your expressed displeasure over the Occupy idiots, when just recently you were espousing the very same tax the rich nonsense.

Perhaps, you have grown too weary or too comfortable. I do no know. However, it is clear that you have wandered off the reservation and lost your way.

Please spare us your doom and gloom predictions, they are not helpful and seem to serve no other purpose than your need to spread some misery around. Those of us younger than you are not quite prepared to give up so easily.

I will leave you with this quote and a follow-up question:

"In principle, there are only two fundamental political viewpoints. That is, two contradictory ends of the 'political spectrum.' Those two principles are freedom and slavery." -- Mark Da Cunha

Which principle are you advocating Mr. Stein?

Mimi| 10.18.11 @ 11:43AM

I for one am NOT gonna get used to Obama for 4 more !!!
The slick that he is doing JUST to get elected is enough to me SICK....He aggravates me 1000 times more than that "FAT LADY" on the plane ride with you...He CAN'T get re-elected he's PEED-OFF the whole WORLD.....everything he touches get botched. He's got this beautiful country to a place it's NEVER been....where are the decent smart leader types? START making some noise!!.....And BEN wise -Up... there is NO-WAY the PEOPLE will allow 4 more years of this!!!

Buck Ofama| 10.18.11 @ 2:07PM

>.He CAN'T get re-elected

Voters were gullible enough, stupid enough, whining enough to swallow his pride the first time. Not much has changed.

Al Adab| 10.18.11 @ 3:15PM

Buck:
Which state that Obama carried in 2008 will not go with him again? What is the electoral count? That is where this will be decided.

sparch| 10.18.11 @ 12:05PM

Thanks for another great article. They take me to a better place, at least for the time I am reading.

One question, how do you fall asleep watching a "terrifying tank battle" on the military channel. Isn't that like falling asleep watching the 'Guns of Naverone'?

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 4:45PM

Sparch:

one of my favorite things to go to sleep to is "The War Game," made by the BBC in 1965. Supposedly a shocking, terrifying film that won the Academy Award for best documentary (?) in 1965, the moronic Liberal assumptions in it is always good for a laugh. Very relaxing.

missbosslady| 10.18.11 @ 9:48PM

Always a night owl, in high school I used to nod off every night to the Rat Patrol.

Franco| 10.18.11 @ 12:14PM

Ben's articles are very weird. They say nothing, really, besides "By the way, I'm still rich".

Finrod| 10.18.11 @ 12:21PM

Herman Cain can defeat Barack Obama. Don't worry about his fundraising, he's already topped his 3rd quarter total in half of October. Cain is an optimist with a sense of humor that's a solid conservative and is the only one with a low-tax low-regulation plan. Arthur Laffer and the Club for Growth have already endorsed 9-9-9.

loulou| 10.18.11 @ 12:35PM

Eeeuwwww. Maryland is disgusting and dirty. Ben likes to go slumming on I-95.

Jerry| 10.18.11 @ 12:38PM

Stein, you are a bigger dumb ass than I imagined.
Semper Fi

Connie Boyd| 10.18.11 @ 12:47PM

Do you know how boring this is? Who cares?

ChefM| 10.18.11 @ 1:04PM

I read the title, began to read, and went on a trip to nowhere. What in the world was this article about ? The Woman on the plane? His friend not there? His friends girlfriend he couldn't see? The military channel? The OWS? His wasted time? This has got to be the my biggest waste of time reading I have had in a while. Is this his way of paying for his wasted time? Just babble on about nothing, but because he is Ben Stein, he gets paid no matter what he writes? I read better stories from my kids preschool class that you couldn't even grasp what it was about because the writing was so bad. I guess Ben has that, at least the spelling was right.

rnn| 10.18.11 @ 1:56PM

No, actually. Here's my theory: Ben Stein is a big bucks (relatively speaking) donor to American Spectator. Except it is not a donation; he buys his way in. It is contractural. For a certain dollar sum, he's guaranteed space or so many articles per year.

Note how BS does advertising in his paragraphs. His name dropping of places, eateries, and firms? Every time.

If you are BS, it is helpful to always be a published person/speaker/gadfly. At the rostrum the poor schlepp introducing you has something to say. And in BS's world, you need to be currently published.

So there you have it. You can get on ASO just buy being a donor and crafting up the right agreement/contract.

We're all being had here. American Spectator ownership and editors are cads.

In journalism what BS is doing is known as "streams of consciousness" writing. Yeah, that comes from the protesting lit/writing professors of the 60's love, peace, drugs, and sex crowd.

Of note - I have trouble believing that bleary-eyed high schoolers recognized BS. Or maybe, to think of it, they too recognize BS when they see it.

Peter Carroll| 10.18.11 @ 1:06PM

It was Byng, not Bing, if you'd like to take a second bite at it. And I hope you're wrong about who wins the next election.

canuckistani| 10.18.11 @ 2:22PM

He isn't, so get over it.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:37AM

Yes he is.

Bettijo| 10.18.11 @ 1:08PM

I totally understand about the fat lady. I don't fly very often, I prefer to drive even though it is a 15 hour drive to my daughter's. But the last time I did fly, it was one of those planes with a center aisle and two seats on each side. I had the window seat when an enormous man set down in the aisle seat. He was so big he spilled over into my seat. I huddled against the window. I could not possible have gotten out of my seat. I wondered what would happen if we crashed...I would have been trapped. It was a miserable flight. I really think there ought to be a weight limit for passengers. Or maybe they should be required to purchase two seats. His rights stop where my rights begin. And I have the right to my "seat space" which I paid for.

Nigel Rumpleteezer| 10.18.11 @ 7:26PM

Bad news old chap, that fat woman that's been often mentioned now has a job with TSA and she'll be waiting for you with rubber gloves on next time you visit the air terminal. Cheers!

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:39AM

It's absolutely time that airlines introduced "fat seats" at higher cost, to offset the standard seats they'd have to take out.

Tim| 10.18.11 @ 1:13PM

Entertaining as always. Agree on your analysis of Wall Street. I do find it bothersome that you would make such a comment on someones weight. It was unnecessary.

Ranchman| 10.18.11 @ 1:16PM

Hello Ben, enjoy your work my man. I do have to strenuously disagree, though. We DO have someone who can beat Obama, at least in my mind; it will be the man or woman running against him! Gotta think positive ol' chap. Anyway, gotta run. Oh, btw, pick a better seat on the plane next time!

Stormzeye| 10.18.11 @ 1:35PM

Lady Gaga could beat Obama.

Jude| 10.18.11 @ 4:00PM

not sure sure Lady Gaga could beat obama - but she could be the vice -pres. since they run in the same circles...Lady Gaga has stated that she is possessed by the devil and we sure know that obama is already.

All is vanity| 10.19.11 @ 1:21AM

If you saw Bill Clinton's eyes this past weekend as she sang for him, then you know that Lady G would have Wild Willie's full endorsement.

CaCentralCoast| 10.18.11 @ 1:16PM

There's more to the weak economy than the confidence game. It's the deluge of the Double D: Deleveraging and the aging Demographic. These two forces will keep a lid on the economy for the next decade. The new normal is here and it paints a picture of a limping economy for some time.

Deflation will most likely intensify. All the talk of big vs small govt, Austrian vs Keynesian economics, etc, is secondary to the irrefutable forces of the Double D. Knowledge=Preparedness=Prosperity, even while the economy muddles through.

Rowan| 10.18.11 @ 1:17PM

I certainly hope you're wrong that no one can beat Obama. If you are right, God help America.

Don H.| 10.18.11 @ 1:19PM

Ben,
We don't need more houses built. We're drowning in housing stock. We need to deleverage, build up our savings and go back to building products again. As to Obama...if unemployment is where it right now I can not see him beating a loaf of bread.

al bundhii| 10.18.11 @ 1:23PM

Oh Ben, what a great opening line for this piece; "Here I am in my sickbed in Beverley Hills." Caine or Chandler or Jackie Collins could have made a whole noir novel out of that line, and then have ended the opus with "...back to the car, back asleep, and back home to the Watergate," The guy who Hitler had shot was Eva's brother-in-law. La Braun must have had a nasty nazi streak in her, under her innocent dummie act.

JBB| 10.18.11 @ 1:24PM

Bein Stein's Diary is just that...his thoughts. He doesn't claim to be a political analyst or to have all the "correct" answers. I like his comments about life and his outlook on things that affect his life and ours. Those of you who are bent out of shape because of him, well, get a life. You don't get it.

Tom Beebe| 10.18.11 @ 1:29PM

Ben's last line says it all. Put away the TV cameras and the demonstrators will evaporate, taking with them, we hope, the smell of their excrement and ideas.

RJ| 10.18.11 @ 1:32PM

It is hard to relate to Ben when he complains about airline food in first class. Try flying coach where there is no food.

But more important, his "get used to it" comment about Obama being re-elected isn't the mindset of someone I would rely on. Obama is beatable. How can anyone have such a quitter's attitude?

Anommynous| 10.18.11 @ 1:34PM

If the American people elect Obama again, then we truly have the President we deserve. I enjoyed the article, but I disagree with your last statement. There is no enthusiasm for Obama as there was in 2008.

Angela De Marco| 10.18.11 @ 1:51PM

Mr Stein, I love your writing. Thank you.

short story| 10.18.11 @ 1:54PM

Envy is worse than greed. It is unproductive, self-pitying and a gigantic bore.

Buck Ofama| 10.18.11 @ 2:09PM

I think that Stein has an automatic "editorial" creating program. It reads random paragraphs from various sources, then concatenates it all into a masterpiece for publishing. He could just as easily submit this shit for Ovomit's teleprompter.

Chef Schanuzer| 10.18.11 @ 2:23PM

Chuckle

new_rep | 10.18.11 @ 2:18PM

Depending on which recent poll you look at, we have at least four candidates who can beat him. And this is with over a year to go for Obama to screw things up even more. I think Stein spends too much time listening to Beltway "realists".
http://newrepublitarian.com

dstout | 10.18.11 @ 2:33PM

You are awesome. One mistake; We will beat Obama in 2112.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 2:55PM

I'm scared (for real) that we may get Romney or Perry due to the primary system and then... basically GW Bush lite for the next 4 years. And what would that mean? Basically status quo on most issues. Not much would change from today. Millionaire taxes would be stopped and as an added bonus, perhaps some declarations against gay marriage. Thank God! THAT will fix everything!

In the meantime, the left will continue to make strides on the culture war and the size of government will increase but only slightly less fast. That's been the situation since 1989. Other than Obama, it's just be a slow concession of the culture war to the Democrats.

I personally will think of staying at home on election night if that prospect comes up. I'd rather see the frog tossed into boiling water (a 2nd Obama term) rather than another moderate get into office and just slow the panzers down. I'm regretting my vote for GHB back in 1988. I wonder... if we had gotten Dukakis, would we be at this point? Imagine, Kuwait is invaded and Dukakis sits on his hands and goes to the UN and bleats about it. Obamaeconomics are implemented in his name and we have the backlash we see today but 20 years earlier except... we would have a totally different demographic today.

It's not too late but if we put another moderate in, expect this point to come up again in another 20 years and then it will be too late for simple democratic measures, won't it?

Al Adab| 10.18.11 @ 3:25PM

PK:
Thanks for you 12:57 above. Lets go to the real question. Which states' electoral votes might a Romney for example, win that another Republican would not> Neither Mass. nor NJ, nor NY or Ill or Penn will ever come to the GOP column. So what states come along with Mitt?

Sadly the voters are unlikely to turn to another Texan as so many misunderstand the attitude and accent. Too many find it smug or abrassive. Personally I have the same issue with Jersey and NY. Mea Culpa.

Where does that leave us? Who can carry Ohio or Florida, which is where the election will be decided, where some other could not? That is the candidate and nominee we require.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 4:14PM

In theory, Ohio and Florida should be easy to win states. Just propose drilling offshore to increase revenue and lower energy costs with the Florida taxpayers benefitting. It's controversial, but if it works it's a slam dunk. Next, Ohio. As I said, getting a hold of immigration and trade and bringing more manufacturing jobs back onshore would also win. While the left jabbers a good game about "ending evil corporate offshoring", we all know they have their hands in the cookie jar on that and they should be called on it.

I don't think Romney is necessarily going to win NE votes due to a regional likability contest though. That was the paradigm behind McCain, remember? B the same token, Obama cleaned up because of anti-Bush sentiment.

In other words, assuming that the Republican doesn't sh*t his boots, he'll win unless he alienates his core voters like McCain did. Could enough people like me stay at home out of ideological protest? It would be neat to find out and settle some questions.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 8:08PM

Guys, I see 124 electoral votes in motion, possibly. Bummer got 365 electoral votes, and he needs, I think 270 to win, right?

Votes in motion: Fla 27, Ohio 20. NH 4, Wis 17, Minnesota 10.

More possible: NH 4, Iowa 7, Colorado 9, Nevada 5.

Fairly positive to change: Virginia 13, N Carolina 15.

I think it will come down to Ohio and Florida. If Cain gets the nod, that means that Rubio or West would be a sure thing for VEEP nod. If West is nominated, many Black voters will jump ship or stay home. At 98.5% or whatever it was voting for Obama in the 2008, either outcome is good for Republicans.

Cain might inspire more than Mitt. He's got an inspiring story.

Al Adab| 10.18.11 @ 8:57PM

OT, PK:
Ohio and Fla are where it will be decided. Minnesota and Wisconsin doubtful due to unions and universities. Iowa and Colorado, maybe VA and NC yes although VA might still go DEM as there are lots of DC suburbs there. Even in the best of circumstances it will be tight. But I don't see that Romney puts anything in play that isn't already.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 9:18PM

Cain puts a lot of the South in motion---then he needs to pick Rubio or West to lock down Fla.

missbosslady| 10.18.11 @ 10:02PM

Running mate, shrunning mate!

As a South Florida resident I can tell you that the disgust here, with Obama is palpable! Occupy Miami got about 20 people, then it rained non-stop for three, going on four days. Little fizzle is an apt description.

My job requires that I visit various city halls Mon- Fri (a dreadful job!) and most have mounted TVs to keep the natives from losing it during the interminable waiting. I was in one such place when Obama was sworn in, the swooning was ludicrous. Two weeks ago I was in the very same place and Obama came on the scream. I was astounded when people started catcalling and heckling. It was quite astounding!

This is quite a turn of events and sentiment. I would say that, at the very least, the most populated county in Florida will most definitely vote against Obama, in droves. His opposition can count these votes right now.

Qualifier: If Obama has Castro assisnated all bets are off.

missbosslady| 10.18.11 @ 10:06PM

..."and Obama came on the scream."

That was a hellavua typo! I meant "and Obama came on the screen."

Probably the result of my urge to scream whenever I see Obama on the screen!

Pelligrino| 10.19.11 @ 1:29AM

Ma'am, thank you. Or, gracias. Please keep us posted on the goings-on there in South Florida. Your state will be key not just for this election in 2012 but for the preseveration of our nation in the next quarter century -- at least.

Yes, we need Floridians to counteract the idiots and - no other way to put it - anti-Americans who reside & vote in NYC and California.

We need stalwart Floridians.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:41AM

"I personally will think of staying at home on election night if that prospect comes up. I'd rather see the frog tossed into boiling water (a 2nd Obama term) rather than another moderate get into office and just slow the panzers down. "

Good point.

Suzan D Reed| 10.18.11 @ 2:47PM

Nice little blog, I watched that movie "Downfall" too, it's in German with subtitles so you have to read, it's on YouTube BTW. It really shows the cult mentality of the Nazis and how almost the whole of a country could just follow a madman so willingly. I considered it a warning and wake up call for our own times.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 3:15PM

I had an argument with a nice Jewish woman on a plane ride once who got offended when I pointed out that her socialist agenda mirrored Hitler's rise for power. "What he did was illegal!" she shrieked and I observed that while it was questionable, so was Roe V Wade and the Wise Latina's rulings. She got upset and broke off the conversation.

Hitler never won a majority election to get into power but rather a series of moves similar to the left today to gain power incrementally including dirty tricks (love that Franken election in Indiana!)

Indeed, democratic socialism is often neither as they find ways to fix elections or use propaganda to win swing elections or bureaucrats or judges or backroom political deals. Then suddenly, when they discover that their supreme leader was a crook who cheats them and not just their political opponents, they're surprised. They get offended and scared when I point out that a crook who is so smart and cheating me will not hesitate to cheat them or even their fellow cronies.

After all, the left in the states originally was a working class European American male movement to improve working conditions. What does the modern left think of them today?

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:43AM

Suzan, the parallels bewteen the Weimar Republic period in Germany (during which Hitler came to power) and the present situations/s in Amercia and the West are uncanny. Read "Defying Hitler", by Sebastian Haffner, and astonishing book that should be far better known than it is.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:44AM

Excuse my typing errors! :)

Mikel| 10.18.11 @ 2:52PM

This essay was funny and uplifting until the last sentence. At that point the loveable big dog named Ben turned into Cujo and struck real terror! Oh well.. back to managing my portfolio!

David Eddy| 10.18.11 @ 3:21PM

Ben,

Ben-my very good man- your columns have served to buck me up and point me forward on so many occasions when either the economy, politics or both looked bleak. So this long time reader, first time submitter, seeks to return the favor. In short , Ben - no worries about Obama's re-election. Remember, few people are skilled at anything they try for the first time, and Obama has never had to run on his record before. Perhaps he will surprise us all with his natural gifts at doing so, but I doubt it. Cheer up and embrace the change that is coming!

George F.| 10.18.11 @ 3:29PM

Ben, I thought it was a trifle pathetic that you allowed that fat woman to ruin your flight and your day! Perhaps you should learn how to be a bit more tolerant of others who may not be able help being what they are.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:44AM

Fat people should have fat seats, at a fatter price.

George F.| 10.20.11 @ 3:50PM

Ben Stein always flies first class so that fat woman obviously was flying in first class.

Sigmund Lichter| 10.18.11 @ 3:46PM

I am very dissapointed hearing that OBAMA is here to stay, acknowledged by Ben Stein's ending sentence; "we don't have anyone who can beat him. Get used to him". I hope and pray that he is wrong, since this would be the downfall of our beloved Country! We escaped from a communistic country seeking the AMERICAN DREAM, which we have achieved, but now I see that OBAMA ist steering our country in the direction from where we had escaped. GOD HELP US AND SAVE AMERICA!!!

Jude| 10.18.11 @ 3:54PM

Well, Ben dear...you absolutely took my breath away with the last statement of yours. I used to like you...now, I think you are quite 'the jerk'....I will never get used to obama....he stinks worse than garbage....and I will vote for anybody other than him...the man is an outright murderer of all that is good in a human being.

Hoads| 10.18.11 @ 4:24PM

Unfortunately, I agree Obama will be reelected. I've come to that conclusion after watching the spectacle of OWS and its fawning media coverage. We are up against an international Left that knows no bounds and plays by their own rules. The right is ill prepared to fight against this kind of evil. This next year will be eye opening for many.

PolishKnight| 10.18.11 @ 4:58PM

Hoads, this may be why the left was so enraged at Y2K. Their attitude is that if an election is close, or even any election moving forward, and they lose, then it must be an evil right wing conspiracy because they secretly know they fixed it. They have constant propaganda going and have the demographics so they are stunned when America does reject Gore and Kerry.

Even now, however, they may have serious doubts as The One is doing such an obviously awful job that their Daily Show cheerleaders can't cover it up.

Hoads| 10.18.11 @ 7:44PM

Reagan once said that he knew he needed to win by at least 3 points to make up for Dems cheating. The Dems know their sand is sinking and that is why they will pull out all the stops and will be so shockingly brazen that to call them out on everything will make us look like the radical extremists. The world is most definitely upside down and I'm having doubts that it can be right sided again.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:47AM

Hoads, man up. At some point (which is becoming increasingly clearly denoted), inaction and self-indulgent chardonnay soliloquising like yours and Ben's actually becomes cowardly, treasonable and collaborative with the enemy. Time to suit up, people.

Florida Girl| 10.18.11 @ 5:00PM

I like Ben Stein and enjoy his articles. I was enjoying this one also, actually funny how "tongue in cheek" the fat lady was causing all subsequent events to happen. My husband is a large man (Ex-Marine, 6' tall, wide neck and shoulders, approx. 270 lbs) and has had to ask for seat-belt extendors in the past when we have flown. On one of our trips some years ago, he sat by the window, I was in the middle, and another gentlement with my husband's physique sat on the other side. This was back in the day when meals were served during your flight. My husband is disabled and I cut up his meals for him. This was quite challenging to do with plastic utinsils and tough meat, whle having both arms pinned up against my rib cage. Finally got his cut up and started on mine, when the stewardess came around gathering empty plates and asking for food trays to be put back in the up position. This is probably why I thought the fat lady on the airplane story was humorous. Then I came to the last line of the article. I respectfullly disagree with Mr. Stien on it; I do think it's past-time for Obama to go, and that anyone could beat him at this point. I assume when Mr. Stien wrote this he was still feeling ill and his mind was foggy, or it's all that fat lady's fault. Hope Ben recovers soon.

sly311| 10.18.11 @ 6:50PM

Have faith Ben--he will be beaten; along with all of his minions.

Mike DePinto| 10.18.11 @ 7:54PM

Ben,
Do you really expect your (correct) viewpoint on the OWS movement to be taken seriously when you myopically detail your daily trials consisting of issues the OWS protesters would attribute to the affluent? So first class isn't as comfortable as it should be, huh? Wow, having your chauffeur drive you around sure gets tiring, right? Was the main restaurant at the Watergate closed for the evening? Outrage! In addition, your callousness towards the difficulties of others in the story made you seem self-absorbed and cruel. My fondness for you hopes this was not your intent. In the future, please do you best to make your point without making theirs simultaneously. Otherwise, your wisdom will be dismissed as simply the rants of the 1%.

Occam's Tool| 10.18.11 @ 9:22PM

Whining children? An unfortunate woman has you out of sorts for 2 days? Some attorney you are. You are a Yale trained attorney, the second most feared degree in American Academia.

As Slim Pickens would say, "stop acting like a Kansas City F***^ and get back to work!"

(By the way, an acquaintance of mine was friends with Cleavon Little, the star of that film---this is through my Alabama connections, NOT my LA ones.)

Paul Petersen| 10.18.11 @ 11:33PM

Interesting life Ben leads, fly cross country and be imposed on in First Class by a fat lady. Get picked up and driven to his apartment at the Watergate and have a ham sandwich. Wow, go out to eat driven to Philly check into a Marriot and complain about waiting for Toast. What kind of person would bother ordering toast. It is physically impossible to keep it edible going across a kitchen let alone to a hotel room.
Enough with the self loathing defeatism, America will reinvent itself again. I was only 10 years old when Carter started his reign. Life was good, then things went to shit. The Sam Shepard/Jessica Lang flick "Country"? It was filmed in my part of Iowa, I lived it. My family survived. Upon Obama's "Immaculation" I said it was time to party like it was 1977. Welcome to skyrockting energy costs, solar panels on roofs, and general "malaise" and downsizing cars.
Don't see another Reagan in the crop of GOP candidates? Deal with it Ron is gone, but any of them is more capable than Zero. Don't kid yourself either, Obama is no BJ Clinton, and is not capable of Triangulation due to his iron fisted ideology forged in the great Ivy institutions Ben espouses.
Candidates get to run for office based on their words, but President run for reelection on their performance. Based on the current state of affairs I find it hard to see how Barry can win another term. Cover that with your shrink next time.

Brian Richard Allen | 10.18.11 @ 11:49PM

.... How long until the demonstrators are shouting about "the Jew blood suckers," I wonder ...?

Quit wondering, Mr Stein.

The godless/pagan/pantheist Left's been shouting that aloud for at least a week already! (And has been saying it under its breath for a hundred years)

.... we don't have anyone who can beat Buraq Hussayn bin Buraq Hussayn bin Hussayn Ubambi. Get used to him ....

Nope.

Never.

Wrong Again.

Instead, you get used to President and Armed-Forces Commander-In-Chief-Elect Herman Cain!

Has a WAY better ring to it!

Brian Richard Allen
Lost Angels - Califobambicated 90028
And The Very Far Abroad

BestBagelEver | 10.19.11 @ 12:06AM

Enough with the stupidity that the fallow economy needs confidence or credit, as if interest rates are not low enough. The only thing that the economy needs is greater demand. The only way to get it is more money in the hands of the general population. The only way to get that is more jobs. The only way to get that, right now, is government spending, like the Obama jobs program.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:18AM

1) "she argues with him, then says with a smile, "Du bist der Führer."
Which, apparently, is excatly how it went down.
2) 'We don't have anyone who can beat Obama".
I assume you mean because he has the system stitched up - becasue you can't possible mean that in terms of his actual abilities.

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:19AM

Excuse typos !

WAKE UP| 10.19.11 @ 12:49AM

Also Ben: At some point (which is becoming increasingly clearly denoted), inaction and self-indulgent chardonnay soliloquising like yours actually becomes cowardly, treasonable and collaborative with the enemy. Time to suit up, people. (Man up, Ben!)

timsken| 10.19.11 @ 5:16AM

Why did I just waste my time reading this drivel? You sort of had me on the occupy wall street people until you said they "often commit violence". The only people committing violence are the police. What a waste of my time reading this crap.

Bruce Thompson | 10.19.11 @ 6:06AM

Get a grip Ben! We can't beat Obama? Did you not see his minion Michael Bromwich grovelling before the House Natural Resources Committee?

http://www.nola.com/politics/i.....elayi.html

Obama wanted cap & tax, did he get it? Obama wanted to halt oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, did he get it?

Obama wants to exercise executive privilege, will it do him any good? Or is he going to be squashed by the misfeasance and malfeasance of his administration during the BP Macondo well containment operations under the control of his chain of command from Thad Allen to Janet Napolitano to Barack Hussein Obama II (as the indictment will read)? Obama in the dock for environmental crimes, oh the irony is delicious!

Susan Elfers-Warren| 10.19.11 @ 9:10AM

Mr Stein - I always enjoy your insightful and very funny diary articles. I too get upset by fat people on a plane and at age 50 am working hard not to become noted by the airlines as a "Customer of Size". I'm heading to my pilates reformer class now!

Minuteman78| 10.19.11 @ 10:02AM

A generic Labrador Retriever could beat Obama right now, but the fact the stupid a-holes of the GOP establishment are going to cram another spineless flipflopping wishywashy Romney-McCain-Dole-Ford down our throats just in time for the media to turn on him, means it will be a nail-biter.

Pzkfw| 10.19.11 @ 10:14AM

Ben,

What's with you and the Germans?Why do you see the need to vent your deep paranoia in every article? Do you actually thnk the nazis are jst hiding in the bushes waiting for another chance to take over?

I stopped reading your work when it all seemed to be about your easy life. I gave it another try and I give it a D+...next time less sleeping/eating and being driven around like a rock star...seriously, you couldn't have flown to Philadelphia?

Marilyn| 10.19.11 @ 12:05PM

Ben Stein, I think Obama is not as bad as he can get. We have not seen his "worst". However, I have a feeling we are about to witness his worst.
I have never been comfortable with him in The White House..nor will I ever be comfortable.
I want him out..I want him replaced as soon as possible. I will have to wait until January of 2013.
Today, would not be too soon for me, but I will have to be patient.
He is the very worst ever elected to the presidency of the United States.
He has left Woodrow Wilson in the dusty archives of Socialism. .
I hope people see how quickly this man has turned this nation upside down.
We must vote him out of office. The overweight woman is my last worry. Obama is what keeps me awake at night.

NWBill| 10.19.11 @ 7:35PM

Ben, we've never met and yet ... I love you like a brother - which is why I have to say that I enjoyed and agreed with everything you said in this column, except for one thing - Barack Obama will NOT win re-election. At this point, Don Rickles would beat Obama ... and the country would start laughing again. Trust me, though - his defeat will happen. I know what I'm talking about - I was the ONLY guy in my circle of friends who knew the Buffalo Bills would be one of the last undefeated teams in the NFL this season.

Well ... me and Chris Berman.

4bees| 10.19.11 @ 10:57PM

"We have no one who can beat him." You are now officially miles and miles out of touch. Go ahead and order some more room-service toast, it'll be there by the time BHO is gone and forgotten.

don ballew| 10.20.11 @ 3:09PM

It's the media! The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Remember that. It was the declaration of war in Vietnam. The media spent little time on it. A few days later we learned it was another LBJ hoax. Again, the selective media didn't say much. But the war went on 10 more years. The leftest media would like to see America gone. DAB

Ray Burke| 10.20.11 @ 4:33PM

Ben Stein seems to think Obama is unbeatable. Let's see if we can't prove him wrong. Get to work on it, people !!!

Ray Burke| 10.20.11 @ 10:00PM

Ben Stein seems to think Obama is unbeatable. Let's see if we can't prove him wrong. Get to work on it, people !!!

Franz Joseph Haydn| 10.21.11 @ 6:32AM

Mr. Stein, you are overbearingly negative about almost everything you see and almost every place you enter. There is one redeeming thing. You do appreciate the beauty of the State of Maryland (or of the Delmarva Peninsula, at least) and seem to love Maryland crab cakes and crab soup. Indeed, things Maryland are the only things that seem to elicit a positive comment from you. As a native Marylander who has had to put up with a lifetime of denigrating comments from smug, self-satisfied West Coasters, it gladdened my heart to see a California resident say such things, finally. Very truly yours, F.J.H.

Vance P. Frickey| 11.2.11 @ 3:37PM

I'd like to say I'm sorry a large person impaired Ben Stein's enjoyment of his airline flight, but the fact is that sometimes (at least in his columns) Ben Stein can be just as big a whiny baby as the Occupy Wall Street peons (whose meals and accommodations, Spartan as they are, are brought to them courtesy of that Wall Streeter George Soros).

Dr. Stein, we live in the world's breadbasket. Food is cheaper here and more aggressively marketed than in any other place on the planet, while nutritional education takes a low priority compared to the marketing of Super Size Value Meals. And compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cheap carbohydrates are both more socialized and available without a prescription, so people self-medicate for all sorts of reasons with them.

So, yes, since only a small fraction of the population misses meals for economic reasons in this country, large people do exist here. Try and learn to live with us. A more legitimate target for your pique would be the airline operators who push aircraft seats closer together every year and directly create the overcrowding which so concerned you.

I am also a person of size (partly due to an inborn error of calcitonin metabolism - I am quite literally "big boned," having Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hypertrophy, or "DISH Syndrome" - and not prone to miss meals unnecessarily, so that I have above-average girth as well). When I fly commercial, it's in tourist or coach, not first class, and my shoulders and arms are what impinge on the personal space of my seatmates. I have been exceedingly fortunate in that said seat mates have been understanding of my condition in the majority of cases.

A possibly over-conscientious friend of mine, a somewhat large woman, voluntarily caved to the pressure of Southwest Airlines to purchase a second seat on a domestic air flight to avoid bothering a seatmate. Southwest, as is common practice in domestic air carriers, overbooked the flight, and the stewardesses actually pressured my friend to give up that extra seat that Southwest has required other people of size to purchase and psychologically pressured her to buy so that Southwest could sell the same seat TWICE. No one at Southwest Airlines seems to have grasped the irony of having people of great size purchase extra seats while overbooking flights and pressuring these same people to surrender those seats so Southwest could make an extra fare at the person of size's expense.

My sympathy is reserved for the woman who sat behind the illustrious Ben Stein and is now mortified that her condition caused a Hollywood celebrity and famous political columnist and economist such grief. I hope she deals with her sorrow with more dignity that you have dealt with your inconvenience.

Vance P. Frickey| 11.2.11 @ 3:46PM

Oh, I nearly forgot to answer Dr. Stein's parting shot - we don't have anyone who can beat Obama? Looking at the latest polls, Charles Manson would seem to be a plausible contender for the Presidency in 2012 compared to Barack Obama. I think that Ben Stein is confusing the emanations of the punditocracy with how the people who will enter the voting booths a year from now feel. Jimmy Carter and his supporters made the same mistake.

HokenTaka| 12.9.11 @ 12:21PM

It is absolutely amazing how you right- wing fanatics can be so blinded by your outright hatred of Obama that you can actually dilute yourselves into thinking that everything he does is wrong and harmful to the country Dating Online

The American Spectator

Ben Stein's Diary

The Woman on the Plane

About the Author

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