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Ben Stein's Diary
Summer in the Enchanted Kingdom
It may include a dark storm and some thoughts about supply side and taxes on the rich.
Sandpoint, Idaho
Tuesday
Wifey and I are up here in this
spectacular spot. Both of us have been ill, so we spent all day
yesterday in bed, except for venturing out for food at dinner time.
We got spaghetti at Ivano’s in town. Both my wife and I noted how
the alley behind the restaurant was so welcoming and homey it felt
as if we had been there before. An alley, mind you. But clean and
safe and charming. An alluring alley. Why? Who knows. Wooden siding
on the houses behind Ivano’s. Wooden ships on the water, very free.
Rosebud. A beautiful brunette waitress sitting on a curb smoking.
Blow some of that my way. Who knows why things move us?
After dinner, we watched a documentary about the Nazis that had so many factual mistakes that I cringed. My favorites were about how the German girls who went off to the Bunde Deutscher Madchen (I may have that spelling wrong) even as teenagers, usually returned from their summer camps pregnant even in the '30s. I am dubious about that. If someone out there has some data, please let me know.
But the real whopper was that wealth seized from German Jews financed about one-third of the Nazi war effort. That’s just impossible. Jews were one percent of Germans. They might have had ten percent of the wealth, tops. But each year of a full scale war, Germany would have spent an amount equal to the total wealth of the nation in say, 1938. So, in six years of war, they would have spent roughly six times the total German wealth in 1938 (very roughly), but Jewish wealth was only ten percent (tops) of one year’s war effort. So Jewish goods and money stolen by the Nazis would have been 10 over 600 at most, or less than two percent. Still insane, but not remotely what the show said. I wonder who fact checked this show, “The Rise and Fall of the Nazis” for The History Channel. (I might add that in many ways it is a spectacularly good documentary.)
Anyway, we went to sleep. I awakened at about 2.30 to have some toasted English muffin. The Amtrak that passes through at 2.30 was outside our window huffing and puffing so mightily that it made the building shake. It is a sleek, stainless steel train but it always reminds me of the ancient train that arrives in the small Italian village to take away a young man to find his future in the big city in Fellini’s early masterwork, I Vitelloni. (“The young calves.”) That is a much sadder version of one of the greatest American movies, American Graffiti. Coming of age is a big thing. What the heck do you do to stay cool and make a living?
At last I stopped looking at the train tracks. I stared at my wife for a long time as she slept. A goddess. Just divine. The perfect profile. The perfect heart. Then the train huffed and puffed again and left the station.
In the morning, I slept late, did a conference call, slept more, then went out into the hot, smoky afternoon. There are forest fires in Montana, apparently. Maybe in Washington State, too.
I went to the post office. I was the only customer although sometimes it is jammed. The clerk was friendly. I went to the bank. Everyone friendly. One woman stopped me to tell me I should go to Overeaters’ Anonymous. Hmmm. Then to buy a backup can opener. At a locally owned, super-helpful hardware store called Merwin’s. (The owner is my neighbor, Terry Merwin, a super-nice guy.) Then to buy a Wall Street Journal at Vanderford’s. Again, everyone at that store friendly. Then to buy some placemats at the Scandinavian store, where the manager was possibly the friendliest, most helpful woman I have ever met in my life.
Then to Starbucks to buy iced lemonade for me and cranberry scones for wifey. Again, everyone friendly. Every single person I pass says, “Hello,” and smiles. Many ask my opinion about the election. Better left unsaid. I don’t want to get in trouble with the Thought Police. Then to the Safeway to buy a cake. Ha-ha. So much for OA. At the Safeway I met two 19-year-old girls who had dropped out of high school and were working at a fast food place for $7.25 an hour. “You have to go back to school,” I told them. “You absolutely have to.” They looked contrite.
Then, to City Beach to the concession stand to buy popcorn.
Just before I got to the stand, a sweet little girl came up to me. “Are you Ben?” she asked with a shy smile.
“Yes, I am,” I said.
“I’m Emily,” she said. “You know my sister, Hailey.”
“Very good,” I said. “What grade are you in?”
“I’m going into 7th,” she said proudly.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I asked.
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.
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Jack in Wi| 8.16.12 @ 6:29AM
I guess Ben isn't voting for Obama this time. At least one rich man wants to pay more taxes. I think Obama is wrong on everything, abortion, Gay marriage, Defense spending ( way too much ) taxes, foreign policy, taxes, domestic and fiscal policy, etc. I am still figuring out if I have to hold my nose and vote for Romney or he will actually say or do something that I can gladly go to the polls for and vote for the ticket. I will see if he moves in the right way to some degree. If he runs a campaign like Dole, McCain, or the Bush's forget about it.
Bill8472| 8.16.12 @ 9:20AM
Vote for Romney in order to enhance Paul Ryan's chances to be President in 2016.
Twining cup o'| 8.16.12 @ 12:13PM
Ben,
Time for an updated photo of you. The photo you are using is at least twenty years old.
I hear you are beginning to resemble Henry Kissenger (horrors!). "Henry Kissenger laid out in his coffin" (even more horrors!).
Time to lay off the junk food, and stop wrapping your plump lips around cheeseburgers.
Justine| 8.16.12 @ 9:32AM
Ben, I am enchanted with your hallucinatory diary.
You write:
"Then the train huffed and puffed again and left the station."
An AmTrak steam engine! Only a steam engine can huff and puff.
I had no idea AmTrak had revived the old steam engines! Wonderful!
And you are fortunate to have a condo right next to the tracks. Please take a photo of the train for all of us train buffs, and post it on your next report.
Bill8472| 8.17.12 @ 9:16AM
Obviously you haven't spent much time on trains as they embark on their journeys, with the air brakes huffing and puffing, and the cars jolting as the train extends itself.
Appleby| 8.16.12 @ 6:49AM
Ben Stein is still a wealthy man of leisure who wants to forcibly deprive other wealthy people of their wealth and their leisure. No, worse than that. He wants to HIRE people to forcibly deprive other wealthy people of their wealth and leisure. In the old neighbourhood the Mafia did that kind of thing and other people called it Crime.
But as long as Ben Stein can enjoy his happy life of privilege and wealth, and come here to remind us he's rich and we're not, I guess it's still a perfect world.
Bob K| 8.16.12 @ 9:15AM
Obama's strategy of encouraging class warfare seems to be working here.
Dr. Emilio Lizardo| 8.16.12 @ 9:58AM
I dont know. For a rich guy living the life of a swell on the plush, he doesnt seem so happy and is pretty damn morose and wallowing in a peculiar form of self-pity (unless passers by are asking for his autograph),if you ask me. I've been to Sandpoint, to Coeur d'Alene, to Whitefish MT and beyond- it's California high rollers like Ben that are bent on ruin these places one day, just like they did with the Californication of western Washington. And he doesnt want rich people to pay less taxes?
JP| 8.16.12 @ 1:28PM
Ben is just being loyal to the memory of his departed father. Herb Stein, as a professional economist who worked in the Nixon Administration.If memory serves me correctly, Herb Stein was anything but a fan of Supply-Side economics. He certainly upset quite a few Republicans like Jack Kemp.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 4:00PM
Yes: Herb Stein was a worthless POS. Like Father, like son.
Lyneuss Fields | 8.16.12 @ 3:29PM
No Appleby, Mr. Stein is an economist who realizes, even though his story-telling is blessed with an over-sized ego, DEMAND is the determinate of what gets produced--NOT SUPPLY; therefore, STIMULUS SPENDING ON AMERICA'S INFRASTRUCTURE to induce consumer confidence, NOT TAX CUTS FOR ANYONE, will maximize revenue into America's treasury.
http://lyneussfields.blogspot......adows.html
JP| 8.16.12 @ 7:10PM
Er... you seem blissfully unaware that for the last 39 months the President and the Dems have poured $5 trillion of borrowed taxpayers money into "infrastructure". So much for your theory of demand side stimulus, and infrastructure spending.
Lyneuss Fields | 8.17.12 @ 9:42AM
Well JP, I am aware that "millions" of teachers, firemen and cops that were kept on the job throughout America because of the 700 billion dollar stimulus early in President Obama's first term. There was also TARP and other spending legislation actually initiated by W. Bush. Does that begin to address the $5 trillion of debt? The bottom line is Republican Presidents, over the last 30 years--beginning with Reagan who added 1.8 trillion to the debt--are responsible for 2/3 of the current $16 trillion national debt. So in other words, why should the American people ever trust a Republican (or Democrat for that matter) to reduce America's National Debt? Both stink to high hell!
Anti-Statist| 8.17.12 @ 5:13PM
Nonsense on the benefits of the stimulus. You lefties always trot out the cop and the fireman fallacy. Fact is the stimulus went to friends of Democrats, namely their union cats-paws, which brought about plenty of kickbacks, er, donations, back to Washington Democrats.
When you have a viable prescription for paring back the avaricious appetite of the welfare state, then you'll be on to something. THAT'S where the wealth of America is being consumed. It's right in front of your face- can't you see it?
Lyneuss Fields | 8.18.12 @ 7:04PM
The fact is Anti-Statist, you have no evidence stimulus money went toward kickbacks for anyone. Your assertions are a joke and insult to this blog thread. America now knows (and you can Google this or watch it on TV yourself) that your hypocrite buddy Paul Ryan sought stimulus money for Wisconsin. What two-faced boneheads you Tea Baggers really are!
Anti-Statist| 8.17.12 @ 5:08PM
So Henry Ford was responding to those around him who demanded the car for the mass of America, and the Apple inventors were responding to demand in the Bay Area for personal computers. Check.
Methinks you have it exactly backward.
And I think that in tax policy static revenue models are simplistic and never factor the psychology of incentives and disincentives. The Laffer Curve merely acknowledges that there is a "sweet spot" where tax receipts are realized with the least amount of disincentive to pare back economic behavior. This seems such common sense that I can't believe that Stein completely misses it.
John786| 8.16.12 @ 7:15AM
Is there any point to Mr stein's articles. Apart from showing us his hobby of taking photos of little girls.
Twining cup o'| 8.16.12 @ 12:17PM
Maurice Chevalier
"Thank heavens for little girls . . ."
Ben's theme song.
"they grow up in the most delightful way . . ."
And they all swoon over Ben--that handsome hunk.
Hello Kitty| 8.16.12 @ 2:33PM
Please stop being mean to Ben. He's such a sweet man, and it does not cost a penny to be kind.
You are behaving like naughty children, and it makes Hello Kitty sad to read your mean comments.
Anthony| 8.16.12 @ 4:35PM
You're right Hello Kitty, it doesn't cost a penny to be nice to ole Ben, but why take a chance?
So let's make it up to Benny and tell Obozo to dump plugs Biteme with a kinder, gentler, faux lawyer and economist,the GREAT BEN STEIN. Obozo/Stein, hmmm didn't Mary Shelly go that route?
Aristocat| 8.17.12 @ 3:35AM
Don't hurt Hello Kitty's feelings...She's a sweetheart who only wants the best for old Ben.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 4:01PM
John786: get ready for this, 'cause it is the only time this will happen in your life, you jihadist POS:
I happen to agree with everything in your post of 8/16/12@7:15 AM, including the Lewis Carroll allusions.
c. j. acworth| 8.16.12 @ 8:10AM
Ben, perhaps you would like to demonstrate this "demonstrably false premise" of supply-side economics to those of us who saw it work pretty darn well under Reagan. Assertion is not demonstration.
R Martin| 8.16.12 @ 8:34AM
Exactly. Mr. Stein should show some respect for his readers, most of whom could define supply side economics, explain how and why it works and provide examples of where and when it worked. But for Mr. Stein to support his “demonstrable” claim he might have to do some real work and disregard all the pretty girls, the sleeping wives, the junk food and the boat rides. Why, to be persuasive he might even have to bounce his “demonstrably false” claim off Art Laffer and let us all in on the exchange. Accept the challenge, Mr. Stein.
Hardcard| 8.16.12 @ 8:32AM
what a boring self-involved twit, take a nap!
C. Vernon Crisler | 8.16.12 @ 9:06AM
Wonderful slice of life article, except for the diss on supply side economics. I'd like to point out that Ben isn't the only person who has pretty girls coming up to him. This happens to me on a regular basis. I just go into an In-and-Out Burger place, or a Chick-fil-A place, or lots of different fast food restaurants, and the girls there are always being helpful to me. I don't ask them to be, but they won't take no for an answer, and they usually eagerly supply me with the food I purchase. I guess it's just my natural charm. All in all, I think it is very good to be appreciated.
Cobalt| 8.16.12 @ 9:59AM
Mr. Stein, at least you didn't invoke the term "voodoo economics" in your article.
However, if you should ever look in the mirror and see Paul Krugman, it might then be time to lay off the junk food.
Don't despair, some of us are still envious of your status as a "babe magnet," something that has escaped me my whole life.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 3:58PM
Mr. Crisler: of course, you are correct. But may I suggest that you are undoubtably pleasant and nice, as well? That helps.
C. Vernon Crisler | 8.16.12 @ 5:18PM
Well, that might be true but I don't know. The girls aren't very nice when I ask them for "on the house" unhappy meals.
Aristocat| 8.17.12 @ 3:37AM
The girls still check me out...But they hate it when I give them expired coupons.
Bill8472| 8.16.12 @ 9:15AM
"I am dubious about that." And you an Ivy Leaguer. Tsk, tsk.
ansonheath| 8.16.12 @ 11:08AM
Ben, you wrote: "I do not buy supply-side and don't want lower taxes for rich people. Supply-side is based on a premise that is demonstrably false. That's a big problem. When a major party bases its policies on a demonstrably erroneous premise, that's a bad situation."
Please explain what the problem is, not just your opinion. Also, are you saying Ronald Reagan's plan didn't work? What is your plan?
Anthony| 8.16.12 @ 11:29AM
Next time Howie Carr has a "death pool" segment on his radio show, I'm gonna vote for Stein. First Harry Reid, and then Ben Stein. Two totally useless pieces of deadwood.
At least this faux lawyer and economist likes cute girls. I wonder if he pretends to be Bueler as he blogs on teenage girls web pages?
Houdini| 8.16.12 @ 11:55AM
Ben,
Those of us that live in the Inland Northwest appreciate your descriptions of this wonderful part of the country...could you tone it down a little though...we have enough lefties moving in as it is.
JP| 8.16.12 @ 1:17PM
"After dinner, we watched a documentary about the Nazis that had so many factual mistakes that I cringed. My favorites were about how the German girls who went off to the Bunde Deutscher Madchen (I may have that spelling wrong) even as teenagers, usually returned from their summer camps pregnant even in the '30s."
The so-called German Lebensborn programs was more hype than reality. The Nazis tried to socially engineer "blonde air blue-eyed" maedchen's with SS stallions on leave from the war. After being impregnated, the girls would be assigned to a Nazis pregnancy center where they would give birth to future Nazis leaders and conqueors.
The Germans, it turned out, we're all little bit too old fashioned for this bit of advanced sexual engineering. Not even the most fanatic Nazis fathers wanted their teen-age daughters turned into nothing more than unpaid chattel (or prostitutes) in order to meet some crazy idea of racial superiority. Few women ever participated in this program.
marcos| 8.16.12 @ 1:38PM
Ben,
We gotta get outa this place, if its the last thing we ever do. Beverly Hills is not for growing old, except maybe Cedars Sinai but they've screwed up too many patients, too. Is Idaho, Wyoming, Montana the answer??
funu50401| 8.16.12 @ 3:31PM
Oh, no, Ben, not you too, "I want a President who gives us that feeling." It's that "feeling" stuff which has put us all behind the eight ball in the first place. Tut, tut! Be that as it may, I do think of you as a friend and I'd love to chat with you sometime. You know, cabbages and kings.
Thank you for being you,
Ed Funston
Mason City, IA
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 3:36PM
The data on the Bund Deutscher Madden correlates well with the data corresponds well with my reading, Ben. Your best bet would be to contact Andrew Roberts, another writer for this publication. Omer Bartov would be another excellent source. But I DO recall reading that when the Hitler Youth and the Bund Maidens went off together, many pregnancies resulted---this behavior was ENCOURAGED by the Nazis, Ben.
As for Jews funding the Nazi war effort through confiscation, Ben may not be aware that the Nazis did NOT go to full war production until quite late in the war. The numbers should be looked at more closely.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 3:40PM
I guess reagan's turnaround of the US economy was demostrably false, then.
Ben, you have no understanding of human motivations or nature, and NONE on what it takes to run a real business. That's why you are going broke, and I am getting rich. You, sir, are a moron.
Businesses do well in a reasonable, stable, tax and regulatory environment, as do people. Reagan's reduction of the tax load was the greatest thing in modern American history---it GREATLY increased tax REVENUES and GNP.
You, sir, are demonstrably wrong.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 3:41PM
Sorry, that's Reagan, as in Ronaldus Magnus---a President so great he looks down on Richard Nixon as a man would an ant. Pity Ben fails to understand that, too.
Seek| 8.16.12 @ 3:47PM
Honest reflections.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 3:57PM
Wow. A kid wants to be a lawyer. Like we don't have enough of the parasitic swine already.
I want a President who will kill bad foreign guys and LOWER MY TAXES. I know how to spend my money much better than you and your friends do, Ben.
Anthony| 8.16.12 @ 4:48PM
My dear Dr. OT, you must admit, as a man of science, that some parasites serve a vital function in the human body.
That said, far too many of my brothers and sisters do mimic ticks in the worst way. I only wish they had attached themselves to Chuck Schumer rather than that poor specimen that Schumer 's blood managed to poison.
I guess the law of the jungle applies to ticks, the bigger more vicious ticks take out the lesser, smaller ones.
Oh well, at least it tried.
DRCzar| 8.16.12 @ 4:22PM
Dear Mr. Stein,
I'm sorry to point out the error of your ways, but you are wrong in your opinion of supply-side economics.
The American Economy is not a zero-sum game that can be neatly trend-lined into short-term analysis. Eliminating crony-capitalism by eliminating those deductions for them, simplifying and reducing tax rates has proven to raise revenues when ever it's been tried. Congress needs to hold down spending as revenues increase to reduce the over all deficit to see real economic growth. Perhaps you are spending too much time out West and have unknowingly succumbed to "Alan Simpson Syndrome".....
Trinacria| 8.16.12 @ 5:07PM
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...as usual...
Brian Richard Allen | 8.18.12 @ 2:56AM
Dear Mr Stein
Don't know why you're one of the folks whom it has always seemed are a component part of my family -- but there it is. I and everyone I love loves you. And everyone you love, too.
But then we come to: " I do not buy supply-side ... Supply-side is based on a premise that is demonstrably false ..."
I need you to so demonstrate.
Please?
With love and fellowship from Brian :.
Brian Richard Allen
Lost Angels - CA 90028
And The Very Far Abroad
Cobalt| 8.19.12 @ 10:48AM
Mr. Stein,
I enjoyed your commentary on guns on CBS Sunday Morning, this morning. You pretty much hit the nail on the head. However, it's obvious that Sandpoint, Idaho doesn't have the hoodlums, and minority population, that plague large cities like Los Angeles and Chicago.
Nice of you to voice a sane opinion, in the midst of the manufactured hysteria.
Big Jeff | 8.23.12 @ 3:38PM
Hi Ben, I hope you read this. I walked into the Loading Dock last week and my jaw dropped and mind went blank to see the one and only--very tan indeed, I might add. Finally coughed out a weak "Hi Ben" and wewnt inside to order. Came back out and you were gone. Told the wifey, Ben doesn't want some lame tourist ruining his lunch so he beat a hasty. All I wanted to say was one thing---"Who's making more money now---you or Jimmy K?" And who could ever have imagined. I knew he was a funny guy who's quick on his feet--but to move onto the bright lites like that---go figure. And one more thing Ben, how could all these pre-teen girls in Idaho recognize Ben Stein on the street? I'm gob-smacked, (but not a crook).