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From the Obama Ministry of Truth
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Ben Stein's Diary
Debating Mitt Romney
We knew who Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale were. And (alas) we know who Barack Obama is. But what about Mitt? He should tell us who he is.
(Page 3 of 3)
He is more pro-free enterprise and less socialistic than Mr. Obama is.
His government will be less corrupt than Mr. Obama’s.
He is pro-life, without apology.
He enthusiastically supports powerful defense and defies the terrorists…
And on and on.
If he really cannot come out with a clear list of what he believes in, maybe he should not have been the nominee in the first place.
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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Hardcard| 10.1.12 @ 7:40AM
Dear Benny,
You seem to be confused, stop watching TV, stop with the mondull and President Reagan debate comparisons. We need to vote this November, not 1984. obuma must be defeated in 2012, vote for Romney and take a nap.
Aristocat| 10.1.12 @ 7:58AM
Ben: Obama has submitted a budget every year and it never gets a single vote, not even from Democrats.
If you want to bring religion into it, I'd rather have a Mormon than a Muslim. Obama's father was also a polygamist. Obama is the bastard son of an American Communist racist woman and an African Muslim polygamist who died in a ditch drunk and afflicted with STDs.
Vic| 10.1.12 @ 3:55PM
I agree, Mormons are bad but Muslims are worse. What a crazy choice we have been offered this election. Couldn't we have just gone with one of the two Rick's or even Gingrich.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.1.12 @ 4:55PM
" or even Gingrich."
Speaker Moonbeam?
If Romney will guarantee on peril of death to improve the situation, then I'll definitely vote for him; if he csays on TV Wednesday night:
"I guarantee with my head..."
Then he is worth voting for.
But Romney is like everybody else, he has to cover himself.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.1.12 @ 5:00PM
How 'bout this?--
Romney says on TV:
"if I am elected in November but fail as president, my entire wealth including all offshore holdings and precious metals shall be distributed to the American people and I'll work pro bono as janitor in the White House until I turn 70."
THEN he gets my vote.
Anonimouse| 10.1.12 @ 5:32PM
Mormons are bad? You prove morons are bad
Vic| 10.1.12 @ 5:36PM
I don't need to, they are fckg polygamists
Appleby| 10.1.12 @ 6:13PM
No, the ones who call themselves Mormons and are practicing polygamy are renegades. God helpfully revoked polygamy when the United States said Utah could not become a state until He did. Look it up.
DRA2012| 10.1.12 @ 7:21PM
Peril of Death? What kind of lunatic are you? Do we need to have the Secret Service pay you a visit?
Alej| 10.1.12 @ 5:04PM
"I agree, Mormons are bad. . . ."
THERE'S a brilliant statement !
Jack in Wi| 10.1.12 @ 3:58PM
Romney is the worst Republican candidate in my long lifetime. He should be winning by 10 points and most likely will lose by 5. His is ignorant of foreign policy, economics, history, political science and geography. He is a total tool of his handlers and consultants. If Romney has a chance to win Wi. I will vote for him. Fat chance of that with the campaign he is running. It is not too late fro him to change and win the election, but time is short.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.1.12 @ 5:16PM
We'll see on Weds. night, we'll see if Romney is more than just a pretty face.
BTW, I don't dislike Romney as a candidate, I only dislike him intensely as a person.
Vic| 10.1.12 @ 5:34PM
Atleast WI has a chance of swinging Romney's way, there is no chance NY swings to him unless, unless. Nonetheless vote we should so hold up the fckg nose and plump for Romney
DRA2012| 10.1.12 @ 7:39PM
Jack, what makes you think he is ignorant of the list of things you listed? His work during the 2002 Olympics put him in close contact of everyone on the planet who mattered - every head of state, every Royal, and the heads of ALL of the world's Olympic committees. He had to do a LOT of reassuring of each and every one of them to convince them to let their Olympians enter what for all intents and purposes a war zone. He was Governor of a state that despite its small size, has immense international influence, and as one of the wealthier men on the planet, he has finance and banking connections across the world.
He's not the one who has stated that the Viennese speak Austrian, that America has 57 states, and whose grasp of foreign policy has left the Mideast in flames. No, Romney, after being a missionary in France for two years, is fluent in their language, and has the Prime Minister of Israel appearing in campaign advertisements for him.
Only the mouthpieces of the Progressive movement think he is less qualified to be the leader of the free world than a disbarred community agitator.
RCV| 10.1.12 @ 6:49PM
Well, Aristocat, if polygamy bothers you that much, Romney's grandfather was a polygamist as well - In fact, he gave up the United States in order to help preserve the practice.
Intelligent Design| 10.1.12 @ 7:53AM
Romney's principles are very clear to me, but who is Ben Stein? He seems confused, conflicted, or maybe just stretching a bit to cook up a story to publish.
its4us2think| 10.1.12 @ 11:29AM
He is the same guy who said that the bubble built on real estate (in 2008) was nothing and should get solved in few days. Yeah, I am still waiting for it to be solved! These guys call themselves economist and write what ever feels like! We all read these idiots, so we are worse!
soljerblue| 10.1.12 @ 3:22PM
And Obama is the same guy who said a lot of things in 2008 -- a lot more than Romney did. And we all know how that's turned out.
Harry Bradford| 10.1.12 @ 7:15PM
In 2008 the country was on the brink of a catastrophe. No one knew the extent. With 30 months of positive private sector job growth (under-reported by 386,000 from 2010-2011, by the way) and a very healthy stock market, is the US on the brink now? And Mitt's tax returns show it's turned out pretty good for him. Are you SURE you know how it's turned out?
NES31| 10.1.12 @ 11:28PM
The U6 unemployment rate is 15% and the stock market is "healthy" because our national banker Ben Bernancke is flooding the market with dollars. Its a band aid and when the whole thing falls...its gonna be devastating. President Obama has taken a recession and turned it into a nightmare for our country. Another Obama 4 years = pure chaos in the streets and probable revolution. I have to think Mitt will at least get us on the right path...he has the experience. Obama has no clue....all talk.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.1.12 @ 5:02PM
its4us2think,
Economics isn't really a science.
its4us2think| 10.1.12 @ 8:03PM
Yep, I realize it now! :) I used Ben's line in lot of discussions at that time, then only to realize how none of these guys knew any better. Anyway, it is sad that Ben wants to tag the talking point line even when knowing that the most successful media houses now are the conservative ones (both financially and viewership). But looking at the comments stream here, one has to wonder where does the tinfoils get sold!!
Carl Peter Klapper | 10.2.12 @ 9:29AM
Henry George would disagree with you. However, the kind of science was, with thought experiments, much closer to theoretical physics than to pharmacology.
Von Mises Jr| 10.1.12 @ 8:25AM
The debates and the Romney Ryan commercials must get the facts out. The only reason Obama is even close in this race is not because Romney lacks star-like charisma or he is a cloistered unknowable person. It is because the only things the MSM reports on him are lies.
Muslim terrorist just tortured, sodomized and strangulated our Ambassador and Obama lays down the law that we can't speak badly of his people. Obama is half-white and most of the remainder is Arab, not black. So Holders represents the black people while Obama shields his Muslim Brotherhood cabal. And we need to be assured Mormonism is OK?
Romney Ryan are for lower and flatter taxes, drilling for oil, reducing cronyism (fascism) by repealing laws such as Dodd Frank, and for repealing ObamaCare. The message is simple and if explained repeatedly, it is a winner.
Cobalt| 10.1.12 @ 3:39PM
The MSM should report this:
"The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam"
Obama
"The Anti-Blasphemy, Anti-First-Amendment President"
Written by: Diana West
http://www.dianawest.net/Home/.....ident.aspx
PolishKnight| 10.1.12 @ 4:11PM
Let's be fair to Romney: Even if he was perfect, by most readers' here opinions, he might be clearing 55% in the polls. That's because 45% of the electorate will vote Democrat for the following reasons:
1) Race and gender entitlements. (Race entitlements applies to at least 30% of the electorate with a slight gender gap in favor of women offset by that for Romney.)
2) Government union/contractors.
3) Welfare recipients.
4) Legacy FDR voters who don't know better.
5) Easily brainwashed kids who LOVE authority (think about it, doing what your teachers tell you to do is love for authority. In a way, they're the new "conservatives!")
For better or worse, that easily adds up to 45% or so. Then the rest is about quibbling for the remaining 5%.
Getting women back means men should stop marrying and tolerating liberal women and letting them double dip. The right also needs to do something about the left exploiting racist benefits to buy votes while claiming to be against "racism". If they can't throw punches in a fight, they're going to lose and become irrelevant.
Zeppo| 10.1.12 @ 11:55AM
Then why do his ads spout nonsense about "standing up to China"?
TLP| 10.1.12 @ 3:56PM
Because you're an Idiot.
This why Zeppo, was the least known Marx Brother.
Zeppo| 10.1.12 @ 4:24PM
So tell me, Tim, which do you think makes more sense? For Mitt to promise to improve the economy by "standing up to China" or by the policies that Ludwig Jr. lists above? Which one do you think will convince voters that he will make a difference? Why is Mitt talking about China?
“He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot.”
- Brother Groucho
effinayright| 10.1.12 @ 10:09PM
I think that would be Gummo.
soljerblue| 10.1.12 @ 3:16PM
Good column, Ben!
Obama has lost the undecideds. James Carville pointed that out in his polling data weeks ago. But, while they may want to vote for Romney, they're still looking for good reasons -- all of which boil down to what you've said in your column, Ben. We want a clear statement of who he is and what he'll do -- or not do -- as President. If he can't make the sale in the debates, it ain't gonna happen.
TLP| 10.1.12 @ 4:06PM
Here's your Good Reason.
He's not Hamas' Deliveror.
That not enough?
I'll make it simple.
You can Vote for 4 More Years of Record Unemployment, Record Foreclosures, a Record Number of People on Welfare, People on Food Stamps, Homelessness, Suicides, People living AT, or BELOW the Poverty Line, Higher Taxes, Lower Wages, and another Downgrade of our Credit Rating.
You can Vote for a Decimation of our Armed Forces, Blanket Amnesty for Millions of Illegal Immigrants, Higher Food and Fuel Prices, and our Astronaughts hitching rides into Space, from those Low Sperm Count Alcoholic Russians, because NASA has been turned into a Muslim Outreach Program.
Or, you could Vote for Romney.
Duh.
Linda Smith| 10.1.12 @ 3:26PM
Ben, I enjoy reading your columns, but with this one, I could not disagree more.
Did you watch the Republican Convention? I thought they did a pretty good idea of showing us who Mitt is; and I, for one, am planning on voting for him.
One more point, from the outside, it may appear to you that LDS is another sect of Christianity, but there are major doctrinal differences that make that not so. One is that LDS has added a 300,000 word book to their Cannon of Holy Scriptures. The New Testament is less than 200,000 words as translated into English, yet I don't think you would agree with the statement that Christianity is a sect of Judaism. No, it is a different religion. It would be a mistake for Romney to state that he is a Christian, because it is not true. Romney is a Mormon, a separate religion from Christianity. Having said that, he is a good, moral person and certainly qualified to be president.
TLP| 10.1.12 @ 4:12PM
So, according to you.
The Marxist MUSLIM, that we have in Office, now, is preferable to a Mormon, who has lived a Good Life, believes in JESUS CHRIST, and LOVES THIS COUNTRY.
Is that what you're saying?
Cause, that's what I'm hearing.
Pull you Head outta your @ss, Sweetheart.
Alej| 10.1.12 @ 5:08PM
". . .and I, for one, am planning on voting for him."
Did you miss that clause ?
KennesawJack| 10.1.12 @ 5:29PM
Timmy, I think you might owe the lady a
Whoops!" Just sayin'.
'
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.1.12 @ 3:29PM
Of course, if Romney goes out there and says he's a Mormon and a Christian, then he'd be lying. Mormonism is no more Christian than is Islam.
Honesty would be the best policy for Mitt, but how do you get honesty out of a guy who sticks his finger in the wind to see which way the wind is blowing?
Republicans chose a bland, moderate candidate this time around for pragmatic reasons -- best chance of winning and all that.
It's a little late to engage in buyer's remorse, trying to convert Romney into a real conservative. Vote for him, yes, but let's face it: Mitt Romney is no Ronald Reagan.
TLP| 10.1.12 @ 4:16PM
He's not Hamas' Deliveror, and we're not Electing a Pope.
That not enough?
I'll make it simple.
You can Vote for 4 More Years of Record Unemployment, Record Foreclosures, a Record Number of People on Welfare, People on Food Stamps, Homelessness, Suicides, People living AT, or BELOW the Poverty Line, Higher Taxes, Lower Wages, and another Downgrade of our Credit Rating.
You can Vote for a Decimation of our Armed Forces, Blanket Amnesty for Millions of Illegal Immigrants, Higher Food and Fuel Prices, and our Astronaughts hitching rides into Space, from those Low Sperm Count Alcoholic Russians, because NASA has been turned into a Muslim Outreach Program.
Or, you could Vote for Romney.
He doesn't have to be Ronald Reagan.
He's not President Muslim Ccksckr.
That's enough for me.
But then, I'm not a Dumb@ss.
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.1.12 @ 4:42PM
"But then, I'm not a Dumb@ss."
Maybe not a Dumb@ss, but an @ss nonetheless.
Oldefarte| 10.1.12 @ 4:35PM
Hey I got new for you chief, and that is Michael Reagan is no Ronald Reagan either. Oh and go a step further, Ron Reagan Jr is certainly not him, but he does resemble Barney Frank [although he's a better dancer hopefully]!!!!!!!!
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.1.12 @ 4:40PM
As far as I can see, neither Michael Reagan nor Ron Reagan Jr are running for president.
SaveTheCountry| 10.1.12 @ 5:24PM
With all due respect, where did you learn about Mormonism? It is so easy to find the facts about the religion, do yourself a favor and look it up--just search for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (You notice Jesus Christ is in the name of the denomination.)
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.1.12 @ 5:42PM
And yet Mormons deny all the cardinal doctrines of Christianity. Perhaps you should study up a little bit more about what your own religion teaches.
Mormons are quick to claim that people don't understand their religion. So why is it that Mormons refuse to accept what Christians teach about Christianity?
RCV| 10.1.12 @ 6:56PM
Vern is right in saying that Mormonism is no more Christian than Islam. Muslims revere Jesus as well - they just have a different concept of what his relationship to God the Father is. Mormons indeed have Jesus Christ in their Church name, but their views on his nature -- indeed on the nature of God -- are so divorced from orthodox Christianity that it is impossible to see them as part of the same faith. Christians do not believe that God was once a man like we are, nor do they believe that we can become Gods ourselves.
Having said that, I fully acknowledge that every Mormon I have known -- and I know plenty -- are good, decent people whom I respect greatly. And Romney's religious views play no role in my view of him as a potential President.
ealha3| 10.1.12 @ 3:53PM
Unfortunately, either you haven't been listening, watching, reading or all of the above or you like to see yourself read - but - Romney/Ryan have been yelling and screaming all of what you ask. Problem is it doesn't matter - the media won't publish it as much as it deserves and the public is too engrained as an entitlement society, i.e. European mentality - that it doesn't make any difference. That's why every poll indicates Romney ahead on specific issues - but behind in the election. People know Obama is an idiot but will vote for him to keep their government checks coming ...
Frediano| 10.1.12 @ 4:34PM
Yes, Reagan won, and they were talking about deficits in the billions. And still government grew. I voted for Clark in 80, I sleep like a baby.
JFK's budget was $100B in a nation of 180M, barely half of today's 330M. Inflation counts for maybe a factor of 7.5 since then. Over half of JFK's 100B was for defense at the peak of the Cold War. His $100B adjusts to maybe $1500B today, not $3800B. And JFK's America was actually building the Interstates, not just patching them up. Going to the Moon. Inspiring a nation. All on what today would be $1500B/yr, not $3800B/yr of federal spending. Ask the graduating class of 1962 and then ask the class of 2012, which emerged into more vibrant economies and was inspired, not depressed by its government. The gutters outside of hospitals were not characterized by stacks of the bodies of the elderly and infirm in JFK's America. Count the number of cabinet level departments since then. Who grew government more than Nixon? We have a choice between the No Hope For Freedom Dems, and the False Hope for Freedom GOP. That is some choice. Reagan's "a little more guns in exchange for a lot more butter" sellout also grew government, to defeat a nation that we knew was farming using ox carts.
Frediano| 10.1.12 @ 4:36PM
America must have really been some place once. It is a place of carny hucksters and spineless weasels seeking shortcuts now, that sells out its best to feed IKE's MIC, since Vietnam. If it was acceptable in '72 to claim 'never mind, we really didn't mean it' then it never had to be fought at all. And we are repeating this same abuse of our best in Iraq and Afghanistan. The American flag is officially an embarrassment because of what its political class has become.; total f'n weasels as far as the eye can see.
RCV| 10.1.12 @ 6:58PM
Unlike you, Frediano, most of us do not believe that the American flag is "an embarrassment."
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.1.12 @ 7:30PM
Well, there's one caveat, RCV:
the GOP has had four postwar POTUSes good on foreign policy--
Ike
Nixon
Reagan,
Bush 41
Dems have had one.. Truman. the score is 4-1
Not good for our side.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.1.12 @ 7:33PM
... and if Carter had gotten a second term, we might have lost not only the team but also the stadium.
Aristocat| 10.2.12 @ 1:51AM
"Spineless weasals"....fits the media perfectly..
Oldefarte| 10.1.12 @ 4:40PM
I'd like to see him walk up to THE ONE Wednesday night, look him in the eyes and say for all to hear.......I KNOW HUGO CHAVEZ, HUGO CHAVEZ IS NO FRIEND OF MINE, BUT BOY YOU CERTAINLY MAKE HUGO CHAVEZ LOOK LIKE SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI!!!!!!!!!!!
Frediano| 10.1.12 @ 4:48PM
"They were worrying about a deficit in the billions. Now it's in the 16-17 trillion range. Wow, are we far out on a limb."
I'll say. Deficit is not debt. But then, this is from the Hollywood braintrust. Keep cashing those checks, you're earning every penny.
At this rate, maybe it won't be long until the deficit is in the 16-17 trillion range.
soldiermom11| 10.1.12 @ 4:49PM
Mitt is not running against obama. He is running against the media. The fawning and fainting is just more than I can stand. I live near Kent State and the local paper had 8 pages of coverage on an obama visit. Romney was in another Ohio town within a 30 mile radius and got 1/4 page of coverage. The students were lined up to see the great Oz with daddy's money in their pockets. While the teachers professors were out and about egging them on like a cult. Obama has failed on everything he promised. All you have to do is google senator obama and see he has not fullfilled even one promise. Obama is a marxist and he will not rest until he has created such a crisis in this country that the only way we have to survive is to depend on the government. God help us.
AmericanPatriot52| 10.1.12 @ 4:49PM
With all due respect, Mr. Stein, you may think of yourself as a "political animal" but you must have been in some form of hibernation for awhile. :-)
Both Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan have been answering the majority of your questions for quite some time. I feel that I have a good working knowledge of them and what they will try to accomplish in office. It's always a bit scary to believe a politician and we must be wary, but their historic and apparent honesty and character lead me to believe they will do what is right for the country, not just their political party.
Oh, they may not be the personal salesmen Mr. Obama is, but they come across as honest men of good character who have our best interests at heart.
I've always questioned Mr. Obama's character and found many of his campaign promises almost laughable. "Hope" and "Change" are good words, but it matters how they are directed. I was never a believer in his redistribution philosophy -- it goes against everything I've ever believed or worked for and I think it's un-American. His record of "present" in the senate led me to believe he wasn't the man for the job last time. Now, he's proven he's not the man for the job. He has shown me that he doesn't have the character, the honesty, the love for America, the class or the belief system that I want in a president.
It's not going to be easy and a lot of us will complain as we go through the process of bringing America back, but at least we'll still HAVE a country!
Gigi0102| 10.1.12 @ 5:04PM
Curiously enough, Romney has said just about everything Ben Stein advises, but the media refuses to report it.
Wisdom of Josh| 10.1.12 @ 5:09PM
Poor Romney. Up to a month ago the man had not one single principle. Come on, give the man a break.
SaveTheCountry| 10.1.12 @ 5:20PM
Ben, Ben, Ben. You haven't been paying attention. Mitt Romney has already put out there---many times--what he believes in. He has affirmed--many times--that he is a Christian. People who think Mormons aren't Christians simply are misinformed and have never actually studied the religion. And why would they? It's somebody else's religion, not theirs, and Mormons are good, upstanding citizens who tend not to express their religious beliefs by flying airplanes into buildings.
So, dear Ben, who I otherwise adore and look forward to hearing your latest ruminations, go back and look at Mitt Romney in the primary debates, on the stump, in his op-eds. He has already answered the question!
Cameron| 10.1.12 @ 5:28PM
Send this to Mr. Romney!
SilkyWiley| 10.1.12 @ 5:33PM
Ben, apparently you haven't been listening toRomney because he has said all those things you list, perhaps you talk more than you listen. As far as being a Mormon, I have lived among them my whole life, even went to church with some of my Mormon friends, they are Christians, they have a huge statue of Jesus on Temple Square.
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.1.12 @ 5:48PM
Wow, building a huge statue of Jesus. So THAT'S what makes you a Christan! Forget about confessing the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, and all that. Just get up a statue....and all's well.
John II| 10.1.12 @ 5:51PM
"He is pro-life, without apology."
Actually, he is only recently pro-life, and without much apparent interest in the issue.
Which brings me to my own addenda to Ben's "And on and on . . .":
1. To me, the most serious weakness of Romney is his apparent indifference to ideas, which is not at all the same thing as a healthy conservative suspicion of ideology. I have no doubt that he is a good man--a minimally necessary trait for an effective leader in a political arena crowded with degenerates and mountebanks. And I'll sure as hell vote for him. Like the elder George Bush, though, Romney seems to have little regard for "the vision thing," so that his own vision reduces in great measure to an unreflective techie competence, only haphazardly connected to the "why" of things in his preoccupation with the "how-to."
But this coming election really is different. The Obamanation needs a thrashing in the form of thorough refutation and rejection, not just a (temporary) end-run. The "vision" of the Professor depends on a loose concatenation of extremely toxic ideas--and the campaign against the Obamanation has to be engaged on that level, with an understanding of what's really at stake. More below for those still awake . . .
John II| 10.1.12 @ 6:04PM
There's another trouble, recently cited by a TAS reader from an article in the Prague newspaper, Prager Zeitungon:
“The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince.
The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their President.”
Do Romney and his advisors have any sense of this trouble? My guess is that the alleged 42% of the electorate firmly behind Romney by and large do. That leaves 58% (including the "undecideds" and the morons throwing away their votes to third candidates--not just the 41% sure-enough degenerates): a majority confederacy of fools.
Romney was attacked for his 47% remark unjustly, but I think his figure was an understatement. And I fear that his indifference to ideas would blind him to the understatement. The nation is already in much deeper doo-doo than most Republican politicians can see.
DRed| 10.1.12 @ 7:02PM
hahaha. Prager Zeitungon-what an oddly erudite quote from a Czech newspaper. And what an odd thing for a Czech paper to be writing about. As far as I can tell, it's from a viral email that's been making the rounds for a years. Why someone chose to make an obscure Czech newspaper their fake source escapes me, but it seems to have worked.
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.1.12 @ 7:38PM
Might be a fake source, but it has some good sense.
John II| 10.1.12 @ 8:34PM
Non sequitur, DReddie. Neither its "oddly erudite" translation nor the alleged obscurity of its source--nor, for that matter, the fact that the excerpt is a favorite of Ron Paul enthusiasts--makes the comment any less spot-on.
Nor, factually speaking, is there anything "odd" about a Czech paper taking an interest in American politics. The eastern Europeans have been through it all--they know a thing or two about the consequences of political mendacity, statism, and depraved electorates.
And I know a thing or two about what motivates enthusiasts of the Professor. I've worked in the depraved environment of academia for more than 40 years. The discourse, like your own, is reliably smug and dishonest--and the consequences of dissent are not pretty.
I'd like to see the whole piece, though.
DRed| 10.1.12 @ 10:10PM
That is the whole piece.
John II| 10.2.12 @ 12:09AM
Well, as usual, you don't and can't know--but you may be on to something. If it is the whole piece, then it would be a short, unsigned editorial.
And if that's the case, the anonymous editorial writer shows signs of having read a lot of Vaclav Havel.
Thanks, DReddie, for the clue. Maybe I can track it down more readily now.
DRed| 10.2.12 @ 1:24AM
No, Don Juan, it wouldn't be a short, unsigned editorial, because it's not from a newspaper. It's too bad it's not really Czech. It's just got so much-what's the term, professor? Pathos? It's got so much more pathos coming from an Eastern European source, doesn't it? Whoever decided to falsely attribute that bit to a Czech paper was very clever.
John II| 10.2.12 @ 9:51AM
Well--no, I wouldn't call it "pathos." What comes through the translation to me is a moral depth born of suffering, probably, but cultivated by a habit of engaged reflection and articulation.
In fact, there's a certain spirited buoyancy to the comment eloquent of a soul attuned to irony and wonder and sacrifice. Whoever wrote it would make a good teacher--and probably even a good husband or wife, and a good parent.
Appleby| 10.1.12 @ 6:10PM
Mormons are not Christians, Mr. Stein, because they do not believe in the Holy Trinity and they do not baptize in the name of the Holy Trinity -- they believe that God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are three separate individuals. They also believe that God is a former human being who got promoted to be in charge of his own planet, and that we are the offspring of God and his wives, who were placed here by him to worship him...and that the men among us will someday be promoted to Godhood and allowed to create their own planets. This does not mean that Mr. Romney is not as good a human being as the best Christians are, or that he intends (as Mr. Obama clearly does) to destroy Christianity in the public fora. But he cannot say "I am a Christian" because he is not. (He's also not a Jew, but he is in fact a good friend of long standing with the Prime Minister of Israel.)
Othr than that, it would be helpful if he'd tell us what he believes about America and what he plans to do when he's in charge. And whether he plays golf.
No_BlahBlah| 10.1.12 @ 6:14PM
Hey Ben, just go ahead and vote for o'Choom'Ba like you did 4 years ago and leave the rest of us living in reality alone.
Thanks for Ferris Bueller
davidfarrar | 10.1.12 @ 6:35PM
I feel Romney must lead by example.
Since Romney's 'Birther joke', it is evident to me that Romney has made a typical McCainite 'gentleman's agreement' with Obama and against an informed electorate: "You stop (personally) raising the issue of my tax returns, and I'll not press you on your birth certificate."
The key to Romney's economic recovery is strong presidential leadership and a stable, functioning, predictable Congress. That said, Romney should use this first debate to make the point over and over again that Americans must be able and willing to rally around the next president, no matter whom is elected, when deep cuts and higher taxes become the order of the day.
Near the end of the debate, Romney should conclude by saying in order to remove one stumbling block from allowing all Americans to rally around their next president, he has decided to lead by example and allow the Obama campaign complete and full access to his natal hospital records, along with his Michigan Health Department records, to publicly prove he was born in Detroit, Michigan, and ask Obama to do the same with his Hawaiian Health Department records and his natal hospital records*.
ex animo
davidfarrar
*This should only be done if Romney truly believes Obama is a natural born Citizen, born in Hawaii.
Troon62| 10.1.12 @ 6:38PM
Despite the hundreds of hours I have devoted to media coverage of the campaign, I haven't yet heard such a simple, hugely powerful strategy for Romney's last 40-odd days. If he doesn't "Get Bold," he and the wonderful Paul Ryan will lose. We understand that he has amassed more campaign dollars than Obama. Let's hope and pray that he takes the "Ben Road" to make the most of all that cash. America is in the balance. Boldness is what we need desperately. Do it, Mitt!
Michael J Sheridan| 10.1.12 @ 6:54PM
Thank you, Mr. Stein. From your pen to Mr. Romney's ears . . . .
Harry Bradford| 10.1.12 @ 7:04PM
National President
CNN/Opinion Research
Obama (D) 50
Romney (R) 47
Obama (D) +3.0
National President
ABC News/Wash Post
Obama (D) 49
Romney (R) 47
Obama (D) +2.0
National President
Politico/GWU/Battleground
Obama (D) 49
Romney (R) 47
Obama (D) +2.0
National President
Gallup Tracking
Obama (D) 49
Romney (R) 45
Obama (D) +4.0
National President
Rasmussen Tracking
Obama (D) 50
Romney (R) 47
Obama (D) +3.0
Cobalt| 10.1.12 @ 8:28PM
UnskewedPolls.com
http://unskewedpolls.com/
Maggie| 10.1.12 @ 9:20PM
Ben,why don't you run for President ? Then you would not have to tell Mitt what to say ,you could say it yourself and we would vote for you!!!
Aristocat| 10.2.12 @ 1:44AM
I love this comment by Maggie, but I can't tell if she is being sarcastic...?
John II| 10.2.12 @ 10:03PM
Well, even if Maggie IS being sarcastic, I second the comment on its face.
I have images of Ben turning the tables on the reporters at a Presidential press conference: "So what do YOU suggest America do about Israel--abandon our only serious Middle East ally to the wolves? Anybody? Anybody? . . ."
Spokgary| 10.1.12 @ 10:20PM
Great column and web site every day. What is Ben Stein's business email address? Thanks, Gary
Carl Peter Klapper | 10.2.12 @ 8:59AM
There is no reason for anyone to respect a religious or irreligious view other than their own, and it is unconstitutional to feel compelled to do so.
sly311| 10.2.12 @ 12:08PM
Can't support Romney because of Mormonism??? But stay home and support BHO who embraces radical Islamism??? Hmmm. This is why BHO got elected in 2008. Seventeen million "Christians" stayed home because of McCain. This arm-waving bunch of hypocrites do more damage based on their "principles" than should be accepted. Shame on them--once again. Remember, Romney is NOT BHO. It's that simple.
Brian Richard Allen | 10.2.12 @ 9:32PM
.... I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am .... and always will be a Christian ....
Not in any way hostile to Mr Romney the politician wannabe and I was just notified by LA County that my vote for him, from way out here in The Very Far Abroad, arrived already.
But, seems to me from my good look into the history and theology of Mormonism that, as do the followers of what the Muslims call the "prophet," Mormons deny the defining Truth of Christianity - the Trinity - That The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are One. And especially that Jesus Christ is both the Son of God -- and is God.
There is much more, of course -- but that's the essence.
Mormons, it would seem, are to Christianity about what Messianic Jews are to Judaism. And you might like to take up and/or to continue that conversation with, say, Mr Michael Medved.
Shalom! Shalom!
Brian Richard Allen:.
Los Angeles - CA 90028
And The Very Far Abroad
PenelopePersnoppleschmidt | 10.5.12 @ 4:51PM
Can we write Ben Stein in on the ballot? A man I would surely not hesitate to vote for!