Ben Stein's a commie! (political)

[rgraham666]

I came to that conclusion after reading this.

How dare he? Attack the very foundation of capitalism?

I agree with every word he wrote

 

[only_more_so]

I came to that conclusion after reading this.

How dare he? Attack the very foundation of capitalism?

I agree with every word he wrote

Umm... I wouldn't say that article implies Ben Stein is a communist. Actually, I fully agree with his sentiment.

When I was in school, many people said I should go into business so that I can make lots of money. The problem I saw, is that playing the stock market professionally, doesn't make money for the economy. All those bankers and stock brokers are actually leeches on the system since they don't create value. Those leeches are the ones that Ben Stein is writing against, not against rich people in general, or even about the distribution of wealth.

 

[rgraham666]

But they're the people that are admired and emulated, the epitome of the American Dream, capitalism bought to its fullest flower.

Gag.

My favourite writer's been saying the same thing since the early '90s.

 

[only_more_so]

But they're the people that are admired and emulated, the epitome of the American Dream, capitalism bought to its fullest flower.

Gag.

My favourite writer's been saying the same thing since the early '90s.

I don't know, to me the epitome of the American dream is to start a company that makes something or does something and then make that company grow huge. Perhaps diversify the company so it makes or does lots of things.

I think earning money on money is the shortcut and hurts society. The american dream is about helping yourself, not merely swimming higher by pushing others down.

 

[Jubal_Harshaw]

If you're right, you're right. Don't sit and quietly grumble about to someone who doesn't care enough to listen, broadcast it so everyone can see the corruption that is destroying capitalism. Or is capitalism just sanctioned corruption?

Greed is what turns the world. Those who are greedy will rule, those who are not will clean the toilets of those who are. The downfall is that greed knows no patience and has no foresight. The greedy don't give a rats ass what happens to the world in 50 or 100 years, their only concern is how much they can hoard this fiscal quarter.

 

[Seattle Zack]

Hmm, interesting, but a moronic proposition. Stein is a Nixon speechwriter and an old-school conservative that I've always enjoyed reading. He's parlayed a moderately successful movie career into a game show and a few other things. What, specifically, are you referring to, nitwit?

 

[cantdog]

Zack, my dear-- your antecedents.

 

[rgraham666]

I was being ironic, Zack.

I've been saying much the same thing here on this board for ages. The usual suspects always give me a verbal thrashing for it. With the sotto voce understanding that I espouse Communism for saying such things.

However, I should have guessed that you were one of the usual suspects as your criticism of my original post descended instantly into ad hominem and insult.

Sad.

 

[Guest]

Commie? No.

But with that concern about the middle class, he's clearly not a Republican by today's definition.

 

[R. Richard]

Umm... I wouldn't say that article implies Ben Stein is a communist. Actually, I fully agree with his sentiment.

When I was in school, many people said I should go into business so that I can make lots of money. The problem I saw, is that playing the stock market professionally, doesn't make money for the economy. All those bankers and stock brokers are actually leeches on the system since they don't create value. Those leeches are the ones that Ben Stein is writing against, not against rich people in general, or even about the distribution of wealth.

You say that bankers and stock brokers are leeches on the system. However, without those 'leeches,' the system doesn't work. In order for the system to work, there must be a flow of capital into the system. Someone must decide where and how the money flows into the system. There are two choices as to where and how the money flows into the system: 1) bankers and stockbrokers; 2) government. The US chose 1). The USSR chose 2). There is no more USSR.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Stein puts his finger on what's so amazing and insidious about the New Right - the way they've managed to sell their propaganda hook, line, and sinker to the very people they exploit. The people who support the neocons and buy into this whole flag-waving Freedom and Economic Opportunity business are the very people who'll never have either, and they're not only getting screwed, but enthusiastically dropping their pants and supplying the lube for their own economic ass-fucking as well. They've conned the sheep into loving the taste of mutton, and it never ceases to amaze me.

I don't have a problem with Stein's brand of conservatism. He's an old-style economic conservative, and I disagree with it, but the man's rational, and in this case he's right in his take on what's happening.

Capitalism's a great system if you're a Capitalist (or an entrepreneur or a businessman). If you're not, you're pretty well fucked.

 

[R. Richard]

Capitalism's a great system if you're a Capitalist (or an entrepreneur or a businessman). If you're not, you're pretty well fucked.

Dr_M:
I must disagree with you here. If you are a capitalist, the system is great! You make money and then put the new money to work to make still more money. In order to make still more money, you have to hire workers [create jobs.] In order to house the new workers you have to build new buildings [construction jobs.] In order to support the new workers, other entrepreneurs start up a deli to provide lunch for the new workers [food service jobs,] a clinic to provide health care for the new workers [health care jobs,] etc. Of course, the capatalist makes WAY more money that the workers, but the workers get paid decent wages, not because the capatalist cares about the workers, but because the capitalist doesn't want to train workers for the guy down the street who will pay decent wages to steal away the capitalist's workers.

Yes, the entire system is built on greed. However, the system works.

The old USSR took from those who could produce and gave to those who needed. The old USSR collapsed. Caring does not produce the things that people need.

 

[rgraham666]

Stein puts his finger on what's so amazing and insidious about the New Right - the way they've managed to sell their propaganda hook, line, and sinker to the very people they exploit. The people who support the neocons and buy into this whole flag-waving Freedom and Economic Opportunity business are the very people who'll never have either, and they're not only getting screwed, but enthusiastically dropping their pants and supplying the lube for their own economic ass-fucking as well. They've conned the sheep into loving the taste of mutton, and it never ceases to amaze me.

I don't have a problem with Stein's brand of conservatism. He's an old-style economic conservative, and I disagree with it, but the man's rational, and in this case he's right in his take on what's happening.

Capitalism's a great system if you're a Capitalist (or an entrepreneur or a businessman). If you're not, you're pretty well fucked.

I'll disagree with the last sentence, Doc. There's nothing in capitalism that states the people at the bottom or middle of the heap have to get screwed.

It's just greedy short sighted bastards at the top who have interpreted it that way. They mistake a practical economic system for an absolute ethical system.

As my favourite writer puts it, "The last functioning Marxists are the heads of large, usually transnational corporations. The last functioning Marxist philosophers are neo-conservative."