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Ben Stein offers Rick Perry an Economics Lesson
Republican Ben Stein offers Texas Gov. Rick Perry an economics lesson. A MUST READ IN FULL so we are giving you the link rather than excerpt it. (I’ll quote it in the Cagle Cartoons column I’ll write for Tuesday).
18 Responses to “Ben Stein offers Rick Perry an Economics Lesson”
So exactly how does that impact what he said in his piece on CNN? I am continually amazed at how comments are mostly full of people’s agenda items rather than commenting on the merits or flaws in someone’s argument. It’s like all polemics 24/7. That falls within our comments guidelines, no problem there. But where does your comment make me rethink what Stein argues on the economy, the fed and the need for Perry to tone down his rhetoric a bit? Posts on evolution, etc are on those topics. This is on the economy and Perry’s comments.
I don’t always agree with Dr. Stein, but he is quite a bright economist. As I was getting my BS in Economics, I studied some of what he wrote. He usually is quite on the nose, and this case is no exception.
Yes, Stein is out of his element when commenting on evolutionary biology, but this article clearly falls into his area of expertise (or at least knowledge), so he should be given credit for his analysis.
That said, is it me, or are there more than a few established Republicans lining up to in effect call Perry an idiot? For all the conciliatory language in this article, Stein seems to be doing just that, and Bruce Bartlett came right out and said it.
I’m laughing and I can’t help it. I swear they must have dear old Bob Dole in a straight jacket by now.
There just may be one heck of a Republican debate coming.
I like Stein, but he agrees with Perry on most social issues. Puhleez.
Stein simply asked Perry to tone it down, nothing more.
Why is that controversial?
No Stein, as nicely as he could, told Perry to get his facts right and stop spewing his ignorant BS.
Stein was right, why is THAT controversial?
I agree with Prof. When there was a post on the overheated rhetoric I commented that Perry’s “almost treasonous” comment was indeed an example of what we should avoid. That doesn’t mean his(Perry’s) disagreement with the policy is wrong, because it sure has heck hasn’t worked, just that calling something that is an accepted practice “almost treasonous” is over the top. Honestly I didn’t read anything in Steins piece but something along those lines and nothing at all about Perry’s intelligence or qualifications. If anything the opposite.
Mr. Stein may have offered an economics lesson to Rick Perry, but he failed to deliver. Perhaps it was meant to be a lesson in semantics.
All I read was some vague rationale for Ben Bernake’s supposed motivation for QE one & two.
Stein has written a number of books, including some on financial advice, including a great one about financial decisions throughout people’s lives, “Financial Passages” (full of references to names of places in California, always entertaining for us California natives) and what may matter here, “Moneypower,” about what to do in the age of inflation: borrow, borrow, borrow. I wonder if this affects his views here and now (inflate to get out of the deflationary doldrums).
Talking about economics lessons, the Texas educations system has certainly learned its lesson under Perry.
As the Austin Independent School District (AISD) starts the new education year, over 1000 AISD employees will not be returning—they have been laid off because of budget cuts. Another two schools in the Austin area won’t open at all because of lack of funds…
DLS-
Yeah, everybody knows Ben Stein is a right wing partisan wacko with little credibility. Which I find ironic because the Tea Party you defend is even wackier than Ben Stein. Why would anybody buy a partisan political book? The left don’t believe it and the right already subscribes to it. Everybody knows these kind of books are propaganda with the intent of getting votes by lies and deception.
…But after you vote…ah too late sucker, we got the power now.
[financial decisions throughout people’s lives]…my buttocks.
Stein told Perry his remake about Bernanke being treasonous was wrong, which I agree with 100%. It wasn’t much of an economic lesson though. Stein points out Bernanke’s approach hasn’t worked very well and didn’t offer much explanation or alternatives.
“Talking about economics lessons, the Texas educations system has certainly learned its lesson under Perry.”
Wow another off topic tidbit that has squat to do with anything but that someone dislikes Perry and wants to blame him for something. Let me add a few things. This massive downsizing didn’t stop the district from giving out over $5 mil in bonus pay in July and they plan to increase the bonuses next year. Each district is independent and sets it’s own tax rate on property taxes. They make their own decisions on how to spend their own money. That since they are closing 9 schools and some other facilities that even without a direct monetary cause there would be job loses. Why let facts and realities get in the way of a good Hate.
It would be interesting to hear what Stein advocates, not merely criticizes, yes, Duck. (And no, Allen, that’s not another invitation for you to misinterpret and misbehave. [sigh]) As for it being an “economics lesson,” I wrote that off as emotional and largely political hype. We know how liberals feel about Rick Perry.
Oh, Allen, since it’s probably beneath you but also introduces the risk of more of your mis-reacting: What I said about Stein also of course applies to the GOP and to US conservatism, how it chooses to define itself and what it purports to offer rather than just rightly take apart the liberal positions, plus errors and misdeeds, time after time.
I wonder if all of the people on the right would be running to Perry’s defense if he were polling lower than Palin? Doubt it.
I guess Perry is the only place for people that don’t like Romney. Reps better pray he doesn’t get the nomination…he will self-destruct in the general election. Listen to Rove Reps…he knows campaigning better than anyone in the country.
@ShannonLeee
I’m not a fan of Perry in the slightest. I see no “defense” of Perry, but there is an obvious disconnect between Ben’s title, and the content.
A bigger question is if people would be attacking him if he was polling lower.