The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
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    Win Ben Stein's Taxes

    By Donal on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 7:52am |

    Win BS Money

    Deadpan actor and pitchman Ben Stein feels put upon.

    Ben Stein: Raising My Taxes Is a Punishment

    But what I don't get is this: There is no known economic theory under which raising my taxes in the midst of a severe recession will help the economy recover. It isn't part of any well known monetarist or Keynesian theory. So if it does no good to raise our taxes, I assume we are being punished.


    How about the theory that if the government takes in more money, it can pay its bills and stop increasing debt? Is that really not a theory?

    Don't take it personally. Think of it as an institutional version of Win Ben Stein's Money. Rich people have been really smart, and have kept a lot of their money. But now the middle class is getting smart and realizes that if the rich pay their share of taxes, we get to keep more of our money, too.

     

    Comments

    In his case, punishment is called for - in fact long overdue.


    by Austin Train on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 9:39am

    In Ben Stein's honor, I move we institute an Inanity Tax. Maybe then he would shut the hell up.


    by Orlando on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 11:10am

    i have seen Ben doing his own bio on various interview shows.

    I despise his voice as much as palin's and of course I despise both their messages.

    But I saw him go on a rant against Kennedy once. Like the rants I would go into on Nixon decades ago.

    I have never seen that before on national TV. I can't find it right now.

    But underneath this veneer of downplay, Ben Stein is one of the most hateful people I have ever witnessed on MSM.

    And he has no ethics at all, which is why he was fired by the NYT.

    http://gawker.com/5331835/pitchman-ben-stein-gets-economist-ben-stein-fi...

     


    by Richard Day on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 12:13pm

    Ben Stein ought to be thanking his God everyday that so many foolish people look beyond his mediocrity in all things anything and give him work at all.

    What is his talent?  Deadpan has to be funny in order to be funny.  I don't get it.  Who cares what he thinks?


    by Ramona on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 6:50pm

    I liked his bit part in Ferris Bueller. I wish that were the only thing he was known for.


    by Atheist (not verified) on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 7:57pm

    How 'bout the 50% who pay no income taxes at all pay their share?  Then maybe the rest of us can keep some of our money.  The rich pay far more than we do.  It's the lowest 50% that needs to start paying SOMETHING. 


    by RN (not verified) on Sat, 01/08/2011 - 10:21am