Don't Ask Ben Stein About Economics

Ben Stein has been all the rage in the Panhandle since his appearance a week ago at West Texas A&M University. And by all accounts the former Nixon advisor-- whose accomplishments in public life were thoroughly eclipsed by his turn as Ferris Bueller's economic teacher-- presented an interesting and entertaining speech. Panhandlians should not, however, be so star-struck as to forget that the guy is still a partisan Republican hack.

Media Matters catches Stein making the clearly-ridiculous claim that:

"Really, to be fair to Mr. [George W.] Bush, all the data about the economy is stronger than it was in 1996."

But wait! Stein can prove this insane-sounding claim! Because, he enlightens us, far more people are employed today than in 1996. Of course, as Media Matters explains, this would, due to normal population and economic growth, be true of any eight-year period, unless it were the eight years between, say, 1925 and 1933. Stein doesn't explain that.

Jeez. With teachers like this, Ferris Bueller was probably better off skipping school.

SPACEDARK