Comments on: Stein: We Should Be Buying Stuff Like Mad

Instead Of Saving Money This Holiday Season, Spend To Kick-Start The Economy

[zgriner-2009]

Unfortunately, our current economy depends on people borrowing money they can barely afford and spending more money than they have. Too many people have been trying to keep up with the Rockerfellers instead of the Smiths. It''s time for a shakeup in the retail sector, too. There are too many stores chasing too little dollars. Painful?? Yes, of course. I''ve been laid off, too.

[mlfouchey]

ah yes .... well pull that extra spending money out of Steins rear ?

for a smart guy ................. well smart doesn''t always mean wise.

[rushlimpdrug]

Ah, sure Stein. Shopping at walmart will certainly put
a lot of people back to work.

Great advice Mr. Reeeetard.

Ferris. Ferris?

[oneworldusa]

I notice this article makes NO MENTION whatsoever of what Mr. Stein is personally doing to jumpstart the economy. I haven''t seen any celebrities that I know of ''for the sake of the economy'' buying like 25 American cars, then giving them to deserving, hard-working or laid off workers via competition by essay or anything.

This just shows once again how much the country depends on the struggling middle class to take care of the rich and the lazy. And it is wrong.

[downtowner97]

Instead of going out and buying things, we Americans need to learn how to MAKE things that people in other countries want to buy. We got out of the Depression by making things people wanted. We made tanks, jeeps, bombers, fighter planes, and ships. At the end of the war, we were in fantastic financial shape. China has brought themselves literally out of the caveman days to being a major world power by making things like the computer you are looking at, the clothes you are wearing, the blankets that kept you warm last night, and the cell phone in your pocket. They didn''t fight for paid time off, smoke breaks, pet health care, or maternity leave, they just worked like Americans did during the great war. The unions won''t be able to negotiate our national debt away. We need to BUILD THINGS.

Don''t shop, get a job with a company that''s innovative, and contribute all you can. That''s the only way out of this mess.

[guest173]

thx, stein actually has a degree in economics and is considered an economist. Even though he does, I think he still doesn''t know much (and my brother has a degree in economics too, he ain''t a brain surgeon rocket scientist either that''s for sure, a degree doesn''t always mean wisdom)

[runningralph]

The hospitals are advertising for nurses. There is a doctor shortage. The school system is looking for teachers, and the police force is looking for cops. The armed forces need recruits. 25% high school dropouts, 30-40% drug problems, 12% criminal records. There is not a shortage of jobs, there is a shortage of fit workers.

[runningralph]

I was watching a fooball game this afternoon on TV. The stadium was packed. I went to the mall yesterday. I hac to drive around and around to find a parking space. There was so much traffic it was scary. I stopped at a gas station with 18 pumps. 12 pumps were occupied. The guy across from me had a Ford 250 diesel pickup with a crew cab and several kids. The US is a great country and most people are doing OK.

[puldr]

Ben Stein''s kind of madness in asking people to buy and spend (usually what money they don''t have) is the worst kind of advice for our country. We''ve indulged in this kind of conduct detrimental to our finances for a long time, and now we''re paying the price! What we need to do instead is to pay down our debts and become financially more solvent!!

[yeswedid]

Here, let me explain to some of you idiots. He''''s a comedian and it''''s a joke. Also, it''''s not a bad idea if you have money - and he clearly said in his article that "if" you have money, spend it. Believe it or not, there are people out there who have money and are not in risk of losing their job

Posted by THX-1139 at 10:37 PM : Dec 21, 2008
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No, it''s not funny & nothing to joke about. The plight of our country is very serious right now.