Can America Survive? The Rage of the Left, the Truth, and What to Do About It

by Ben Stein, Phil DeMuth

Examining anti-American rage, this book is a portrait of what is clearly wrong with the national mood, where that malady comes from, and how those who still believe in America can work in their communities and in the nation to preserve the republic.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

207 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2004

About the author

Benjamin Stein is a multifaceted American figure known for his work as a writer, lawyer, actor, comedian, and commentator on politics and economics. He began his public life as a speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, later gaining widespread recognition in the entertainment world for his deadpan comedic style. Stein became a pop culture icon through his role as the monotone economics teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and as the host of Win Ben Stein’s Money, a game show that earned multiple Emmy Awards. He also played Dr. Arthur Neuman in The Mask and its sequel. A Yale Law School valedictorian, Stein worked as a lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission and taught law and economics at Pepperdine University.
A prolific columnist, Stein has contributed to The American Spectator, Newsmax, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. His books, often co-authored with Phil DeMuth, address financial planning and economic commentary. In 2008, he wrote and starred in Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a controversial documentary criticized for promoting intelligent design.
Politically conservative, Stein has defended Nixon's legacy, expressed strong views on U.S. foreign policy, and advocated higher taxes on the wealthy to support military initiatives and reduce national debt. During the 2008 financial crisis, he came under scrutiny for downplaying early warning signs and misjudging the scale of the economic collapse.
Stein has also had an extensive voice acting and television career, appearing in series such as The Wonder Years, Seinfeld, and Family Guy, and voicing characters in The Fairly OddParents, Rugrats, and Animaniacs. His personal life includes a long-standing marriage to entertainment lawyer Alexandra Denman and homes in California, Idaho, and Washington, D.C. Though often polarizing in his opinions, Stein remains a recognizable figure across political, academic, and entertainment domains.

Reviews

[M0rfeus · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent reminder of what is GREAT about America, and why the left is wrong in calling this a racist, sexist, imperialist country.

Alas it probably won't do much good for those who actually are liberals, as they are impervious to facts and logic. For the rest of us, this is a good reminder of how blessed we are to live in the USA.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think you're getting the truth from the media? Think again! This book is full of facts & statistics that you won't hear on CNN. It's fascinating & also scary when you realize just how misled the avg american probably is. I highly recommend this book!

[booklady]

Should be an interesting book.

[Seanald]

so, i've only read the introduction. the reason for that is, it builds the book on the premise that the war on terror is historically comparable to world war 2. which is just silly. there are far too many qualitative and quantitative differences to count. the worst thing about the premise is that it drives american neocons into a semi-religious zealotry that perpetuates the same on the other side, which is the source of the whole problem.

a quick skim of the rest of the book reveals completely incompetent treatment of half-truths and invalidities.

[Kathryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

The extreme right wing ragging on the extreme left wing. No enlightenment on the cause of left-right entrenchment here. Choice examples of their title argument - Most poor Americans are not poor* (*if compared with poor people in Africa). Global warming data has been "made up" by the left as a way to grab power, therefore there is no such thing as climate change. And the nail in the coffin - Americans are God's chosen people.

[Karen L.]

Just saw Ben Stein's movie "Expelled." It is a must see for thinkers and those who appreciate free thinking. I thought the movie was so good and one of the things that made it so good was Ben Stein himself. What a brilliant man. I must read his books!
http://www.expelledthemovie.com/

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really glad I picked up this book. Stein & DeMuth really lay out how the left is trying to tear America down by trying to pit us against one another. Highly recommend! Warning if you're a liberal you might hate it.

[Lonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book of statistics and facts to remind us all why the USA is special and should be revered.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how he thinks. Very Practical.

[Amy Sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reader should be advised it can be a bit dated as it addresses much that was current at the time it was written. Still a good read, though.

[Donovan Embry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Divisive and useless

Complete waste of time. This book would get less than one star if I could have given it that rating. The writers of this book must be just trying to cause issues. They waited till the end of the book to say that all democrats were not completely ridiculous? Maybe that was an editing error. It was riddled with cheap jabs and just overall attitude. It is books like these that keep level headed decent people pitted against one another.