[plushaye]

This article is excellent. I also love the image at the top of the Spectator website with the nationwide map of happy face Bush voters and sad face Kerry voters. The image links to this Ben Stein article.

http://www.spectator.org/Default.asp

[Redcoat LI]

"The malcontents live on their frustration and envy of the people who are actually out there accomplishing things."

Good slogan for the D.N.C.

"We are The malcontents who live on frustration and envy the people who are actually out there accomplishing things."

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Ben Stein is also a professor at Juggy Academy ( "The Man Show" ).

[ConservativeVoice]

Great article. Just reminds us why this is the greatest place on the face of the earth.

[Stentor]

Whole large swaths of the population who rationalize their own failings by thinking of themselves as victims, especially in big cities and heavy coffee drinking centers, have their own clubs. Those brotherhoods specialize in pessimism and anger as they spend the money they have inherited or receive as allowances from family, state, or university. The malcontents live on their frustration and envy of the people who are actually out there accomplishing things. That envy rises like the steam from the coffee and lattes they are endlessly drinking. The discontented survey the scene of those who are actually in the arena doing. Then they react with predictable jealousy and scorn.

This makes me feel like posting about some layoffs.

[GODFEARINGWOMAN]

Wonderful article. Best I've read in a while. Always loved Ben Stein and now I have another reason to.

[JulieRNR21]

Stein is a wonderful writer. When we used to get the American Spectator magazine in the mail.....Stein's column was the first one I read.

His stories of his family & friends were so real & down to earth that I felt I knew them.

At the news conference today the President displayed the optimism and conviction that Stein writes about.

I sure hope Americans decide that is the kind of leadership they want for 4 more year!

[headsonpikes]

On top of everything else, he's right about the Idaho Panhandle - beautiful country!

I live just north of it.

In an igloo. ;^)

[MarkeyD]

Makes me want to move to Idaho. Wait. I already did that :)

[eddie willers]

Nice essay from Ben Stein.

[JulieRNR21]

It is a great graphic:

[dila813]

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[PGalt]

Great article. Thanks for posting it.

[MHT]

Love it! Thank you so much for posting it!

[Conservateacher]

Spent all of my childhood summers in North Idaho on the Pend. It truly is beautiful. But don't move here. The bears'll get ya.

Another plus---During recent elections the dims failed to enter nearly all of the races in North Idaho!!! Must be afraid of the Nazi's--all six of em.

[sunshine state]

Bookmarked & bumped!

[fizziwig]

Really like the article plushaye. Thanks for posting it. Optimism and cheerfulness win every time.

I live in California, one of the unhappy states, nevertheless I am pretty darn happy anyway. Spend a lot of time explaining to liberals the facts of life. Sometimes I even get them to think a bit differently.....there is hope!!!

[solo gringo]

This is simply outstanding.Hated for the post to end.

[I'm ALL Right!]

Fantastic article. Incidentally, I find this is true on an individual level as well. Conservatives (which I have encountered) are more positive and happy, while liberals tend towards anger and pessimism.

[fraidycat]

As a current resident of a frowny-face state, it's nice to see we smiley-faced ones are really winning. ;-)

BTW, agree with another poster--reversing the color scheme would be most appropriate.