ben stein, charles payne, gerri willis and adam lashinsky, charles payne, feed the beast? >> feed the beast. i wonder how many people-- people peruse their checks and saying, hold on, you know? does warren buffett talk about me because the payroll tax went up? i thought there wasn't going to be a tax increase on everyone. i was shocked the president didn't fight for that, b to your point, this is a very, very, very tip of the iceberg, people want bigger government you say it's okay, want larger government you think it's fair, you think it's nice, 100 billion a year maybe on food stamps, and it costs a lot of money and by the way, this is a government, this adminiration envisions some sort of utopian socialist society where government does so much. that beast is amazing, it's a volca volcano, it's hungry and needs human sacrifice. >> neil: i hope the human sacrifice they can me out. what do you make of it. >> and charles is exactlily right. >> neil: don't encourage him. >> i have to tell you, i see volcano here, too. i'm going crazy with this. people making $50,000 to $75,0

i think ben stein, the courage, the political courage to do the right thing. we all know theight thing. >> the american people don't want these programs cut. >> so what? so what? we all know the right thing. here is the problem. everybody wants to kp their little kitty, their part, cut the other guy's part. it's never going to work that way. >> i agree with that. >> neil: let's say we keep going the way we're going where we don't really address spending, we came off the cliff deal, 40-1 and that probably is, i think, a precursor to what we're going to see. then what, how do you get a boom out of that. >> what makes this scary, we're destimulating the economy as these programs-- >> i know, how do you get out of that. >> you've got to get the right people in government. and anybody who thinks that raising taxes on anybody making $400,000 a year is going to do anything for the deficit and-- >> i'll disagree with you, too, here. >> and you think it's stimulative to raise taxes right now. >> no, we're having a housing recovery. we're having an auto recovery, and--

. >> neil: well, you know, ben stein, you said this before anyone, that you would like to cut spending and they can't seem to cut spending, so there do seem to be engaged on the hill and public opinion, they'd much rather the rich than ever cut spending and different polls and different results. let's assume that spending won't be cut and then you've got to cut taxes like crazy. what do you envision in the next few years happening? >> default. i think it's-- i don't know if it's going to be in the next few years, but i think warrior looking right down the gun barrel of a genuine government default. the spending south of control and you're right. i've been saying as you know, for years now, we've got to raise taxes on the rich, now it's too late for that. i don't see any option besides drastic and default and then drastic cuts in spending, and the situation is dire, extremely dire, i never thought it would get this bad and it's gotten just out of control, terrifying. >> neil: adam, did we miss a golden opportunity on the cliff thing to at least show some backbone or just give up on that

and to point out, i had ben stein on, an economist. ing not negotiating is a negotiating tact tactic. >> ben is correct in that regard. what the president is saying, he's not going to repeat two years ago. he did get involved in detailed negotiations and the president, in that same news conference, said if the republicans feel they have to have some package of spending cuts to go with raising the debt ceiling, then let them put their own plan together and see if they can get the votes in congress. he's not going to help them. he said he was not going to let the republicans put a gun to the head of the american people, or he was not going to let them attach a ransom. the president used tough language today and part of what he was saying is i won the election, and i've looked at the public opinion polling and i'm in a strong political position, the american people will blame you, not me, if we get to this point again. so let's pass an increase in the debt ceiling and then let's have a conversation about taxes and spending and a bigger def

no stranger to this ben stein. he was a speech writer and lawyer for president richard nixon. ame show. the list goes on and on. ben, first of all, comedian is the most important hat you wear when we talk about the economic situation in washington. this debt ceiling is so not funny but why do i want to laugh and cry at the same time? >> because you have to laugh to avoid crying. the situation is hopeless. poor mr. lew just nominated it is a very prestigious post. i have been in that room many times. it is a magnificent office but he might as well burn himself up in it. there is nothing to be done about this budgetary situation. the deficit is going to grow and grow until it eats us all alive. there is nothing to be done but accept things that are very uncomfortable. you have to laugh to keep from crying. >> congress for 20 years has only passed laws and made policies with an eye to getting reelected again. if you looked at congress as a stock 18% approval rating, least productive congress in history last year. they are just running up a bill. >> thomas jefferson predicted that

to ben stein, gerri willis, charlie gasperino. ben to you on this. >> it's a scary situation, everybody in congress is running scared. scared of grover norquist and the no new taxes pledge and the black caucus, threats against anyone who cuts any hint of services and entitlements. scared of the aarp, ending anything having to do with retirement or medicare. >> and in the end of the day we'll be in default and like the story, f. scott fitzgerald-- or hemingway, went broke during the crash and he asked how it happened and he said gradually and then all at once, that's what will happen to us. >> one thing at that doesn't stop, the meter, the debt meter, mountain of debt. >> on and on. the average family in this country $52,000 your share of the federal debt and let me tell you, even if the left and right agree where to cut and give you an example here, there is an example, the christopher columbus foundation, $450,000 line item in the budget and congress tried to kill it it seven times, seven times this program continues to this date.

ben stein, charles payne, gerri willis and adam lashinsky, charles payne, feed the beast?> feed the beast. i wonder how many people-- people peruse their checks and saying, hold on, you know? does warren buffett talk about me because the payroll tax went up? i thought there wasn't going to be a tax increase on everyone. i was shocked the president didn't fight for that, but to your point, this is a very, very, very tip of the

guests include former secretary of state henry kissinger ben stein and pat buchanan.daughters julie nixon eisenhower and trisha nixon cox will be there. president nixon passed away in 1949 at the age of 81. >> bill: i'm proud to say i have not been invited to that party. >> oh, darn. >> if invited, i would not attend. >> sounds like a fun time. >> big names for broadway. >> bill: hang out with henry kiss ing summer and ben stein. two people who are known for being boring. >>> big names in newtown connecticut. tony winning producer van dean is putting on a stage show called from broadway with love at a connecticut theatre. it will feature stars from kiss me kate, wicked, jekyll & hyde all getting together at the end of this month raise money for the united way. >> bill: good for them. good for them. thank you dan. yes, indeed, an historic day at the white house. i got out of my sickbed to go down for the announcement in the east room. president obama coming out at 1:10 and announcing the final two members of the national security team. last week he nominated john kerry

. >> john: ben stein isn't going to flip. >> here's the thing. >> it does seem bizarre to me, hagel istnam vet from nebraska. our main question about him is it he violent enough. what does he need to do? >> john: this is nothing about hagel. this is for republicans who can't stand barack obama. when chuck hagel mentioned the jewish lobby, if he had said the israel lobby apack, they would roll over for him. they're claiming this makes him a brutal anti-semite. if you're going to criticize someone, that's like saying you don't like the beatles because you don't like ringo's voice. >> they say jews controlled politics. mel gibson showed and got a standing ovation. jews can't control hollywood. look what happened with hagel. >> jews aren't working security at the golden globes. [ laughter ] >> he didn't say anything that bad about israel. i love israel just as much as the next brain-washed american. you could make a strong argument that they're the hipsters of the middle east. >> john: they really are. it is worth pointing out israel is not some monolithic entity. there is a lot of politic

a close friend of mine and a man familiar with the building behind me is ben stein, served a very crucialith richard nixon and beyond. >> and ford. >> i came to the first inauguration in 1953 and was inaugurate add block away from here as an 8-year-old child on my father's shoulders. all right, barack obama and his daughters and family making their way to the reviewing stand. how did he do? >> i thought it was a trivial speech in serious times and i was disappointed. this city is an armed catch because we are afraid of terrorism and there are armed soldier everywhere and he did not mention terrorism. he talked about very important domestic policy issues like gay page but did not mention terrorism at all and used the phrase "peace in our time." he made no serious effort. >> you talk about threats to democracy you didn't think that was good enough? >> no i do not. he did not mention in a serious way the debt monster eating us alive. he just ignored that as if it were an imaginary thing. that is a real problem. >> big spending cuts did not evidence itself. >> promising more and more. >>neil:

and ben stein. connell: she is able to get out of it.ired up about this whole lance armstrong interview. i think she's more interested in it than lance is. dagen: that is the problem actually because he doesn't care. connell: did he save his brand or did he cause more problems? more on that coming up. dagen: there is no image to save after that. and the governor of nebraska wants to dump the states income tax. you heard me right. take a look at the world currency and how it is holding up against the dollar. [ woman ] if you have the audacity to believe your financial advisor should focus on your long-term goals, not their short-term agenda. [ male announcer ] join the nearly 7 million investors who think like you do. face time and think time make a difference. at edward jones, it's how we make sense of investing. i took my son fishing every year. we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improv

pat buchanan, ben stein.gathering of family and staff and supporters in more than 40 years. and the foundation, the nixon foundation referred to it as a night of where they celebrate patriot, president and peace maker. but a lot of people still remember him as i introduced you for the way the presidency ended with watergate. >> they do. of course they do. that probably will continue because you can't erase that from history. but as president clinton said at his eulogy, which i attended, you shouldn't judge a man by one event, versus a series of issues. but by the totality of his career, his achievements in his lifetime. here is a man that not only opened the door to china and began the great china relationship that exists today, he also ended the war in vietnam. he flew all the troops out of vietnam. when he came into office, let's go to domestic, 10% of the southern schools were desegregated. when he ended his office, 70% of the southern states were desegregated. testifies an environmental president. i'm not

we will discuss the winds of war when sam stein, harold ford jr. michael beslaf and benauguration weekend with a look at the obama agenda and whether you really can save the best for last. we'll discuss the truth lies and legacy of lance armstrong and other fallen heroes with star jones and investigative sports journalist selena roberts. all that when "now" starts in a mere 180 seconds. we know a place where tossing and turning have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions su