The American Spectator put out another e-mail (see below) to readers this week asking for donations to help the magazine raise $10,000.

The e-mail does not state exactly what the donations are for, noting only “Your gift will directly support the editorial programs of The American Spectator and put principled reporters in the trenches of the 2010 primaries and midterm elections. Solid reporting and analysis will help clear the path for sensible conservative solutions from fresh faces in Congress as a counterweight to the reckless spending policies of the Obama administration.”

And the plea comes in the form of a letter from conservative commentator and FreeScore.com (see video below) pitchman Ben Stein. With a grinning photo of Stein, American Spectator managing editor, attached, the letter says donations are needed because “Thorough and fair media coverage is essential to getting the right people elected this fall.”

The magazine on May 28 sent out a similar notice seeking $26,000 in donations. The publication at that time told me the money was needed to offset increased printing costs.

For Stein to use his name to raise money is nothing new. You may recall his controversial commercial for FreeScore.com, in which he urged viewers to pay up to get access to credit reports that are available to folks for free anyway.

See that clip here:

See the entire Stein contribution plea letter below:

*************************

Hello, I'm Ben Stein.

I love dogs and I love America.

Right now, I am worried for the America that I know and love. I suspect you are, too.

As we clean off our fingers sticky from the watermelon and watch the fireworks fade into the night, you and I can forget for a moment the government is spending into oblivion and forsaking their Contitutional obligation to safeguard our lives and liberty.

Do not forget.

President Obama's understanding of economics is based on ideas that are usually - at best - questionable, and in no case worthy of indenturing us all under a mountain of debt.

And unfortunately, we have a mainstream press that is still too googoo-eyed over the president, afraid of offending the Spender-in-Chief by asking the tough questions that need to be asked.

It's a disservice to the profession of journalism. It's a disservice to America.

The 2010 Midterm elections will be a crucial opportunity to let Washington, D.C. know how disgusted we all are. Thorough and fair media coverage is essential to getting the right people elected this fall.

Your gift will directly support the editorial programs of The American Spectator and put principled reporters in the trenches of the 2010 primaries and midterm elections. Solid reporting and analysis will help clear the path for sensible conservative solutions from fresh faces in Congress as a counterweight to the reckless spending policies of the Obama administration.

The spending spree Obama, Pelosi, and Reid have set into motion is no joke. It threatens to bury America under a mountain of crushing debt - debt that will impact your life and the lives of your loved ones.

I must say, I'm so scared about President Obama's handling of the economy that I can hardly tell you.

A couple of weeks ago, he admonished members of Congress to impose “pay-as-you-go” budgeting rules. He says fiscal discipline is suddenly important.

• This is from a man who forced through $787 billion in pork-loaded “emergency” stimulus spending in his first weeks of office. It was such an emergency that less than a quarter of this money will be spent in 2009;
• This is from a man who signed off on $200 billion dollars to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and hundreds of billions of dollars more for reckless Wall Street firms that deserved to fail;
• This is from a man who is now the Chief Executive Officer of Government Motors, Inc, putting you, me, and every other taxpayer on the hook for $50 billion as part of a sweetheart deal benefiting the United Auto Workers;
• And while the president preaches fiscal responsibility he wants to spend another $1 trillion on a new health care benefit America can ill afford.

Needless to say, I wish Mr. Obama well in all of his hard work to get the economy restarted. He might start by ending his and his staff's endless telling of how bad things are. How this can help restore consumer confidence is a mystery to me.

So, yes, I'm scared for America. Yet, there is hope - real hope...

Conservatives are finally finding their voice - and The American Spectator and its daily online edition are helping ignite a grassroots movement aimed at taking our country back to the road of fiscal responsibility.

Please click here and make a tax-deductible $15, $25, $50, $100, or even $1,000 or more contribution today.

Independent, non-profit, conservative journalism is watchdog journalism. It is needed now more than ever before with the mainstream press behaving like sheep.

I believe in America. You believe in America. Let your voice be heard.

Please donate. Please be generous. Hard-hitting journalism is one of the safeguards to a vibrant democracy. Thank you.

Click Here to Support
The American Spectator Foundation

All the best,

Ben Stein
Managing Editor, The American Spectator