What's With the Being?

The "being" thing is a holdover from my days working as an SAT tutor. On the SAT writing section, "being" is almost categorically wrong, for no real reason other than the CollegeBoard's apparent vendetta against it. My students learned to cross off an answer choice automatically whenever they saw it: no brains required. In the entire Blue Book (10 official practice tests made by the CollegeBoard itself), I know of ONE question where "being" is in the correct answer choice. It's the perfect example of replacing actually rigorous writing instruction with incoherent and arbitrary rules.

I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once more able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.

The passive voice AND the word being? Clearly an example of ineffective and poorly written English prose. Oh wait.

...have I mentioned that I hate the SAT?