John Stossel, myth buster

[DesertFox]

Bill Steigerwald
FrontPageMagazine
24 May 06


John Stossel, who co-hosts ABC's popular "20/20" on Friday nights at 10, is arguably the most influential libertarian in the mainstream media. Unfortunately, he's also the MSM's only libertarian journalist – the only one who understands, appreciates and openly pushes the virtues and benefits of free-market economics.

Stossel has a new book out, Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel -- Why Everything You Know is Wrong. Like his 2004 best-seller, Give Me a Break, it is a bright, breezy and politically incorrect treatment of issues he's addressed on "20/20." I talked to him by telephone from Houston on Tuesday, May 16:

Q: The truths you assert -- that DDT saves lives, that price gouging saves lives, that foreign aid doesn’t help poor people and even that red cars attract police attention -- often sound like the ravings of a madman to many people. Why is that?

A: Gee, thanks! Price gouging being good and foreign aid not helping poor people sounds like madness because economic ignorance is so widespread and the economically clueless in the media keep perpetuating myths.

Q: What is it that you know or you have learned -- or think you know -- that enables you to see through these myths?

A: I have more time to talk to the smarter people. Economics is not intuitive, I was late to discover. It just takes a little understanding of economics to see how price gouging is helpful at bringing new supplies in. It’s not on the radar screen of the mainstream media that DDT saves lives. We’ve been so trained by our high school and college educations and Rachel Carson to think that DDT is evil. Maybe I read more widely and I watched the footage of Americans having picnics while surrounded by the white smoke when we sprayed vast quantities of DDT. Some people even ran toward the trucks, they were so thrilled to have mosquitoes killed. We did end our malaria problem, but only by spraying vast quantities of DDT did we cause problems. Even then, the only problem was the thinning of the eggshells of the bald eagle. Using tiny amounts would save millions of lives. It’s so disgusting that we don’t do it. We instead waste taxpayer money on bed nets that get holes in them.

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[Eagle1]

i like stossel, we would often watch his clips in my econ class, sure he is wrong on a few things, but he has the best interests of the American economy at heart and does his best to get to the truth. He is a rarity on liberal networks

[dPrasse]

Stossel cracks me up ... too bad the rest of 20/20 is so brainless ...

[TechnoPrincess]

I have the book and it is great! I highly recommend it. There are some things I think that he has expressed as fact that are not totally proven, but overall a good read.

[The_Sonarman]

Interesting read. I used to be a registered Libertarian, but their position on a few very important issues caused me to leave them (specifically, I think they are 100% wrong on abortion, borders, and defense).

Yes, but who among us agrees on literally everything?

Who among the RNC membership agrees totally with what the national RNC is doing?

There isn't 100% agreement within the Libertarian Party on everything. "We" respectfully might disagree on some items without the party erupting and fragmenting in internecine warfare.

[THEBIRD]

Libertarians a just conservatives without morals.

[DeclinetoState]

Aren't Libertarians simply pot-smoking Republicans?

(Pot-smoking Democrats are called . . . Democrats. OK, some are called Greens.)

[Peachdiane]

I grew up watching John Stossel. I loved his piece on the busiest post office in America. (Where illegals collect welfare).

[Nutrider99]

No, REPUBLICANS are conservatives without morals. Libertarians are conservatives who want to smoke pot.
Hey, if sucking on a burning weed to occlude your faculties is your idea of recreation, go for it. Just don't expect us to hold you in high esteem for your moral weekness.

[RightTurns]

John Stossel is a kiss-assing liberal in disguise.

[Nutrider99]

I suggest you read what I wrote more carefully. I have NEVER posted one word about my opinion on "weed." But, since you brought it up, I will now:
The "you" is directed at those to whom it may apply, not you personally.

*I do NOT think it is the federal governments job to legislate on its use for one reason: The Constitution. Drug legalisation should be left up to the states and local communities.
The interstate trafficking of drugs is what gives the federal government authority. However, the decision as to what constitutes a controlled substance should be made as the Constitution intended, at the state level. For example, in the case of a terminal patient, I would be in favor of the use of any medication that eases that patient's condition. If administering heroine would take away the pain, I'm all for it. Nobody but a doctor can and should be able to make that decision.

[dajoga]

For example, in the case of a terminal patient, I would be in favor of the use of any medication that eases that patient's condition. If administering heroine would take away the pain, I'm all for it. Nobody but a doctor can and should be able to make that decision.

My wife was a hospice nurse for 10 years--no need for pot or heroine to deal with pain--actually, there was one medicine that was pot-based. If a patient had serious pain management problems, she would try two or three different drugs to see which one was the most effective. A morphine pump was very effective in pain management unless the patient reacted to it and responded to another drug.

[Peachdiane]

actually, there was one medicine that was pot-based.

I bet that was fentanyl. Trying to wean a baby off that in NICU is HELL.

A morphine pump was very effective in pain management unless the patient reacted to it and responded to another drug.

MANY years ago, they gave me morphine for kidney stones. It had no effect on me whatsoever. I truly believe redheads need more pain relief than the average person.

[ThomasMore]

MANY years ago, they gave me morphine for kidney stones. It had no effect on me whatsoever. I truly believe redheads need more pain relief than the average person.

The first time I was hospitalized with kidney stones, the emergency room put me on a Dilaudid drip. Nothing less had any effect. Once on the Dilaudid, you could have sawed my legs off; I wouldn't have cared.

(Had 'em a second time. Drove myself to the hospital, but just barely made it. Towards the end, the pain got so bad that I nearly pulled over and called an ambulance.)

Passing a kidney stone isn't fun. When they get stuck and you can't pass them, then they REALLY hurt like hell.

[DesertFox]

Peach, I've read -- and it's posted somewhere here on the board -- that red heads do, indeed, have greater pain tolerance than other peeps.

[Peachdiane]

Thanks Fox, I'll look it up. :)

Passing a kidney stone isn't fun. When they get stuck and you can't pass them, then they REALLY hurt like hell.

Yeah it was awful. Luckily I passed right before a scheduled surgery to remove them. The doc really gave me an earful about drinking more water. Hope you don't get any more stones!

[ThomasMore]

Thanks Fox, I'll look it up. :)



Yeah it was awful. Luckily I passed right before a scheduled surgery to remove them. The doc really gave me an earful about drinking more water. Hope you don't get any more stones!

After the second time, the FAA wouldn't let me fly until I was put on drugs which SHOULD prevent recurrences. Doc said I'm a stone factory, and without the drugs, I would be passing them all the time (I passed literally hundreds of stones before the drugs). So far, the drugs have been working.

BTW, I, too, have heard that redheads are more sensitive to pain.

Peach, look for a PM.

[BuckeyeMike]

Peach, I've read -- and it's posted somewhere here on the board -- that red heads do, indeed, have greater pain tolerance than other peeps.

My wife is a red head, and I can attest to this "pain tolerance" thing.....she was in an auto accident back in '87, broken femur and a couple of disks in her neck crushed.....the stuff they had to do to her leg before they could tackle her neck injuries would made me pass out, but they did finally get the leg stabilized and in traction....drilling holes clean through her leg for the pins etc...all without benefit of anesthics I'll have you know....hardly a whimper...squeezed my hand a few times...ME....hell, they had to keep a close eye one me....I was thiiiiiiis close to passing out! I won't bore you with the details of the drilling of holes in her head for that damned halo...........................yeah........them red heads are troopers alright!