Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Why Everything You Know is Wrong - John Stossel
No one is safe from John Stossel's critiques. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, Optimistic or Cynical - Stossel will challenge your perception of reality. With a firm commitment to Libertarianism and its rejection of big government and trust in the free market, Stossel let's the barbs fly. His biggest target is the "clueless media" who seems bound and determined to scare the hell out of us with sensational stories that grab our attention, but have little real impact on our lives: "Because of the constant parade of frightening stories, huge amounts of money and energy are spent on minuscule risks. In the meantime, millions dies of malaria, thousands die from bacteria, teachers are jailed, fathers are kept from their kids, and most everyone is frightened needlessly" (27). Absolutists and fanatics of all stripes make life difficult for everyone by forcing their ideals upon others: "Smug Americans have an idealistic vision of the perfect world, but they don't recognize the harm that they do by trying to impose their ideals. The perfect is the enemy of the good" (71). Government is a good thing, but too much of a good thing is destructive. Stossel calls us back to the dream of the founding fathers by - in the words of Thomas Jefferson - pleading for "a wise and frugal government... that shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them overwise free to regulate their own pursuits" (79). He continues, "We need government to restrain us from injuring each other, defend us against attack, protect the environment, and do very few other things. Limited government is a wonderful thing. But our government has grown from the founders' genius vision to a monster that sustains itself with increasing taxes, endless meddling, and ever-greater intrusion into what was once private life" (79). Lately Republicans who say they advocate limited government and few taxes are the chief culprits in expanding government and increasing spending. For example, "even if you take out defense and homeland security, discretionary spending has still increased 40 percent since Bush took office. Spending at the Department of Labor is up 29 percent; at the Energy Department, 33 percent; Agriculture, 41 percent; and at the Department of Education, spending is up 135 percent" (81). One cannot write off Stossel's comments by simply declaring that he is a Libertarian. Many of his ideas and critiques are worth hearing. I, for one, am grateful that he continues to have the courage to stand for his ideals, even when it makes him the enemy of just about everyone!