Monday, 03 May 2004
John Stossel's Give Me a Break - SPECTATOR - THE COMMENTARY
By Marlon Richmond, for The Commentary
For many years, John Stossel has appeared on the ABC newsmagazine 20/20, having recently been named co-host to Barbara Walters. On 20/20, Stossel started out as a consumer reporter targeting businesses, until he became more of a libertarian and started targeting the government, which in his opinion wastes taxpayer's money, and doesn't work to the benefit of its citizens. He was eventually given a regular slot on 20/20 titled Give Me a Break, which is also the title of his recent book.
In the book, John Stossel writes about his background in the TV journalism business, as well as his opinions on what is wrong with America. Having not gone to journalism school, Stossel worked his way into the TV business by procrastinating out of attending grad school, and then through his hard work and determination worked his way into a successful national news career and book deal. Because he was able to work hard and be successful, he believes that if everyone was forced to work hard, the world would be a much better place and everyone would be happier without much government interference.
In the book, Stossel uses anecdotal examples of those who succeeded without government help, and extrapolates that if there was less government interference, charities, hospitals, buses and other essential services would improve and would cost less overall for consumers. Even though he disregards the failures of privatised power and other businesses that now have less government regulation, it is still an interesting and controversial argument well worth reading in his book or by visiting his website located at: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/ABCNEWSspecials/JohnStossel.html
The overall theme of the book becomes that the government wastes people's money worse than individual taxpayers do. He advocates competition for nonessential activities that the government participates in, as well as a reduction of the massive bureaucracy and tax system. He also debunks frequently held misconceptions held by society, which I have also done in the past.
Other arguments that he makes in the book are that American trial lawyers are sleazy and exploit consumers with their large lawsuits; that adults should be allowed to damage their body as much as they want to (which means the legalization of drugs, prostitution and other victimless crimes); and that organic/natural foods are no better for your health than chemicals. On these three points, I do agree with him, and he elaborates his cases more in the book. He also, like certain other journalists, labels the media as liberal throughout the book in a negative sense. His theory is that the liberal media loves big government and trial lawyers and will try as they can to defend them (when they're not being lazy), and Stossel develops a persecution complex from it. Though he criticises victims is the book, he has no problem playing the victim and complaining that he no longer receives praise from his peers in the "liberal" media.
So all in all, it's an interesting read. And for your information, I was reading part of the book during the Metallica concert in March, if that gives you any indication of my interest in what John Stossel writes about.
Give Me A Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media by John Stossel, is published by HarperCollins and is $38.95 CDN, $24.95 USD (ISBN: 0060529148).
Questions or comments may be sent to marlonrichmond@shaw.ca