Stossel talks to LP POTUS nominee Chase Oliver

John Stossel talks to Libertarian Party presidential nominee Chase Oliver. 

'I Don't Support Mandates From Government': John Stossel Interviews Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver | Reason | John Stossel:

June 26, 2024 - "Former President Donald Trump spoke at the Libertarian Party Convention, asking delegates to vote for him, promising, 'I will put a libertarian in my Cabinet!' But Libertarians nominated Chase Oliver instead.... 

"For my new video, I grill Oliver about what it means to be a libertarian. 'Someone who allows you to live your life in peace, free from government intrusion,' he answers. 'Don't Democrats and Republicans basically believe that?' I ask. 'They love to talk the talk about freedom,' he says, 'but they push government programs that invade your privacy, your business, your life.'

"What about the poor and the helpless? 'Just because I don't want the government to help people," Oliver answers, "doesn't mean that we don't need to help people.' He argues that private individuals will do a better job....

"Two years ago, Oliver ran for the senate in Georgia, got about 2 percent of the vote, and forced a runoff between Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker. When Warnock won the seat, some Republicans called Oliver a 'spoiler.' Oliver replies, 'You can't spoil something that's already rotten. Approval ratings of Congress and the president are always below 50 percent…. People are sick and tired of the two-party system'.... 

"Ben Shapiro criticizes Oliver, saying, 'He supported the employer vaccine mandates … the least libertarian policy in human history.'

Oliver replies, 'I don't support mandates from government.' He ... argued that private store owners should have the right to set policies at their store. "You as a consumer then have a choice: 'Will I work at this business or take my talent elsewhere?' A lot of businesses who required vaccines probably lost good talent to firms that didn't. That's the way the marketplace is supposed to react, not government.'

"Like many Libertarians, Oliver supports mostly open borders. I ask, 'You would let anybody in, who's not a criminal?' 'Yeah, come through a port of entry to declare who you are. If you're not dangerous, come right through'.... 

"Libertarians don't think America should police the world. Oliver is the most anti-war candidate. 'I started out in the Democratic Party,' he recounts, '"An anti-war protestor opposing the Bush wars. [Then] I realized it wasn't really an anti-war party, it was an anti-Bush party masquerading as an anti-war party. Libertarians [are] the real anti-war party.'

"When it comes to what I fear is the biggest threat to America's future, Oliver doesn't pander like the Republicans and Democrats, who claim they will 'protect' Social Security. 'People around the age of 40, we recognize that even if we contribute to Social Security, we're never going to get those benefits because of how unsustainable this system is....

>We have to sound the alarm that Social Security is unsustainable and frankly, if you were given your wealth back, you could just put that into the marketplace and earn a far better retirement than what the government's providing you in their Ponzi scheme of Social Security.

"I point out that politicians who admit that don't win elections. 'You have to be bold in your principles,' he responds, 'even if it costs you a few votes.'"

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/06/26/i-dont-support-mandates-from-government-john-stossel-interviews-libertarian-presidential-nominee-chase-oliver/

A Presidential Candidate Who Believes in Economic and Personal Freedom: Chase Oliver | John Stossel |June 25, 2024:

Southern Poverty Law Center profits from hate

The Southern Poverty Law Center Makes Millions Trafficking Hate | Reason | John Stossel:

July 19, 2023 - "The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) just released a report claiming there are 1,225 hate and anti-government groups in America. These groups cause 'fear and pain [in] Black, brown, and LGBTQ communities.' The SPLC lists such groups on its 'hate map.' I once believed the Center. Well-meaning people still do. Apple once gave them $1 million. But what donors don't know is that today, the SPLC smears good people, not just 'haters.' 

"Ayaan Hirsi Ali grew up Muslim in Somalia, but now she criticizes radical Islam, and sometimes (maybe this is what really bothers the SPLC) fraternizes with American conservatives. The Center put Hirsi Ali on its list.

"The Center also smears the Family Research Council. I sometimes disagree with the Council. But they don't belong on a 'hate map'.... The Council merely opposed gay marriage, an opinion they shared with Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. One man became so enraged by what the SPLC wrote, he went to the Council's headquarters to kill people. He shot a security guard. Fortunately, that wounded guard stopped him before he could shoot anyone else....

The Center also smears the Ruth Institute, a Christian group that believes adoption agencies should first try to place children with straight couples.... When the SPLC put the Institute on its hate map, its bank cut them off. 'You're an organization that promotes hate, violence…,' wrote the bank. 'Therefore we're not doing business with you.' The Ruth Institute and Family Research Council are still on the hate list....

"I suspect the Center keeps its hate list long to bring in lots of money. The Center pays some of its people more than $400,000 a year.... Harper's Magazine once reported that the Center was the richest civil rights group in America, one that spends most of its time and energy trying to raise more money. They promised they'd stop fundraising once their endowment reached $55 million. But when they reached $55 million, they raised their goal to $100 million, saying $100 million would allow them to 'cease costly fundraising.' But when they reached $100 million—they didn't cease. They collected $200 million. Then $400 million. Now they have $730 million. Yet they still raise money....

"Today the SPLC even smears groups like Moms for Liberty and Moms for America, calling them anti-government extremists because they oppose sexually explicit content in schools, and seek school board seats to try to 'stop…school districts [from] disregarding the opinions of parents'.... 

The Center puts Moms for America on its 'hate map,' but not Antifa, the hate group that beats up people on the right. Today the Southern Poverty Law Center is a hate group itself. It's a left-wing, money-grabbing smear machine."

Read more: https://reason.com/2023/07/19/the-southern-poverty-law-center-makes-millions-trafficking-hate/

Obamas' new Netflix series is stupid propaganda

Netflix Teams Up With the Obamas To Produce Big Government Propaganda | Reason - John Stossel:

October 19, 2022 - "The latest Obama documentary series is The G Word. "G" for government. As Netflix documentaries go, this one is remarkably stupid. It's big government propaganda.

"Obama begins by claiming that he does his own income taxes, saying, 'It's actually easy'.... But that's just silly. It's so complex that millions of us pay to get help.

"Obama's series is hosted by silly comedian Adam Conover. Conover, correctly, calls himself 'an idiot.' He uses his time with the former president of the United States to make lame jokes and, at one point, to make sandwiches. He compliments Obama on how well he cuts the bread. It's not funny.

"The series occasionally covers some serious issues — meat inspection, for example. But instead of honest reporting, actors do a skit suggesting that, without government, meat companies would sell us dead poisoned rats. 'Food regulation was unbelievably successful,' concludes Conover. But food is largely safe today mostly because slaughterhouses cleaned themselves up way beyond what government requires.... One company executive showed me how they voluntarily do extra things like treat beef carcasses 'with rinses and a 185-degree steam vacuum.' Also, 'equipment is routinely taken completely apart to be swab-tested.'

"By contrast, for 90 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspected meat with a crude process called "poke and sniff." Inspectors stuck spikes into carcasses and smelled them. They kept using the same spikes, so they sometimes spread disease. The government only stopped poke and sniff in the 1990s.

"A few times, Obama's series admits that government agencies mess things up. Conover mocks the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 'not a name you normally hear after the words "did a great job."' No, but he then claims FEMA fails because it's underfunded.... That's ridiculous. FEMA doesn't fail because it lacks resources. U.S. disaster relief funds have increased by billions. FEMA fails because it's a government bureaucracy, and bureaucracies do wasteful things, like bring bottles of water to hurricane victims but then leave them at an airport. 

"The private sector is more efficient. The G Word sneers at what it calls 'this philosophy that the free market should be trusted over the government.' But Walmart donates supplies much more efficiently than FEMA. They employ sophisticated weather tracking that helps them determine what assets are needed where. They get things to people because they lose money if they don't.

"Obama's series smears those of us who are skeptical of government handouts. 'In the wake of the civil rights movement,' claims Conover, 'some Americans began to resent the fact that the government was now providing assistance to black and brown citizens.' What? We didn't resent welfare because we're racists. We objected because it created a new permanent underclass. Handouts, President Ronald Reagan explained correctly, 'discourage work'....

"Obama's documentary depicts Reagan as a vicious surgeon cutting valuable government agencies, throwing them into a bucket labeled 'free market.' But government wasn't cut under Reagan. Federal spending went up during his terms. It always goes up.... It only grows. Today it's bigger than ever.

"That's fine, says Conover, because Washington rescued us during the COVID shutdowns with 'stimulus checks, small business loans, and corporate tax breaks!' They don't mention how much of that money was stolen or that their spending orgy brought 8 percent inflation.

"For three hours, Obama and his sidekick say government should do more. Whatever the problem, their answer is always more government and more money. Maybe someday a president will point out that government has no money of its own and that spending more than you have is a road to ruin."

Read more: https://reason.com/2022/10/19/netflix-teams-up-with-the-obamas-to-produce-big-government-propaganda/

There was good news in 2020

2020 Did Bring Some Good News | Reason - John Stossel:

December 30, 2020 - "Was 2020 the worst year ever? The media keep saying that. We did have the pandemic, a bitter election, unemployment, riots, and a soaring national debt. But wait, look at the good news, says historian Johan Norberg. His new book, Open: The Story of Human Progress, points out how life keeps getting better, even if people just don't realize it.

"2020 was 'the best year in human history to face a pandemic,' he says. Had the pandemic happened in 2005, 'You wouldn't have the technology to create mRNA vaccines.... In 1990,' he continues, "we wouldn't have a worldwide web. If we had had this pandemic in 1976, we wouldn't have been able to read the genome of the virus. And…in 1950, we wouldn't have had a single ventilator.'

"These last 20 years, adds Norberg, have been especially good. 'Mankind has attained more wealth than ever.' I push back: 'There's more to life than wealth! And lot of this money went to the top 1 percent. Ordinary people think they're doing worse.'

'If you look at specifics like global poverty, child mortality, chronic undernourishment, and illiteracy,' Norberg replies, 'they all declined faster than ever.' Those things are pretty good measures of quality of life....

Of course, there were bad trends in 2020. Murder rose in the United States. Social media algorithms divided us further. 'Suicide is up,' I tell Norberg. 'I can definitely see the problems,' he replies, 'but once upon a time, if you ended up in the wrong school or neighborhood, you had nowhere to go—no other community available to you. Now there is, and that opens up a world of opportunity. Some awful things as well, but some beautiful things.'

"That meant that even during this pandemic, people found new ways to help others. Volunteers used the internet to find better ways to donate their time. Young people brought food to the elderly. Zoom and Slack taught us that not being in the office sometimes works as well, or better. Businesses had new tools with which to adapt. Restaurants moved to takeout and delivery, aided by apps like UberEats and Grubhub. Such healthy adaptation rarely makes news, because reporters seek out problems."

Read more: https://reason.com/2020/12/30/2020-did-bring-some-good-news/

John Stossel teaches kids about free market (video)

Stossel: Exposing Students to Free Markets - Reason.com - John Stossel and Tanvir Toy:

January 22, 2019 - "It's school choice week. Many kids don't have choice in where they go to school. The school choice movement is trying to give them that opportunity. Of course, having choice when it comes to what kids learn is important too.

"Many schools teach kids that capitalism hurts people. So John Stossel started a charity called Stossel in the Classroom. It offers teachers free videos that introduce kids to free market ideas. Students rarely hear about these ideas in school.

Graduates from Queens Technical High School in New York City ... watched the videos while they were in high school.... 'They really opened up my mind to think differently' said Xiomara Inga. Antonio Parada added the videos 'changed the way that I viewed the world.' Gabriel Miller ... explains, 'We are taught that this country is horrible.' But after watching the videos, 'I felt ashamed for what I initially believed … [so] I wanted to give back.'

"Diony Perez was inspired to open his own business.... Johann Astudillo learned about unintended consequences from a video about minimum wage.... Victoria Guerrero learned that most rich people get rich by providing some benefit to society.... Stossel says he is glad his charity helps students understand free market ideas."

Read more: https://reason.com/reasontv/2019/01/22/stossel-exposing-students-to-free-market?utm_medium=email
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Also read: Izzit.org promotes free society with free videos

Lessons from the government shutdown

John Stossel: Government shutdown lessons -- We could take a chainsaw to so much of government | Fox News:

January 17, 2019 - "This government shutdown is now longer than any in history. The media keep using the word 'crisis.' But ... I see people going about their business -- families eating in restaurants, employees going to work, children playing in playgrounds, etc. I have to ask: Where’s the crisis?...

"We need some government, limited government. But most of life, the best of life, goes on without government, many of the best parts in spite of government....

"Columnist Paul Krugman calls this shutdown, 'Trump’s big libertarian experiment.' But it’s not libertarian. Government’s excessive rules are still in effect, and eventually government workers will be paid for not working. That makes this a most un-libertarian experiment. But there are lessons to be learned.

"During a shutdown when Barack Obama was president, government officials were so eager to make a point by inconveniencing people that they even stopped visitors from entering public parks. Trump’s administration isn’t doing that, so PBS found a new crisis: 'Trash cans spilling … (P)ark services can’t clean up the mess until Congress and the president reach a spending deal,' reported NewsHour. But volunteers appeared to pick up some of the trash. Given a chance, private citizens often step in to do things government says only government can do.

"The Washington Post ran a front-page headline about farmers 'reeling … because they aren’t receiving government support checks.' But why do farmers even get 'support checks'?... Most fruit and vegetable farmers get no subsidies, yet there are no shortages of peaches, plums, green beans, etc. Subsidies are a scam created by politicians who get money from wheat, cotton, corn and soybean agribusinesses. Those farmers should suck it up and live without subsidies, too.

"During shutdowns, government tells 'nonessential workers' not to come to work. But if they’re nonessential, then why do we pay 400,000 of them?...  We could take a chainsaw to so much of government.

The New York Times shrieks, 'Shutdown Curtails FDA Food Inspections!' Only if you read on do you learn that meat and poultry inspection is done by the Department of Agriculture. They’re still working.... More important, meat is usually safe not because of government -- but because of competition. Food sellers worry about their reputations ... so they take many more safety measures than government requires. One meat producer told me that they employ 2,000 more safety inspectors than the law demands....

"Even security work is done better by the private sector. At San Francisco’s airport, security lines move faster. Passengers told me, 'The screeners are nicer!' The TSA even acknowledged that those screeners are better at finding contraband. That’s because San Francisco (Kansas City, Seattle and a dozen smaller airports) privatized the screening process....

"Private contractors are better because they must compete. Perform badly, and they get fired. But government never fires itself."

Read more: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/john-stossel-government-shutdown-lessons-we-could-take-a-chainsaw-to-so-much-of-government

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David Boaz remembers Andrea Millen Rich

RIP Andrea Rich | Cato @ Liberty - David Boaz:

August 1, 2018 - "I am saddened to report that my dear friend Andrea Millen Rich died this morning at her home in Philadelphia at the age of 79 after a 19-year battle with lung cancer....For more than 40 years Andrea was at the center of the libertarian movement, a mentor, counselor, friend, supporter, facilitator, networker, and gracious hostess....

"She was the first chair of the New York Libertarian Party in 1973-74. The vice chair was Howard S. Rich, whom she soon married. From 1974 to 1977 she was vice chair of the national Libertarian Party, and in 1980 she played a key role in developing television advertising for the campaign of Ed Clark, the Libertarian presidential nominee.

"From 1982 to 2005 she was the president of Laissez-Faire Books, which billed itself as 'the world’s largest collection of books on liberty.' It had a retail location on Mercer Street in Greenwich Village.... But in those pre-Amazon days, it was far better known for its monthly catalog that reached libertarians around the world. Through its Fox & Wilkes publishing imprint it brought many classic libertarian books back into print.....

"Andrea often negotiated with publishers to make books more affordable, and some books only found publishers because Laissez-Faire could guarantee an audience beyond the small academic market.

"Through her work with Laissez-Faire she became friendly with leading libertarian writers including Milton and Rose Friedman, Robert Nozick, Thomas Sowell, Nathaniel Branden, Thomas Szasz, Charles Murray, Richard Epstein, David Kelley, and Margit von Mises, widow of economist Ludwig von Mises.

"As president of the Center for Independent Thought [CIT], the parent organization of Laissez-Faire Books, she also launched and managed the Thomas S. Szasz Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Cause of Civil Liberties and the Roy A. Childs Fund for Independent Scholars.

"CIT’s biggest project was Stossel in the Classroom, which repackaged ABC News and Fox Business videos on economics and public policy by John Stossel for classroom use. The videos have been viewed by tens of millions of high school students – according to Stossel, reaching more people than ABC News and Fox News."

Read more: https://www.cato.org/blog/rip-andrea-rich
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Stossel: Larry Sharpe brings new ideas to NY (video)

Libertarian Larry Sharpe Brings New Ideas to New York - Reason.com - John Stossel & Maxim Lott:

 October 17, 2018 - "In New York, Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo wants to raise taxes. But John Stossel interviews an interesting candidate with a different plan – Libertarian Larry Sharpe. He proposes alternative ways to raise money.

"One idea is to lease naming rights on public infrastructure. 'The Triborough Bridge could be called the Staples Bridge, or the Apple Bridge,' Sharpe explains to Stossel. 'Hundreds of thousands of vehicles pass by, and see that big sign. That's valuable!'....

"Sharpe says it's necessary, 'You can shake your fist and say "this doesn't sound good" if you want to. And you're going to wind up in a place where the tax burden is insanely high.' That, he points out, would lead to more businesses and people leaving New York.

"Although Sharpe is the Libertarian candidate, he's doing well for a third-party. A recent poll has him getting 13 percent of the vote. And after survey respondents hear his campaign pitch, that number goes up to 25 percent."

Read more: https://reason.com/reasontv/2018/10/17/stossel-larry-sharpe-a-candidate-with-be
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Stossel interviews Sarwark on LP in 2018 (video)

Stossel: Is 2018 the Year of the Libertarian Party? - Reason.com - John Stossel & Naomi Brockwell:

January 2, 2018 - "Nicholas Sarwark, Chairman of the Libertarian Party, says [the 2016 campaign] was a great success. 'We tripled all previous records. In the 45-year history of the Libertarian Party, we've never had that kind of support from the electorate.'

"Johnson only got 3.5% of the vote. John Stossel asks, 'is that really winning?' 'We're growing, and they're dying,' answers Sarwark. 'Voter registration identity with Republicans and Democrats is dropping. Voter registration identity with Libertarians is the only party that's growing'.....

"Sarwark says the plan for this year's midterm elections is 'to be on the ballot in all 50 states. We'll definitely be on the ballot in all 50 states in 2020'....

"Stossel talks to Sarwark about what we can learn from the last election, and what the future holds for libertarians and the Libertarian Party."

Read more: http://reason.com/reasontv/2018/01/02/2018-the-year-of-the-libertarian-party
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Newsmax ranks 100 most influential libertarians

100 Most Influential Libertarians: A Newsmax/FreedomFest List - Newsmax:

June 1, 2017 - "Being libertarian is trendy right now, so much so that many actors, activists, politicians, media personalities, financial gurus, professors, scientists, and authors call themselves libertarians, even when they don’t really qualify.... our editors defined a libertarian as a consistent advocate of free-market capitalism, minimal government, and social tolerance (thus distinguishing libertarians from conservatives). Their motto might be 'Keep government out of the boardroom and the bedroom.'

"Our first effort to rank the 100 most influential libertarians came from a recent survey of libertarians carried out by FreedomFest, “the world’s largest gathering of free minds.” More than 10,000 people participated in the survey.... Still, a list like this is subjective at best, and should be viewed as interesting and informative, rather than definitive....

1. Ron Paul  — Perhaps no one has done more to bring the libertarian platform into the national spotlight....
2. Rand Paul — The Republican Kentucky junior senator and son of Ron Paul has been ... one of the loudest voices against government overreach in Washington, particularly on issues of revenue, privacy, and justice.
3. Thomas Sowell — The Hoover Institution’s Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy at Stanford University is a writer of distinction having authored nearly three dozen books on economics, social policy, and race... 
4. John Stossel — The longtime network and cable newsman has unpacked emerging stories with a libertarian viewpoint on his way to 19 Emmy awards and several best-selling books....
5. Charles Koch — The Koch Industries CEO is one of the world’s wealthiest people and a fervent political donor and philanthropist who uses his influence to promote libertarian ideals... 
6. David Koch — Executive vice president and co-owner of Koch Industries, David Koch, like his brother, is a generous benefactor....
7. Gary Johnson — The former New Mexico governor is the most recent presidential hopeful from the Libertarian Party, and one of the most successful third-party candidates to date.... 
8. Judge Andrew Napolitano — A former ... law professor, and youngest-ever life-tenured New Jersey Superior Court judge, ... and ,,, a best-selling author.
9. Ed Crane — A former national chairman of the Libertarian Party, Crane is the co-founder and president emeritus of the Cato Institute.... 
10. Steve Forbes — The chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes has been a Republican presidential candidate twice ... running on a flat-tax platform and a return to the gold standard."

Read more: http://www.newsmax.com/BestLists/libertarians-newsmax-freedomfest/2017/06/01/id/793510/
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John Stossel wants Trump to break his promises

Here's hoping Trump breaks his promises - John Stossel, The Spectrum:

January 4, 2017 - "Two more weeks until the new administration begins!

"I wonder if President Donald Trump will stick to his campaign promises — like reducing immigration and slamming consumers by imposing a 35 percent tariff. Hope not.

"But it could have been much worse.

"Bernie Sanders wanted to make college free, even though professors say classes are filled with privileged students who party and just kill time.... Both Sanders and Hillary Clinton promised a higher minimum wage and a thousand other new commandments that would do more harm than good.

"Every Republican candidate vowed to increase defense spending, even though the U.S. is going broke and already spends more than the next seven biggest nations combined, while half the democratic world freeloads off America's armed forces....

"I'm not infatuated with Trump. His magical thinking scares me. What gives me optimism are many of Trump's appointments. He's surrounded himself with people who 'get it,' who understand the harm done by overregulation and the benefits created by economic growth.

"Larry Kudlow as economic advisor?! Paul Atkins, Andy Puzder and Betsy DeVos in important positions?!.... I bet Mitt Romney wouldn't have appointed them....

"It would be easier to judge progress had the Libertarian Party candidate won. We could measure whether the party kept its promise to shrink government, cut spending, lower taxes, decrease overseas military commitments, deregulate and butt out of people's private lives.

"Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, sounding like the Founders of our nation, often answered reporters' grandiose questions by saying, 'I'm not running for king.' Unlike Donald Trump, a narcissistic bully who often tells us he's 'in charge,' Johnson understood that decision-making power is best left in the hands of individual citizens.

"Libertarians also respect Friedrich Hayek's insight: 'The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they know about what they imagine they can design'....

"I fear that 2017 will bring us more of the same: Politicians doing what they think will make the loudest voters happy.

"They want us to think we can have it both ways — that we can reduce deficits while boosting spending on infrastructure and defense and not touching entitlements, etc. That's what Donald Trump has promised.

"I hope he breaks many of his promises soon."

Read more: http://www.thespectrum.com/story/opinion/2017/01/04/heres-hoping-trump-breaks-his-promises/96119020/
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Stossel got libertarians ready for prime time

Thank You, John Stossel, for Teaching Libertarians How to Do Cable News - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Matt Welch:

December 16, 2016 - "Tonight (at 10 p.m. ET) is the last-ever episode of Stossel, the weekly Fox Business Network program that for seven years explained free-market principles better than any show on television. Host John Stossel, as he explains here in his weekly column, is moving on to other pursuits, including creating great content right here with Reason TV, and he will still be a contributor over in the Fox building.

"His final episode, appropriately, is a survey through the show's persistent and often hilarious attempts to illustrate difficult-to-visualize libertarian concepts using props, costumes, stunts, and engaging conversation, including with such beloved locals as Katherine Mangu-Ward ... and Kmele Foster. I am honored to be one of the two live guests on tonight's program, along with our great friend and frequent collaborator Kennedy. And therein lies a brief story.

"I first met Kennedy in June 2011 in the exact same place you'll see us tonight: in Fox's Studio D, sitting next to John Stossel ... during an hour-long special he very generously put together to discuss The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong with America, which I had freshly co-written with Nick Gillespie. It was a galvanizing moment—I had been doing increasing amounts of cable news, but had never seen anyone with as much TV charisma and quick wit as this former VJ. Soon she would begin collaborating regularly with both Reason TV and Stossel, the latter of whom brought her on as a special correspondent)....

"For the rest of his run, John labored at the largely thankless and rarely acknowledged task of training questionably dressed free-market types like me to be less like Broadcast News' Albert Brooks and just a wee more William Hurt-ish. There were the green-room coachings ("Don't bore people with a bunch of numbers!"), the on-set eye-glazes when you wandered off point, the cutting quips about questionable ties. It was tough love, but, well, you have to consider the raw material here.

"The result of Stossel's conscious exertions is that the universe of camera-ready libertarians is much larger and considerably more polished than it was seven years ago. (Judge Andrew Napolitano's late, lamented Freedom Watch also deserves a shout-out here....) Next-generation shows like Kennedy get to take their libertarianism more for granted precisely because Stossel had done the shovel work (*cough*) of introducing fundamental concepts and breaking in nerds."

Read more: http://reason.com/blog/2016/12/16/thank-you-john-stossel-for-teaching-libe 'via Blog this'

Stossel going off air, with last episode Dec. 16

EXCLUSIVE: John Stossel to Step Down From Fox Business Show | Mediaite - Justin Baragona:

December 7, 2016 - "John Stossel will step down from hosting his weekly Fox Business program, Stossel, this month.

"The show, which airs Friday nights at 8 PM ET on FBN, debuted in December 2009. Its last episode will air on December 16th.

"While Stossel will no longer host his weekly program, he will remain as a regular on-air presence for Fox, making frequent guest appearances on various shows for both Fox News and Fox Business....

"Stossel, a noted libertarian, will be working with ReasonTV to start up a libertarian-themed internet platform. He’ll also serve as an educator with the Charles Koch Institute’s new Creative Fellows Program.

"The 69-year-old Stossel has received 19 Emmy awards over the years. He spent a number of years with ABC News, working as a correspondent and co-anchor on 20/20 before joining Fox in 2009. He’s the first cable news host to moderate a libertarian debate and during the 2016 election, he hosted numerous town hall forums for the Libertarian Party."

Read more: http://www.mediaite.com/online/exclusive-john-stossel-to-step-down-from-fox-business-show/
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Fox Business holds Libertarian town hall Aug. 26

FOX Business Network’s John Stossel to Host Libertarian Town Hall on August 26th | Business Wire (press release):

August 9, 2016 - "FOX Business Network’s (FBN) John Stossel will host a Libertarian town hall with Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson his vice presidential running mate William Weld on Friday, August 26th, the network announced today. Stossel, who moderated the first national Libertarian debate earlier this year, will host the program entitled Stossel: Libertarian Town Hall, starting at 9PM/ET.

"Throughout the town hall, Stossel will focus on the major differences between the Libertarian, Republican and Democratic platforms, as well as on economic, social and defense issues. The event will take place in front of a studio audience comprised of a cross-section of voters, who will join Stossel in posing questions to the candidates. In addition, Stossel will incorporate topics proposed through social media and from FBN reporters based in Times Square and Union Square in Manhattan interviewing passers-by....

"Host of the town hall, John Stossel anchors a weekly program on FBN that airs Friday’s at 9PM/ET titled Stossel. Each week, Stossel highlights current consumer issues with a Libertarian viewpoint....

"FBN launched in October 2007 and is available in more than 80 million homes in major markets across the United States."

Read more: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160809006147/en/FOX-Business-Network%E2%80%99s-John-Stossel-Host-Libertarian
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Stossel: The Libertarians deserve another look

Here's why the Libertarian Party might get more votes in 2016 | Fox News - John Stossel:

April 13, 2016 - "Before the primaries, Time Magazine, frequent pusher of trends that do not exist, put Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ken.) on its cover and called him the 'most interesting man in politics.' Then Paul fizzled, and pundits said the 'libertarian moment,' if there ever was one, had ended....

"But now that, according to ElectionBettingOdds.com, the presidential race will be a choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, Americans may give libertarianism a second look.

"My TV show recently held a debate between the Libertarian Party's three leading presidential candidates. Compared to the Republican and Democratic contenders, the Libertarians sounded so reasonable to me. Take immigration.

"While Democrats pretend they will carefully vet refugees from Muslim parts of the world, Republicans talk about deporting 11 million people. By contrast, the Libertarians on my show talked about reducing border problems by simplifying our complicated immigration laws.

"'Incentivize legal  immigration so that we can cut down on illegal immigration,' said Libertarian candidate Austin Petersen.... 'people will not break the law, if they know that there's a chance that they can come here [legally]'.... Petersen asked, 'If you were living in a Third World country and your family was starving to death, who would not cross that wall?"....

"Trump shouts about bad effects of global trade, but his destructive bans and tariffs would do much more harm.... Gary Johnson asked during the debate, 'Who benefits from free trade but you and I as consumers? If China wants to subsidize goods and services that they send to the United States, who benefits? We do!'

"He's absolutely right. Cheaper goods from abroad mean Americans have more money to spend on other things, and cheaper ingredients for products we manufacture. Yes, some Americans lose jobs, but more gain work, and better work, because free trade helps Americans expand businesses -- in America.

"Republicans and Democrats also engage in foolish talk about 'creating jobs'.... That's why Johnson was so refreshing in the debate. He said that in eight years as New Mexico's governor, 'I didn't create a single job! Government doesn't create jobs. The private sector does'....

"Right. But government sure can get in the way. 'To start a business, I have to fill out a thousand forms and report to OSHA,' the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said candidate John McAfee during the debate.... 'If we remove these barriers, industry will take care of itself and jobs will improve.'

"The Libertarian candidates were also skeptical about government imposition on drug users, on cellphone owners who don't want their phones hacked into, and on people trying to accomplish things without first begging for approval from bureaucrats.

"I liked how McAfee put it: 'Some fundamental principles are all that we need to live together in a sane and harmonious fashion. We cannot hit one another. We cannot take each other's stuff. We must keep our word, our agreements and our contracts.'"

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/04/13/another-libertarian-movement.html
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Part 2 of Fox's Libertarian debate airs April 8

Libertarian Debate Was Little-Noticed Breath Of Fresh Air - Lucy Steigerwald, The Federalist:

April 4, 2014 - "In an election season starring two historically loathed frontrunners, the third-most-popular party in the United States got a televised debate for the very first time.... It’s not as if even the libertarian-tolerant FBN was going to give the contenders much to work with. Friday’s debate was pre-taped, and only part one of the two-hour show (part two is on Friday!). Still, it was a debate not starring the usual suspects, right or left, and man does that look good for a change.

"The LP’s presidential choice this year will be likely be a repeat, as it should be. However, competition is libertarian, so joining [Gary] Johnson, 63, on stage were 35-year-old website founder [Austin] Petersen and 70-year-old former antivirus pioneer [John] McAfee, there to explain their positions on issues from abortion to war to Social Security and the social safety net. Even if the results of the experiment were open only to those with cable access, they were also more charming, warm, and spontaneous than anything the major parties can drum up.

"Each candidate supports caution and constitutionality in warfare. Each disavows the war on drugs and the death penalty. McAfee suggested Social Security and foreign aid were promises made, and therefore they can’t be reneged on. Johnson and Petersen argued otherwise.

"On abortion, Petersen said he was pro-life. Johnson and McAfee believe the matter is up to the woman. Petersen, who has spent some time scorning antiwar libertarians on his clickbaity website, appears to have decided on a new tactic that might be called Ron Paul lite. He comes off as a kid in his dad’s suit who just discovered French economist Frederic Bastiat — and not just because he’s the youngest, or '12 years old,' as Stossel put it. However, he delivered good lines, such as “if the American people have to balance their checkbook, so should Congress'.... Perhaps Sen. Ted Cruz supporters might find Petersen appealing, especially if they’re frustrated by Cruz’ recent soul-selling mainstream successes, or his likely loss in the race for the GOP nomination.

"McAfee is the oddest duck, a fascinating contrast between Petersen’s straining efforts at radical constitutionalism and Gary Johnson’s dispassionate moderate (for the LP) manner. McAfee’s early life included a great deal of drug use. His more recent history includes fleeing from Belize because he was a “person of interest” in his neighbor’s murder in 2012.... Maybe his gun-toting hippie with gravitas thing could leech votes away from Sen. Bernie Sanders, or his thoughtful weirdo thing could steal Trump votes.... Strangely, his stances on entitlements and foreign aid is a bit too timid for a libertarian audience, while his paranoia about cyber war and offer to unlock the San Bernardino terrorist’ phone for the FBI makes him come across as less than pure on Fourth Amendment issues.

"The choice is Gary Johnson. Even if there’s something a little uninspiring about him.... With two terms as the governor of New Mexico, Johnson lies in the sweet spot between overly Republican Bob Barr (LP nominee in 2008) and doesn’t-believe-in-drivers-licenses Michael Badnarik (2004). Johnson seems like a human being, both on television and in real life. He is a moderate anti-interventionist, and is pro marijuana, not denying the fact that he indulges in the substance, and even serving as the CEO of a medical marijuana company. His utter lack of apology for using marijuana, combined with his crazy-fit personal life (he’s climbed the seven summits!) may actually make pot users look better, as opposed to making Johnson look worse."

Read more: http://thefederalist.com/2016/04/04/the-libertarian-presidential-debate-was-a-little-noticed-breath-of-fresh-air/
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Libertarian POTUS candidates debate Apr. 1 & 8

John Stossel: Is there a better choice than Trump or Clinton? | New Hampshire Union Leader:

March 31, 2016 - "A recent poll shows that if the election were held today, 11 percent of Americans would vote for a Libertarian, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.... I assume the Libertarian total will go higher, since most poll respondents had no opinion about Johnson. They probably don’t know who he is.

"They can learn more by watching my Fox Business Network show April 1 and April 8. On those days, I’ll air a debate among the three leading Libertarian candidates. They are Johnson, software businessman John McAfee and The Libertarian Republic founder Austin Petersen. The Party will choose its nominee at the Libertarian convention in Orlando, Fla., over Memorial Day weekend....

"Libertarians want limited government, one that doesn’t mess around in your personal life or try to run the economy.

"Gary Johnson ... has a track record. The governor cut red tape and the number of government workers in New Mexico. He vetoed 750 bills and used a line-item veto to cut thousands of other items. He lowered New Mexico’s taxes and balanced the budget.... Now, as a Libertarian presidential candidate, he warns 'the idea that we can somehow balance the federal budget without cutting military spending and reforming entitlements is fantasy.”

"John McAfee calls government 'corrupt' and “technologically illiterate.' He says he’ll push a policy of 'privacy, freedom and technology'.... He wants to reduce government’s domestic role to policing disputes and otherwise let people engage in trade, including drug sales. He says our military role overseas should be reduced so that we interfere less in the affairs of other nations.

"Austin Petersen, like many libertarians, describes himself as 'fiscally conservative and socially tolerant.' He proposes a 1 percent spending reduction in all government programs and a simple flat tax, and he would let young people opt out of Social Security.... Unlike some Libertarians, Petersen says he is pro-life.

"You might be surprised to hear that there is division among Libertarians on issues like abortion. This Friday and next you can watch how these candidates handle the differences....  I’m sure the Libertarians’ answers will make more sense than those we hear from Trump and Clinton."

Read more: http://www.unionleader.com/John-Stossel-Is-there-a-better-choice-than-Trump-or-Clinton
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Nationally televised Libertarian debate April 1

Good News! Libertarian debate on TV, moderated by Stossel | Libertarian Party - Wes Benedict:

March 3, 2016 - "There will be a debate of Libertarian presidential candidates on TV this year!

"Many thanks to John Stossel and FOX Business Network for making this happen. A nationally televised debate is long overdue and we are delighted that it is finally happening...

"So please help us spread the word about the upcoming debate on FOX Business Network.

"It will be filmed on March 29 and aired on April 1.

"We'll update you on key details such as the time it airs as these details become available.

"A limited number of free tickets are available. To request them, email stosseltix@foxbusiness.com."

Read more: https://www.lp.org/blogs/staff/good-news-libertarian-debate-on-tv-moderated-by-stossel
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Stossel: What are libertarians doing wrong? | Fox News - John Stossel:

March 9, 2016 - "The Stossel TV show on the Fox Business Network will host a Libertarian presidential forum. Three leading Libertarian presidential candidates -- 'leading' because they placed top three in a poll done by the Libertarian Party -- will debate. They are former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, software entrepreneur John McAfee and Libertarian Republic founder Austin Petersen.

"The forum will air, unfortunately, on April 1. But this is no April Fools' Day joke. Our future is a stake."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/03/09/stossel-what-are-libertarians-doing-wrong.html
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Ethanol mandate fuels Iowa campaign

Presidential Candidates Rushing to Support Ethanol Subsidies Ahead of Iowa Caucus - Reason.com - John Stossel:

January 27, 2016 - "Cars run on fuel. Politicians run on votes, and they'll do almost anything to get them. That includes supporting mandates that force us to use ethanol, a fuel made from corn that Iowa farmers grow.

"They support ethanol because Iowa is the first state to vote on presidential candidates. Candidates want to look strong at the start of the race, so every four years they become enthusiastic ethanol supporters. Even those who claim they believe in markets pander to Iowa's special interests.

"Donald Trump, who doesn't seem to have a consistent political philosophy aside from bashing critics and foreigners, now has joined the ethanol-praising club. In fact, Trump says regulators should force gas stations to increase the amount of ethanol they use. It's a convenient way to attack his Iowa rival, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., who courageously says the mandate should be phased out.

"Cruz is right. Legally mandating that a certain percentage of fuel used be ethanol is a bad idea for several reasons:

"First, mandating ethanol means more land must be plowed to grow corn for fuel. The Department of Energy estimates that if corn ethanol replaced gasoline completely, we'd need to turn all cropland to corn — plus 20 percent more land on top of that.

"Second, requiring ethanol fuel raises the price of corn — bad news for consumers who must pay more for food.

"Third, although ethanol's supporters claim burning corn is "better for the environment," that's not true. Once you add the emissions from growing, shipping and processing the corn, ethanol creates more pollution than oil. Environmental groups such as Friends of the Earth, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Clean Air Task Force now oppose its use.

"Finally, because corn is grown in America, promoters said ethanol would make us more energy independent. Even if the 'independence' argument were valid, fracking accomplishes much more.

"But in Iowa Trump says, 'Ethanol is terrific'....  Ben Carson didn't go that far but according to the Washington Examiner said that it would be wrong to end the subsidies.... Marco Rubio says he'd support ending the mandate — after another seven years..... At the Iowa Agriculture Summit, Chris Christie sounded annoyed that President Obama hasn't been more supportive of ethanol subsidies, saying, 'Certainly anybody who's a competent president would get that done!'....

"Bernie Sanders, I-Ver., criticized subsidies in the past, but on Iowa public radio he sounded as if he loves the boondoggle.... Hillary Clinton says ethanol 'holds the promise for not only more fuel for automobiles but for aviation ... and for military aircraft; we could be fueling so much air traffic with biofuels'....

"Only Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ken.) have consistently said that the market, not politicians, should choose fuels. Unfortunately, that principled stance hasn't brought them much support....

"Energy expert Jerry Taylor is right to say that running for office in Iowa not only means you must praise Christianity; it means being 'willing to sacrifice children to the corn god.'"

Read more: https://reason.com/archives/2016/01/27/presidential-candidates-rushing-to-suppo
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Why Stossel plans to vote for Rand Paul for POTUS

Why I plan to vote for Rand Paul for president | Fox News - John Stossel:

April 22, 2015 - "Sen. Paul confuses people. Some Ron Paul fans say Rand is not as committed to liberty as his father. But some of their complaints seem ambiguous.

"Yes, Rand avoids alienating conservatives because he wants the Republican nomination. But has he violated his principles?

"He doesn’t call for drug legalization but wants to decrease penalties, and he doesn’t rule out legalization.

"He voted for sanctions on Iran, which bothers hardcore libertarians, but of the policies under consideration, sanctions were better than war....

"He supported increases in defense spending, but at least he said they should be offset by reductions in other spending.

"Paul disappoints me by opposing gay marriage and saying a 'moral crisis allows people to think there would be some other sort of marriage'.... At least Rand did not ask the government to ban gay marriage. It’s a relief when a politician draws a line between what his religion tells him and what government ought to do.

"Where Rand Paul shines is in the clarity of his plans to shrink government.... Paul presented budget proposals (visible online) that left-wing critics like Vox say are 'the most radical vision of limited government ever presented by a major American presidential candidate (apart, perhaps, from Paul’s father, Ron Paul).'

"He wants to eliminate the Department of Education, Amtrak subsidies, the Department of Energy, foreign aid and other programs that do more harm than good. He would privatize Medicare and partially privatize Social Security.

"Paul criticizes crony capitalist subsidies, and, unlike most politicians who suck up to Midwestern farmers by offering ethanol subsidies, he proposes merely eliminating regulations that inhibit ethanol production. That’s libertarian.

"Paul’s practicing politics, but it’s still pretty libertarian politics. In fact, he seems to lean over backward to stick to libertarian principles – even while trying to sound like a mainstream politician."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/04/22/why-plan-to-vote-for-rand-paul-for-president.html
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