I thought the libertarians and conservatives on this forum might be interested in the following:

ABC New Press Release:

JOHN STOSSEL TAKES A SKEPTICAL LOOK AT GOVERNMENT IN HIS NEW ABC NEWS SPECIAL

"John Stossel Goes to Washington" airs January 27 at 10pm Eastern, 9 Central

What happens when a skeptic visits the center of government? He finds out how bad the waste, incompetence, and abuse of power can be.

For years, ABC News reporter John Stossel was a consumer reporter, exposing businesses that ripped off consumers. In his latest hour-long special, he does a consumer report on government, exposing programs that squander money and rules that make no sense. Some government officials aren't eager to talk about the problems, as Stossel discovered when then-Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt walked out of an interview.

For 150 years, America's government guaranteed liberty - and little else. But over the past 60 years, under Republicans and Democrats, government has grown so sharply - that it costs the average American $10,000 per year in taxes to pay for it. Philosophy professor Tibor Machan tells Stossel that's not what the framers of the Constitution wanted: "The Founders tended to believe that government should be restricted. It should be limited to the function of securing our rights." Instead, government has taken on countless duties, from running subways to inspecting pickles.

Stossel looks at a typical St. Louis family and their tax burden - about one out of every three dollars they earn - and talks to tax expert Amity Shlaes, who notes that "Americans pay more in taxes than we do in food, clothing and shelter combined." Government can't even keep track of much of the money, as Stossel learns when he drops in on D.C. committee hearings and the General Accounting Office.

Much of what government does do, it does poorly, finds Stossel. The Interior Department spent billions to help Native Americans, but Indians are the poorest people in America. Billions more have been spent on centrally-planned public housing, but instead of safe homes, low-income families often end up with dilapidated buildings where elevators don't work and security is poor. Charities complain that government rules make it tougher to help people. Today "if Jesus Christ...wanted to start Christianity, he wouldn't be able to do it," says Mimi Silbert, who runs a mutual aid network in San Francisco, "because there are too many regulations."

Despite government's failures, Stossel points out that it continually seeks more power, whether on a local scale-such as seizing homes under the auspices of urban renewal - or on an international scale, intervening militarily in over a hundred countries.

What's the alternative? Stossel finds private organizations taking over formerly government-run functions and doing the job better. Competition - sorely lacking in government monopolies - gives these private companies an incentive to guarantee such necessities as clean water, and flights that actually arrive on time. In Jersey City, NJ, for instance, Mayor Brett Shundler got so disgusted with high-cost, lousy-tasting water, he put the water contract out for bid. "If they blow it, we're going to give the contract to somebody else," Shundler tells ABC News.

"John Stossel Goes To Washington" concludes with Prof. Machan's comment: "Government was intended to have a few, clearly-defined functions such as running the courts and the military, and it would do it much better if it didn't do all this other stuff that it has gotten its nose into."

Deborah Colloton and Mark Golden are the producers of "John Stossel Goes to Washington.". Martin Phillips is the senior producer.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

Answers

I have rarely seen such blatant anti-government propaganda as put forth by the Stossel report. Granted, the government screws up a lot of stuff but this report is so biased it is sickening. For instance, your critique of the air system is more due to de-regulation than anything else. What the hell ever happened to the left-wing media? There never was or is such an animal!

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

?!?

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Subject: John Stossel goes to Washington

It's about time! I could hardly believe I saw this on ABC. If this message and others could get out to all the liberals and uninformed of this country, there might be a chance for AMERICA to WAKE UP AND TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK! If we don't do it soon, we will be doomed for Socialism to grow and Communism to take over. We need to get Big Government out of our lives! More programs like this are needed on network television if we are to save our Nation.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

"Save our Nation"??

FROM WHAT?

Too much gov. ? Where do you want to cut?

Health care? Lets start with V.A. Might as well close them first. Then, Medicare, Medicaid, Vacine programs and don't forget that waste of money, one of the world's best diagnostic lab, The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.

Close down Social Security. NOW before it runs out of money. Let the private citizens manage their own retirement funds and while we are at it, we can stop all the checks tonight. Let the Elderly fend for themselves. And the children of those who died or were disabled.

School lunch. Let the poor kids learn to work for a living. We'd have to change the Child Labor laws so they could start by age five right after school. And since they can't really do "real work", lets get rid of the Min. Wage which came from Marx (Karl not Groucho) along with that EBIL INCOME TAX.

Now if we end the Ebil Income Tax, we wouldn't have the money for the D.of D. and we could let every Military man and women go to work. FBI? Forgeddabout it. (bunch of spies anyway working with NSA AND THE CIA). Since the MILITARY wouldn't be around, lets get rid of all the Border Patrols and even the Park Rangers in the National Parks (which could be sold off at once to timber interests and home builders).

Roads (the Interstates are a mess with 15 years of neglect) and now with 40% increase in use since they were planned in the 1950s it makes no sense to encourage driving. We'll just let the Trucking industry die if those roads become impassible.

Then we could close every single public building in D.C. including the National Museums and Parks. Ship those Commie PANDAS right back to China.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Oh and I leave it to Elaine to figure out what to do with the maybe 15-20 Million employees of State and Local Governments and School systems that would have to close right after the Feds close the doors.

BUY YOUR CAVE NOW. People like you need one. When you live in a CAVE, you don't have to deal with the real world in places like NYC, Chicago and LA where real people run real businesses and social enterprises because the Fed, State and Local Police functions enable them to do it. UNLIKE RUSSIA WHICH HAS NO GOVERNMENT.

OTOH........you could move to Russia now and see how YOUR IDEAS ARE WORKING.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Thanks ABC for finally putting a TV program that has some value and may eventually help save us poor taxpayers some of our money. Thanks John Stossel.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

I think cpr needs to take a pill and calm down. I think the government needs to account for so much of its waste, to be held more accountable. No one is suggesting it be completely illiminated only downsized. And another thing, the reason Russia has no government is because it became so obtrusive and meddeling in the affairs of the populace it controlled it incapacitated them, thus ushering in their own downfall.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Thanks ABC for finally putting a TV program that has some value and may eventually help save us poor taxpayers some of our money. Thanks John Stossel. -- barry graf (a1bacus@yahoo.com), August 12, 2001. I think cpr needs to take a pill and calm down. I think the government needs to account for so much of its waste, to be held more accountable. No one is suggesting it be completely illiminated only downsized. And another thing, the reason Russia has no government is because it became so obtrusive and meddeling in the affairs of the populace it controlled it incapacitated them, thus ushering in their own downfall. -- A. Weber (Benitobasquiat@aol.com), August 31, 2001. us poor taxpayers

Do you believe that you get no benefit from your tax dollars? Where do you think the money goes? You drive on roads built and maintained by taxes. Your food is (usually) safe due to tax dollars paying for regulations and standards enforced by people who are paid to do so with your tax dollars. Have any kids? The chance of their clothing igniting is next to nil due to government enforced laws. How is your house? Government regulations are the reason your house is safe to live in so it doesn't collapse or your roof leak. Government putting their nose in every business is the reason your water heater doesn't explode and kill your Mother. From the moment you get up in the morning until long after you are sleeping, you are coddled and assured of the comfort and security you evidently take for granted.

Sure, there is some waste and defiantly some silly rules and laws, but the percentage of those is minute in comparison to the laws and money being spent to give you the life you enjoy.

If you are injured and unable to work should you be thrown out into the world to take care of yourself? What about your grandmother who was raised in a time when women were expected to stay home and take care of her husband and children so she didn't work and have the opportunity to make big money to retire on when she became old. Maybe you think anyone who doesn't work should be "put to sleep"- euthanised so you aren't forced to pay for them to exist. Name the things government wastes money on and laws and regulations they have implemented that are so damn bad.

the reason Russia has no government is because it became so obtrusive and meddeling in the affairs of the populace it controlled it incapacitated them, thus ushering in their own downfall.

Perhaps you should do some reading and learn what really happened in the former USSR. It was corruption, much like we are seeing perpetrated today by this administration, that brought the downfall of communism and is preventing the country from benefiting from it's end.

Could you give examples of "obtrusive and meddling" laws and regulations we are suffering from in this country. Yes we have a LOT of laws, with new ones being put in place every year. Do you have any idea WHY it is necessary to do this?

We live in a free country. Unfortunately, many people and entities take advantage of that freedom to cause harm. Since they do not voluntarily hold themselves to the standards of a free country, we have to force them to do so. If a person or entity doesn't do anything wrong in this country, they have no reason to feel threatened by the laws and rules. There is a responsibility that goes along with freedom. It can be no other way. When individuals feel like they are being imposed upon in this country, they are ignoring the fact that their freedom exists because of the impositions.

The selfishness, the self centered attitudes of those who complain so much is the danger we must regulate and make laws to hold in check. If everyone was allowed to do as they wanted, to have everything the way they think it should be, this country would implode.

People need to realize that our freedom, our way of life in this country is not a birthright. It is by the greater whole adhering to our ideals, backed by laws and rules, that all of our rights and freedoms are there for us to experience.

Why is there such an attitude these days among those who enjoy the advantages of what the our government allows them, that they are somehow being mistreated? It was out of consideration of others, out of working together for the same goals for all, the idea of every man (person) being equal that made this country evolve into a place where we are given such precious freedom. Not selfishness, self centeredness, being somehow "better", more deserving, superior than others.

If it were not for government meddling into every corner of our life, we would not have this way of life to enjoy.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Cherri:

I don't read Stossel as saying that the government is useless or that nothing it does is worthwhile. Instead, the government is doing (as a monopoly and without motivation for any efficiency) what the private sector can in nearly every case do even better. Please don't equate WHO should perform a task with WHETHER that task should be done.

So go back and read the article. It says "Stossel finds private organizations taking over formerly government-run functions and doing the job better. Competition - sorely lacking in government monopolies - gives these private companies an incentive to guarantee such necessities as clean water, and flights that actually arrive on time."

Saying a job is being done poorly and can be done much better, is NOT the same thing as saying the job should not be done in the first place.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Be careful Flint. You'll convince yourself that "faith based" social programs are more efficient than "bureaucratic based" social programs.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Lars:

Competition is the key. So long as there is more than one competing supplier of any service, we're better off. Do you really think "faith- based" administrators are not bureaucrats?

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001