In spite of the whiny voice (which I hear even when reading his columns) I really respect what Stossel does. My favorite of his specials was when he compared Indian reservations under government control (where people lived in desperate conditions) to a town where they had taken control of their own destiny, shrugged off the Bureau of Indian Affairs and were thriving.
Stossel is a powerful advocate for limiting the size and scope of government.
From last week's column:
Some years ago, the FDA held a news conference and proudly announced, "This new heart drug we're approving will save 14,000 American lives a year!" No one stood up at the press conference to ask, "Doesn't this mean you killed 14,000 people last year -- and the year before -- by keeping it off the market?" Reporters don't think that way, but the FDA's announcement did mean that. Thousands will die this year while other therapies wait for approval.
The market along with strong property rights laws can enforce quality much better than any govt agency. But, Bush will never go with that. He is too much a big govt lover.
Lousy libertarian book-reader!
The government knows what's best, and don't you forget it, Mr. Smarty-pants Stossel!