Tonight on 20/20: John Stossel Explodes Myths

ABC News ^ | 2/10/2006

[logician2u]

John Stossel's "Myths, Lies and Nasty Behavior"

Think Gas Is More Expensive, Urban Sprawl Is Bad? Think Again

Do you think farmers need more government assistance? Do you think gasoline is more expensive than ever? John Stossel may make you reconsider. (ABC)

Here's my latest list of things you may have been led to believe are true ? but aren't. I'm also including some nasty behaviors that are more than just annoying, they cost us all money.

I hope this will give you a different perspective about your money, your neighbors and your politicians.

[Clemenza]

Stossel is dam man!

[Age of Reason]

We are grossly overpopulated, and have been since we became too many for naturally occurring game and plants to support.

The resulting scarcity forced us to the backbreaking labor of farming.

And is now forcing upon us the overly complex and high maintenance world of high technology.

[logician2u]

I understand.

Everybody should be free to live as they choose in America.

Of course, as long as there are politicians who are doing their utmost to prevent that -- with urban growth boundaries, massive infusions of federal dollars to big cities for "redevelopment" projects, restrictions on what can be built where, and on what size lot -- this is only a wish, not reality.

What did you think of Stossel's interview wtih Kunstler?

[logician2u]

. . and made a difference in the crime rate.

Have you read the best-selling book, Freakonomics?

[logician2u]

Excuse me?

[conservative in nyc]

Oh. Did I miss the great tax reductions that Rudy enacted as mayor? Or the privatization of the city's bureacracy-bloated transit system? Or the Staten Island ferry boats?

Rudy cut taxes by $2 billion from when he was first elected in 1993 until early 2001. He proposed additional tax cuts shortly before 9/11, some of which went into effect (like the sales tax exemption for clothing), but were later put back by tax-hiking RINO Bloomberg after city's economy took a big hit post-9/11.

The city's subway system is run by a quasi-independent intergovernmental agency, the MTA. The governor of New York actually has more control over the MTA than the mayor of New York City. Rudy couldn't have privatized the subways if he wanted to - and most New York City residents would vehemently oppose it.

The city does run the Staten Island ferry - it's free. Nobody would buy it unless they could start charging fares, which wouldn't be politically palatable for a Republican - Republicans need to win big on Staten Island to have any chance of wining a citywide election.

Current Mayor Bloomberg is truly a tax hiking, nanny state RINO. I can't say many favorable things about him.

[Clemenza]

I meant to say Stossel is DA MAN!!!

[durasell]

The city does run the Staten Island ferry - it's free


Really? Free?

Wow, you really know your NYC.

[logician2u]

That be betta, Clemenza.

(I was worried about you for a second there.)

[durasell]

Oops, I forgot, they did end it last year. My mistake.

[bybybill]

Portland, Or. is a city that got all tangled up in "urban planning" and, should be a case study for all of us. Lousy schools,young people leaving, high housing costs, no jobs, bad traffic (but they have light rail), and an antibiz attitude that can`t be believed or understood. Oh, and downtown rents that are among the highest in the nation. Diversity is the king (or maybe the Queen), the public employee unions run the place, and politicians actually say that they want more density.
They are killing a wonderful place.

[logician2u]

What? You mean they charge to ride the ferry?

A nickel I'll bet.

It's really difficult to wean people off the socialist tit.

Even Staten Island Republicans.

[durasell]

I remember when it was a nickel. They dropped the fare last year.

NYC isn't socialist, a fact that many people don't seem to realize. NYC is probably the most capitalistic city on the face of the planet.

[calcowgirl]

Thank you for the ping. I haven't read all the myths but just turned on the TV.

[logician2u]

Stossel uses Portland as his poster child for how not to do "urban planning."

He cites some of the same deficiencies you mention.

"Open space" on one side of the highway, overpriced high-density housing on the other.

No such thing as moderation when you have control freaks in control.

[conservative in nyc]

The Staten Island Ferry hasn't charged a fare since 1997, which was an election year. I'm sure that was a coincidence. The fare used to be 50 cents round trip, charged going into Manhattan. In the old days, tourists could sightsee using the ferry and avoid the fare by not getting off the boat. These days, they make all passengers leave the boat.

[durasell]

That was my mistake. Apologies. The only time I ever rode the ferry was to show tourists the city at dusk.

[FreedomCalls]

Full list here:

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=448934&page=1

No. 10 — NASTY BEHAVIOR — Littering
No. 9 — NASTY BEHAVIOR: Extra Cell Phone Fees
No. 8 — NASTY BEHAVIOR — Noise
No. 7 — MYTH — Gas Prices Are Higher Than Ever
No. 6 — NASTY BEHAVIOR — Congress' Pork Barrel Spending
No. 5 — NASTY BEHAVIOR — Welfare for Farmers
No. 4 — MYTH: Outsourcing Is Bad for American Workers
No. 3 — MYTH: Public Schools for Poor Kids, Not Politicians' Kids
No. 2 — MYTH — Urban Sprawl Is Ruining America
MYTH No. 1 Sharing Would Make the World a Better Place

[EricT.]

No, and I haven't read "A Million Little Pieces", either.