Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Does John Stossel Read My Blog?

I wish. But apparently we have similar complaints about America. Last Friday on 20/20 Stossel, along with another favorite news source Reason Magazine, had a special entitled "Bailouts and Bull." Coincidentally, he talks about a lot things I've discussed here:

Part I: How the government is greatly mismanaging this panic (from me)

Part II: Possible solutions to traffic congestion (from me)

Part III: The deplorable arrest and conviction of Charlie Lynch (from me)

Part IV: Problems with Universal Preschool
Part V: The worthless wall on our Southern border
Part VI: The fallacy of the struggling middle class (from me)

5 comments:

  1. Kevin L.12:07 AM

    I mostly agreed with Stossel, but not in the last section. I'm not sure I believe in the American dream, largely because it's not very Biblical. It's far too individualistic and materialistic and just isn't consistent with Scripture.

    And what the hell was that last guy talking about? Half the poor aren't poor 10 years later? If that were true, there wouldn't be any poor people short of cataclysmic job losses. I also wish he'd discussed the racial gaps in middle/lower class. It wasn't even brought up though it's pretty glaring.

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  2. Michael Costa12:08 AM

    Hey Harrison, just wanted to let you know I've really been enjoying your blog the last few months. Keep up the great work.

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  3. Kevin,

    I don't necessarily think Stossel is defending the American Dream as the end all be all. But he is just showing that the dream is more possible today than ever before. Also it's worth mentioning I'm not one to preach that money makes you happy, but it does make you less hungry and less sick.

    Yeah that half the poor comment struck me as surprising too. I'm not sure exactly what he was measuring. Maybe half the people who apply for welfare don't in 10 years?

    As for racial gaps, they are definitely there. But I think it's more a reflection of education gaps.

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  4. Michael,

    Thanks for coming out of your lurking shell. I guess it's only fair to admit I read you too. Might I add, your blog is one of the most visually appealing i've seen. Thanks for reading!

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  5. I wish Stossel wasn't so patronizing, people would actually listen to him.

    I thought the first three videos were great. The last one is just awful. I agree the middle class is better off now than it ever was before - but Stossel obviously hasn't read either book he presents. Nickel and Dimed was about the lower class, not the middle class, and the woman lived in a motel because she was unable to save enough for the first month's rent at an apartment. I don't know about the $40 pants but I've never seen a better example of picking one example out of context to try to criticize a work as a whole.

    And if those guys with the $50,000 of ATV's are middle class then it's possible they are part of the legions of people in this country with too much debt.

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You are the reason why I do not write privately. I would love to hear your thoughts, whether you agree or not.