Commentary By John Stossel

War on the Little Guy by John Stossel

Marty the Magician performed magic tricks for kids, including the traditional rabbit-out-of-a-hat. Then one day: "I was signing autographs and taking pictures with children and their parents," he told me. "Suddenly, a badge was thrown into the mix, and an inspector said, 'Let me see your license.'"

In "Harry Potter" books, a creepy Ministry of Magic controls young wizards. Now in the USA, government regulates stage magicians -- one of the countless ways it makes life harder for the little guy.

John Stossel is the author of No They Can't! Why Government Fails, but Individuals Succeed. For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2013 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC.

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

Privatize Everything By John Stossel

The market is fine for some things, people will say, but other activities are too important to be left to the market. Or too complicated. Or too fundamental to our democracy.

I say: Privatize everything.

End the Fed by John Stossel

I've always avoided reporting on the Federal Reserve. I know it's more important than much of the stuff I cover, but it's so boring. How can I succeed on TV reporting on the Fed? Fed chairs even work at being dull.

Alan Greenspan said he tried to be obscure because he didn't want to spook markets. He called his obfuscation "Fedspeak." It's a far cry from the clarity of his language -- and principles -- when he was young and a disciple of libertarian Ayn Rand.
John Stossel is host of "Stossel" on the Fox Business Network, and the author of "No They Can't! Why Government Fails, but Individuals Succeed." For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2013 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

Broke U.S. Resumes Spending By John Stossel

What would you think of a person who earned $24,000 a year but spent $35,000? Suppose on top of that, he was already $170,000 in debt. You'd tell him to get his act together -- stop spending so much or he'd destroy his family, impoverish his kids and wreck their future. Of course, no individual could live so irresponsibly for long.

Longing to be a Victim: A Commentary by John Stossel

These days, being seen as a victim can be useful. You immediately claim the moral high ground. Some people want to help you. Lawyers and politicians brag that they force others to help you.
   
This turns some people into whiners with little sense of responsibility.

Shutdown Theater By John Stossel

Government wants you to play a role in the "shutdown" of the federal government. Your role is to panic.

Escaping 'Government' Schools By John Stossel

People say public schools are "one of the best parts of America". I believed that. Then I started reporting on them.

Now I know that public school -- government school is a better name -- is one of the worst parts of America. It's a stultified government monopoly. It never improves.

Most services improve. They get faster, better, cheaper. But not government monopolies. Government schools are rigid, boring, expensive and more segregated than private schools.

Innovation or Stagnation By John Stossel

Invent something and the first thing that goes through some people's minds -- especially politicians' minds -- is what might go wrong.

3D printers now allow you to mold objects right in your living room, using patterns you find online. It's a revolutionary invention that will save time, reduce shipping costs and be kind to the earth.

But what critics see is: guns! People will print guns at home! Well, sure.

Make Trade, Not War By John Stossel

What's up with so many Democrats wanting missile strikes on Syria, while Republicans balk? I'm told Republicans are the war party.  

Road to Damascus By John Stossel

Some things you just have to do, in spite of great uncertainty.

Launching missiles at Syria isn't one of them.

Milk of Human Blindness By John Stossel

The Denver Post warns, "Milk, food prices could rise if Congress fails to act."

Congress is working on a farm bill, which, among other things, will set limits on how high or low milk prices can be in different regions of the country.

Trains to Nowhere By John Stossel

When Democrats and Republicans agree, I get nervous. It often means that they agree to grab my wallet.

Beware Warrior Cops By John Stossel

We need police to catch murderers, thieves and con men, and so we give them special power -- the power to use force on others.  Sadly, today's police use that power to invade people's homes over accusations of trivial, nonviolent offenses -- and often do it with tanks, battering rams and armor you'd expect on battlefields.

In his book "Rise of the Warrior Cop," Radley Balko recounts the rise of police SWAT teams (SWAT stands for Special Weapons And Tactics) armed with heavy military equipment.  SWAT raids began as rarely used methods of dealing with violent situations, like hostage-takings.

Battle of the Sexes By John Stossel

Women make only 77 cents per each dollar made by males. Outrageous! Sex discrimination!

Killing Giggles By John Stossel

Global average temperature has been flat for a decade. But frightening myths about global warming continue.

We're told there are more hurricanes now. We're told that hurricanes are stronger. But the National Hurricane Center says it isn't so. 

Meteorologist Maria Molina told me it's not surprising that climatologists assumed hurricanes would get worse. "Hurricanes need warm ocean waters," but it turns out that "hurricanes are a lot more complicated than just warm ocean waters."

Are We Rome Yet? By John Stossel

Unfortunately, the fall of Rome is a pattern repeated by empires throughout history ... including ours?

A group of libertarians gathered in Las Vegas recently for an event called "FreedomFest." We debated whether America will soon fall, as Rome did.

Historian Carl Richard said that today's America resembles Rome.

Stalled Motor City By John Stossel

MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry -- the same TV commentator who said Americans need to stop raising kids as if they belong to individual families -- had an extraordinary explanation for why the city of Detroit sought to declare bankruptcy last week: not enough government.     

Strangling Life By John Stossel

There are now 175,000 pages' worth of federal laws. Local governments add more.

I'm not so cynical that I think politicians pass laws just to control us. Someone always thinks: "This law is needed. This will protect people."

Meddling Overseas By John Stossel

You pay taxes? You contributed to the $2 billion your government gave Egypt this year. And last year. And every year -- for 30 years. Most of it went to Egypt's military. How's that worked out?   

I Shrugged By John Stossel

Many libertarians, outraged by how our government spies on us, call me a "traitor" because I'm not very angry. I understand that the National Security Administration tracking patterns in our emails and phone calls could put us on a terrible, privacy-crushing slippery slope.