John Stossel

  • November 20, 2009 04:42 PM EST

    New York Times Gets One Right

    Sort of. Today's front page article on the Federal Housing Administration is stunning. The headline, "Easy Loans to Wealthier Areas", suggests that even the Times is alarmed at how reckless the government has become. The article says that some young men were amazed how easily they could borrow from the government to buy homes: They had only a little cash to bring to the table but, with the federal government insuring the transaction, a large down payment was not necessary. “It was kind of crazy we could get this big a loan,” said Mr. Rowland, 27. “If a government official came out here, I would slap him a ... read more

  • November 20, 2009

    The True Cost of the Health Care Bills

    The House did Thursday what the Senate didn’t do last month: It passed a bill to cancel a scheduled 21 percent pay cut for doctors who treat Medicare patients. That's from an NPR report this morning about the "doc fix". (We listen, so you don’t have to.)  Current law requires cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, but since 2003, Congress has suspended those cuts year by year. However, both Senate and House Health Care bills rely on these Medicare cuts so they can deceitfully flaunt them as "deficit reducing" bills. If ... read more

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  • November 20, 2009

    Legal Theft

    Special interests routinely manipulate legislatures, but few have done it as successfully as two legal parasites in California. The Associated Press reports that two lawyers wrote a bill allowing them to sue cities and school districts with only one electoral district (supposedly the big districts hurt minorities.)  After 7 years, they are the only ones who have cashed in on that: Every lawsuit filed or even threatened under a California law aimed at electing more minorities to local offices - and all of the roughly $4.3 ... read more

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  • November 19, 2009

    Rewarding Incompetence

    Two foundations have come up with a creative plan to reward some of Boston’s best teachers: a performance incentive, paying teachers $100 bonuses for each student who passes a test and up to $3,000 a year for meeting other goals. Students also can also receive $100 for doing well. A win-win, I would think. But the Teachers Union doesn’t think so. The Boston Teachers Union staunchly opposes a performance bonus plan for top teachers… insisting the dough be divvied up among all of a school’s teachers, good and ... read more

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  • November 19, 2009

    Incentives Work

    I’ve argued that privatizing the Gulf of Somalia would be the best way to end the pirate attacks. But short of that, and with the international community failing to end the danger, merchants are taking matters into their own hands. Yesterday, pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama – the same ship that was hijacked last April. The AP reports that the attack was: [T]hwarted by private guards on board the U.S.-flagged ship who fired off guns and a high-decibel noise device… Vice Adm. Bill Gortney of the U.S. Naval Forces ... read more

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about this blog

  • John Stossel joined FOX Business and FOX News in October 2009. He is the New York Times best-selling author of Give Me A Break and Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity. His "Give Me a Break" commentaries take a skeptical look at a wide array of issues, such as education, the economy, parenting, and more.

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