What a self-important ass… He doesn’t understand basic economics… He’s just a silly little trick waiting to do some sort of libertarian flip...
Immigrants wrecking America — I’ve never said anything close to that. As a matter of fact, I embrace immigrants to this country, I welcome them, I want more.
Sorry, Lou, if you never said that, if you “embrace immigrants... welcome them... want more,” then I apologize. After all, I did say, on Glenn Beck’s radio show, that I don't subscribe to the “Lou Dobbs-kind of rants about immigrants wrecking America.”
You don’t say that? It was certainly my impression that you’ve been ranting against immigrants. But in fairness, I’ve only heard that secondhand. Maybe it’s another in the long list of things that the MSM get wrong.
I believed it because of my TV confrontation with you. That was when I interviewed you about outsourcing. You had written a book that said government should limit free trade, and outsourcing “has to end.”
“Just because of cheap labor, we’re destroying our middle class. That is just stupid. Being stupid is un-American,” you told me.
I responded that the opposite was true -- that outsourcing and free trade are “smart,” because they create jobs by bringing us lower prices. For example, trade in clothing makes clothing cheaper, freeing up money for other purchases, and therefore creating jobs. Your reply was rather odd:
Dobbs: This country cannot even clothe itself. 96 percent of our apparel is imported.
Stossel: But that’s okay. We have more choices for less money.
Dobbs: When was the last time you bought a suit of clothes? Because if your prices went down, I would be shocked.
I told you about that Dartmouth Business School study that found that companies that outsourced the most -- created the most jobs in America. I told you about an entrepreneur whose business grew and created jobs in America; who said he might be out of business if outsourcing were outlawed. You told me:
“Then he probably should be out of business, because the fact of the matter is, either his business would be successful with American workers, or it's not going to be successful at all.”
It’s better if a company goes out of business than hire foreign workers? You certainly sounded xenophobic to me.
John, love ya, and consider myself a libertarian, but you are leaving out the cost of healthcare and education and in many cases social services for these immigrants. You can't just say, "we shouldn't have those things," when you know they are practical realities. So your version of libertarianism is, you import cheap labor, and let others pay for their health care and education? You know very well the wages these illegals are making can't possibly yield enough taxes to cover what they take.
Lou Dobb's remark was immature and classless, enough said about him. I am very happy that FOX has added you to the network that I watch, faithfully. I respect your work, John. and am looking forward to seeing more of it on FOX.
October 24, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Henry Blankett
Dobbs is correct, of course: outsourcing has absolutely destroyed the economic fabric of the United States. Even the Wall St. investing class who have made money hand-over-fist by pushing America's manufacturing capacity overseas to cheap-labor nations privately admit this. Only corporate stooges like John Stossel would publicly say otherwise.
John,
As you know, Lou is under fire by the left. He is trying to get some bonifides by attacking you. The more CNN viewers hear your name,the better.
Welcome to Fox - I always wanted to see & hear more of you when you were on that other station. Now it's your turn to SHINE at FOX!
October 24, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Jayr
Hi John, I am not an MSN fan, however I disagree with you.
When companies hire domestic labor, the wages represent the demand for new products that keep the economic cycle moving.
The overall effect of outsourcing is a decreased purchasing power of the economy which translates in layoffs and more imports, that althought cheaper, in the long term will make us dependent of the mood of a foreign economy.
October 24, 2009 at 10:19 pm
BJC49
John, you'll learn it's better to not even give the idiots the time of day. You're at FOX now so you are a target. I just listen to the clip put out by "Media Don't Give a $hit" on Breitbart and once I saw it was put out by them I knew it was crap. FOX ROCKS!!
October 24, 2009 at 10:03 pm
amjustsayin
JOHN!!!! welcome home! i wish all sorts of good things for you @ Fox . don't fall into the trap of your attackers though. you now have a bigger audience and everybody is gonna throw things at you just to get some attention.
can't wait to see an hour long (or more...) of some of those investigating reports you do :-)
October 24, 2009 at 9:54 pm
AJ
John,
The problem with this issue is that it is subject to so much demagoguery. I think it's one of the areas where libertarians often go off the rails in terms of public credibility, by suggesting that immigration should be unlimited, and immigration laws should not be enforced. It is similar to drug legalization. It's one thing to hold a purist view, but for libertarians to be a credible force, they have to also be at least marginally realistic about some of their less popular positions.
'Voter Fraud' bothers me. With all the latest tech we have today, why hasn't someone created a crime-free system? One that uses a person's birthday, zip code, ss# and a pin would allow us to use a phone or computer from anywhere in the world. If American Idol can take millions of votes in one night, we should be able to in one whole day. The only way to sign up is at your Post Office in person with your proof.
October 24, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Stossel-Hayek-Acton
John, when will you understand that you're the only reporter that matters today, seriously.
October 24, 2009 at 9:00 pm
PeteR..
John! It seems as though you fell into the "illegal" immigrant trap. As you mention, the MSM probably said he was against immigration. They say that about all people that are against illegal immigration. They purposefully confuse the two. If we want to debate about letting more immigrants into America legally, I'm all for it. But the ILLEGAL immigration must be stopped.
October 24, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Tdring
First Congrats on your new position at FOX Mr. Stossel, glad to see you here. Second Lou Dobbs who?
October 24, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Frank
John, welcome to Fox. People do not understand the difference between outsourcing and off-shoring. When you hire a company to do something you for you, you are outsourcing. When you hire a company outside of the US, you are off-shoring. Regardless, the problem arises when you combine off-shoring with bad domestic social/economic policy. If the US fixed its policies, off-shoring would fundamentally strengthen us. Instead, it only saves us from total collapse b/c of govt's excessive burden.
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.
Subscribe to Comments
2,431 views
J Downs
John, love ya, and consider myself a libertarian, but you are leaving out the cost of healthcare and education and in many cases social services for these immigrants. You can't just say, "we shouldn't have those things," when you know they are practical realities. So your version of libertarianism is, you import cheap labor, and let others pay for their health care and education? You know very well the wages these illegals are making can't possibly yield enough taxes to cover what they take.
Nancy Kowalczyk
Lou Dobb's remark was immature and classless, enough said about him. I am very happy that FOX has added you to the network that I watch, faithfully. I respect your work, John. and am looking forward to seeing more of it on FOX.
Henry Blankett
Dobbs is correct, of course: outsourcing has absolutely destroyed the economic fabric of the United States. Even the Wall St. investing class who have made money hand-over-fist by pushing America's manufacturing capacity overseas to cheap-labor nations privately admit this. Only corporate stooges like John Stossel would publicly say otherwise.
Bob Roberts
Who still watches Lou Dobbs?
Richard Allen
John, As you know, Lou is under fire by the left. He is trying to get some bonifides by attacking you. The more CNN viewers hear your name,the better. Welcome to Fox - I always wanted to see & hear more of you when you were on that other station. Now it's your turn to SHINE at FOX!
Jayr
Hi John, I am not an MSN fan, however I disagree with you. When companies hire domestic labor, the wages represent the demand for new products that keep the economic cycle moving. The overall effect of outsourcing is a decreased purchasing power of the economy which translates in layoffs and more imports, that althought cheaper, in the long term will make us dependent of the mood of a foreign economy.
BJC49
John, you'll learn it's better to not even give the idiots the time of day. You're at FOX now so you are a target. I just listen to the clip put out by "Media Don't Give a $hit" on Breitbart and once I saw it was put out by them I knew it was crap. FOX ROCKS!!
amjustsayin
JOHN!!!! welcome home! i wish all sorts of good things for you @ Fox . don't fall into the trap of your attackers though. you now have a bigger audience and everybody is gonna throw things at you just to get some attention. can't wait to see an hour long (or more...) of some of those investigating reports you do :-)
AJ
John, The problem with this issue is that it is subject to so much demagoguery. I think it's one of the areas where libertarians often go off the rails in terms of public credibility, by suggesting that immigration should be unlimited, and immigration laws should not be enforced. It is similar to drug legalization. It's one thing to hold a purist view, but for libertarians to be a credible force, they have to also be at least marginally realistic about some of their less popular positions.
Barbara
'Voter Fraud' bothers me. With all the latest tech we have today, why hasn't someone created a crime-free system? One that uses a person's birthday, zip code, ss# and a pin would allow us to use a phone or computer from anywhere in the world. If American Idol can take millions of votes in one night, we should be able to in one whole day. The only way to sign up is at your Post Office in person with your proof.
Stossel-Hayek-Acton
John, when will you understand that you're the only reporter that matters today, seriously.
PeteR..
John! It seems as though you fell into the "illegal" immigrant trap. As you mention, the MSM probably said he was against immigration. They say that about all people that are against illegal immigration. They purposefully confuse the two. If we want to debate about letting more immigrants into America legally, I'm all for it. But the ILLEGAL immigration must be stopped.
Tdring
First Congrats on your new position at FOX Mr. Stossel, glad to see you here. Second Lou Dobbs who?
Frank
John, welcome to Fox. People do not understand the difference between outsourcing and off-shoring. When you hire a company to do something you for you, you are outsourcing. When you hire a company outside of the US, you are off-shoring. Regardless, the problem arises when you combine off-shoring with bad domestic social/economic policy. If the US fixed its policies, off-shoring would fundamentally strengthen us. Instead, it only saves us from total collapse b/c of govt's excessive burden.