John Stossel stories

Now abortion law is up to states. Some will ban it, while most blue states will allow it in some form. Because libertarians want government out of our lives, people assume we are pro-choice. Some of us are. But like the rest of America, there are principled libertarians on both...

Rents have reached record highs. But have no fear, renters! In the Minnesota cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, progressives persuaded people to vote for rent control. That’ll punish those greedy landlords! Except, profits are what persuade builders to build things. When profits are high, other builders build. That’s what...

The president now brags that he cut the deficit! “We’re on track,” he says, to have “the biggest decline in a single year ever in American history.” It’s actually true. But utterly deceitful. President Biden’s deficit will be down from last year, but that’s only because he spent such gargantuan...

Parents still struggle to find baby formula. The left and most media (sorry, same thing?) blame “corporate power run amok.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says, “There might be a need for indictment!” They blame Abbott Laboratories, because it shut down a Similac plant. The Food and Drug Administration says unsanitary...

Planning to fly this summer? Good luck. Delays are up. Cancellations, too. Why? Because of the pilot shortage. A pilot shortage? How can this be? Flying is a popular job. Some people fly small planes just for fun. Why aren’t there enough commercial pilots? Because the government passed another dumb...

The price of gas keeps rising. “The reason for that is because of Putin’s war,” said President Biden. But that’s impossible. Most of the price rise came before Putin attacked Ukraine. So some politicians simply blame “corporate greed.” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse accuses the oil industry of collecting “excess profit.” Sen....

Activists have convinced Americans “organic” food is better — healthier, better-tasting, life-extending. As a result, poor parents feel guilty if they can’t afford to pay $7 for organic eggs. This misinformation is spread by people like Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director of the Organic Consumers Association. She says organic food is...

Did you know that in some states, if you miss one tax payment, local politicians will take your home, sell it and keep all the profits? Really. Tawanda Hall was behind on her taxes. She was on a payment plan but had missed $900. She didn’t expect Southfield, Mich., to...

I love Wikipedia. I donated thousands of dollars to the Wikimedia Foundation. Before Wikipedia, all we had were printed encyclopedias — out of date by the time we bought them. Then libertarian Jimmy Wales came up with a web-based, crowd-sourced encyclopedia. Crowd-sourced? A Britannica editor called Wikipedia “a public restroom.”...

The media’s ignorance about basic economics is galling. I expect it from politicians. I expect it from The New York Times. But it’s sad to see in the New York Post, my town’s rare alternative to Democrat media. Recently, the tabloid freaked out over higher prices imposed by ride-share companies....

Millions flee Ukraine. Where will they go? Some want to come to America. But doing that legally is hard. A complex system is supposed to determine which people deserve to get in line to get in. “The line is broken,” explains Reason Magazine editor at large Matt Welch. For example,...

The “Greens” promise renewables, solar and wind power, will replace fossil fuels. After all, the wind and sun are free, and they don’t pollute! Oops. Now countries that embraced renewables are so desperate for power that they eagerly import coal, the worst polluter of all! Do they apologize? No. Greens...

I dislike politicians. I don’t trust people who are so desperately eager to run others’ lives. But former Rep. Ron Paul is different. He wants government to leave us alone. He promoted the benefits of limited government and free markets long before I’d even thought about them. Paul ran for...

Russia’s invasion revealed big differences in how politicians deal with threats. The president of Ukraine, when offered evacuation, said, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” He’s a leader. By contrast, in Canada a few weeks before, when truckers staged a protest against covid-19 rules, the cowardly Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...

President Biden just gave his State of the Union Address. Here’s what I wish Biden said: “Russia’s unwarranted invasion of Ukraine reminds us why it’s crucial that America’s military remains strong, and focused on defense, not distractions like gender equity. “I stand with the people of Ukraine, and I will...

The American Medical Association now tells doctors: Use woke language! It’s issued a 54-page guide telling doctors things like, don’t say “equality”; say “equity.” Don’t say “minority”; say “historically marginalized.” Much of the AMA’s advisory sounds like Marxism: “Expose … property rights … Individualism is problematic … Corporations … limit...

Joe Rogan is amazing. Five years ago, I left Fox to start Stossel TV. I left because I was frustrated by live TV. Guests talked so much but said little. I now produce videos like the ones I used to do on “20/20.” I like having a month or more...

Companies tell us they support justice. “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” says former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in a Nike ad. “Speak for the people who may not be able to be heard,” says the NBA. “Corporate PR hogwash,” says journalist Melissa Chen. “Hogwash,” she says,...

Inflation is the worst in 40 years. The price of cars is up 37%. Gas is up 49%. During the last few years, as politicians spent ever more money, experts told us not to worry. Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, said inflation would be “transitory.” Treasury Secretary Janet...

San Francisco’s liberal mayor declared a “state of emergency” to try to deal with the city’s “nasty streets.” How did it get so bad? Journalist Michael Shellenberger’s new book, “San Fransicko,” argues that it happened because of progressive ideas. “The town I love is sick,” says Shellenberger. He came to...

Omicron spreads. The media say, “Governments must act!” Many have, bringing back mask mandates and closing schools. Do these rules work? No. Florida’s approach is better. Gov. Ron DeSantis ended pandemic restrictions last spring and refuses to impose new ones. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over...

Glenn Youngkin recently was elected Virginia’s governor partly because he promised to ban teaching of CRT. CRT stands for critical race theory, which argues that every American institution upholds white supremacy. Before Youngkin’s surprise victory, the media mocked him for complaining about CRT. NBC’s Nicolle Wallace said it isn’t even...

Independents are now America’s largest group of voters. After George Bush’s presidency, fewer people called themselves Republicans. After Obama’s, fewer called themselves Democrats. How will these independents vote? Andrew Yang hopes they’ll vote for him. In my latest video, the former Democrat explains why he’s started a new party, the...

It’s the season for giving. I’ll give. This week I’ll donate to the Doe Fund, a charity that helps drug users and ex-cons find purpose in life through work. “Work works!” they say. It sure does. Most Doe Fund workers find more joy in supporting themselves than they ever found...

When people criticize Dr. Anthony Fauci, he says: “They’re really criticizing science. Because I represent science.” Pretty arrogant. I assume Fauci is a top-notch scientist. My brother worked with him at the National Institutes of Health and respected him. But power tends to corrupt, and Fauci has been given a...