John Stossel, Author at Reason.com

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America Is in a Golden Age. Are We Headed Toward a Roman Ending?

"Once you have an ever-expanding system of entitlements that you can't afford, that's often the beginning of the decline and fall," says historian Johan Norberg.

John Stossel | 11.19.2025 1:35 PM

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Socialism

Trump Says He Hates Socialism. So Why Is He Acting Like a Socialist?

To support chipmaker Intel, the president used our money to buy 433 million shares of Intel stock. That's not a free market.

John Stossel | 11.12.2025 12:30 AM

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Corruption

The Government Shut Down His Dallas Small Business—for Someone Else's Crime

"Look at the corruption," says Dale Davenport. "Look how many city councilmen have gone to jail."

John Stossel | 11.5.2025 2:30 PM

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Free Speech

Trump Campaigned on Free Speech. That Isn't How He's Governed.

Politicians across the aisle love free speech—until they're in power.

John Stossel | 10.22.2025 2:05 PM

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Pets

States Are Banning Retail Sales of Dogs and Cats. It's Doing More Harm Than Good.

"By [activists'] own measurements, these bans aren't successful," says lobbyist Alyssa Miller-Hurley. "What they are successful at is fundraising."

John Stossel | 10.8.2025 2:50 PM

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Wealth

Young People Are Richer Than Boomers Were

Despite viral claims, a typical 25-year-old Gen Zer has annual household income that's 50 percent above Baby Boomers'.

John Stossel | 10.1.2025 11:30 AM

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Children

Jonathan Haidt: Kids Should Put Down the Phones and Take More Risks

"We're too afraid they'll get abducted," says the author of The Anxious Generation. "That sets kids up to be weaker."

John Stossel | 9.17.2025 2:40 PM

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Federal land management

The Feds Own Half the Western U.S.—and Can't Take Care of It

Selling just a fraction of the land would reduce our enormous debt.

John Stossel | 9.10.2025 12:55 PM

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Parental Rights

Should We Take More Kids From Their Homes or Fewer?

When children are abused, we want government to step in. But Child Protective Services sometimes goes too far.

John Stossel | 8.27.2025 6:13 PM

Cellphones

Do Phones Really Wreck Kids' Lives?

"If your kids went through puberty on a smartphone with social media, they came out different than human beings before that," argues psychologist Jonathan Haidt.

John Stossel | 8.20.2025 10:15 AM

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Socialism

The Next Wave of Socialist Politicians Will Bring Crisis, Not Change

From free buses to rent control, their big promises ignore the hard lessons of socialism’s failures.

John Stossel | 8.13.2025 4:26 PM

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Socialism

Zohran Mamdani's Socialist Vision for New York Is a Recipe for Disaster

Socialism doesn't bring a dignified life. On the contrary, it's wrecked lives wherever it's been tried.

John Stossel | 8.6.2025 2:35 PM

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Occupational Licensing

You Shouldn't Need a License to Talk

Occupational licensing can be useless, harmful—and even a threat to free speech.

John Stossel | 7.30.2025 11:36 PM

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Capitalism

The New Right's War on Capitalism

A growing number of conservatives agree with the left that free markets are to blame for society's ills.

John Stossel | 7.23.2025 1:35 PM

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Environmentalism

How Environmental Groups Use Hysteria To Get Rich—and Stop Progress

Most of Big E spends little on cleaning rivers or parks and far more on filing lawsuits.

John Stossel | 7.16.2025 6:47 AM

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Labor Unions

How the Teamsters Cost 30,000 People Their Jobs

UPS, Yellow Corporation, and Boeing all gave into union demands. Massive layoffs followed.

John Stossel | 7.9.2025 10:35 AM

The Statute of Liberty stands in front of the American flag | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Midjourney

4th of July

The Fourth of July Is a Celebration of Freedom—From Government

The belief that limited government best protects individual rights turned out to be America’s secret sauce.

John Stossel | 7.4.2025 12:01 AM

Eminent Domain

The Government Seized Her Home for a Project That Never Happened

Twenty years after Susette Kelo lost at the Supreme Court, the land where her house once stood is still an empty lot.

John Stossel | 6.18.2025 12:30 AM

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Culture War

The Rise of the Woke Right

Some conservatives are embracing the very trends they once mocked—including victimhood, cancel culture, and even struggle sessions.

John Stossel | 6.11.2025 12:30 AM

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Socialism

He Escaped North Korea—Twice. Now He Warns People About Socialism.

"Just go to North Korea for 10 days and you'll know how bad it is," says Charles Ryu.

John Stossel | 5.28.2025 12:30 AM

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School Choice

Competition Improves Services. So Why Not Apply That to Schools?

Government schools now spend about $20,000 per student.

John Stossel | 5.21.2025 11:50 AM

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Tariffs

3 Myths About Tariffs

"If this is the end of my American dream," says one small business owner, "I'm going to go down swinging."

John Stossel | 5.14.2025 12:30 AM

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Department of Education

Why Is There a Federal Education Department?

Despite the fearmongering from teachers unions, it's largely useless.

John Stossel | 5.7.2025 10:10 AM

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Big Government

The Government's Wars on Poverty and Drugs Had Good Intentions—but Bad Results

"All these government programs that regulate and control, they institutionalize mediocrity at best," argues Yaron Brook, head of the Ayn Rand Institute.

John Stossel | 4.30.2025 3:05 PM

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Climate Change

4 Apocalypses That Never Were

Climate change is real and may cause real problems. But media outlets keep pushing hysterical myths that don't materialize.

John Stossel | 4.23.2025 2:05 PM

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Climate Change

3 Apocalyptic Climate Change Predictions That Failed To Come True

Yes, the climate is warming. But, despite what you may have heard, we can deal with it.

John Stossel | 4.16.2025 12:30 AM

Gambling

Many Politicians Want To Ban Gambling. So Why Are They OK With State Lotteries?

Lottery ticket buyers are disproportionately poor, and the odds are very bad. But governments want the money.

John Stossel | 4.9.2025 1:15 AM

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Excessive Fines

The Government Threatened To Seize His Home Over Tall Grass

Bureaucrats in Dunedin, Florida, originally hit Jim Ficken with a fine close to $30,000. When he couldn't pay that, things turned dire.

John Stossel | 4.2.2025 1:11 AM

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Culture War

DEI Is Dying in the Private Sector

Diversity, equity, and inclusion sound good. But DEI programs divide people more than they empower.

John Stossel | 3.26.2025 11:30 AM

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Immigration

Immigrants Are a Boon to the U.S. Economy

Studies have continuously shown that migrants create more jobs than they destroy.

John Stossel | 3.19.2025 1:45 PM

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Taxes

Climate Activists Are Passing Laws To Tax the Past

A New York law demands fossil fuel companies pay $75 billion for carbon emissions dating back to the year 2000. Other Democrat-controlled states plan to follow suit.

John Stossel | 3.12.2025 3:40 PM

Europe

America Is Beating Europe

A popular narrative says Europeans are better off because of increased regulation. Reality paints a different picture.

John Stossel | 3.5.2025 7:15 AM

Socialism

Why Do 36 Percent of Americans Have a Positive View of Socialism?

Socialism promises many things and claims to prioritize people over profits. But what people actually get is different.

John Stossel | 2.26.2025 4:45 PM

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Entrepreneurship

Self-Interest Helps Everyone

Entrepreneurial greed is why we have iPhones, refrigerators, cars that usually work, supermarkets that stay open all night, and many of the things that make our lives better.

John Stossel | 2.12.2025 4:45 PM

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DOGE

America Is Going Broke. Will the Department of Government Efficiency Help?

Eliminating the deficit requires cutting the biggest spending—defense, Medicare, Social Security. So far, Trump says he won't touch those.

John Stossel | 2.5.2025 6:10 PM

Javier Milei

Javier Milei Promised To Take a 'Chainsaw' to Argentina's Government. It's Working.

Inflation and rent prices are down, and the country has a budget surplus.

John Stossel | 1.29.2025 3:50 PM

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ESG

Why Companies Are Ditching ESG

Many have started to recognize a need to focus on their core business rather than virtue-signaling.

John Stossel | 1.22.2025 4:15 PM

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Libertarianism

Can the Private Sector Really Replace All Government Functions?

I can't stand big government, but I think we need something. Michael Malice says I'm wrong.

John Stossel | 1.15.2025 12:40 PM

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Higher Education

Are Young People Depressed Because of What They Were Taught in College?

The Coddling of the American Mind, a new documentary based on the book of the same name, makes the case that destructive ideas in higher education are making people anxious.

John Stossel | 1.8.2025 5:20 PM