Friday, March 13, Bailouts, Big Spending, and Bull!: Drew Carey & Reason.tv in a 20/20 Special With John Stossel! Plus Live Stream at Reason.com!

In his next 20/20 special, John Stossel takes his shovel to "Bailouts, Big Spending, and Bull" with segments about the crackdown on medical marijuana, universal preschool, traffic congestion, eminent domain, border walls, and the myth of the struggling middle class—all inspired by Drew Carey's award-winning Reason.tv videos. Featuring a special appearance by Drew Carey himself.

Click here or on the image above to see ABC's promo video for the special.

Air date is Friday, March 13 on ABC (check local listings).

And tune into Reason.com at 8.30PM ET for a fast-paced, pre-show discussion of the issues at hand hosted by Reason's Nick Gillespie. We'll be streaming live from our D.C. offices. For details on that, go here.

For more background and to view the six Reason.tv episodes that inspired the show, go here.

Go here to watch video, download audio, and read a transcript of Reason.tv's new interview with John Stossel.

And click below to watch excerpts of the Biography Channel's new documentary on Drew Carey and his involvement with Reason.

Comments

[affenkopf]

Pefect time for a show about "the myth of the struggling middle class".

[blargh]

Obama has already said he won't be arresting people for medical marijuana anymore. Who cares, i think we should execute all DEA agents anyways. Government is a bunch of criminals and idiots.

[Taktix?]

In a sea of moronic newscasters, it's nice to know we have at least one ally who's not a blithering idiot...

[Bob]

I hope they name the show in the way that Penn Jillette referenced his TV show when he was on CBS radio: bulls' *clap* hit.

[Rosa Luxemborg]

So the John Birch Society, RightWing think tanks like Reason and the Cato Foundation, and Santelli's planted-scripted rant on CNBC aren't enough mischief-making for the Koch crime family.
Now they are going after ABC News where "journalist" Jack Tapper is already outdoing Faux News in trying to undermine Obama's agenda for America.

[Taktix?]

Rosa Luxemborg,

Do whut now?

[Markus]

Just what we need - two rich white guys telling us how wonderful everything is while the economy goes to hell.

[mantooth]

Hooray for minor celebrities!

[Some Other Guy]

You guys do realize that Drew Carey is creepy and the only other guy wearing a stache like that is Geraldo?

[Famous Mortimer]

Is anything ever wrong in a Libertarian's mind, except taxes and those meddlesome kids?

The "myth of the struggling middle class?" They can't be serious. Stossel has always made me uncomfortable. Besides having the personality of a thumbtack, his android-like persona makes it difficult for me to take him seriously when he annoyingly snarks "Give me a break."

Celebrity Libertarians are always a gas.

[Naga Sadow]

Famous Mortimer,

A guy who more or less reports POSITIVELY about society makes you uncomfortable? You sad, miserable fuck, you!

*shakes fist at Famous Mortimer*

[R C Dean]

The "myth of the struggling middle class?"

Sure. The middle class is better off now than it was ten or twenty years ago. Very few members of the middle class are unemployed, and virtually none of them are about to lose their house. Those that are struggling likely are doing so because of their decision to overextend their credit.

[Ari]

The guide data on my TiVo for the 3/13 episode of 20/20 says "Investigative reporting. (Repeat)." I'm setting it to record anyway, but here's hoping it airs.

[Jeff Balla]

I guess ABC didn't like "Bullshit in America".

[Famous Mortimer]

"Sure. The middle class is better off now than it was ten or twenty years ago. Very few members of the middle class are unemployed, and virtually none of them are about to lose their house. Those that are struggling likely are doing so because of their decision to overextend their credit."

Is this what passes for critical thinking around here? If so, then it explains a lot. Another wonderful "Deanism." Where are your numbers? Let's see how the cherry picking is carried out. I can't wait for a sample of these Libertarian statistics, which always seem to prove everybody else wrong.

Talk about out of touch.

"Struggle" is a relative term, and regardless of what condition other generations were in, it says little about people's current situation. Seven people I know have lost their jobs, and people within my family have essentially had their pensions cut in half, and future cuts are expected to come.

Also, in case you haven't noticed, we are in a credit crisis, which is hardly only relevant to those who overextended their credit. This is typical Libertarian Land economics meant to try and soothe any attitudes that may be antagonists toward their philosophy.

"A guy who more or less reports POSITIVELY about society makes you uncomfortable? You sad, miserable fuck, you!"

There's are always so much bitterness, and hate displayed on this forum. Oh, well, when in Rome.

I don't care about positivity, or negativity in reporting. I care about accuracy. If you need to have an android with a mustache feed you bullshit to keep you passive, then by all means, believe.

Months ago, people on this forum seemed pretty certain that talk about a great economic disaster was all a bunch of hyperbole, and we see how accurate those predictions were.

The reality is, the prominent personalities on this site have a pretty dismal record when it comes to making predictions.

Archives are a bitch.

[Taktix?]

Way to shamelessly repost, guys!

[Xeones]

Way to shamelessly repost, guys!

Hey, at least it lured joe-understudy Famous Mortimer out of whatever crumbling bridge he's been hiding under. Too bad he's so much less entertaining (and -- dare i say -- sassy?) than his mentor.

[Pro Libertate]

Stossel, TC, Rick, and Higgie Baby. Good times.

[Ben]

Drew Carey lost all credibility with me when he supported Barack Obama for president, the most far left candidate to be elected president. I guess he wanted to still be liked by his Hollywood friends, but still its not has if didn't know what he supporting.

[Naga Sadow]

Ben you fool! You'll blow Carey's cover! It's only a matter of time before Geithner figures a big spinning wheel will accomplish the same results as him working real hard. And who will be in charge of the big spinning wheel? Who knows all about a big spinning wheel? None other than Drew fucking Carey! Then there shall be real HOPE and CHANGE!

[It Ain\'t Your Money To Spend]

http://kathleensings.com/

[It Ain\'t Your Money To Spend]

"Famous Mortimer"

Are you that mouse poser who was trying to pass himself off as a Brit a few nights ago?

[Enyap]

Mortimer, are you fucking kidding me with your claim of libertarians seeing claims of a economic disaster as hyperbole. Libertarians have been going on for years, does the name Peter

[Enyap]

shit accidentally posted

[Enyap]

Libertarians have been going on for years about the coming economic crisis, does the name Peter Schiff ring a bell. Of course your probably an idiot who thinks hannity represents the views of libertarians.

[Orange Line Special]

The good thing - actually, the great! thing - about libruhtarians on TV is that it exposes them to a wider audience. That means that, when the revolution comes, the people will start looking for the libruhtarians first.

[Orange Line Special]

Oh, wait, I forgot. Libruhtarians don't have to worry about the impacts of their policies, because they've got a pirate. And, a holographic shield.

What's that you say? Those were just fictional creations of a loon?

Uh-oh.

[MarijuanaLobby]

See how much our Cities, States, Country and households could save on taxes if Marijuana were decriminalized, then sign the petition:
MarijuanaLobby.org Change we can engage in...

[Anonymous]

it exposes them to a wider audience

Well, if the thing about Drew's choice for president is true (I haven't bothered checking), then yes, there is some bad thinking that would be exposed. A surprisingly large proportion of the "libertarians" that write and comment here do tend to have a curiously Leftist statist streak, which is distastful.

Can't you just say that?

[Brandybuck]

Yes, the middle class is struggling. But so are the lower and upper classes. The suspect the point Drew and John will make is that the middle class isn't bearing the brunt of the bad economy. 10% unemployment sucks, but it sucks a hell of a lot more for the poor than it does for the middle class.

[Nittany Cat]

"MarijuanaLobby.org"

A name like that has the potential to be spun as evil. I suggest the organization be renamed tokeon.org

[ydk]

I've got news...for the last 7 or 8 years living standards have NOT been on the rise, they have been declining for the majority of the "middle class." Personally, my income is 10% of what it was in 2000. Most others I know are not in quite the same boat, but our home values have fallen substantially, food is up 20% to 50% (depending on the product), and in general incomes have declined.

[????]

"Personally, my income is 10% of what it was in 2000."

Mine has tripled. You must be doing it wrong.

[TofuSushi]

Famous Mortimer,

They are attacking you for speaking the truth. Just like they did to Che, Fidel, FDR and Stalin.

[FUCK YOU]

your all fucking weak cunts

[NAL]

Was that "Nickel and Dimed" lady the picture of a snooty elitist liberal or what?

...for the last 7 or 8 years living standards have NOT been on the rise

Yet, somehow everyone and their brother has a cellphone, internet, computer, cable or satellite TV, car (that overall is safer and more reliable), and (according to the surgeon general) has a ~50% likelihood of being overweight from eating too much and leading too convenient a lifestyle. Americans have gotten so soft and spoiled.

[alphaQuad]

FDA, DEA, drug companies, etc, poison you and prohibit all real natural medicine.

Fluoride is their main weapon!

Non-human toxicity excerpts : acute poisoning if sufficient fluoride is absorbed ... fluoride ion increases capillary permeability and also produces a coagulation defect. these actions lead to hemorrhagic gastroenteritis & hemorrhages. congestion. & edema in various organs incl the brain. clinical manifestations ... include excitability. muscle tremors. weakness. urination. defecation. salivation. emesis . sudden collapse. clonic convulsions. coma. & death due to resp & cardiac failure. cyanosis & early rigor mortis ... fluoride Ref: Booth, N.H., L.E. McDonald (eds.). Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 5th ed. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1982. 1014 The FDA uses fluoride on people who could otherwise be treated with real medicine.

http://members.aceweb.com/alphaquad/page.html

A review would put us on the same page about which type of drugs should NEVER be prescribed. Fluorine atoms have the highest electronegativity of all atoms. Fluoride ion increases capillary permeability and with edema comes damage. Which I'd suggest is only one way fluoride damages the CNS.

I had many on-line chats with fluoride victims and the consensus seems to be, "When I took Paxil, I felt like killing somebody". The complex neurological system depends on transmitters of a particular charge and throwing Halogens, especially the most negative of all fluorine in there, the resulting side-effects can be disastrous. Fluvoxamine Victims -> c15 f3 h21 n2 o2

[alphaQ]

It cut me off last post - here's the remainder

Fluvoxamine Victims -> c15 f3 h21 n2 o2

[alphaQuad]

what the hell?!?!?!?

Fluvoxamine Victims - c15 f3 h21 n2 o2 - Columbine's Eric Harris, Cho Seung-Hui at Virginia Tech, NIU's Kazmierczak

Feeling thirsty yet?

^Four epidemiological studies have noted a correlation between increased fluoride and low IQ.[26]:205-223 The most rigorous of these compared an area with mean water concentration of 0.36 ? 0.15 mg/L (range 0.18-0.76 mg/L) to an area with 2.47 ? 0.79 mg/L (range 0.57-4.50 milligrams per liter [mg/L]).

[alphaQuad]

Proven Medicinal Qualities of Cannabis

Neuro-Protector
Immune System Stimulant
Pain Reliever
Expectorant if Smoked

Cigarettes are less likely to kill you if you also smoke weed.

Government = Pure Killing Profiteering Evil

[Di]

Great Job John & Drew Carrey!Finally, a news report on what's really going on, instead of scare-tactic news!

[Pavel Goberman]

Nation has many problems. Why? Who are we are blaming for it? Blame yourselves: politicians are buying elections and you vote for them and an idiots get elected that create a danger to our national security.

Pavel Goberman - Candidate for US Senator against moRon Wyden.

[alphaQuad]

To: Pavel Goberman

Of all the grand ideas, Democracy does not work. With mass nonvoting apathy, election fraud is much too simple. Also criminals in government decide for whom we vote. Though there are others seeking election that may serve the people, the moronic majority votes for quantity of air time given to the douche bag or the turd sandwich.

And Diebold voted for Bush not the people.

"Blame yourselves". You twit, you are talking to a minority of people who have the capacity to care. Blame the gods for drowning a few decent people in a sea mental midgets toasted the IQ reducer fluoride, all the while doing nothing make a difference.

Now thats what I call hopelessness. Even if the people voted intelligence, those who count the votes would nullify it.

Kill yourself now, its the only hope.

[alphaQuad]

Mythology is no myth, and this 100,000-year "experiment" is the result of a 400,000-year Orion reign.

9 years remain to total hopelessness, when the Orion Mother Ships return.

You smirk now, but soon your smirk will wiped away to tears. All will become genetic experimentation fodder or a menu item. That's how much the gods care for humanity.

[hagbard]

Really should have had someone like Peter Schiff on. The only reason the middle class is doing well the past few years is their living on borrowed money. That's coming to and end. Also left out is the fact that the modern middle class family is dependent on two incomes. Try running that last segment next year.

[alphaQuad]

This a war! That's why they call it a "Drug War".

The Government is winning because people don't have the spine to own a gun or to pull a trigger to fight back. By how many do we out number them?

This war should have been won 50 years ago but wasn't due to spinelessness and fair nature.

[alphaQuad]

Suicide is weak; it takes strength to go on living. What pity-pot was that suicide victim sitting on? Mad at the world when no one has a right to be mad at the world. God will never forgive you.

We've all heard it before, all of it, a programmed manipulation into powerlessness.

Now the real picture:

It takes courage to end your life, especially if you have no sense of your real self, no sense of the Grand Illusion, and no sense of destination. In fact, it takes more courage to kill yourself than to go on struggling when you are too dense to perceive any reality other than this pathetic existence.

You have every right to be angry. Anger can bring magnificent and wonderful change if expressed appropriately so it doesn't hurt others.

He is a she and if Goddess didn't eternally forgive you, there would be eternal hopelessness and despair. It is only humans that lack forgiveness, as in SELF-forgiveness for being a fool and leaping without looking, damning and dooming their own pathetic wretch to erroneous belief systems.

[van]

Wow-
For a bunch of people commenting on a LIBERTARIAN site, there sure are a lot of neocons and neofascists infecting this page.

Go back to your right wing and left wing rags, go whine and cry somewhere else. Why are you starting to moan here- your own parties won't listen to you anymore? Don't bring all the 'woe is me' here; leave this site alone- leave it to the REASONABLE people.

[alphaQuad]

Note that "van" has nothing to offer, just more complaining. Just another hypocrite toasted on the IQ reducer fluoride lacking the intelligence to make a difference.