Reason Writers on TV: Matt Welch on John Stossel Talking Airline Regulation and More

On May 6, Reason Editor in Chief Matt Welch appeared on John Stossel's Fox Business show, talking about proposed regulation of airline carry-on fees, and taking questions from the studio audience. Whole edited segment, including some discussion about unpaid internships and libertarianism, clocks in at around 9 and a half minutes.

Comments

[Tman]

"A libertarian audience"

Be still my beating heart. Keep up the great work Reasonoids and three cheers to Stossel for doing more to advance libertarian ideals than any other TV personality in recent memory.

[AA]

There is hope.

+1

[Edna]

Jesus Bald Headed Christ, can't Reason do better that low-brow Fox Fucking News? I mean, Fuck! Don't libertarian have any fucking self-respect? Fox Fucking News is for right-wing loony fuckwits like Glen Beck, for fuck's sake, not for libertarian fucking intellectuals. Let's raise the fucking tone a bit. How about a some fucking sophistication on the right? Does the fucking left fucking own intellectual respectability? Can you imagine Paul Krugman stooping to appear on Fox Fucking News?

[Tman]

If you want to see more exposure for libertarian journalists on TV then you want to be on the station that has the highest viewership, and that is Fox.

It isn't a coincidence that ABC let Stossel go. He didn't fit the narrative over there.

Fox wouldn't ask Krugman to come on their programs because they don't need to put people on who are constantly wrong.

[Krugman]

No, they actually offered me a bunch of money to replace Colmes, but I couldn't bear having to find new friends. Everyone I know thinks Roger Ailes, along with Bush, Rove, Cheney, Beck, Limbaugh, is the spawn of Satan.

Thank you for saying I'm constantly right! I love this site!

[sage]

The best libertarian channel out there is not on television. And it has a ways to go before it reaches critical mass. Until then, getting millions of pairs of eyeballs is nothing to sneeze at.

[&]

Yo Edna. Fuck off.

[ironymonger]

(psst, it was a joke)

[Jman]

Do anyone think any other network besides Fox would present the Libertarian view? Don't bite the hands that feeds you. At least a voice is heard with the rhetoric which is more than any other channel.

[BakedPenguin]

While I have my issues with Fox, this is unfortunately true.

[Old Mexican]

The only reason I am considering subscribing to Fox Business News is to watch Stossel.

[Sudden]

WTF? Checking luggage or having multiple carryon bags weighing over x # of lbs is a fundamental right?!?

Once we start defining that shit as fundamental rights, we are officially fucked. America jumped the shark.

[Max]

Doesn't that issue wonk Sarah Palin do analysis for Fox?

[FOX News]

Shhh! We're slowly phasing her out, hoping that nobody notices.

And you didn't hear that from me.

[PIRS]

I must say, there may be something to this. I have not seen her on that network in quite some time. I think she disapointed them.

[sage]

Well, I thought they presented the arguement against paying for carry-on luggage pretty well.

It's helpful to stick with issues that have people angry with our leaders, and the luggage thing isn't one of them, but they beat it down nicely.