Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media
Working as a correspondent for 20/20 and Good Morning America, John Stossel confronted dozens of scam artists: from hacks who worked out of their basements to some of America's most powerful executives and leading politicians. His efforts shut down countless crooks — both famous and obscure. Then he realized what the real problem was.\ In Give Me a Break, Stossel takes on the regulators, lawyers, and politicians who thrive on our hysteria about risk and deceive the public in the name of...
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Working as a correspondent for 20/20 and Good Morning America, John Stossel confronted dozens of scam artists: from hacks who worked out of their basements to some of America's most powerful executives and leading politicians. His efforts shut down countless crooks — both famous and obscure. Then he realized what the real problem was.In Give Me a Break, Stossel takes on the regulators, lawyers, and politicians who thrive on our hysteria about risk and deceive the public in the name of safety. Drawing on his vast professional experience (as well as some personal ones), Stossel presents an engaging, witty, and thought-provoking argument about the beneficial powers of the free market and free speech. Publishers Weekly Stossel doesn't offer much detail about how he became "the first of the in-your-face TV consumer reporters," rushing through his career's start and then shifting to anecdotes from his experiences to illustrate how he reached the ideological conclusions that have given him a reputation as a rogue, a tag he both embraces and tries to shake here. Free markets are great, the 20/20 correspondent repeatedly tells readers, while government regulation stifles innovation and keeps consumers from gaining access to the best, safest products possible. Stossel calls out the federal government in particular, citing its "incompetence" and comparing the FDA to a "malignant tumor" (he also claims September 11 happened because "the FAA never asked for tighter security"). While Stossel describes himself as a libertarian, his comments on the liberal media establishment are reminiscent of those of outspoken conservative Bernard Goldberg. Many readers who nod in agreement when Stossel complains about the "totalitarian left," however, may find it harder to share his enthusiasm for extending personal liberty to include assisted suicide, legalized prostitution and dwarf-tossing. Stossel may be effective in small doses on 20/20, but his rhetorical strength diminishes when the print format requires him to go on at length. 16-page b&w photo insert not seen by PW. (Feb. 1) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
1.What Happened to Stossel?12.Confrontations133.Confusion274.Epiphany495.Scaring Ourselves to Death736.Junk Science and Junk Reporting977.Government1178.Welfare for the Rich1359.The Trouble with Lawyers15510.The Left Takes Notice17911.It's Not My Fault!20112.But What About the Poor?21713.Greed or Ambition?23914.Owning Your Body25515.Free Speech273Acknowledgments287Index289
\ Publishers WeeklyStossel doesn't offer much detail about how he became "the first of the in-your-face TV consumer reporters," rushing through his career's start and then shifting to anecdotes from his experiences to illustrate how he reached the ideological conclusions that have given him a reputation as a rogue, a tag he both embraces and tries to shake here. Free markets are great, the 20/20 correspondent repeatedly tells readers, while government regulation stifles innovation and keeps consumers from gaining access to the best, safest products possible. Stossel calls out the federal government in particular, citing its "incompetence" and comparing the FDA to a "malignant tumor" (he also claims September 11 happened because "the FAA never asked for tighter security"). While Stossel describes himself as a libertarian, his comments on the liberal media establishment are reminiscent of those of outspoken conservative Bernard Goldberg. Many readers who nod in agreement when Stossel complains about the "totalitarian left," however, may find it harder to share his enthusiasm for extending personal liberty to include assisted suicide, legalized prostitution and dwarf-tossing. Stossel may be effective in small doses on 20/20, but his rhetorical strength diminishes when the print format requires him to go on at length. 16-page b&w photo insert not seen by PW. (Feb. 1) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.\ \ \ \ \ Library JournalThis is an account by 20/20 coanchor Stossel of his migration from consumer advocate to cash-generating libertarian who campaigns against government regulation (including disability laws) in favor of freedom of the marketplace. His political shift is noticeable in both his programs and his writing, and his credibility and tactics are called into question by his detractors-particularly those on the Left. Yet Stossel points out things we forget, such as the relatively low risk posed by much of what alarms us, e.g., dying of dioxin poisoning. He convincingly posits that the federal government is too slow to respond to serious problems and suggests that corporations would do a better job of managing some tasks than the government does. Stossel's audience acceptance ratings continue to soar, and the network allows him considerable freedom because he generates income. His breezy, sarcastic television style is maintained in his writing. Recommended for public libraries and academic journalism or communication collections where there is interest.-Necia Parker-Gibson, Univ. of Arkansas Libs., Fayetteville Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.\ \
