John Stossel's move from ABC News to Fox News may be a blow to the popularization of Libertarianism, but Stossel may still spearhead a viable Libertarian presence on the air, and possibly a Fox revolution. by Gary Trieste
(libertarian)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Although I wish you well in your transition from the national on-the-air ABC News to the cable based Fox News, I am a bit saddened to see you go.
Your presence on the MSM ABC News was the only Libertarian oasis in a sea of statist reporting. I believe your public standing and prestige may suffer for moving to Fox, insofar that Fox is often viewed as an extremist right wing network.
My misgivings notwithstanding, I can understand why, on the whole, you are doing so. After 28 years of ABC ideological friction, it would appear that Fox News is willing to give you an unfettered platform to espouse the Libertarian viewpoint on matters big and small, in a way of depth and breadth never permitted on ABC.
And it is true that Andrew Neopolitano has been treated fairly and been given free reign to espouse undiluted Libertarian perspectives (albeit not in prime time), and that respect bodes well for you. Additionally as a counterpoint to his show, your style is more intellectual and educational than Andrew's, and it will well fill in the innate substance of Libertarianism, in contrast to his more practical outraged-man-in-the-street approach.
After settling into the rote program dynamics of your new media home, I respectfully submit my fervent recommendation to you and in the furtherance of Libertarian cause and the public view thereof; I urge the affirmative and thematic distinction be pressed in your presentations, of the viewpoint, precepts, and applied theory of Libertarianism from the Fox News' incumbent, extremist Right wing, neocon philosophy and political stance .
Republicans, now on political defensive, seek to subsume Libertarianism and its refreshing youthful energy as just an idealistic branch of Republicanism.
In the public mind, Libertarianism is becoming to look like neocon-lite. The average person does not know or understand that the conclusions wrought from Republican political theory and those wrought from Libertarian political theory stem from two very different pedigrees.
It is thus imperative to emphasize at every turn, the significant differences between Libertarianism and the current incarnation of right-wing, (neo)conservative, Republicanism.
Things like legal gay marriage, cross-the-board drug legalization, legalized prostitution, unregulated gambling, stem-cell research (and arguably abortion), our anti-war sentiment and the pulling out of military oversea bases, separation of church and state, pro-immigration viewpoints, competing legal tenders, and more.
These are uber contrare from Fox News and neocon perspectives, and would serve to show that Libertarianism is radically not neocon or Republican.
Populist Republicans are skimming truths off the surface of Libertarianism - ignoring or sidestepping where and how those derivitive truths evolved from Libertarian fundamentals - and then aligning themselves with it to exploit the spirit, energy and community of Libertarianism. Then, using that platform, they sneak in a plethora of other political ideas that simply are not libertarian, effectuating heresy on the uninformed and corrupting our public image.
John, if you are going to enter the belly of the dragon that is Fox News, then you should take your vantage point, that will be so close to the dragon's heart, and use it to its best benefit - educating (or re-educating) all the lost souls that have consumed Fox's party-line sophistry, and give them a real basis for believing in liberty - not one supported only by charismatic talking heads, but based on real philosophical fundamentals that don't change with the prevailing opinion or the political power du jour.
You can further correct the misdirection of neocons' effort at commandeering the liberty movement as one of rightwing Republicanism. Re-cast it properly as a Libertarian one.
My reluctance to participate in the political tea parties is exactly due to this, I don't want to appear to blindly support the Republican Party's reactionary opposition to all things Obama or Democrat.
I too have issues with both, but it is not caused by or cast from the same mold as the Republicans, as I am sure you can empathize, both of us being Libertarians.
In sum John, although you will lose your national podium as a major newsprogram anchor, please do take advantage of your expanded ability to say what you have wanted to say; convert the majority viewership of Fox from statist step-in-time sheep, to flexible passionate liberty loving freethinkers, whose allegience is not to a party, but rather to a cause and mission to liberty.
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As the MSM continues to disintergrate, it is prudent that those who have been supporters of Stossel's message have more of an unbiased forum to see and hear his message. By and large the neocons and extreme right wingers on Fox are the same ones there that have been that way all along. I think that Fox has rebalanced to include more programming toward independent and Libertarian thinking. Your example of the Judge, along with Glenn Beck and even I guess that confused professed Independent O'Reilly. Now Stossel I think confirms that move. Moreover, cable television permeates most of the country now and it could be argued effectively competes with the reach of the MSM networks. For the most part and relatively speaking, if you pick your programs, you can get a pretty balanced view there.
Posted By: Jahfre Fire Eater
Date: 2009-09-28 19:28:13
Hi Gary,
 I don't watch TV so my making a comment about the core of this article would be akin to your making comments about Republicans attempting to subsume Libertarians "movement". As a very active and involved Republican I can tell you I have not yet met a single effective Republican who cares, at all, what any Libertarians say or do, including myself. Third party members and independents have chosen self-marginalization. Every last Republican I know is just fine with that. Only Libertarians see this "refreshing youthful energy" as anything other misdirected idealism and self-righteous futility.
Anyone who preaches liberty and individualism from the comfort of a self-chosen and politically ineffective herd is not offering anything useful that anyone from the most powerful political force the world has ever seen would want to subsume, emulate or commandeer.
I agree with your list of positions that identify neons and fundamentalist right-wingers who now control the GOP. That list is certainly out of alignment with individual liberty, limited government the rule of law and free enterprise which comprise the core of political conservatism.
However, these things are no more out of alignment than a Libertarian waxing philosophical on the fallacious notion of a "public mind". Come on. You can't have it both ways. In that statement you exhibit the same kind of self-serving group-think as many other libertarians here at Nolan Chart.com.
The only way to get the Republican party to adopt a more liberty oriented platform is for liberty advocates and defenders to commandeer that party; to wrest control from the liberals who now run it. I know it's scary to stand alone in a sea of hateful big government Christian war mongers because I do it all the time and it sucks. They are certainly NOT embracing my refreshingly youthful energy. They are determined to convince me to go sit comfortably with the rest of the useless liberty talkers. Running away to sing with a friendly choir rather than doing anything to actually affect change in those positions is the hallmark of LP membership. You are simply fooling yourself if you think anyone who is active in the GOP wants ANY of that futility in their party.
Yes, there are other herd-forming factions such as the Glen Beck herd and the Alex Jones herd who will manipulate as many emotions and fears as their play-acting nonsense and theatrics can touch. Those folks are adept at preying on the LP herd for personal financial gain and their own insatiable ego stroking, but in the end, if they cannot turn out real voters for GOP primaries in support of properly groomed liberty defending candidates they aren't worth spit with regard to the defense of liberty.
Some folks think I am anti-LP but the truth is, I don't care about that herd any more than I care about any other herd. I am only interested in individuals acting as individuals in the struggle for the defense of liberty. They are far and few between. I don't want to disband the LP or even discourage people from joining it. I only aim to make it clear to those who eventually realize the uselessness of such a choice in the realm of effective political acts that there is a way for them to become effective defenders of liberty. For most LP members, the LP is absolutely the perfect place for them to be. I hope they stay there, happy in their self-imposed assimilation into the "libertarian mind" to use a phrase you're comfortable with. I see no use for them elsewhere. Â
The only threat to the neocons, the socialists and the progressive liberals is a single person acting openly and effectively to defend their liberty as an individual. Sign wavers, curbside chanters, meeting disrupters and ideologues are simply irrelevant and the opponents of liberty love to encourage them to remain so. I challenge individuals to step out of the herd and stand up for themselves where it matters, in every local public meeting from fire district boards, school boards, city council and monthly GOP meetings. They must challenge and groom candidates, challenge the status quo leadership and lead by example, not by accusation, innuendo and self-righteous group-think. Anyone who is not doing these things every single week may as well just stay home and watch John Stossel on whatever programming channel they find acceptable to their futility.
Hey, isn't it time to shift that recliner into the "LP" (libertarian position) and tune to the Stossel show?
Posted By: David S. McQueen
Date: 2009-09-29 14:22:33
Moving to Fox News Channel is "into the belly of the dragon"? What do you call ABC, then? ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN are all in the tank for Obama-ism. They ignored the ACORN story (until they couldn't) and they carry Obama's water every chance they get. Sure, O'Reilly is a populist but not everyone is perfect. He gets it right more often than not. And much better than the leftist-loving networks and CNN.Â
So, to Libertarians, ABC is middle of the road and Fox is far right? No wonder you in the LP can't get elected.
So, to Libertarians, ABC is middle of the road and Fox is far right? No wonder you in the LP can't get elected.
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I dont know where you read that but that wasn't his point at all. His point is that Stossel could be marginizied by the neocon right on Fox. Its easy to stand up to the Liberal pack, standing up the the Neocons is a whole different ball game. How will the neocon elite on Fox react when Stossel tells his views on the war on drugs, gay marriage, prostitution, foreign policy?
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Take George Will for example, his recent article questioning the mission in Afghanistan earned him a nice assault on his patriotism from statist conservatives like Mark Levin and others. Stossel could be in for the same type of ire if the statists hear him say things they dont like on their network.
Oh and I find your snark about LP cute and foolish, try running under a Third Party or as an Independent and see how far you can go until the Republicrats decide to knock you off the ballot via a technicality that wouldnt apply to them.
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