Thread: BORDER FENCE TO BE ATTACKED ON "20/20" TONIGHT

See Paragraph 5: "RUN FOR THE BORDER"

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
ABC Television Network
PRESS RELEASE - ENTERTAINMENT -
BAILOUTS AND BULL, A JOHN STOSSEL REPORT, ON 20/20 (3/13)

"BAILOUTS AND BULL," A JOHN STOSSEL REPORT, ON "20/20" FRIDAY, MARCH 13

From the stimulus and bailout to claims that America is no longer the "land of opportunity," from the controversy surrounding a border wall to the government's plans for Universal Pre-K, from fixing killer commutes to medical marijuana, John Stossel teams up with Drew Carey and Reason TV to report on "Bailouts and Bull." The hour report airs on "20/20," FRIDAY, MARCH 13 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The Conceit of the Ruling Class: Politicians and pundits say government must do "something" to "fix" the economy. While politicians claim that "all" or a "consensus" of economists agree that something "big" must be done, more than 300 economists say that the government's actions do more harm than good. Stossel interviews some, calculates the amount per taxpayer the stimulus costs (about $16,000), and asks lawmakers: Where will you get the money? If debt and wild lending was a problem, why is it now a solution? Why do politicians know better than I how my money should be spent?

Land of Opportunity: Even before the current recession, we were told that the American dream was out of reach for many. Arthur Brooks of The American Enterprise Institute says: Don't believe the doom and gloom -- wages and living standards have been on the rise since the 1950s. Despite what folks like Barbara Ehrenreich claim ("It is definitely harder to be middle class today than it was a generation ago"), the American dream is alive and well. Ehrenreich published "Nickel and Dimed," a bestseller that argues that it's almost impossible for an entry level worker to make it in America. College student Adam Shepard decided to test that theory. He picked a city out of a hat and went there with $25 in his pocket and told no one of his college degree. Soon he had a job, an apartment, enough savings to buy a used truck and thousands of dollars in the bank. He says he thinks Barbara Ehrenreich "wanted to fail."

UNIVERSAL PRE-K: President Obama's campaign promise sounds great: let's help preschoolers get a strong start in school. But Stossel asks: should that be the job of our government? President Obama says, "We'll see a $10 return for every dollar we spend." Stossel investigates those statistics. States like Oklahoma and Georgia have already spent billions on universal Pre-K, and what do they have to show for it? He reports that even the famous Head Start program turns out to have no noticeable effect by grade 4. Dumping more money into an already failing public school system? Stossel says, "Give me a break."

RUN FOR THE BORDER: Do you sleep better at night knowing there's an expensive fence on America's southern border? Will a giant wall really secure our country? So far, those wanting to come here just go around the wall, or climb over it, or cut holes in it. If we further reinforce the entire southern border, then what about Canada? And what about the miles of east and west coast beaches? Will we patrol our coastline with machine guns? In fact, half the illegals in America entered legally by using tourist or student visas, then staying after their visas expired.

Killer commute: Got traffic on your morning commute? It's only going to get worse. Drew Carey and John Stossel profile commuters who have terrible commutes. Wouldn't traffic flow better if we had some extra lanes on the freeway or new roads? Wouldn't it be good if they were paid for by someone other than taxpayers? Some politicians say yes: PRIVATIZE THE ROADS. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels did that with the Indiana Toll Road, and he says of the company that now leases the road: "They either build a road and maintain a road that is attractive enough and inexpensive enough, or they'll lose money. Your first insurance that they're gonna run a better road than the politicians did is, if they don't, people won't drive on it and they'll lose a lot of money. They have every incentive to make traffic flow swiftly, to make that drive as pleasant and safe as possible." Indiana taxpayers made money on the lease, but Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) says that's selling out the public good. "Privatizing existing taxpayer infrastructure is not a solution for anybody."

Medical Marijuana: Melissa Etheridge, Montel Williams and thousands more say that. without medical marijuana, they would be very sick. Fortunately for them, 13 states now allow medical marijuana. Unfortunately for them, the U.S. government says federal rules trump state law, and the federal government classifies marijuana as worse than crack cocaine. Charlie Lynch made the mistake of running a medical marijuana dispensary that tried to obey all the state laws. But still fell afoul of federal prosecutors. He now faces up to 100 years behind bars in a federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 23.

"20/20" is anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and John Stossel. David Sloan is executive producer.

ABC News Media Relations Contact:
Alyssa Ziegler Apple (212) 456-1624

(Caps within the release mine)
http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/disp ... =031109_02


To contact 20/20:
http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=20/20

To contact the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Terrorism:
http://homeland.house.gov/about/subcomm ... ommittee=8

Information found at the website of American Patrol Report, "Stossel, ABC News and Bull", March 13, 2009:
http://www.americanpatrol.com

And what about the miles of east and west coast beaches? Will we patrol our coastline with machine guns?

What a ridiculous comment. The ocean is a natural barrier. Furthermore, it's the USCG's job to patrol the seas.

If we further reinforce the entire southern border, then what about Canada? And what about the miles of east and west coast beaches? Will we patrol our coastline with machine guns? In fact, half the illegals in America entered legally by using tourist or student visas, then staying after their visas expired.

I believe we already patrol the coasts and beaches with machine guns...the Coast Guard I think they are called. They even use helicopters. To me, the word "guard" implies protection, patrols, and yes, even the guns necessary to enforce the laws of the land.



When several million Canadians come to this country illegally, I will start to worry about Canada. As for the tourists and students...well, they also should be deported. Does Stossel have any serious arguments here?

Bump-It's coming on now!

and what a rather lame story it was

From Glenn Spencer's "American Patrol Report":

Avoiding the Truth

A Cargo of Bullsh*t

Glenn Spencer comments on Stossel's 20/20 piece on the fence -- March 14

"There is no evidence that the fence has reduced the number of illegals that cross."

Stossel opens up with Robert Crooks, a well-meaning but unsympathetic character, screaming at people on the other side of the border. Crooks, obviously picked to portray those who want a fence, says: "They shoot at me all the time." Hmmmm.

Stossel: "You are paying for this (video of a tall fence) a two billion dollar barrier that later this year will extend 670 miles across our southern border."

Notice how Stossel carefully avoided the word fence. As of January 6, DHS had built only 200 miles of fence, and only 35 miles of it is double fence, or five percent of what the original Secure Fence Act of 2006 called for. Stossel knew that much of what DHS built is not a fence at all.

Stossel: "There is no evidence that the fence has reduced the number of illegals that cross."

Stossel stood at Imperial Beach to do this part of the story. After construction of the double fence, apprehensions of illegal aliens at Imperial Beach dropped by more than 95%. Where the fence is installed properly, it works.

There is a blackout of American Border Patrol and now I know why. Stossel was able to drove through a minefield of facts without once disturbing his cargo of bullshit.

Watch
(please go to source below to access Video)

http://www.americanpatrol.com/09-FEATUR ... ature.html

Where the fence is installed properly, it works.

Yep, that's what I believe too. Much of what the federal government is attempting to pass off as a fence does not meet the definition in accordance with the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

"Reinforced Fencing - In carry out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for at least 2 layers of reinforced fencing, the installation of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors."

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin ... nr.txt.pdf

It appears as if most of the current fencing is not the double-layered version that was originally called for.

Here's the 20/20 segment on youtube if you missed it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag7uAmDvejQ

Nothing like a little biased reporting. They call the Minutemen a vigilante group.

John Stossel /ABC: "Bailouts, Big Spending, and Bull" (TV, libertarian, Drew Carey, Reason, cosmos, rainbows...)

Briefly emerging from Galt's Gulch, ABC News host John Stossel will offer a segment called "Bailouts, Big Spending, and Bull" on tonight's 20/20 TV show airing at 10:00PM Eastern and Pacific. During the show he'll discuss various topics of interest to libertarians, such as pot, the stimulus plan, pot, did I mention pot?, and so on. And, he'll be joined by washed-up TV host Drew Carey. Carey will discuss his dramatic political enlightenment thanks to Reason Magazine. Yes, that's right: the "cosmotarian" publication that helped block the Ron Paul movement is having their big TV break.

If you want to strike back a bit, go to reason.com/blog and other sites that discuss the segment and point out all the ways it was wrong. For instance, here's the bit about the border (link): (printed below):

Run for the Border: Do you sleep better at night knowing there's an expensive fence on America's southern border? Will a giant wall really secure our country? So far, those wanting to come here just go around the wall, or climb over it, or cut holes in it. If we further reinforce the entire southern border, then what about Canada? And what about the miles of east and west coast beaches? Will we patrol our coastline with machine guns? In fact, half the illegals in America entered legally by using tourist or student visas, then staying after their visas expired.

The border fence is effective where it's used, the reason it's not that effective in some areas is because there's no fence there. Duh. And, if there had been a fence all along the southern border - or at least where necessary - millions of people would not have been able to enter the U.S. illegally. Fixing the problems with illegal crossings and illegal overstays are two separate issues. And, obviously, it would be much more difficult for large numbers of people to enter the U.S. illegally through the coasts. And, there's a problem with possible infiltration of terrorists and the like from Canada but, since they aren't a failed state we don't have to worry about millions of Canadians streaming over the border. Double duh.

There are several internal links given which can be accessed at the source:
http://24ahead.com/john-stossel-abc-bai ... -libertari

Stossel is not a journalist. He's an entertainer. Part of his schtick is about how the government never does anything right. It's totally false. The government can stop illegals from entering the U S.