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ABC's Stossel will reportedly moderate Americans for Prosperity health care events

August 17, 2009 3:35 pm ET — 18 Comments

ABC's John Stossel will reportedly moderate three "town hall-style" "health care meetings" organized by the Wisconsin chapter of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity and intended to increase "pressure" on the state's Democratic members of Congress on health care reform. Stossel has recently reported on health care issues on ABC's 20/20, which he co-anchors; that report included criticisms of the purported health care reform goals of President Obama and Democratic members of Congress.

Journal Sentinel: Stossel to moderate AFP events that are part of campaign to pressure Dem House members on health care

Wisconsin chapter of AFP reportedly holding town hall-style health care events to increase "pressure" on state's Democratic House members. "Trying to building pressure [sic] on Democratic members of Congress in Wisconsin, a conservative group will hold town hall-style meetings in late August on the health care reform bill in Congress. The Wisconsin chapter of Americans for Prosperity, which opposes the bill, is hosting the health care meetings in districts represented by Reps. Dave Obey (D-Wausau), Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison). ... The members of Congress will be invited to attend the sessions in their district." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/14/2009]

Stossel reportedly will moderate AFP events. "ABC News 20/20 co-anchor John Stossel will moderate the sessions, which will feature speakers on both sides of the issue, according to AFP's state director, Mark Block." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/14/2009]

AFP opposes health care reform, reportedly organized town hall disruptions

Through Patients First project, AFP organizing opposition to health care reform. The website of Patients First -- "the health care project of Americans for Prosperity" -- states: "If politicians and Washington bureaucrats get their way -- a government takeover of your health care -- then we will lose the freedom to choose our doctors, what type of care we want and the insurance plans we choose." The website features a petition "[p]atients like us" can sign urging lawmakers to "oppose any legislation that imposes greater government control over my health care that would mean fewer choices for me and my family and even deny treatments to those in need."

AFP reportedly conducting 13-state anti-health reform tour. "A 13-state tour aiming to rally patients to speak out against President Barack Obama's desired health-care overhaul is scheduled to kick off in Richmond this weekend. Americans for Prosperity's 'Patients First' bus tour will start Saturday at a Richmond-area Tea Party, before traveling around the country and through the states of key U.S. senators in the health-care debate, said Ben Marchi, state director of Americans for Prosperity. Organizers will urge constituents to call or visit their senators and sign a petition that asks members of Congress to 'oppose any legislation that imposes greater government control over my health care that would mean fewer choices for me and my family and even deny treatments to those in need.' " [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 7/23/09]

Group among those reportedly organizing town hall protests. "The protests, organized by loose-knit coalition of conservative voters and advocacy groups, were a raucous start to what is expected to be weeks of political and ideological clashes over the health care overhaul President Obama is trying to push through Congress. The conservative groups, including FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity, are harnessing social networking Web sites to organize their supporters in much the same way Mr. Obama did during his election campaign." [The New York Times, 8/3/09] "[The Wisconsin chapter of AFP] was a force behind anti-tax 'tea party' rallies in the state this summer." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/14/2009]

Stossel, an ABC news correspondent and commentator, recently purported to examine Obama, congressional health care goals

Stossel's ABC bio describes him as an "[a]ward-winning news correspondent." "Award-winning news correspondent John Stossel was named co-anchor of '20/20' in May 2003. He joined the highly acclaimed newsmagazine in 1981 and began doing one-hour primetime specials in 1994. In addition to longer in-depth reports for '20/20' on subjects ranging from addiction to parenting issues in his 'Family Fix' segments, Stossel is featured in a recurring segment entitled 'Give Me a Break.' These short commentaries take a skeptical look at a wide array of issues, from pop culture controversies to censorship and government regulations." [ABCNews.com, accessed 8/17/09]

Recent Stossel 20/20 report conflated Canadian health care system with purported goals of Obama, congressional Democrats.

STOSSEL: Some in Congress say they're moving closer to a plan that will make health care cheaper and better. Sounds great. But when government takes charge, it can also mean innovation stops, and you may not get the breakthroughs and care that you need to save your life.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Affordable health care for every single American. That's what we're called upon to do.

STOSSEL: Care for everyone for less money. Critics say that just isn't possible.

SALLY PIPES (Pacific Research Institute president and CEO): The only way they can get costs down under a government-run system is to control the amount of money that is spent on health care. But there is much more of a demand for health care than the government is willing to pay for. And so, we will have long waits for care just like they do in Canada and in Great Britain. [ABC's 20/20, 7/31/2009 (transcript retrieved from Nexis)]

In fact, the White House has not proposed a government-run health care system, and Obama has explicitly rejected a Canadian-style or British-style health care system.

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    • Author by Bad News (August 17, 2009 3:42 pm ET)
      3 1
      Clown or Bufoon which of these do John Stossel be?
      He accused Media-Matters of a Smear but provided no Evidence of Thee.
      You would think a Man like Stossel will aggressively defend his Honor.
      Instead he accuses Media-Matters of a Smear but when asked to provide proof he's a Gonner.

      Speak truth to power.


      Mr. News
      Report Abuse
    • Author by dewdrop_8171931 (August 17, 2009 5:29 pm ET)
      3  
      Why is ABC allowing that neo-con nutjob Jon Stossel a platform? This is obvious biased newsreporting. Liberal media bias my ass.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by magnolialover (August 17, 2009 6:28 pm ET)
        3  
        Hey now, he's not a right winger, he's an independent, who just happens to oppose anything liberal.. (sarcasm off).
        Report Abuse
      • Author by craig98607271 (August 17, 2009 7:03 pm ET)
          1
        you are so right they let one independant on MSM. everyone knows you have to be far left to be unbiased. don't get you panties into to much of a wad boys.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by magnolialover (August 18, 2009 7:49 am ET)
             
          That's the point, he's not "independent", not even close.
          Report Abuse
      • Author by justjoe628 (August 18, 2009 10:45 pm ET)
           
        Oh, like when ABC ran a 30 minute "infomercial" for Obama on healthcare that offered NO opposition. If your are unbiased then you give both sides of the story. Tit for tat. You don't just allow one side to give their spiel and not give time for opposing points of view. If this is supposed to be a public debate, then we need to hear the pro's and con's from both sides. Even if you don't like what the other side is saying.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by mk3872 (August 17, 2009 5:31 pm ET)
      1  
      I don't blame Stossel. He's a right-wing mouthpiece and very effective.

      But what I would like to know is that if a broadcast network like ABC is willing to give Stossel this much airtime, then where is the liberal left-wing counterpart??
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Vincenzo (August 17, 2009 7:06 pm ET)
      1  
      This is where John received the brain injury that led to this:

      Skip to 29 seconds in
      Report Abuse
    • Author by captfoster2 (August 17, 2009 9:16 pm ET)
         
      Um... hey... where's my earlier post??

      Why was it deleted by MMfA??

      I know for a fact that I posted on this thread!

      I demand to know what happened to it and why it no longer is here!!!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by logicrules (August 17, 2009 11:40 pm ET)
           
        Don't worry, they hardly ever post anything of mine. They can't stand anything logical on this website. Oh yeah, this won't get posted either.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by albertsenj (August 17, 2009 11:40 pm ET)
      2  
      Any chance that these 'town hall meetings' will be open to people who support health care reform, or are they going to limit participation to the faithful?

      You know, supporters of health care reform can yell just as loud as the folks currently yelling. THAT would make for interesting TV!

      I can't make it to these but, if you can, INSIST that you are only exercising your 1st Amendment rights and be sure to be non-violent.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mfinn7314 (August 18, 2009 8:16 am ET)
      1  
      Stossel moderating a forum on the healthcare debate on which he's already weighed in with his expected conservative views? Dial way, way down on your expectations for an unbiased agenda, question list, and moderating of this baby. In fact, a school might want to record this for study in a course on media bias.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by fishergirlusmc (August 18, 2009 3:48 pm ET)
           
        John Stosssel started out as a liberal investigative reporter but after many years of seeing how the government mucks things up, instead of helping, he saw the light and wrote a best selling book. Tell me did you like him 15 years ago when he was spouting off for the government?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by mfinn7314 (August 18, 2009 8:08 pm ET)
             
          I didn't have that much of an opinion of him in his early career. I think you're right that he was more liberal or at least much less conservative then. I've seen enough of his work in recent years to see how biased it is. We don't need any more biased journalists.

          (one particular piece he did a while back: How short men have disadvantages and are discriminated against. One demonstration was to have a group of women pick from a group of men, including 2 short guys, who they would like to try a date with. No one picked the short guys. Problem: none of the women were short. Lame and a poor way to make a point)
          Report Abuse
          • Author by thorncrest (August 19, 2009 8:12 am ET)
               
            I'd really like to attend----do you suppose they would mind if I took my 12 gauge along? I don't own a handgun, and don't want to feel out of place!
            Report Abuse
          • Author by justjoe628 (August 19, 2009 9:24 am ET)
               
            Really? That's the best you can do to shame John Stossel? He was likely doing a story based on someone elses study. I doubt he just picked that topic out of a hat and said.."Hey, let's pick on short guy's." And, what is you definition of a "tall" woman? It's probably different than mine or even Stossel's. Why don't you come up with a little better example than that if you want to convince me he's biased.
            Report Abuse
    • Author by kydem09 (August 18, 2009 8:40 am ET)
         
      Cracks me up whenever MMFA accuses anyone of bias!!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Paul Revere (August 19, 2009 5:12 pm ET)
         
      Obama-Care is a Governmental control monger Bill that is expensive offers cheap medical medical coverage eg; Tylenol 3 instead of morphine for extensive pain, take 2 aspirins and call me in the morning type of watered down treatment with a cosy to taxpayers as high as what they would be paying with insurance, along with a eugenics program that I'd be ashamed to use at a Veterinarian Hospital, typical as Elitists think of us as no more than cattle anyway! Look up John Holdren Obama's Chief Science Czar!
      Here's the solution:
      We need strong Libertarian Government Reps and President who are not members of "The Bilderberg Group", CFR, TC, IMF, WTO, WHO, United Nations, NWO, European Union, Any Elitist group or association with such!

      Republicans have Elitist members as well as the Democrats! Watch out for Plants!

      We need American Representatives for the American people, by the American people!

      No Fascists, Marxists, Communists, Dictators, Emperors, Kings, Off-Shore Foreign Bankers - Need Apply!
      Stay Out - Your not welcome in America!
      OBW: Make sure you contact your Congressman and Senator to co-sponsor Bills HR1207 in congress and SR604 in the Senate!
      Report Abuse

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