Dennis Prager interviews John Stossel (1 of 4)

[darylasmith]

After studying the Bible for 42 years, I love it and enjoy it more than ever! One of the best ways to enjoy the Word is to turn it into prayer, ie pray it back to the Lord. Call upon the Lord as you're doing it and you will be eating and drinking the Word!! See John 6.

[jscottupton]

Prager is wrong and unprincipled.

[upandopen]

@jscottupton Thanks for your intelligent rebuttal.

[southsydney]

what a magnificent moustache

[gina7177]

Exactly teachers make almost $2,000 a week for the weeks worked....is that under paid?

[eugdog106]

i am growing quite fond of stossel

[johnnycoyo]

@eugdog106 yecccch !

[jeffersonianideal]

Stossel is one of the very few libertarians in the main stream media. Once the discussion turns to individual liberties and personal freedom, watch the self-righteous moralist, Dennis Prager change his tune and reveal his true nature.

[upandopen]

So they agree on 90% but because there's one issue where Prager isn't sure that he agrees, you have to insult and attack him?

[jeffersonianideal]

I have listened to Prager's show on many occassions. Stossel and Prager do not agree on 90% of the issues. Prager has changed his spots simply to placate his guest. Other radio hosts, such as Neil Boortz employ similar techniques. So if a listener has a issue with Prager's integrity you consider it an insult and an attack. "Give me a break!" to quote Stossel. Prager is a talk show host and entertainer. He is subject to the same criticism he has exacted on others.

[upandopen]

Could you give any examples of things Prager said in this interview that contradict things he's said elsewhere or at other times?

[dmlauffer]

@jeffersonianideal

90%? I would say its closer to 20%. Only some social issues. And I'm not sure but Iv'e heard and read Stossel say things that imply he leans "pro-life"

[jeffersonianideal]

@dmlauffer Libertarians believe equally in personal freedom and economic autonomy. The two must always be coupled with individual responsibility. Now that Stossel has come out as a logic minded agnostic, it places him that much further away from the belief system of religio-statist Prager. I not opposed to compromise so I will say they are at least 70% apart on the issues. I don't know Stossel's view on abortion. I do know that he opposes government intervening on either side on the issue.

[dmlauffer]

@jeffersonianideal You are right. Prager is one of these traditionalist conservatives (which I am not, i'm much closer to Stossel than Prager) but to 70% . I think you might be ignoring the social engineering of the left with their racial and sex quotas, affirmative action, smoking bans, and food regulation. Libertarians don't generally support those. Conservatives are against drugs, gay marriage, and abortions. Hardly any fighting over porn anymore and many even coming to our side on drugs.

[jeffersonianideal]

@dmlauffer Prager is more often than not, governed by religious edicts. This is his right as guaranteed by the first amendment and libertarians such as myself are resolute supporters of the constitution. Sooner or later however, such an adherence to unfounded history, myths and superstitions, no matter how well intended, will collide with any libertarian virtues one might possess. I do not see Prager as someone who is anywhere near Stossel in terms of laissez-faire approach to individualism.

[dmlauffer]

@jeffersonianideal I disagree. I am a Christian and libertarian and see no conflict. Prager, I believe, is Jewish. And not a very religious one. But the way I govern myself has nothing to do with how I think the state should be governed. I recognize that man is fallen and too much power to the religious class would have very negative consequences. I also believe man has the right to reject God. God gave man that right. And I would hate to live under the religious rule of another religion.

[jeffersonianideal]

@dmlauffer Prager is Jewish. How devout is uncertain. He is self-rightous enough however, to believe government should restrict personal liberties and often evokes religious edicts in an attempt to support his argument. As a Christian libertarian you may not personally be affected by the inconsistancies between libertarian virtues and religious decrees because you may not see the Bible as the literal word of god, which often results in supporting the legislating of morality by government.

[dmlauffer]

@jeffersonianideal Actually I do believe the bible is the word of God. But unlike Islam, Christianity is not a political structure, it's a personal faith. Some people try to make it one, but its just not. Christians believe this world is temporary and God's kingdom is not on this earth, but in heaven. As an honest thinker I also believe that history has shown us that the most efficient and fair governments are those that regulate the least and that goes for economics and for civil liberties. 

[jeffersonianideal]

@dmlauffer The Bible should certainly not be a means to political ends in the America but there are many examples where it has been. I remain a unwavering supporter of the free exercise of religion in so far as religion is not permitted to influence government or the legislative process. Religion should be a personal matter not a societal mandate. If given the opportunity however, many Christians (and other faiths) would invoke religious edicts on others in an effort to fulfill "god's will".

[mdrdrm]

@dmlauffer

You believe the whole of the bible to be the infallible word of God? What of it's advocacy of slavery, of beating slaves? Exodus 21:20-21

What of His ordering the Isrealites to kill 'all the living creatures of [a] city: men and women, young, and old, as well as oxen, sheep, and asses'? He didn't just do that once mind you.

If a man is caught raping a woman who is not married, he must be forced to pay a fine and marry her: Deuteronomy 22:28-29

The list goes on and on.

[KarlHertz]

What does this, and all the other Dennis Prager clips, have to do with half the people listed in the taggs? Please, remove them - if I'm looking for a Dennis Prager or John Stossel clip, they shold be listed, not half the "intellectuals" of modern day america.

[dgdfhfghgfhgfgffjhj]

The myth of underpaid teachers is probably due to union propaganda, just as it is with auto unions. UAW members make a lot more money than other factory workers, and yet the UAW is always bitching about how they don't get enough. The teacher unions are just as bad.

[herbs814]

Yes, government teachers are overpaid and underperforming. Get the government and the spoiled unions OUT of education.