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I have mentioned that I enjoy John Stossel's segments on ABC's 20/20. And I highly recommend his book, "Give Me a Break."

I wrote a letter last week as I felt a segment they aired did not comport with Mr. Stossel's beliefs. My letter was included in his weekly email newsletter. Being Mr. Modest, I thought I'd share:

"Where was John Stossel?

I don't expect him to police every celebrity interview or public interest story on 20/20. But I tune in to 20/20 -- and not the other newsmagazines -- because I can expect some measure of common-sense factual economics and an objective view of government from my buddy, Mr. Stossel.

The 'Rip Current' segment sounded like a setup for a Give Me A Break sequence, but it never came. I'm thinking of something like:

STOSSEL: Down on the Florida panhandle, people have had frightening encounters with dangerous 'rip currents.' Sadly, some people have lost their life.
[Cut to beach view]
STOSSEL: I'm very sad for the families, but some surviving spouses are now insisting that the county employ lifeguards along 26 miles of beach. Efforts to educate swimmers with an animated crab have been ridiculed. The flag system in place to warn swimmers is routinely ignored. But how many lifeguards would be needed for 26 miles of beach? How many lives could they actually save? Don't a lot more people die driving to the beach, or getting too much Sun?
Maybe it's worth it to the Chamber to hire lifeguards -- if it is shown to make sense. But asking one county in Florida to make the ocean safe? I say 'Give Me A Break!'" John Kranz, Lafayette, Colorado

Posted by John Kranz at July 28, 2005 1:25 PM