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Bath Salts, Naked Zombie Cannibals & Stupid Senators

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Bath salts. They're turning people from Miami to Maryland into flesh-eating hulks and the synthetic concoctions that are sold as insect repellent and plant food have supposedly singlehandedly set off the zombie apocalypse.

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, fresh off his victory in banning caffeinated alcoholic beverages like Four Loko, is hell-bent on banning so-called bath salts. The senator, who in the past has tried to regulate the price of Coca Krispies, Count Chocula, and other breakfast cereals, also wants to outlaw fake pot, too - because the war on real pot is going so swell.

It all started on a Florida offramp in broad daylight when a car-washing Bible-thumper snapped, allegedly under the influence of zombie dust. The story soon eclipsed the presidential election and Miley Cyrus' lack of underwear as the most important issue in the country.

There was an immediate obsession with the substance that “caused” this unnatural act.To date, there’s no evidence that Sunshine State face-chewer Rudy Eugene was in fact whacked out on bath salts. The Miami Mauler had been arrested at least eight times since he was 16 and had threatened to kill his Mom on at least once violent occasion.

Here’s the problem with banning “synthetic methamphtemine” - or the real thing, for that matter: There are an infinite number of ways that natural and artifical drugs can be combined, married and sewn together to get a user higher Matthew McConaughey on any given Monday. Science will always be one step ahead of the legislative process, so as quickly as a chemical compound is banned, four more will spring forth from crafty laboratories eager to pacify those seeking a quick fix.

But...but...but...bath salts make you a zombie cannibal, don’t they? You can hear the Sen. Schumers of the world ask that question. But hardly The other two cannibalism stories in the news don’t involve bath salts or naked zombies. The Canadian porn star who hacked up his friend, ate his bits, then sent appendages on a tour of the Canadian Postal Service is more gruesome than Celine Dion’s entire discography, but the guy was clothed and sober. The kid in Maryland who ate the heart and brain of his Ghanian roommate was also not on the salts, and he too was clothed.

So instead of banning bath salts, how about enforcing the existing ban on zombie cannibalism? And if we can’t do that, can we at least ban opportunistic, incompetent legislators?

Oh, Calgon, take me away!

Produced by Meredith Bragg. Written by Nick Gillespie and Kennedy, who narrates.

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About 2.30 minutes. Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube Channel to receive automatic updates when new material goes live.

Soda Jerk Michael Bloomberg Strikes Again (Nanny of the Month, May 2012)

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 EDT

May 2012 offered up an embarrassment of riches for Nanny of the Month.

Among the strongest contenders were the buttinsky pols in Fort Lee, New Jersey, who banned texting while walking (what's next, chewing gum?). And then there's the Los Angeles City Council, which pushed an ineffective-yet-annoying ban on plastic bag with the help of testimony by former Seinfeld and current Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Louis-Dreyfus gave an impassioned speech against the bags as "outrageously expensive" (we thought for a minute she was talking about the laugh lines in her short-lived series, Watching Ellie).

But there's only one nanny of the month and for May 2012, it's got to be New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has proposed limiting the serving size of sugary beverages such as soda pop to 16 ounces or less. The ban would cover restaurants, movie theaters, street vendors, ball parks, and a plethora of other places. In the past, Bloomberg has banned smoking, trans fat, school bake sales, and more. So it's not exactly surprising that he's focusing on cup size now. But it's still appalling.

About 90 seconds.

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Opening animation by Meredith Bragg.

Watch previous "Nanny of the Month" episodes here.

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New Yorkers Sound Off on Bloomberg's Drink Ban

Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlined a plan Wednesday to ban the sale of sugary soft drinks larger than 16 ounces at restaurants, movie theaters, street carts and other venues.

Reason.tv's Anthony Fisher took to the streets to ask New Yorkers what they thought about Bloomberg and the ban.

Approximately 2 minutes.

Camera by Kaplan Akincilar. Produced by Anthony Fisher

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Obamacare, Mandates and Regulatory Confusion: Reason-Rupe Poll Results with Emily Ekins

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A new finding by the Reason-Rupe Public Opinion Survey shows a majority of Americans dissatisfied with the health care law being debated in the Supreme Court while simultaneously confused about the role of government in current health care policy.

"About 40 percent [of Americans] thought it wasn't regulated enough," explains Reason Polling Director Emily Ekins. When it comes to health care reform, "it's hard to move forward if people aren't clear as to what the market currently looks like."

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie sat down with Ekins to discuss the poll's findings, what Americans think about the current health care system, and the misconceptions surrounding regulation in the health care market.

The Reason-Rupe survey is online here.

This Reason Foundation project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation.

Shot by Jim Epstein and Meredith Bragg; edited by Joshua Swain. About 6.38 minutes.

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Nick Gillespie Discusses New ADA Pool Regulations with Erin Burnett

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Reason.tv editor in chief Nick Gillespie appeared on CNN's OutFront with Erin Burnett to debate trial lawyer Justin Leto about new regulations requiring private companies to install handicap lifts into pools, and whether this regulation would help bring equality to America's disabled or simply benefit the trial lawyers. Air Date: March 15, 2012.

Approximately 5.30 minutes.

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Remy: Cough Drops-The Mandate (featuring Sandra Fluke)

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EST

Remy crashes Sandra Fluke's Congressional testimony to demand a mandate for his cough drop addiction.

"Remy: Cough Drops-The Mandate" is one of a series of collaborations between Remy and Reason.tv. To watch Remy's other videos, go to youtube.com/goremy.

Approximately 1:50 minutes. Lyrics by Remy. Video shot and produced by Meredith Bragg.

More from Reason on Sandra Fluke and the cost of contraception:

Make the Pill Cheaper by Making it Over the Counter

Sandra Fluke's Protection Racket

It's Like Totally Different When a Liberal Blowhard Guy Calls a Conservative Woman a Twat!

Download the mp3 and HD versions at below, and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube channel.

Lyrics:
Yeah and listen up peeps, you better check the deal
We got another mandate we gone straight reveal
And if you don't listen up, we be walking out
Yeah you know cough drops what we talking about

Take a look at this graph, you gonna holler with fear
Cough drops costing me a hundred dollars a year
I'm talking Halls, Ludens, to keep me alive
It's like a dog-fighting ring, I need Vicks to survive

It's preventative medicine, suppressing my cough? Word.
I need a vote from each of you--oh, that's kind of awkward
Cough drops are so tasty--how is it allowed?
Yeah, this guy knows what I'm talking about.

Cherry, honey lemon, or the mentho-lytus
Directly to my house's where I suggest you ship this
They come in all kinds of colors and flavors galore
Even sheep sk--wait, I think this one's yours

I appreciate the testimony, very profound
We need to verify this policy is morally sound
And there's one reasonable way to see if it should be allowed
And it's to probe you internally, can somebody get me a towel?

My apologies for the gentleman across the aisle
He doesn't understand mandates, he hasn't been here a while
I see no reason we shouldn't pass your request
Just let me double check, yep, it passes our test

This is not about "men's health," this is not a prescription
Mandate Men's Health, 12 month subscription
Your party has no respect for individual rights
Now come on up here, I'd like to check your insides

Well I guess it's safe to say this has kind of devolved
Maybe it's not the best idea to have these people involved
So I think I'm gonna bounce, put this one on the shelf
Hit up the drug store--get some cough drops myself.

Michigan Bar Owners Ban Lawmakers for Banning Smoking! (Nanny of the Month, Aug 2011)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EDT

They're banning pet pigs in St, Charles, Missouri (even small, hypoallergenic ones like Pepper!) and Nice Cream in Illinois (even though it's packed with natural ingredients and the owner says its bacterial levels are well below state-approved levels!), but neither can claim the top slot because, well, this time Nanny of the Month is doing something different...

For the first time ever Nanny of the Month is cheering a ban.

That's right, starting September 1 , more than 500 Michigan restaurant and bar owners will begin turning state lawmakers away from their establishments. State Senator So-and-so wants a brew? Too bad. Politicians won't be served until they revisit the state's 2010 smoking ban, which, owners say, has devastated business, and left bars like Sporty O'Tooles on the verge of collapse.

Approximately 1.15 minutes.

Go here to watch more "Nanny of the Month" episodes.

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Opening animation by Meredith Bragg.

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The War on Lemonade Stands! Nanny of the Month (June 2011)

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:45:00 EDT

This Fourth of July weekend think about what truly represents freedom: Old Glory, the Liberty Bell, and an ice-cold glass of lemonade.

This month's lineup of busybodies includes two regulars: the FDA, which is slapping new, more graphic, possibly counterproductive, warning labels on cigarette packs and the goldfish grabbers on San Francisco's Animal Control and Welfare Commission.

But top dishonors go to the sour bureaucrat who put the squeeze on a group of kids for running a lemonade stand. Sure they were raising money for a worthy cause (pediatric cancer research), but they were doing it without a permit, and that's why they got slapped with a $500 fine.

Presenting Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for June 2011: Jennifer Hughes of Montgomery County, Maryland's Department of Permitting Services!

The episode sparked so much outrage that the county eventually backed off, but this is no isolated incident. Across America, the permit police are cracking down on pint-sized peddlers of liquid freedom.

Just over one-minute long.

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Opening animation by Meredith Bragg.

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Nanny of the Month (Jan 2011) Drug Testing 11-year-olds! Fining iPod Users!

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

Last month Reason.tv recognized 2010's Nanny of the Year, and now it's onto a brand new year of nagging nannies.

This month's slate features heartland regulators targeting drinking games and New Jersey educators drug testing 11-year-olds.

But top dishonors go to the New York pol who's pushing a bill that would make it illegal to cross the street while iPodding, cell-phoning or being otherwise engaged with an electronic gadget.

Presenting Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month: New York State Senator Carl Kruger!

Approximately 1 minute.

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate Producer: Alex Manning.

To watch previous Nanny of the Month videos, go here .

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Nick Gillespie Discusses Four Loko Prohibition with Stossel

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

Reason.tv editor-in-chief Nick Gillespie joined Stossel to discuss the FDA banning caffeine-infused alcoholic drinks and whether the government should limit choices in order protect the public. Air Date: January 6, 2010.

Approximately 6.19 minutes.

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Busybodies, Babes, and Bacon: Presenting Reason.tv's 2010 Nanny of the Year!

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

They touch our lives in so many ways, and now Reason.tv acknowledges those who tell us that if it looks good, tastes good, or feels good, it should be illegal.

Live (to tape) from the fourth floor of the Sepulveda Center in Los Angeles, California—it's the 2010 Nanny of the Year Awards!

Over the past year, Reason.tv has recognized plenty of busybodies who relish minding other people's business, but who deserves to succeed 2009's winner (Meddlin' Mike Bloomberg), and take home the 2010 Nanny?

Will it be the heartland mayor who sacked the Lingerie Football League? The Peach State pol who sued a man for growing vegetables in his own yard? A member of the food police?

Remember, it's a dishonor just to be nominated. So get your awards season started off right, and tune in to the only black-tie ceremony that delivers busybodies, bikini babes, and bacon!

Approximately 1.53 minutes.

"Reason.tv's 2010 Nanny of the Year Awards" is written and produced by Ted Balaker, who also hosts. Animation: Austin Bragg; Camera: Zach Weissmueller and Hawk Jensen; Voice Over: Rin Palmer

To learn more about our nominees and to watch more Nanny of the Month (and Year) videos, go here.

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Raw Foods Raid: The Fight for the Right to Eat What You Want

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:00:00 EST

This summer armed government agents raided Rawesome Foods, a Venice, California health food co-op. What were the agents after? Unpasteurized milk, it turns out.

Raw milk raids are happening all over the United States. The Food and Drug Administration warns that raw milk consumption can cause health problems, but a growing community of raw foods enthusiasts are ignoring government recommendations and claiming that they are getting tastier, more nutritious food by going raw.

Reason.tv visited Rawesome to examine the circumstances of the raid and discovered that this particular raw foods case stretches across county lines and involves at least five separate government agencies, despite the fact that not a single member of Rawesome has complained or been harmed by the raw foods. In fact, members have to sign a contract stating that they understand and accept the risks of consuming raw foods before they are allowed to step inside.

If members of a private club sign a waiver stating that they want to drink a certain type of milk, why is the government getting involved? As Jarel Winterhawk, a manager at Rawesome, puts it, "This is America. How are you going to tell me what I can and cannot eat?"

Though no charges have yet resulted from the raid, Rawesome is threated with shutdown due to the involvement of yet another government agency, Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, and the club's raw goat milk supplier, Healthy Family Farms, has had its dairy license suspended.

"Raw Foods Raid" is written and produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Alex Manning and Weissmueller. Senior Producer is Ted Balaker. Music by Jami Sieber, Five Star Fall, and Kammen and Swan (Magnatune Records).

Approximately 7 minutes.

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Happy Meals Banned in San Francisco! Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for October 2010

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Last month the food police sued a North Carolina man for growing fresh vegetables, and this month San Francisco's food cops have committed a different kind of atrocity by making the City by the Bay the first major metropolis to ban toys in happy meals.

This month's top busybody is the pol who sponsored the ordinance to make happy meals sad, the one who hopes his "food justice" agenda goes nationwide.

Presenting the Nanny of the Month for October 2010: San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar!

Approximately 75 seconds.

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate Producers: Paul Detrick and Alex Manning. Opening animation by Meredith Bragg.

To watch previous Nanny of the Month episodes, go here.

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Michael Moynihan Joins Stossel to Discuss the Media's Favorite Scare Stories

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Reason Senior Editor Michael Moynihan appeared on Stossel to discuss how the media uses exaggerated claims and scare tactics as a way to drive up ratings. Airdate: October 29, 2010.

Approximately 11.23.

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What's the Matter with Menthols?

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:44:00 EDT

Recently the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned “flavored” cigarettes, preventing the sale of clove and (the hitherto unknown) "chocolate" cigarettes. These "candy flavored" smokes hook teenagers by masking, according to one anti-smoking activist, “the taste of the poison.” And earlier this year, the FDA prevented the branding of cigarettes as “light” or “medium,” instead forcing manufacturers to rechristen them with innocuous names like “Marlboro Gold” and “Marlboro Blue.”

At the end of September, the FDA will announce the formation of a Menthol Subcommittee, which will review the available scientific literature on the health effects of menthol cigarettes. But are menthol cigarettes any worse for smokers than “non-flavored” cigarettes? Are they harder to quit, as anti-smoking activists suggest? Or is the government campaign against menthol simply another step on the road to the complete abolition of cigarettes?

Approximately 4 minutes. Produced by Meredith Bragg and Michael C. Moynihan.

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The Marijuana Policy Tipping Point: A conversation with author Christopher Fichtner, M.D.

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EDT

Christopher Fichtner is a psychiatrist and the former mental health director for the state of Illinois. In his new book, Cannabinomics: The Marijuana Policy Tipping Point, Fichtner predicts that marijuana policy is about to change radically. As Fichtner points out, three public policy trajectories are converging.

The medical marijuana movement is gaining momentum. People are increasingly waking up to the fact that drug prohibition creates more public health problems than it solves. And, in the same way that the Great Depression caused people to reprioritize how we spend our public dollars, the current economic crisis has got people thinking that bringing the biggest cash crop in the US out into the open might not be such a bad idea.

Reason.tv's Paul Feine sat down with Dr. Fichtner to learn more about the imminent marijuana policy tipping point.

Approximately 10 minutes. Produced by Paul Feine and Alex Manning.

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Union Jobs vs. Children's Lives: Which side are you on?

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:00:00 EDT

Congress has passed a $26 billion aid package that is intended to save the jobs of thousands of teachers, nurses, and other public-sector employees. To critics who call the measure a "special interest" bill, President Barack Obama says , "I suppose if America's children and the safety of our communities are your special interest, then it is a special interest bill."

In politics everyone claims to be on the side of the children, but who really is? Pat DeLorenzo is a parent whose daughter suffers from epilepsy. Like roughly 10,000 other epileptic schoolchildren in California, eight-year-old Gianna suffers from the type of prolonged seizures that, without immediate attention, can result in brain damage or death. After witnessing the response of teachers and school nurses to one of his daughter's life-threatening seizures, Pat DeLorenzo now believes that teachers and nurses care more about protecting union jobs than saving epileptic children.

DeLorenzo feared the worst when he receive a call from his daughter's school, informing him that she had suffered a seizure. Gianna survived that day, but DeLorenzo was outraged that school administrators had not given his daughter Diastat, a drug that stops seizures before they do permanent harm and is FDA-approved for use by laypeople. Today many schoolchildren must wait until an ambulance brings them to a hospital before they receive Diastat. That's much too long, says DeLorenzo who supports, SB 1051, a California bill that would allow trained non-medical volunteers to administer Diastat at schools.

Epilepsy advocates like the Epilepsy Foundation and physicians groups like the California Medical Association have lined up to support the bill. Unions representing teachers, nurses, and other public employees have lined up in opposition, claiming the bill would put children in danger. Their solution: hire more school nurses.

"The unions are not on the side of the kids," says DeLorenzo who believes unions are more interested in expanding their ranks than protecting epileptic children.

"It's exactly the opposite," says Gayle McClean, southern section president of the California School Nurses Organization and a member of the California Teachers Association. "We care deeply for children and we want them to receive the most appropriate care and that means they need a licensed medical person caring for them."

Sacramento lawmakers sided with unions and have refused to bring the bill up for a vote. The bill will officially expire on August 31.

"Union Jobs vs. Children's Lives" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Field Producers: Paul Detrick and Zach Weissmueller; Additional Camera: Austin Bragg, Production Associate: Sam Corcos.

Approximately 7.30 minutes.

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Nanny of the Month for July 2010: San Fran Soda Banner Mayor Newsom

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EDT

They've targeted bottled water and the selling of all kinds of pets, er, "animal companions." And now, with the soda scold who's yanking sugary beverages from vending machines, the City by the Bay pulls off the first-ever Nanny of the Month trifecta!

Presenting Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for July 2010: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom!

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate Producers: Paul Detrick and Alex Manning; Animation: Meredith Bragg

Approximately one minute.

To watch previous Nanny of the Month videos, go here.

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Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

Thu, 06 May 2010 06:30:00 EDT

It's not surprising that so many parents are so worried about autism. After all, the disorder strikes about one out of every 115 kids, its prevalence seems to be growing, and its cause or causes remain mysterious.

A 1998 article published in the British medical journal The Lancet generated enormous impact by proposing a link between autism and childhood vaccines. Since then, celebrity activists like Jenny McCarthy have argued that common shots like the measles, mumps, and rubellla vaccine (MMR) trigger autism. Countless media stories have covered the alleged link.

Some parents take to the streets to protest the federal government's vaccine policy and thousands more take the issue to court. Many others, like Kelly Green, who runs AutismHwy and is the mother of an autistic child, feel overwhelmed by the information flooding in from both sides of the debate. Jim Moody, of the think tank Safe Minds, blames the federal government for not being honest about the threat and failing to provide reliable information on the matter. But researchers like UC Santa Barbara's Lynn Koegel say the evidence is overwhelming that vaccines do not cause autism.

Recently, the debate took another turn when The Lancet retracted the 1998 article that did so much to spark the controversy. Will the retraction finally allay parents' worries or will some continue to resist vaccinations?

"Do Vaccines Cause Autism?" is written and produced by Ted Balaker, who also hosts. Producer: Hawk Jensen; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick; Camera: Dan Hayes, Hawk Jensen, and Alex Manning. Approximately 5.50 minutes.

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Demonizing DDT

dan.hayes@reason.org (Dan Hayes) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 07:00:00 EDT

In The Excellent Powder: DDT's Political and Scientific History, Richard Tren and Donald Roberts argue that the infamous insecticide is the world's greatest public-health success stories, saving millions of lives by preventing insect-borne disease. Unfortunately for those in areas still infested with mosquitoes and other flying bugs, DDT is also the world's most-misunderstood substance, the target of a decades-long scientifically ignorant and ideologically motivated campaign that has vastly limited its use and applications.

From Rachel Carson in the 1960s to contemporary critics, DDT has been the object of what Roberts, a professor of tropical public health at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, calls "scare campaigns" that link DDT to "theoretical harms to wildlife and human life that simply don't exist."

Dubbed "the excellent powder" by Winston Churchill for its life-saving qualities, DDT has the potential to transform the developing world from a malarial hell into something else again. Yet as Tren, the winner of the 2009 Julian L. Simon Award, warns, under current international conventions, global DDT production is scheduled to be halted in 2017, thereby consigning much of the world to less-effective and more-expensive alternatives that will consign millions of poor people to living hell.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie sat down with Tren and Roberts, who are part of Africa Fighting Malaria, to talk about how DDT got such a bad rap and what can be done to set the record straight.

Approximately 9.15 minutes. Shot by Meredith Bragg and Dan Hayes; edited by Hayes and Josh Swain.

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Welcome to Oaksterdam!

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:00:00 EDT

Located in the pot-friendly "Oaksterdam" section of Oakland, California, Oaksterdam University aims to teach its students the fundamentals of growing and marketing marijuana.

The curriculum covers everything from law and politics to business and horticulture. The university also provides training for entrepreneurs in the pot industry as well as several dispensaries, a Bulldog Coffeeshop, and a gift shop. University founder Richard Lee tells Reason.tv that he and other Bay Area activists were inspired by the example of Amsterdam, a city with some of the most liberal marijuana policies in the world. As he put it, "We went to Amsterdam and said you know, hey, we can do this here; it shows it can work.”

Oaksterdam University is one of the major sponsors of the “Tax and Regulate” initiative that will be on the ballot in California this November. If passed, marijuana would be legalized and regulated like alcohol.

Produced by Paul Feine; shot by Alex Manning, edited by Hawk Jensen and Alex Manning.

Approximately 8 minutes long.

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Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for March 2010

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:00:00 EDT

Last month Reason.tv highlighted the heartland pol who's waging a very real war on fake pot, but who will be this month's top nanny?

There are the New Jersey cops who wouldn't tolerate a naked snowwoman and Pennsylvania state troopers' armed crackdown on unlicensed beer.

But the Nanny of the Month goes to the Empire State politician who wants to ban salt from New York restaurants and dole out $1,000 fines to any rogue chefs who dare to sneak a sprinkle of the white stuff on their meals.

Presenting Reason.tv's Nanny of the Month for March 2010: New York State Rep. Felix Ortiz!

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate Producer is Alex Manning. Animation by Meredith Bragg.

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Watch previous Nanny of the Month videos here.

3 Reasons Healthcare Legislation Won't Reduce the Deficit

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:30:00 EDT

One of the main selling points of health care reform was that it would cut the federal deficit by a supposed $143 billion over the next decade and a trillion-plus dollars in the one after that.

But not only will the legislation not cut one thin dime from the deficit, it will also certainly cost far more than the $940 billion in new spending already on the table for at least three reasons.

These include:

1. Legislative Trickery. Congressional Democrats have pledged support for "the doc fix," a permanent upward adjustment to the rates at which Medicare providers are reimbursed. As Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said, "We have made a commitment to do this. This is very important." The cost of the "doc fix"? Some $247 billion over the next 10 years, wiping out any deficit reduction from health care reform.

2. Higher Premiums. In 2006, Massachusetts passed health care reform very similar to what President Obama just signed. The result? The Bay State now has the highest premiums in the country and cost about 33 percent more than expected.

3. Bad Accounting. The government is terrible at predicting how much programs will cost, especially when it comes to medical care. Initial 1960s' projections of Medicare's costs in 1990 had the program costing about $12 billion; the actual result was almost 10 times that amount. As a Joint Economic Committee report notes, "Major health care proposals have almost always cost more...than the highest cost estimates published while the legislation was pending."

Approximately 2.19 minutes. Written and produced by Meredith Bragg, Dan Hayes, and Nick Gillespie, who also hosts.

Read more about health care reform and its costs here.

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New Hampshire Nannies

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:00:00 EDT

The always-expanding Nanny State does more than treat adults like children, it can also smother job creation—even in the "live free or die" state of New Hampshire. So as the national debate "pivots" from health care to jobs, Reason.tv suggests that politicians looking to "do something" about the stubbornly high unemployment rate first undo the regulations that ensnare entrepreneurs like Kim Ong.

Ong's parents brought her family from Vietnam to the United States in 1985. "They said this is a country of freedom, a country of opportunities," recalls Ong, who took their words to heart and now owns Kim's Spa & Nails in Derry, New Hampshire. When the recession hit she began looking for new ways to generate business. Her thoughts turned to a luxurious practice that's popular in parts of Asia—fish pedicures.

Ong spent over $6,000 to purchase fish and equipment, a big investment for the small business owner. However, her gamble paid off when she saw how much customers loved having their feet exfoliated by tiny fish. Soon Ong had a waiting list for this hip new service. But instead of hiring more employees, Ong hired a lawyer to plead her case to state regulators who questioned the safety and hygeine of fish pedicures. Unfortunately for Ong and her customers, New Hampshire's Board of Barbering, Cosmetology, and Esthetics banned the practice.

That's right, the state that lets adults motorcycle without a helmet or drive without a seat belt won't tolerate tiny fish nibbling at the dead skin on your feet. This is just one small example of a larger problem. Most people have no idea how many local, state, and federal regulations entrepreneurs struggle against, notes Adrian Moore, an economist with Reason Foundation. "Every day new businesses try to start but find out they're not allowed to because of some regulation or it's too expensive because of some regulation," Moore says.

And if the Nanny State is spreading into New Hampshire, the one place we thought was immune to it, we may all be in bigger trouble than we thought.

"New Hampshire Nannies" is written and produced by Ted Balaker, who also hosts. Producer: Hawk Jensen; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick, Additional Camera: Meredith Bragg. Special thanks to Yvonne Hair & Nails in Alexandria, Virginia.

Approximately 5.30 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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Virginia Postrel: How to Reform Health Care Without Killing Innovation

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:54:00 EST

Former Reason magazine Editor in Chief Virginia Postrel has seen the strengths and the shortcomings of the American health care system both as a kidney donor and a breast cancer survivor.

She argues that individuals should be free to sell their organs, and that encouraging organ markets may be the best way to save the lives of the more than 100,000 Americans currently awaiting transplants. A 2009 article Postrel wrote for the Atlantic Monthly highlights her experience with the ultra-expensive wonder drug, Herceptin, and the perils of centrally controlling health care costs.

Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with Postrel to discuss organ markets, wonder drugs, and how to reform health care without squashing innovation.

Interview by Ted Balaker. Shot by Hawk Jensen and Paul Detrick. Edited by Paul Detrick. Music: "Something New" by Very Large Array (Magnatune Records).

Approximately nine-and-a-half minutes. Scroll down for embed code and downloadable versions.

To see Reason.tv's health care play-list, go here.

Postrel, the editor in chief of the blog Deep Glamour, talks to Reason.tv about politics, style, and voter expectations here.

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And come back to Reason.tv March 15 through March 19 for the debut of Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey: How to fix the "Mistake on The Lake" and other once-great American cities, an original six-part documentary series.

Judge Jim Gray on The Six Groups Who Benefit From Drug Prohibition

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

In 1992, Jim Gray, a conservative judge in conservative Orange County, California, held a press conference during which he recommended that we rethink our drug laws. Back then, it took a great deal of courage to suggest that the war on drugs was a failed policy.

Today, more and more Americans are coming to the realization that prohibition's costs—whether measured in lives and liberties lost or dollars wasted—far exceed any possible or claimed benefits. Reason.tv's Paul Feine interviewed Gray about drug policy and the prospects for reform. The interview was shot by Alex Manning and edited by Hawk Jensen.

Judge Jim Gray is the author of Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It: A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs.

Approximately 8.30 minutes.

Scroll down for downloadable iPod, HD, and audio versions.

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Don't Get Hurt

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST

What if you were injured and developed severe pain that wouldn't go away? Would your government let you take the kind of pain medication you need? If federal officials follow the recommendation of a Food and Drug Administration panel, many of the most effective prescription painkillers—including Vicodin, Percocet, and countless generics—would be banned.

Scott Gardner says that kind of a move would be "intensely cruel."

"I took Vicodin for three years," says Gardner. "I needed it. It got me through a very tough period of my life." The tough period began after a cycling accident shattered the left side of his body. After eight surgeries and countless hours of physical therapy, Gardner's once active life is now filled with limitations. He suffers from chronic pain that prevents him from sleeping more than a few hours at a time, and yet his pain today is nothing compared to the agonizing days and months following his accident.

"When there's nothing but pain, there's no reason to live," says Gardner. "There were times where the only way I could stay sane and civil was because I could take painkillers."

The fear of addiction and abuse already makes many suspicious of pain medication. Media reports about celebrities like Rush Limbaugh or Matthew Perry suggest that it's common for people to become addicted to medications they once took for legitimate medical conditions. And countless public service announcements remind us of the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Now the old fear of prescription drug abuse takes a new twist. The FDA panel is targeting drugs like Vicodin and Percocet because they contain acetaminophen, a popular painkiller also found in many over-the-counter drugs. Panel members warn that some Americans ingest too much acetaminophen, and overdoses can lead to liver damage, even death.

But maybe the FDA panel isn't putting this threat into context. After all, mundane threats like falling down stairs claim more lives than acetaminophen overdoses. And it turns out the more common fear—that patients will become addicted to prescription drugs—is also overblown. In fact, the barrage of warnings we hear about prescription drugs obscures an important point—people saddled with severe chronic pain need these painkillers.

Says Gardner, "I think people who haven't dealt with pain don't really know what it's like."

"Don't Get Hurt" is written and produced by Ted Balaker, who also hosts. The director of photography is Alex Manning, the field producer is Paul Detrick and the animation in the piece is from Hawk Jensen.

Approximately five minutes. Scroll down for downloadable versions.

To watch this video on Reason.tv's YouTube channel, go here. If you subscribe to the channel, you can also get automatic notifications when new videos go live.

For Reason.com's coverage of "opiophobia," or overblown fears by the government about prescription painkillers, go here.

Nanny of the Month for January 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST

Past Reason.tv Nannies of The Month have included New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (anti-salt, smoking, trans fat, you name it), a New York state senator who wanted to ban fish pedicures, and a Phoenix pol who banned churches from feeding the hungry on their own property.

So who is the first Nanny of The Month of this brand-new, sparking decade? Well, it's NOT Brownsville, Texas, for banning plastic shopping bags. And it's NOT Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) for terminating trans fat in the Golden State.

But it IS a town council somewhere in California that banned something natural and pure. And it does involved the great rapper Snoop Dogg (though not in the way you might think).

Click through to find out.

Written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate producers were Paul Detrick and Alex Manning and the animation is by Meredith Bragg.

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Watch previous Nanny of the Month videos here .

Reason.tv's Nanny of the Year!

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

In 2009, America's meddlers worked overtime minding other people's business.

Nanny of the Month winners have targeted everything from fish pedicures to feeding the homeless. But there can be only one Nanny of the Year.

Who took home top honors as the year's biggest buttinsky? Click the video to find out.

Nanny of the Year is written and produced by Ted Balaker. The director of photography is Alex Manning and the associate producer is Paul Detrick.

Approximately 1:20 minutes.

This video is also available at Reason.tv's YouTube Channel (subscribe now!).

And make sure to tune in next month for more examples of busybodies minding your own business.

Food Fight

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:13:00 EDT

Amid the hustle and bustle of downtown Los Angeles, there exists another world, an underground world of illicit trade in—not drugs or sex—but bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Street vendors may sell you an illegal bacon dog, but hardly anyone will talk about it, for fear of being hassled, shut down or worse. Our camera caught it on tape. One minute bacon dogs are sold in plain view, the next minute cops have confiscated carts, and ordered the dogs dumped into the trash.

Elizabeth Palacios is one of the few vendors willing to speak publicly. “Doing bacon is illegal,” she explains. Problem is customers love bacon, and Palacios says she loses business if she doesn’t give them the bacon they demand. “Bacon is a potentially hazardous food,” says Terrence Powell of the LA County Health Department. Continue selling bacon dogs without county-approved equipment and you risk fines and jail time.

Palacios knows all about that. She spent 45 days in the slammer for selling bacon dogs, and with the lost time from work, fines, and attorney’s fees, she fears she might lose the house that bacon dogs helped buy. She must provide for her family, but remains trapped between government regulations and consumer demand. Customers don’t care about safety codes, says Palacios. “They just want the bacon.”

In "Food Fight: Battle of the Bacon Dogs," reason.tv host Drew Carey takes a long look at the human cost of trying to prohibit trade in oh-so-tasty treats.

Legal Absinthe in the US

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:51:00 EST

(Click on the image to play the video.)

After nearly a century of prohibition, la fee verte is once again legal in the US.

Legal, that is, as long as it contains less than 10ppm (parts per million) of thujone. Thujone--the active chemical in grand wormwood, one of the many herbs used to make absinthe--has long been thought to be resonsible for creating the magical sense of lucidity that many absinthe enthusiasts report.

Around the turn of the 20th-century, absinthe was adored by some of the most prominent artists, poets, and writers in Europe and the US, including Manet, Rimbaud, Lautrec, Baudelaire, Degas, Wilde, Van Gogh, London and Hemingway. Immortalized in many works of art, absinthe has become perhaps the most mythical alcoholic drink the west has ever known, and its mystique was only enhanced when it was banned in many European countries and the US in the early part of the 20th-century.

Efforts to ban absinthe were spearheaded in the late 19th-century by French prohibitionists who formed a curious coalition with French winemakers. Their successful propaganda campaign condemned absinthe as a drink that causes illness, criminal activity and, ultimately, insanity. Today, while there is disagreement about the psychotropic effects of thujone, the amount of thujone present in pre-ban absinthes and whether today's legal absinthes (with <10ppm thujone) can be called genuine, it's clear that absinthe is as safe as any other alcoholic drink.

For more information about absinthe (including how to get your hands on the green fairy), go here .

Enthusiasts may want to check out Barnaby Conrad's Absinthe: History in a Bottle , a lovely coffee table book.

Don't smoke reefer, Dewey!

ted.balaker@reason.tv (Ted Balaker) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:20:00 EST

Clip from "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"

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