STOSSEL - [2013: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly] - Fox Business Network 2013, December 19, Thursday

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[excerpted from John Stossel's blog:]

Was this a good year for freedom? I look at the good, the bad and the ugly in 2013 with David Boaz of the CATO Institute, Sabrina Schaeffer of the Independent Women's Forum and Nick Gillespie of Reason TV.

THE GOOD: A few freedom fighters in Congress pushed back against big government. One who probably did the most is Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. He talks about his new plan for "economic freedom zones."

THE BAD: After the Newtown school shooting there was another big push for gun control. My friends, and even my own wife, asked me, "How could you not say there should be more rules against these weapons?"

THE UGLY: Many people really believed that ObamaCare would cover more people with more insurance for more things and still be "affordable." Now some of the truth is coming out. Boaz says people should realize that the "government can't create more things for more people and have it cost less." But many people never realize that.

REGULATION NATION: Jeff Rowes, of the Institute for Justice, talks about three new cases where the "little guys" are crushed by government regulation. One example: A Florida town forces a couple to rip out their vegetable garden.

NAUGHTY OR NICE?: I play Santa and report on who was naughty and who was nice this year.

For example, Nancy Pelosi was naughty because she said government does not have a spending problem.

The rest of my Naughty or Nice list tonight.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH: In 2013, our rulers added to the massive pile of rules that we must obey. My wish this Christmas is that reporters stop whining about the "least productive" and the "do nothing" Congress, and instead, celebrate the fact that politicians not passing more laws means more freedom for Santa, and for the rest of you.