Wayne: The thing I love about you is how you dispel “conventional wisdom." Could you give us an example of something widely accepted that needs debunking?

John Stossel: Second hand smoke is deadly - it's not. Studies claiming that it was were done on people who lived with smokers and spent years breathing smoke in homes and cars - the harms to passerby’s is minimal to none. Most everyone believe pesticides and wide spread use of chemicals has created a cancer epidemic. There is no cancer epidemic. Cancer rates are flat or down.

NYTimeser: You mocked the New York Times earlier. What papers DO you recommend?

Townhall: Or blogs or magazines?

John Stossel: I recommend the New York Times, WSJ, Washington Post, New York Sun, the Washington Times, Forbes, Reason, Weekly Standard, and New Republic. I find by reading a lot it's easier to sort the truth from the garbage. I also LOVE Townhall.com.

openbook1441_249966: Mr. Stossel, please give us your take on the "Fair Tax" and the current tax (gov't force) system.

John Stossel: The current system is disgusting. The fair tax may be better because it's simpler but a sales tax that high will invite cheating & manipulation as well.

Townhall: I'm sure you've seen all the new report regarding Exxon's record profits. ChristineF emails asking “when did making a profit become a bad thing?""

John Stossel: Beats me. I wish the oil executives would stand up to the reporters and say, "Why are you so economically illiterate? You should want us to make more profits so we can go find more oil."

Castanza_0842: Growing up, who were your heroes? For example, did you admire Roger Cronkite or Dan Rather, etc.?

John Stossel: Actually it's Walter Cronkite. I didn't watch TV news and they certainly weren't my role models. I acquired all my role models later in life & they are classical liberals, not TV anchors.

Townhall: An emailer asks “what conventional wisdom will you be challenging this coming season?"

John Stossel: My next JOHN STOSSEL SPECIAL will be about government. It will air shortly before the election. I will investigate the conceit that politicians are a combination of Mother Teresa & Santa Claus.

rcuster_92838: Milton Friedman was an advocate for school vouchers and freedom in education. What can we, as citizens, do to advance freedom in education?

John Stossel: Talk about it. It's outrageous that a government monopoly is responsible for educating most American kids. Milton Freidman & the fall of the Soviet Union showed that government monopolies don't do anything well. Perhaps when parents see that the kids down the street attend a school, like a KIP/charter where school is open to 5pm & kids can call their teachers in the evenings, then parents will wake up to the truth that choice provides better alternatives.

Townhall: We have time for two more questions...

Abi_295516: who do you currently look up to as leaders on economic policy?

John Stossel: I love the daily emails I get from Don Bodreaux, who's the George Mason University head of economics department. Tyler Cowen & Russ Roberts, also at GMU, I look up to. As well as many smart people at Cato, Reason, Heritage, Heartland, etc ...

Townhall: A emailed question is our last...

Townhall: Which ONE government agency would you choose to axe if you were given that power?

John Stossel: Just one? It's a close call between the Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, & probably others I can't think of right now ... we don't need any of them!

Townhall: That concludes our chat today with John Stossel. Thank you John for joining us today. Thanks to the Young America’s Foundation for sponsoring the event and thanks to all of you for you insightful questions.

Townhall: Thank you for helping us honor Milton Freidman. Those interested in booking John Stossel to speak on a college or high school campus or to learn more about Milton Friedman day should visit Young America's Foundation's website at www.yaf.org.