John Stossel Highlights Heritage’s Work Combating Overcriminalization

Brian Walsh / July 15, 2010

One of the reasons that John Stossel’s face, voice, and trademark “Give Me a Break” tagline are so familiar to conservatives is that he has mastered the art of illustrating the absurdity of arbitrary, overreaching decisions by bureaucrats, lawmakers, and other government officials.  Tonight, his show on Fox Business focuses on “Attacks on Freedom”, including the (often hidden) dangers that legislators and prosecutors have created through overcriminalization. Overcriminalization endangers average Americans who have no idea that they have become federal criminals by – for example – mixing two types of turpentine, bringing a pet into a government building, or making an honest mistake on certain government forms.  On Realclearpolitics.com yesterday, Stossel described some of the horror stories of overcriminalization, including stories covered in Heritage’s new book, “One Nation Under Arrest.” (more…)