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Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey: How to Save the Mistake on the Lake and other Once Great U.S. Cities

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EDT

Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey is an original Reason.tv documentary series airing the week of March 15-19, 2010.

Featuring sitcom legend, Price Is Right host, and proud Clevelander Drew Carey, each 10-minute episode investigates and analyzes the problems that turned Cleveland from the nation's sixth-largest city in 1950 into today's "Mistake By The Lake."

Is a renaissance possible? Of course it is, but only if the city's leaders and residents are willing to learn from other cities such as Houston, Chicago, Oakland, and Indianapolis. And only if they're willing to try new approaches to old problems.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie narrates and talks with educators, elected officials, businesspeople, policy experts, and residents from all walks of life. Reason Saves Cleveland maps a route back to prosperity and growth not just for Cleveland but for other once-great American cities.

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday.

Scroll down to bottom of page for downloadable iPod, HD, and audio versions.

Click on images below to play individual episodes.

Episode 1: The Decline of a Once-Great City (March 15)

Sixty years ago, Cleveland was a booming city full of promise, opportunity, and people. Today, the city’s population is less half of what it was in its prime and it ranks as one of the poorest big cities in the United States. Hometown hero Drew Carey reflects on how the city became “the mistake on the lake” and wonders about the city’s future. Is a Cleveland renaissance possible or is the city doomed to long, slow death?

Episode 2: Fix the Schools (March 15)

Cleveland’s public schools are failing to prepare students for their future and as a result, all parents who can afford to have been fleeing to the suburbs for decades. Yet some urban schools, like Think College Now in Oakland, California are finding out that a combination of administrative autonomy and accountability can lead to amazing results. Within Cleveland's own boundaries, charter schools are booming and delivering quality education at a fraction of the cost of traditional public schools. Does Cleveland have what it takes to fundamentally reform its K-12 education system and become a leader in 21st-century education?

Episode 3: Privatize It (March 16)

Should cities be in the business of running businesses ranging from convention centers to farmers markets? Selling off golf courses, contracting out parking concessions, and all manner of public-private partnerships are generating billions of dollars in revenue and dramatically improving city services in places such as Chicago and Indianapolis. Will Cleveland's elected officials learn the right lessons in time?

Episode 4: Take Care of Business (March 17)

After World War II, Cleveland was booming, thanks to its leadership role in heavy industry and a business-friendly climate. Today, the city’s high taxes and onerous regulatory demands make it nearly impossible for new businesses to set up shop while choking the life out of existing companies. While relatively laissez-faire cities such as Houston are growing even during the current recession, Cleveland remains stuck in a rut. How can city officials make the city a more welcoming place for entrepreneurs to thrive?

Episode 5: Encourage Bottom-Up Development (March 18)

Cleveland has spent billions on big-ticket urban redevelopment efforts including heavily subsidized sports stadiums and convention centers that have utterly failed to revitalize the city’s economy. Should the city be pouring even more money into and pinning yet higher hopes on long-odds mega-projects? Or should they realize that bottom-up projects driven by the actual residents and private-sector investors are the best was to build a vibrant city for the long haul?

Episode 6: Bring Back the People (March 19)

No city can exist without people, and Cleveland has lost more than half its population since the 1950s. Yet the city still boasts amazingly affordable neighborhoods, down-to-earth charm, a rich history, a stunning and varied landscape, and diverse ethnic and cultural scenes. How can Cleveland become a destination where people flock to pursue their personal versions of the American Dream?

Bring Back The People: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Episode 6

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EDT

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; narrated by Nick Gillespie; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday. This is the sixth of six episodes which will air March 15-19, 2010.

Approximately 10 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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John Stossel on Fox Business Talks about Cleveland's Bad Rap

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EDT

On March 16, 2010, John Stossel appeared on Fox Business to promote his upcoming interview with Drew Carey and Reason.tv Editor in Chief, Nick Gillespie, on fixing 'the Mistake on the Lake.'

Approximately 5.20 minutes.

Scroll down for downloadable iPod and audio versions.

Subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube Channel and receive automatic notifications when new material goes live.

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.

Encourage Bottom-Up Redevelopment: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Episode 5

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:00:00 EDT

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; narrated by Nick Gillespie; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday. This is the fifth of six episodes that will air March 15-19, 2010.

Approximately 10 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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Take Care of Business: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Episode 4

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:55:00 EDT

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; narrated by Nick Gillespie; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday. This is the fourth of six episodes that will air March 15-19, 2010.

Approximately 10 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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Privatize It: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Episode 3

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:00:00 EDT

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; narrated by Nick Gillespie; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday. This is the third of six episodes that will air March 15-19, 2010.

Approximately 10 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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Fix The Schools: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Episode 2

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT

Cleveland’s public schools are failing to prepare students for their futures and as a result, all parents who can afford to have been fleeing to the suburbs for decades. Yet some urban schools, like Think College Now in Oakland, California are finding out that a combination of administrative autonomy and accountability can lead to amazing results. Within Cleveland's own boundaries, charter schools are booming and delivering quality education at a fraction of the cost of traditional public schools. Does Cleveland have what it takes to fundamentally reform its K-12 education system and become a leader in 21st-century education?

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; narrated by Nick Gillespie; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday. This is the second of six episodes that will air March 15-19, 2010.

Approximately 10 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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The Decline of a Once-Great City: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Episode 1

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:00 EDT

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; narrated by Nick Gillespie; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday. This is the first of six episodes that will air between March 15-19, 2010.

The next episode, Fix the Schools, will go live at noon ET today.

Approximately 5 minutes long. Scroll down for iPod, HD, and audio versions of this video.

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Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey: Full episode guide and resources

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EDT

Click above to watch Drew introduce the series that just might save his hometown. And yours.

Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey is an original Reason.tv documentary series that will air during the week of March 15-19.

Like all too many American cities, Cleveland seems locked into a death spiral, shedding people, jobs, and dreams like nobody's business. When it comes to education, business climate, redevelopment, and more, Clevelanders have come to expect the worse. Is a renaissance possible? Of course it is, but only if the city's leaders and residents are willing to learn from other cities such as Houston, Chicago, Oakland, and Indianapolis. And only if they're willing to try new approaches to old problems.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie narrates and talks with educators, elected officials, businesspeople, policy experts, and residents from all walks of life. Stay tuned for a documentary series that maps a route back to prosperity and growth not just for Cleveland but for other once-great American cities.

Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey is written and produced by Paul Feine; camera and editing by Roger Richards and Alex Manning; music by the Cleveland band Cats on Holiday.

Full release schedule is below. Click on the images to start each episode. And go here to watch the series as single, 50-minute video. All segments are available as downloadable iPod, HD, and audio files.

Episode 1: The Decline of a Once-Great City (March 15)

Episode 2: Fix the Schools (March 15)

Episode 3: Privatize It (March 16)

Episode 4: Take Care of Business (March 17)

Episode 5: Encourage Bottom-Up Redevelopment (March 18)

Episode 6: Bring Back the People (March 19)

No city can exist without people, and Cleveland has lost more than half its population since the 1950s. Yet the city still boasts amazingly affordable neighborhoods, down-to-earth charm, arich history, a stunning and varied landscape, and diverse ethnic and cultural scenes. How can Cleveland can become a destination where people flock to pursue their personal versions of the American Dream?

Click below to watch Drew Carey talk about his hopes and dreams for Cleveland—and why he wishes he could film The Price Is Right there.

Jacob Sullum, Virginia Postrel, & Nick Gillespie on Fox Business' Stossel

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST

On March 4, 2010, Jacob Sullum , Nick Gillespie and Virginia Postrel appeared on a special episode of Fox Business Network's Stossel devoted to prohibition to discuss drug laws, ridiculous media scare stories, and legalizing markets in human organs.

Approximately 30 minutes.

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Reason Foundation's Adrian Moore on Fox Business Discussing California Education Funding

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:51:00 EST

On March 8, 2010, Adrian Moore, vice president of research at Reason Foundation, appeared on Fox Business with Stuart Varney to comment on California's education funding.

Approximately 5 minutes.

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And come back to Reason.tv March 15 through 19 to watch the original documentary series Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey.

Advice Goddess Amy Alkon on Beating Some Manners into Impolite Society

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:30:00 EST

"I don't like regulations," says Amy Alkon, a syndicated advice columnist who blogs daily at AdviceGoddess.com. "I like to shame people into behaving better."

Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with Alkon to discuss her new book, I See Rude People: One woman's battle to beat some manners into impolite society. Alkon explains how she and others mix chutzpah with technology to fight back against the insane drivers, coffee-house yackers, and subway perverts who make our lives miserable.

Interview by Ted Balaker. Shot by Alex Manning and Paul Detrick. Edited by Alex Manning. Music: "I Think I Started a Trend," by Brad Sucks (Magnatune Records).

Just under 10 minutes. Scroll down for embed code and downloadable versions.

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Matt Welch Talks with Stossel about Government Unions

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:00:00 EST

On Febuary 11, 2010, Reason Editor in Chief Matt Welch appeared on Fox Buisness's Stossel to discuss what caused the government's budget crisis and whether public employee unions are making it worse.

Approximately 13 minutes.

Subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube Channel and receive automatic notifications when new material goes live.

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.

Anthony Randazzo Discusses Banking Reform and Regulation on Al Jazeera

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:59:00 EST

The Reason Foundation's Director of Economic Research Anthony Randazzo joins a panel to discuss whether banking reform will avert another crisis on Al Jazeera on December 15, 2009.

Approximately 20 minutes.

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Len Gilroy Discusses Privatization of Public Works on CNBC's Power Lunch

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:22:00 EST

On March 11, 2010, Reason Foundation 's Director of Government Reform, Leonard Gilroy appeared on CNBC's Power Lunch to discuss the option of privatizing public works for cash-strapped cities.

Approximately 2 minutes.

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John Avlon: "How the Lunatic Fringe Is Hijacking America"

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:29:00 EST

"Politics is the last place where we're supposed to be satisfied between Brand A and Brand B," says John Avlon, author of the engaging new book Wingnuts: How The Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America.

Hyper-partisans and rhetorical extremists on the left and the right—characters such as Reps. Alan Grayson and Michele Bachmann, commentators such as Keith Olbermann and Glenn Beck—are not simply polarizing the debate, argues Avlon, who is a regular presence on CNN and a columnist for The Daily Beast.

Far more importantly (and destructively), they are obscuring the fact that the U.S. electorate is, in the main, proto-libertarian. Independents are the fastest-growing group of voters, says Avlon and, "They tend to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal to libertarian." Avlon is also the author of Independent Nation: How Centrism Can Change American Politics.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie sat down with Avlon in Reason's D.C. offices. Filmed by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg; edited by Bragg. Approximately 10 minutes.

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Tim Cavanaugh Talks Greece's Financial Troubles on Fox Business' Cavuto

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:27:00 EST

On March 9, 2010, Reason's Tim Cavanaugh discussed Greece's financial problems on Fox Business' Cavuto.

Approximately 5 minutes.

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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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Virginia Postrel: Glamour, Politics, & Voter Expectations

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:30:00 EST

Glamour is "not just about movie stars," says Virginia Postrel.

The Editor in Chief of Deepglamour.net and former Editor in Chief of Reason magazine points out that glamour, which originally meant a literal magic spell "that promises to to transcend ordinary life and make the ideal real," is especially powerful when applied to the world of politics.

Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with Virginia Postrel to find out how glamour fuels voters' expectations, which modern political figures are glamourous (Barack is, Sarah isn't), and why glamour is both an advantage and a burden.

Interview by Ted Balaker. Shot by Hawk Jensen and Paul Detrick. Edited by Paul Detrick.

Music: "You Got Something" by Grayson Wray (Magnatune Records).
About eight minutes. Scroll down for embed code and downloadable versions.

Postrel, an organ donor and cancer survivor, talks to Reason.tv about health care reform here.

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Adrian Moore on Fox Business Channel Talking State Pensions

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST

On March 3, 2010, Adrian Moore , vice president of research at Reason Foundation , appeared on Fox Business with Stuart Varney to comment on California's prison guard pensions and the large issue of the Golden State's buget shortfalls.

Approximately 3.40 minutes.

Nick Gillespie on PBS's Two-Way Street

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST

On February 19, 2010, Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie made a special apperance via webcam on PBS's Two-Way Street to ask the panel of experts on whether America should look to Portugal's drug policies for its future.

Approximately 1.13 minutes.

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Pork Party House

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:30:00 EST

First Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) surrenders his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee amid an ethics investigation. Now Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) proposes an idea that she hopes will help her make good on her promise to help lead "the most ethical Congress in history"—a party-wide ban on earmarks. Will it happen? Don't bet on it. Reason.tv's "Pork Party House" helps explain why neither party can resist the pull of pork.

If you're a politician, lobbyist, or insider and you're in the mood to party, check out a Washington D.C. mansion called the Sewall-Belmont House. Party with senators and celebrities at thousand-dollar-a-plate fundraisers! You might even get to ride a mechanical bull! The Sewall-Belmont House hosts so many A-list events, you might be surprised to find out that your tax dollars help fund this hotspot for Washington insiders. "Over the last 10 years, the Sewall-Belmont House has gotten over $3.4 million in earmarks," says Leslie Paige of Citizens Against Government Waste.

Reporters often highlight the most ridiculous examples, but politicians have learned how to make their pork projects sound uncontroversial, even appealing. Just say your project will help children, senior citizens, or—if you really want to slip under the radar—direct taxpayer dough to a museum.

"Museums are one of the biggies because they sound so good," says Paige. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) used that angle to direct a million-dollar earmark to the Sewall-Belmont House (after the Senator received an award from the Sewall-Belmont House). Turns out Landrieu was just getting warmed up, because her recent $300 million "Louisiana Purchase" shot her into the ranks of pork legends.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, laments Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), one of Congress's few legitimate pork busters. Flake tells Reason.tv that despite pork-laden scandals that stuck some members behind bars—remember Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.)?—and promises from Barack Obama to reform earmarks, spending on pork continues to swell in the giant pork party house called the U.S. Congress.

"Pork Party House" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Producer: Hawk Jensen; Host: Nick Gillespie; Field Producer: Dan Hayes; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick; Additional Camera: Meredith Bragg; Production Assistant: Josh Swain; Music: "Get What You Want?" by Beight (Magnatune Records).

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

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.

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Gov. Gary Johnson on His Economic Vision For "Our America"

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

On Tuesday, February 9, in the midst of one of the biggest snowstorms in recent Washington, D.C. memory, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and Harvard economist (and Reason contributor) Jeff Miron talked about economic revitalitization and Johnson's views on immigration, war, and other issues at the heart of the new organization Our America.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie intros the speakers and moderates audience Q&A. Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg; edited by Bragg. Approximately 35 minutes. Scroll down for downloadable iPod, HD, and audio versions.

For more Reason.tv with Johnson, go here.

To watch Miron make the "case for doing nothing" (that is, actually letting markets work) during the 2008 financial crisis, go here.

3 Reasons Why Obama's High-Speed Rail Will Go Nowhere Fast

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

President Barack Obama has pledged $8 billion in tax dollars to build a national network of high-speed rail—trains that can carry passengers at speeds in excess of 150 MPH.

But the Supertrain fantasy was a mistake back in the 1970s, when it gave rise to one of the most expensive—and rotten—TV shows in history. And it's just as much of a wreck in the 21st century for at least three reasons:

1. The lowball costs. CNN estimates that delivering on the plan could cost well over $500 billion and take decades to build, all while failing to cover much of the country at all. Internationally, only two high-speed rail lines have recouped their capital costs and all depend on huge subsidies to stay in operation.
2. The supposed benefits. "We're gonna be taking cars off of congested highways and reducing carbon emissions," says Vice President Joe Biden, an ardent rail booster. But most traffic jams are urban, not inter-city, so high-speed rail between metro areas will have no effect on your daily commute. And when construction costs are factored in, high-speed rail "may yield only marginal net greenhouse gas reductions," say UC-Berkeley researchers.
3. The delusional Amtrak example. Obama and Biden look to Amtrak as precedent, but since its founding in 1971, the nation's passenger rail system has sucked up almost $35 billion in subsidies and, says The Washington Post's Robert J. Samuelson, "a typical trip is subsidized by about $50." About 140 million Americans shlep to work every day, while Amtrak carries just 78,000 passengers. There's no reason to think that high-speed rail will pump up those numbers, though there's every reason to believe its costs will grow and grow.

"Supertrain 2010" was written and produced by Meredith Bragg and Nick Gillespie, who also hosts. Approximately 3 minutes.

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