I posted this on Red State Rumblings some time ago - given some of the comments I have received lately on other posts over here, I thought it would be good to help educate our friends on the left. The bottom line is the directions of left or right, GOP or DEM are frankly meaningless. The central philosophical difference is are you in favor of the state controlling your life or do you favor freedom? Once you answer that question for yourself, your world view will shape itself around it. For me, I go with the freedom, limited government package...for some of my anonymous commenters they apparently wish to surrender all to the cult of Obama and be led forward like sheep. That's OK, just recognize it for what it is.
3 comments:
An interesting contention from rumbler, given that he is clearly in favor of the anti-abortion movement (government regulation of private lives) - let me ask you this question: are you in favor of legalizing all drugs? That would also be a logical offshoot of your stated position: the government remaning uninvolved in the lives of the citizenry.
So, my thoughts: I think that the state should indeed be happily left in charge of major things that the private sector cannot handle. Things like infrastructure improvements, central banking, police/fire/military, regulation of industry (both financial and consumer goods sectors), and foreign policy. Which are, of course, exactly what it does, more or less.
You seem to have this strange fantasy where all the sudden you will wake up one day and the government will have taken over everything, and all property will be communal, and we will all have flags of Mao all over the place. But that is obviously a strawman for you to beat on pointlessly. That will never happen. And the richest people going from 36% to 39% marginal tax rate is somehow not as stunning a change (especially since that is still extremely LOW, historically) as i would feel necessary to support the level of vitriolic doom-and-gloom you seem to espouse.
So, i contend that it is not me that is the sheep, but you... you hate on every decision Obama makes, but in general my life will be better, my taxes lower, and america's infrastructure and energy future brighter with O than ever under W (or any of the current crew of the GOPs ship of fools).
I favor MY freedom. Freedom from unregulated bankers destroying my 401k's value. Freedom from religious people making me wait till noon to buy beer on sundays. Freedom from the armies of sheep who parrot the Rush party line decrying spending on infrastructure and research (but happily wanting all the spending in the world as long as it takes the form of a tax cut for them...)
I would rather have a brand new light-rail system, new energy sources, and new medical treatments derived from government research, (not to mention the tax CUT i will get) than have only the knowledge that Rush didnt have to pay 3% more in taxes this year.
Why don't you?
Read the Constitution, it will help you out.
Yes, I am pro-life, unabashedly so, but my fight is with the courts - it should be left to the states to decide. If you want to live in a state that allows it, so be it. Let me live in one that doesn't and don't make my tax dollars pay for people who use abortion as a remedy for failure to use contraception. But, there is no "right to privacy" anywhere in the Constitution - therefore, it is an issue that falls to the states.
Drug regulation would fall under commerce clauses and public safety. If a drug is so dangerous that use of it creates a public safety hazard, then it should be regulated.
We actually agree on the role of government although I am confident you would toss the 2nd Amendment out the window, which I would not.
As for the Mao fantasy, nice thought, but you might try understanding what happened in Nazi Germany before you spout off that of course it couldn't happen here. Your tax rate is a fantasy - if you think taxes will not increase to pay for the bloat your guy is pitching, you must believe in a flat earth.
I wish you well with your utopian vision of an obamaniacal world where we all ride light rails and have great infrastructure, but again, do the math.
On the unregulated banking, I am so glad you agree with George W. Bush and his administration on the need for regulation of Fannie and Freddie and more regulation of CDO's and hedge funds - damn shame your guys in Congress stopped those efforts.
"my guys"? i am not a legislator, just a voter that happens to think that a smart guy who recognizes that we do indeed have major problems is going to be an effective leader under current economic conditions. And 70% of americans agree with me. so... once again, if you want it to be all about teams instead of ideas, you are clearly on the losing team.
you seem far more interested in picking a fight with your straw-man than actually discussing things... this is of course a well-known tactic of those without factual data to back them up.
"Your tax rate is a fantasy - if you think taxes will not increase to pay for the bloat your guy is pitching, you must believe in a flat earth." Of course taxes will have to go up (or a period of major inflation, or ... China owning us lock-stock.. or a one-world government... whatever. just pointing out that there are indeed other options). But the taxes will go up for those that can best afford it... the insanely rich. i bet that we dont even have to stop at 39%. you think Rush would be reduced to feeding his corpulent maw with ramen noodles if the top tax rate went up to 50%? i bet he would still be ok... and therein lies the rub. Progressive tax systems exist for a reason. if you are not aware of those reasons, look it up; i cant be bothered to walk you through the math.. but it is MATH. factual data.
You keep saying 'do the math' when you talk about the light-rail and such.. it is IN THE BUDGET. that money, and those projects, should and will happen. that's the math. W built us nothing but debt. O's debt is building REAL, tangible things. does the distinction not register?
oh, and your nazi comparison (again parroted from the loony-right, of course) is so incredibly stupid i am almost without rejoinder. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN??? whatever strange armageddon-fantasy your brain (or Glen Beck) conjures, it is NOT going to happen. there is no indication, of any sort, that it could even remotely happen. what is it that you see as a basis for comparison? (answer... nothing. it is more nonsensical strawman-beating). your mama must be sooo proud. you can listen to Fox News AND repeat what you heard. impressive skill set.
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