Subject: less gumment
If ya don't mind, I'd like to get in on this less government topic:
1) If you want an abortion, fine. Get an
abortion. However, I don't think it
should be government sponsored or funded
in anyway. See, if the government
doesn't fund them, then the anti-abortionists
have less of a fight. Now they
can't hollar about their tax money being
used to fund abortions. If
government sponsorship has to be given
to abortions, put it on the state
level, where it pretty much already exists.
Koresh, that's flawed.
Let me count the ways:
1. You're saying the poor should just "knock
it off?"
Or should they use coathangers?
2. What's your answer for when the right-wing
doesn't want any of their money
to go towards
"teachin' niggers how to read?"
You going to let the
Cro-Mags call the tune?
That's not an answer
- that's surrender.
3. Let the states decide?
So the poor Texans who
want an abortion should, what?
Hitch a ride to Shreveport?
2) Guns are perfectly legal to own. Background
check? Fine. Age requirement?
Whatever. License? No. Mandatory trigger
locks or safety measures? Most guns
have them already. I propose this: Instead
of all that trigger lock
balderdash, why not make firearms safety
training costs tax deductible?
Hell, make the trigger locks tax deductible..but
don't force them on people.
As far as guns and cars being a like, well,
that's not even logical as Gore
would like you to believe, but I won't
go into that now.
First, you make more sense than the OhioHistory.org
guy.
But you haven't addressed the problem of
a guy who buys 30 guns a month,
then sells them to the felons who can't
buy on their own.
The cars-guns analogy might not be perfect,
but it's valid to a point.
3) Healthcare? Keep it private. None of
this socialized nonsense. Socialized
medicine? Check out the teeth on a British
person. I like the idea of making
health insurance premiums tax deductible.
All insurance is socialism. How could
you not know that?
You throw in with thousands of others and
share the costs and benefits.
Tax deductible HC premiums is a good idea,
but if you're paying $300
a month and they refuse to cover A, B,
C and D, that tax deduction
may not save you from bankruptcy.
4) Drugs? I'm split on this. I don't think
crack cocaine and the like should
be legal, but I'd be willing to make an
exception for pot. Legalize and tax
the hell out of them? Nope.
You'd rather the Crips & Bloods sell
crack than Walgreens and Wal-Mart?
What makes the Crips & Bloods so qualified?
And do they pay profits on their taxes?
If Walgreens handled crack sales, you'd
need an ID to buy,
plus the cost would be $3 a day instead
of $300, thereby dropping crime.
5) Education? Make it easier for parents
to homeschool. I'm thinking (you
guessed it) tax credit. Something serious,
like $5000. Maybe more. Encourage
it, and keep the damned Feds out of it.
As far as curriculum goes, that can
be up to the parent. I'm not convinced
that public school curriculums are
any fantastic measure of quality anyway.
I don't mind having standards that
must be met, homeschooled kids could probably
meet them without breaking
sweat, provided the homeschooling is taken
seriously by both parent and
student. But I think the parent can and
should be able to dictate the
curriculum within reason. I'd be more willing
to let state governments have
some say over this, and maybe even set
up a recommended curriculum or
curriculum minimums that would engineer
the education towards a state
college (or any college).
Possibly, but does your mother know French,
physics, calculus and science?
Will you fire the mother if the kid grows
up stupid?
What if the mother works?
You've GOT to have a national standard
or some kids will grow up "knowing"
that 5 quarts = a gallon.
6) Ok, so what should the Federal Gumment
do? Ideally, I think it should be
responsible for these things: provide for
the common defense, enforce
contracts, issue money (based on the gold
standard, which we should get back
on), and represent the United States in
foreign relations. Let the Consumers
Union handle consumer stuff. Privatize
the NTSB. FAA I'd be willing to stick
with, although there are lots of good,
private organizations that could
possibly undertake those duties. Let the
states handle welfare, healthcare,
and the social stuff. Personally, I'd like
to see Social Security tossed,
seeing as how the gumment can't seem to
hold on to the money they need to
run it (lock box? that's was around when
it was first founded...nothing
new). Cut capital gains taxes, encourage
further investment. I don't think
Social Security should be partially privatized,
that'll just raise payroll
taxes. But you know what? I say if you're
not saving your money for your
golden years, tough. If some guy blows
his whole paycheck on some sushi, and
can't pay the phonebill, the govt doesn't
come running to help him when AT&T
pulls the plug. Retirement should be the
same way. You ain't saving, you'll
just have to keep working or hope you have
a family that will support you.
Might sound heartless, but I'm tired of
having a heart when I'm paying out
the nose. I work hard for my money, and
would like to one day reap the
fruits of all that labor.
On the state level, if people want the
social stuff, they can vote for it
and not be surprised when their taxes go
up. If people don't want it, just
the same, hopefully without the tax increase.
I think the Senate should
revert back to being the representative
body of the state legislatures (i.e.
Senators are chosen by the state government
instead of the voters...sounds
weird for a guy who wants less government
I know, but I'm talking about less
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT) and just the House
o' Reps represent the people. And you
know what, I'm all for having whole bunch
of parties, because i think Fed
government gridlock is a good thing. Maybe
I've just been lucky to have
grown up in states that know how to do
things right, but I'd much prefer the
states over the Feds anyday.
That was too long to hold my attention.
I'll give you that one.