The 2,000 lb elephant in the room

[xrayzebra]

I think I edited my post while you were writing this.

When I say social liberal, it means about social policy such as gay marriage, abortion, separation of church and state, removing artificial government regulation on the drug free market, etc.

I am not in support of any of those things in my private life (except for separation of church and state; I am an atheist). But, I also don't want to dictate my conservative lifestyle on someone else.

We are getting way off the thread and I wont go much
further with this argument or discussion really.

I am a Christian. I do not support gay marriage, abortion,
and so called separation of church and state, boy that is
a whole different argument. I am not sure what you mean
by drug free market, if you mean free to freak yourself
out, I am not sure I would agree with that. I do my share
of "drugs" by having some adult beverages, which are
now considered drugs. Used to smoke the old weed,
tobacco, which I am still not sure it is that bad and miss it
sometimes. It now stinks, but so does some things
that are pleasurable and essential to the preservation
and continuance of mankind. But it does cause problems
to some folks and others get a way clean, that is die
from other causes. Anyhow, like I stated in my previous
post, I too do not want to impose my views on others,
well guess I do, when I get on here and spout my views,
but I really don't care if they follow my view. I just
don't want them to try and impose their beliefs on me.
Like on of the late posters on this site, RNR, rough-n-
ready, who thinks the world is coming to an end because
of oil. Poor soul, doesn't know what got him where he
is today.

[some_user86]

We are getting way off the thread and I wont go much
further with this argument or discussion really.

I am a Christian. I do not support gay marriage, abortion,
and so called separation of church and state, boy that is
a whole different argument. I am not sure what you mean
by drug free market, if you mean free to freak yourself
out, I am not sure I would agree with that. I do my share
of "drugs" by having some adult beverages, which are
now considered drugs. Used to smoke the old weed,
tobacco, which I am still not sure it is that bad and miss it
sometimes. It now stinks, but so does some things
that are pleasurable and essential to the preservation
and continuance of mankind. But it does cause problems
to some folks and others get a way clean, that is die
from other causes. Anyhow, like I stated in my previous
post, I too do not want to impose my views on others,
well guess I do, when I get on here and spout my views,
but I really don't care if they follow my view. I just
don't want them to try and impose their beliefs on me.
Like on of the late posters on this site, RNR, rough-n-
ready, who thinks the world is coming to an end because
of oil. Poor soul, doesn't know what got him where he
is today.

Cool. So we have something else in common. We both live pretty conservatively (except for religion). That's nice. But the problem I have with most Republicans (current President included) is that they aren't as enlightened as you are about enforcing their norms on others. That's a big no-no for most libertarians. Also, the drug thing... I believe in personal responsibility. Marijuana is much tamer than alcohol, yet it's a Schedule I drug. WTF? Tax it and get some revenues from it. Exposing it to free market pressures will eliminate the black market, or at least bring the distributors under the rule of law. We're just propping them up by restricting access to it.

[some_user86]

Fiscal Conservative and either of the Democrats health proposals do not belong in the same conversation.

Oh, that's right; Some User doesn't care about THAT spending; it's won't be discretionary.

You're not a fiscal conservative; you just want a balanced budget; and don't care if the govt. raises taxes to get there (we've already established that you deceive about your tax bracket)!

What evidence do you have that Clinton would balance the budget? She has proposed FAR more spending than she has tax increases to pay for it! You think because it happened in '99 when Bill was president, it'll happen again? You know how much capital gains tax was paid on Enron stock in '99?

The revenues the govt. collected that year were an anomaly; might happen once in a blue moon; but 20% of GDP to the treasury, thus far, has been a once-in-a-lifetime event.

We already have socialized medicine. Ever been to a county hospital? Know what that is? Socialized medicine. The people who can pay, pay. Otherwise, county hospitals can't refuse emergency service to anyone. So most people use as a visit to a general clinic. Then, they don't pay.

It's our dark secret. Either that or most people turn a blind eye to it.

It costs us more to run individual county hospitals at varying degrees of standard than to have a simple federalized chain of healthcare locations. healthcare plans. The simple answer is that the health industry needs compe ion. The free market solves most problems, but where it can't an oligopoly or monopoly sets up. That, by its very nature, is anti-free market. And it's the government's right and purpose to break up unhealthy trusts (since ca. Teddy Roosevelt).

You have to spend the least money the right way. You can't cut off all funding and you can't throw money at a problem and hope it goes away.

And using taxes to lower government debt is a marker of fiscal conservatism. Get your facts straight.