if you pay attention, you usually know enough about both sides to make a final correct decision. but lots of people cannot because they are having opinions for the sake of believing what is fun to believe (conspiracies) or what they think makes them look caring (feelgood liberals) or what god wants. if you can forget those things, you will come to smart conclusions. there are plenty of things i have not decided, but they are very far from what the public is debating. the current debates are too easy.
Well, I have to admit that I automatically dismiss CC's information/opinions because, in my estimation, he's about a half a notch below an ACLU attorney.
What have you not decided martin? I very much agree. Common sense tends to have pretty simple answers to too many of the things currently being debated in politics.
undecided / unfigured-out issues -extent to which drugs should be legal. i am pretty sure but not certain i think everything should be legal. - extent to which government should be abolished. for example i have not decided of i favor the existence of public schools. i think i favor them, but not sure. i will listen to either side. - immigration. i think i favor allowing everyone who wants to come here to come, but i am not sure what that means or what would happen. - gun/weapon control. i do not know where to draw the line about what should be illegal. how many people per minute should a weapon be able to kill before it is illegal? - flat tax/national sales tax vs income tax. i dont really understand economics well enough to comment. - national debt - i suspect that huge debt doesnt really hurt our country at all, but i am not sure. there are some more issues i havent figured out, but most issues i have taken care of.
martin, I think you should start another thread for us to discuss these tough topics. Or we could just do it here on this thread that is about... uh, oh yea - George's agenda. :hihi: I'm guilty, but it's not my fault - it was a crappy topic.
i would be happy to discuss drug legalization in particular. i think that is the biggest issue that we are really super wrong on right now and needs attention. so much violence, so much wasted money, so many people imprisoned for no good reason. our terrible policies are even ruining other countries and causing murders and constant kidnappings and such. in fact if anyone knows of a good book about the south american drug trade and the problems it causes and the influence of marxist groups and all their kidnappings and stuff i would like to read it. (not "killing pablo" i already read that and it was awesome). right now i have to head out the door and meet my homies to catch a 7 train to shea stadoim to watch the astros get smoked.
Speculative crap, huh? That's funny. That's just wishful thinking on your part. or perhaps it can be attributed to the fact that you ignore what I post, and are left with a convoluded version of what you would have liked me to have said. Or maybe your definition of 'speculative crap' is so loose as to be restricted to the ideas/opinions of others that think differently from yourself and others in congruence with your views. I use facts, not the emotional regirgitations of Fox News, to support my opinions. Additionally, I should inform you that all of our opinions here are speculative. We form our ideas of off whatever information we see fit, then make assertions based on that. Unless you know something to be an absolute truth, it will always be speculation.
Might as well legalize them. Making them illegal ain't working. Keep government. Abolish politicians. Volunteers only. Set up English language classes worldwide. Learn the language 1st, welcome to America 2nd. My bank got a new ATM. I was in a hurry, wanted $40 fast cash, no receipt. Give me my money and my card and I'm outta there. But first I had to select English or Espanol. I was yelling "F*CK"! I am a hunter. I want my guns. I do not kill people. Ban the killers (this can be tied in to the legalize drugs issue). I don't understand the economics of the issue either but I don't mind paying my fair share of taxes. It's the spending of the tax money that bothers me (this ties in to the abolish government issue). Why worry about a debt that no one can collect? It's all a big joke. At least when I borrow from myself (401K) they make me pay myself back.
Well the war against drugs is a joke & should be dropped. That doesn't mean that drugs should be legalized. We need different punishments - less jailtime, better help for the users. Public schools need to be improved - not abolished. I think it's one of the characteristics that define America Without them, you have a much less intelligent overall society which is bad for everybody. (It's effects you & I economically & politically) Why should we allow anyone that wants to come in? A murderer? A rapists? Cuba can keep 'em. A terrorist? For security issues we should know who is comming into our country. Look at the facts - europe's crime rate has sky rocketed since gun control. I'm in favor of gun regulation. No selling guns without a license, require a clearance check to buy a gun - criminals will probably find a way to get them anyway, but we should atleast attempt to stop them. I'm against a flat taxn - to harsh on some families & to easy on others. An argument can be made for a national sales tax but I don't think enough research has been done yet. The main problem I see with the income tax are the many ways around it. I think something is bound to change & my guess is that eventually we'll move to a combination of 60/40 ratio of sales & income taxes. Mainly this is just an issue for politicans to throw out there & intimidate ignorant people (basically, everyone on this particular subject). The truth is, it hasn't hurt us any yet & there's lots of disagreement even amongst economists.
Some should be illegal (heroin, crack). But some should be decriminalised and heavily taxed (marijuana). That would inhibit more people than jail time and the government would make a buck to deal with the problem drugs. Not abolished, but kept "just big enough". This constant tendency for governments to grow big bureacracies is counterproductive. But a core of vital government services benefit us all. The key is balance. No quotas, but much higher criteria for admission. And strict enforcement of the deportation and perhaps jailing of illegal aliens. Anybody shuld be able to buy all of the hunting guns he requires and enough sidearms to protect himself. Nobody needs fully automatic weapons, .50 caliber sniper rifles, or grenade launchers. No law-abiding gun owner should fear gun registration or carry permits. Balance. You don't spend more than you take in. If you must spend more, then you must pay for it with taxes. Income tax seems the most fair to me. Greenspan predicts it will lead to inflation and reduced standard of living for future Americans. I tend to agree
