Iraq (let them eat broccoli & take an ounce of prevention)

[Scott Badger]

Terrance:

>The government has plenty of money. They don't need more from taxes on
>gas or other consumed products, they'll only waste it debating it in
>committees, running funds deficits and paying back the special interests
>that keep them employed for life (i.e., the defense industry).
>This notion that the government is supposed provide is insane.
>Government is not your father, son. Patriarchal, providential,
>government is what the 60s kids in VL wanted and it's why they go down
>on Brock Vond and get beat by him in a jail cell. They want it as much
>as he does. Jeeez, I thought anyone that reads Pynchon would know how
>dangerous this tax and save the people stuff is.  It's what gets W
>talking about faith based bible thumping government. Bull shit!
>Communities care about the land, the water, the children, the schools,
>the transportation systems, the security, and so on ... in which they
>live and they know best how to invest their money to serve the
>communities they live in. The idea that they need the government to tell
>them what's good for them is baaaaaaaaaaad sheep.


Fair cop...sounding like a Ben & Jerry's pint pitch...I have absolutely NO
problem having the money go to communities...let me tell ya' about local
school, water, development debates....the P-List pales...town meetings are a
gas...still, getting people out of their car and on their feet (in a way
that doesn't increase the cost of manufacturing, freight, power etc) and
reducing available healthcare to something less than mortgage-payment level
payments (and whether you pay directly, your employer pays, or the
government pays -- you still pay) are desireable...from my own, admittedly
skewed perspective.

Scott Badger