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Voltaire said, "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." Do you agree or disagree, and why? Voltaire liked to sound wise, possibly to cover up his lack of confidence. I think this is one of those times he was just trying to coin an aphorism. I mean, just look at the phrasing: "certainty is absurd." Isn't that rather dogmatic? Rather definite? In other words, didn't he sound awfully certain? I can just hear Rousseau: "Voltaire, are you sure about...

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Would you please name a happy piece of Classical Music? Charles Camille Saint-Saens wrote many scores that must be considered "happy," though of course his most famous "happy" sound is in "Carnival of the Animals." But if you don't already know his work, I really, really recommend you explore, and perhaps especially his piano works.

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Is socialism the reason why Europe has been declining over the years? Perhaps because Europe has been declining it turns to socialism. Since the United States is now undergoing a major expansion of socialism and socialist premises, your question becomes very, very pertinent. When individualism and human rights become secondary to some vague security and when the nanny state seems preferable to maintaining one's own life, both decline and deterioration as...

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I have two sons on the very threshold of legal adulthood. They made it to this point without any problems with substances, unwanted parenthood, or a police record. Is it over? Or is there something new to worry about? When you get to be a great-grandfather, your kids will still be your kids and you'll continue to worry about them. There is always something: Collectivist politicians will try to erode the freedom you grew up with and you'll worry that your kids, even if they themselves are grandparents by then, will have less freedom and more economic uncertainty. But what you probably do NOT need...

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My girlfriend wants to bring her cleaning person to my place. But I clean and dust and stuff all the time. What do you think she sees that Josie is missing? One of God's great mysteries is the many ways women are different from us. They ALWAYS see something we don't, especially when it comes to such mundane matters as alleged dirt. Josie, if she's going to pay the cleaner, heck, just say "Thanks" and let her. It can't hurt ... well, except then you owe her one.

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Does anyone know what film this pic is from? It does seem to be from a commercial, but for what I can't remember.

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Why should the federal agents who murdered people in the Branch Davidian complex and who murdered Randy Weaver's family in Ruby Ridge not be tried for murder? I just CAN'T WAIT to hear a logical answer to that question! There is, in fact, no logical answer but what you yourself said: The feds can do what they want, and other feds will protect them. The honest facts are that the feds did indeed commit murder, but many of the murderers were not only not prosecuted but honored and promoted. In Waco, the feds murdered some four score mostly women and children, and at least one of their own was killed by other...

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In the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, what do you think "arms" really means? By the way, a few years ago, some "liberal" author of highly questionable repute and honesty wrote a book trying to claim that most of the pioneers and colonists did NOT have firearms. He used some highly questionable alleged statistics to try to prove his ... well, his hope and wish, really, but he was immediately proven wrong by some real authorities, such as John Lott. There is no...

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If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved? Unfortunately, when he ran for the office, he proposed just the opposite. Certainly I would have disapproved, and did in fact disapprove of what he really did propose. My guess is that even the most nutty Keynesians would not have approved.

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Obama, worst President in last 100 years? Certainly not the best, in any period, but certainly not the worst, either ... at least not yet. He has an awful lot of competition for that title. Why, just in the last 100 years we've had Woodrow Wilson, Franklin del ano Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon, to name the true worst ... so far, and not in any order but chronological.

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The Republican's newest line of attack to stop health care is that it's an attempt to let the government kill senior citizens. Is the US electorate so stupid they can't see through such paranoid delusional talk? That's not really a Republican position. Though there is a very tiny grain of truth -- that is, if government operates the health industry, there will be rationing, and conceivably old people could be targeted or put at the bottom of the lists -- the people who offer it as a serious consideration are not mainstream Republicans or even mainstream conservatives. As to whether the U.S....

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Am i a rascist if i dislike the behaviors of the majority of an ethnic group? Disliking acts does not make one a racist. Disliking people because of their race, or, strictly, even categorizing people by race, or considering race to be important would make one a racist.

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"I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities, and that our leaders must say so in the face of the gun manufacturers lobby." Should you loose your 2nd Amendment right when you move to the inner city? Interestingly, some of the first anti-gun legislation was aimed at blacks, at the time recently freed slaves, and people who might well be thought to be ticked off. Any free individual human being ought to have the right to own any item he has honestly acquired, whether pistol, Bible, Playboy magazine, computer, candy bar, sugary soft drink, or ibuprofen. Here's a thought: If passing...

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Do you think politics make someone a crook? IS it not good for good people? People who want power over other people are easily led toward dishonesty, too. Politics does, though, also attract good people, people who want to lessen the impact of government on individuals. Unfortunately it has been shown that some otherwise good people can be led astray by proffers of power and other materialistic goodies, from lobbyists and other politicians. The only solution is to...

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In the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, what do you think "arms" really means? Sim gave a very good definition. To add a little: The authors of the Second Amendment intended the people of the United States to be able to defend themselves from a tyrannical government. Here are two items from the Constitution of the State of Tennessee you might find of interest: ARTICLE I. Declaration of Rights. Section 1. That all power is inherent in the people, and all free...

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If a Libertarian candidate became President of the United States; how do you think the country would change? Libertarians want to maximize freedom. A president, or any other office-holder, would try to repeal coercive laws, would try to enforce Constitutional rights. A Libertarian or libertarian victory would mean lower taxes and less coercive involvement in foreign nations. I would hope both of you, Beavis and Judge, would make major research efforts into the Libertarian Party and its philosophy....

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Does it surprise you that the moderators at Answerbag don't know the difference between the US Constitution's Bill or Rights, and the whole set of 27 amendments? Do YOU understand the difference? What do YOU think it is? Apparently an awful lot of people don't know what is the Bill of Rights. And don't know much at all of the Constitution. So I guess the answer is "No, I'm not surprised, just disappointed."

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Why is concealed carry so important to NRA members? States and locales that passed concealed carry have had an almost immediate drop in crime. Bad guys, such as thieves and rapists, don't know who might be armed. And it is by no means just "NRA members" to whom this is important. Any free human being ought to be able to own and carry any item he has honestly acquired, whether pistols or Bibles or Playboy magazines or aspirin.

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Do you believe that the United States will ever be completely democratic, having no segregation of political parties, but a communal government COMPLETELY for and by the people? Democracy is not necessarily a good thing. Democracy is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for lunch. What the United States is moving further and further away from is freedom, and, ironically, that is being brought about by democratic votes: People are voting for candidates who promise to make them slaves, voting for measures that further encroach on freedom.

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Is anarchy a proper political ideaology or is it just an instrument for the people to vent their anger on their government? Anarchism is the belief in no government. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called "anarchists" are actually, at best, communalists and, at worst, nihilists. Robert LeFevre coined a term, in the 1970s, I believe, to replace "anarchist" because of its negative connotations: Autarchist, or self-ruler. A philosophy of individual rights, of freedom, of liberty, is indeed a proper...

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Which "-ism" do you suggest should govern America? How would America benefit? How about no "ism" and let's not govern America? Let's try instead freedom, and let individuals run their own lives.

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Why is socialism good and bad? Why is capitalism good and bad? Socialism or any similar ism is bad because it is based on force, coercion. Capitalism, or at least free enterprise, is based on choice. In fact, let us differentiate between capitalism and free enterprise, because, for example, China could be said to have a form of capitalism, and there is certainly plenty of coercion and initiatory force there. On the other hand, the United States could...

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Why are some people so against Universal Health Care? Is it because you hate the poor and thing only the rich are entitled to health care? Rational people oppose government involvement in health care and really in anything else. Government is based on force. Even the most benign law, e.g., "Thou shalt not jaywalk," is enforced at the point of a gun. Government-controlled health care is also force (not to mention corruption and inefficiency), and rational people prefer freedom. By the way, I am just on the verge of...

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Can Obama fix this mess? Of course not. First, he would have to understand just what the mess is and how it was created. Everything he proposes is the same as what caused the mess and everything he proposes will just make everything worse. What is needed, and what he doesn't understand, is freedom. A genuinely free society would be able to create new jobs and new products and new services. A collectivized...

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Will there be jobs in heaven? Heck, if there ARE jobs, it won't be Heaven.

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Is being a "bleeding heart liberal" really a bad thing? After all, what's so wrong about hoping for compassion, empathy, understanding, peace, and love? Being a "bleeding heart liberal" is, alas, not at all the same thing as feeling compassion or empathy or understanding, etc. It is, today, being an advocate of forcing some people to underwrite other people's alleged feelings of compassion and so on. If one is truly compassionate, then one doesn't want to steal money or time or property from one person to hand over to...

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What is wrong with Liberalism? The correct answer is this: ANY ideology that begins with the premise that initiatory force is OK is wrong, no matter what other aspects there are. Originally, "liberalism" had its roots in "liberty," but that hasn't been true for the last, oh, at least 70 years. There is a difference between "liberalism" and "classical liberalism," which today is...

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The destroyer USS McCain is now positioned in the south China sea just to keep an eye on developments in north Korea. Does anyone else have a loved one who lives in Hawaii or is it just me? This is just a guess, but I expect lots of people have a loved one in Hawaii, not even counting the people in Hawaii who have loved ones there.

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Does "moving on" always mean you are moving forward? Absolutely not. To too many people, "moving on" means simply ignoring what has happened and just going on to something else. For example, a person commits a grievous hurt, and "moves on" to hurting someone else, or hurting the same person again.

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How often do you think "change" makes things better? Here lately, it certainly has been seldom. Our economy has changed ... for the worse. Our government has changed ... for the worse, as hard as that is to believe. The weather has changed ... for the worse. (Around here, the humidity is murderous!) In fact, as I think about it, the only good change these days is the roll of quarters in my pocket.

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If marriage is solely a religious sacrament then why are judges and other non-clergy (even if atheist or agnostic) able to perform legal marriages, yet clergy cannot perform a legal marriage without proper permissions from a civil authority? It should, ideally, be a non-governmental rite, though, also ideally, it should be via some kind of contract, which might, loosely, be considered related to government. As you said, your question is rhetorical, but it is an important one. And, actually, some purely religious marriages are and will be considered "legal" even if only after a certain period of time, varying by state.

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I am American decended from Polish and Irish ancestors. Where can I go to discuss how I really feel about other races? Everywhere I go, I feel like my right to free speech is being supressed! It's too bad so many of the replies have been more angry than they accused you of being. Rather than anger, I would like to offer puzzlement and ask in return: Why would you generalize? "Races" are made up of individuals, and each group usually has some good and some bad. (Granted, though, we Irish have more good than all the inferior races.) Besides, these days, most...

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Why would gay people want a marriage ceremony anyway and have it recognized nationally? I ask cause I don't know. Gay people are, believe it or not, people. Mostly they are just like the rest of us. They should have exactly the same rights as anyone else, no more and no fewer. Government should not be involved, and most certainly should not be in the business of denying some couples and/or individuals the right to freedom of association.

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Do you trust your government, where ever you live? Absolutely not! Government is ... well, surprisingly, Mao Tse-tung said it correctly: Political power grows from the barrel of a gun. Government is, at base, force. Government is, therefore, not to be trusted.

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Do you think God is religious? He certainly can't be an atheist, not if he's read Descartes.

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How do you feel about the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 decision today that convicts don't have a constitutional right to DNA testing to try to prove their innocence? Perhaps the Court ruled correctly on the constitutionality, but there is a horrible situation in our courts generally and in our mis-called "justice" system that does not accept new evidence as reason in and of itself for new trial or at least review. Innocence is not reason enough, according to the current system, for new trial, review, or release of prisoners. We do not have a...

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My boss is obnoxious, condescending, and... an idiot. He pretends that he doesn't know that we all hate him. Sometimes he offers a childish and condescending "high-five," which I oblige, for lack of an alt response. What's the best way to get out of this? Seriously, it apparently bothers you a lot so, seriously, you need to seek another position. Seriously. Perhaps it will ease your emotions a little to know that a "boss" is merely a double SOB spelled backward.

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Joking, my bf said "You're mean, that's why everyone hates you." He was kidding, and feels bad, but why would someone accidentally say something so specific if they didn't really think it? Do you think that's more likely a freudian slip or an accident? Lindsey, did you hear about the psychiatrist who wanted to get his girl friend some lingerie, so he bought her a Freudian slip?

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Minuteman founder, Chris Simcox officially launches bid vs. McCain. Is the path to recovery for the GOP going to be found by veering further to the right? See LINK: There's a major problem with your question: You need to define your terms. Otherwise, and perhaps this is what you want, you will get a lot of knee-jerk answers that agree with your apparent premise. Although I am an Arizonan, I don't really know much about this race, except that I would never vote for McCain. He is too often an advocate for more government, even when he talks a...

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I in college during the 1940s, My college dictionary (Merriam Webster college dictionary) gave a definition of bigot as a synonym for conservative and vice versa. I lost the dictionary and find that the definition has been changed, What happened? bobvan As someone earlier said, words and their meanings change. Today a "conservative" is not necessarily someone opposed to change. By the Barry Goldwater definition, it's someone favoring more freedom and less government. Today, in addition, a "bigot" is far too often just someone who disagrees with the first speaker, or with some particular media favorite. (How often did...

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Is providing a company with a tax loophole a form of pork? You ask your question well, especially in the phrase "providing ... a tax loophole." Far too many people don't realize the so-called "loopholes" are not mistakes. They usually are written into the laws on purpose. They wouldn't be actual pork, though, unless they involve getting taxpayer funds. They are, instead, a form of "corporate welfare" and are...

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What do you think of the latest hoot from Michele Bachmann? She said FDR made a terrible mistake passing the Hoot Smalley Tariff Act. It's Smoot Halley, both Republicans. It passes in 1930, 3 years before FDR took office. And FDR repealed in in 1934. If this is the worst thing you've heard from a member of Congress, you must not be paying much attention. Bachmann makes errors, sure. So do most members of Congress ... and, believe it or not, so do most members of the human race. Bachmann seems to have one saving grace, though, that is absent from too many other members of Congress: She is not likely to raise your taxes or draft your...

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Nancy Pelosi is the most beautiful person to walk this earth, ever. True or false? False, physically and every other way. There are millions of other people, male and female, who are much more beautiful. However, do remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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The leader of the Libertarian Party has voted against same-sex marraige, against legalizing medical marijuana, for the patriot act, and wants to ban Wicca in the military!? Does the word "Libertarian" mean nothing? You begin with an error: Bob Barr was not and is not the "leader of the Libertarian Party." He was, unfortunately, the presidential candidate, the standard bearer, but NOT the leader. Besides, another error on your part, he has changed many of those positions you mention. Especially he now opposes the USA PATRIOT Act. Even when he voted for it, it was as a compromise to get some of...

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Are Libertarians for or against affirmative action? Of course Libertarians and libertarians oppose affirmative action. They oppose all forms of initiatory force or fraud. Generally they oppose collectivism, especially racism. However, if any private employer wants to employ such a standard as race or sex, a private employer should have that right. Funny thing, though: That's illegal. Governments can and do discriminate all the time.

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Did you vote for Bob Barr? Would you have voted for Ron Paul? Bob Barr was the candidate I supported prior to the convention, but I decided later he was a very bad choice. I voted instead for Charles Jay, candidate of the Boston Tea Party. I hope next time the LP picks a more consistent libertarian, and one who can speak to the people better, someone such as Mary Ruwart.

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Do you think Republican & Dems are that different? or can you see your freedom is being taken away by both parties? Democrats are more nearly honest: They, during a campaign, tell voters "We will raise your taxes, draft your children, confiscate your property, and violate the Constitution." Republicans, on the other hand, will say, "We believe in the Constitution and individual rights." When they win, though, they raise our taxes, draft our children, confiscate our property, and violate...

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Can we all agree that our current health care system needs to be fixed, and what do we do to fix it, or what would you like to see done about it? A government that can't run itself has no business trying to run anything else, especially anything as complex as a medical system. The U.S. government has made a mess with the U.S. Postal System, with the Tennessee Valley Authority, with the war in Iraq, with the school systems (especially since the Bush administration imposed "No Child Left Behind"), with the operation of...

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One party government.. "Totalitarianism". Two party government.. "Stalemate". Three party government.. "tie breaker" therefore ideal. Disagree? Disagree: Actually four or five parties would be better. Although, on further thought, if two parties really did result in "stalemate," if government could not continue to violate our rights and freedoms, then that would be ideal. Alas, two parties has resulted, instead, in increasing government, decreasing freedom, and a wrecked economy. With two parties, the politicians generally...

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What are the difference between austrian school of thought and neo classical school of thought Is this a question about economics? If not, then of what, please?

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Could God transform into a pattern in motion? If there were such a thing as "God" and he were as powerful as Christians, for example, describe him, then he could do anything ... except, maybe, create a rock so heavy he couldn't lift it, or build a mountain so high he couldn't jump over it.

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Are there dangerous liberals out there? What to do if anything? How far is too far? A liberal is "dangerous" just exactly to the extent he advocates initiatory force or fraud. Any person of any inclination is dangerous to that same extent. A liberal who merely offers his ideas and tries to convince others is not dangerous. Ideas in and of themselves are not dangerous. Hitler's hatred of Jews, for example, would have been just another irrational belief system...

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Minnesota, what the heck is going on with Michele Bachmann? There have been no answers possibly because the question is too vague. What the heck is going on with your meaning?

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Steve Schmidt urges Republicans to begin voicing more support for civil unions and gay rights. Another RINO that needs to be tossed out for party purity? See LINK: There certainly are Republicans In Name Only, but if the GOP actually believes, as it often claims it does believe, in individual rights, then Steve Schmidt is correct. Schmidt, therefore, is not a RINO.

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Is Global Warming still a "myth?" Earth has been warming since about 1815, following what is known as "the little ice age." (Although there have been, of course, periods during that time that it cooled, so much so, in fact, that in the 1970s the Chicken Littles were warning of a major ice age.) But so are other planets in our solar system warming -- and not one of those other planets has SUVs or coal-fired plants or...

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What impact will the resignation of David Souter have on the US Supreme Court? Considering the disaster Souter has been, things won't get much, if any, worse. His apparent replacement seems to be a not especially learned judge, a not especially constitutionally oriented judge, but so far there is no evidence she will advocate concentration camps or mass executions. In other words, she likely won't be any worse than Souter has been. Or any different. So the...

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Should there be term limits on the members of congress like there is with the President? What about the Supreme Court Justices who once appointed, serve until they resign? Do you think we could benefit from new faces - new ideas? Holding government office should be a burden, not a remunerative sinecure. For that reason, and others, all government positions should be limited as to the length of time a person can hold them. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power does indeed corrupt absolutely. Limit power by limiting the number of terms, and by limiting the length of terms, and that will help to limit corruption.

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The California supreme court is upholding Proposition 8, is prop 8 unconstitutional, why or why not? and what do you think about the whole situation? California's State Supreme Court based its decision on the state constitution. I don't know that document so cannot say if Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. However, I do have a simple solution to the problem: Get governments out of the marriage business. Or, to put it another way, free marriage from the control of government. Let any people who want to get married do it with a...

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Do you think the it would be fair for the Democrates to shut down talk radio because they believe it's hate speech? Of course it would be "unfair," and it would also be immoral and unconstitutional. Lefties had their chance with Air America, I believe it was called, but not very many people listened. Lefties also have their own fora in CBS, NBC, CNN, and ABC "news" programs, not to mention the taxpayer-supported NPR and PBS. There certainly is no shortage of left-wing collectivist...

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What are the names of the political parties in your country and what agendas to they promote? Which do you prefer? In the United States of America, there are five national political parties, and dozens more limited to single states or regions. The two largest, and oldest, are the Republican and Democrat parties. Their agenda is to win elections and distribute the resulting patronage. There is the Green Party, which some people call the Watermelon Party, saying "it's green on the outside and red...

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What functions do political parties perform? Ideally, parties provide the organization by which an election campaign is run, by which a candidate is presented to the voters, and by which the candidates are helped to garner votes. Ideally, parties represent a particular political philosophy, and that philosophy is presented to the voters and if enough voters agree with that philosophy, its party wins. Unfortunately, in a two-party...

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Should the constitution be changed every twenty years like Thomas Jefferson wanted it to be? Why or why not? Actually Jefferson did not call for changing the Constitution every 20 years. He said we need a revolution every 20 years ... or so. And the term "living Constitution" is a lot like Pres. Obama's desire for a Supreme Court justice with "empathy," rather than with a knowledge of that Constitution. The Constitution, as is, though not perfect, provides for sound...

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Agree or disagree and why, Any form of government, automatically makes that country somewhat socialist Socialism is government ownership of the means of production. Fascism is government control of the means of production. Someone misused the term "social contract" to say such a thing proved the point of the question. There is no "contract" unless all the parties have signed on, agreed to it. Much like the Christian "original sin," "social contract"...

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What is the difference between Radical and Reactionary political attitudes? "Radical" originally referred to "root," and meant going to the basics. Apparently you're using it to mean "far left," as others use it simply to mean "extreme." "Reactionary" used to mean "wanting to return to an earlier time," and is generally meaningless in any political discussion with which I am familiar, though apparently...

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With the Tea Party Movement isn't it a good time to openly debate just how much government Americans want. See LINK: Yes it is. Unfortunately, it looks as if most of the "discussion" -- at least here -- is cynical and ignorant rants against "right-wingers," however that might be defined. You, though, have hit the proverbial nail right on its proverbial head: "how much government." It's not just taxes, it's also how much regulation of private lives will be imposed. ...

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Obama has cut funding for Abstinence Only Sex Ed from the 2010 budget. How long till the right start screaming that he's encouraging Teen Sex Orgies? Government has no constitutional prerogative to deal at all or in any way with moral questions. When right-wingers want such programs, they contradict their own claims of wanting limited government. But I'd be willing to bet they will scream just as you say.

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When did our government become so corrupt (admittedly not like many others in the world) or has it always been to some extent? From the first presidential administration, the federal government has been, to some extent, corrupt. Power, as Lord Acton so correctly said, does tend to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. President Washington sent troops to coerce the whiskey makers in Pennsylvania, in violation of both the U.S. Constitution and of decency and common sense. It's been pretty consistently...

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Why is there such a negative stigma regarding communism? Any philosophy responsible for the murders of scores of millions of human beings deserves all the negativity it can get. Any philosophy that has as its basic premise coercion, force, is evil and deserves all the negativity it can get. Any philosophy that has proven itself to be such a total failure, resulting in the institutionalizing of death and destruction and slavery, deserves all the...

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What is your political association? Liberal, conservative, libertarian, etc.? I have noticed a lot of liberals seem to be bumming around on the Internet (probably because they don't have jobs) and am just wondering if posting on forums is a waste. People of ALL political philosophies are out of work, and the irony of that is: It is government, so much favored by so-called "liberals," that has skewed the economy, that has wreaked such havoc, causing businesses to cut back and even close down. As to what you are wondering, I say that since you are apparently intelligent enough to ask, then yes posting on fora has a benefit. ...

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What literary work gave Ayn Rand her notoriety? "Notoriety" is rather a loaded term. "Fame" would be more accurate. "The Fountainhead" was her first blockbuster, and is probably the best-written of all her fiction. In fact, the first third or fourth is downright poetry.

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Why did Ayn Rand change her name? Pretty much the same reason other people in show business and the arts have done so ... and because her family members were still locked behind the Iron Curtain. The story was she used a Remington-Rand typewriter and took the "Rand" from it. The answer above, however, discounts the typewriter story and sounds likely. (In fact, the answerer, Alatea, is obviously a bright person.)...

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Which side would you place the majority of the blame for this conflict in coldwar? Soviet Communism was a combination of bloody and tyrannical ideology and lust for empire. The United States government, as bad as it is, was not building empire. In fact, look at how the State Department either sold us out or bungled most of its efforts. (Look up Operation Keelhaul, one of the most shameful acts of any government, especially of the United States and United Kingdom.) The FDR...

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In hindsight, how successful was the Cuban Revolution of 1959? Successful? Jeez, the people are hungry, they have little of the necessities of life and even less by way of luxuries. (I used to know a lady who had to smuggle toothpaste, for one, to her relatives still there.) Things are easing now, with some Western countries hoping to make a profit out of, for example, tourism into Cuba. But, as is typical of communist revolutions, the people suffered...

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Why did the Cold War begin? In reply to the answer above, actually the "fraying" began sooner. It started when, for example, the Soviets interned American fliers after the bombing raid on the Ploesti oil fields. It started when the Soviets kept the good American supplies, such as locomotives, and continued using their own junk in the Second World War. It started much earlier, in fact, during the '20s and...

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Do you think that the "War on Drugs" is for real? Or do you think that it is a farce? Oh, it is all too real. Billions of dollars have been spent, and countless lives taken by overzealous "officers of the law," all in the name of a "War on Some Drugs." Or "the insane war on drugs." But it is a farce. All the laws in the world will not stop serious users from acquiring their fix. Heck, in the most high-security prisons, drugs are apparently...

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How do we make the american government stop it's wars? i am distressed by the innocent lives ruined from the war on drugs and i am worried about the backlash of the war on terror. what will they "war on" next. One solution is to stop electing politicians from the two old parties. All they know is power and the use thereof. Also, stop thinking of politicians as "leaders." A president is not "the leader of the country." He is the CEO of the federal government. Another method is education. As someone pointed out, you need education in grammar and spelling, and, seriously, the...

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What do you think of great ape personhood? Do you think that the other great apes should be given basic human rights or not? I'd like to see human beings getting basic human rights first.

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What was Buddha's legacy? Like so many thinkers, his legacy is not one he wanted: He said specifically not to make him into a god, and they had hardly finished piling the dirt on him before they made him a god. His own thoughts, though, were for peace and kindness and, perhaps above all, thought. Alas, there is not much of any of that, perhaps especially where he tried hardest to encourage it.

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Do you believe Socrates corupted the youth of his time, and if so why? Well, he was found guilty and executed. Somebody sure thought he "corrupted" the youth. Of course the problem is one that is still with us: If a person dares to think differently from the people or agencies -- meaning governments -- with power of life and death, he can and will be considered "corruptive."

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Does law ever influence morals? Or is it always morals that influence law? Laws might influence behavior, but laws cannot influence thought and opinion.

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My brother bad mouths Barrack Obama, why is that? Wouldn't we have to know your brother to be able to answer this?

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Is Obama a communist? No, he is an advocate of a fascist welfare state, or a welfare-warfare state. President Obama wants, not government ownership of (all) means of production, but he does want government control of (all or nearly all) means of production. In the early years of the 20th century, communism was often called "red fascism," and I believe the Obama approach might be called "pink...

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How is privacy considered a right? Also which amendments from the bill of rights create the right of privacy? Because individuals "own" their selves, their own lives, they thus have the right to privacy, especially from governments. I believe they -- we -- also have the right to privacy from other people but it is, frankly, harder to enforce. Bolwerk gave an excellent answer, but the answer is strictly from the standpoint of constitutional rights, whereas mine is from the natural rights...

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I'd like to do a poll. It is entirely voluntary and will not be used outside of AB. My question is: Do you have faith in America's political leaders? (Why or why not?) Absolutely not. Most -- though perhaps not all -- politicians of the two old parties believe in power and using it. Sometimes perhaps they believe they are trying to "do good," but the use of power, the imposition of one particular set of ideas and moral code, is always wrong. As the Bible asks, What is faith without good works? and all the faith in the world will not result in...

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Do you consider yourself a socialist or a capitalist? Why? How about neither? I am, though, an advocate of free enterprise. Karl Marx is the one who coined the term "capitalism" and by it he meant, essentially, "moneyism." There are lots of people who are "capitalists," people who love money but aren't especially interested in free enterprise. Socialists want -- by definition -- government ownership of the means...

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What are the economic values of modern conservatives and modern liberals? Your question becomes difficult to answer partly because you need to start with a definition of "liberal" and of "conservative." People I do not consider "conservative" have been called that by the lamestream media, and they played absolute ... well, they wreaked absolute havoc on the government and on the economy. A real conservative, such as Barry Goldwater or...

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What a two arguments in favor of reducing the size of he government? Astonishingly, Mr. Knowitall gives an intelligent answer. Good for him. The bigger the government, the more restrictions on individual liberty. The bigger the government, the more waste. Smaller government should mean more freedom and better control on government spending.

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Who was the the worst president of all time in your opinion? Either Abraham Lincoln or Franklin D. Roosevelt was number one worst, and the other number two. Both nearly destroyed the United States, and certainly did serious damage to freedom and individual rights. Both gave unconscionable powers to the central government, at the expense of individual liberty and the Constitution. Roosevelt, in addition, gave international communism control over...

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Is communism morally wrong? Any system that institutionalizes force is, by all means, morally wrong. No system has been as viciously coercive as communism. There is a difference, by the way, between communism and communalism. At least theoretically communalism can be voluntary, and therefore moral, but nearly every communal society has failed because it ignores or tries to change human nature.

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Name something you associate with Cowboy Movies...? Western movies deal with a sense of life, the chance for good to confront evil. Too, there are the open spaces and beautiful scenery, and horses and action. Primarily, though, Western Movies, or Cowboy Movies, deal with that concept mentioned in the first sentence and the chance for people to be in control of their own lives.

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What countries do you believe to be socialist? (What characteristics make them socialist?) Socialism is government ownership of the means of production. The United States, for example, is not very socialistic, except in the case of schools, roads, post offices, TVA, the military. Fascism is government control of the means of production, and the United States, like so many other countries, is very fascistic. Marxist communism is a type of socialism, so socialist countries include,...

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