From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Tue Aug 07 2001 - 08:24:50 MDT
>from: hibbert@netcom.com
>>talon57@well.com said:
>> Left-Liberal...
>> Which clearly indicates problems with the test's methodologies.
>Please say more, and let the Advocates for Self-Government know
>what you think. They try very hard to make the test fair, and
>*do* make changes from time to time.
Although socially I'm a libertarian, financially I should be on the
border between libertarian/conservative.
I agreed that military service should be voluntary, when I was in
the Marines, I got unofficially stepped on for being published as
being against the draft. I can't imagine anything less free than
the draft. Being willing to put your life on the line is very
personnal, Heinlein understood.
I also felt the government has no business controlling media.
I also feel the government has no business regulating sex, and
since marriage is a civil and not merely a religious institution,
it should be open to same sex partners. (I'm heterosexual in case
anyone's wondering, women are the most beautiful things on the
planet ;) ).
Drugs? Tax them and use the money to police/treat problems.
The border issue is tougher, I believe nation states have a vested
interest in maintaining them (terrorists), I'm not a one world
government kind of guy, I'm a pluralist.
Business and farms are on their own, nobody buying corn? plant
something else.
Free trade just makes good economic sense. (and I'm Union!)
Minimum wage is probably where I got nailed with the left/liberal
label. I support the idea of a minimum wage. Since capitalism left
unchecked can leave people in the dust, I see the need for a
minimum safety net. I think I could argue that this is actually in
a free markets best interest. This does not mean the government
should assume a paternal role. I think my late uncle Stan said it
best "Nephew, some people need a helping hand now and again, and
others need a good swift kick in the ass." Sound Wisdom.
Since I believe in a minimal government, I believe in minimal
taxes, actually I believe in everybody paying the same amount,
effectively a flat tax. People with kids in school should pay extra
for each kid. I'd be happy to kick in extra for
space/science/defense. So taxes and user fees are separate issues.
Foreign aid.... This was a tool during the cold war to bribe people
to be on our side during the great global chess match. I do see the
need for government aid in time of emergency, but I think it is one
of those things individuals should finance either privately, or by
kicking in voluntarily on their taxes.
Maybe my problem is the difference between the classical and the
modern versions of these terms.
From: "Technotranscendence" <neptune@mars.superlink.net>
>>Brian D Williams talon57@well.com wrote:
>> Left-Liberal...
>>
>> Which clearly indicates problems with the test's methodologies.
>I'm not sure. I pretty much thought that about you already --
>somewhere between [modern American] liberal and libertarian.
See above.
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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