@JamesMorrison,
JamesMorrison wrote:
We MACs have made ourselves pretty clear as to what we feel is the correct path for our country and why President Obama seems our polar opposite. I would invite those who disagree with us to:
1. State either your party affiliation or philosophy regarding how the American people should govern themselves. If not a government that must answer to the people than state what form of government America should pursue and why it would be a good course for America.
I am registered Republican as (unfortunately these days) it is the only viable party that represents more of my views than any other. I am far more libertarian (little "L") in my ideology than are many Republicans, however, and, with a few modifications to ensure preservation and promotion of some basic values that made the USA the great nation that it became, I could live with the MAC (Classical Liberal) definition we have been using.
Quote:2. State what you feel are the core principles of such a government or governing philosophy, not unlike Fox's proposed list of Constitution Party Principles or even said definition of Classical Liberalism.
Slight clarification: those were not a 'proposed' list of Constitution Party Principles. Those WERE the existing Constitution Party principles. While the MALs carefully avoided any kind of discussion about that, I think we MACs were pretty much in agreement that their party Platform has some problems that would need fixing before we could embrace it whole heartedly. This despite the fact that the list pretty much reflects the 'far right' of the GOP that has come under the most criticism from the Left.
The MAC/Classical Liberal definition we have been using however does list the core principles I most want from my government.
[img]3. Optional: Use those principles as an argument for and to enable those following them to propose solutions to various issues like immigration, taxes, SS, Medicaid, Medicare, etc. Pick any number or combination thereof, or just one issue, and show how that guiding principle would work in the real world.[/img]
Immigration: it is necessary to control it to ensure positive and beneficial assimilation of new immigrants into the country, maintain a healthy economy, and to ensure the national defense.
Taxes: The federal government should collect only taxes necessary to perform its constitutionally mandated responsibilities and these should be collected from all citizens who will benefit from them and who have any means to pay them.
SS, Medicaid, Medicare: I would have preferred incentives for these to be provided by the states and/or private sector, but since we now have the entitlements and cannot extricate ourselves from them immediately, I want a government that recognizes and begins to act now to devise better plans that can be self sustaining.
Welfare: should be returned to the states and private sector and should not be a prerogative of the Federal Government to remove the temptation for it to be a corrupting and manipulative influence.
Education: should be returned to the states and private sector to eliminate any possibility of high powers commanding the content and method of education and thereby control the development of thought of the young.
Quote:4. Lastly there is one optional requirement that all solutions using your principle(s) must be paid for as by the industry of only the American people and all solutions must be viewed by all other nations as financially viable (Long term solution methods may include long term loans and such but must encompass all such consequences such as dollar devaluation, and total U.S. debt). Specific dollar amounts are not necessary but proposals must always result in longtime American solvency and therefore must balance incoming revenues with outgoing payments, just like we all must do in our personal lives. This section might also include comments and evidence as to incentives or disincentives to individuals and private enterprises. (Example: Given: Health Care for all those who don't presently have it. Solution: Market based solution with various entities competing for those dollars, some of those supplied by government most not. Government gets those dollars by...)
Far too complicated for one liners here, but for starters I would like for us to return to the ideal of the Founders that the current generation not acquire debt that subsequent generations will have to pay unless there is probability of measurable benefit to that subsequent generation. (That would allow for your long term projects, James.
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Quote:Perhaps we can all learn something. Those on the conservative side are welcome to the same exercise. Remember the best way to make sure you understand how something works is to explain it out loud to another, who doesn't know, with the truthful result that your student now fully understands also. This is harder than it seems and many times the teacher finds it a learning process himself.
The Left is very fond of calling me a liar. So I emphatically state that nobody on the Left will accept your challenge. Now, I hope somebody will actually make me a liar.
