AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Envy? What makes you think that I am envious of anyone, who is trying to maximize their personal greed?

Why would I be? I have seen no persuasive evidence whatsoever that Rich=Happy, and indeed, a great deal of evidence that the opposite is true. Why would I want to aspire for that, or envy others who have that, when I am quite happy now?

I think this is a major failing of the side of Greed; they can't conceive of any other motivation in life besides money. And they can't understand why others would want a different system, outside of Greed as a motivator - for it is what motivates them.

Your frequent villifications, instead of rational rebuttal, of other people's ideas with which you disagree, are a probable sign of envy. Such villifications are often an attempt to camouflage envy. Generally, the envious are Greedy too: Greedy for power over those who possess more than they have.

Are you also a sociopath?

Do you honestly believe that Envy is the only motivator for those who have different opinions than you, re: taxation and fiscal policy? You cannot conceive of any other motivation?

I do find it interesting, seeing someone who regularly excuses torture and killing innocent civilians accusing others of being sociopathic.

That's what happens when they lack morals. They rationalize anything their party does until it bites them in the arse.

In war, killing those civilians who have made no attempt to stop those sociopaths in their midst from killing civilians in another state, is acceptable to me.

The EPA is obviously opposed to California controlling its own water supply and distribution.

You ignore when people do, or fail to admit that you are wrong and just try and brush past it. A good example is the Texas Malpractice rate lowering vs. health care costs increasing. OE and I both showed that you were wrong, and you have yet to admit that there is no evidence to support your position. You ought to do so before continuing to put forth the idea that Tort reform will lower health care costs - as you have continued to do in this thread.

The fact that the cost of health provider tort insurance has decreased significantly in Texas after 2004, is SOME evidence that private health insurance will decrease, or not increase as fast as it has been increasing, as a result of health provider costs being less, due to lower tort insurance costs, than they have been.

Contract from America Press Release
Contract from America

"We the People" to Assert the Power to Guide Legislative Direction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2009
Contact: Ryan Hecker (215.880.2430) or Greg Holloway (512.585.7631)

In an initiative that harkens to the core principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Tea Party Patriots and other grassroots activists have established a project which will enable the American people to establish legislative priorities for their representatives. This new project, called "Contract from America," offers the public the opportunity to make specific legislative suggestions in thirteen areas of public policy, ranging from health care to ethics reform, energy and environmental issues.

In true grassroots style, Ryan Hecker, from Houston, Texas, conceptualized and created the Contract from America, and brought it to the Tea Party Patriots. In discussing the project, he spoke of the need for more public involvement in the determination of America's public policies. "Over the past decades, the majority of ideas and policies have originated in the backrooms of lobbyists and legislators in Washington DC. New legislation has often originated from special interests. These ideas and policies have proven to be tired and ineffective. I know the American people have better ideas for our government. Contract from America is their opportunity."

Contractfromamerica.com was launched immediately prior to the Stand up for Liberty! rallies held in Texas and Ohio over the Labor Day Weekend, and was announced to the nation at the 9-12 March on Washington.

As ideas are offered online by grassroots visitors, individuals will be able to vote on ideas or suggest alternatives in each category. Editors selected from among tea party activists from around the country will choose the top three ideas in each policy area. A vote of the people will select the ideas to be presented to elected officials as the choices of the people.

Hecker noted further, "This website provides Americans with the opportunity to offer their innovative solutions to our nation's pressing problems and to vote and comment on the ideas of others. We believe that the result of this grassroots-generated marketplace of ideas will be a document that not only represents the will of the American people, but promotes unique ideas that will breathe new life and new trust into American government. We will have a Contract From America for which we are all responsible and in which we all feel a sense of ownership."

Cyclo, if the cost of providing a service is decreased, then it is probable that the cost, or the rate of increase in that cost, of purchasing that service will decrease.

Cyclo, if the cost of providing a service is decreased, then it is probable that the cost, or the rate of increase in that cost, of purchasing that service will decrease. If the cost of a purchasing that service , or the rate of increase in that cost, is decreased, then it is probable that the cost of insurance, or the rate of increase in that cost, for the purchase of that service will decrease.

That of course is not absolute proof of the cost of insurance for the purchase of that service, or the rate of increase in that cost, will decrease. But, it's a damn good bet. We shall see ....

However, most people on Fox are pretty smart.

ehBeth, how accurate do you think John Stossel's report on ABC's 20/20 is re Canadian healthcare?

Meanwhile, back after a lovely weekend in the mountains. I see that Joe dodged the challenge I offered him even after he said he would accept it.

Romney pushes false claim that cap and trade would cost families $1,761 a year.

At the Values Voter Summit today, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney aggressively attacked President Obama, saying that his policies will “weaken America.” In his litany of complaints, Romney included the latest fabrication that has spread among the right wing " the claim that Treasury Department “secretly calculated” that Obama’s clean energy proposals “would cost the average American family $1,761 a year, the equivalent to a 15% income tax hike.” Watch it:

As Politifact wrote yesterday, the numbers that conservatives like Romney are flinging around are “false.” “Nowhere in the documents does the Treasury Department cite the $1,761 figure,” notes the fact-checking website. Instead, the right is relying on a calculation by libertarian blogger Declan McCullagh, whose methodology for arriving at the number uses “incorrect assumptions and overly simple math.” Dan Weiss notes that the CBO released an updated estimate on the House’s climate legislation, finding that it would cost “$160 per household.” Weiss points out that means “the average household would spend 44 cents per day " less than a postage stamp.”