We’re both very intelligent and highly education, attacking either is a stupid idea. You’re better educated, I’m smarter. You have a law degree and I respect that. You know more than I do about economics and law, but you’re not going to change my mind that the reason the liberal states have more money is because of better controlled capitalism, or that the bubble burst because the market grew too fast to be controlled.
I’m perusing my masters in computer science and currently work as a research and development engineer. I know a great deal more about statistical analysis and the scientific method than you, yet I know I’m not changing your mind about climate change. If a thousand of the best climatologists in the academy of science can’t change your mind, then I can’t either. I only hope that something changes the minds of people who can change things before it’s too late.
I’m never going to understand your views on guns, perhaps you live in a more dangerous area than I, but I see little difference in the protection a shotgun offers from the protection an uzi offers. I also fail to see how a waiting period and background check are problematic to you, hunting season is in set dates, you’re not going hunting on a whim so a waiting period should not mean anything, you also have no criminal record (as far as I know) and would easily pass a background check. Gun control doesn’t take away hunting rifles from hunters, it takes away weapons designed specifically to kill people from dangerous people. You won’t change my mind, nor will I understand your side. I’ve been to Mississippi, and I’ve not seen anything to make me believe that it’s terribly dangerous.
I find your views on schooling to be 300 years out of date as well. Private schools only would lead to a larger divide in the classes. Privatization of schooling was around for 1000 years, and causes a massive segregation of classes and bloody revolts from the serfs. Benjamin Franklin knew this when he helped put together the first american schools. I have the same believe as schools as I do with health care and you aren’t going to change my mind: those who want to pay for it can have their private attention, but those who can’t afford it should have a socialized option.
I also don’t like your discussion of down sides to socialized medicine without experiencing them. I’ve been injured in Canada, I was in and out in 20 minutes and didn’t pay a dime. I broke my thumb at a karate tournament in the US, I was at the hospital for 3 hours and it cost me nearly a thousand dollars (and I had insurance.) My step-grandmother had major surgery and is a Canadian citizen, she did not wait six months, she waited about a week which is similar to the wait for non-emergency cases here in the states. She was also involved in a traffic accident in Canada and recieved immediate attention, just like the US. In both England and Canada there is also a private option. No matter how socialized the health care gets, if you want you can also have a private option. I hope that you don’t have Geico.
As a peaceful liberal, I detest the use of military might, and as a history buff, I can assure you that run-away military spending and reckless use of it has lead to the downfall of every major military power from the Persians, to the Holy Roman Empire, to the Soviet Union and if the conservatives continue their policies of shoot first, ask questions later, and pay for it whenever, China will be the military and economic world leader in 50 years, I promise you that. The conservatives always attack the liberals for their tax and spend policies, but they spend multitudes more money than the liberals do, they just don’t tax for it. Where they think they’re money comes from I have no idea, but they spend a lot more of it. You will never change my mind about the use of military power as only a last resort, so trying to is futile. Afghanistan is just and legal, Iraq is not. The 2nd worse US president in my opinion (Bush being by far the worst,) was Truman, solely because he authorized the bombs, yes, I find that worse than Nixon’s crimes.
So lets keep debating our believes and teaming up on drugs, civil rights, and religion, but put away our attacks on each other. I’m a Mensa member and pursuing a masters degree in a scientific field, you are an experienced lawyer and economist, we’re two of the best educated and most intelligent people on the forum and way above the need to attack each other personally. Let’s try to understand each other’s side a little better. I try to watch Fox News occasionally, so I would like you to watch a Michael Moore movie once in a while. :)
I apologize.
