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pan6467 · 03-13-2005, 11:34 AM

I am socially liberal, fiscally conservative (believe it or not).

I believe that we need social based programs and that along with a much needed health care program and education they should be our primary concern.

I will concede, however, that there are far too many programs and that a vast majority are so caught up in red tape that the people needing the money and programs are often left out or don't recieve all they can.

Solution is to condense programs, make it easier for those that need it to know it is available to them. By cutting down on redtape you allow the money to truly get where it needs to go.

Example: I am trying very hard to find all these grants and loans that the government has to set up recovery houses. What I find is redtape and people saying go to this office..... which when I do they refer me to another office who in turn refers me to another that refers me to the original. This is a waste of money, time and effort and could be reduced to one office that know wtf they are doing.

I disagree with a foreign policy that pays countries that hate us. There is no need to send money to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Isreal, many in Africa, most of the ex-USSR and China/Taiwan that have policies or leadership that do not respect human rights, that take the money and keep it while their people starve. If we want to send aid it should be in the form of food and medicines, it should be sending engineers and workers that can teach those countries how to build an infrastructure.

I cannot concede on this point whatsoever.

I do not agree with "free trade" to countries that subsidize their industries so that they may undercut ours. I believe if China tariffs and subsidizes then we need to tariff their imports or cut all trade relations.

We are in a trade war and we are losing badly because we have gotten fat and greedy and we want everything cheap. This causes jobs to be sent overseas and wages to decrease. For the first time in our history our children will make less than their parents...... there is something seriously wrong here. This is not capitalism, and should not be considered as such when countries are subsidizing industries to destroy ours.

My concession.... tax imports to the point they are taxed by their originating country. Implement a WORLDWIDE MINIMUM WAGE, and retrain laid-off/fired workers for jobs that will pay more. Put more fed money into research and development grants and loans. Implement income taxes on companies that ship jobs overseas.... IE you (the company) send 200 jobs overseas then you (the company) MUST pay the income taxes on those 200 workers, equal to the 200 jobs you (the company) cut over here, until the people you told to walk find jobs. This money goes into retraining the workers.

I agree very strongly that healthcare should be regulated, price freezes should be implemented on all but the elective procedures. That medicines should be sold on a sliding scale basis so that those who have money (but too much to get help and not enough to truly pay for the medicines) should be able to afford their medicines and not have to suffer. That everyone is entitled to and should recieve an annual physical and 2 yearly dental checkups.

Benefits are healthier workers = more productive and happier workers.

I also disagree with Healthcare insurers having carte blanche on what they will pay for and what they won't. If you want lawsuits to go away allow the DOCTORS to determine what a patient needs and how to treat and not worry about cost.

I concede the industry needs to make money, but how much is enough? I think only a doctor can truly know what is best for the individual. The industry must either recognize this or be forced into a strict regulatory situation.

I believe we need to get off the fossil fuels and OPEC addiction and put massive monies into finding cheaper fuels.

NO CONCESSION I CAN THINK OF BUT WOULD LISTEN AS I AM SURE THERE ARE PLANS OUT THERE THAT COULD WORK AND BENEFIT BOTH SIDES. While again, I agree this industry has a right to profit, they need to be held responsible for their prices and that if necessary price controls should be implemented. If they cannot police themselves and find cheaper ways, then the government should.

There are a few more but those are my primary ones.

03-13-2005, 11:34 AM	#31 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	I am socially liberal, fiscally conservative (believe it or not). I believe that we need social based programs and that along with a much needed health care program and education they should be our primary concern. I will concede, however, that there are far too many programs and that a vast majority are so caught up in red tape that the people needing the money and programs are often left out or don't recieve all they can. Solution is to condense programs, make it easier for those that need it to know it is available to them. By cutting down on redtape you allow the money to truly get where it needs to go. Example: I am trying very hard to find all these grants and loans that the government has to set up recovery houses. What I find is redtape and people saying go to this office..... which when I do they refer me to another office who in turn refers me to another that refers me to the original. This is a waste of money, time and effort and could be reduced to one office that know wtf they are doing. I disagree with a foreign policy that pays countries that hate us. There is no need to send money to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Isreal, many in Africa, most of the ex-USSR and China/Taiwan that have policies or leadership that do not respect human rights, that take the money and keep it while their people starve. If we want to send aid it should be in the form of food and medicines, it should be sending engineers and workers that can teach those countries how to build an infrastructure. I cannot concede on this point whatsoever. I do not agree with "free trade" to countries that subsidize their industries so that they may undercut ours. I believe if China tariffs and subsidizes then we need to tariff their imports or cut all trade relations. We are in a trade war and we are losing badly because we have gotten fat and greedy and we want everything cheap. This causes jobs to be sent overseas and wages to decrease. For the first time in our history our children will make less than their parents...... there is something seriously wrong here. This is not capitalism, and should not be considered as such when countries are subsidizing industries to destroy ours. My concession.... tax imports to the point they are taxed by their originating country. Implement a WORLDWIDE MINIMUM WAGE, and retrain laid-off/fired workers for jobs that will pay more. Put more fed money into research and development grants and loans. Implement income taxes on companies that ship jobs overseas.... IE you (the company) send 200 jobs overseas then you (the company) MUST pay the income taxes on those 200 workers, equal to the 200 jobs you (the company) cut over here, until the people you told to walk find jobs. This money goes into retraining the workers. I agree very strongly that healthcare should be regulated, price freezes should be implemented on all but the elective procedures. That medicines should be sold on a sliding scale basis so that those who have money (but too much to get help and not enough to truly pay for the medicines) should be able to afford their medicines and not have to suffer. That everyone is entitled to and should recieve an annual physical and 2 yearly dental checkups. Benefits are healthier workers = more productive and happier workers. I also disagree with Healthcare insurers having carte blanche on what they will pay for and what they won't. If you want lawsuits to go away allow the DOCTORS to determine what a patient needs and how to treat and not worry about cost. I concede the industry needs to make money, but how much is enough? I think only a doctor can truly know what is best for the individual. The industry must either recognize this or be forced into a strict regulatory situation. I believe we need to get off the fossil fuels and OPEC addiction and put massive monies into finding cheaper fuels. NO CONCESSION I CAN THINK OF BUT WOULD LISTEN AS I AM SURE THERE ARE PLANS OUT THERE THAT COULD WORK AND BENEFIT BOTH SIDES. While again, I agree this industry has a right to profit, they need to be held responsible for their prices and that if necessary price controls should be implemented. If they cannot police themselves and find cheaper ways, then the government should. There are a few more but those are my primary ones. __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"