Replies

I answered yours, now please answer mine

1. Can the government create prosperity?

2. Do you have a right to someone elses earnings or labor?

3. What is the maximum tax rate that would be acceptable?

4. Do you drive an automobile

5. Are you rebelling from something?

6.Are you uncomfortable with public displays of religiousity?

7. Isn't better for children to be raised by two parents, a mother and a father?

"I answered yours, now please answer mine"

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I sincerely appreciate it.

"1. Can the government create prosperity?"

The Nazi government did it in the early '30s. The US and Japanese interim governments did it for Japan in the late '40s. The US did it in the '30s to escape the worldwide depression. The Aztecs did with organized calendars and agricultural planting schedules. The Ancient Greeks did through lax trade laws. The Romans did it through conquest and heavy taxation of the conquered lands.

So I would say, "yes".

"2. Do you have a right to someone elses earnings or labor?"

I think "earnings or labor" is too broad to offer a response. Of course my answer is "no", but that does not translate into "all social programs are bad".

"3. What is the maximum tax rate that would be acceptable?"

That would depend entirely on what services I was getting for my tax dollars.

If my taxes paid for a live-in-chef, free housing, nightly backrubs, and all the toys I wanted then I'd say 70% would be a fair tax rate. (That's a joke.)

In a free economy, I think we could get by with something like a 15% flat tax, if it were spent wisely and even the rich had to pay taxes. The only thing I really know about economics, though, is that most economists are full of it.

"4. Do you drive an automobile"

Unfortunately, yes. Even better, it's an SUV with really crappy gas mileage. (Maybe that makes me a hippocrat. I happen to think that not-driving-SUVs is not the answer to the problems of an oil economy.)

Frankly, I wish my city were designed such that I could get by without a car. I spend about an hour a day in my car stuck in traffic. I'd much rather spend that with my family.

"5. Are you rebelling from something?"

Nope.

"6.Are you uncomfortable with public displays of religiousity?"

I'm uncomfortable with it, because I think religion is ignorant and destructive. But I believe strongly in the freedom of speech and religion.

"7. Isn't better for children to be raised by two parents, a mother and a father? "

Of course it is.