[Redcloak]

This thread reminds me of a campaign speech by the LP presidential candidate Harry Browne. He talks about how, if elected, he'll dismantle this bureaucracy or that department, abolish this tax or that subsidy, that he'll roll back a laundry list of Federal programs, followed by the punchline "and then I'll break for lunch." The crowd is going nuts. They're cheering and applauding; but not one person in the room realizes that speeches like that will never win an election.

The average American voter doesn't want some scary, screaming loon to take a meat-ax to the Government. It doesn't matter how sound the argument is for doing so or how good the result will be. Do you remember how Mr. Newt was raked over the coals for his "wither on the vine" comment about Medicare? He wasn't even talking about reducing the program. He only wanted to foster a replacement for Medicare. He was talking about a gradual change over the course of years. People heard "wither in the vine" and freaked. They've grown up with Government taking care of them. BB loves them and they know it. It will takes years to convince them of the opposite. Nick's "shining city in a bowl" is one way to bring about that transformation.

It took years to get into that snake pit; it will take years to get out.

[Alia]

Redcloak -- you've got that EXACTLY right. On all the points you wrote in that post.

When President Bush won 2000, there were many conservs screaming for him to simply axe the NEA and pub ed. Well, as I pointed out... "okay, let's axe the NEA and pub ed.. and tell me how many teachers you plan to employ in your own company to offset the jobloss and economic chaos? Going to pay more taxes to feed and house their children?

I was called a spoilsport... lol!

I know some who think just "chopping off" something will eleviate their own personal stress.. but it usually doesn't work that way.....