Can Thompson take Reagan's mantle?

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Originally posted by Pogo142:
I would tend to agree with pba since the article continually brings up the Reagan factor but all the candidates are for cutting taxes to the rich and I believe they all try to compare themselves to Reagan. Reagan was a phony made for TV presidency who cut taxes for the rich and screwed the working people.

I have to admit I can't think of much he did or said as senator and the article points out he has little name recognition as a former senator and more as an actor. They even say he was accused of being "lazy" as a senator.

He does claim to be a "true conservative" but that has turned into a very meaningless label that is twisted to mean a number of things by a number of different people, all claiming to be a "true conservative."

I am a progressive liberal and I know I know where I stand.

What's really interesting about the article is the emphases on how much money he has and how it hampers his chances. Not mention of his stance on the issues outside of the conservative and Reagan statements.

I think once again the American people have no choice besides Kucinich, Gravel and Ron Paul. I don't support Paul but I would say he is "outside the belt way." He is a libertarian that is liberal on social issues but conservative on economic issues.

Once again we see we are a one party state, the "Corporate Party."

Pogo, are you sure you are not my brother? LOL... What you say I totally agree with you on....

I loved Reagan, as an Actor, but an Actor is TRAINED on how to manipulate the public, and Reagan managed to pull it off really good, his approval ratings were great,... OH BUT THAT AND A DOLLAR WILL BUY A CUP OF COFFEE!!! Forgot that Sassy, oooooops!!!!

I think we need a HUGE topsy-turvy in Washington, starting right here in our own State where OUR reprentatives voted THEMSELVES a pay raise... something THAT serious should have been on a State Wide vote... but no, of course they aren't going to do that because they KNOW we wouldnt vote for it!!!!

Anyway, great comment!!!!

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Originally posted by meanasasnake:

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Originally posted by Netracer41:

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Originally posted by kperk:
Personally, I'm for a national sales tax. The ONLY people who don't pay their fair share are the lousy, lazy, poor-by-choice. All they have done is suck our country dry and its time they pay up. If you feel sorry for THOSE poor, YOU pay for them.

The children of these reprehensible, lowlifes DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS for the family. Everything is NOT black and white - no matter how well researched - or not - your opinion may be.

You make a very good point. Truth is the anyone who isn't mentally or physically handicapped and is poor in this country is poor by choice. It could be their choice not to take advantage of free public education or choice to become addicted to drugs or alcohol, or choice to simply live off the welfare state. Look at the Asian or East Indian people that come here with nothing, not even the ability to speak english and create prosperity for themselves. There is no excuse for poor Americans except they "choose" to be poor.

I am just wondering where this FREE public education is???? High school isn't enough to get people above min. wage,... so where is the FREE public COLLEGE education so that people dont have to be poor????

Poor is NOT a choice by over half of the ones across the nation, it is just the way things have to be for them, ...

Our economy, our fat cats, our big businesses who wanna be bigger, major corporations, major stock holders will NOT ALLOW people to get anywhere except where THEY WANT them to be.. they DO rule the country, regardless of what anyone thinks...

SOME of the people out there who are poor, are by choice, but the vast majority are just spinning wheels TRYING their best to make it.

When the Ford Plant closed here, I know at least 10 people who went to work at Zippy Mart (long time ago) for min. wage, because the vast number of people who were thrown out of their jobs, and no more available... people lost homes... vehicles, and virtually EVERYTHING they had... now we are talking a DIFFERENT subject here... we are talking about someone who has had their life wrecked, their credit shot, lost everything and trying to start over... several killed themselves, including one of my Dad's best friends...

It is a sad state of affairs when our very own people put each other down for what they DO NOT have, just because the other DOES have... sad indeed!!!

If someone works hard in High School there are plenty of college grants, scholarships and loans to get them through school with no money.

Being poor may not be the preference of the the working poor but it is a result of their choices in life. If they choose to drop out of high school, if they choose to get pregnant or get someone pregnant, etc. they will be working poor. They choose that.

In our economy anyone can still accomplish anything they truly want. Corporations have nothing to do with the day to day actions of ambitious, entreprenuers. Anyone that wants to be prosperous can if they will pay the price in advance.

Let be honest, our big manufacturing plants including the Ford plant closed because of the greed of the labor unions. Unions are very bad for employees and businesses in general. The Shoals is still paying for it. No new manufacturing will move to the area because of the legacy of trade unions.

I too remember all the trucks and bass boats for sale in yards all over the area. The unions are directly to blame for the demise of the Shoals.

P.S.
Kindred my friend you might need a new keyboard, it seems your caps keep sticking. (kidding)

As quoted from Aubfire:

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I know Pogo keeps pointing out that these people he refers to are billionaires and millionaires, so it sounds like he is saying we just shouldn't allow anyone to earn that much money. I guess these are all evil people who should have to pay. I say that is garbage.

All he and those like him are advocating is a redistribution of wealth and there is no other way to look at it. This liberal thinking has to be the result of jealousy of others who have been more successful.

No offense, Pogo, but this is what all people say until they become one of the 'billionaires and multi-millionaires" or even the upper middle class. It is wrong, futile, counter-productive to penalize success. When that happens you end up with wonderful things like the VA hospitals and state run agencies. Very few people will be market-driven productive without likewise compensation. The idealistic myth of redistributing wealth has never worked; it only keeps lazy people lazy and productive, hard working people mad as hell.

All of the anti-capitalists should read Atlas Shrugged. For those who don't have the will, desire, time or attention span:

What if... Bill Gates not only shut down Microsoft, but somehow made all of the current Microsoft Applications crash? Like, a Microsoft Office / Windows eating virus were unleashed?

...Carlos Slim Helú destroyed his tlecommunications companies in Latin America?

...Ingvar Kamprad shut down all of his IKEA stores (I'd cry!)

...Lakshmi Nivas Mittal shut down Arcelor Mittal - the world's largest producer of low and mid-grade steels

...Warren Buffett dumped all of his stock holdings back into the market

...The Walton Family closed all of the Wal-Mart stores all one one day?

What would happen? What would happen if the richest people in the world decided that they were tired of being villianized and took all their toys, all their wealth, and just vanished? Would you be elated or scared out of your mind?

This is one smart chick! You are 100% correct. Everyone should read Atlas Shrugged.

Now what would happen if everyone on public assistance this country up and vanished?

Ayn Rand, when she died, had a dollar bill as her centerpiece floral display. Her philosophy was useful. I agree with her belief that each individual is responsible for his own direction. Government should act as a business, not a moral compass designed to micro-manage the private lives of its citizens. Its very libertarian in inspiration. Under her view, abortion would be a personal choice with only minimal government jurisdiction. Marrages would all be civil. As long as it was between two conscenting adults who are not related, marrage would be a civil contract and not regulated by the state except for the obvious genetically unsuitable or age related cases. Her ethical concept states : man properly lives "with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life". This is a concept spelled out in our own constitution in the phrase "pursuit of happiness". Rand was not much inclined to accept our Judeo-Christian traditions because they were contradictory to her view that man is responsible only for himself. Christianity is based on the charity of the individual. It follows the philosophy that we are all, to some extent, responsible for one another. I agree with some of her writings, but when it comes to the protection of the least of our fellow man, I am more inclined to view the teachings of Christ in regards to the poor as more moral than Ayn Rands. Caring for the poor (children in particular), the ill, the lost of our society is what Christians are charged to do, over and over in the scriptures. The Bible is more than a book of rules about who to sleep with and how much to drink or wheather or not to be dunked or sprinkled. Its most basic and most often cited parables have to do with charity. Having said that, I also do not believe the purpose of government is to care for our every need. But at the very least it should ensure that the least of us, the sick, the old, the lost should not die in the streets. That is not communism, that is being a responsible society with the understanding that if the streets are full of the poor and needy, society in all its aspects becomes weak and risks economic, social, and democratic failure. All one needs do is examine the changes in communism to see that pure economic philosophy does not work. Totally unrestricted capitalism does not function well either. This is why no such animal exists in the world as a purely unrestricted capitalist system. We will, as a society always care for those who for whatever reason have been unable to care for themselves. We are not animals. Atlas Shrugged is good reading, should be mandatory - but one should read the full philosophy of Rand before accepting it as gospel.

Who said Rand wrote a Gospel? If she did, it would be Anthem, not Atlas. What I said was that people need to stop hating on the rich and thank them for their contribution to society.

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Originally posted by Netracer41:
This is one smart chick! You are 100% correct. Everyone should read Atlas Shrugged.

Now what would happen if everyone on public assistance this country up and vanished?

Thanks NetRacer41. If everyone on Public Assistance were to vanish we would lose some very bright minds. It is sickening to see people abuse the goodwill of this country, but at the same time it is heartwarming to read about the ones who overcome their adversity and actually make something of themselves. If everyone took more personal responsibility and quit trying to find someone else to take care of their problems this country would be a much better place.

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Originally posted by that smart chick:
Who said Rand wrote a Gospel? If she did, it would be Anthem, not Atlas. What I said was that people need to stop hating on the rich and thank them for their contribution to society.

Go back and read - I said "take it as gospel". Not "a gospel".

I dont know anyone who hates the rich. The subject has never popped up in any conversation I have ever had with the poor, middle class, or upper middle class people I know. I think this is just another tool to villify the poor. They are, according to some, nothing but blood-sucking welfare queens and drug addicts with their hands out all the time. I read so much hostility against the poor on here. They seem to be responsible for so much for people who really have no economic or social responsibility. I suppose they are responsible for all the ills we experience as a nation. One of the many internal enemies.

I have been poor. But I have never been a victim. There is a difference that many don't seem to understand. It is those people that are "poor victims" I have no sympathy or compassion toward.

Wonder what the percentage of those who are poor really are just worthless "poor victims"? I would like to know what part of our national and state budgets are actually spent on these individuals.

Hey Mena: Your response to Atlas Shrugged was about the most balanced, well written and thought out points I haver ever read from most of the members here, me included. There should be a lot more stream of conciousness type responses and postulates here. Thanks that was actually interesting to read.

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Originally posted by Netracer41:
Hey Mena: Your response to Atlas Shrugged was about the most balanced, well written and thought out points I haver ever read from most of the members here, me included. There should be a lot more stream of conciousness type responses and postulates here. Thanks that was actually interesting to read.

Always a gentleman - even if we dont often agree. Thank you.

I haven't read Rand's book, but I do agree with your post, mean.