Quote Originally Posted by kwame k View Post
You still need a FEMA type program to be able to have the resources to help. Here's a simplistic analogy, you store a flashlight and some batteries in case the lights go out. Shouldn't we have a national storage and staging area? I'd pay that tax.
Your analogy works better like this: You choose to live in an area where the lights go out a lot, you store a flashlight, and I pay for the batteries in case the lights go out (and they do, often).


When insurance companies and illegal billing practices are running rampant. When a small business owner can't afford to insure it's workers, let alone himself, you have an immediate and national problem. The States have failed at this.......when did it become against the law for States to enact it's own health care system? When the States can't govern themselves it's time for the Federal government to step in.....like during Civil Rights era, for example.
I don't understand why a company should provide health insurance for the worker. They don't buy our auto insurance. The only reason that I can see is that it's because insurance is so expensive that people can't really afford it on their own. But then, why is that?

Auto insurance companies compete like crazy for business, focusing on quality of service, or insurance rates, or types of coverage to compete for business.

But I don't really see health insurance companies compete for business. Why do you think that is, kwame?


Not when huge companies have rigged the system to the point of poisoning people for decades with slow developing diseases like cancer. It's happened 100's of times and in countless places in this country and by having better national regulations it could of been stopped. It's because big corporations play a numbers game......profits verses punitive damage. If the profit exceeds the loss, companies will take the profit. They do it every day.
There is no reason that cities and states shouldn't be able to pass these ordinances. Why should the federal government come down here to Texas and do it for us? Why can't we be allowed to make our own choices, so long as we aren't hurting others?

Do you think the federal government should be able to decide everything for you?

To my knowledge no one is outlawing private schools but if you can't afford a private school, a public school should be available.....it should be a basic right to get a decent education. As much of a right as free speech. If private schools were such a better choice then why hasn't the market adjusted that and why haven't public schools failed by market demand? We need educational reform, for sure.....just not the abolition of it. Each State should manage it's educational budget but the Federal government should set a standard and mandate that every State offers an education.
It's not a right... and I don't think it should be. Rights are things the government exists to protect. Should there be education laws? Sure! At the local/state level. Which was my point. I didn't say anything about public vs private education.


Hope for me yet? I've debated ad nauseam the evils of the Federal Reserve.....have linked numerous sources about the evils of that entity. Debated here to death in the FL.
It wasn't about the Federal Reserve. It was about critical thinking.




I listened to the man when he ran last time and researched him then. I've listened to the debates and read/listened to his speeches now. I've never followed the media's spin on him....mainly because I don't watch it and would rather read the news. So implying I'm some Johnny on the band wagon of 30 second soundbites is kinda lame, bro!
I'll take your word but a lot of what you say about him is very divorced from what his policy points are...

Reform and regulations......obviously they haven't been doing their jobs or we wouldn't be in this mess. Just because it isn't working now doesn't mean there's not a need for it. We need reform like we got during the Great Depression.....to ensure it never happens again. The the markets can do whatever they will after that.
Man, you sound like the answer to every problem is to have more government.

Neither do I.......we need real campaign reform. To the point where people running for the House or Senate can not take national money. No national money from Demos or Repukes. All local level financing, period. Corporate donations can't exceed public donations in the national, too. A level playing field. Just because Grandpa doesn't take money from them doesn't change the fact the rest of them do.
Or we could just reduce the influence of federal government to where there isn't a desire to corrupt the system. Also term limits for every office.


I thought the same thing when Perot had his run and his 3rd party but in the end it was a pipe dream

Until the majority speaks up we'll never have the best and the brightest running for office.

One only needs to look at the current GOP candidates and the Demos to see that.
Perot killed his own chances.