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Politics, News & Issues > US Economy The government should be held to the same principles of good business management as a publicly held US corporation: 2 of 13
It would be nice if the standards for good business management and good government business management were the same but they are not and should not be the same. The basics of financial ethics remain the same for both but government has to deal with many issues which are not common to private business. The government should ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration Are Mexican illegals seeking to immigrate or invade the US?: 20 of 50
I have come to appreciate a term I learned some time ago in reference to the oil companies. It is "conspiracy by similar goals or methods". What this means is that a group of people or corporations can act as a conspiracy even though there has been no discussion or agreement made between the individual parties. This can resu... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Government & Policies Should American farmers continue to receive government subsidies?: 5 of 10
As is the case in most issues facing the people of this country, there is no black and white but only shades of gray. If we make a basic assumption that food production is necessary for the security of this country then I think we have to do whatever is necessary to protect the farm lands of this country against other uses. ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq Should the United States pull troops out of Iraq and surrounding countries?: 24 of 47
The president insists that the United States must conduct it's war on terrorism in Iraq. It is his contention that we must confront and destroy the terrorists on foreign soil and defeat them there. But, is this Possible? I believe there are 3 possible paths the United States can pursue. The first is the one the president is ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture The significance of being a Christian: 10 of 19
You do not need to be a Christian in order to appreciate the affect of Christianity on western civilization. I sometimes wonder if it would have been possible for western civilization to have developed at all without it. The time of Jesus was a violent time and the concepts of forgiveness and peace were not particularly in v... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration Views on illegal immigration in the US: 130 of 213
The ideal solution to a problem should give the most to as many as possible while costing the least. Now that sounds great and most of us heartily endorse that approach when dealing with our own problems. Unfortunately government does not often work that way. There is no doubt that uncontrolled immigration is a serious probl... More..
Personal Finance > Taxes Who benefits from programs that grant relief on IRS tax debts: 2 of 3
I have been troubled by TV advertising I have been seeing lately that offer major reductions in the amount of tax debt people may owe the IRS. These advertisements got me to thinking about who really is benefiting from these programs. For the past 6 years I have done taxes during the tax season for a major tax firm and gener... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections (Other) Should federal political candidates have to disclose the means by which they raised their money - by mail, online, in person, etc.?: 4 of 5
The question of how political donations are transmitted to the candidates is like asking what means was used to commit a murder. It is perhaps a pieces of evidence but does not change the fact that the important point is who committed the murder. Who made the contribution can tell us a lot about what the candidate stands for... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration Comprehensive immigration reform: 10 of 12
Ah, immigration reform. Almost everybody agrees something needs to be done. But, to often, what any one individual might think needs to be done is shaded by what they personally stand to gain or lose. The trouble is that what may be food for one is quite often poison for another. Under those circumstances it is no wonder tha... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Party Politics & Ideology Are young Americans in their 20s more likely to favor the political left or right?: 12 of 14
The polls would seem to suggest that most young people are on the left side. But, I wonder if the terms left and right or liberal and conservative have any real meaning. I would suggest that a better description might be idealistic and cynical. The opinions that our younger people hold are very often a function of the educat... More..