Oh now I really am in a dither...my liberal brain

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: : but I have to leave. I actually agree with the first part of what you've written. Just note that other things good for society are merit based rewards (vs. punishing those who bust ass to accomplish something in life), individual responsibility and accountability, : HURTS from how hard this is... See,I can't do it on MY OWN!!! : Oooh, got that off my chest, so I'll see what the progressive spirit in me can do with this. : First, I do not believe in individual responsibility. You are correct - I believe in community, family, neighborhoods, unions, and fraternal organizations. I believe that if I am unable to fulfill my duties over the course of this year, I will give that crown to a designated first runner up and ask her to take over for me -- because that's what humans do. : Hey, I've heard it for years: : "People who can't afford kids, shouldn't have kids." : Ok, is this retroactive? Do we take children away from their parents because their parents can't afford them?? : Is there a more important job to be done? Is there another vocation that so many have found to give meaning to their lives? And who would ever be able to take on any responsibility if they knew that they alone would be responsible? : Accountability? Don't make me laugh. That's something the progressives have fought for. we love accountability - if you break it, you bought it - and if you despoil it, you work to make it right. : It's the republicans who have had the easy time getting out of paying their way -- look at the bankruptcy laws, the changes in stockholder guarantees. These are not things that have come from the squishy left -- the right side of the balance sheet came up with those. Enron and Worldcom are straight out of the playbook - the rules were written so that this is what would occur -- lots of investors lose their pensions; lots of fatcats make a profit. Where's the accountability in that? : : and basic morals and ethics. It can be argued that liberalism is against the first two thoughts in that list and can lead to promoting those who do not have the third (e.g., Clinton). : Until the Christian Right get out of bed with the Muslim extremists, I don't want to hear about the left promoting the immoral. Who sold them those guns? who asked for those loans and who gave them the war on drugs? : : Anyway, if Bush was promoted along without having any of his own merit, then I would agree with you. But it appears to me that he's proven himself and I feel lucky that he's a guy who wants to actually do something as President as opposed to a guy who just wants to be President. : : I don't think there are many people who would agree with you about Clinton "just wanting to be president." He's seen as an activist president, getting by on little sleep, up to date on the major events occurring around the world. : And lastly, back to Bush -- well, if you think Bush got by on his merits, tell me this -- when do you get to buy your first sports team? He didn't have a successful business venture until then. : : : Ah, secular humanism, my friend. I believe in the self-correcting nature of the human spirit, and the potential for all people to reach a state of maturity and optimal functioning when given the space to do so. : : : It's sort of like capitalism, except instead of the highest form of perfection being the corporation, it's the people who work there. : : : Yes, I mean all of them - the workers, the bosses, the researchers, ... Room to grow and freedom to innovate and live a balanced and productive life are good for society. : : : So what does this have to do with Bush? : : : Well, for one thing, he ruins that theory - the guy is such an outlier in the graph of human potential and achievement, I'm tempted to grab some Ayn Rand and run to the hills. He is an example of the beauty of patronage. Even the untalented can achieve riches with the support of the best and brightest and richest of the well-connected to shove : : : shove : : : SHOVE them to greatness. : : : ... People who don't believe in equal rights or affirmative action might want to consider how this guy ever got into college - and why he was accepted as a pledge.

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