Saturday, January 19, 2008
Ward Connerly's Solution
Comic strips in the daily newspapers sometimes unwittingly pose comments on political developments. An example struck me today. On the front page of the Los Angeles Times is a story about Ward Connerly's crusade to eliminate all forms of affirmative action by States. An initiative to this end was enacted a few years ago here in California. This year initiatives to ban any action by governments to remedy past discrimination based on race will be on the ballot in several States. Opponents of these measures concede that defeating them will be difficult or impossible.
At the same time, in the Comics section of the newspapter, the character Danae in the strip Non Sequitur, has found her own way of dealing with problems. He solution is to surround herself with a "Shut Up Zone." With this zone in effect she no longer has to be concerned about her father criticizing her for a bad report card, for not cleaning up her room, etc. The problems simply go away if people are not allowed to talk about them.
Ward Connerly believes that the problems of racial prejudice and discrimination will simply disappear if we stop talking about doing something to remedy them. His initiatives would prevent governments from gathering data relating to current practices of racial prejudice and discrimination. There would be no available information; therefore, nothing to talk about. We must simply shut up.
The American Public does not know how pervasive past measures that discriminated against blacks were. For example, when Social Security was enacted in 1936 Southern members of Congress insisted that the plan should not include agricultural workers. In the South, most negroes were agricultural workers and they had to be kept in their place.
At the same time, in the Comics section of the newspapter, the character Danae in the strip Non Sequitur, has found her own way of dealing with problems. He solution is to surround herself with a "Shut Up Zone." With this zone in effect she no longer has to be concerned about her father criticizing her for a bad report card, for not cleaning up her room, etc. The problems simply go away if people are not allowed to talk about them.
Ward Connerly believes that the problems of racial prejudice and discrimination will simply disappear if we stop talking about doing something to remedy them. His initiatives would prevent governments from gathering data relating to current practices of racial prejudice and discrimination. There would be no available information; therefore, nothing to talk about. We must simply shut up.
The American Public does not know how pervasive past measures that discriminated against blacks were. For example, when Social Security was enacted in 1936 Southern members of Congress insisted that the plan should not include agricultural workers. In the South, most negroes were agricultural workers and they had to be kept in their place.
Labels: affirmative action, pervasive discrimination against blacks, social security, the "Shut Up" Zone, Ward Connerly
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Petitions I have not signed
Over the years I have received many requests by mail to sign a petition in favor of one thing or another. There is an organization devoted to "saving social security" that sends me a petition occasionally. I get petitions to save snow leopards, polar bears, wolves, and other forms of wild life. Just today I received a petition from AARP in favor of "Strengthening the Four Pillare of Retirement for America's Seniors." In case you're wondering, here are the four pillars of retirement:
- Social Security
- Affordable Health Care
- Pensions / Retirement Savings
- Supplemental Earnings
A petition to strengthen these pillars has to be addressed to the federal government, particularly the administration of George Bush. Mr. Bush has expressed himself as opposed to government-sponsored social security (it should be private, supported by savings accounts), to government-sponsored health care (except Medical and a shrunk SCHIP program), and to spending government money on anything that might smack of creeping socialism. It is clear to me that, until Mr. Bush leaves office and is replaced with a President with more compassion for the people in need, petitions are a waste of time and good paper. The AARP perhaps should devote its considerable clout to advocating impeachment of the Bush-Cheney team.
Labels: Bush Administration, Bush's Stubbornness, social security, Universal health care
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Discussion with a Conservative about Universal Health Care
Occasionally in this blog I present opinions of my friends whom I identify only with their initials. S is a Democrat who doesn't consider himself a liberal, but compared with my conservative friends, he is rather liberal. H is a conservative who tries sincerely to get me to agree with him. R is a conservative who likes to debate because it hones his skills. He knows that it is hopeless to try to convert me to conservative ideas and so he contents himself with trying to undermine my liberal ideas. M is a conservative who tries to play "gotcha" by interpreting my ideas as helpful to mortal enemies of our country.
Here is a series of e-mails between S, R, and myself. My friends all have access to this blog and they can judge for themselves whether I have faithfully presented their arguments and opinions in these e-mails. The series starts with an e-mail from S to R and others:
S wrote:
What does Socialized medicine buy Canada versus our patch work of medical coverage?
It buys a lot if you look or compare two statistics.
I came up not with socialized medicine but a public health plan. This thought occurred to me while sitting in the waiting room at a woman's clinic. Jean was sent there to see a gynecologist. Poor Jean, she was by far the oldest and the only one positively diagnosed as not pregnant.
Attempting to study the group indicated most were by far much over weight. If overweight and lack of prenatal care were publicly available, could this reduce infant deaths? Not much there as training is very important in prenatal care. Trained nurses could handle this. The Red Cross offers classes to train parents for the new born in the home. Jean and I took the course and poor Jean was out of place as we were adopting and in our thirties.
Now on to longevity. Most people get some training in health in high school. However only something like 85% graduate by eighteen. Adult school does not cover health very much. I think this area would be another boost to senior's longevity.
My mother spent a huge number of volunteer hours with the county health department. She knew what it took to provide clinics of various types and some of her greatest friends were public health nurses. The nurses keep my Typhoid shots current as I was often drinking water out of North Georgia springs. nutrition was a big thing with the prenatal and post natal clinics. Doctor's cost was very little and often was a donation.
So conservatives, what is wrong with such a start towards some UHC by this method? Will it not help the most in need? I do not want to hear an answer about how one can not purchase batteries for a hearing aid in Canada.
R wrote:
Liberals, I have come to understand, have a protective shell that keeps out facts no matter how over repeated or how well documented. Facts are not just lamely refuted, they are totally ignored.
Finally, note that countries like Canada can get away with imposing price controls on drugs. Since it is a small market, the drug companies do not cut them off. But try it in the the US, and you will drive drug companies offshore and refusing to ship. But facts are just to be ignored.
S wrote:
I specifically looked those figures up. Does that make me a Liberal?
At least we agree on one thing. Education helps. When I started volunteer tutoring years ago, the school was overrun with pregnant teens. Lots of effort of education was put forth by the school about protection with respect to aids. They had a guard who worked for the local prison talk on how he had contracted aids in a fight with a prisoner. We now have very few pregnant girls and a much larger coed enrollment.
I am proposing more health centers where teens can learn more about prenatal care plus child care. Schools hardly can afford full time medical trained faculty members.
Your point about the age group 15-45 has much merit. Canada has a much lower speed limit. You seldom even see a 100 KM speed limit which is close to 60 MPH in this country. I do not remember ever seeing a higher speed limit there. Their speed limit enforcement is well in place too.
I am not sure about the mass transit argument. Does this mean that our death rate is less in the bigger cities like San Francisco? I thought that most centenarians live in rural Midwest. Am I wrong?
Lastly, our schools now sell machine soft drinks and chips through machines. Not much help there if the student body has a number of pregnant girls.
I have no idea about the life expectancy over 50. Do you have a reference? IRS bulletin 590 has lots of longevity tables for IRA distributions. If this is so, our life insurance costs for those over 50 would be higher. Moreover, the other countries with a SS type plan would be more solvent too would it not?
The data you quoted is more elaborate then mine. Does this mean Conservatives have a better source. Who is using more statistics?
Pessimistic and Liberal, S
R wrote:
"Significant improvements in life expectancy lies not in cures for chronic disease—heart, cancer---but in reducing accidents, suicide, homicide, AIDS, the big causes of premature death."
Posted here "First, it would be great if people would recognize the limits to health care, even high-tech health care. Diet and exercise matter more to your quality of life than treatment does. For example, you could stop treating cancer completely and only drop the overall life expectancy by a couple of years. If this seems ridiculous to you, do the math. ...." [he does]http://www.oftwominds.com/journal/goodfellow5b.html
"... The United States spends roughly $4,500 per person on health care each year. Costa Rica spends just $273. That small Central American country also has half as many doctors per capita as the United States. Yet the life expectancy of the average Costa Rican is virtually the same as the average American's: 76.1 years."
How can that be? According to public health researchers, the biggest reasons are behavior and environment. Costa Ricans consume about half as many cigarettes per person as we do. Not surprisingly, they are four times less likely to die of lung cancer. The car ownership rate in Costa Rica is a fraction of what it is in the United States. That not only means that fewer Costa Ricans die in auto accidents, but that they do a lot more walking, and hence they get more exercise. Thanks to a much lower McDonald's-to-citizen ratio, the average Costa Rican thrives on a traditional diet of rice, beans, fruits, vegetables, and a moderate amount of fried food--and therefore enjoys one of the world's lowest rates of heart disease and other stress-related illnesses." http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0304.longman.html
R
[The discussion is continued in my next post. - AJS]
Here is a series of e-mails between S, R, and myself. My friends all have access to this blog and they can judge for themselves whether I have faithfully presented their arguments and opinions in these e-mails. The series starts with an e-mail from S to R and others:
S wrote:
What does Socialized medicine buy Canada versus our patch work of medical coverage?
It buys a lot if you look or compare two statistics.
- Canada infant mortality rate within 24 hours is 4.6 per 1000 live births and the U.S is 6.4.
- Mean life expectancy is 80.3 years for Canada and 78.7 for the U.S.
I came up not with socialized medicine but a public health plan. This thought occurred to me while sitting in the waiting room at a woman's clinic. Jean was sent there to see a gynecologist. Poor Jean, she was by far the oldest and the only one positively diagnosed as not pregnant.
Attempting to study the group indicated most were by far much over weight. If overweight and lack of prenatal care were publicly available, could this reduce infant deaths? Not much there as training is very important in prenatal care. Trained nurses could handle this. The Red Cross offers classes to train parents for the new born in the home. Jean and I took the course and poor Jean was out of place as we were adopting and in our thirties.
Now on to longevity. Most people get some training in health in high school. However only something like 85% graduate by eighteen. Adult school does not cover health very much. I think this area would be another boost to senior's longevity.
My mother spent a huge number of volunteer hours with the county health department. She knew what it took to provide clinics of various types and some of her greatest friends were public health nurses. The nurses keep my Typhoid shots current as I was often drinking water out of North Georgia springs. nutrition was a big thing with the prenatal and post natal clinics. Doctor's cost was very little and often was a donation.
So conservatives, what is wrong with such a start towards some UHC by this method? Will it not help the most in need? I do not want to hear an answer about how one can not purchase batteries for a hearing aid in Canada.
R wrote:
Liberals, I have come to understand, have a protective shell that keeps out facts no matter how over repeated or how well documented. Facts are not just lamely refuted, they are totally ignored.
1.0 Canada infant mortality rate within 24 hours is 4.6 per 1000 live births andThe reason infant mortality rates are higher in the US has nothing to do with the health care system, it is due to social problems. We have a huge population of drug-addicted mothers that Canada, nor any other country, cannot match. This is certainly a major problem, but it is not going to be cured by health insurance.
the U.S is 6.4.
2.0 Mean life expectancy is 80.3 years for Canada and 78.7 for the U.S.The lower life expectancy in the US, compared to other first-world nations, is due to the much greater number of deaths in the age group from about 15-45. These deaths are due to traffic accidents, violence (e.g. gang shootings), drug overdoses, and suicides. If you make it to 50 in the US, life expectancy is the longest in the world. Quite obviously, changes in health care insurance will have no effect whatsoever on traffic accidents, violence, drugs, and suicides.You point out correctly, that American high-fat high-sugar diets and lack of exercise are major problems. More can be done with educational programs, but changes in health insurance are not going to have any effect. Note, for example, that countries with a lot of mass transit involve their population in a great deal of walking. The US has too low a population density to support much mass transit outside of a few city centers. Health insurance is not going to change that. I have a profit-making health insurance plan. They contact me regularly by phone and by mail with all sorts of suggestions about a healthier lifestyle. They have an incentive to improve my health. Why would a non-profit care?Medicare lowers their administrative costs by never checking bills for error or fraud. They spend zero on that. Profit-making insurance plans comb hospital bills and dispute overcharges. I have little doubt that more than pays for itself. Why would a non-profit care?
Finally, note that countries like Canada can get away with imposing price controls on drugs. Since it is a small market, the drug companies do not cut them off. But try it in the the US, and you will drive drug companies offshore and refusing to ship. But facts are just to be ignored.
S wrote:
I specifically looked those figures up. Does that make me a Liberal?
At least we agree on one thing. Education helps. When I started volunteer tutoring years ago, the school was overrun with pregnant teens. Lots of effort of education was put forth by the school about protection with respect to aids. They had a guard who worked for the local prison talk on how he had contracted aids in a fight with a prisoner. We now have very few pregnant girls and a much larger coed enrollment.
I am proposing more health centers where teens can learn more about prenatal care plus child care. Schools hardly can afford full time medical trained faculty members.
Your point about the age group 15-45 has much merit. Canada has a much lower speed limit. You seldom even see a 100 KM speed limit which is close to 60 MPH in this country. I do not remember ever seeing a higher speed limit there. Their speed limit enforcement is well in place too.
I am not sure about the mass transit argument. Does this mean that our death rate is less in the bigger cities like San Francisco? I thought that most centenarians live in rural Midwest. Am I wrong?
Lastly, our schools now sell machine soft drinks and chips through machines. Not much help there if the student body has a number of pregnant girls.
I have no idea about the life expectancy over 50. Do you have a reference? IRS bulletin 590 has lots of longevity tables for IRA distributions. If this is so, our life insurance costs for those over 50 would be higher. Moreover, the other countries with a SS type plan would be more solvent too would it not?
The data you quoted is more elaborate then mine. Does this mean Conservatives have a better source. Who is using more statistics?
Pessimistic and Liberal, S
R wrote:
I specifically looked those figures up. Does that make me a Liberal?Too soon to tell. If in a week or two you claim that life expectancy numbers prove the US health care system is inferior, then you are a certified Liberal.
At least we agree on one thing. Education helps.We do agree on that.
Canada has a much lower speed limit. You seldom even see a 100 KM speedI don't think speed limits are the main problem. In this country, if a person has his driver's license suspended for DUI or whatever, he usually drives out of the courthouse parking lot -- ignoring the court completely. In Japan, by contrast, first DUI means you lose your license forever, second offense is a year in jail. Their tradition is that the youngest person in every group will be the driver, and will be served nothing but coke that evening.
limit which is close to 60 MPH in this country.
I am not sure about the mass transit argument. Does this mean that ourI don't know. I was just observing that exercise is one factor in a healthy lifestyle, a factor often missing in the US. I lived in Tokyo for a while, and found mass transit to be quite a workout. One can easily climb 20 flights of stairs and walk four or five miles every day making connections. If the Japanese did not drink so much and eat so much salt, they would live forever.The broader point is that the quality of health care is not the only factor in health. It also depends upon the health habits of the population. The increase in obesity, for example, is expected to lower life expectancy in the US over the next few decades.
death rate is less in the bigger cities like San Francisco? I thought that
most centenarians live in rural Midwest. Am I wrong?
I have no idea about the life expectancy over 50. Do you have a reference?From MIT course notes on Public Health Policy:
"Significant improvements in life expectancy lies not in cures for chronic disease—heart, cancer---but in reducing accidents, suicide, homicide, AIDS, the big causes of premature death."
Posted here "First, it would be great if people would recognize the limits to health care, even high-tech health care. Diet and exercise matter more to your quality of life than treatment does. For example, you could stop treating cancer completely and only drop the overall life expectancy by a couple of years. If this seems ridiculous to you, do the math. ...." [he does]http://www.oftwominds.com/journal/goodfellow5b.html
"... The United States spends roughly $4,500 per person on health care each year. Costa Rica spends just $273. That small Central American country also has half as many doctors per capita as the United States. Yet the life expectancy of the average Costa Rican is virtually the same as the average American's: 76.1 years."
How can that be? According to public health researchers, the biggest reasons are behavior and environment. Costa Ricans consume about half as many cigarettes per person as we do. Not surprisingly, they are four times less likely to die of lung cancer. The car ownership rate in Costa Rica is a fraction of what it is in the United States. That not only means that fewer Costa Ricans die in auto accidents, but that they do a lot more walking, and hence they get more exercise. Thanks to a much lower McDonald's-to-citizen ratio, the average Costa Rican thrives on a traditional diet of rice, beans, fruits, vegetables, and a moderate amount of fried food--and therefore enjoys one of the world's lowest rates of heart disease and other stress-related illnesses." http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0304.longman.html
Lastly, our schools now sell machine soft drinks and chips through machines.I am all in favor of parents exerting control over the diets of their children.some places are banning the soft drinks. Do you think Libs still have superstitious fears about dangers of artificial sweeteners?
Moreover, the other countries with a SS type plan would be more solvent tooNo. SS is a Ponzi scheme whose solvency depends upon the ratio of the number of active contributing workers to the number of recipients.The data you quoted is more elaborate then mine. Does this mean Conservatives have a better source. Who is using more statistics?I have been repeatedly criticized by Libs on message boards for citing facts. They tell me that facts are unreliable, whereas feelings are reliable. Therefore, they tell me, one should develop policy positions by cultivating sensitive feelings, and then reject statistics that contradict those feelings.
would it not?
R
[The discussion is continued in my next post. - AJS]
Labels: Canada, Conservatism, effects of life style on longevity, Liberalism, Ponzi Scheme, social security, Statistics, Universal health care
Thursday, January 11, 2007
My response to a “Presidential Agenda Survey”
I receive letters from Senators every week. Some of the letters contain questionnaires to solicit my opinions. I know better than to believe that a U.S. Senator wants my opinion on anything. He has plenty of opinions of his own. What he wants is some of my money. Usually I throw such letters away, often without even opening them.
One of them came the other day from a person who aspires to run for President. I opened the letter and filled out the questionnaire. Then I wondered, what should I do with it? If I send it back, I will have to send a check with it; otherwise, it will be placed in the round file. Having gone to the trouble of filling the thing out, I didn’t feel like “round-filing” it myself. Being rather frugal with money, I didn’t feel like sending money to a potential Presidential candidate that I probably wouldn’t vote for. So, I decided to post at least part of the questionnaire and my responses to my blog, and here it is:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAXES: Low federal income taxes help grow our nation’s economy, yet the federal tax code has become unwieldy and must be reformed. Please indicate your position on current tax issues.
1. Preserve recent tax cuts Disagree
2. Permanently eliminate the “death tax” Disagree
3. Make the U.S. tax code fairer and simpler Agree
4. Accept a totally new tax system such as a value-added
tax or a flat tax Disagree
5. Make it harder for Congress to raise taxes by
requiring a 2/3 “supermajority” vote Disagree
Other(My written opinion) The notion that low taxes help grow the economy is a fallacy. There is no proof that I’ve seen that there is any correlation between tax rates and the economy. The economy is affected by the world-wide business cycle. There isn’t much that even the U.S. government can do to affect it.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND REGULATION: Federal spending is out of control and government continues to become more intrusive in Americans’ daily lives. Please note your opinion on the following suggestions to cut the federal government down to size.
6. Aggressively rein-in government spending Disagree
7. Totally eliminate “pork-barrel” spending No Opinion
8. Cut budgets for overfunded entitlement programs Agree
9. Eliminate corporate welfare where government subsidies
underwrite corporate profits Agree
10. Adopt a Balanced Budget Amendment Disagree
11. Eliminate obsolete federally funded programs Agree
12. Reduce federal deficit Agree
13. Reduce federal regulations on business No Opinion
Other Your questionnaire didn’t list one important option: stop our expensive involvement in Iraq.
CAMPAIGN REFORM AND BETTER GOVERNMENT: Washington, D.C. has seen many scandals in recent years and reform in many areas is long overdue. Please register your opinion on the following options to restore the public’s faith in our political system.
14. Ban all gifts to lawmakers from lobbyists No Opinion
15. Require every contribution to a candidate be posted
on the internet within 24 hours Agree
16. Increase the time between when lawmakers leave office
and can then lobby Congress Agree
17. Ban “527” committees that can raise and spend
unlimited amounts of money to influence
federal election campaigns No Opinion
Other ________________________________________________________________
WAR IN IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR: Our nation faces serious challenges in fighting and winning the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please indicate how you feel about sthe following options.
18. America must stand firm and fight in the Middle East
rather than here at home Disagree
19. America must commit more troops to Iraq Disagree
20. We must set an immediate deadline to bring our troops
home from Iraq and Afghanistan Disagree
21. Americans must invest whatever it takes in dollars
and manpower to win the War on Terror Disagree
22. U.S. must strike at terrorists wherever they are No Opinion
23. The President and Congress must agree on the policies
our nation pursues in waging the War on Terror Agree
Other It is wrong to conflate the war in Iraq with the “War on Terror.” Also, the “War on Terror” is misnamed. Terror can never be eliminated. The best we can do is to destroy the Al Qaeda organization.
AMERICA’S MILITARY: America’s military presence in the Middle east and its role in fighting the War on Terror is putting strenuous demands on our national defense operations. Please share your opinion on how we can best strengthen the readiness of our military.
24. Continue to provide American troops with
state-of-the-art weapons Agree
25. Greatly increase strength of National Guard No Opinion
26. Reinstate the military draft Agree
27. Reorganize our intelligence capabilities and
military structure No Opinion
28. Fund advanced hi-tech weaponry to minimize
exposure of troops in battle No Opinion
29. Provide maximum funding for veterans’ programs Agree
30. Increase incentives for individuals interested in
military service Agree
Other _______________________________________________________________
DIPLOMACY AND AMERICA ABROAD: As the world’s lone “superpower” America cannot dictate world policies but must work with other nations in solving global problems. Indicate below how you feel our nation should address certain issues.
31. U.S. must take a firm stance on keeping Iran and
North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons No Opinion
32. Work more closely with traditional allies to solve
world problems Agree
33. Keep building increased economic relationships with
China and Russia Agree
34. Use the forum of the United Nations more often to
pre-empt emerging crises Agree
35. Encourage more U.S. investment and trade in Mexico
and Central America to help create jobs and
lessen pressure for illegal immigrants to
come to the U.S. Agree
Other It appears that North Korea already has nuclear weapons; our “firm stance” hasn’t stopped them. Also, much of the investment and trade in Mexico and Central America has benefited American corporations, but has not benefited farmers and workers in Mexico and Central America. We should not, for example, sell grain to those countries at prices that are so low that they put the formers in those countries out of business. Many of those dispossessed farmers then try to come to the U.S. for jobs.
HEALTH CARE/SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE: In confronting the looming crises in Social Security and Medicare, Americans are presented with many options. Indicate below your feelings on solutions under debate.
36. Reorganize the Social Security Trust Fund to
guarantee its viability beyond 2018 Agree
37. Work to cut waste and ensure the financial stability
of Medicare Agree
38. Permit voluntary participation in Social Security Disagree
39. Allow individuals to privately invest a set percentage
of Social Security in personal accounts Disagree
40. Ensure that every American has access to quality
health care Agree
41. Rein-in excessive lawsuits that are driving up
health care costs. No Opinion
Other It is my understanding that the Social Security Trust Fund has assets in the form of U.S. Treasury bonds to continue paying full benefits until 2040 or thereabouts. The “crisis” in 2018 is that the payroll tax will not be sufficient to pay full benefits and money will have to be provided to pay off the Trust Fund bonds to make up the difference. Taxes will have to be raised to buy back the bonds. At 2040, when the bonds are used up, the same taxes can then continue to fund Social Security. So, what’s the problem?
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: America’s appetite for more energy will continue for decades to come and our nation must meet these needs while also protecting our environment. Please share your views on current energy and environment issues.
42. Subsidize research into alternative energy sources
to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Agree
43. Permit more drilling for gas and oil in Alaska No Opinion
44. Build more nuclear power plants No Opinion
45. Allow oil and gas drilling closer to the coastline in
both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans No Opinion
46. Open more federal lands to oil and gas exploration No Opinion
47. Encourage use of more vehicles that run on cleaner,
less polluting fuel Agree
48. Push for more stringent gas mileage requirements
for SUV’s, cars and trucks Agree
49. Address global climate change Agree
50. U.S. should sign the Kyoto Treaty that commits
nations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases Agree
Other ______________________________________________________________
ECONOMY: Republican policies in the past few years have kept America’s economy strong and prosperous. Please indicate below how you feel about current economic issues.
51. Too many U.S. jobs are being moved out of our country Agree
52. The federal minimum wage should be increased. Agree
53. The increasing federal deficit is a threat to America’s
economic health Agree
54. Corporate profits in many sectors are too excessive Agree
55. Too many government regulations thwart free enterprise
and small business growth No Opinion
Other Republican policies have not had any effect on the economy. The economy depends on the international business cycle. There is little that a Republican or Democratic administration can do to influence the economy. What government can do is to alleviate some of the consequences of a business downturn on workers who lose their jobs and businessmen who lose their businesses. My father lost his business during the depression that began in 1929.
HOMELAND SECURITY: Ever since 9/11, America has invested tens of billions of dollars to improve Homeland Security to ensure that our country can prevent another terrorist attack – or better deal with one if it happens. Please share your opinion on the following statements.
56. America is currently spending enough on homeland
security measures No Opinion
57. America must take whatever steps are necessary to
check all cargo that arrives in U.S. seaports
and airports Agree
58. Americans must be willing to tive up some of their
personal freedoms to ensure that our
nation is secure No Opinion
59. Some homeland security measures go too far and
threaten our Constitutional rights Agree
60. Spending on homeland security should be targeted to
those areas most vulnerable to attack rather
than divided up to all areas of the country. Agree
61. Our nation’s borders must be made more secure Agree
Other ________________________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS: In the coming years our nation will confront and adjust many of our policies. Indicate below how you feel about the topics below.
62. Allow current immigrants already in our country to
register as “guest workers” Agree
63. Employers must be required to only hire legal
guest-workers and not illegal immigrants Agree
64. Permit federal funding of stem cell research Agree
65. Require mandatory testing of teachers in our
nation’s schools No Opinion
66. Fund school vouchers so parents can send children
to school of their choice No Opinion
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reviewing my responses to the questionnaire, I see that I have revealed quite a bit of myself and my opinions. You may not agree with me on some of the items. But, that’s what this blog is all about: Al’s Opinions. I’m Al and these are my opinions.
One of them came the other day from a person who aspires to run for President. I opened the letter and filled out the questionnaire. Then I wondered, what should I do with it? If I send it back, I will have to send a check with it; otherwise, it will be placed in the round file. Having gone to the trouble of filling the thing out, I didn’t feel like “round-filing” it myself. Being rather frugal with money, I didn’t feel like sending money to a potential Presidential candidate that I probably wouldn’t vote for. So, I decided to post at least part of the questionnaire and my responses to my blog, and here it is:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAXES: Low federal income taxes help grow our nation’s economy, yet the federal tax code has become unwieldy and must be reformed. Please indicate your position on current tax issues.
1. Preserve recent tax cuts Disagree
2. Permanently eliminate the “death tax” Disagree
3. Make the U.S. tax code fairer and simpler Agree
4. Accept a totally new tax system such as a value-added
tax or a flat tax Disagree
5. Make it harder for Congress to raise taxes by
requiring a 2/3 “supermajority” vote Disagree
Other(My written opinion) The notion that low taxes help grow the economy is a fallacy. There is no proof that I’ve seen that there is any correlation between tax rates and the economy. The economy is affected by the world-wide business cycle. There isn’t much that even the U.S. government can do to affect it.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND REGULATION: Federal spending is out of control and government continues to become more intrusive in Americans’ daily lives. Please note your opinion on the following suggestions to cut the federal government down to size.
6. Aggressively rein-in government spending Disagree
7. Totally eliminate “pork-barrel” spending No Opinion
8. Cut budgets for overfunded entitlement programs Agree
9. Eliminate corporate welfare where government subsidies
underwrite corporate profits Agree
10. Adopt a Balanced Budget Amendment Disagree
11. Eliminate obsolete federally funded programs Agree
12. Reduce federal deficit Agree
13. Reduce federal regulations on business No Opinion
Other Your questionnaire didn’t list one important option: stop our expensive involvement in Iraq.
CAMPAIGN REFORM AND BETTER GOVERNMENT: Washington, D.C. has seen many scandals in recent years and reform in many areas is long overdue. Please register your opinion on the following options to restore the public’s faith in our political system.
14. Ban all gifts to lawmakers from lobbyists No Opinion
15. Require every contribution to a candidate be posted
on the internet within 24 hours Agree
16. Increase the time between when lawmakers leave office
and can then lobby Congress Agree
17. Ban “527” committees that can raise and spend
unlimited amounts of money to influence
federal election campaigns No Opinion
Other ________________________________________________________________
WAR IN IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR: Our nation faces serious challenges in fighting and winning the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please indicate how you feel about sthe following options.
18. America must stand firm and fight in the Middle East
rather than here at home Disagree
19. America must commit more troops to Iraq Disagree
20. We must set an immediate deadline to bring our troops
home from Iraq and Afghanistan Disagree
21. Americans must invest whatever it takes in dollars
and manpower to win the War on Terror Disagree
22. U.S. must strike at terrorists wherever they are No Opinion
23. The President and Congress must agree on the policies
our nation pursues in waging the War on Terror Agree
Other It is wrong to conflate the war in Iraq with the “War on Terror.” Also, the “War on Terror” is misnamed. Terror can never be eliminated. The best we can do is to destroy the Al Qaeda organization.
AMERICA’S MILITARY: America’s military presence in the Middle east and its role in fighting the War on Terror is putting strenuous demands on our national defense operations. Please share your opinion on how we can best strengthen the readiness of our military.
24. Continue to provide American troops with
state-of-the-art weapons Agree
25. Greatly increase strength of National Guard No Opinion
26. Reinstate the military draft Agree
27. Reorganize our intelligence capabilities and
military structure No Opinion
28. Fund advanced hi-tech weaponry to minimize
exposure of troops in battle No Opinion
29. Provide maximum funding for veterans’ programs Agree
30. Increase incentives for individuals interested in
military service Agree
Other _______________________________________________________________
DIPLOMACY AND AMERICA ABROAD: As the world’s lone “superpower” America cannot dictate world policies but must work with other nations in solving global problems. Indicate below how you feel our nation should address certain issues.
31. U.S. must take a firm stance on keeping Iran and
North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons No Opinion
32. Work more closely with traditional allies to solve
world problems Agree
33. Keep building increased economic relationships with
China and Russia Agree
34. Use the forum of the United Nations more often to
pre-empt emerging crises Agree
35. Encourage more U.S. investment and trade in Mexico
and Central America to help create jobs and
lessen pressure for illegal immigrants to
come to the U.S. Agree
Other It appears that North Korea already has nuclear weapons; our “firm stance” hasn’t stopped them. Also, much of the investment and trade in Mexico and Central America has benefited American corporations, but has not benefited farmers and workers in Mexico and Central America. We should not, for example, sell grain to those countries at prices that are so low that they put the formers in those countries out of business. Many of those dispossessed farmers then try to come to the U.S. for jobs.
HEALTH CARE/SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE: In confronting the looming crises in Social Security and Medicare, Americans are presented with many options. Indicate below your feelings on solutions under debate.
36. Reorganize the Social Security Trust Fund to
guarantee its viability beyond 2018 Agree
37. Work to cut waste and ensure the financial stability
of Medicare Agree
38. Permit voluntary participation in Social Security Disagree
39. Allow individuals to privately invest a set percentage
of Social Security in personal accounts Disagree
40. Ensure that every American has access to quality
health care Agree
41. Rein-in excessive lawsuits that are driving up
health care costs. No Opinion
Other It is my understanding that the Social Security Trust Fund has assets in the form of U.S. Treasury bonds to continue paying full benefits until 2040 or thereabouts. The “crisis” in 2018 is that the payroll tax will not be sufficient to pay full benefits and money will have to be provided to pay off the Trust Fund bonds to make up the difference. Taxes will have to be raised to buy back the bonds. At 2040, when the bonds are used up, the same taxes can then continue to fund Social Security. So, what’s the problem?
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: America’s appetite for more energy will continue for decades to come and our nation must meet these needs while also protecting our environment. Please share your views on current energy and environment issues.
42. Subsidize research into alternative energy sources
to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Agree
43. Permit more drilling for gas and oil in Alaska No Opinion
44. Build more nuclear power plants No Opinion
45. Allow oil and gas drilling closer to the coastline in
both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans No Opinion
46. Open more federal lands to oil and gas exploration No Opinion
47. Encourage use of more vehicles that run on cleaner,
less polluting fuel Agree
48. Push for more stringent gas mileage requirements
for SUV’s, cars and trucks Agree
49. Address global climate change Agree
50. U.S. should sign the Kyoto Treaty that commits
nations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases Agree
Other ______________________________________________________________
ECONOMY: Republican policies in the past few years have kept America’s economy strong and prosperous. Please indicate below how you feel about current economic issues.
51. Too many U.S. jobs are being moved out of our country Agree
52. The federal minimum wage should be increased. Agree
53. The increasing federal deficit is a threat to America’s
economic health Agree
54. Corporate profits in many sectors are too excessive Agree
55. Too many government regulations thwart free enterprise
and small business growth No Opinion
Other Republican policies have not had any effect on the economy. The economy depends on the international business cycle. There is little that a Republican or Democratic administration can do to influence the economy. What government can do is to alleviate some of the consequences of a business downturn on workers who lose their jobs and businessmen who lose their businesses. My father lost his business during the depression that began in 1929.
HOMELAND SECURITY: Ever since 9/11, America has invested tens of billions of dollars to improve Homeland Security to ensure that our country can prevent another terrorist attack – or better deal with one if it happens. Please share your opinion on the following statements.
56. America is currently spending enough on homeland
security measures No Opinion
57. America must take whatever steps are necessary to
check all cargo that arrives in U.S. seaports
and airports Agree
58. Americans must be willing to tive up some of their
personal freedoms to ensure that our
nation is secure No Opinion
59. Some homeland security measures go too far and
threaten our Constitutional rights Agree
60. Spending on homeland security should be targeted to
those areas most vulnerable to attack rather
than divided up to all areas of the country. Agree
61. Our nation’s borders must be made more secure Agree
Other ________________________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS: In the coming years our nation will confront and adjust many of our policies. Indicate below how you feel about the topics below.
62. Allow current immigrants already in our country to
register as “guest workers” Agree
63. Employers must be required to only hire legal
guest-workers and not illegal immigrants Agree
64. Permit federal funding of stem cell research Agree
65. Require mandatory testing of teachers in our
nation’s schools No Opinion
66. Fund school vouchers so parents can send children
to school of their choice No Opinion
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reviewing my responses to the questionnaire, I see that I have revealed quite a bit of myself and my opinions. You may not agree with me on some of the items. But, that’s what this blog is all about: Al’s Opinions. I’m Al and these are my opinions.
Labels: business cycle, government control of economy, opinion poll, push poll, social security
