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While it won't be the deciding issue for me whether or not the Republicans finally wise up and stay out of our personal lives will go a long way in determining who I vote for in 2010 and 2012.
The Repubs gotta wake up and realize that they lose so many people my age (early 30's) with the busy body Bible thumper crap. I could care less if someone wants to marry another dude, smoke pot, gamble, eat a Big Mac, own a handgun, Worship the Devil, buy a Playboy or play Grand Theft Auto. So long as they aren't infringing on anyone elses rights or safety while they do so it's nobodies business. How someone can get all bent out of shape over the fact that their neighbor might gay marry or might be smoking a joint is just beyond me. People like that must lead very empty lives if they have to meddle and worry about what others are doing.
If a fiscal conservative who also championed personal freedom he or she would have my vote for life. Give me someone who is going to cut government spending and waste, lower our taxes and butt out of our personal lives.
Thus if a young person is genetically at risk for schizophrenia, the research suggests, the use of marijuana can cause the same kind of damage the schizophenia would cause, which could bring on the illness when it might otherwise have not have emerged, cause earlier onset, and/or worsen the condition.
Cocaine actually has a whole range of useful products that are in no way harmful... If you have ever been sunburned or visited the dentist, odds are you have used cocaine derivatives. Heroin is the worst possible drug, however, like Cocaine it has a wide range of non-abusive uses. Not all opiates are bad.
What the heck are you talking about? Members of the same family do not equal 'derived from,' as you are implying.
While it won't be the deciding issue for me whether or not the Republicans finally wise up and stay out of our personal lives will go a long way in determining who I vote for in 2010 and 2012.
Why are so many of you complaining about the dreaded Republicans in your personal lives so desperate to surrender your healthcare decisions to Washington? Lemme go roll another one, I can't think this AM.
If a fiscal conservative who also championed personal freedom he or she would have my vote for life. Give me someone who is going to cut government spending and waste, lower our taxes and butt out of our personal lives.
Dubyanumberone you pretty much just summed up the ticket for a republican to win the younger vote. What you just said is exactly what many individuals in their early 30's and individuals like myself in their mid 20's have been expressing for such a long time.
I was a card carrying member of the party and voted for G.W. twice. I did not realize how authoritarian and how mindless i was when i followed the party line without question. It took a few good friends (libertarians) to convince me this party did not stand for conservatism and was more interested in taking away freedoms and less interested in extending freedom. Now, i look at what people are saying and think to myself, "Holy crap!! I used to try to always tell people what to do and i would attempt to always judge them." It is just morally wrong especially if the citizens are not infringing on your individual freedom to pursue liberty and happiness.
You'll notice me only engaging in the freedom fights on this board. I'll always promote equal treamtent of all citizens under the law. I have realized any attempt i make to limit someone else's freedom through legislation will only further reduce my own freedom.
I just read a republican (dems are guilty of it too) is proposing a tax credit for individuals who have pets?
WTF another unfair/unjust law that advantages one group over another, which ultimately leads to divide. I'm so sick of this legislating winners/losers and societal outcomes. The more people i engage in my age range the more people i find, that are open to these ideas.
A lot of the resistence is from the older generation, because they were indoctrinated with the understanding that if a legislator creates a law and a magistrate approves the law it must be just/fair. However, that is not true, just because the law says it is so does not make it morally correct. (Examples in our history would be intermint camps, jim crow laws, voting laws, women's sufferage, gay marriage, segregation, anti irish, anti catholic, and etc)
I wish people woud seriously start to question unfair/unjust laws, which seek to advantage some citizens over others. These are not moral laws and only lead to unfair/unjust outcomes. It keeps society divided.
If we created fair/just laws we wouldn't need a lot of these government backed programs that coerce us into doing good with other peoples money.
Anyway in conclusion the Republican party has a lot of work to do to win over younger voters. They need to go back to conservative core principles. If they do not the party as we know it will cease to exist. We need more conservatives of all walks of life and religious backgrounds not just "old angry white male christians." The demographic change in this country just does not support pandering to this strategy anymore.
The southern strategy doesn't work and the promotion of hate doesn't work. In fact when people promote hate, fear, and extreme divide going forward they're going to find out they'll lose a large percentage of the younger voting block.
I have morals and principles and i don't need to preach hate, fear, intolerance, and resort to a divide and conquer strategy to get people with different opinions to listen to me. The sooner the Republicans and Democrats realize this the better off they'll both be!!
I just don't think they realize how diverse younger individuals actually are
I have friends that are white, black, asian, mexican, brazilian, german, australian, chinese, japenese, gay, straight, curious, religious, atheist, young, middle aged, old, pet lovers, non pet lovers, sports fanatics, conservatives, republicans, democrats, libertarian, idependent, rich, super rich, poor, middle class,doctors, lawyers, carpenters, students, investment bankers, and etc..... (I treat them all equally and i do not feel anyone of them is entitled to a special advantage or priviledge the othe is not entitled under law, because to me the all deserve to have the most freedoms granted to them by the constitution and anyone that imposes on their freedom is in clear violation of the law)
Why are so many of you complaining about the dreaded Republicans in your personal lives so desperate to surrender your healthcare decisions to Washington? Lemme go roll another one, I can't think this AM.
I think i've made it a point to point out both parties as being guilty of it. However, the fact the republican party claims to be for more individual freedom, but with the same breath is clearly not pro-freedom is a bit upsetting to former members like myself.
To be so far away from what you "claim" to stand for is nothing new in politics, but the level of hypocrisy is daming.
As far as health-care i've put my libertarian beliefs on hold as i've gone back and fourth on the issue. I think if one group gets goverment sponsored or subsidized health care on the tax payers all tax payers should have hte option to participate in a program they are already paying for.
The other larger point has to do with risk pools and creating a larger risk pool for sicker and older individuals to take from. I'm perfectly fine paying into a system that largely doesn't benefit me, because i'm healthy, young, and have no pre-existing conditons. If the goal is to allow individuals to live longer i'm all for it (health wise), but i'm not going to be barred from participating a program i spend tax dollars to support.
They just posted the current bill and i'm not highly in favpr the of it, because it really does not take the necessary steps to extend freedom to the consumer. (the fact they use a penalty to coerce individuals into coming into the plan upsets me, because i'm for freedom and against coercion of any kind)
I have advocated in other threads the need to eliminate the tax break corporations recieve for being the main point of contact, creating legislation that is in favor of extending freedom cross state lines, so consumers have more power and choice. My shift and recommendation would cause the insurance companies to individually talior medical insurance policies to fit individual consumer needs, which is what it curently does not do. I would prefer medical insurance do the things ive listed above and individually hold people accountable for bad health decisions, while still allowing them to participate in a large risk pool, but penalizing only those individuals who consistently engage in unhealthy behavior with higher premiums and rewarding those individuals, that engage in healthy behavior with lower premiums. (I'm fine with the private sector doing this, but it should never be legislated by government, because it would act as a reduction on some citizens freedom, which in my book is not morally correct, because we are all entitled to the same amount of freedom per the constitution and we have inalieable rights that need to be respected.)
Cost would go down if they introduced a bill with what i put into the system. The government could still provide a public option, but it would be looked upon as a provider of last resort.
Why are so many of you complaining about the dreaded Republicans in your personal lives so desperate to surrender your healthcare decisions to Washington? Lemme go roll another one, I can't think this AM.
FYI, I'm against government controlled healthcare. There are many things we can do to improve healthcare without ceeding control of it to Obama and co.... I work with government agencies everyday and shudder at the thought of them controlling my healthcare.
FYI, I'm against government controlled healthcare. There are many things we can do to improve healthcare without ceeding control of it to Obama and co.... I work with government agencies everyday and shudder at the thought of them controlling my healthcare.
I read your whole post and cheerfully admit to cherrypicking and taking you out of context, but I stand by my point.
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