While talking politics...

[SHRED]

...with a friend last night, who definately shades to the right of center, I came to this simple equation:

Those on the right truly think that our government is oppressive with it's laws, regulations, and rules on business/corporate.
That there is too much government intervention in business/corporate affairs.
That "government" is viewed as a separate entity with business/corporate and us on one side and this big bad "government" on the other side.
They want weaken government so the private sector can dominate further.

Those of us over on this side of the isle believe that our government is too much in bed with business/corporate.
That laws, regs, and rules favor business/corporate at the expense of the citizenry.
That "government" is us and the wealthy elitists within the business/corporate world have bought it out from under us.
We want to return government back to "we the people" and then strengthen it.

Excuse my simplification but it made sense to me.


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[John Q. Citizen]

1. makes sense, Except a lot of us seem to want to spend tax dollars to subsidize private insurance

companies, under the belief that will cost us less money, and I can't figure out how that squares with your equation.

[lunatica]

2. Well, and then theres the truth

Because what government does or doesn't do is really not something to be taken on 'faith' like religion where what you believe is something that can't be proved.

If your friend can prove that government is what he thinks it is then he's right. If you can then you're right. And ask your friend that if a corporation has the right of personhood, does it then have the same legal parameters to function under. For example, if it's illegal for a person to break the laws then why aren't corporations held as accountable. If it is illegal for a person not to pay taxes then why are corporations allowed to break the law and not pay taxes.

And then there's that entire un-discussed issue of exactly what government is there for. Is it there to serve the country or to rule the country. Is protecting citizens from usury and losing their jobs to illegal offshoring a service or tyranny.

The simplification can work both ways, as long as you first find something you and your friend can base your arguments on that you both agree with. Such as, what is the role of government and what is the role of corporations in relation to the American Citizen and the Constitution and the Laws of the Land. Then you have a real debate.