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Kinda of expected to see on the scene photo’s posted here this morning. Knowing what a big cycle fan you are, if you didn’t get to be part of it, sorry for bringing it up…..

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Interestingly, no child in public school is asked to reject their fundamental religious beliefs whatever they may be or not.

Maintaining the ‘separation of church and state’ is simply following the wishes of the Founding Fathers as codified in the 1st Amendment.

Americans are free to believe in whatever they want but just can’t use government as a methodology to further the teachings of the dominate religion.

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Our ‘free market system’ has in many cases required the use of regulations to meet the needs of ‘all Americans’ for such things as ‘seat belts’ to ‘posted speed limits’. These regulations are set forth to protect the public . . . not to arbitrarily inconvenience them.

As far as the issue you’ve stated with the recent issue regarding the mortgage industry collapse and the problems with the unregulated financial derivative markets, you’ll have to take issue with President Bush and his appointment for SEC Chief, Chris Cox. It appears both acted reluctantly to address the changing market conditions and subjected the American public to what you see today.

Had these industries been regulated in a manner appropriate for all Americans, there wouldn’t be needed an increase in the funds for the FDIC and FHA nor the huge bailouts required for AIG et al.

Finally, with respect to health care reform, we’ve been listening to Republicans for 15 years ‘talk the problem’ but never ‘resolve it’.

Many Americans including me are ‘out of luck’ under current health care provisions including the issue of ‘prior existing medical conditions’ which essentially make the whole health care industry worthless. Why pay into insurance pools for decades only to become sick and find yourself ‘cancelled’ or simply rejected by the health care industry as being ‘unprofitable’.

I think most Americans understand that providing a new set of ‘level playing fields’ regulations benefits all Americans not just those vested in the health care industry.

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I do get a listen to Mark on the drive home and have listened to his arguments. Basically, he’s just a strong willed conservative that does a good job of reciting hard core conservative principles including the one you’ve mentioned about government. And he’s not bashful is dismissing anyone who disagrees with him . . . it either his way or the highway.

And I’m not at all surprised that the book has been selling like it has since it plays to the frustration of the public who for decades now, have elected anti-government Republicans into office including McKeon, Runner, Smyth who do little more than simply trying to enforce their conservative views on the public but that have accomplished very little . . . thus the frustration.

And indeed the liberals have done little to help as well as being seemingly ‘afraid’ of the conservative backlash that manifest itself in simple minded slogans that don’t really address any solution but just seem to continue to further excite the frustration . . . thus no long term problems solved, just short term increased support for conservatives that have very little to offer other than as you note reciting that government can’t solve anything.

And that’s an interesting position to take since conservatives in government seem helpless other than to recite their inability to do anything even though our nation has perhaps the best schools of management on earth from Harvard Business School to the Wharton School of Business to even MIT’s Sloan School of business. Why not use this talent to help management government?

No successful business becomes that way without ‘planning’ yet conservatives suggest that we don’t do that at the government level as if the ‘free market’ will solve all problems which as we’ve seen of late, isn’t true. It sounds great and if repeated enough but it just builds into the frustration I’ve noted above.

Socialized roads, schools, courts, fire and police departments, military, even our parks has shown that planning at the government level can work especially as we see the coordinated efforts to fight the Station Fire . . .

So we can retain our liberty as citizens but still have an active and appropriate government doing the things that we as individuals can’t.

People like Levin like to put this issue into ‘patriotic’ terms (another reason the book sells so much) but in fact, he’s actually arguing against the interest of most people living here in the US.

In any event, we’re all interconnected into a society that works together for the common whole. If you don’t like the word socialism, great. That word has become so politicized like ‘liberal’ that I’m not surprised it’s being used as a ‘hammer’ for not solving problems through government.

Perhaps you can enlighten us as to how businessman acting independently can provide the socialized services I’ve noted above without a ‘government’.

In conclusion, it’s unfortunate that Jeff has removed the debating forum . . . from this site . . . where we could explore these issues in greater detail other than a thread based on transportation.

But I do appreciate your debating demeanor . . . you expressed a point of view that outlines the conservative position and for that you’re to be commended.

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While Petz respects your opinion-it is clear that you think with your heart.

Government is the last place you want to look for insurance reform. Note the pending insovency and need for refunding of the FDIC and the FHA’s home loan insurance fund. Why won’t the press report on these pending multi billion dollar failures?

Petz supports those reforms advocated by Whole Foods Chairman John MacKey in a controversial WSJ piece. Here is the pathway to more affordable heath care. We must recect Obamacare-trigger mechanisms-and Van Jones style politics in the White House.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html

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The people living in Palmdale and working here is well known. The Chamber and the VIA has pressured the city to run bus service to Palmdale in order to bring these people to Valencia to work.

I guess this is OK as we already pay for buses to take valley residents to LA to work.

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OMG, it’s sooooo scary! To the silly ones out there, make sure you keep your precious little ones from hearing their President’s Speech!

Especially Mr. Putz!

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Yeah, Mark Levin must be some kind of crazy. That’s why his book Liberty and Tyranny has been the hands down number one non-fiction best seller this year with sales approaching 1 million. His concise essay on Conservatism is sure resonating with a lot of people in this country. I doubt you have read it.

It really boils down to this. The leftist (or more correctly ‘statists’) see more government as a solution to our problems, and want to make everyone equal economically (Socailism). In the procees of acheiving this so called utopia they will make it worse for everyone. True Conservatives still see ‘equal’ as meaning everyone has an equal opportunity to persue their ambitions for economic success. That is called Liberty, and it is what has made this country great.

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