What are our KEY ISSUES?

[Joe]

We are the party of freedom, creating new laws everyday. We are the party of less government, spending taxpayers' money at historical amounts. We say one thing and do another. We need action. Not rhetoric.

If we want our great party back we must first define what it is. What do we believe? What are our KEY ISSUES? And everything is on the table.

[christo]

Hi Mark,
thank for the lengty reply,
your imput is highly appreciated and valued.
My point of view has been shaped by my travelling and spending time in other countries, also listening to ultra right cristian radio, ultra left, public radio and recently Danny's radio and Air America. Plus all the news you can get on cable: BBC FOX etc. I haven't been to a black church or any of the others yet, but maybe in the future. Believe me I only wnat to understand both sides and I am fairly independant minded.
Oh and the tax from my paycheck is 506$, and I defenetly don't get a fair trade for my money.
Especially when I needed help 3 years ago, while my old company closed I was out of work, no health inshurance and wife pregnant with second son. Soon I realized that she is uninshurable because of preexisting condition /understand being pregnant!!!/, I don't qualify for any help from the goverment, because my unemployment benefit was putting me in the not so poor category. Believe me it was few stresfull months that we had to endure.
I understand that Conservatives think that regulations and goverment are the boogie man but I've seen that they do good in times when it counts.
Bottom line I am ready to pay 600$ or more every week but not to go trough this again, and to know that when I need help I will get it. And oddly enough in many countries people are getting it. So speaking from my own prespective and interest I would like to see more of of the good things that people enjoy in let's say Sweden or Switzerland and keep the good thing that are American. That's all. My only choise at the moment is building my own fortress of security and wealth, disregarding anybody else, which is kind of hard, since I have been on the other side. And NO I will not give my money to a church and hope that they will help the needy, by air dropping Bibles.
regards
christo

[Mark]

Christo:
You’ve just about validated everything in my 1st response.

Your point of view has been shaped by traveling and spending time in other countries yet in spite of that here you are here in America living; working and raising your family. There must be something to it? How often do you hear of people braving the heat of the desert or climbing aboard rickety old boats to escape from America?

Conservatives don’t believe all regulations are bad the ones that micro manage life are. For example regulations determining traffic patterns or the width of railroad tracks those are good things – regulations that force your son and my children, against my religious convictions, to learn how to put on a condom; teaching them that gay marriage is normal and fisting is just another expression of affection between to people – those are bad regulations. We reject a cradle to grave government as Barry Goldwater stated “A government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have.” Remember that as you seek to build your fortress.

Pregnancy is one of those insurance anomalies, had you been covered for it BEFORE your wife became pregnant she would have been covered. In your last posting, you noted how you didn’t think government intrusion made families fatherless. The sad truth here is that had you divorced your wife and lived in another location, all of your wife’s medical bills would have been picked up by the American taxpayer although not without 1st having government social workers put a full court press on her to have an abortion.

You confirm with the taxes you pay now, (which have increased since your 1st posting) that you are not getting your money’s worth. Inspite of all the taxes you have paid to this point, and that the government was still not there to help you during your time of need why would you agree to pay more? The lesson you learned was expensive & hard those are things you should be pre-pared to handle yourself. Your future coverage may include provisions to handle pregnancies – it will be your choice and I assure the coverage will be much better than what the government will provide you with.

Perhaps you don’t have a religious belief I don’t know, though your final comment smacks of disdain for organized religion believing that churches airlift bibles – these are the ridiculous comments you get listening to the likes of Air America. My Church, to name a few things, in 1 Sunday raised over $100,000.00 dollars to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina; this July parishioners donated 3 Semi-loads full food and sent it to Haiti. On A local level volunteers from the parish with Habitat for Humanity built a home for a local woman and her family. A food pantry is operated solely with the donations of food from the parishioners. Homeless shelters have been assisted with food; blankets; clothes, coats and money. None of these come with any precondition that the recipient convert, we do it because it’s the right thing to do. I know that in my church, had you come to my pastor in need of resources the 1st question out of his mouth would have been “How much do you need?” Christo, with a faith community you needn’t build a fortress. To the best of my knowledge there is not a fortress that has been around as long as Christianity.

Good luck to you & your family.
Mark

[Scott A]

Christo,
i understand your willingness to pay your taxes if there is a governement safty net and it may even seem like a bargin. The problem is that almost 45% of US citizens do nto pay any income tax at all. so your $600 not only has to be used to help you out when you hit hard time's but also the other 45% who do not pay a cent. That is why it can not work, wehn you offer 45% of the population somehting for free they will take advantage. There are two slutions to your situation as I see it. We can raise taxes(on those who pay anyway) there by giving the governement the $ needed to run these program's --- This is similar to what they do in western Europe. Or we could cut your taxes to say $300 and you can save invest or do what you want with your money. so when hard times hit again you have a nice nest egg to fall back on and you do not have to wait for the government checks each month. I believe that the latter is the best choice, you can control your money much better than the governement. follwoing the western european model (which we seem to be doing as a county) will only lead to more governement dependance.

[christo]

sorry for the multiple posting I tried to add one sentence but enden clonnig the post few times

[christo]

Mark you sound like a real nice guy, and I appreciate your imput.
Regarding religion I am baptised ortodox cristian, and I listen to cristian radio more than air america, my believes are not imposed on me, that's why they are called "My beleives"
I don't want to write abut my stand regarding organised religion it is useless. Everybody who found happiness and piece of mind in religion is hard to derail from it, also the sence of comunity and belonging are a very strong factor too atributting to this happiness and feel for self right. So Let's put it, that I am aside from it for my own reasons.
all the best
christo