Comments on: The Conundrum of Political Conservatism http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/ Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:37:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike W. http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-159 Mike W. Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:21:56 +0000 http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-159 Dave, I don't think you are a conservative. Nor are you a liberal in the current sense. You are probably more a liberal in the classic sense with less emphasis on economic liberalism than old-time classical liberals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_liberalism Sometimes I see myself as a compassionate libertarian (I think it's a less in-your-face way of saying Christian Anarchist). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Anarchism Dave,

I don’t think you are a conservative. Nor are you a liberal in the current sense. You are probably more a liberal in the classic sense with less emphasis on economic liberalism than old-time classical liberals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_liberalism

Sometimes I see myself as a compassionate libertarian (I think it’s a less in-your-face way of saying Christian Anarchist).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Anarchism

]]> By: Centrist http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-158 Centrist Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:16:43 +0000 http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-158 I decided to get INformed and looked at Ron Paul's website. His plan is to basically cut spending (including debt repayment) to the point where we wouldn't need the income tax. He says it ONLY 42% of the national revenue. I guess if we stopped fighting a war that cost us $2 billion per week, we might be able to wing it. I like the idea of a value-added tax (VAT) like most of the world has or is moving toward. But the government would still have to administer the VAT and you can change the name of the IRS, but it would still exist. Besides, if you talk to our European friends, a VAT would not make anything simpler--it's just as complicated (at least the way they do it) as the U.S. income tax code is. I decided to get INformed and looked at Ron Paul’s website. His plan is to basically cut spending (including debt repayment) to the point where we wouldn’t need the income tax. He says it ONLY 42% of the national revenue. I guess if we stopped fighting a war that cost us $2 billion per week, we might be able to wing it.

I like the idea of a value-added tax (VAT) like most of the world has or is moving toward. But the government would still have to administer the VAT and you can change the name of the IRS, but it would still exist. Besides, if you talk to our European friends, a VAT would not make anything simpler–it’s just as complicated (at least the way they do it) as the U.S. income tax code is.

]]> By: Mike W. http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-157 Mike W. Wed, 26 Sep 2007 18:05:46 +0000 http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-157 The IRS is a money drain. Paul probably is more anti-tax than I feel comfortable with, but there needs to be serious tax reform. I think that there should be a federal sales tax (perhaps on everything except food and other essentials). That way consumption, not income, would be the fundamental tax. It's more of the indirect tax that the Founders had in mind. Another important thing would be to have the taxes administered at the local level. The IRS costs so much money. If the tax code were simpler, there would be fewer loopholes for the rich and a greater hit for those large purchases that the exceedingly wealthy make. The IRS is a money drain. Paul probably is more anti-tax than I feel comfortable with, but there needs to be serious tax reform. I think that there should be a federal sales tax (perhaps on everything except food and other essentials). That way consumption, not income, would be the fundamental tax. It’s more of the indirect tax that the Founders had in mind. Another important thing would be to have the taxes administered at the local level.

The IRS costs so much money. If the tax code were simpler, there would be fewer loopholes for the rich and a greater hit for those large purchases that the exceedingly wealthy make.

]]> By: Centrist http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-156 Centrist Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:03:10 +0000 http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-156 I have just started reading Crunchy Cons and this is part of what has spurred these thoughts in my head. The author is so adamantly a "conservative" and invests so much pride and identity into it, but at the same time, he's slamming other "conservatives" who aren't his type of conservative. I think I'm a conservative too, but not a Reagan/Bush conservative. I'm a Dave conservative. I would seriously like to hear how other "conservatives" regard the issues. I'll do a similar post on the issues of the liberals. Ron Paul wants to abolish the IRS. That sounds nice to a knee-jerker, but then how do we pay to run our country? I guess we could raise import duties and drive away all those cheap Wal-Mart prices we all enjoy so much. Maybe I need to look more at his ideas. I have just started reading Crunchy Cons and this is part of what has spurred these thoughts in my head. The author is so adamantly a “conservative” and invests so much pride and identity into it, but at the same time, he’s slamming other “conservatives” who aren’t his type of conservative. I think I’m a conservative too, but not a Reagan/Bush conservative. I’m a Dave conservative. I would seriously like to hear how other “conservatives” regard the issues. I’ll do a similar post on the issues of the liberals.

Ron Paul wants to abolish the IRS. That sounds nice to a knee-jerker, but then how do we pay to run our country? I guess we could raise import duties and drive away all those cheap Wal-Mart prices we all enjoy so much. Maybe I need to look more at his ideas.

]]> By: Mike W. http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-155 Mike W. Wed, 26 Sep 2007 03:13:52 +0000 http://www.notquitecenter.com/2007/09/25/the-conundrum-of-political-conservatism/#comment-155 Dave, Did you read the Crunchy Cons yet? I think you would agree with alot of what he says. Also Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich (sp) are the only two candidates (with Bill RIchardson to a degree) to actually have a foreign policy clue of how to increase the security of the U.S. What about Ron Paul is really that kooky anyway? You'll get alot of arguments from self-proclaimed conservatives on some of your issues (not the fiscal spending, but the tax stuff mainly). Just read Crunchy Cons. Dave,

Did you read the Crunchy Cons yet? I think you would agree with alot of what he says. Also Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich (sp) are the only two candidates (with Bill RIchardson to a degree) to actually have a foreign policy clue of how to increase the security of the U.S. What about Ron Paul is really that kooky anyway?

You’ll get alot of arguments from self-proclaimed conservatives on some of your issues (not the fiscal spending, but the tax stuff mainly). Just read Crunchy Cons.

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