Just got my Bill Maher tickets

#276
#276
BigPapaVol said:
The last 25 years is no indicator of what might come - even tomorrow.

None of them can TODAY. 1) We're building the system for the guys who can today AND those who might tomorrow.

I assumed you were a Clinton supporter. 2) Frankly, I think Clinton was a good president as long as there was a Republican congress to preclude his inner socialist breaking out. He was probably the most centrist we've had in my lifetime. That said, I believe he kept SDI around because he understands the strategic ramifications of a working system and also understood the steps necessary to get there are probably closer than the GAP realizes.

Some drawdown had begun from the wartime footing in Desert Storm, but nothing near the magnitude eventually undertaken by the Clinton admin. The intelligence drawdown was also 100% Clinton's crowd 3) and we're paying for it today. The erosion of our intelligence capabilities started the very day that the Berlin Wall fell, but the massive cuts are a Clinton legacy.
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1) We started building the system b/c of the Soviets. I see your POV on this, but it's just not where I'd spend my defense money. Not a disagreement on objectives (keep us safe from nuclear attack), just one on tactics.

2) In hindsight, I think Clinton was good too. I voted Libertarian in '96 when I was still in college. My stance on Clinton has been that he's smart and well-intentioned but let his ego get out in front of his headlights. NMD is one of the specific issues I disagreed with him on.

3) I couldn't agree more. In most cases, I believe in the old adage: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And I think I'd be willing to trade some muscle to be smarter and more informed.
 
#277
#277
KB5252 said:
That is the best case scenario. The worst case scenario is they want to be THE world superpower and the only road there leads through us.
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US-Sino relations is worth more threads than Volnation can handle, but no doubt it is massive and complex and deserves our attention.

A population of 1.3 billion tells me they will be a player regardless of what we do. We might not be able to change them, but we can affect how we co-exist with them.
 
#278
#278
TennNC said:
Fine. Why attack the innocuous reference and ignore the fact that they're our largest trading partner?
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LOL!

I love you!

:wub:

In all seriousness, it will come to an end at some point because the world resources will either go to us or them.
 
#279
#279
TennNC said:
That is a false assumption.

I'm calling a spade a spade. I've stated I support military spending, especially on the people who defend us. I don't support corporate welfare.

Some on here are okay with wasting money on defense spending but not okay with wasting it on medical research that could drastically improve (and in some cases save) lives, like that of my father-in-law -- a Naval Academy Grad, US Marine, Vietnam Vet and ardent supporter of the US military -- who has Parkinson's.

Do I need to justify myself to you anymore?
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Why in the world would you need to do that?

I think we agree on about 90% of political matters.

My problem is attempting to get your goat because I love how you respond to queries......

:)

Speaking of which, when do I need to sport the Obama avatar and signature?
 
#280
#280
TennNC said:
Okay - I'm completely open to that idea. Seriously. Turning the sarcasm/attacking off here.

I want to believe in private funding to research, test and develop cures for disease. What evidence is there that this has ever worked?

I'm no expert on this, so I defer to others who are. But my impression is that most breakthrough medical research has come through publicly funded educational institutions, government organizations, or (ironically) the military.
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Why would the corporate world want to find solutions to those problems, there is too much money to be gained from people having problems such as those listed.
 
#281
#281
TennNC said:
Allvol123 and bham, thanks for the thoughtful responses.

I understand there are ethical dilemmas for people, and I also understand change doesn't happen overnight. But when I see my father-in-law not be able to write or eat or stand up straight, my only thought is, "Let's do all we can now and not hold back any potential progress for him and millions of others who could benefit from new discoveries." Just sharing my perspective.
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It was actually OWB's situation that changed my view of stem cell research.........

We should be doing every thing we can to help all people!
 
#283
#283
TennNC said:
US-Sino relations is worth more threads than Volnation can handle, but no doubt it is massive and complex and deserves our attention.

A population of 1.3 billion tells me they will be a player regardless of what we do. We might not be able to change them, but we can affect how we co-exist with them.
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Do you see this boiling down to an ultimate economic war between the two of us, probably over oil?
 
#284
#284
allvol123 said:
Via government spending?
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Like I said, corporations have no interest in helping these people with a cure because of the money invested that can be made from them.

At some point, someone is going to have to step in and say, you know what, we can cure cancer, we can cure ___________ ...........

I might have to take the fall for this one but if it is the government then...... :eek:hmy:
 
#286
#286
OrangeEmpire said:
It was actually OWB's situation that changed my view of stem cell research.........

We should be doing every thing we can to help all people!
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I too empathize with his personal experience but I still think we need to be careful about the moral aspect. If we do use embryonic stem cells it should only be as a last resort after all other possibilities are exhausted.
 
#287
#287
BigPapaVol said:
that confuses me. I didn't get the rebate either, but it isn't because I didn't accept it or my having added back part of my tax liability.
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In other words, your AGI is high enough that you are over the threshold to receive the rebate.
 
#288
#288
KB5252 said:
Do you see this boiling down to an ultimate economic war between the two of us, probably over oil?
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Bada bing! (rimshot)

I'm not informed enough to offer an opinion on this. Honestly. But I think the economic "war" or engagement is well underway, right?
 
#289
#289
OrangeEmpire said:
Like I said, corporations have no interest in helping these people with a cure because of the money invested that can be made from them.

At some point, someone is going to have to step in and say, you know what, we can cure cancer, we can cure ___________ ...........

I might have to take the fall for this one but if it is the government then...... :eek:hmy:
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Wow..jsut lost all faith in OE.

We all have relatives that get sick. Billionaire CEOs...and so forth have had family members touched by cancer and so forth. Indviduals donate to what they want researched. Corporations have no interest? How does a pharma make any money if it offers no treatments?
 
#291
#291
KB5252 said:
I too empathize with his personal experience but I still think we need to be careful about the moral aspect. If we do use embryonic stem cells it should only be as a last resort after all other possibilities are exhausted.
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I held the same opinion and even took it to the point of pandora's box.

It was quite simple for me, OWB basically put it to me this way, could I tell someone on the verge of death that I was not willing to explore the possibility of cure to save a persons life.

I would not be able to tell someone that.......
 
#293
#293
allvol123 said:
Wow..jsut lost all faith in OE.

We all have relatives that get sick. Billionaire CEOs...and so forth have had family members touched by cancer and so forth. Indviduals donate to what they want researched. Corporations have no interest? How does a pharma make any money if it offers no treatments?
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Too much money would be lost if people with caner, etc. would have a cure.

You know that was well as I do.

:ermm:
 
#294
#294
OrangeEmpire said:
I held the same opinion and even took it to the point of pandora's box.

It was quite simple for me, OWB basically put it to me this way, could I tell someone on the verge of death that I was not willing to explore the possibility of cure to save a persons life.

I would not be able to tell someone that.......
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You are saying exploration only occurs via government spending...that is the only way? You just entered into emotional arguing OE.
 
#295
#295
OrangeEmpire said:
LOL!

I love you!

:wub:

In all seriousness, it will come to an end at some point because the world resources will either go to us or them.
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Or India, maybe? But I agree - there's no doubt that humans will do whatever they need to do to have enough resources (food) to stay alive.

Okay. I'm obviously not fluent in post comprehension and appreciate the kind remarks.
 
#296
#296
OrangeEmpire said:
Too much money would be lost if people with caner, etc. would have a cure.

You know that was well as I do.

:ermm:
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So what does government spending do to resolve your proposed problem? You're saying they don't want to find a cure. So why should we spend federal money on it?
 
#297
#297
allvol123 said:
You are saying exploration only occurs via government spending...that is the only way? You just entered into emotional arguing OE.
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No, but if the government can change the current situation.... it goes against every thing I believe in but good Lord, how do you refuse help to someone who is slowly creeping toward death and in ultimate pain?

Of course it is emotional!
 
#298
#298
allvol123 said:
So what does government spending do to resolve your proposed problem? You're saying they don't want to find a cure. So why should we spend federal money on it?
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Drug companies have no desire to see a cure.......

I am just pointing out if the government was able to change that somehow, I dunno how, then I would be all for government intervention.
 
#299
#299
OrangeEmpire said:
I held the same opinion and even took it to the point of pandora's box.

It was quite simple for me, OWB basically put it to me this way, could I tell someone on the verge of death that I was not willing to explore the possibility of cure to save a persons life.

I would not be able to tell someone that.......
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Tough choice no doubt.
 
#300
#300
OrangeEmpire said:
No, but if the government can change the current situation.... it goes against every thing I believe in but good Lord, how do you refuse help to someone who is slowly creeping toward death and in ultimate pain?

Of course it is emotional!
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You've seen government change dying? How is it refusing help if research is privately funded?
 
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