quote:

ORIGINAL: WhipTheHip

quote:

ORIGINAL: Level
Gent, honestly, there's a fairly large number of conservatives (or those that use the title, as you say, those are not always helpful lol) that are similar to your conservatives. Reagan did not have a sparkling environmental record, but Nixon, as reviled as he is, did make an effort in that area.
As for a concern for the poor, many conservatives care deeply about such things, but also believe in remedying it in different ways, IE growing the economy, targeting poverty-stricken areas with tax-free zones, etc.

This is so much bullshit.  Conservatives target the poor for destruction.  Many poor are functionally illiterate.  Most poor work, but can't afford a decent life.  The United States is an obscene country where many rich have multi-million dollar yachts with year round crews, and disabled poor in many states having to get their teeth pulled by an oral surgeon because Medicaide in their state does not pay for dental care.

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ORIGINAL: WhipTheHip

>  That's the weakest area of all.  Libertarianism has nothing to say about protecting 
> the environment, and that's the reason why libertarianism is going to disappear in
> this century as a viable political philosophy.

What do you mean?  Without government laws big corporations and every rich
dude will start acting responsibly. Selfishness, short-sighted greed, and self-
centeredness will suddenly disappear when people realize if they don't behave
responsibly the world will go to hell in a handbasket.  The free marketplace will
guarantee companies do the right thing, just like no company would ever make
killer tires in a free market place, because they would know if they did, and the
world found out about it, they would go out of business. Without government
laws businesses will stop trying to push the envelope on what they can get
away with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arpig

I did not read the whole thread because anybody who disagrees with universal health care is either an uncaring rich bastard, or a an idiot!!
Before you rightys start deriding the Canadian health care system, please keep in mind that the present "crisis" started shortly after Brian Mulrooney was elected...it didn't exist before the conservatives tried to fix it, and before you acuse me of partisanshipness, I voted conservative in the relavant elections....I was wrong, I fucked up and worse than wasting my vote, I cast it for the wrong people.

Arpig, I'm not a "righty" dammit . Now go look at that thread you started about a movie with a woman without wings and tell me if I had the right answer! LOL.

quote:

ORIGINAL: NorthernGent

Popeye,

The issue is intent. If the intention of the US Government was to overthrow Saddam Hussein because they were genuinely concerned for human rights then I would certainly have supported it. I don't subscribe to the school of thought that everyone should be left to their own devices (although I do see some merit in this argument).

The problem is though that the US Government did not go into Iraq out of benevolence.

In terms of Bush being a Conservative or not, there is a definite difference between what I, as a Briton, would regard as being Conservative politics and how Americans view conservative values. From my background Bush is the Conservative of the century but I appreciate you may not see it this way.

Out of interest, where do you feel Bush is out of sync with American conservative values?

Regards

quote:

ORIGINAL: NorthernGent

This is a genuine question rather than comment - has there been a time when US society attempted to provide for all of it's citizens? If so, what was the turning point and how did you end up with what you have now?

Regards

quote:

ORIGINAL: WhipTheHip

The free marketplace will guarantee companies do the right thing, just like no company would ever make
killer tires in a free market place, because they would know if they did, and the
world found out about it, they would go out of business. Without government
laws businesses will stop trying to push the envelope on what they can get
away with.