[MD] Contents of Moq_Discuss Digest, Vol 21, Issue 8

[Ham Priday]

[Marsha]:


> I don't believe this country is the best country that ever existed, and I
> certainly don't want this country to be the most powerful country.

Why?

As an Americian citizen, why wouldn't you want your country to be the most 
powerful?
Is this confession based on that much abused quotation "Power tends to 
corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."?  I find it hard to 
believe that a parliametary retort issued by a British Lord in 1887 would 
cause you to have doubts about the humanistic platform on which this 
nation's power structure was built.

> I would like to see this country become a 'good' country.  Right now it
> seems we've strayed far off that mark.

How so?  In what ways are we not a "good" country?

> Education and transparency in government would seem an answer.
> Not a job related education, but a classical education that would
> promote thoughts of quality instead of consumerism.  I am sick to
> death of evaluating the world through a lens of economics.

You seem to be advocating a liberal arts education, as opposed to a major in 
Science or Economics.  As far as I know, this option is still available to 
eligible students, just as are trade and business schools.  However, the 
fact that the rewards of success are often measured in economic wealth does 
not make the pursuit of success immoral or bad.   Or, does it in your view?

> And if there is to be government participation, the citizens need to
> be able to know what it's representatives are doing.

Agreed.  That's what the journalists of Capitol Hill provide us on a daily 
basis.  The voting records of congressmen and representatives are also 
published by the Library of Congress.  I understand there are even cable 
channels that televise congressional sessions all day long.  It isn't that 
that our elected bureaucrats are operating in secret, but that the general 
public could care less about what's going on in Washington until election 
time comes around.  And then they echo the sound bytes of politicians, 
typically the negative ones about their opponents.

> I try to stay informed, and write, call and email my Senators and
> Representative.   The last subjects I wrote about were earmarks and
> lobbying reform (transparency), ending the war in Iraq, and
> impeachment.  I think the Dems are improving the access to education,
> but much, much more needs to be done.  Education is much more
> important than "things".

And what has been the response?  I can only hazard a guess as to whom you 
want to "impeach", and I don't see ending a war with an enemy who is out to 
destroy us being accomplished by a congressional vote.  But I'd be 
interested in learning how you think the Dems "are improving the access to 
education".  Is it by their policy of "affirmative action" or by government 
subsidization of education at the taxpayers' expense?

I no longer engage in political arguments here, but my curioisity was 
aroused by your assertions.  Could you put them in perspective for me?

Thanks Marsha,
--Ham