Replies to post #1509 on Poet's Corner

[greg s]

Are you for or against capital punishment? - against. If murder is illegal, murder as punishment is not a rational action.

Are you for or against legalized abortion? - pro choice

What are your views on gun control? - gun registration OK, nothing more

Is your impression of the NRA generally good or generally bad? - good


Is your impression of the ACLU generally good or generally bad? - good


Do you favor condom distribution in schools? - yes

Do you think public school teachers are qualified to teach grammar school children about sex? - they are qualifiable. If they are not qualified, they should be relieved of their duties.


Do you think doctors are overpaid? - no

Do businesses create oppression? - no

What are your views on global warming? - warming does/is happening. Whether this is anomalous is not certain.

Do you support Kyoto? - undecided

Is being gay nature or nurture? - probably both

How do you feel about gay marriage? - I don't care if gays want to marry. They don't tell me what to do, why would I try to tell them?

Should the welfare budget be cut? - yes

Should the military budget be cut? - yes

How do you feel about missile defense? unpractical and geared for a problem that is passe


Should the budgets of the NEA, public radio and public television be cut? -
no, but more funding for the budgets should come from private donations

Should the AIDS research budget be increased? - I believe research budgets for a myriad of medical issues should be increased. I also believe research should be more concerned with women and children than it is today.

Are standardized tests racist? - no, not per se

Is there such a thing as reverse racial discrimination? - yes

Are perjury and obstruction of justice by a president impeachable offenses? - yes

Should the word "God" be taken off our money and out of patriotic songs? - this use of the word "God" is more traditional than anything else. As such, it doesn't give me great heartburn.


greg

[Koikaze]

Oh, WOW, Poet. My first reaction was that I'd abstain, then as I read the list, it tripped so many of my triggers that I was glad we aren't using a vocal medium ... you'd have thought I changed my alias.

Now, I'm not sure what to do. It would take me months to write rational responses to that list of questions. I hope someone picks an item and we try to examine it rationally (always assuming I can stay rational on some of them.)

Fred

[CharleyMike]

Are you for or against capital punishment? - both ~ depends on the specifics. For, when it is more merciful than life inside(Andrea Yates), against when it is more merciful than life inside(al Qaida terrorists)

Are you for or against legalized abortion? - for, I guess ~ kinda' not my business to tell others what to do or not with their bodies.

What are your views on gun control? - Against any change. What we've got seems to work for law-abiding citizens. Nothing's gonna affect those who aren't.

Is your impression of the NRA generally good or generally bad? - Generally good, but they get a bit extreme sometimes

Is your impression of the ACLU generally good or generally bad? - generally bad, but the concept is good and they do get a bit extreme sometimes

Do you favor condom distribution in schools? - Only after passing a couple of courses about sex, children, and responsibility
Do you think public school teachers are qualified to teach grammar school children about sex? - moreso that most parents (and that ain't sayin' much)

Do you think doctors are overpaid? - some are ~ some aren't, I'm not a fan of generalizations

Do businesses create oppression? - I doubt it

What are your views on global warming? - don't worry about it

Do you support Kyoto? - don't know enough to discuss

Is being gay nature or nurture? - nature, most likely. I think if you nurture a child toward homosexuality, they will eventually choose heterosexuality if given the opportunity.

How do you feel about gay marriage? - Why not? Those folks are entitled to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness just like the rest of us.

Should the welfare budget be cut? - Nope. But better distribution efficiency would be nice

Should the military budget be cut? - Nope. But better distribution efficiency would be nice

How do you feel about missile defense? In light of recent events, I'm all for it.

Should the budgets of the NEA, public radio and public television be cut? - Nope, but not increased either

Should the AIDS research budget be increased? - No, but not decreased either

Are standardized tests racist? - No more than our society

Is there such a thing as reverse racial discrimination? -
LOL, anyway you cut it, it's racial discrimination, what race has little to do with it.

Are perjury and obstruction of justice by a president impeachable offenses? - Yep

Should the word "God" be taken off our money and out of patriotic songs? - I dunno' ~ Let's put it to a vote.

Middle of the road with a slight tilt to the right. Close to Greg's Objectivism. Ayn had it right but a little extreme.

[Slipstick Libby]

Are you for or against capital punishment? - Those Capitol critter deserve all the punishment we can give.

Are you for or against legalized abortion? - Yes. And in certain cases, I'm for retroactive abortion.

What are your views on gun control? - Gun control is hitting your target.

Is your impression of the NRA generally good or generally bad? - Depends on whether they are aiming at me.


Is your impression of the ACLU generally good or generally bad? - RETCH!!! They claim to be simply defending the Bill of Rights. In fact they are pushing a political agenda.


Do you favor condom distribution in schools? - No. Cuts into business at drugstores and gas station restrooms.

Do you think public school teachers are qualified to teach grammar school children about sex? - Too early. This is a practical matter and they are not sexually mature yet. They'll forget it by the time they need it.


Do you think doctors are overpaid? - Not when they save my life.

Do businesses create oppression? - Say what?

What are your views on global warming? - I'm in favor of it.

Do you support Kyoto? - Isn't this a Japanese responsibility?

Is being gay nature or nurture? - Some people are naturally happy; some are naturally sad.

How do you feel about gay marriage? - I think people should enjoy their marriages as much as possible.

Should the welfare budget be cut? - Sliced, diced, and thrown in the garbage.

Should the military budget be cut? - Not till we've conquered the rest of the universe.

How do you feel about missile defense? Yes.


Should the budgets of the NEA, public radio and public television be cut? - Depends on how bad (or good) their last program was.

Should the AIDS research budget be increased? - What? We have a shortage of people to spread it?

Are standardized tests racist? - Oh, gimme a break.

Is there such a thing as reverse racial discrimination? - Yes. It's called "affirmative action" by it's supporters.

Are perjury and obstruction of justice by a president impeachable offenses? - Why not? For one thing, obstruction of justice has a history- -it was one of the charges against Nixon.

Should the word "God" be taken off our money and out of patriotic songs? - Yes; replace with "Tooth Fairy".

Separating out the smartass answers in the above is left as an exercise for the reader.

[Tatari Gami]

Poet's Quiz.

Are you for or against capital punishment? -

-----Against Government sponsored execution. Everyone who votes for capital punishment should be required to do a turn as executioner and/or witness.

Are you for or against legalized abortion? -

------For.

What are your views on gun control? -

------Registration and mandatory competency testing for handguns.

Is your impression of the NRA generally good or generally bad? -

------Bad. Taken to extremes so as to appear cartoonish.


Is your impression of the ACLU generally good or generally bad? -

------Good. I have sought and received their support in court cases, have testified on behalf of it before a legislative body, and my wife is doing so tomorrow. The cases people shake their heads at are so important, because if the extremes are allowed to act then the normal activity is safe. Clamping down on extreme expression creates precedent for trampling on the less extreme.


Do you favor condom distribution in schools? -


------Not without parental consent.

Do you think public school teachers are qualified to teach grammar school children about sex? -

-----Grammar school children? Certainly not. That is what parents are for.

Do you think doctors are overpaid? -

------No. If anything, underpaid.

Do businesses create oppression? -

------No. Businesses create tax revenue, allowing governments to function.

What are your views on global warming? -

------Seems like a lot less snow than when I was a kid.

Do you support Kyoto? -

------In what? All I know about Kyoto is that is the center of Japanese Buddism, and I think there might have been an Olympics there once.

Is being gay nature or nurture? -

------Truly being gay is nature. If a human can be born with both male and female sex organs, why is it so difficult to believe that one can have only male sex organs yet have the brain of a woman.

How do you feel about gay marriage? -

------To the extent that civil marriages are allowed to heterosexuals (which perhaps is a mistake in the first place), and that such marriages confer certain benefits from the state (which is perhaps a mistake in the second place), they should be allowed.

Should the welfare budget be cut? -

------Yes, by reducing the bureaucracy, not the benefits.

Should the military budget be cut? -

------Yes, by reducing the bureaucracy.

How do you feel about missile defense?

------Does it work? Can it work? Will it work? Maybe against one or two missles. Will it work against 200? I doubt it.

Should the budgets of the NEA, public radio and public television be cut? -

------No. It should be increased tenfold.

Should the AIDS research budget be increased? -

------I don't know what the present budget is. How can anyone possibly answer this without looking at the present budget first?

Are standardized tests racist? -

------I guess that depends upon the standardized test. Generally, most are probably racially biased, but calling them racist seems to indicate an animus that I doubt is present.

Is there such a thing as reverse racial discrimination? -

------Of course.

Are perjury and obstruction of justice by a president impeachable offenses? -

------Certainly.

Should the word "God" be taken off our money and out of patriotic songs? -

------No, but "under God" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, since it was added after the fact.

[Slipstick Libby]

Hey! You didn't take the quiz! That's not fair!

[Bird of Prey]

Are you for or against capital punishment? - FOR - not because of the usual reasons though, Our society as a whole still seeks the "perception" of justice being done...even if it takes 20 years or more.

Are you for or against legalized abortion? - used as a form of birth control I am against it. Of course those most likely to do so have already traipsed a long way down the immorality path.

What are your views on gun control? - The exisiting laws are suffucient. Further intrusions are violations of the 2nd Amendment.

Is your impression of the NRA generally good or generally bad? - For the most part they do a good job, but they have gotten carried away from time to time.


Is your impression of the ACLU generally good or generally bad? - They have done far more harm than good. More often than not they have undermined the Constitution and destroyed freedoms they say they wish to protect.


Do you favor condom distribution in schools? - NO, especially the lower grades.

Do you think public school teachers are qualified to teach grammar school children about sex? - NO many public school teachers aren't qualified to teach grammer school. Additionally who is going to decide "WHAT" is taught about sex? the government? I don't think I want the government teaching anyone's kids about sex given its current track record on the basics; Reading, Writing and Arithmatic.


Do you think doctors are overpaid? - In a number of disciplines yes. But not all.

Do businesses create oppression? - No, people create oppression

What are your views on global warming? - Hmmm, lets see...Earth has been around 5 or 6 billion years...Man, for roughly the last 20,000 give or take...been keeping weather charts over a limited part of the earth's surface for a couple hundred years, only in the last 50 or so have we gotten serious and looked at everything...we still can't get 100% accuracy for even 24-48 hours ahead... and we think we can predict a rise in the overall temp over the next 100 years? PUHLEASE!

Do you support Kyoto? - If by this you mean the UN conference on greenhouse gasses...NO

Is being gay nature or nurture? - To ignore either would be foolish. I'm not saying a person can be raised gay, but our environment shapes much of our personality. Why would it be different for gays?

How do you feel about gay marriage? - Should be up to the individual states not the federal govt. Believe it or not there will be people that won't "change their mind" about gays regardless of what laws are passed to grant them rights. Also once we start basing laws on sexual preference where will we draw the line on what is "special need" and illegal?

Should the welfare budget be cut? - No, but it can still be mananged better.

Should the military budget be cut? - NO, there is a need for better allocation and cost control.

How do you feel about missile defense? Absolutely, some here earlier said it would be good for up to a few incoming missles but not hundreds. THe threat we now face is much more likely to be a small or single missle attack than it is to be a mass attack.


Should the budgets of the NEA, public radio and public television be cut? - Yes, Private funding can meet their needs, besides even with public funds the "begging" programs still dominate the airwaves. Further it would allow the NEA to support whatever it chose without fear of "misuse of public funds" backlash.

Should the AIDS research budget be increased? - I believe the budget to be adequate for the threat posed to this country.

Are standardized tests racist? - NO, they are even less culturally biased than they used to be.

Is there such a thing as reverse racial discrimination? - If you mean; can the minorities discriminated against a majority? yes, and there are programs that make it more difficult for the alleged majority to obtain certain positions.

Are perjury and obstruction of justice by a president impeachable offenses? - YES

Should the word "God" be taken off our money and out of patriotic songs? - Aboslutely NOT! People seem to forget that GOD stands above all religions. If the reference were specific to a particular brand I might agree, but even the pagan religions called 'em GOD.

Thanks to GW we finally have an accurate descriptive term...

Compassionate Conservative.

[Magic2]

Are you for or against capital punishment? - For- and for faster..endless appeals and their cost to taxpayer is unconscionable...as is cost of life imprisonments. And.. we need to redefine "insanity"..the 1840's based premise is long outdated.

Are you for or against legalized abortion? -For. I am also for responsbile and accountable behavior..see below..sex ed..

What are your views on gun control? - 2d Amendment rules, BUT, felons having already abrogated someone else's "rights", should lose some of their own..Am for licensing all weapons.
However, the illegal gun trade is SO large.. presently unstoppable.

Is your impression of the NRA generally good or generally bad? -lean twds neg. Don't care for the heavy D.C. lobbying.


Is your impression of the ACLU generally good or generally bad? - negative- in pursuit of "liberties" they've split hairs and sometimes perverted the intent of the law, creating what should be non-issues. Of course there are exceptions to this perception.. but that's the drift.


Do you favor condom distribution in schools? -futile exercise, but worth a try-STD's are BIG problem-distribution is only a bandaid..attitude change has to come from home, enlightenment, education (not nec in schools)and being accountable for consequences.

Do you think public school teachers are qualified to teach grammar school children about sex? -Absurd- Parents' job -
but schools haven't been educating and parents haven't been "parenting" for 25+ years..We've been purveying the "school of the lowest common denominator"..gimme, gimme, me-me bubble. Majority's favorite whie: "I want it NOW..and I don't want to work for it".


Do you think doctors are overpaid? -Some are- shall we talk about the medicare/medicaid fraudulent billings?

Do businesses create oppression? -No. Doing what one is ostensibly being paid for is not oppressive--fair exchange..Not so doing is unfair to businesses.

What are your views on global warming? -this would take up too much space..there was an interesting broadcast on one of the Hitsory/DIscovery/Science channels about deep water currents and weather patterns- vague on this at the moment-

Do you support Kyoto? - If you're talking about the genome stuff..doesn't matter whether or not I support it.. it is here.
I support reality, like it or not.
If that's not what's referred to--I dunno.

Is being gay nature or nurture? - not sure, and don't care- it's just a fact of life and has long history.

How do you feel about gay marriage? - why not?

Should the welfare budget be cut? -yes

Should the military budget be cut? -no

How do you feel about missile defense?- deterrent


Should the budgets of the NEA, public radio and public television be cut? -No - nor should funding for the arts.

Should the AIDS research budget be increased? -Yes

Are standardized tests racist? -not in and of themselves - but they can be "biased"-- we know the drill here.

Is there such a thing as reverse racial discrimination? -I think so.

Are perjury and obstruction of justice by a president impeachable offenses? - Isn't that what Willy Wonka was impeached for? If not,should be

Should the word "God" be taken off our money and out of patriotic songs? - Only if replaced with "Golden Rule"- and then songs would have to be rewritten.
Mags