Growing up to be right-wing/conservative

[Berzerker]

Seeker -

You got it, first time! The notion of 'right' or 'left' is a mental box that people put themselves into so they don't have to think, IMO.

But they do this after identifying the positions they take with respect to the various ideologies. The problem I have with many of the people who claim to be left or right wing is that they often agree alot more with ideological opponents than they are willing to admit. For example, most conservatives support drug prohibition - a policy that has as it's underlying principle the notion that government "owns" us and can determine what we put in our own bodies. Yet, they turn right around when it comes to tobacco and alcohol and claim prohibitions of these "drugs" are an assault on our freedom. But the underlying premise of communism is that "society" - the government - also "owns" individuals and their property. There you have many conservatives and communists agreeing on a fundamental ideological principle.

BTW, a good policy for the nation should, by definition, be positive for the citizens of that nation, so I don't see your point...?

But rarely does a policy qualify as positive for everyone. Most policies take freedom from one group of people to benefit another group of people.

Seneca -

Actually, one of his pet hates is the notion that free-market capitalism breeds opportunity and equality, so if you see him with a torch, I'd get the f*ck out of the way if I were you....

Which advocate of the free-market claims it breeds "equality"? As for breeding opportunity, in the marketplace, we have the opportunity to trade our time - our labor, ideas and property. The fact my time may not be as valuable as yours doesn't mean I no longer have the opportunity to trade my time with others, only that I'll get less.

Garth Vader -

I get more and more sick of the selfish, greedy right wing ideas every day.

I was actually referring to things like the airline bailout. The companies get millions of tax money and then lay off tens of thousands. I realize that all governments seem to like corporate welfare, but the right seems to be more "pro corporation".

Since you realize all governments seem to like corporate welfare, maybe you shouldn't identify just the "right" when so many governments are controlled by the left. And I and many others on the "right" oppose all forms of corporate welfare. You're describing a system of legalized theft - corporations using government to steal from the taxpayers. But you advocate the same thing - a system of legalized theft - you just want to decide who gets the stolen money instead of the corporations, correct? And if correct, aren't you being selfish and greedy for doing what the "right" is doing?

But since you seem to be referring to taxation, I think that since society provides you a stability that allows you to earn with your labor you should provide back to society in order to keep that stability

"Society" doesn't provide me with "stability", law enforcement/courts provides that stability. Stability is not being forced to pay taxes so liberals can hand over my money to people receiving government "handouts" who ostensibly won't steal or destroy my property as long as I pay the taxes they live off - that's called a protection racket.

The Mafia also provides "stability" for business owners in the community, but they do this - "protection" - as a means of coercing those business owners to hand over money for that stability. How is your version of government any different? If we don't pay the taxes, government agents will act alot like the Mafia except the Mafia doesn't have cages or graves waiting for us after they destroy/steal our property.

[Garth Vader]

"Society" doesn't provide me with "stability", law enforcement/courts provides that stability. Stability is not being forced to pay taxes so liberals can hand over my money to people receiving government "handouts" who ostensibly won't steal or destroy my property as long as I pay the taxes they live off

Law enforcement/courts are paid for with the taxes that you don't want to pay.

I don't like "handouts" to people that don't want to work any more than I like "handouts" to corporations that want to line their pockets. But I think that the amount of education and health care somebody can get shouldn't be decided by how rich their parents are.