So I was told I'm a Republican...

[Frankychan]

...and I was taken aback. My friend that's teaching English in Japan knows how to push my buttons and knows that I'm a liberal. But he asked me these key fundamental questions...



If someone is busting their a** working, should they get a tax break/cut/etc? YES

If someone is on welfare but not working, nor is trying to get a job, should they continue to be on welfare? NO

Should everyone be paid the same wage? HELL NO. It should be a tiered system. Doctors should never be paid the same as a janitor...

So, if an individual is gaining from society without contributing to it, what should happen? That person should be removed from said society. Everyone should contribute in someway to society in one way or another. NO ONE should receive a free-ride.




Anyway, our convo. continued on and on. He basicallly said that I was a moderate Republican. Yes, I believe everyone should be treated equal, but different professions should definitely be paid on a different tier.

I explained to him my 'tier system' and my good friend said that what I was explaining was not socialism, but capitalism in a modified laissez-faire mentality. Furthermore, I said that I support strong government and laissez-faire economics is probably the worst type of economic model ever.

BY THE WAY, WE ARE ALL DRINKING

I dunno...My whole thing was that I was extremely offended that he calls me a moderate Republican (in par with Sen. John McClain/Rudolph Guiliani or whatever spelling).

Is my thinking so warped that I would be considered Republican? Yes, I hate free loaders...and I support those who bust their a**...but I'm pro-government and pro-union.



What the heck???

[:) Smiley]

There's also more to being Republican than the economics.... Do you thkn we should have invaded Iraq? Do you believe in the seperation of church and state? etc

[General Ludd]

Re: So I was told I'm a Republican...

Originally posted by Frankychan
Doctors should never be paid the same as a janitor...

Why not? Both Janitors and Doctors are equally vital to public health.

[Sprayber]

Your a drone in the Chairman's utopia and don't you forget it.

[chequita guevara]

Your friend was wrong. Marx and Lenin both advocated merit based pay systems for the 1st stage of communism, i.e., socialism. Socialism isn't about shirking, and we have no moral obligation to feed, clothe and aid shirkers. People who have serious problems should be exempted, however, like the mentally and physically ill, retirees, etc.


BTW, McCain is not a moderate Republican. He is an extreme conservative. He just has integrity and doesn't kowtow to the religious right or big business.

[chequita guevara]

Re: Re: So I was told I'm a Republican...

Originally posted by General Ludd
Why not? Both Janitors and Doctors are equally vital to public health.

Because it requires a lot more training to become a doctor. Nearly anyone can be a janitor. All you need is a mop.

[General Ludd]

Re: Re: Re: So I was told I'm a Republican...

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Because it requires a lot more training to become a doctor. Nearly anyone can be a janitor. All you need is a mop.

Nearly anyone can be a doctor... all you need is training.


The doctor's job requires a great deal of skill, but that is no reason to undervalue the importance of janitors. There is no point in having an operating room if it is not clean.

[Harry Tuttle]

Hard workers get perks.

No one gets a free ride.

Specialists get better perks.

No work = removal from society.

Strong government.

Structured economic model.


Uhhh, Franky, not to be a jerk, but I think you're a national socialist, at least from what you've described.

[chequita guevara]

Re: Re: Re: Re: So I was told I'm a Republican...

Originally posted by General Ludd
Nearly anyone can be a doctor... all you need is training.

Lots and lots of training, and intelligence, and nimble fingers, as well as general non-squeemishness. These are not common combinations.

Being a janitor may be necessisary, but if you are mobile and have the tools provided, anyone can do it.

The price of a commodity is dictaoted by the amount of socially necessary labor-power invested in that object, mitigated through supply and demand. It takes much more work to make a doctor than a janitor, and there are far fewer of them. Thus, a doctor has more value to society than a janitor, no matter what their worth as just plain old individuals.

In full communism, since there will be no market, then janitors and doctors will be paid the same, nothing. But not anytime soon.

[Japher]

McCain is not a moderate Republican. He is an extreme conservative

I think that is where Franky's drinking buddy got off track and didn't differentiate between Repub/Dem and Conservative/Liberal. Me, I'm more like McCain. I like the idea of laissez-faire, but not to an extent that I would be called a Libertarian... at that I would get offended.

IMO, Franky may be more "middle of the road" on his economic views, but IMO he is more left leaning. The one that generally draws one out is their stance on the idea of a flat tax.

[Az]

I am more worried about your replies to other questions.

You've answered correctly, don't listen to anyone else.

From each according to their ability, to each according to their demand.

both parts are important in the equation of social justice.

[Bosh]

So, if an individual is gaining from society without contributing to it, what should happen? That person should be removed from said society.

Yay forced euthanasia!

[alva]

Re: Re: Re: So I was told I'm a Republican...

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Because it requires a lot more training to become a doctor. Nearly anyone can be a janitor. All you need is a mop.

Then why are there more doctors than janitors?

[chequita guevara]

There aren't.

[alva]

hmm, got some words mixed up, was thinking plumber, not janitor

and they are hard to find here, also more expensive than doctors.