Hey, don't apologize, beef-a-logger.

A diversity of opinion and viewpoint is essential and directly related to the quality of any given discussion. If everyone towed the company line and regurgitated the same beliefs, things would get awful boring and stale what with singing the same song every day, all day. There are always two sides to the same coin. So, I guess what I'm saying is that you should STFU and be as surly as you wanna be. (LOL)

Good points throughout, there.. although I'd say that in defense of the Libertarian model, they pretty much just want to get the FEDERAL government out of our personal business and return much of the power to govern back to the States and local governments themselves, where it really belongs. There aught to be checks and balances to keep anyone (personal, corporate or otherwise) from taking away another person's liberty, freedom or rights to property ownership.. but that's it.

Speaking of capitalism vs. socialism.. have you ever really figured out how much of your gross income is soaked up by wealth re-distribution vehicles and then compared it to a known "socialist" system's taxation rate? Federal Income Tax (~15-20%). State Income Tax (~5%). Sales Tax (harder to calculate as a percentage of gross income, but let's call it 5%). Capital Gains / Investment Income Taxes (Most folks may not eat these.. but let's call it low, around 2-3%). Social Security (A tax by any other name is still a tax.. 15% of gross here). Auto/Home/Health/Disability insurance premiums (national average is close to 20-25% of gross income)

Let's add 'em up. I get somewhere between 62% and 73% of our gross incomes being absorbed into wealth redistribution vehicles with these rough figures. Let that sink in for a bit. We are a socialist system in sheep's clothing and without the benefits usually associated thereof.

Now, what would you do if you suddenly had 10, 15 or 20 thousand more disposable dollars per year? Would you give some directly to charity? Would you put it directly back into your local economy by purchasing goods and services? Start a business?

Would you believe that a Ford Taurus, by way of being multi-taxed at every production/transporation point costs DOUBLE what it would otherwise? That $20,000 Taurus sitting on the car lot would otherwise be selling for about $10,000 if not for the rediculous federal taxation system.

You mentioned a fear of "the jungle" type industrialists vs. the impoverished masses.. but do you not see our society heading this way in modern times anyway? The division of wealth has never been greater and the chasm between the haves and the have nots has not been as large as it is for many, many decades. Largely, in my humble opinion, due to the over-regulation and "friendly" law/taxation/regulatory legislation in favor of Mr. Corporation Special Interest Donation Station Laundered Money Guy.

Ugh. All of this stuff makes me sick with all the back-scratching and good-ole-boys networking keeping real innovation and progress down (see: FDA for a healthy chunk of denial of medicines that are in regular use overseas because it would mean millions/billions of dollars lost to the domestic pharmacutical companies that are buddy buddy with their local congressman, representative or executive-branch folks.) In all honesty, I've considered more than once trying to get involved in politics to try and make a difference, but I realize that there would be a high probability of me sleeping with the fish or eating a bullet if I actually got anywhere.

Ah well, off to work so I can feed the man some more of my cash.

=]

Best,

~O.

BTW.. the meeting with the University folks went really well and I should know some more about placement and availability of classes/scholarships & whatnot in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking about going into the International Business program, which would have me learning a foreign language and even doing a small internship overseas if I get in. Rawk!