My respect goes out to those like Paul Oss who listen to genuine rhetorical debate and consider the issues from more than a singular perspective.

I don't fit easy categorizations-'liberal' or 'conservative'. I am a native born veteran, small business owner, unabashedly in favor of better politicians, better use of our taxes, and responsible citizenry.

I just finished a little work on Saturday. Mail from my local chamber of commerce (member since '95) explains the reasoning for supporting our city council's doubling of my business license fee. Coincidence? I think the camel is just starting to put its nose under the tent. Every level of our government will have to start to fill the 695 void, and will undoubtedly begin with the largest, most vulnerable populations at hand. Those who already have power will be least vulnerable to new taxes.

So please don't shoot the messengers, those individuals like dvbz who see shades of grey in the issues at hand. We all differ slightly in our values. I can see that big government may not be my friend...but I don't have to make it my enemy. Profanity to some is merely stating the obvious, an exposition of secret truths that disrupt our pat conceptions of the world of experience. : )

Neal

-- neal (healingarts@emeraldnet.net), November 20, 1999

Answers

"I can see that big government may not be my friend...but I don't have to make it my enemy."

Neal,

The point is that government should SERVE THE PEOPLE, not make us worry that we may be "making government our enemy". The majority has forced a change of direction. In my opinion, our government officials are not making the right decisions to reduce the budget as a result of I-695. This is why I will vote AGAINST them in the next election. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of doing nothing when I feel that things need to be changed. Bending to the will of government because I'm afraid of what they may do to me? Doesn't sound too much like Democracy.

-- DW (tux@tro.com), November 22, 1999.