On Calif Bill wrote:

I am a registered Democrat, and the Dem's have been taken over by
ultra-liberal spenders.

Niether party can claim the title of "Conservative" anymore. I couldn't
agree more.

Being a Fiscal Conservative, and a social Liberal I
get really PO'ed over the pork barrel spending for votes. We should allow
Civil Unions in California as well as the rest of the country. But the
activists want to call it "marriage" to just upset the rest of the country.
My wife and I have gay friends (we do live in California in the SF Bay
area), and they should have the same legal rights as any other couple. If
one is hospitalized, then the other should have family visitation rights
just like a spouse as well as input on treatment.

The gay couples we know, I believe to be just as devoted to each other as
I am to my wife. I see no problem with civil unions between them. The word
"marriage" has a different meaning to some, but I see an outboard married
to the transom of a boat. It's just a word. But brings strong emotion to
some.

We have screwed our
children, by forcing them to pay for our lifestyle. That National Debt is
not going to be paid by my generation, of even my kids generation (my kids
generation has helped run up the debt as I am 60). The Republicans have
been taken over by the righty's but not to the extent of the lefty's in the
Democrat party.

I believe both partys have equally swung to the extreem.

I would re-register as a Libertarian, but that is throwing
away a lot of my voting power. We need a new national party to give us
moderates control.

Many don't see Libertarian as moderate either, but I don't disagree with
your statement altogether. I'm just not sure that there is such a beast as
a "moderate" anymore.

As the Republicans, tossed the Whigs. As to penalties
for crooked politicians, they should go to jail for 20 years minimum and
lose their assets. Make the penalty extremely harsh.

I would include crooked CEO's, Union Boss's, State, Federal and Local
represenatives, I know I've not covered them all. But Crooks are Crooks.

Get the Federal
Government out of education. We did fairly well before the 1960's with no
Federal Department of Education. They no set standards, take the money from
the states and take a 40% management fee, and send the 60% back to the
states. We would have more money to spend on the children, and more say so,
in tossing incompetant teachers and administrators.

Local officals seem to listen to the voice of the people more, I agree.

I don't think there's a soul in Congress that doesn't cringe at the
thought of "Public Service", It's not about public service anymore.
We should be able to vote on their salary, we could pay them what their
worth, but,,, there are minimum wage laws after all.

Bill



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