Capt. JG wrote:
"Stephen Trapani" wrote in message
...
Why is it that the conservatives who get so worked up about private
lifestyle issues and taxes never seem to get very exercised about
the massive theft that is military procurement or the fact that the
soldiers they put "Support our Troops" bumper stickers on their
cars about are in Iraq without proper body armor or mine resistant
vehicles?

The answer is that you misunderstand what you oppose. Conservatives
generally see the problem as belonging to the system and instead of
wanting to dump more money into that system like liberals always
want to

Always?? So, this isn't about conservatism vs. liberalism in your
argument. It's about good vs. evil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_conservative
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_liberal

do, they want to change the system so that the problems you speak of
are eliminated. One great way to do so is the free people up to
choose the best products and services. In other words, let people
profit from creating better products and services, the best products
and services will succeed. The worst will fail. This is what
capitalism accomplishes, if free.

This the Univ. of Chicago style of argument that has been shown over
and over to not work (if you're interested, there are lots of
examples out there, the justification for Iraq war included).
Capitalism must be moderated with a societal safety net in order to
take full advantage of its benefits. "Pure" capitalism doesn't work
as advertised.

More than enough money to supply all that stuff disappeared into
the companies run by Cheney's chums. Twice as much of our money
was spent to give the USCG the equipment they need and they didn't
get so much as a usable RIB out of it.

Any clue why a politician would want to risk life in prison to make
their "chums" rich? People spout this so much and never stop to
think of how ridiculous it is. These are bad, evil people taking
huge risks for someone else?? It doesn't make a bit of sense.

Huh? People risk jail time all the time for profit motive. They do it
for themselves and for others, which is not mutually exclusive.

People mindlessly repeat the propaganda they have been fed by talk
radio

Hmm. You do realize you are mindlessly repeating propaganda you've
been fed by talk radio too, right?

Or, he's actually thinking. Either could be true. The right-wingnut
talk radio shows are fairly popular as well last I checked.

To get back to the subject. On UK television tonight we had a film of the
rescue services (lifeboat) going out to a £500,000 motor yacht, allegedly
the first in this country to be driven by biofuels.

Unfortunately, someone neglected to "engineer" the steering which was said
to be hydraulic. I have sailed on several machines fitted with hydraulic
steering all of which were utterly useless. This particular system leaked
badly, leaving them without steerage. (Must have had only one engine, aren't
we carrying this fuel-cost excuse a little too far?)

Could it be they charged up the steering system with hydraulic biofuel?

The vessel was towed to safety by the lifeboatmen, one of whom mentioned
that their own vessel was considerably less expensive than the rescued
vessel.

Red faces all round!

No secondary steering sytem, not even an emergency tiller! Bet I could have
got her home using the bow thruster!


Dennis.