Politics...sorry!

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I'm wandering off technology, media and amateur radio just a bit today, but sometimes I can't help myself.  Those who know me well know that I am a staunch conservative on some issues, like size and reach of government, and a raving liberal on others, such as human rights.  On the political spectrum, that means I have no real home, though I probably land closer to "Libertarian" than to any other label.

Someone sent me a quote from Abraham Lincoln that I especially like and, with your indulgence, I will share it here:

You cannot bring prosperity by discouraging thrift.  You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.  You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.  You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred.  You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.  You cannot keep out the trouble by spending more than you earn.  You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.  You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

See why I think these words are especially appropriate for today?  I am no fan of greed and corruption, whether it be government or big business.  As Libertarian as I lean, I think a legitimate function of a federal government is regulation of business--to a point.  Taxation should be only for the true needs of government and the people it represents, not to promote any percieved social or societal benefit, or to punish those who work hard, invest, take risk, hire people, pay wages, and build wealth honestly.  If reasonably regulated, but otherwise left unfettered, free enterprise and the profit motive will greatly improve the status of us all.  Patchwork legislation, redistribution of wealth, or ill-concieved regulation based on hysteria or poor data will only continue to cripple the one thing that has made our country the envy of the world.

And it will only continue to take us down the path of mediocrity.  Man, do we need more of Mr. Lincoln's common sense today!

Don Keith N4KC
http://www.n4kc.com/
http://www.donkeith.com/
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