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The principles that rule this blog

Principles that will govern my thoughts as I express them here (from my opening statement):


  • Freedom of the individual should be as total as possible, limited only by the fact that nobody should be free to cause physical injury to another, or to deprive another person of his freedoms.
  • Government is necessary primarily to provide those services that private enterprise won't, or won't at a price that people can afford.
  • No person has a right to have his own beliefs on religious, moral, political, or other controversial issues imposed on others who do not share those beliefs.

I believe that Abraham Lincoln expressed it very well:

“The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do, at all, or cannot
so well do, for themselves — in their separate, individual capacities.”


Comments will be invited, and I will attempt to reply to any comments that are offered in a serious and non-abusive manner. However, I will not tolerate abusive or profane language (my reasoning is that this is my blog, and so I can control it; I wouldn't interfere with your using such language on your own!)

If anyone finds an opinion that I express to be contrary to my principles, they are welcome to point this out. I hope that I can make a rational case for my comments. Because, in fact, one label I'll happily accept is rationalist.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Tonight's "town hall" style debate

I noticed Tom Bowler's “Libertarian Leanings” blog has a prediction about tonight's debate. He predicts that Candy Crowley, as moderator, will do a “fair and balanced” job — with a generous dose of sarcasm in that term. He expects very strong pro-Obama slants to Crowley's questioning of both candidates.

Perhaps. But let's give her a chance. If it is as partisan as Bowler thinks, I think the audience will spot that, and it would immensely help Gov. Romney. I suspect that if in fact, Crowley goes into this with an agenda intended to help Pres. Obama, she'll have to be a lot more subtle than the lines of questioning that Bowler suggests. And perhaps she might not be as partisan as Bowler thinks.

I'll wait until the actual debate, and then comment on that, rather than predict how the participants (including Crowley) will behave.

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