"But more importantly, what is it that you like about this administration? I've asked this a few times of the right-leaning members of this board, and I still haven't gotten a straight answer. Is it fiscal policy? Foreign? Religious? Seriously, I simply do not understand, and obviously I need to."

Like? What does LIKE have to do with anything?

I think I can sum up my feelings about this admin pretty quickly.

I have a few core values, and this administration is closer to those than the Democrats are.

First off, let me say this. Republicans lie, and Democrats lie, and they both lie about each other and they both lie about lying about it. Period. This one is a draw.

At this particualar point in time the Republicans are closer to my core values than Democrats. Let me outline these core values:

I believe that taxes on EVERYONE should be kept at the minimum possible level at all times. I would like to have a flat tax with NO loopholes whatsoever, with the exception that money for basic human needs should be 100 percent deductible.

I believe that a persons water, heat, and electricity bills should be 100 percent deductible up to a certain dollar amount, as these are basic human needs as we define them today.

I believe that health and dental care, both on the employee AND on the employer side should be 100 percent deductible, as these are basic human needs.

I believe that there should be a "means test" to collect Social Security. I do not believe that people who are still making 65,000 per year from investments after they retire should be collecting Social Security. Now some may say that this is "unfair" because these same people paid in for all these years, but the people who didn't live that long aint gettin' nothing either. Life's tough, wear a helmet. I believe that under this scenario, not only would there be plenty of money for Social Security, but that we would have the means to pay for ALL the health care needs of seniors who are living in poverty. This assumes of course, that congress doesn't BORROW all of the money from Social Security every year, which they do now and always have, but that is a different issue.

I believe that the government must have the burden of proof when it comes to environmental concerns. As it stands, the EPA can designate ANY place a "wetland" or some-such nonsense and render it useless and valueless to the owners of said land. As things stand they can do so without having to prove anything.I believe that this is nothing more than a laundered form of illegal seizure by the MAN. I also believe that the "citizen lawsuit" provision of the Endangered Species Act should be repealed. This provision allows any party to bring a lawsuit against the government or any other party on environmental grounds. Under the current provision, the government is obligated to also PAY for the legal bills of the filer regardless of the merit of the suit. This is just plain bullshit, and if you cant see why I wont be able to convince you anyway. Let's just say that the Trial Lawyers are having a field day with this one.

I believe in a balanced budget amendment to the constitution except in cases of war ( declared war) or national tragedy. If they dont have the cash they should have to make cuts. There is enough money there, we all know there is. It just takes the will to root out the corruption and malfeasance to get it done. In the year 1999 the Department of Education MISPLACED 750 MILLION Dollars. I bet that could have made more than just a few repairs on local schools eh?

I believe that single people making under 15,000 dollars per year, and married couples with children making under 30,000 dollars per year should not have to pay taxes at all. This not only makes the best sense in the case of equity, it also makes economic sense. These people are the ones most likely to spend money at all the small businesses that are in your neighborhood. This coupled with the deductibility of health care could go A LONG way to making the average joe more comfortable in society. This is of course, contingent on the aforementioned Flat Tax and No Loopholes ( not to be confused with genuine deductions) scenario.

I believe that our trade relations should ALWAYS be contingent on basic human rights. Those who do not adhere to basic human rights should not be allowed to sell thier crap here. There would have to be of course, a standing definition of human rights, as it is such an over-used term nowadays, but I think that minimum standards of human dignity at the very least should be part of the equation, and that it shouldnt be too hard to come up with an idea of what that is. Our pal Ian and I had quite a lengthy discussion recently on a Christmas Eve search that my daughter and I had. We looked for non-Chinese made products for christmas gifts. Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Shopko,Best Buy, Union, Non-Union or whatever. There were none. Not unless we wanted to get everyone auto parts for x-mas. I do not want to give my children gifts that are made by slaves thier age.

On the subject of human rights. I believe that there are certain governments on this planet that have shown themselves incapable of the simplest evolution and have for whatever reason shown themselves incapable of living with the rest of us. I think Iraq was a good start, but I think that we need to go further. I believe that the United States and it's allies need to begin by occupyng the Middle East as whole and executing a plan similar to the Marshall Plan. I believe we should do this not only because we are the only ones who can, but because it is right. I also believe that we have to do it now before the technological gap closes between them and us. This is not a pretty option, but it is a better one than the consequences we will be facing if we do not. Slavery of children, mass persecution on religious/sexual/sexual identity grounds should be treated as what it is : a contemptible remnant of the past. On Sept. 11th 2001 this bullshit spilled out of the Mid East and right into the middle of New York. I think even the most remote possibility that this could happen again is unacceptable on every level.

Lastly, and this a broad stroke, but I think the government should just butt the fucking hell out of everyone's business. I personally think abortion is a horrendous practice, but I would be willing to bite the bullet on that one for the purposes of restraining government power. There is no good option on that, so I choose the lesser of 2 evils. I also think they should leave the Boy Scouts, GreenPeace, The Klan, Earth First and everyone else the hell alone unless there is evidence of illegality. This one thing may be the toughest of all. On the one hand, we have our civil liberties to think about, on the other hand, as was pointed out by a Supreme Court Justice not long ago (Warren I think), The Constitution is not a suicide pact. And, contrary to popular belief ( on this board certainly) the boot heel of government did not suddenly appear on the citizens necks with the passing of the Patriot Act. It has been there a very long time and has been pushing down a bit more every year regardless of who is in power. This is supposed to be a system of "you stand up for my rights, I stand up for yours". Self-interest and ideological zealotry have led us to unwittingly sacrifice our own rights for short-term politcal gain on both sides. What is the big harm about looking through peoples bank accounts ( The Patriot Act) when you have shot an unarmed woman in the head, or shot her 15 year old son in the back while he was running away ( Ruby Ridge) and gotten away with it? Power seeks only itself, as they say. If you want freedom you are gonna have to give me mine as well, whether you agree with it or not.

What does this have to do with the current administration? They are closer to this than the Democrats. A BIT closer. Not much, but enough to keep me in thier corner for the time being ( I voted for Clinton in '92, so I HAVE been known to switch).

God, Grant me a viable Libertarian Party!!!

There is much more, and I wish I could have explained it all better, but I am tired so I will leave it there.