[Ghoulish Delight]

I suppose I would call myself a moderate Democrat with Libretarian leanings. In general, I believe in a society as large as the US, no "pure" ideology can possibly work and that compromise is a must. Thus, while I generally believe in a "leave me the hell alone" philosophy, I also see important roles where a government needs to step in.

I also happen to believe that since money and the economy are entirely artificial constructs, existing only as an agreement within a society and between other societies, I have no problem with a government, being representative of said society, involving itself in the economy and distribution of money. I do not see money as an inalienable right, it's simply a tool.

Okay, so how did I get to this point? There was certainly no single defining moment, I'm definitely a product of my upbringing. Two liberal educators as parents, both politically aware, though not always active. Combined with exposure to a very diverse population in my schools. Being in magnet programs since elementary school, I was always with people from all walks of life, all races, all areas of the city, all economic classes. And that taught me that no one had any real truth, and that any real answer lies somewhere in the middle.

My economic views I suppose come from the fact that I grew up in a very fiscally responsible household. 2 LAUSD employees that, despite sub-par pay for most of my upbringing, despite being just as heavily taxed as anyone else, made it through 30+ years and 2 kids going through college with no debt beyond their home loan. It taught me that, in the end, it doesn't matter what the government does, it all comes down to personal responsibility and understanding the concept of living within your means. Doesn't mean I'm in favor of an entirely socialistic system, or that I supoprt the current state of social spending, but it does mean I'm not afraid of social programs as a concept.

Like Alex, I rarely debate as a means to change someone's mind. I simply enjoy the exchange of perspective and find that a good "opponent" helps me see my own position more clearly.