Discussion of California Ballot Initiatives

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by JWBear

CP, that is one of the fundamental philosophical differences between many on the right and left. Those on the right see things such as health, safety, and education as matters of personal choice. Those on the left see these things as part the public good.

I'm trying really hard not to be offended by you educating me on what right and left are. As a friend to a friend, the condescention here is unnerving. I've posted many times about my migration from one side of the spectrum to the other to some degree, so please, don't tell me what each side is like, thanks.

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

If you read my comments again I believe you would have to concur that I made no such qualitative judgment in my statement. I simply questioned whether it might be considered to be part of the public infrastructure. I suppose I could be convinced either way on it, though my first blush tendency is to balk at anything government controlled. I don't necessarily disagree that K-12 by our friendly government is the wrong way to go about things. However I can't say I've been interested enough to pay it much thought.

I totally see where you're coming from, as I used to agree with you. One argument I would make is that even if you personally are not going to have children, the people that you work with throughout your life - your doctor, your real estate agent, your auto repairman, your grocery checker - may or may not have had a good education. You will not have cared about that until the moment that they screw up your order at a restaurant or handle your complaint poorly due to lack of socialization growing up.

Oh, and the guy that breaks into your car, or hangs around homeless near your freeway exit may have had a better start due to all of our help. Again, I know this is all pointless in the light of the doctrine of personal responsibility, but I've come to understand that there's no way to be personally responsible if you didn't have a decent education.

The thing is, what is "infrastructure"? As an employee of AAA, you should know the history of the company. Originally it was formed as a private club to provide road infrastructure where there wasn't any. So, shock of shocks, a private agency provided this infrastructure instead of the government. I fail to see how this isn't any different from education in your rationale.

Personally, I think both should be on the list of things we provide for the public good.