[rextorres]

I was a Republican way back when until I realized that unless my personal income grew to over $200,000 a year or I was willing to become a born-again christian the Republican party had nothing to offer me.

Anyway

- I can't afford to send my kids to private school so I'd like to have well funded schools with a small student ratio
- I'd like there to be enough police so that they show up within five minutes if I am in trouble
- I believe in a strong military
- When there's a fire there should be someone to put it out
- I hate potholes in the street so I want there to be money to pay for these
- I'd like my tap water to be drinkable
- All the money I've put into social security and medicare I want paid back with a monthly stipend if I make it to retirement
- The food I and my child eats should be safe to eat
- I want the homeless to have a place to go because most of the homeless aren't mentally compitant to take care of themselves

I rely on the government to provide these and similar sorts of functions.

I am told by the newspaper that I paid about a $1000 less in income tax Last year although looking at my taxes I paid about the same - still the loss of any of the above line items is worth way more to me than that $1000.

With Bush's tax cuts, however, none of these functions will be possible in the near future because the country will be bankrupt.

That's why I am not voting for Bush.

A few other things

- I am still trying to understand why it is that the NRA et.al. think that banning assault rifles is a bad thing.
- It's also hard to figure out why people are against raising the mpg of vehicles when it would lower our dependence on foreign oil and the technology is readily available so that even SUVs could benefit.
- What's wrong with wanting clean air? I grew up in Southern California and no the value of it.
- Why should someone be allowed to throw a stick of gum on the streets would it then be OK to throw a bag of garbage on the street too?
- Why is it that a fetus is only valuable until it is born but then services to help the born child are being cut?
- Isn't the death penalty taking a human life? - If that's the logic behind being against abortion shouldn't you be against the death penalty as well?
- I don't know why someone would want to cut down a 2000 year old tree
- Since most outdoor places will be visited before I visit them I'd like to have an approximation of the experience that the first person had. People who ride ATV ruin that for the rest of us