Peace on Politics

I've been blogging a lot, but sometimes I don't know if my driving principals are made clear. I have some beliefs and principals that I stubbornly hold to, unlike Sparky who just believes what he sees on TV. So, here I will try to list my principals in the order of their importance to me.

1. Debate in hyperbole, act on reason. When I debate I make it sound like me not getting my way would destroy the planet. However, I hold myself and those I debate with to always being reasonable in the end.
   
   
2. Discuss only policy and only issues at hand. I think it is mostly a waste of time to talk about the people behind the policy, including their past voting records. I realize that all politicians are scum and I choose to discuss the policy they wish to enact. The only time non-policy issues are fair game is if the other side brings it up and a response is needed.
   
   
3. Change sides when needed. If I am proven wrong, I will admit it. If I support the wrong side and realize it, I will change to the right one. Government is not about sides, it is about policy that works.
   
   
4. Prove, verify, support. The best thing I ever learned in high school was taught to me in junior year AP U.S. history class: when you make an assertion, back it up. A bunch. And another thing: distrust all media.
   
   
5. Don't be nasty. There is nothing I dislike more than people who take things too personally. My best friend Sparky and I disagree on everything, but we are never nasty to each other. He and I are a rare breed, though. (Internet/blogging/forum people are the worst with this).
   
   
6. Keep the government small. The government should protect the people, enforce their rights, and do things that capitalism could never do on its own, such as maintain conservation lands.
   
   
7. Let the states decide. Whenever there is a controversial issue, the states should decide on their own until the country is ready as a whole to choose a side.

Notice how my stance on conservative government is last. The reason for that is simple. If there comes a day when it is clear to me that big government is the best way, my first five principals will allow me to support that belief fully.

A note: If you read my blog a lot, you will think I am being a hypocrite. So far, I have made at least two posts which may seem to contradict my principal #2 (Obama out of touch, Obama debate challenge). I say these posts may seem like they contradict this principal, but they don't. I use this blog as a long, drawn-out response to my debates with my friend Sparky. Any time I attack Obama it is to prove to Sparky that Obama is just as scummy as McCain, and therefore Sparky should debate policy (which he refuses to do). Don't be fooled into thinking that these petty attacks matter! They don't!