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Neocons and Libs: All or nothing?

JC Callender

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If you could vote today to have either a huge standing military and huge welfare state, or no standing army and no welfare state, which would you choose?
 
If you could vote today to have either a huge standing military and huge welfare state, or no standing army and no welfare state, which would you choose?

The former, because both are worth the cost, and while I would prefer both institutions be a lightweight as is reasonable, having bloated ones is better than having neither.
 
If you could vote today to have either a huge standing military and huge welfare state, or no standing army and no welfare state, which would you choose?

Too little context, and a nonsensical choice. I would prefer the right size military and welfare.
 
The later without question. A standing army encourage the state to start wars by providing them access to troops on a constant basis, while a welfare state requires large amounts of taxation and encourages government dependence and growth.
 
The later without question. A standing army encourage the state to start wars by providing them access to troops on a constant basis, while a welfare state requires large amounts of taxation and encourages government dependence and growth.

I would much rather have no welfare state, and as far as the military, I look at wars like Iraq and believe you're right...they wouldn't have drafted people to fight in Iraq if we didn't have a standing military. And WW2 was successful with a very small military beforehand.
 
Okay, then here's a third option: Go away.

I see adding actual context or reasonable options is not something you want to do. Let me highlight the problem. Do we have a huge standing army now? Or do you mean a bigger standing army. Would one 10 % larger be huge? 20 %? How can any one possibly answer without knowing these things. The same applies to your welfare state option. And of course why would any one, any one at all, decide on size without knowing whether it is enough, too much or just right? The problem is not that I am picking apart your question, it is that it cannot be reasonably answered as it is.
 
If you could vote today to have either a huge standing military and huge welfare state, or no standing army and no welfare state, which would you choose?

false dichotomy.
 
If you could vote today to have either a huge standing military and huge welfare state, or no standing army and no welfare state, which would you choose?

Former as long as the military is made up of welfare recipients. Military is as good of a make-work program as any and better than most.
 
Was there a time in our country when we had no welfare state and no standing army? Do we now have a huge welfare state and standing army?

you posted :

JCCallender said:
If you could vote today to have either a huge standing military and huge welfare state, or no standing army and no welfare state, which would you choose?

those aren't the only options. hence, false dichotomy.
 
you posted :



those aren't the only options. hence, false dichotomy.

Who cares it they're not the only options? I don't get your point. Our country started out with extremely minimal government, now we have a huge government and both liberals and neocons are responsible for it, libs because of the huge welfare state and neoncons because of the huge military. The question is, would you be willing to sacrifice your interest if the other side did for a much smaller government or not. Does that really sound like that ridiculous of a question to you?
 
Who cares it they're not the only options? I don't get your point.

False Dichotomy

Our country started out with extremely minimal government, now we have a huge government and both liberals and neocons are responsible for it, libs because of the huge welfare state and neoncons because of the huge military. The question is, would you be willing to sacrifice your interest if the other side did for a much smaller government or not. Does that really sound like that ridiculous of a question to you?

considering that there are so many other options, yes.
 
Standing Military obviously.
 
We did get through WW2 pretty well without a huge standing military beforehand, don't you believe we could do it again?

A standing military helps to insure we dont have to do it again.

I know some people dont like to hear it, but he US military is a stabilizing force
 
Saying military spending is for the protection of the country, it is a welfare program. Security for the people of a country is a form of welfare, as well as other things like having social safety nets, things like public education and tons of other things like police, firefighters, emts etc....etc....all these things to provide the wellbeing and protection for the citizens on either a national level or state/city/town level. All these things listed here are paid for via taxation.
 
Ah, good, so yer in favor of a large welfare system too. That ends a lot of noise from you.

No I'm against Progressive policies that kill job creation, drive off capital investment and lead to more Americans being dependent on welfare
 
No I'm against Progressive policies that kill job creation, drive off capital investment and lead to more Americans being dependent on welfare
Dude, you don't get to change the premise of the op...you picked the "a huge standing military and huge welfare state" answer.

Doh!
 
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