.... off the reservation? I was surprised and pleased with his view of guns and the violence that attends them on Bill Maher's show. Reagan must be spinning in his grave: "I think we have to start with our values. I would say about guns what Keynes said about gold: it’s a barbarous relic that has no place in the 21st century civilization. They ought to be scorned, they ought to be condemned, and they ought to be driven out of the land… The two are related [gun violence and illegal drugs]. The number one source of gun violence in America is the fact that illegal drugs drive this massive culture of violence, and if you want to deal with gun violence, then let’s legalize illegal drugs."Republican economist, David Stockman on Bill Maher
True. '41 and '43 supported bans on assault weapons. That kind of thinking would never be tolerated in today's GOP.
actually sounds like a someone from the libertarian wing of the GOP to me. Let adults have their own drugs and ruin their own life if they want. Also, when did we have a tax cut debate? Like 10 years ago?
rickysrun, you mean when the current tax rates were to expire and a tax rate increase was to go into effect? I don't see that as cutting taxes, but rather keeping taxes the same. Should we have a debate about raising tax rates? That might be fruitful truth be told. I think the entire tax structure more than the tax rates should be debated... I just didn't think of it as a tax cut debate. I know of which you mean though.
There's nothing liberterian about his view on guns. As is the case with many Americans, he doesn't see guns serving a useful purpose in the 21st Century. The Bush tax cuts were rammed through Congress with an expiration date because that's the only way the Republicans could lie about their effacacy with straight faces. Don't get it twisted, THEU.
I think the mindset of an armed citizenry was so that people could protect themselves from a tyrannical government. Today, I don't think guns are sufficient should we reach that point. Assault rifles aren't that effective when confronted by Apache helicopters. Still, any attempt to confiscate guns or make them illegal would just put law biding citizens in greater danger. Criminals aren't going to give up their weapons and would only be emboldened to commit more crime.
More from Stockman: This debt explosion has resulted not from big spending by the Democrats, but instead the Republican Party’s embrace, about three decades ago, of the insidious doctrine that deficits don’t matter if they result from tax cuts.
Stockman enjoys intellectual liberty not available to the elected. Adherence to the political requirements of either the Democrats or Republicans requires accepting and perpetuating myths that comfort the activists.
So the strategy to prove your political opponents wrong is to find someone who manages to put a letter opposite of yours (R or D) behind their name but espouse your own political view points. Interesting strategy. Does it make him more right or somehow increases his credibility. I thought it was a good idea to debate political ideals on their own merit, not on someone's opinion.
This debt explosion has resulted not from big spending by the Democrats, but instead the Republican Party’s embrace, about three decades ago, of the insidious doctrine that deficits don’t matter if they result from tax cuts. __________________________________________________ this is party line bs rhetoric. both parties are clearly responsible for the bebt explosion. Pelosi and the democrats were in charge for the growth of the debt from 8 trillion to 14 trillion. republicans had it for about 4 years and then then dems were in charge for about 50. this guy claiming democrats had no part in the debt explosion is a bunch of crap.
Stockman wants to be invited to the "In Crowd" cocktail parties...NOTHING ELSE. He wants to be LIKED.
Satchel, The two short quotes with no link you posted led me to believe that Stockman's opposition to guns was not guns themselves, but gun violence. Specifically, gun violence that is related to the drug trade. It is hard to tell when you continue to NOT post links to where you find quotes. Also, I do wonder this.. what percentage of gun use in this country is illegal/violent? I mean % of hunting and gun ranges etc v. gang/drug violence and homicides? I have NO idea what that would be, but if it could be figured I bet it would be interesting.
He was Reagan's budget director and he probably knows more about these kinds of things than most of us positng here. Normally, his relationship with Reagan would be enough for this crowd to take his comments seriously. Now about his comments. What is it you disagree with specifically? Where is he wrong? Oh and THEU. His comment was intended to underscore his dislike for guns in todays violent gun culture.
