[Kaj]

[ QUOTE ]
"If people don't want China to be polluted, they can avoid trading with Chinese companies which pollute. I don't need the US govt to forbid me to trade with anybody to make my own moral choices. I try to avoid Chinese junk products for this very reason, although I have no hard rule and will compromise this stance if I value the product/price more than the alternative."

The majority of Americans are more interested in saving a buck than stopping pollution because they are two paychecks from bankruptcy. And you, who can afford to make the moral choice, have admitted you would not in some cases.

"The more we realize that our own personal choices do in fact shape the world, then the better off we will be..... I believe little will change for the good until we all start accepting a little more personal responsibility which comes with greater economic freedom."

But you will compromise that belief when you can get a much better deal by doing so, as stated above.

"We as Americans would have little to fear regarding Pakistani nukes if the US govt wasn't meddling all over the world for the last 100 years. It strikes me as circular logic to use the situation caused by our meddling as justification for never-ending meddling."

We taught the Pakistan Govt how to safeguard their nukes. We are supporting a government, who army leaders are "western friendly," in an effort to reduce the risk of the sale of a nuclear warhead to the wrong people.

"It's also a very inefficient approach, as supported by the fact that the US spends as much on defense as the rest of the world combined. And that doesn't even include the military aid you allude to."

I agree with you 100%. We need to back away from that practice, but we can't just walk away. We need to be willing to sit down with any leader and negotiate, without demanding they do this or that before we sit with them.

We are ruining this country thru its rising national debt and huge defense budget. You can thank Reagan and the two Bush's for that.

Every president, since WWII, has reduced the national debt (as a percentage of GNP) except those 3 presidents. The first two wiped out any gains made by the other presidents and this clown has doubled our national debt.

The fact that he was reelected shows you just how stupid Americans are. They would rather rant about a woman in Saudi Arabia getting 200 lashes, than the criminal government that they are ruled by.

That is what happens when someone is in the White House who will turn their back on the moral choice, when the other choice has a much greater personal benefit.

Do you see the problem with having someone like you in a position of power?

[/ QUOTE ]

First you chastise me for compromising my stance by buying some Chinese products rather than having a hard and fast rule against it. Then you chastise me for not compromising my stance regarding foreign policy rather than support continued aid to a foreign government for our own interests over those of the people who live under said government.

Interesting take.