Okay, Mike's still taking me to the woodshed. I'm okay with that.

Our economy is far healthier than any of the economies of Europe or Canada, which in turn drives better living conditions for all people. Isn't that really more humane?

Yes, our economy is healthier, but that doesn't translate to better living conditions for all people. Trickle down is wrong. It's the reductionism in conservative economics that I just can't buy. It's not more humane. The growing gap between the rich and the poor in this country is not more humane.

You cited health care as an example, but our health care system, flawed as it might be, is far more advanced and accessible than their government-controlled schemes. That's why Canadians and Europeans who have the greatest need and the greatest means come to the United States for health care - because they can't afford to wait in line for socialist rationing of health care resources.

Yes, our health care system is far more 'advanced and accessible' if you can pay for it. 'That's why [rich] Canadians and Europeans... come to the United States for health care'. There ought to be a higher priority on basic healthcare for everyone than on advancement and access for the wealthy.

It is a well-established fact that people who have more money give more of it away to charity, and that people who fear economic insecurity are less likely to give to charity. When the economy is strong, charities have banner years as they did in the recent economic boom. But when the economy sags, charitable giving dries up. Clearly, a vibrant, growing ecomony not only serves charities better, it eases the demand on their resources.

Okay, how about this: people wouldn't give enough more to charity if taxes were cut to justify the tax cut.

In the end, I'm not willing to let King Economy drive all of my policy decisions. I know it would be more Republican and more Jeffersonian to only have the government assist commerce, but I have different values.

And the less oppressive our government is, the more likely our economy is to stay strong.

And, finally, don't you think it's overkill to say our government is oppressive? Then what term do you use for China or Sudan? We've got rhetorical inflation or proliferation or something here.