MAV, I am glad to see that you have a good sense of humour too. I think it's even drier than mine.

I'm curious what exact powers the US Constitution does assign to the federal government. Could you lay them out for me?

As for socialism "stealing from the poor"? It can sometimes, and no doubt has in some places. It doesn't necessarily have to, however. Depends how it's applied. Exactly the same things can be said of capitalism. Depends how it's applied. Either socialism or capitalism can benefit the poor greatly, if applied properly. Socialism is a collective community effort, organized by a government (example: the police, the US Congress, the armed forces, etc.). Capitalism is an effort by a private commercial entity within the community. Either is entirely appropriate, depending on the situation. Neither is necessarily evil, but either can be used in a destructive manner....or a beneficial manner.

A society is like a human body. It needs both a right leg and a left leg in order to walk. It needs both a right hand and a left hand in order to do most other things. Better that the right and left should realize this and cooperate, rather than trying to eliminate each other. Which is why that body also needs a brain (leadership) that understands how to use both the right and the left members in an equal fashion.

Idealogues (of right or left) always want an "all or nothing" situation. That is precisely why they are dangerous. They are quite comparable to religious fanatics in fact. The Cold War was a great (and totally unnecessary) idealogical war...very much like a religious war. The East and West could just as well have decided to help each other after World War II ended, but they were idealogues on a holy crusade, and they obeyed the dictates of fear, not love. Instead of ending world poverty, trading, and sharing their many gifts, they built the 2 biggest military machines the world has ever seen, and one of them finally went bankrupt doing it. What a waste. To label either one of them all right or all wrong would be naive, but that is "all or nothing" thinking once again...and that's what idealogues do.

- LH