Jennifer Said:

by the republican definition of Socialism was Adam Smith a socialist with his spread the wealth philosophy?

We Answered:

The phrase "the rich should contribute to the public expense not only in proportion to their revenue but something more than in that proportion" does *not* equal "spread the wealth". Adam Smith was *not* a socialist...but thank you for playing.

That being said...if we really wanted to revamp the tax structure here in the United States we would seriously begin examing VAT (value added tax)--tax *consumption*, not income.

Amber Said:

Can anybody give me a concise, non-biased definition of Republican/Democrat?

We Answered:

To be honest, no

Jesse Said:

What is the definition of a Republican or Conservative as they now like to be called?

We Answered:

Sounds like you have it pretty well summed up......

Oscar Said:

What's the Republican definition?

We Answered:

I think they use tolerant with a bit of sarcasm attached. Republicans actually believe people should be allowed to say what they mean without reprisals. They also respect other opinions, as long as it doesn't infringe on them or the nation.

Lena Said:

By Republican definition.. Is Sarah Palin a socialist?

We Answered:

Socialist? No, absolutely not.

It is a capitalist notion of income sharing limited to those who own the means of production and the owners of the land where the production occurs. The income is tied directly to the market price of the oil and is not based on profits of the companies. The income is a percentage of the market value of the product jointly possessed from the moment it leaves the ground, not a percentage of the profit from the sale of the oil.

The state and its citizens stand to gain income or lose income from the same market forces as the companies because the income generated goes up and down with the price of oil, not the companies bottom lines.

All of the current income potential comes from oil extracted from state owned lands.

The income is not shared among those who have no means to produce it or who share no part in ownership of the land where the production occurs.

In the United States the owner of the property has a right to share in income generated from their land and they are free to spend it any way they please. I don't think sharing it with you or me would be pleasing to them.

Now, if I were to demand a share of the income from a product owned by others extracted from land I do not own, that would make me a socialist.

Are you getting any of the money?

No, you are not.

I believe you resent that.


I don't.

Suzanne Said:

If a stable government in Iraq is the Republican definition of winning, how long until that is accomplished...

We Answered:

Modern History

Ottoman rule over Iraq lasted until the Great War (World War I) when the Ottomans sided with Germany and the Central Powers. British forces invaded the country and suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Turkish army during the Siege of Kut (1915–16). British forces regrouped and captured Baghdad in 1917. An armistice was signed in 1918.
Image:LittleIraq.png

Iraq was carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the French and British as agreed in the Sykes-Picot Agreement. On 11 November 1920 it became a League of Nations mandate under British control with the name "State of Iraq".

The British government laid out the political and constitutional framework for Iraq's government. Britain imposed a H?shimite monarchy on Iraq and defined the territorial limits of Iraq without taking into account the aspirations of the different ethnic and religious groups in the country, in particular those of the Kurds to the north. Britain had to put down a major revolt against its policies between 1920 and 1922. During the revolt, Britain used phosphorus bombs against Kurdish villagers. Legal experts consider phosphorus bombs chemical weapons. (See Gas in mesopotamia)

In the Mandate period and beyond, the British supported the traditional, Sunni leadership (such as the tribal shaykhs) over the growing, urban-based nationalist movement. The Land Settlement Act gave the tribal shaykhs the right to register the communal tribal lands in their own name. The Tribal Disputes Regulations gave them judiciary rights, whereas the Peasants' Rights and Duties Act of 1933 severely reduced the tenants', forbidding them to leave the land unless all their debts to the landlord had been settled. The British resorted to military force when their interests were threatened, as in the 1941 Rash?d `Al? al-Gayl?n? coup. This coup led to a British invasion of Iraq using forces from the British Indian Army and the Arab Legion from Jordan.


This is just a piece of Iraq's "modern history". If you read more from any source on its entire history you will see that the illusion of a stable government is not a reality.
I've not included the juicy parts on British Petroleum etc. You will enjoy reading that for yourself. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF AND POLITICIANS REFUSE TO LEARN FROM IT!!!