A Question for the "right" side
By ZephyrSun
@ZephyrSun (7381)
United States
October 27, 2009 4:04pm CST
I have a question from the "right" side of the political spectrum. Doesn't the right mostly believe in small government with less personal invasion? Or what exactly does small government mean to you?
I ask because I was reading an article that I thought must be a joke (after reading the title) and anyway it was about the governor of California wanting to ban the "energy-hogging televisions". According to the article-
"It would put in place a set of energy efficiency mandates for large-screen TVs that would effectively ban the current generation of plasma TVs with screens over 40 inches. The law would require a 33 percent improvement in energy efficiency for all TVs sold starting Jan. 1, 2011, and a whopping 50 percent improvement for sets sold starting Jan. 1, 2013."
So is the government telling citizens what size of television they may own small government? Or is it ok because California has energy issues?
:http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/26/schwarzenegger-to-television-makers-go-green-or-stay-out-of-cal/?icid=main|main|dl4|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyfinance.com%2F2009%2F10%2F26%2Fschwarzenegger-to-television-makers-go-green-or-stay-out-of-cal%2F
2 people like this
9 responses
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
27 Oct 09
Minimal government isn't a "right" idea, it's libertarian idea that at one point, the republican party held as one of it's ideologies. Many people mistakenly assign this as a "conservative" ideology. I would also point out that the governator is hardly what you could call a hard right leaning kinda governor.
2 people like this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
28 Oct 09
Nope, libertarian/authoritarian is a much broader and larger scope of the political spectrum than the left/right spectrum the country has been programmed to look at. this is where the similarities between the two big commercial parties becomes apparent, when you step back and look at the larger picture in broader terms. In this larger more broad spectrum BOTH parties though they lean either right or left, are still on the decidedly authoritarian end of things. I just hope a LOT more people start taking a few steps back to actually look at this larger more complete picture and realize a few truths before it's too late to do anything about it and change course.
2 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
27 Oct 09
I think I'm confused, yes, I know nothing new. But, isn't the Libertarian ideology the most "right" on the political spectrum? And I can imagine that the "governator" isn't very right leaning after reading this article.
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
28 Oct 09
To answer your question above I don't think I really have a political party. But, on to your libertarian ideology, since you sorta explained now I have to ask because you didn't say. So as a Libertarian do you agree that as long as the state makes the law than pretty much it's ok? Say like abortion, if a state say yes, it's fine than that is the law? Or say something like gay marriage, if the state says yes than it's fine? Is it just when you get the federal government in on it than it's not fine?
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
27 Oct 09
Well, The Governator has pretty much proven that, while he is a Republican, he is on the left of center more than the right of anything.
The conservative view of this issue would be to allow both the "energy hogging" and "energy saving" televisions to compete on the open market. Let the television buying public decide.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
27 Oct 09
btw, the conservative view is small government, but not no government. The government should be as big as it needs to be to get the job done... but its job is limited to that spelled out by the US Constitution.
2 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
27 Oct 09
I can't believe how many of the "right" that I happen to be agreeing with tonight. Maybe my swine flu is back and I should just go back to bed.
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Well I think I see snowballs flying by here in Miami, because we're going to agree on this. I'm sick of all this garbage with governments trying to tell us how to live our lives. Now aside from how ridiculous this bit of big government is, it's pointless and will accomplish NOTHING for the people of California.
Let's see, we can't buy plasma TVs in Cali? We'll just make a run to Nevada and buy one, or we'll buy it from Target or Walmart online. Not only can you still get the stupid TV, another state will enjoy the tax revenue (depending on your method and the state involved).
I'm truly sick of politicians who focus on absolute garbage like this while ignoring their budget problems, and we all know about the budget problems in that back a$$ward state.
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
28 Oct 09
"It really makes me crazy when politicians are running with a party name but, hold no party values. But, I have to say it runs more rampant on the "right" than the "left"."
Sadly that's true and that's exactly why the Republicans have lost so much ground. The ones in congress, and Bush, were not holding to republican values. Now Schwarzenegger was never really a full republican. Even he said when he ran that his friends kept telling him he should stop calling himself a republican and admit that he's an independent.
"It also makes me crazy that all of these elected officals are educated, (not drop outs) and yet, they come up with the most uneducated ideas."
I agree and California is the most horribly run state in the country I believe. They have great resources, a booming tourism industry, and yet the state has been run into the ground over the last 20 years. Nobody in that state's government seems to have a clue.
@pixeltwistr (613)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Well why not just make a run up to Oregon and pay NO taxes either!!!
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
28 Oct 09
So how's the snow going down there, is it a first? LOL
It really makes me crazy when politicians are running with a party name but, hold no party values. But, I have to say it runs more rampant on the "right" than the "left". It also makes me crazy that all of these elected officals are educated, (not drop outs) and yet, they come up with the most uneducated ideas. As you stated the television can be bought online at many different sites or the people in California that want a 42 inch can run to the next state and buy one. Which you're right that other state will love the tax revenue.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
27 Oct 09
An answer from the "right" side. Yes, the "conservative" party believes in smaller government because the people who are the majority run the government which should be the minority in our lives, the small part so to speak. I know that there is a energy crisis but it should not limit you to the size of car, tv or dinner plate you want to buy. Think about this, if I want to buy a 70 inch television, who is going to make it? A rich person? No, it will be a factor worker, so by not buying a big tv I am putting somebody out of work, the same goes for small tv's too. The energy crisis is just a power play, who ever controls the energy controls how much you use, government wants to control how much you use, abuse of power, you betcha!
1 person likes this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
28 Oct 09
for the same reason "liberals" keep voting in moderate democrats.. people are addicted and married to that little letter, and many even when confronted with the grave error of their choice, simply out of pride won't admit they made a mistake.
2 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
27 Oct 09
We agree for once on politics. But, now, after reading your response and the one above it leads me to another question, why do people on the right keep voting in politicians called Republicans that are Democrats in disguise?
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
27 Oct 09
Name 1 thing the right side has done that isn't personal invasion... aside from allowing abortion to remain legal.
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
29 Oct 09
[b]Support the troops? Uphold the right to freedom of speech? Freedom of religion? Write the Constitution? Fight pedophiles to protect children? Fight for equality? Protect private property? Fight for the secret ballot? Fight for the right to work? Are you truly unaware that all these things have been & still are being done, or were you "taught" in gummint "skools" by ignorant teachers?
Shall I go on? Or did I take more than my share of the answers?
Maggiepie
"OBAMA IS AN 'UNDOCUMENTED WORKER.'"[/b]
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
27 Oct 09
Are you wondering why the "right" politicians seem to want control and become a large government when one of the values is, supposedly, smaller government?
If so, now you're starting to get why SO MANY people are disenfranchised and protesting and throwing fits.
The average person on the "right" side is fed up with nearly every politician. Most politicians on the "right" side are leftists with a more conservative base they exploit for power.
And on the left they don't even attempt to hide the fact that they're trying to take over nearly every aspect of a person's life! lmao
If you're a right-leaning person, believing in the free market, personal freedom and a small, reigned-in government, your (my) head is spinning when you see the direction the country is going in and has been going in for years. Today's climate is a culmination of over a decade of this expansion and personal invasion.
And it's not about right or left, conservative or liberal; it's all about some people wanting their country back. At least that's what I have to say about it.
Vote 'em all out. Don't tell me what TV I can't use! I need my shows, man. 
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
27 Oct 09
Most time matersfish I read what you have typed and shake my head in disbelief that someone actually thinks the way you do and now I can't believe what I am about to type but, I agree with all of what you typed. My political beliefs are pretty screwy but, damn don't tell me what size of television I can have, did we wake up in Cuba this morning? 
2 people like this
Welcome to the truth Zephyr! 
@pixeltwistr (613)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Damn straight matersfish....i couldnt have said it any better!
1 person likes this
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Schwarzenegger is far from conservative. He is only labeled as a republican because his state houses many of the richest people in the country who are not willing to have a governor who's going to tax them highly.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
1 Nov 09
Clearly you haven't paid any attention to California politics. The richest people are the there are the Hollywood and media elite and they are heavily liberal and way overboard on the environmental garbage to the point that many are willing to destroy entire farms to make sure that a fish has a deeper river to swim in. That's why California has the highest taxes in the country. Taxes went through the roof under the last governor, and under Arnold they've continued to increase. The majority of this however, is the fault of the congress that refuses to reduce spending.
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
27 Oct 09
X is right but, still what if I want to have a 42 inch television?
