tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post113492321183628950..comments2023-12-24T00:27:57.613-06:00Comments on Kole Hard Facts of Life: Mike Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1135129838963006482005-12-20T19:50:00.000-06:002005-12-20T19:50:00.000-06:00Anonymous, where do you see anyone "riled up again...Anonymous, where do you see anyone "riled up against" Mike?<BR/><BR/>I see posts with questions and comments concerning the specifics of what he posted.<BR/><BR/>I find it so odd how some seem surprised when libertarian-minded people give a libertarian candidate's ideas and positions the same skepticism and critical thought as they would give to any other candidate.Debbie H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02209691050549648880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1135093404344622892005-12-20T09:43:00.000-06:002005-12-20T09:43:00.000-06:00I thought the important part was exposing how much...I thought the important part was exposing how much tax money is sucked out by Indygo. I thought that would rile your libertarian friends against the light rail, not against you. Well, who needs enemies...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1135029560843914742005-12-19T15:59:00.000-06:002005-12-19T15:59:00.000-06:00I regard my more radical libertarian friends as al...I regard my more radical libertarian friends as allies. They are arguing for an absolute application of principles, and I have a deep appreciation for that. <BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, absolutism rarely gets a seat at the table. Because I believe libertarians *need to* have a seat at the table, I do sometimes come up with counter-proposals that only eliminate 98% of the tax burden that would be foisted upon us by our current elected officials.Mike Kolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1135014296505006252005-12-19T11:44:00.000-06:002005-12-19T11:44:00.000-06:00Here's the reality with Libertarians, Mike. Are yo...Here's the reality with Libertarians, Mike. Are you old enough to remember Pogo? We have seen the enemy and he is us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1134965728163569272005-12-18T22:15:00.000-06:002005-12-18T22:15:00.000-06:00Okay, so now I'm confused Mike. You said: "The id...Okay, so now I'm confused Mike. <BR/><BR/>You said: "The idea with the greenway & trail was to create a counter-proposal. It isn't satisfying enough for me, or for my Republican critics, to simply declare a plan 'bad' and move on. It is important to offer some kind of alternative."<BR/><BR/>Your counter proposal is only in reaction to using this rail line in a manner you deem inappropriate. <BR/><BR/>But, to do what you say is necessary, don't you need to offer a counter proposal to the transportation issue, which you said is congestion on I-69,instead of just saying "it's a private matter?"<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that you did indeed "declare the plan a bad move" and moved on to what you consider to be a "proper" use of the Monon line.Debbie H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02209691050549648880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1134959437559500822005-12-18T20:30:00.000-06:002005-12-18T20:30:00.000-06:00Don't forget that construction and maintenance of ...Don't forget that construction and maintenance of a greenway would neccesitate an increase in the size of the (government) park budgets of the municipalities adjacent to the rail line. Carmel spent a very pretty penny for their section of the Monon and I would be curious as to whether the increase in property values has yet caught up to the gross investment. Actually the rails-to-trails folks put this idea forward for the Nickel Plate route over ten years ago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1134954118215900242005-12-18T19:01:00.000-06:002005-12-18T19:01:00.000-06:00The Nickel Plate line is already publicly owned. S...The Nickel Plate line is already publicly owned. Sure, it could simply be divested, splitting the corridor in half, ceding the land to the adjacent property owners as often does happen when a railroad 'rationalizes' a property.<BR/><BR/>The idea with the greenway & trail was to create a counter-proposal. It isn't satisfying enough for me, or for my Republican critics, to simply declare a plan 'bad' and move on. It is important to offer some kind of alternative.<BR/><BR/>This counter-proposal is the difference between $850 million, and about $1.5 million.Mike Kolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1134948426267545712005-12-18T17:27:00.000-06:002005-12-18T17:27:00.000-06:00Mike, I admire your attempts to create a differenc...Mike, I admire your attempts to create a difference between the Libertarian party and the Republican party. However, in the process, you are raising all sorts of questions. (Now, I will probably be accused of going more into philosophy and theory here, and be told to take my tin foil hat off my head, but I think these discussions are very important if things are indeed ever going to change.)<BR/><BR/>You say in your post: "Libertarians believe in the best possible use for public resources."<BR/><BR/>But that's essentially meaningless because the definition of "best possible use" is merely up to opinion and endless debate. Sure, you could rely solely on cost, but that's not the only concern when politics comes into the picture. This is because there are always groups that directly benefit from a government project, no matter how ridiculous the cost. So there will always be people touting the new idea or project.<BR/><BR/>And in reality, they are no different than even the libertarians if libertarians go ahead and say it's legitimate to have public resources, we just have to spend it "right" and only the libertarians know how to do this. So now it's simply a matter of choosing the party that has the best spending plan, and again, the choice will not always come down straight to costs.<BR/><BR/>Another quandary in your post is that you say transportation is a private matter and then go on to say how great a greenway and trail would be for that area.<BR/><BR/>So why aren't greenways and trails also private matters?<BR/><BR/>Of course your analysis makes a lot of sense when one looks at it purely from a cost perspective, but like I said before, that is not what always happens when we start to spend other people's money.<BR/><BR/>I am encouraged that at least the commissioner is looking to local funding rather than taking federal money. We can hope that this will at least help people in the area to better see how much of THEIR money these people want to squander and it may help make your fight against it easier.<BR/><BR/>But if libertarians only say they have "better" ways to spend the money then we simply have opened yourself up to endless fighting and debate over what that better spending would be.<BR/><BR/>Just like the other parties.<BR/><BR/>And that doesn't seem to be doing anything different which makes me wonder how any real change is going to happen.Debbie H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02209691050549648880noreply@blogger.com