In a message dated 12/26/2003 8:59:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Two things, because I have to go. How is importing gas from Turkey > > cheaper? On a strict price basis, 117 is less than 227, but is it safer, > > shorter, less manpower/equipment needed? Should the > government auditor > > be fired or prosecuted for revealing internal documents? > Point 1 _ There seems to be no debate on the fact that Halliburton overcharged. Even the incredibly pro-business Bush administration is not making your claim. Halliburton overcharged period. Point 2 - Exactly why should the auditor be fired? If he/she worked for Halliburton it was his/her obligation to do an unbiased audit and report it to the company. That the results of this audit became public would not be his/her responsibility and unless she/he went to the press and governmemt with the info after being ignored by Halliburton. As Doug states if this were the case the person would clearly be protected by "Whistle Blower" laws. If in fact the audit was sent to goverment and made public by the government then there can be no crime. I am still waiting for any one of the conservatives on the list to state up front that overcharging is a crime that must be pursued. I know it is tough for you guys so let me offer you a suggestion. I will simply substitute Rush for Bill Clinton and provide you with the formulation that us lefty commie liberals used. "I do not condone the actions of Clinton -Limbaugh. They were reprehensible and no glib emotional apology is acceptable given that Bill-Rush did not come clean until caught in his lie/illegal drug purchase. Having said this I do not believe that these actions warrent impeachment/crimal prosecution. I do believe that given his position as president/spokesman for the right that his actions represent are especially reprehensible" I have no problem with principled conservatism. I think it completely reasonable to hold that individuals are responsible for their own behavior and that government should not intefer with individual actions or the market economy. Opposition to abortion gay marriage etc are all legitimate positions. I do not hold them but I can respect those who hold these views just as I can respect people who are principled communists or socialists. But too often conservatism is espoused not as a political philosophy but a moral stance. Frankly I think John and Gautam (to a lesser extent) start with the premise that the right is good and the left is bad. So any action by the right can be defended as either principled or a necessary expediant to achieve a goal. But actions are taken by the right or the left. They are taken by indiviudals of the right or the left. And these indiduals and groups inevitably act in what they see as their self interest regardless of their political philosophy. One need only point to the messy and in some cases dispicable behavior of several prominent "pro-family" conservatives to understand this point
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