Pass Labs

I sometimes share the bandstand with a piano player who is a hardcore Libertarian. I actually truly respect that political bent---limited government (including the lack of laws prohibiting personal behavior greatly disapproved of by many Conservatives---drugs, prostitution, etc.---at least publicly ;-), fiscal responsibility, etc. If you want government to do as little as possible, Libertarianism is the way. But I don’t think that’s what most Americans actually want. As one published author recently opined, "We’re all Socialists now". To one degree or another, though Conservatives won’t admit it. By the way, that piano player is also a Scientologist. Weird, ay?!

"We all have a stake in what each other does. It's the basis of family, community, nationality and ultimately humanity. No man's an island."

I agree with this statement on a personal level. Unfortunately not everyone sees things as we bleeding hearts do Onhwy61, it is an idealistic view. My point was as a simple transaction, between two parties what is the problem? One could make a similar comment regarding a component or product that is a fraction of the 85K figure above, say 5K, would it then be an issue? It certainly would be just as unreachable or unrealistic a price to pay for the vast majority of  people on this planet.

Your point about a sexual transaction between a 13 year old child and an adult is immoral and illegal and is not equivalent in any way to   a sales transaction of an 85K amp between two adults. So far as drugs being legal, I just wonder how much more effective our resources would be if we spent the money on educationing our children on the perils of drug use, a plan similar but expanded to the "just say no" campaign of the 80's. Where is the leadership? 

To your greater point Bdp24 the unfortunate fact of our Republic and  the democracy at large is that folks often come to the point  that they don't want to pay for the benefits  provided for all, time to drain that swamp!  Often their views are skewed by special interest forces that have a completely unrelated agenda.  Many would rather be an island, it gives them a sense of control in a world that  gradually seems to be losing it's bearings.   Why should a wealthy person that can  afford any health care plan he chooses or afford to send his child to any school he wants be obligated  to pay for the inefficiencies of what is currently available?  It seems history, economics and ethics might be additional required classes for all of us. It is just remarkable the degree of ignorance in our wealthy nation and it seemingly is getting worse. When almost 50% of the adult population can not name at least one Supreme Court Justice how can they possibly understand the importance of the Supreme Court in our system of Government?

PS Onhwy61 to your question about arms an drugs why shouldn't a private citizen, by rights provided by the 2nd amendment, be permitted to purchase any weapon he chooses? Why not an M60, why should we be limited?

Tubegroover, I as well thought the attempted analogy of minors exploited and forced into sex trafficking compared to financially able adults engaging in perfectly legal retail purchasing/commerce was a poor one.
Since the advent of the Johnson era "Great Society " trillions of dollars have been spent and redistributed with sadly little to show for this massive effort. After 5 decades of this experience I believe that enough data sampling is available to judge the benefits honestly.
Charles