>- Yes, as we were attacked at Pearl Habor. We might not have
>gotten involved in the European theater, but who knows.
>
>You don't think that would have been a huge problem for us,
>and the entire world?

Honestly? Not really. I'm not sure why it would have been. It also depends upon how aligned Japan and Germany were. History isn't really my thing, but were they working together? If so, we would have probably gotten involved in Europe. If not, the USSR takes over a whole lot more of Europe and destabilizes that much quicker.

>- Would we have even attempted space travel?
>- I believe so, but not perhaps by a national organization
> NASA).
>
>How would we have done it? It wasn't, and isn't profitable.
>But amazing things came out of it.

We have satellites and such that are profitable no? Are human space voyages profitable? I don't think so, so they might not have happened... I'm not entirely sure we lose a whole lot.

>- I don't see how it has been a massive success, especially
>considering that programs could have been established to allow
>you to save your own money before taxes. I don't know, perhaps
>I'm missing the success stories.
>
>The success story is that we are not a complete welfare state,
>which we likely would be without social security. If people
>are not forced to save through a pension or social security,
>do you know how many people actually save properly for
>retirement? Very, very few.

I don't consider it the job of the government to take care of those that don't take care of themselves. Also, were there other options for people to save pre-tax money on their own? To opt out of Social Security? No and no.

>- I'd say that falls pretty clearly under the regulating
>interstate commerce clause, but telling states how to link up
>could have been done without providing the money or increasing
>federal taxes to do so.
>
>How is that clear? States didn't do a damn thing about
>linking up. It took Eisenhower to grab some cash and get it
>going.

Were they asked? Did Eisenhower first try to get the states to work together on an interstate highway system? Either way, it does fall under instate commerce clause, so they had the authority to make it happen one way or the other.

>- If for no other reason than he'd be a push in the other
>direction from where we're headed now I think you should vote
>for him, but hey, I'm a big fan.
>
>It's pretty clear you're a big fan. I'm a big fan of scaling
>back government. I'm just not sure he's the guy to do it.

Fair enough, but I'm not seeing another option right now.