Or you could cut the budget. Not (just) granny’s heating oil – first go after the “bridge to nowhere” crap, sugar subsidies (which will mess up FL’s economy, and so this will obviously never happen because FL is one of the two most important states, electorally speaking [with OH]).

Plus means-testing Social Security. (Which will also never happen, of course, because old people have nothing better to do with their time than vote and write angry letters to politicians).

I am sure that there are many things we agree on — I try not to be dogmatic and to go where (I think) the truth leads. And I do like Lieberman (as well as people like Orren Hatch and Sam Brownback — even though I think they are 100% wrong about everything — because they are men of principle).

As for generosity — well, maybe. As a recently deceasied Senator (Herman Talmadge?) said, “don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax that guy behind the tree.” You have to raise taxes somehow, so you might as well raise them equitably.

Giving someone something = generous
Not taking something from someone = ?

Again, one of these differences that I don’t think we can rationally convince each other of through argument. Maybe political differences, at bedrock level, are like aesthetic preferences – you’re either a Beatles man, or an Elvis man?

So, not a fan of Lieberman, I take it?

Hey – I like Arnold too! I think we agree more than we disagree. “We’re not so different, you and I …”

Regarding how much ought to go to entitlements: I think you have to draw the line based on what the needs balanced against other priorities. The government can never feed everyone who is hungry and pay for everyone who is sick — there have to be limits. We cannot afford to pay for $500,000 heart transplants for every 90 year old who needs one. On the other hand, we are building bridges to nowhere in Alaska while, according to today’s Times, the number of homeless kids has grown to 600,000. The government ought to help those who cannot help themselves. While I can’t point to the precise level of what entitlement spending ought to be, I believe that the Bush administration is far short of the goal of helping the helpless, and far too generous to those who have ample resources to take care of themselves.

San Antonio, one of my brothers and I went with my dad on a business trip.

I was 13 or so. I remember it being a really cool city.

Hopefully I’ll have cause to go there more often in the future …