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I am Sergeant in the US Army and have served proudly for 13 years.I am currently serving in Baghdad, Iraq for the third time. I have been around and thought I've heard pretty much everything, but your comments on the difference between Democrats and Republicans was to say the least laughable. Reading your tirade one can only assume Mr. Elder that you are a card carrying Republican, which by itself is not all bad, misguided but not all bad, what I have problem with is that your answer to the writers' question was pure opinion devoid of any facts and a bit disingenouis. Mr. Elder you have every right to try and promote the virtues of the Republican Party, but please don't try and pass your statements off as a legitimate answer to a legitimate question. Since you decided Mr Elder to leave out some important facts about the differences between Democrats and Republicans, I thought it was only fair that I attempt to answer the writers question honestly. FACT: Democrats are for a livable minnium wage, under a Republican lead congress every Bill sent up to deal with this moral issue was D.O.A., FACT: Democrats want to take care of our nations Veterans, Republicans have advocated increasing healthcare co-pays for Veterans and closing VA hospitals eventhough the demand for these services have increased 10 fold since the start of the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. FACT: George Bush tried to cut combat pay for Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. FACT: Democrats believe that the Elderly in America shouldn't have to chose between heat, rent, food and prescription drugs. George Bush wanted to eliminate the LIHEAP program that provide funds to the Elderly to heat there homes in the winter time. The prescription drug benefit that George Bush signed into law has been a disaster. It leaves behind far too many Seniors and has increased the cost of drugs for those that do qualify and not to mention a winfall for the drug companies who frankly don't need any help from the taxpayers to increase there bottom line. FACT: Democrats believe that every American should have quallity health care. There are 50 million Americans without any health insurance. This is not just a health issue, but a moral issue. Republicans have repeatedly and consistantly sided with the drug companies and the insurance companies over the wishes of the American people, who when polled overwhelmingly support some form of universal coverage for all Americans. FACT: Democrats believe in the free market system just like most Americans, but we also understand that regulation and laws are the safeguards that ensure fairness in the system,is better for America and grows the middle class. It's when these safeguards are ignored or violated that you end with the Enrons' and the Tycos'. FACT: Democrats believe in the right to privacy and so does the Supreme Court. This issue has made it the court several times in the past 50 years and each time the Supreme Court has confirmed that the individual has a right to privacy and I think you know that Mr Elder. I could go on with a host of other issues Sir, but i trust i made my point.

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Re: lawrence jones "Democrats believe in the free market system", do they? I challenge you, Sgt. Jones, to name ANY issue on which Democrats prioritize the freedom of the market over government solutions to social problems. Democrats believe in punishing the rich with higher taxes, because they are rich and deserve to pay their fair share, in order to pay for government programs for the middle and lower classes. That is not free market, that is government redistribution of wealth. "Democrats believe that every American should have quality health care." That is NOT free market, that is government controls on the health care industry and government redistribution of wealth. "Democrats believe that the Elderly in America shouldn't have to choose between heat, rent, food and prescription drugs" and "Democrats are for a livable minimum wage". That is NOT free market, that is government interference in the market, government controls on prices and/or wages, and government redistribution of wealth. If you want to argue that the system of redistribution of wealth that Democrats consistently propose is good for society, please do so, and probably you have many valid points on that score. Just please don't patronize us by suggesting that you have any respect for the free market that can't be ignored the next time you find a social problem that needs correcting. Democrats as a whole, as observed from the items you brought up in your post, are about trying to solve social problems, and not about preserving free markets.