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If a War Tax is instituted, so that people are more cognizant of the costs of war, as the guest suggested, then the people should be given the right to directly vote on whether we go to war... in every case.  Congress is inherently not a reliable proxy, given the political and financial influence of the defense and munitions industries, and the energy interests.  This is not to suggest that all wars are engaged by the U.S. for purely economic reasons, but many are, and the Middle East is certainly no exception, given the oil situation.

posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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I lived in/around Fairbanks for 31 years before my recent relocation to Portland.  I can attest to the sense of mystery, grandeur and vast  space which Lynn describes.  I arrived in the 1970s to work on the Alaska pipeline.  It was early fall; the rainy season having subsided and before the cold set in.  A time of year when the aurora becomes visible at night, the skies are clear and cobalt by day, the mountaintops have their first couple of snow dustings, the valleys appear to stretch into forever, the birch and alder are just beginning to turn golden, and the air is pure and fresh.  There is a palpable spirit of timelessness.  It was there that I was literally imprinted on Alaska.  It will always be in my heart.

posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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