The goal in this post is to slay twenty beefy questions with a brief answer that covers as many bases as possible. To limit the verbiage, I have a rule that my answer will have no more than one sentence. And no pulling a "Henry James."
1. Do you believe in evolution?
Yes, and to keep up with the rest of the world, evolution should be taught in school as the established worldwide scientific view regarding life.
2. Do we need gun control?
Yes, to the same extent that drivers licenses are issued, in that first-time applicants should pass a test involving firearm safety and nonviolent conflict resolution, but guns should remain legal to protect the republic against fascism and/or a military coup d'etat.
3. Should drugs be legal?
Yes, they should be regulated, controlled, taxed, and interpreted as a public health problem, whereby identified addicts receive free medical treatment to overcome their addictions.
4. Income tax or flat tax?
Income tax, because the wealthiest can afford to pay a larger share and from an ethical standpoint, they should pay more to give back to the society in which they were able to prosper.
5. Sales tax?
Although regressive, it is acceptable to tax the purchase of certain goods to discourage consumption, such as gasoline, alcohol, tobacco, and all other items other than food, which is necessary to life and should be exempted from all forms of sales tax, state or local.
6. Overseas military intervention?
Almost never justified and usually a bad idea, because taxpayers pay all the costs in blood and money, while foreigners receive all the benefit, while resenting us for our intervention.
7. Large military spending?
A wasteful policy in peace time, especially when other countries are investing in their infrastructure, industry, scientific research, education and health care.
8. Should prostitution be legal?
Prostitutes should be protected by law against rape and violence from customers, pimps and other criminals, and should be required to work in a state-licensed brothel, where they are protected from violence and other forms of exploitation, and condom use is mandatory.
9. Nuclear energy?
Yes, now that we understand that carbon-based fuels hasten global warming, nuclear energy has become an attractive option, despite the problem of waste and the safety risks.
10. Is there a God?
No, but an opinion on this topic should not impact behavior, because an ethical sensibility exists independently of religious belief.
11. Are there bumps in the night / other supernatural things?
No to ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, demons, and anything that employs magic, spirits, psychic, telekinetic or clairvoyant ability.
12. What about quantum mechanics, other dimensions, and parallel universes, that could account for stories of supernatural events?
We are still learning about quantum mechanics, but so far, there has been no credible link established between ghost stories and quantum mechanics, and just because something is difficult to explain and understand does not make it the default explanation for hocus-pocus.
13. Reincarnation?
No.
14. Is human life important?
Human life is more important than the life of a cow, dog, or pigeon, however, that does not give us a right to mistreat the lesser creatures or waste their lives for no purpose other than cruelty, and intentional cruelty to animals should be considered a felony.
15. Is there life on other planets?
Almost certainly, and on some planets, life will be found to be in the same abundance as upon Earth.
16. Why don't intelligent aliens contact us?
The distance is vast, while the potential outcome of diplomacy with our kind is most uncertain, and to be honest, our violent species is not really worth contacting in the first place.
17. Will one drink of booze per day ward off heart disease?
The alcohol industry would like us to think so, but no, and despite what "studies" claim about the supposed benefits of drinking, it is bad for arthritis, bad for the digestion, fattening with empty calories, expensive and bad for the brain.
18. What are the best comedy shows on television right now?
The Daily Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look, and Peep Show.
19. What are the best drama shows on television right now?
Since the demise of 4400, Mad Men and Henry.
20. Name five good movies.
Impromptu, The Princess and the Warrior, and Lord of the Rings 1-3 extended editions.
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