[Radar]

Even simple things like Outlook's handling of email isn't standard.

Bullshit. Microsoft outlook handles pop3 and all other emails according to set standards. They do DHCP, WINS, TCP/IP, SNMP, and hundreds of other services, protocols, and software implementations according to standards they they didn't create. The fact that you don't like the way they handle a few of things doesn't mean they don't follow standards.

gandhi and mother theresa devoted their *entire* lives to helping people

So has Bill Gates. He worked hard to build the largest and most profitable software company in the world and he's giving his entire fortune away. And 3 billion dollars helps poor and sick people a lot more than non-violent protests and helping only a few sick orphans.

What criteria do you use to determine who has done more in helping the poor? Certainly you use more than money, right?

I use the number of needy people who got assistance and the level of assistance they got.

By paying tax we all support services we do not want or need, the fact we are willing to contribute to something that may help others with no benefit to ourselves I think is a great reflection on our society.

We don't PAY taxes. We don't get a tax bill in the mail and we don't choose which programs we support with those taxes. Nearly half of our income is STOLEN from us to pay for UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND ILLEGAL social programs that don't help anyone. The government keeps close to 85 cents of every dollar STOLEN from us as overhead.

After a few pages of rubbish about efficiency, the truth comes out: he thinks income tax is 'armed robbery'.

I defy you to show me how it's different than armed robbery or extortion. Money is taken from you against your will and you have no choice about it and if you don't like it and try to avoid it, men with guns show up.

I assume therefore that he is an anarchist, not a libertarian, because I do not understand how government is supposed to function effectively (or efficiently?) without tax revenue?

100% of the constitutional parts of government can be run solely with the tariffs and excise taxes we already collect. But in order to make it a more free market for everyone the tariffs should be spread out evenly across all importers from every nation. A flat 3% tariff and the standard excise taxes on telephone, gas, power, etc. alone would pay for our military, judiciary, and the other constitutional parts of government. Everything else is unconstitutional and needs to go.

Under a Libertarian plan the poor, elderly, and infirmed would get MORE ASSISTANCE not less. Less people would fall through the cracks if people had more of their income and got to choose where it went. The government steals from us to pay tobacco farm subsidies and then to pay for no-smoking campaigns.

I don't want to pay for either of those. I'd much rather have the people who genuinely care about the poor, elderly, and infirmed like private charities, churches, friends, family, and relatives have more money to help them. And that's not a fantasy like trying to get the government to do everything for everybody like the socialists want. I think it's selfish of people to want to use government to steal from people and allow government to violate the constitution when a private system run without force or coersion would provide even more assistance. And it would without a doubt.

The government isn't here to clothe, feed, shelter, prepare for retirement, educate, give healthcare, or any of those other things. It's only here for those things specifically listed in the constitution and that's it. NOTHING MORE.

Bullshit. Sorry.

Well Win2k is better than any Mac OS, better than Linux, better than Novell, better than Unix, better than OS2, and better than any mainframe OS. So how is that bullshit?

The Libertarian Party is far superior to any of the other established parties.

Absolutely true. Libertarians won't sacrifice their principles to get elected and actually do what they promise when elected. (See Art Olivier) and it's this reason why they will come out ahead in the end not the reason they will fail. A Libertarian president isn't a dream, it's a certainty. It will happen in my lifetime for sure.