Reply #3: I really love the first paragraph of your reply

[renate]

Your whole reply is great, and well reasoned and well written. But the gist of the first paragraph is impossible for any remotely reasonable person to argue with. (And I think it goes both ways... your reply is a nice reminder that most conservatives--not the ones in Washington who are focused on power but the ones we pass on the street every day--also want to be happy and safe. They just happen to be wrong about how to get that way. :) Kidding... sort of. I do respect their right to hold their views, which is more than they do for us. Unfortunately, they feel the need to preach to us instead of having genuine discussion.)

Wow... what a long-winded way to say "good job!" How about this:

:applause: