Mod Mark, Hello, hope you are well. We have plenty of oil reserves in non-conventional as well as conventional sources. The main element is the price signal sent to the market when America indicates it is going to aggressively exploit its own resources. This sends a pricing chill through the world market as it tries to minimize the demand for product not produced by itself, seeking to reduce demand for American oil. Our purpose is accomplished either way - we produce it, or the rest of the world compensates for the cost impacts of the potentially-added supply.

Doesn't matter. The joint income of the two married people is still more than twice that of any single category. This indicates that married people generate a synergy that allows them to produce more than either of them would do alone. That's the point of the column.

And these AGW morons move from one catastrophe to the next as each preceding one loses the air in its balloon. Global cooling, to acid rain, to ozone holes, to global warming, to climate change, to climate disruption, to ocean acidification, to global weirding, and now to alarm over methane burps in the ocean and Russia. They are insane and need to be neutered and ignored.

And everyone who opposes using any products from China should abstain from any good or service provided by the government since about 40% of government's money comes from China.

You're a freaking moron. Having people prove their identities and eligibility to vote suppresses no ones right to vote except those who are not entitled to vote! Of course, that is what you object to. You want illegals, felons, and dead people to continue voting for Democrats like they always have. You are a cheater and a fraud. People like you should be in jail.

I also believe we can greatly reduce our hard footprint in many places around the globe. My strategy would be to build an invincible Navy and project our power and influence all around the globe complete with the flexibility to redeploy these assets easily and at will to where they are most needed. Aircraft carriers to provide air power when needed, and battleships, destroyers, and troop carriers containing mostly quick strike special operations forces. I have no idea why we need to be in South Korea serving as a trip wire. We can just as easily support them from off shore.

I agree that I don't want us to be the world's policeman, or to be engaging in wars unless we are committed and possess the resolve to go all out and do whatever is required to end the war as quickly, and unconditionally as possible. Saying that does not mean I don't think having the strongest military in the world (without any shadow of a doubt) is not an absolute necessity to preserving real peace. If we go laissez-faire and isolationist, becoming fortress America, tyrants will go on the march and eventually we will have another world war.

Ron Paul has many good ideas in the financial domain, but he is absolutely dangerously naive regarding foreign policy and military strength. He acts like the rest of the world will leave us alone if we leave them alone. That is suicidal nonsense. Tyrants are emboldened when they perceive weakness. His position statements would lead them to believe they can basically do whatever they want and that it will take a very great deal before we would intervene. This kind of obliviousness is going to lead to untold misery and war. You really need to think this through, Dancing Bear.

And the ones who pay nothing, constantly complain that the rest of us aren't paying enough or our fair share. Amazingly ridiculous.

Oops! Threw, not through!.