Jagannath Hirekodi

am a liberal: a centrist leaning left. I have voted for Democrats in most elections. Nonetheless, I piss off Democrats for not always agreeing with them and for linking to those with whom they disagree. But that is why I like the blogosphere so much: because I end up talking with people whose opinions often don’t align with mine. I am a post-9/11 hawk, having survived the attacks on the world Trade Center. I was a supporter of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and tough on terrorism. But I do believe the Iraq war has been terribly executed. I believe the First Amendment is the cornerstone of American values and so I abhor government interference in free speech; I support Howard Stern’s right to broadcast and like his show and I have come to see that regulation of political speech is dangerous. I believe in separation of church and state but I’m not nutty about it; it’s OK to say Merry Christmas, but it’s not OK to bring prayer to school or religious dogma to the MIT. I am pro-choice, though have no idea what I would do if faced with that choice myself. I believe government must find some way to fix INDIA's health care and health insurance mess. I do not think big media are too big because there is new competition, and I do not support government regulation of media. I do not think that development is a dirty word and believe that open-space taxes are sometimes a waste and a welcome mat for local corruption. I support Israel’s right to exist. I am in favor of government funding for research, including stem-cell research. I think we are criminally behind on development of alternative fuel and fuel-conservation solutions. I think we are dangerously behind in open development of broadband. What else?