Becoming a Better Internet Citizen: Disagreeing agreeably

We have seen a fair amount a disagreement on the interwebs in the last few weeks.  I am sure that we will see plenty of it tonight after the presidential debate and I am sure it will not end there.  In the last few months we have had dustups over gun control, gay marriage, free speech, and the location of Romney’s binders full of women to name a few. 

Regardless of your level of eloquence or passion on a particular issue you have probably disagreed with someone at some time.  This is not a bad thing!  You have a right to advocate for yourself and be heard.  There is nothing wrong with this but how and why you do it makes all the difference. 

Beyond the meme: The federal budget is nothing like your household budget.

I have heard this argument from both sides of the aisle, “Government should operate more like a household.”  Typically this is an appeal to bring our expenditures more in line with revenue which makes sense.  I agree that it is not good to run at a 45% deficit which is around what we are currently running.  However I have seen this go much further in recent months.  In talking to people the rhetoric is more heated and has become, “The government should operate EXACTLY like a household and that is how I am voting!”  The more I think about it the more I find this idea impossible, impractical and also misleading.