Summary of political beliefs

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Abortion: From a policy perspective abortion needs to remain legal. Sorry guys, hangers are to hang clothes up with not to perform medical procedures.

Same-Sex Marriage: Strongly support. At first I was for civil unions until people are okay with gay marriage Hehe.

Drugs: Marijuana should be legalized for sure and perhaps most drugs. I am not a huge fan of government intervention in these issues as it is pointless and a strain on law enforcement. However I do support punishments on use of drugs if they contributed to an accident or crime. That would place Alcohol on par with weed.

Death Penalty: Opposed except in the most egregious circumstances. Seems barbaric.

Gun Control:  It is an issue that is unwinnable. It is not like everyone will just turn their guns in just because they are made illegal. Plus the Second Amendment protects our gun rights.

Affirmative Action: Unfortunately it is a necessary evil.

Immigration: A nation does have a right to restrict who can and can not come into their country. However immigration is a plus for our nation, not a minus. While we advertise ourselves as the nation of opportunity I am not fight against illegal immigration. If your car breaks down in the middle of the night a Mexican is likely to be the one who comes to fix your car. Plus Muslim immigrants and refugees are trying to escape terrorism not bring it with them.

Minimum Wage: I am opposed to a federal minimum wage. Circumstances and cost of living vary wildly throughout the United States, though I could be talked into a 10.00 per hour minimum wage nationally. A 15/20 dollar per hour minimum wage could create economic chaos in the rural Midwest.

Welfare: Very few people actually oppose all welfare. Even if the right can make compelling arguments against welfare programs, we can not be a developed nation without them. There are people on hard luck, have mental illnesses, or unskilled due to circumstances beyond their control.

Healthcare: No ObamaCare. We must have medicare for all. It is the only practical solution and replacement to ObamaCare.

Trade: Yea yea yea, I concede it is true that trade agreements like NAFTA have accelerated job losses in the Rust Belt. That contributed to Donald Trump's victory. But here is the kicker, dismantling all free trade agreements will not bring those unskilled high paying jobs back. We must embrace the new economy. I am not a Luddite so I strongly believe new positions will be created and some positions that can be automated are not practical to automate. Free trade has helped keep inflation and our cost of living low.

Deficit/Debt: Deficit spending is good in a recession of course. We must close most tax loop holes to contribute to keeping our national debt from getting out of control. National debt is not necessarily bad but it is bad when it exceeds GPD and you are borrowing from social security.

Unions: We must gut all public sector unions. I am okay with unions in the private sector.

Energy: Sorry coal boys, green energy is the future. I am not one to want to end all fossil fuel usage over night but for the sake of our climate we must transition to green energy. I do not know if conservatives get high off coal or gasoline but we need to embrace the future not the past.

Taxes: I mirror Mitt Romney. Keep the rates lower but close most of the deductions and loop holes.

Foreign Policy tl;dr DOVE. Bush is the reason why I usually vote Democratic.

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Social Issues
Abortion: Pro-Choice. We will see in due time in states that make abortion illegal, why I hold this view.

Birth Control: Can not see why anyone would oppose this.

Same-Sex Marriage: Support obviously. Hopefully, I will have a nice marriage with a Latino in a few years.

Divorce: Always a tragic situation.

Legalization of Drugs: Support, especially for marijuana. More controls on alcohol.

Gun Control: Mostly oppose, but background checks are OK

Prostitution: I wouldn't do it, but.. have it legal.

Affirmative Action: Mostly support, but more economic tiered than race.

Reparations: Oppose

Police Reform/BLM: I largely agree with BLM and witnessed blatantly discrimination against blacks growing up. I disagree with BLM tactics as it hurts Democrats electorally though. But I still largely believe that criminal justice system is biased against the poor.

Private Prisons: Opposed. Creates demand for prisoners.

Big Tech: Becoming too politically correct.

Free Speech: Support, duh

PATRIOT Act: I love to criticize it, but parts of the law are still important to national security, unfortunately.

Eminent Domain: Do not oppose.

Immigration: Pro-immigration and ambivalent on illegal immigration. Favor more open borders with Mexico and Canada with a mutual agreement.

Mask Mandates: Oppose

Vaccine Mandates: Oppose

COVID-19 Vaccines: Would recommend getting the 4th booster when available to you.

Economic Issues

Free Trade: Largely support with some controls. We would benefit from more unrestricted trade with Latin America

Taxes: I would close most loopholes and many deductions. Must be a progressive system.


Healthcare: Keep market based system with a governmental public option on a sliding scale.

Social Security: Good program, and the GOP better not try to dismantle it! It is constitutional and more sound based legal theory than Roe V. Wade ever did. Surprisingly to some, I have been ambivalent on whether to partially privatize it. Also, no cap on the income that can be taxed to fund social security benefits. That is important.

National Debt: Let's just say there are reasons I truly hate Bush and Trump.

Campaign Finance Reform: Support

Unions: Private sector workers should absolutely unionize. I am in strong opposition to public sector unions though and 2020 vindicated me on that. Look how police officers and teachers acted during 2020.

Tariffs: Oppose, especially for now.

UBI: Opposed for immediate future as automation displacing jobs is overblown for now. But in the twilight of my life, it may start to become necessary.

Foreign Policy: I am very dovish in almost all situations. We have to take care of ourselves. We are an ailing country for the developed world and it is time we took care of ourselves.

Education
I do not believe CRT in elementary or secondary schools actually exists. In person schooling is important for a child's development. I was partially homeschooled and it is had major impact on my development. Which is why I pushed back hard against school closures.

I am more ambivalent on school vouchers than most liberals.



Environment
Climate Change: I am confident technology will help mitigate most impacts, but am extremely down stream of the Colorado River and the impact of the nations food supply. That requires immediate attention.

Green New Deal: Mostly support.

Carbon Tax: Support

Keystone Pipeline: Support, grudgingly

Energy independence: We are perfect capable of being independent of other countries for energy if we used more green energy.


Elections

Big Lie: It was a big lie. I also believe that mail in voting hurt Democrats at the margins in 2020 elections. Both directly in that mail in ballots may have been filled in incorrectly or been late and indirectly in that it made Democrats look more like they were cheating by perception and gave Democrats a look of going into hiding over covid. offensive  to their minority working class base and people in general.

Voter ID: Support really. But government IDs should be at no cost.

Audits: Our elections are secure

Term Limits: Probably Oppose

DC: Statehood

PR: Support statehood

SCOTUS: Has become too powerful and congress should consider legislating its jurisdiction. I oppose court packing because the court will eventually be larger than congress depending on who is in office.