Summary of political beliefs
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patd25
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« Reply #825 on: April 07, 2013, 01:45:30 PM »

Social Issues

LGBT Rights: I believe that though the states should be allowed to separately decide marriage laws, they should not have the right to prevent equal protection under hate crimes, employment discrimination and adoption rights.

Abortion: I'm a bit neutral on abortion. I don't think states like Arkansas and North Dakota should go through with such strict laws and women should have a right to their bodies, but I also feel that abortion should only take place when the mother's life is in danger.

The Drug War: This war has gotten too expensive and needs to be ended. While hard drugs like heroin, cocaine, and LSD should still be illegal. Marijuana should be allowed to be smoked in a person's property or in shops that allow it.

Death Penalty: Life sentence is completely rational, but sometimes, the most heinous crimes need to punished with death. However, this should only happen once every ounce of evidence has been completely proven so that innocent people do not get killed.

To be continued...


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TNF
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« Reply #826 on: April 13, 2013, 01:54:38 PM »

Domestic Issues

Labor Relations: I support the immediate passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, as well as efforts currently being made to make labor organizing a civil right. I oppose attacks on labor unions at the state and local levels, and support amending the National Labor Relations Act to protect the right of public sector, domestic, agricultural, and supervisory workers to organize and collectively bargain. In addition, I support repealing the Taft-Hartley Act and banning the use of scabs by employers when workers go out on strike. Fundamentally, I believe that labor unions should be involved in tripartite economic planning involving business and government, and support requiring labor representation on corporate boards.

Labor Standards: I support the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act and the implementation of a nationwide wage theft law modeled on Chicago's wage theft ordinance. Furthermore, I support expanding coverage of overtime pay to all wage earners in the country, while also requiring time-and-a-half be paid to any employee that works on the weekend and double-time paid to any employee that works a federal holiday. I support mandating paid vacations, paid sick leave, paid parental leave, and paid long service leave. I favor linking the minimum wage to productivity, with increases implemented as worker productivity rises. I also favor the gradual implementation of a 30 hour workweek with no loss in pay.

Taxes: I support a more progressive income tax structure that taxes capital gains at the same rate as regular income, closing tax loopholes that encourage offshoring (among others), and increases the corporate tax rate. I further support allowing the IRS to pre-fill tax returns, cracking down on individual and corporate tax dodgers, and linking the threshold at which the highest income tax bracket kicks in (ideally something like 78% as a top rate) at 30 times the rate of a two person household working full time at minimum wage (i.e. at the current minimum wage rate, that 78% top rate would be applied to all income over $904,800). I favor ending the tax exemption for churches and tax free foundations.

Immigration: I support ending the 'family reunification' bias inherent in American immigration law and instead support the implementation of a points-based, skills-based system that will admit more highly skilled immigrants in crucial sectors. I support a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented workers already in the country, as well as support the implementation of the DREAM Act. I support tough penalties for employers that knowingly hire undocumented workers, as well as the implementation of the E-Verify system nationwide to prevent the future hiring of undocumented workers. I also support increased funding for ESL (English-as-a-Second-Language) programs, for reasons Frodo noted above.

Elementary and Secondary Education: I support full federal funding for public schooling and a ban on both homeschooling and private schools, with students being sent to schools based upon a random lottery of local schools, rather than designated arbitrarily by school district lines. I oppose the use of merit pay, efforts to undermine teachers' unions, and efforts to eliminate teacher tenure. I favor an explicit ban on charter schools and voucher programs, and favor adopting the basic tenants of the Finnish education system in the United States. I support paying teachers as well as we pay lawyers and doctors, and support reducing class sizes to a 15:1 ratio. I support divorcing school from sport and support more funds being spent on the arts and social studies, as well as more funding for school clubs and student organizations.

More to come later.
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« Reply #827 on: April 28, 2013, 12:07:18 PM »
« Edited: May 09, 2013, 07:47:45 AM by white trash heroes »

1. The right to individual autonomy is important, even if it threatens collective security.

disagree. i'm not even sure 'rights' really exist other than as social constructs. regardless communities are under no obligation to accept everyone. if you are a free loader or not willing to assimilate or just generally a nuisance then they should be able to kick you out. actually i'd argue if society was more 'tribal' and monocultural in general like that we might actually have more freedom and personal happiness than we do now rather than less. i suppose part of my sympathy towards radical ideas like demarchy lately stems from that.

2. The government should penalize organizations that practice outsourcing.

agree.

3. Giving faith-based charities the same government resources as secular organizations is a good idea.

agree

4. We should increase foreign aid to countries struggling with poverty.

disagree. it is often hugely wasteful, counterproductive (e.g. food aid driving local farms out of business), and frankly 'saving' is not any country's job. governments should focus solely on their own countries. the only exceptions i can think of are basically just trying to prevent a refugee crisis or helping a business partner or something practical like that.

5. We should increase funding for education.

agree kind of. teachers should be paid more and schools shouldn't be funded through property tax. on the other hand i think people spend too much time in school. so certain things like senior year should be abolished.

6. Heterosexual couples should receive higher marital recognition than same-sex couples.

marriage has never been about 'equality.' it has to do with trying to favor some lifestyles over others with benefits and privileges (e.g. married life over being single). if we are going to accept that a ) marriage has nothing to do with promoting the nuclear family and b ) people should be treated equally then i think government should just get out of marriage entirely. also i hate what 'no fault divorce' and the anti-male bias in family courts has done to our society.

7. Overall, free trade hurts more than it helps.

agree, there's a reason protectionism was embraced by virtually every industrialized power in history. plus the 'comparative advantage' argument doesn't really make sense given how mobile capital is.

8. We should reduce the number of government programs substantially.

agree but mostly in the sense that there's a ton of corporate welfare programs out there and duplication going on.

9. Abortion should be illegal or very heavily restricted

agree. i support heartbeat laws.

10. The government should fund museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions that are unable to survive independently.

in theory agree, in practice a lot of it is obviously way too degenerate though.

11. The government should subsidize health insurance for those who cannot easily afford it.

i don't really think insurance is a great model but yes, obviously i support universal healthcare. i think single payer would be best.

12. The government should work to reduce children's exposure to offensive radio and television content.

agree obviously.

13. It is unfair that wealthier people pay higher tax rates.

disagree, tax rates are way too low. to say nothing of the crooks and parasites on wall street.

14. The minimum wage should be raised.

agree, raise it to ~$15.

15. Marijuana should be legalized.

agree and aggressively promote hemp use.

16. Society focuses too much on forcing equality at the expense of real merit

agree to an extent.

17. Violating individual rights is acceptable when it comes to fighting terrorism.

again i don't really like how this question is framed but i disagree anyway because of the rule of law and not wanting the state turning on its own citizens and all that. on the other hand to some extent modern surveillance is probably unavoidable...

18. Current levels of government regulation on industry are excessive.

agree, we have way too many laws and regulations to keep track of (over criminalization). and a lot of these regulations exist solely because big business lobbied for them to stamp out their competitors not the other way around (regulatory capture).

19. The government should provide basic needs for all people.

kind of vague. my instinct is to say no because there are limits to our resources. and you don't want to encourage parasitism or otherwise create perverse incentives. on the other hand i could support replacing social security and most welfare programs with something like a negative income tax or guaranteed income as milton friedman once suggested. and there is a major problem in terms of long term unemployment/underemployment...

20. The death penalty should be an option for serious crimes.

agree. someone that burns an old lady to death on an elevator or kills an 8 year old child in a bombing just to prove a point should be shot. we shouldn't expend resources on such complete monsters or put other people's lives at risk out of some misguided humanist belief.

21. We should reduce the difficulty of immigration.

disagree. go back to the pre-1965 immigration policy or something similar.

22. Union workers should be protected against being fired during strikes.

agree, we need more unions and profit-sharing in general.

23. Prostitution should be legalized.

disagree. i could get into arguments about it failing to root out the black market or address the undesirability of being a prostitute sure... but honestly what it boils down to is that i just don't want to live in a community where that sort of thing is tolerated. but if you do then whatever.

24. Flag burning should be banned.

kind of agree although i have no attachment to what the current flag stands for obviously.

25. I support affirmative action.

disagree. if it exists it should be based on income level rather than race or gender. although to be honest considering i may very well have benefitted from affirmative action schemes i feel somewhat hypocritical here.

26. The government should impose tariffs to protect industries from foreign competition.

agree

27. Physician-assisted suicide should be legal if the patient is capable of informed, rational consent.

agree. if you have a terminal illness then choosing death with dignity should definitely be an option. i would much rather be euthanized than suffer a slow and degrading death. i know someone whose mother is slowly dying from face cancer. the thought of being forced to endure something like that or alzheimers or any number of other ailments because of a bunch of do-gooders is terrifying.
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Mechaman
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« Reply #828 on: April 29, 2013, 12:39:24 AM »
« Edited: May 09, 2013, 08:24:28 PM by Irish Racism, the Poster »

Economic Positions:

Something Something Evil Socialist

Debt: Is perhaps the greatest advantage Government has.  However, with unjustified wars, corporate welfare, American empire, and fiscal policies that fly in the face of logic it has gotten to unacceptable levels.  We don't need to kill grandma or your kids to fix this, we need to kill imperialism.  Once we're a power that respects national self-determination of others and stick true to the principles of keeping government out of the business of subsidizing industry, don't be so surprised to see a large number of our debt problems go away.
Education: More funding for public education.  Axe out federally funded "vouchers" for private schools.  There are public schools for a reason and having some "voucher" program, espoused by of all people libertarians, makes little sense.  If the government is paying a family money to send their kid to a private institution, is it really a private institution?
Healthcare: Universal Healthcare.  The whole nine yards.  The fact that this is still a question disturbs me.  Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.
Labor Rights: All too often when talking of the rights of us as Americans, many fail to realize just how much our modern society owes to the labor movements of the 19th-20th centuries.  The austerity craze sweeping not just this nation but many other nations is quite evident that labor rights have taken a back seat in many cases.  With all the fancy talking over, here are a few of my positions related to this issue:
Minimum Wage: It's called "Minimum Wage" for a reason.  Paying "tipped" employees as low as $2.13 an hour makes absolutely zero sense except to create a culture of guilt for those employed in those industries.  If I tip a waiter, I want to do it because they did a good job, not because I worry about how they can survive on such miserable pre-tip earnings.  And don't give me any of that crap about "well it'll cost the owners too much!"  or "prices will skyrocket!"  Plenty of other businesses seem to do just fine paying their employees only $7.25, the current minimum, which should really be indexed for inflation.
Mandated Breaks: Not sure if this is law, but each employee working eight hours or longer should be guaranteed at least one hour long break.  This is necessary due to the nature of many jobs that require such hours.  Employers who work their employees to death should be reprimanded, not rewarded.
Work Place Safety: Basic compliance with workplace safety laws.  Fire escapes, ventilation, what have you.  Cutting corners on this issue to save a few bucks is unacceptable.
Unions: No non-union worker should be forced to pay union dues.  Workers have the right to form a union in any occupation they please.  Companies that forbid the formation of such unions are forbidding the right of the workers' freedom of association.  Uphold the right to secret ballot.  Seniority rules are flawed, but should be left up to the individual unions to address.
Social Welfare: If current times have taught us anything it is that a strong social safety net is a necessity.  In favor of expansion of unemployment, food card, low income housing, and various miscellaneous programs for those down on their luck.  Increase the amount of time one qualifies for unemployment benefits, as current economic realities show that many people go beyond the traditional 26 week period.  Prosecute discriminatory practices by welfare offices (both federal and statewide) that affect welfare recipients adversely.
Taxation: Current structure is acceptable.  For now.  However, I would prefer a most just taxation system based on Georgian economic principles of general public ownership of the land.  That is, replacing all forms of income taxation (since it taxes the labor of the populace) with a progressive Land Values Tax.  Hopefully, such a plan would yield less disparity between rich and poor.
Trade: Nothing short of free trade.  I realize this is a controversial position for a left winger now days, but really I feel it is the only left wing position one can take considering the tendencies of corporate greed.  People who think that using protective tariffs is going to help American workers are fools, history has shown that companies protected by heavy tariffs prefer to instead pocket the extra profits soaked out of the pockets of workers.  I say we make these robber barons compete on an even playing field with the competition without suffering the lower classes.  We used to have a powerful labor rights segment in society, maybe it's time we revived it.  Thinking that tariffs would force a country to rethink it's labor policies is also bunk, considering how little effect it has had in China.  Hell, we've banned trade with Cuba for fifty years and we look like the bad guys!  More on that later.  Protectionist trade has no place in the world of the 21st century.  This is one instance where, shocker, the free market is right.  However, I wouldn't be opposed to punishing American business that outsource labor to countries with lax labor rights.

I think that's all for tonight.  More to come later.
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Mechaman
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« Reply #829 on: April 29, 2013, 11:54:55 AM »
« Edited: April 29, 2013, 12:05:37 PM by Irish Racism, the Poster »

Environmental and Energy Issues:

Anti-Automobile Warrior Climate Hater

Alternative Energy:
All for.  We need to boost investments in developing new sources of energy in addition to those that are already being pursued.  Wind, Solar, Geothermal, and yes even Nuclear need to be pursued as alternatives to the US addiction to Coal and Oil.  Clean Coal is hilarious, but probably a little better than Not Clean Coal I guess.  Same thing for alternative fuels.  Plain unleaded with 10% ethanol is just not enough (in fact, I would argue it's more trouble than it's worth) to address the problems with traditional oil.  Same thing with feel good Hybrid cars, which while offering more miles to the gallon ultimately does little to address the real issue at hand: consumption.  Looking at a lower gasoline bill of $30 instead of say $72 usually leads to two things: 1) Look at how much money I saved on gas!  Hooray, which leads directly to 2) Driving is so much cheaper now that I got this Hybrid I can do it more and more and more!
See, the process?
Now, ideas like the Electric car sound good in theory, until we take in consideration the energy usage it would take to recharge these cars.  Granted, Electric automobiles have gotten more efficient since the horror days when they had to be charged all day to go 90 miles.  However, this brings up another problem that will arise in the future: energy cost inflation.  I'm no expert, but I bet that charging a freaking thousand pound car (conservative estimate) probably costs a bit more than powering your PS3 or phone.
So you ask, Mechaman, if you are such a naysayer of almost all forms of automobile usage currently available, what would you recommend?  Well, a few things:
1) Use Research Development to find a way to create a cheap and efficient way to produce a Solar powered car.  This is not a 100% foolproof solution, given that some areas on the planet receive very little sunlight.  In that case perhaps there needs to be a way to convert wind, hydrogen, earth, or other common resources into a readily available source of energy.  I am not fool enough to believe that a Solar car capable of going 150 mph available for $30,000 is possible in ten years.  Hopefully someday though it will work for people in sparsely populated areas devoid of public transport, which brings me to point
2) Enormous public transport budget, including the development of a National High Speed Rail Program.  Might end up being the most expensive public works program in history, but necessary for the future conservation of resources for better purpose than to soothe our addiction to the automobile.  Some user fees might be necessary, but largely would like to see this funded by heavy unleaded gasoline taxes (I'm thinking maybe 50 cents a gallon).  However, if sane fiscal policies are followed (more on that later), worries of currency manipulation and the like in response to such a grandiose program could be avoided.
I'll readily admit that I don't know if this would all work.  Just a few ideas.
The Climate Change debate: I'll be real honest, this issue might be dead last out of all the ones I will address in this section.  I do believe that Climate Change is real, however I don't believe the way it's being addressed at the moment is the right course.  Paranoia is not helping address the issue, and there needs to be more than just buying green products or banning incandescent lightbulbs to address this issue.  More to the point, I believe the focus of the debate needs to be changed.  People aren't so thrilled to have religious fundamentalist wackjobs telling everyone the world is going to end and we're all f***ed, why do they think the doomsday mantra will rally people to act on the Climate Change front?  At this point, I don't think Climate Change can be avoided thus the best strategy should be follow a more logical strategy: preparing the nation, and the world, for surviving Climate Change.  I believe that people would be more willing to go with green taxes and the like if they are given the impression that yes, this is going to suck a bit but we can survive, versus the current "REFORM OR DIE!" mentality of the advocates.  Appealing to people's optimism is way better than using the politics of fear as a highly ranked president once stated: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."  If Climate Change really is as horrible as advocates claim, last thing we need is a panic stricken populace.
Parks and Recreation: Reduce some public land ownership out west.  At the same time, increase enforcement of standards in upholding National Parks and other areas.  Support Urban Green Zones and even some Urban Farming.

Wow, only a few issues.  Maybe more will come up later
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Mechaman
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« Reply #830 on: April 29, 2013, 12:53:41 PM »

Social Issues:

Anti-Bloomberg Liberal

Women's Reproductive Issues: I'm not a woman, therefore I don't feel in a position to tell them what to do with their bodies.  I can't imagine what it's like to have an abortion, but I bet it's not like going to get groceries at the local IGA.  Nor should it be.  Abortion isn't exactly a thing I approve, but the alternative sets a much worse precedent (government mandate on controlling an individual's body).  In a phrase: Safe, Legal, and Rare.  Birth Control should be readily available and affordable, for obvious reason.
Firearms: I am a Constitutional Liberal.  I believe that possession of firearms is a Constitutionally protected right and should be protected as such.  I agree with the Heller decision, gun bans are unconstitutional and should be overturned.  However, I wouldn't be wholly opposed to gun regulations like limiting the size of magazine clips or child locks on guns, given the whole "well regulated militia" bit.  Draconian measures, like a National Gun Registry, I oppose on principle to similar slippery slope as alluded to in the Abortion segment.  Sure, in the event of a revolution an AK-47 isn't going to help at all against tanks and F-17s, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be wary of a government with information on all legal gun owners in the nation.
Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco: All fall under the category of "vice".  In most of these cases the decision to partake in these vices are of a conscious choice.  And considering the amount of public health information on the hazards of these vices, I find it hard to believe that many engage in these activities out of pure ignorance.  The war on Marijuana and other soft drugs must end with legalization and regulation similar to laws on tobacco.  In favor of reducing the Alcohol age down to 18 years, as the 21 age limit has done very little to actually reduce underage alcohol consumption.  Tobacco is a deadly substance that has proven side effects that lead to cancer from both first hand and second hand smoking.  I am against the banning of smoking Tobacco for the same reasons I support Alcohol and Marijuana.  It is a free choice and people who partake of it are more than often well aware of the dangers posed by it.  However, I do approve of establishments that ban the smoking of such a product in public spaces and would agree with policies that prosecute smokers that smoke in establishments that disallow it.  Also okay with advertising regulations and warning labels.  Same thing for Marijuana and Alcohol.  Mostly, I support common sense regulations on these vices and the right of individuals and businesses to allow/disallow the partaking of these activities on their own grounds.  Support of the decriminalization of hard drugs.  Penalties, of course, should be minimum.
Euthanasia: Lightly approve.  I agree with the principle of it, but believe that there needs to be a well regulated legal process in regards to it to avoid abuse of the system.  My fear mostly is that some might abuse the system to get away with murder thus leading to increased crime and prosecution costs.
Equality: I won't say what has already been said by 90% of the people on this forum.  Full equality for LGBT individuals.  Duh duh duh.
Crime and Punishment: Death penalty must be abolished!  It's unethical, immoral, and makes little sense.  In favor of a more reform minded jail system that puts convicts to work and addresses the mental factors that drove them towards crime.  And for the love Gul, give them some half decent food.  Really, look at the policies of Scandinavia to get an idea of my ideal system.
Freedom of Speech: Flag burning is an act of free speech and should be protected.  So to is the throwing around of racial, ethnic, sexual slurs.  So to is the right to condemn people who do.  We need to abolish the FCC, which really has no purpose beyond being a board of censorship on the airwaves.  Parents can regulate their own children and don't need a government appointed nanny commission to do so.  $250,000 fines for saying the word "fuck" on national tv is an excessive fine.  The networks seem to do well enough on their own self-regulating and have in the process made censorship agencies virtually useless.
Freedom of Religion: The proliferation of religious bias in legislation and law is getting out of control.  People's personal religious beliefs are all too often negatively affecting the direction of this country.  The Government exists by the Bill of Rights to neither enforce or prohibit the exercise of religious values.  We need Supreme Court rulings that enforce the 1st Amendment more clearly and limits such activism in government.  I fully support students saying prayers at high school graduation, manger scenes, and even voicing religiously motivated opinions on controversial issues.  What I don't approve of those people using government as a platform to enforce those values over those of others.  The way this is worded is likely to get some opposition.
Civil Liberties: Need to be strongly enforced in this age of government onslaught and interventionism.  In these times of conflict and strife the right to a warranted search needs to be a guarantee, as should the right to due process.  Ideas like drones patrolling the skies for people going five over the speed limit in West Texas is more than intrusive on liberty.  It's simply freaking overkill and such things should be avoided.  And the people deserve assurances, court rulings, and various other methods to assure that at any moment they can't be f***Ing arrested or killed by their government without proper process.  It's a shame that his is a low priority for the American Left when it should be one of the top issues promoted by us to combat corporatist neoconservatism.  We should be trying to win over libertarians genuinely concerned by the expansion of government power in prosecuting private citizens, not condemning them as seems to be the trend.

More might be coming.
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« Reply #831 on: May 23, 2013, 08:00:15 PM »

Basically a libertarian but for being a little racist, in favor of some gun control and for UHC. 
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« Reply #832 on: May 23, 2013, 10:07:34 PM »
« Edited: May 23, 2013, 11:35:16 PM by DolphMcCrungus »

Social Issues
Gay Marriage
We'll start off with the BIG social issue these days. I dislike the idea of gay marriage due to my religious beliefs but I don't believe the government should have any business in restricting a popular concept like gay marriage.
Abortion
Ah, the classic social issue. I believe abortion is the termination of human life and I abhor the concept of it. I would allow abortions in the case of rape, incest, and to save the mother's life but other than that it should be as illegal as murdering someone on the street.
Second Amendment Rights
The events of Sandy Hook, Fort Hood, Columbine, VTech, and other shootings are truly saddening and can invoke anger towards things that aren't really the problem. I don't see guns as the problem in this matter but rather mental health and the ease of acquiring guns. I support extensive background checks and increased funding for mental health institutions to help curb this problem of senseless violence.
The War on Drugs
The war on drugs has allowed border violence to spiral out of control. I support the legalization (and heavy taxation) of marijuana. Marijuana should receive the same treatment as tobacco (not allowed in restaurants + sin tax). I support harder drugs remaining illegal (because who on earth is ok with coke-heads running around?).
Death penalty
I completely support the death penalty as a punishment for the most serious crimes.
Stem Cell Research
I am a big proponent of stem cell research and it's possibilities. The government should fund this gold mine of health discoveries.

Economic Issues
Affirmative Action
When affirmative action was introduced there was obviously a need for it. Despite this, it is 2013 and while racism does still exist it is important that those with the most merit or are more qualified for the job should not be looked over for someone else (and possibly less qualified) just to fill a race quota.
Minimum Wage
Minimum wage should remain as it is. Raise or lower it depending on the cost of living as these costs increase and decrease.
Taxation
I support progressive taxation. If someone makes $250k a year then of course they should be asked to pay more in taxes than someone making $20k or less.
Energy
I support the keystone pipeline. I also support funding for researching alternative energy. The sooner we can provide financial relief to those at the pump in the short term and stop ourselves from being at the mercy of the oil companies in the long term, the better.
Spending
We have to balance the budget. The longer we put off balancing the budget, the worse our changes of doing it become. It is a priority and we shouldn't put it on the back-burner.
Regulations
Government regulations hinder business output but sometimes they are needed. I think everyone can agree on this. Only regulate when necessary.
Immigration
Everyone knows that America is a country of immigrants but we shouldn't bend to the will of those who are in our country illegally. Pass the citizenship test, have a work visa, or join the military or forget about living here if you are here illegally.

Foreign Policy
Military Spending
In 1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against a military industrial complex. Our military spending is uneven and increasing every year and we must stop this. National defense is of course a priority but we must build smarter instead of bigger.

I don't know what all that makes me. A moderate perhaps?
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Snowstalker Mk. II
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« Reply #833 on: May 27, 2013, 11:26:31 AM »
« Edited: May 27, 2013, 01:09:51 PM by Senator Snowstalker »

     I've bounced basically everywhere over the past month and a half or so (basically every political view imaginable except Nazism, Maoism, and the various breeds of "classical liberalism", including modern "conservatism"), so I might as well peg down my central views here and now. If you read this, will you disagree with me? Probably. I'm sure my own views are flawed and skewed by my own life experiences (or lack thereof), and they'll most likely change as I grow and change as a person. But for now, what is below me is right to me.

     Essentially, I take the view that man, while clearly holding the potential to do great things, is fundamentally flawed, with most of these flaws coming from our animal instincts and impulses (selfishness, aggression, excess pursuit of self-indulgence). Many of these problems have been mended or dulled over the past 200,000 years of our species's existence, but in the West I see signs of a decline, much as the other great civilizations have declined and collapsed. Why?

     Well, there seems to be a reversal of much of the social progress made; privatization of industry (often for no good reason besides the idea of privatization), rolling back of the welfare state, and most worryingly, a media, society, and government that now encourages us to embrace our animal traits through disregarding the need to contribute to one's community. Promoted are concepts like the sexual objectification of women, and in general the glorification of greed and decadence. We're constantly outdoing ourselves in scientific and medical progress, reducing infant mortality, reducing absolute poverty in developing states, yet we're less happy than ever, because what we see as "happiness" is the hollow pursuit of animal pleasure, not the fulfilling happiness of helping others and spending time with family and community.

     I've probably angered both "conservatives" and "liberals" with that last paragraph, and if so I'm proud of myself. Both the major parties in America essentially advocate two flavors of individualism. The Republican Party, the more outwardly dangerous beast, is quasi-Objectivist in its open desire to subjugate most of the population, with those unwilling or unable to slave away for the plutocrats left to die. At the same time, most of the party is socially "conservative", though certainly not in the way I am; the GOP's positions are simply part of their goal of subjugating those they see as lesser (women and homosexuals) and avoiding the social change the plutocrats fear, not on any desire to improve society's moral compass.

     The Democratic Party, the lesser of two evils, has views on the role of government which are lukewarm at best and, despite some dissenting voices on the left, being pulled into a more benign form of neoliberalism (as opposed to the Randite GOP). The Democratic Party's variety of individualism is a perversion of the concept of "rights" into the idea of "I can do whatever I want and no one can stop me", or "Don't like X? Don't do it.". This dangerous idea is that it is inherently wrong to make judgement on how others live their lives, and that we're all just individual people living individual lives and pursuing our own happiness. Taken to its logical conclusion, we should let an alcoholic drink themselves to death, because it's their business, right? Certainly I don't want to eliminate fun or turn everyone into soulless drones. But I believe that we are all interconnected as members of the human race, and we have a duty to intervene when one of us is harming another or if one of us is harming themselves. I suspect a silent majority or at least a significant minority of Americans would agree with me here, but neither major party reflects this view, instead shilling their two rancid flavors of hyper-individualism.

     Like most Western leftists, I take the view that our society's peak was the period from about 1933 to 1969, the point where we achieved the most progress in the pursuit of social and economic equality. But starting in the late 1970's and late 1980's, I'd say, the decline has begun and continues to this day. We've become a civilization of individuals, who seek to ignore what, as Kennedy said, they can do for their country. Instead, the plutocratic stranglehold on civilization has been accepted and the chasm between rich and poor continues to widen, while both heads of the individualist beast preach to us to live for ourselves, be it through the accumulation of wealth at the expense of others or the pursuit of mindless self-indulgence at the expense of others (and ourselves).

     Hence, my ideal society, which for all I know could exist in 50 years or never, would be a stateless, classless society where individuals all accept the need to work for the collective good, while still embracing their individuality and using their own skills to innovate for themselves and others. What would I call it? It seems fairly similar to Marxism or syndicalism, albeit with a moralistic tinge. At the same time, the emphasis on community and family reminds me a bit of Asian society. For all the issues I take with the governments of China, Singapore, Japan, etc., perhaps that's where the world will turn in the future. Is it unrealistic? Probably. In practice, I generally accept gradual reform through a social democratic or democratic socialist state, since in the end, ensuring that people live better lives is more immediately important than anything else.
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DolphMcCrungus
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« Reply #834 on: May 27, 2013, 03:29:06 PM »


Is this the most radical member of these boards? I'd hope so.
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TJ in Oregon
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« Reply #835 on: May 27, 2013, 03:47:52 PM »

Interesting read, Snow. I have to say I found it illuminating and agree with a lot more of what you wrote than perhaps may be expected. I read this simultaneously with some of G. K. Chesterton and they're sounding strangely similar. More so than one might think at least. A lot of the themes are the same, although Chesterton hasn't discussed economics nearly as much. Granted he was long before the 1980s. I still don't agree with most of your conclusions as they relate to politics, of course, but find the sentiment admirable.

I apologize for assuming you were actually Ted Strickland all this time; now I can see you're Jim Trafficant Tongue
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Snowstalker Mk. II
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« Reply #836 on: May 27, 2013, 04:28:28 PM »


Depends on what you mean by "radical".
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Bacon King
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« Reply #837 on: May 27, 2013, 04:50:35 PM »

Snowstalker, you made over-generalizations of the Democratic Party in a hilarious fashion, just like Naso would; your beef is with youngs and it just happens that they vote D. Also the last paragraph should probably be expanded into two or three because I don't see how your ideal government choice follows at all from what you said. Good work, but needs improvement. Even though your homework is late, I will be courteous and not give you a late penalty.

GRADE: C+
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Del Tachi
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« Reply #838 on: June 19, 2013, 02:54:35 PM »

I figured I needed to update, as my beliefs change every so often…

Social Policy
Abortion: Supportive of Roe v. Wade, and generally pro-choice.  However, I am  not opposed to certain “informed consent” laws and mandatory waiting periods.  Minors seeking abortion should have to gain parental consent.
Drugs: Continue the war on drugs with harsher penalties being applied to violators, including recreational users.  Marijuana is a gateway to other, harder drugs and should be banned. 
Censorship: The government has the responsibility to censor objectionable material from the air and radio waves.  The fact that satellite communications are exempt from FCC content regulation should be enough to appease the anti-censorship crowd.
Gay marriage: States reserve the right to make their own marriage laws, and gay couples should only be allowed federal benefits if they reside in a state where their marriage is recognized. 
Death penalty: Federal use of the death penalty is warranted in extreme circumstances; States can enact their own laws. 
Prostitution: Local and municipal jurisdictions should be allowed to make their own laws to fit their communities as prostitution’s major affects are on property values and local health.  I would not support the legalization of prostitution in my community as a matter of moral decency and preserving property values. 
Church & state:  The state should stay out of religious affairs, and religious organizations and churches should be tax exempt with the exception of the monies they earn through commercial enterprises.  Forcing churches to forfeit their tax exempt status for making political stances is tantamount to “taxing” the First Amendment.  Individuals should be allowed to lobby and petition the state on behalf of the Church like any other citizen would be able to do for any other organization. 
Affirmative action: Ambivalent.  Private corporations and organizations should be allowed to devise their own systems as long as they are not discriminatory.  There is a difference between promoting certain attributes in hiring and discriminating against those who do not meet such criteria.  Employment in the public sector should primarily be merit-based. 
Hate crime laws: Crimes of corresponding severity should be treated similarly regardless of apparent motive.  No additional punishment should be levied for crimes perpetuated out of “hate.” 
Immigration: Secure the border as a matter of national security.  Full amnesty for illegals who have been residing lawfully in the country for at least five years.     
Stem cell research: Support federal funding of stem cell research. 
PATRIOT Act: Support the PATRIOT Act.  Increase Congressional oversight over Executive national security initiatives as a way to increase accountability and decrease the possibility for misuse.   
Gun Control: Status-quo.  Increase data sharing between state and federal agencies as a way to strengthen the effectiveness of federal background checks.  Onus should be on the States to close the “gun-show loophole”.   
Assisted suicide: Ambivalent.  However, living wills are generally a bad idea and end-of-life decisions are best left to family members.   
Gambling: Decisions should be left to local and municipal jurisdictions.  I would not support legal gambling in my community.  Heavily tax earnings gained through gambling and lotto.
Organ donation: Status quo.  Opposed to universal or “opt-out” organ donation; follow wishes of next-of-kin in ambiguous cases.  Invest in non-market mechanisms (public service announcements, increase education) to increase organ donation. 

Electoral Reform:
Term limits: No term limits for Congress or judges, but keep the 22nd Amendment.  Keep the seniority system in place in Congress.   
Statehood: Congress’ prerogative, popular referendums are irrelevant.  Consider statehood for D.C. 
Voting age: Keep as is, but allow people who will turn 18 before election day to vote in primary elections. 
Campaign Finance Reform: Status quo.  Political donations are free speech. 
Voting system: Keep as is.  Allow States to experiment with proportional representation and multi-seat districts. 
Gerrymandering: Status quo. 
Voter ID: Repeal Section 5 (if SCOTUS doesn’t do it soon).  Allow States to make and enforce their own Voter ID laws.   

Economic Issues:
Welfare: Block-grant Medicaid and SNAP and send back to the State with federally-enforced support and eligibility standards. 
Unions: Oppose right-to-work laws, as they are excessive government regulation in employment contracts.  Allow public and private sector unions, but consider limiting collective bargaining rights for certain public employees. 
Privatization: Partially privative Social Security in order to allow for additional, voluntary investment by workers.  Sell certain government assets associated with TVA.
Environment: Economic protection but be weighted against economic development.  As much as environmentalists would try to convince you otherwise, trees and land and ecosystems do have monetary value.  Implement as a VMT to support future infrastructure projects. 
Minimum wage: Repeal the federal minimum wage.  Minimum wage increases result in job loss and are an inefficient way to decrease poverty.  Support expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit. 
Taxation: Keep the current progressive system for income taxation.  Experiment with shifting the tax burden back to the upper classes through consumption-based taxation (i.e., luxury goods taxes, real estate taxes).  Implement an income tax “surcharge” on incomes over a certain level, say $3 million.  Consider a low national VAT (0.5-1%).  Raise and lock the Social Security tax cap to cover 90 percent of all workers.  Reform and lower corporate taxes as a way to discourage outsourcing.   
Healthcare: Status-quo.  Implement Obamacare, but work to lower the cost of medicine by enacting medical malpractice reform and allowing insurers to compete across state lines.  Grant partial exemptions to Obamacare (with oversight) for states wanting to deisgn their own insurance exchange systems.  Grant liberal exceptions from insurance mandates.  Work to make Medicare solvent by raising the eligibility age and instituting max-payouts.  Consider moving Medicare to a “premium support” system. 
Trade: Support free trade as way to bring down prices for consumers.  Trade to correct American trade deficit by encouraging American producers to export, especially in the agriculture sector. 
Embargo: Use embargos and sanctions as way to exert diplomatic pressure.   
Pork: Overwhelmingly supportive.  Use “pork-barrel” projects as ways to promote local economic development.   
Subsidies: Increase agricultural subsidies; generously subsidize struggling industries. 
Military: Maintain current military funding levels, but shift more money into R&D and away from traditional ground forces.  Make more use of military contractors as a way to allow for funds to go further.   

Foreign Policy
War: Maintain a constant state of military readiness, and be willing to go to war whenever and wherever American interests are at stake.  Do not be afraid to go to war unilaterally.  Use reputation as a military juggernaut as a way to exert diplomatic pressure. 
Israel-Palestine: Generally supportive of a two-state solution, but it most likely will have to occur on Israeli terms in order to be successful.  Increase support for Israel as it is the only secular democracy in the Middle East.  Call for an end to new settlements, but maintain that those living in settlements have a solely civilian status. 
Draft: Institute a mandatory period of “national service” for young men and women, with a term of service in the armed forces as a possible way to satisfy this requirement.  Maintain the selective service system, and start to collect information on young women.  If a draft ever has to be reinstituted, draft all eligible males before dipping in the “ladies’ pool”. 
UN: Use status as the UN’s largest financial contributor to encourage the organization into changing its role in a new, global environment.  Shift focus away from security issues and to humanitarian issues.  Use the UN as a global forum in which member nations may organize international relief efforts and financial aid.  Work through other international organizations (namely NATO) to deal with threats to international security.   
Nukes: Maintain American nuclear arsenal.  Expand the “nuclear club” to more U.S. allies such as Canada, Australia and Germany. 
Foreign Aid:  Increase levels of foreign aid as a way to increase American presence and influence in the developing world.   

Overall: Hmmm….after making this list I can honestly say I don’t know what I am.  Republican?  Democrat?  Moderate hero?  I would describe myself primarily as a “big-government Republican” or “neoconservative”.  I would say that, except for my opinions on a few social issues, I fit the GWB-mold quite well.
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« Reply #839 on: June 23, 2013, 04:44:30 PM »

Gonna try to respectfully address some of these points

abortion should have to gain parental consent.
Drugs: Continue the war on drugs with harsher penalties being applied to violators, including recreational users.  Marijuana is a gateway to other, harder drugs and should be banned.

Marijuana is not a gateway drug. If it was, nearly everyone who smokes weed would do harder drugs, which isn't the case. Some people become psychologically addicted to the feeling of "being high," which leads to usage of harder drugs.

Censorship:The government has the responsibility to censor objectionable material from the air and radio waves.  The fact that satellite communications are exempt from FCC content regulation should be enough to appease the anti-censorship crowd.

Who decides what is objectionable? Nudity and swearing might be objectionable to you, but it isn't to me. It's a hard line to find, but it's better to establish liberty as a core value over a "guv'mint knows best 4 ur telebox" state

Immigration: Secure the border as a matter of national security.

Yes those dirt poor Mexicans might blow up our buildings lawdie lawdie

Support the PATRIOT Act.  Increase Congressional oversight over Executive national security initiatives as a way to increase accountability and decrease the possibility for misuse.

Implying of course that the Government would go out of its way to protect OUR liberty.

Campaign Finance Reform: Status quo.  Political donations are free speech.

They are up until corporations get to have more "free speech" than individuals.


Minimum wage: Repeal the federal minimum wage.  Minimum wage increases result in job loss and are an inefficient way to decrease poverty.

Yeah because at least you have a job, who cares if you're making 80 cents an hour! This is America!

Embargo: Use embargos and sanctions as way to exert diplomatic pressure.

Eh


War: Maintain a constant state of military readiness, and be willing to go to war whenever and wherever American interests are at stake.  Do not be afraid to go to war unilaterally.  Use reputation as a military juggernaut as a way to exert diplomatic pressure.

Yes because our economic interests are more valuable than the lives of our fellow man. Good.


Draft: Institute a mandatory period of “national service” for young men and women, with a term of service in the armed forces as a possible way to satisfy this requirement.  Maintain the selective service system, and start to collect information on young women.  If a draft ever has to be reinstituted, draft all eligible males before dipping in the “ladies’ pool”.

I don't even want to respond to this

Nukes: Maintain American nuclear arsenal.  Expand the “nuclear club” to more U.S. allies such as Canada, Australia and Germany.

You can't hug your children with nuclear arms

Overall: Hmmm….after making this list I can honestly say I don’t know what I am.  Republican?  Democrat?  Moderate hero?  I would describe myself primarily as a “big-government Republican” or “neoconservative”.  I would say that, except for my opinions on a few social issues, I fit the GWB-mold quite well.

Yeah I'd say you're like a centrist, nanny-statist Republican Tongue
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H. Ross Peron
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« Reply #840 on: June 23, 2013, 09:32:41 PM »
« Edited: June 23, 2013, 09:58:31 PM by General Mung Beans »

Social Issues

Abortion: Abortion should be banned (at the federal level if necessary) for all reasons except if the mother's life is endangered and rape/incest (admittedly I'm morally conflicted on the latter part). Abortion after fetal viability shall be treated as equivalent to murder.  

Same-sex marriage: This should be left to the states to decide. However on a federal level DOMA should be repealed and there should be full-scale anti-discrimnation legislation against homosexuals.

Drug legalization: Marijuana and other soft drugs should be fully legalized with the age limit at 18 with the drinking age similarly reduced to 18. Hard drugs (with some exceptions such as bath salts) should be decriminalized. In general drug use and addiction should be seen as a public health issue not a crime.

Prostitution: States and local governments have the perogrative here but I'm mostly opposed to legalizing it.

Guns: There should be expanded punishments for straw purchasing and a universal background check system. Otherwise no new gun control legislation is necessary

Education: A national curriculum with minimum standards should be instituted with more equalized funding. In addition the school year needs to be revamped by abolishing summer vacation but inserting more holidays throughout the year. College should be paid for with a Richard Nixon Scholarship for students above a certain grade level (and/or percentage) who are lower middle class or below in income level. Financial grants should in addition be more generous for students (this should be dependent on their academic record). At the same time, however, vocational schools should be promoted as a legitimate choice for students depending on their performance.

Immigration: Illegal immigrants without criminal records should have a path to citizenship with it being expediated for those who were minors when brought here, English-speakers, those with useful skills, and/or those who have served in the military. In the future, immigration laws should be loosened and all country-based quotas should be abolished and anybody with a graduate/professional degree or earning one here in the States should be guaranteed a green card provided they don't have a criminal record.

Stem Cell Research: Status quo of federal funding for stem cell research is fine.

Euthanasia: Ultimately this is a state issue but I am personally opposed to legalizing it.

English as the official language: English should be the official language of the Republic.

School prayer: Should be legal on a voluntary basis but no public school should allow teacher-led prayer.

Pledge of Allegiance: Status quo is fine although no student should be forced to recite it.

Economic Issues

Affirmative Action: Affirmative action should be limited and shifted towards income-based affirmative action rather than being race-based.

Trade: I love free trade. Get both the EU-US FTA and the TPP negotiated and ratified. In addition there should eventually be a free-trade pact covering all First World democracies (NAFTA zone+EU+South Korea+Japan+Singapore+Southern Cone+Australia/NZ+Israel) allowing the free movement of goods and people.

Health Care: Obamacare should be implemented aggresively and if it fails to appreciably rein in costs and/or fails to cover a significant amount of Americans should be replaced with a single-payer system.

Welfare: While I prefer programs that provide certain services for the poor (ie Medicaid) or towards certain goods (such as Food Stamps), welfare is necessary to boost consumer spending in many cases, so status quo I suppose with some of the more aggressive cuts rolled back.

Minimum Wage: Should be raised to 9 or 10 dollars and indexed to inflation.

Monetary Policy: While in normal times, a tight money policy limiting inflation is reasonable, these are not normal times and as a result stimulative measures and quantitative easing (basically the current policy of the Fed) is necessary to get us out of recession.

Taxes: All loopholes should be throughly eliminated while deductions should be set at a certain cash amount (indexed to inflation). After that estate taxes should be fully restored to Clinton-era levels and the income tax raised slightly. In addition a carbon tax should be instituted and perhaps a Value Added Tax (with exceptions for food and other necessary goods). The corporate tax should be cut with a view to eventually eliminating it (as long as its revenue neutral).

Regulation: Generally status quo seems ok but speed up approval of regulations especially those affecting workers' safety or environment.

Spending Cuts: Military spending and farm subsidies should be cut, otherwise spending needs to increase in the context of a recession.

Energy: Pass a national energy-infrastructure bill. Its energy components should include a large-scale program of building nuclear power plants, more reserach funding for energy, and a view towards phasing out coal completely at a set date. The infrastructure component of the bill will in addition to repairs to the current infrastructure involve the construction of a national high speed rail system and funding to expand public transit in metropolitan areas.

Social Security: The payroll tax cap should be removed and retirement age should be determined by a formula based on one's occupation, income level, health, employment status, dependents, and so forth.

Unions: Taft-Hartley should be repealed.

Foreign Policy/Defense

PATRIOT ACT: Should be modified significantly at the least.

Afghanistan: Maintain the current Obama policy of continuing a withdrawal and shifting the role to Afghan forces while maintaining an advisory force after 2014. We should be very wary of negotiating with the Taliban however.

Cuba: The embargo on Cuba should be ended and America should pursue friendly relations with the country and reduce Russian or Iranian influence.

Iraq: Keep a wary eye on it and use diplomatic efforts to help keep Iraq stable and free from Iranian influence.

Israel/Palestine: A two-state solution should be pursued with Israel keeping all of Jerusalem and some settlement blocks. In addition Palestine, once independent, should sign a non-aggression pact with Israel and be neutral.

Iran: Continue the status quo of preventing Iran from gaining nuclear weapons with sanctions, diplomacy, and sabotage. However avoid a war with Iran at all costs unless Iran attacks us or our allies first.

Syria: Impose a no-fly zone on Syria to cripple Assad's forces.

Military Spending: Should be reduced especially on things such as missile dfence programs

Electoral Issues/Government

Voter Regulations/ID Cards: Most of it is a thinly-disguised attempt to prevent Democratic-leaning demographics from voting. Should be restricted and delayed by the courts. To solve the problem, institute a national ID card.

Electoral College: Should be abolished with Presidents being elected by direct popular vote with a runoff of the top two candidates if nobody wins a majority.

Washington D.C.Sad DC should be given a voting member in the House of Representatives and one Senator (see my Senate reform plan below).

Puerto Rico: Should be given statehood.

Senate: Should be made a largely advisory body limited to only delaying legislation, and be partially made proportional to population while ensuing all states have at least one Senator and none have more than three. House terms should be extended to three years. In addition the number of House seats should be increased to 800 single-member constitutencies and 100 seats distributed proportionally to ensure that the number of seats coincide with the percentage of votes.
Thoughts?
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« Reply #841 on: June 26, 2013, 08:16:48 PM »

Using Rockefeller's mold

Social Policy

Abortion: 100% pro-choice. This is a no-brainer. I support federal funding for Planned Parenthood and other women's health clinics.

Drugs: Legalize all drugs. Tax and heavily regulate them. Just don't sell heroin in the local CVS.

Censorship: 150% opposed to in any way, shape or form.

Gay marriage: Should be legalized at the federal level. It's 2013, love is love, equality shouldn't depend on residence, etc.

Death penalty: Morally opposed to state-sponsored killing.

Prostitution: Legalize it, regulate it, etc.

Church & state: Should be completely separate. This is not a theocracy.

Affirmative action: Honestly don't care.

Hate crime laws: No special laws for hate crimes.

Immigration: Completely open the borders and allow any and everyone in. We don't own the world and we should be seen as a good place to go to, not the place to fear because the white man thinks them damn Mexicans are all terrorists cuz they ain't white.
    
Stem cell research: Fully support federal funding of stem cell research. 

PATRIOT Act: 100% opposed.

Gun Control: No one needs an assault rifle to go hunting. No one needs extreme clips to defend their home. Background checks are groovy, too.

Assisted suicide: Also don't really care.

Gambling: why the hell not

Organ donation: This is a personal decision.

Term limits: No term limits for Congress or judges, but keep the 22nd Amendment.  Keep the seniority system in place in Congress. (this is Rockefeller's opinion, and mine too)

Statehood: Statehood for DC and PR would be cool

Voting age: Keep as is, but allow people who will turn 18 before election day to vote in primary elections. (I have also suggested an IQ test, but unfortunately that would restrict the Republican vote and that makes it illegal)

Campaign Finance Reform: Get corporations OUT of political donations. Corporations are not people and do not deserve the kind of influence they presently have.

Voter ID: No.

Economic Issues:

Welfare: I'm not super well researched on this issue, but I like the idea of welfare-to-work.

Unions: Without unions, minimum wage and work safety regulations would not exist. Let them live.

Privatization: No.

Environment: We only get one Earth man

Minimum wage: Raise it to $9 or $10 dollars an hour ("living wage") and index it to inflation.

Taxation: Progressive taxation is cool. Tax the top 10% at roughly 70-80% of their income.

Healthcare: Obamacare is cool but something in the vein of Britain's NHS would be amazing.

Trade: Not really well researched on this issue either. I know fair-trade coffee is good, though.

Embargo: No.

Pork: No
.
Subsidies: Increase agricultural subsidies; generously subsidize struggling industries. 

Military: DRASTICALLY cut military funding for operations overseas. Cut it somewhat at home as well.

Foreign Policy

War: Killing our fellow man is absolutely unnecessary and it makes me sick to think that we would seriously prioritize our national interests over human life.

Israel-Palestine: Two state solution is best solution.

Draft: No.

Nukes: No.

Foreign Aid:  Kinda mixed.

Overall: F[inks] conservatism
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« Reply #842 on: June 26, 2013, 10:13:59 PM »

Updating.

Social Policy
Abortion: Supportive of Roe v. Wade. Guess I'm pro-choice. Honestly not an issue I'm too concerned with. Oppose all abortions after viability.
Drugs: End the War on Drugs immediately, legalize all soft drugs, decriminalize hard ones. 
Censorship: Yeah no. Censorship is bad.
Gay marriage: Yeah not homophobic. Welcome to the 21st century. 
Death penalty: State really shouldn't have the power to kill its own citizenry. 
Prostitution: Legalize, regulate, whatever. 
Church & state: Pro-separation of said ones, but not a big issue for me. I'm not harmed by the lack of, say, the Ten Commandments in a courthouse, and I'm not harmed if it's there. It's when religion begins to infringe on the personal choices of the citizenry that it's a problem. Support keeping churches tax-exempt. 
Affirmative action: Oppose race-based affirmative action, never heard a good argument for it. Economic, on the other hand... 
Hate crime laws: Crime punishments should be based on what the crime actually is.
Immigration: Amnesty DREAM Act whatever liberal position. After you do that dedicate more to securing the border, in combination with making it way easier to legally immigrate and get work visas.     
Stem cell research: Support. 
PATRIOT Act: Oppose as an invasion of privacy, and oppose most other post-9/11 national security stuff too.   
Gun Control: I guess Manchin-Toomey ain't bad. Generally opposed to most gun control measures though, including AWB, restrictions on magazine size, etc.   
Assisted suicide: Okay with it.   
Gambling: Okay with it.
Organ donation: I have no issue with organ donation. Maybe opt-out would be better? Not sure. 

Electoral Reform:
Term limits: Generally opposed to term limits.   
Statehood: Statehood for DC, Puerto Rico... can't think of anywhere else. Afghanistan maybe. 
Voting age: Lower to 16. 
Campaign Finance Reform: Overturn Citizens United, full public financing maybe? Certainly a very big issue. Reading Lessig's book now. 
Voting system: Keep single-member districts but add instant runoff voting.
Gerrymandering: Drawn by an independent commission, no partisanship allowed. 
Voter ID: Stupid laws designed solely to disenfranchise voters.   

Economic Issues:
Welfare: Hmm. Not my most well-researched issue. I'd like to include a work or searching for work requirement that can be fulfilled by public service or volunteering. 
Unions: Oppose right-to-work. Support collective bargaining. 
Privatization: Can't think of anything off the top of my head.
Environment: Support? Yeah. Protect the earth and whatnot. Carbon tax and container deposit legislation and clean power and whatnot. 
Minimum wage: Replace with a basic income. 
Taxation: Keep general structure, begin shift to consumption-based taxation. I still like the FairTax.   
Healthcare: Bismarck y'all. 
Trade: Support free trade in most circumstances. 
Embargo: Embargos do nothing but harm the poor in foreign nations. Worthless.   
Pork: Needs to be reduced.   
Subsidies: Reduce subsidies to most industries, especially agriculture. 
Military: Big funding reduction, focus on national defense. Remove from foreign occupations. Invest in R&D.   

Foreign Policy
War: I am against the war. Especially given our nation's foreign policy recently, there's a very good chance that the current war is unnecessary, whatever it is, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan (now), Libya, whatever.
Israel-Palestine: Need a solution now. Probably a two-state one, though Israel making any significant concessions does not look to be in the cards.
Draft: No. 
UN: Continue US membership and support, use to focus on things like humanitarian aid and disease eradication - and the Security Council really does need to be fixed.   
Nukes: Multilateral reductions are a good thing. 
Foreign Aid: Decrease foreign aid, especially foreign military aid.   

Overall: Liberalitarian, leaning more towards liberal now. Still have conservative planks on AA, hate crime laws, maybe abortion, and taxation.
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« Reply #843 on: June 26, 2013, 10:19:27 PM »

Social Policy

Abortion: No except cases of rape and where life of mother is in danger. Not really a big issue for me at all, besides gay marriage and global warming probably least important

Drugs: Start by legalizing marijuana, possibly others down the road. Ideally everything would be legalized, but i dont think the public is ready for that yet.

Censorship: No

Gay marriage: Legalized, get the government out of marriage

Death penalty: Used much less frequently

Prostitution: Legalized

Church & state: Separate, but it goes both ways..no church interference with govt and the govt has no power to regulate religion

Affirmative action: No, its just a different form of racism

Hate crime laws: no

Immigration: Secure the border first. Then make it easier to become a citizen, shouldnt take 10 friggin years to join our country. Maybe amnesty
    
Stem cell research: Fully support federal funding of stem cell research.  

PATRIOT Act: Nope

Gun Control: None

Assisted suicide: No opinion

Gambling: full legalization

Organ donation: no opinion.

Term limits: Support limits for all members of congress, as well as lower level federal judges


Statehood: 50 is too nice a number to mess it up

Voting age: 18

Campaign Finance Reform: Havent made up my mind yet

Voter ID: No.

Economic Issues:

Welfare: keep it for those who truly need it, reform it to weed out abuse of the system

Unions: dont care

Privatization: as much as possible

Environment: Global warming is not going to kill us all, get rid of the EPA

Minimum wage: not sure

Taxation: Get rid of the income tax completely

Healthcare: Get rid of government run healthcare, get rid of corporate healthcare, let doctors do their thing, and allow free competition for insurance

Trade: not sure

Embargo: No.

Pork: No
.
Subsidies: reduce  

Military: Major cuts to overseas budget, modernize the army, get rid of our overseas empire, defend this country first

Foreign Policy

War: No agressive war, no war on ideas, stop policing the world

Israel-Palestine: none of our business

Draft: No, unless the USA is invaded

Nukes: Dont mind them, no one is gonna use them so it doesnt matter

Foreign Aid: cut it all, only use it for special situations (earthquake in haiti, etc)

Overall: derp
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Goldwater
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« Reply #844 on: June 26, 2013, 10:32:38 PM »

Also using Rockefeller's method

Social Policy

Abortion: Completely legal during the first two trimesters, illegal except fir risk to health during the third trimester.

Drugs: Legalize Marijuana undecied when it comes to other currently illegal drugs.

Censorship: Strongly oppose.

Gay marriage: Strongly support.

Death penalty: Support for mass murders and other similar level crimes.

Prostitution: Legalize and regulate it.

Church & state: Support, although I don't really care if god is mentioned on our money or in the pledge of allegiance.

Affirmative action: Oppose.

Hate crime laws: Should be treated the same as any other crime.

Immigration: Support both amnesty and strong border security.
    
Stem cell research: Support. 

PATRIOT Act: Oppose.

Gun Control: Support background checks, oppose banning any type of gun.

Assisted suicide: Support.

Gambling: Support.

Organ donation: This is a personal decision.

Term limits: Undecided.

Statehood: Support statehood for Porto Rico, undecided on DC statehood.

Voting age:  Keep as is, but allow people who will turn 18 before election day to vote in primary elections

Campaign Finance Reform: Status quo.

Voter ID: Apathetic.

Economic Issues:

Welfare: Support welfare-to-work.

Unions: Support right-to-work laws.

Privatization: Generally support.

Environment: Support environmental protection as long as it doesn't interfere with economic development.

Minimum wage: Fine as it is.

Taxation: Ideally I want flat taxes, but realistically I just ant taxes to be as simple and low as possible.

Healthcare: Oppose both universal healthcare and "Obamacare", although I would prefer the former to the latter.

Trade: Strongly support free trade

Embargo: Generally a bad idea.

Pork: Oppose.
 
Subsidies: Generally oppose.

Military: Maintain current military funding levels, but shift more money into R&D and away from traditional ground forces.  Make more use of military contractors as a way to allow for funds to go further.

Foreign Policy

War: Justified for humanitarian causes and national security.

Israel-Palestine: Support two-state solution.

Draft: Oppose except in extreme situations.

Nukes: Free counties should have them, dictatorships should not.

Foreign Aid:  Depends on the situation.

Overall: Insane.
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TNF
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« Reply #845 on: June 26, 2013, 10:47:15 PM »

Domestic Issues

Abortion: Abortion should be totally legal at any stage of pregnancy. A woman should be able to end a pregnancy with the least interference possible from the state, and access to abortion should be free of charge. I oppose parental notification laws, mandated waiting periods, required ultrasounds, counseling, and any and all attempts to criminalize abortion through the backdoor. Ultimately, we should focus on reducing the number of abortions performed by expanding access to health care, child care, education, and birth control.

Same-sex marriage: We should stop linking fundamental human rights to an institution with a 50% failure rate. Tax incentives given with marriage should be abolished or de-linked from marriage itself, and individuals should be free to marry or cohabit with whom and with how many people they see fit, provided that there is no coercion involved.

Drug legalization: Soft drugs should be made legal, legal smoking/drinking ages substituted for legal purchase ages (ideally lower than what currently exists), and hard drugs heavily regulated with drug maintenance programs, harm reduction strategies, etc.

Prostitution: Sex work should be taxed, legal, and regulated.

Guns: Status quo.

Education: National curriculum developed with the aid of teachers' unions and parents, an end to most standardized testing, class size limitations, equal funding from the federal government, universal pre-k and universal access to higher education. Ban on private schooling and homeschooling.

Stem Cell Research: Status quo.

Euthanasia: Legal. If you oppose death with dignity being legal, you're an awful person.

English as the official language: We've done fine without an official language so far. No reason to change horses midstream.

School prayer: Status quo.

Pledge of Allegiance: Shouldn't be required in schools.

Affirmative Action: Class-based rather than race or gender based in the short-term, in the long term, abolition in favor of universal access to higher education.

Trade: Fair Trade, not 'Free Trade'.

Health Care: Move towards single-payer, obvi.

Welfare: Repeal 'Welfare Reform,' make the existing benefit scheme more generous, and institute a universal basic income.

Minimum Wage: Raise to $22 gradually and index to increases in worker productivity.

Monetary Policy: Pragmatic, but favorable towards a weaker dollar (to encourage investment in the United States) and a loose monetary policy to promote economic growth. Prioritize full employment above anything else.

Taxes: Close loopholes, return to Eisenhower-era tax rates.

Regulation: Return to pre-Carter regulatory framework. 

Spending Cuts: Cut spending when the economy is growing, not when the economy is shrinking.

Energy: Nationalize the energy sector, heavily expand use of nuclear power, keep prices low for consumers.

Social Security: Remove the payroll tax cap, make the benefits more generous, divert revenues from the general fund into the program, reduce the retirement age to 55.

Unions: Taft-Hartley should be repealed, as should Landrum-Griffin, the Hatch Act, and all existing anti-labor legislation. Enact the Employee Free Choice Act, recognize the right of public, agricultural, and domestic employees to organize, bargain collectively, and strike. Provide for a framework for industry-wide collective bargaining, ban 'right-to-work' laws.

Foreign Policy

PATRIOT ACT: Should be repealed, as should provisions of the 2011 NDAA that provide for indefinite detention. PRISM and associated illegal wiretap programs should be ended, torture banned, and the United States out of Guantanamo.

Afghanistan: Withdraw along Obama's guidelines, negotiate with the Taliban where feasible to prevent continued loss of life.

Cuba: End the Embargo, close Guantanamo Bay prison, and seek normalized relations with Cuba.

Iraq: Status quo.

Israel/Palestine: Recognize Palestinian statehood, cut off all aid to Israel to force the Israelis to the negotiation table, and act as an honest broker in any subsequent negotiations for a peace treaty.

Iran: Status quo.

Syria: Aid for refugees, no arms sales to the combatants.

Military Spending: Automate as much as possible. At the very least, reduce to pre-9/11 levels, with a goal of reducing military spending even further, cut something like 25-50% of the military budget, with most savings coming from automation and cuts in the officer corps, not in rank-and-file soldiers.

Electoral Issues/Government

Voter Regulations/ID Cards: Automatic voter registration for all persons aged 16 and up.

Electoral College: Should be abolished.

Washington D.C.Sad Should be given proper representation in the House and the Senate.

Puerto Rico: The people of Puerto Rico should decide their own future.

Senate: Should be abolished.
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ElectionLover
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« Reply #846 on: June 27, 2013, 09:17:40 PM »

Me on the issues....

Social Issues

Gay Marriage: Support. I see no reasonable argument against this.

Abortion: Oppose.

Drugs: Illegal drugs should be KEPT illegal. We should NOT END the War on Drugs,  but I think we should cut a LITTLE spending of the war.

Death Penalty: Let the states decide.

Guns: I strongly support the right to bear arms. No gun control!

Affirmative Active: STRONGLY oppose. It is unfair.

Prostitution: Keep it ILLEGAL NATIONALLY, but states can allow it if they want to.

Hate Crime Laws: Oppose.

Immigration: We should still secure our borders, but not spend so much on it.

Patriot Act: Keep it.

Assisted suicide: No! Are you guys crazy?! You guys act like this is a normal thing to support! Physicians should help people change their minds about suicide when their depressed!  Maybe in a few scenarios it's OK, but it should be EXTREMELY RARE.

Censorship: No!

Organ donation: Personal choice.

Now you sort of get my social policy, MOSTLY Conservative with A LITTLE Liberal mixed in.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Foreign Policy

War: Don't force us in one, but when it is necessary, we have to fight! Non-interventionism has NEVER WORKED in history!

Draft: No.

Military budget (this could also fit in the economic issues as well): Don't cut it too much, but a little cut in spending is OK. A weak military would be devastating!

Iraq: Shouldn't have gotten into it in the first place.

Afghanistan War: It was the right thing to do, but we should bring our troops home, it's been WAY too long.

Cuba Embargo: No.

So now you sort of get my foreign policy, no non-interventionism, but do not be too much of a war-monger. Fight when necessary. No more Cuban trade embargo!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Economic Issues

Minimum Wage: Do NOT raise the minimum wage. Unemployment would rise drastically. Businesses couldn't afford to pay their workers. Prices on products will rise! More companies will outsource jobs because of this! We should not lower or end the minimum wage either, keep it at the same level.

Right-to-work: Support.

Deregulation: Support. More government control is never the answer in economics. Do not over-deregulate though.

Taxes: Lower them as much as possible, for both the poor, middle class, and rich. Don't abolish the income tax.

Environment: More government regulation on the environment destroys business freedom. Encourage businesses to be more environmentally-friendly, do not force them!

Welfare: People who are on welfare should be required to work, unless they have any disabilities.

Trade: Free trade over fair trade.

You sort of get my economic policy now, I'm a hard-core conservative when it comes to economic issues.



So, how do you guys think of my political stances?









 
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They put it to a vote and they just kept lying
20RP12
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« Reply #847 on: June 29, 2013, 10:22:12 AM »

Gonna pick a few

Drugs: Illegal drugs should be KEPT illegal. We should NOT END the War on Drugs,  but I think we should cut a LITTLE spending of the war.

That's right! Keep throwing them blacks in jail for smoking weed!

Guns: I strongly support the right to bear arms. No gun control!

That's right! Keep wondering why shootings happen so often, too!

Immigration: We should still secure our borders, but not spend so much on it.

Pure race is best race.


Hooray for intrusive Government!

Assisted suicide: No! Are you guys crazy?! You guys act like this is a normal thing to support! Physicians should help people change their minds about suicide when their they're depressed!  Maybe in a few scenarios it's OK, but it should be EXTREMELY RARE.

They're not depressed you dolt. They're in visceral pain because they are dying. God forbid they be put out of their misery as opposed to living in severe pain. Gotta love Conservatism.

Also, ftfy.


Oh good you're not entirely totalitarian.

War: Don't force us in one, but when it is necessary, we have to fight! Non-interventionism has NEVER WORKED in history!

Right, because history PROVES that people would prefer to be bombed and shot and murdered than not bombed, shot or murdered. Good.

Minimum Wage: Do NOT raise the minimum wage. Unemployment would rise drastically. Businesses couldn't afford to pay their workers. Prices on products will rise! More companies will outsource jobs because of this! We should not lower or end the minimum wage either, keep it at the same level.

Do you really understand WHY people get laid off when the Government says "we need you to pay your workers enough for them to actually LIVE and live comfortably in this country?" It's because those employers are selfish and greedy and decide to FIRE workers, so they can keep money. It's not that they won't be able to afford a minimum wage hike, it's because they REFUSE to give more of their money to pay for their workers. They know they can find someone who will work for 7.25 an hour and not complain about it. People get laid off because employers don't want to comply with minimum wage raises so they can keep their money, not because "big evil gubmint want da people to make enough money for their work."

Deregulation: Support. More government control is never the answer in economics. Do not over-deregulate though.

Of course! Give the banks and corporations MORE power! Makes sense.

Taxes: Lower them as much as possible, for both the poor, middle class, and rich. Don't abolish the income tax.

Not only is the bolded part a grammatically incorrect statement, it is also a morally incorrect statement. I don't think Conservatives understand how wealth inequality works.

Environment: More government regulation on the environment destroys business freedom. Encourage businesses to be more environmentally-friendly, do not force them!

Right, because the "encourage them, don't force them" policy has worked so well over the years.

Hint: that was sarcasm, it hasn't worked at all.

So, how do you guys think of my political stances?

Your politics are as terrible as your grammar.
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Maxwell
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« Reply #848 on: June 29, 2013, 03:36:28 PM »
« Edited: July 05, 2013, 03:26:05 PM by Governor Maxwell »

Social Policy

Abortion (Center-Left):  Pro-choice up to the point of viability. It's the womans body, but after a certain point, the baby would possibly have the ability to survive, and that's generally at about 26 weeks. That's where I think the line should be drawn.

SSM and other LGBT rights (Left): Absolutely support. There are two ways of doing this in my view: one way is to get Government out of marriage. Getting rid of all the benefits the Government gives to married couples, and allow non-discrimination legislation to adapt. Another way is the way that is going on right now: fighting state by state to legalize gay marriage. Two people who love each other should have no barriers to be happy with one another.

Marijuana (Left): Legalize. I do agree, that we should do this by going state by state with attempts to legalize, but I think it's time we realized that the War on Drugs is a colossal failure. Tax it heavily, regulate it like cigarettes, advertise against its use. We need to more effectively use our resources.

Drinking Age (Left): It should be lowered to 18. We can send our men and women to war, and vote, but god forgiveth, we can't drink until we are 21. If we are legally decided to be an adult at 18, than we should be given all the benefits and what not of being an adult.

Oh, and I'm against the Death Penalty.

Physician-assisted suicide (Center/Center-Right): I'm not quite sure, to be honest. I think one should be in charge of their own death, but at the same time, it also depends on the circumstance. Maybe they are in so much pain at one point and they say they want to be dead, but they are not truly meaning of it if they survive. I think in the right context and under the right scope, Physician-assisted Suicide could work, but I think there would be a lot of consent to go by. (this might be my only moralist position)

Guns (Center/Center-Right): I think background checks is fine and is not gun control, so I supported Toomey-Manchin, although there were some major loopholes in the bill. However, I am not so supportive of a Assault Weapons ban, which would have little to no effect on gun violence. If we wanted to change the effect of gun violence, we need to look at our other laws and get power out of the black market (i.e. see Drug Wars)

Immigration (Center-Left): We need a more balanced workforce. What do I mean by that, well I mean that our workforce in the US is balanced on average skilled workers, with only small bits of American workers either highly skilled or low skilled. Compare that to an immigrant workforce, who have a lot of low skilled and high skilled workers, but not very many average workers. We need to increase immigration into this country. I believe it is time we reformed our immigration system to make it easier for people to come in, but we also need to be mindful and not treat people who came in here illegally any better than we treat people who follow the process. I do like the immigration plan in Congress, but I also want to do wonders on the work visa program.

Ultimately, though, if they are paying taxes in this country and are working, I have no problem with immigrants, illegal or not illegal, being in our country.

Affirmative Action (Right): Against.

Economic Policy

Income Tax (Center Right): We should have an income tax system. However, we should scale back rates once the economy gets back on track. However, in order to do that in a balanced fashion when it comes to revenue, we need to cut all of the special interest loopholes and ways that the corporate system gets to avoid taxation.

Deficit (Right): The deficit needs to be lowered through cuts and increases to revenue, otherwise known as austerity. However, we also need to increase spending in smaller places: infrastructure for example, in order to push jobs back into the economy. I am against massive wasteful spending, but not all spending is the same: We have a massively bloated military budget and we have no wars we are fighting with it, and I support big cuts to it. I also support looking under every rock and cutting waste.

Social Security (Right): I am for raising the retirement age, as Americans are living longer, and doing more with their lives. The retirement age has been the same since FDR, back when the age of death was LOWER than the retirement age he set for Social Security. It is only fair that we raise it now to compensate for increasing costs of the program. Simply put, we need to lock the lockbox. No more to Washington Republicans and Democrats robbing the trust fund as they did to fund their mistakes. In the long term, I do support a shift towards either privatization, or the Government handing back what people have put in and abolishing the program all together.

Free Trade (Right):  Pro-Free Trade.

Education (Center):  It should be in the hands of the states. We need to shift out of the dreadful policies of No Child Left Behind. Not all education spending is good spending, as we spend more it seems that those dollars go to waste when our scores are sh**t. We need to put more money behind primary education, giving a good foundation for later years.

Infrastructure spending (Center-Left): Support increasing. Our roads are in dire danger, and we need to do more to make our roads safer and better. One solution I like is making the toll roads private while keeping regular roads public. There are innovative solutions out there, and I believe that it isn't completely a lost cause.
 
Environment (Center Right): We should be mindful of our effect, but we should also not over-estimate our effect. There is something of an arrogance of our existence on this earth that we are the main culprits destroying the earth. Earth has long term shifts, some of them radical (see: the Ice Age), so I am still very skeptical. Ultimately, I wouldn't put environmental interests ahead of economic interests. However, I do support preserving lands for future generations via National Parks.

Foreign Policy

Embargo on Cuba: Totally against it. Cuba is no longer a threat. The more people we are trading with and working with across the world, the better. We need to lower barriers, not put up. No more Embargo on Cuba!

Military involvement overseas (Left): My basic foreign policy idea is simple: It is much like Milton Friedman described Government policy in the economy. Foreign Policy is too powerful: any movement we make ultimately comes back to bite us in the future. See all these leaders we put into power and than overthrew. I think it's time we stopped being so involved in world affairs. Let's be more mindful of our place in the world and stop being the world police. So my foreign policy is a minimalist foreign policy.

Humanitarian causes (Right): We should be more cautious about humanitarian aide. In any place where we could be thinking to fund poor kids in Africa, it turns out to be a dictator who takes those funds and slaughters thousands of his people. We need to be more cautious all around with foreign policy, but I think Humanitarian aide is a perfect example of why we need a more minimalist foreign policy.

Support for Democracy (Left): The United States isn't a Democracy. It is a constant fight between Republic and Democracy. Why should we impose something that we aren't even 100% behind?  Again, let's leave people alone, we don't know the backlash we may face because of these policies. Iraq is still a disaster to this day, because we invaded a country and then tried to "fix" our mess under the guise of Democracy.
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windjammer
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« Reply #849 on: June 29, 2013, 03:57:40 PM »

Social Policy

Abortion:  Pro-choice up to the point of viability. It's the womans body, but after a certain point, the baby would possibly have the ability to survive, and that's generally at about 26 weeks. That's where I think the line should be drawn.

SSM and other LGBT rights: Absolutely support. There are two ways of doing this in my view: one way is to get Government out of marriage. Getting rid of all the benefits the Government gives to married couples, and allow non-discrimination legislation to adapt. Another way is the way that is going on right now: fighting state by state to legalize gay marriage. Two people who love each other should have no barriers to be happy with one another.

Marijuana: Legalize. I do agree, that we should do this by going state by state with attempts to legalize, but I think it's time we realized that the War on Drugs is a colossal failure. Tax it heavily, regulate it like cigarettes, advertise against its use. We need to more effectively use our resources.

Drinking Age: It should be lowered to 18. We can send our men and women to war, and vote, but god forgiveth, we can't drink until we are 21. If we are legally decided to be an adult at 18, than we should be given all the benefits and what not of being an adult.

Oh, and I'm against the Death Penalty.

Physician-assisted suicide: I'm not quite sure, to be honest. I think one should be in charge of their own death, but at the same time, it also depends on the circumstance. Maybe they are in so much pain at one point and they say they want to be dead, but they are not truly meaning of it if they survive. I think in the right context and under the right scope, Physician-assisted Suicide could work, but I think there would be a lot of consent to go by. (this might be my only moralist position)

Guns: I think background checks is fine and is not gun control, so I supported Toomey-Manchin, although there were some major loopholes in the bill. However, I am not so supportive of a Assault Weapons ban, which would have little to no effect on gun violence. If we wanted to change the effect of gun violence, we need to look at our other laws and get power out of the black market (i.e. see Drug Wars)

Immigration: We need a more balanced workforce. What do I mean by that, well I mean that our workforce in the US is balanced on average skilled workers, with only small bits of American workers either highly skilled or low skilled. Compare that to an immigrant workforce, who have a lot of low skilled and high skilled workers, but not very many average workers. We need to increase immigration into this country. I believe it is time we reformed our immigration system to make it easier for people to come in, but we also need to be mindful and not treat people who came in here illegally any better than we treat people who follow the process. I do like the immigration plan in Congress, but I also want to do wonders on the work visa program.

Ultimately, though, if they are paying taxes in this country and are working, I have no problem with immigrants, illegal or not illegal, being in our country.

Affirmative Action: Against.

Economic Policy

Income Tax: We should have an income tax system. However, we should scale back rates once the economy gets back on track. However, in order to do that in a balanced fashion when it comes to revenue, we need to cut all of the special interest loopholes and ways that the corporate system gets to avoid taxation.

Deficit: The deficit needs to be lowered through cuts and increases to revenue, otherwise known as austerity. However, we also need to increase spending in smaller places: infrastructure for example, in order to push jobs back into the economy. I am against massive wasteful spending, but not all spending is the same: We have a massively bloated military budget and we have no wars we are fighting with it, and I support big cuts to it. I also support looking under every rock and cutting waste.

Social Security: I am for raising the retirement age, as Americans are living longer, and doing more with their lives. The retirement age has been the same since FDR, back when the age of death was LOWER than the retirement age he set for Social Security. It is only fair that we raise it now to compensate for increasing costs of the program. Simply put, we need to lock the lockbox. No more to Washington Republicans and Democrats robbing the trust fund as they did to fund their mistakes. In the long term, I do support a shift towards either privatization, or the Government handing back what people have put in and abolishing the program all together.

Free Trade:  Pro-Free Trade.

Education:  It should be in the hands of the states. We need to shift out of the dreadful policies of No Child Left Behind. Not all education spending is good spending, as we spend more it seems that those dollars go to waste when our scores are sh**t. We need to put more money behind primary education, giving a good foundation for later years.

Infrastructure spending: Support increasing. Our roads are in dire danger, and we need to do more to make our roads safer and better. One solution I like is making the toll roads private while keeping regular roads public. There are innovative solutions out there, and I believe that it isn't completely a lost cause.
 
Environment: We should be mindful of our effect, but we should also not over-estimate our effect. There is something of an arrogance of our existence on this earth that we are the main culprits destroying the earth. Earth has long term shifts, some of them radical (see: the Ice Age), so I am still very skeptical. Ultimately, I wouldn't put environmental interests ahead of economic interests. However, I do support preserving lands for future generations via National Parks.

Foreign Policy

Embargo on Cuba: Totally against it. Cuba is no longer a threat. The more people we are trading with and working with across the world, the better. We need to lower barriers, not put up. No more Embargo on Cuba!

Military involvement overseas: My basic foreign policy idea is simple: It is much like Milton Friedman described Government policy in the economy. Foreign Policy is too powerful: any movement we make ultimately comes back to bite us in the future. See all these leaders we put into power and than overthrew. I think it's time we stopped being so involved in world affairs. Let's be more mindful of our place in the world and stop being the world police. So my foreign policy is a minimalist foreign policy.

Humanitarian causes: We should be more cautious about humanitarian aide. In any place where we could be thinking to fund poor kids in Africa, it turns out to be a dictator who takes those funds and slaughters thousands of his people. We need to be more cautious all around with foreign policy, but I think Humanitarian aide is a perfect example of why we need a more minimalist foreign policy.

Support for Democracy: The United States isn't a Democracy. It is a constant fight between Republic and Democracy. Why should we impose something that we aren't even 100% behind?  Again, let's leave people alone, we don't know the backlash we may face because of these policies. Iraq is still a disaster to this day, because we invaded a country and then tried to "fix" our mess under the guise of Democracy.

You are a kind of rockefeller isolationnist. Really on the left socially, on the right economically (but not so far). You could be Olympia Snowe but she's pro interventionnist, so I would say Lincoln Chafee when he was independant!
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