Summary of political beliefs

[Bigby]

Economics:

Right-to-Work Laws: I support a federal right-to-work law. Private workers deserve the right to choose if they want to be represented by a union or not. However, I feel getting forced unionism out of the lawbooks would be easier at a state level and thus support state right-to-work laws as well.

Minimum Wage Raise: Part of me wants to say yes, but I fear that raising the minimum wage would have the opposite effect than intended. Normally, when the minimum wage increases, prices increase, workers are laid off, and the economy all-around suffers. Due to economic realism, either keep the minimum wage as-is or raise it only slightly. I oppose the proposed $10.10 minimum wage and definitely oppose any higher amount.

Environmentalism: I have nothing against people going green, but it should not be forced down the throats of the citizens. Overt regulation kills economic growth. Allow green tech and organizations to exist, but keep them in the private sector. People deserve the right to choose for themselves.

Corporate Welfare/Bailouts: No, no, and no. Businessmen should take care of themselves like everyone else. No government money should be granted to failing companies.

Corporate Tax Rate: The United States has the second highest corporate tax rate behind Japan. It is small wonder why American businesses continue to flee the country for those with less hefty tax rates. Reduce the tax rate to at least 20% if not lower.

Healthcare: Free-market solutions are the best ones. Repeal Obamacare and give the people of America their medical freedom back. In fact, allow insurance firms to compete across state lines. That way, Americans receive even more choice.

Gas Tax: These are already too high. States should pass laws to lower taxes at their level while the federal government does the same with its tax.

Spending: Spending must be cut substantially yet steadily. We currently borrow 4 cents for every 10 cents. If we could slash that off and create a slight surplus, we can reverse this 17 trillion and growing deficit. If possible, I would like to see a Balanced Budget Amendment passed. I'd also like to see a law that blocks pay from Congress if they do not form a budget in time.

Social Security and Medicare: These programs are fine and must be saved. Cut entitlements as a means to prevent these two programs from fading away. Social Security is already technically your money, so it's even more incentive to save the program. Privatize Social Security if there is no way to save it otherwise.

Regulations: Strip away all regulations save for a bare-bones minimum. Recently added regulations, especially ones added by President Obama, have stifled our economic recovery. You can't rebound if you are restricted with what your business is permitted to do. Small businesses especially need deregulation as they are hurt even more than big businesses are.

Welfare: Tighten the standards to receive welfare; capable individuals can lie far too easily to gain disability or unemployment under the current system. Also, introduce mandatory drug testing and punish those who fail them. If you are not incapable of working, then you should not receive welfare.

Education (As a future educator, these issues are especially important to me:

Common Core: Repeal these standards in every state they exist in. Return the curriculum to the state level. Not only do these standards lessen the intelligence and success of our students, but they also worsen the leftist bias in education.  They are all-around negative standards.

Department of Education: We've always had public education in the United States, but originally, education fell to the states. The federal Department of Education installed by Jimmy Carter should either be severely reduced in size or done away with entirely. Again. education belongs to the states.

Affirmative Action: Simply nothing but racism, sexism, or any form of discrimination in reverse. All students should be treated equally. As such, affirmative action should be banned. However, private organizations may still offer scholarships to certain groups if they wish, as long as it remains on their dime. Quotas must also be avoided.

Tenure: Teachers should not be granted immunity because of seniority. This system creates complacency. If older teachers were not granted what is basically diplomatic immunity, then they would perform better.

Grade-Based-Pay: I oppose this. Even great teachers receive sorry students in certain schools. Their wallets should not be punished for the faults of the students and the school systems. Although this is not entirely related, I am also skeptical of limiting funding to public schools that perform poorly. I believe the emphasis should be on reforming standards instead.

No Child Left Behind: Repeal immediately, no questions asked. It has been an absolute failure.

Vouchers and Charter Schools: Both are great ideas. Not only do they offer more school choice, but they also encourage competition to excel among schools. Instead of sliding further into stagnation, public schools would be forced to improve.

This is only part one. I exceeded the maximum length limit.

[Bigby]

-snip-

And now for part two:

Domestic Policy/Security:

Patriot Act: This must be repealed entirely for the sake of the American people. This bill violates so many amendments, especially the 1st, 4th, and 5th Amendments. Ditto for the NDAA.

NSA: This also violates the Bill of Rights tremendously. Disband the agency and obey the 4th Amendment entirely. You cannot search someone with a search warrant, and this agency does not seem to understand that.

Drug Laws: Marijuana should be legalized and treated the same way alcohol is. Allow anyone of 18 years of age or older to purchase it and smoke it either in private or at a facility that has a permit. (Marijuana permits should be granted so restaurants, clubs, and other facilities may allow the consumption of marijuana.) Speaking of alcohol, the drinking age should also be lowered to 18. End the unsuccessful War on Drugs while we're at it.

Prison Reform: Although I wholeheartedly support the free market, the prison system should not be privatized. Private prisons are failing us; criminals run free. Also, many private prisons have quota systems which gather up innocents just to achieve said quotas. If the federal and state governments were smarter with their budgets, then it would not be necessary in the first place to build private prisons.

Gun Control: I am absolutely opposed to any new gun control legislation. Not only is this a deep violation of the 2nd Amendment, but gun control always has the opposite effect than intended. When citizens are not allowed to arm themselves, crime and murder rates increase. Even worse, the government becomes bolder with other freedoms it tries to take away once their citizens are disarmed. As a result, the 2nd Amendment must be defended at any cost. On a side note, the age to own pistols, assault weapons, and other non-hunting weapons should be lowered to 18 and all state concealed carry licenses should be guaranteed valid by the federal government in all 50 states.

Abortion: I am unsure about this issue on a personal level, though I generally lean pro-choice. Women should have a right to control their bodies. However, I do support certain restrictions on the practice. I support the 20-week ban that has been adopted in Texas, and I believe other states should adopt a similar ban. I also support a ban on partial birth abortion; it not nearly as morally gray as abortion before birth. A big deviation I have from other pro-choice individuals is that I think Planned Parenthood should no longer receive any federal funding. It is an extremely racist organization founded with racially-motivated intentions. Therefore, Planned Parenthood must go.

Gay Rights: Homosexual couples deserve the same rights that heterosexual couples receive in the realm of marriage. This includes marriage, adoption, military service, hospital visits, and many more benefits. As long as religious institutions are not forced to recognize gay marriages on a religious level if they do not wish to do so, then there is no issue period.

Gambling and Prostitution: Both should become legal with minimal regulation. Ensure the minimum age limit of 18 for all participants is included in the laws legalizing these acts federally. Both should be run by the private sector like any other business.

Immigration: No matter the circumstances, illegal immigrants must never receive amnesty. Secure our borders and prevent any more massive waves of illegals from flooding the nation. If they have already broken the law by arriving without documentation, what guarantees they'll obey any other law? Illegal immigrants, not being citizens, do not have the right to healthcare, college scholarships, or any other right reserved for American citizens. Legal immigration should be allowed and encouraged. As long as you obey our immigration process, then you are welcome to emigrate to this country.

Censorship: Stop violating the 1st Amendment. For TV, the FCC must be disbanded immediately. If you don't like what your kids view on the television, it is your duty to regulate what they watch, not the government's. Furthermore, I oppose internet censorship as well. Proposed bills such as SOPA are purely horrible ideas that should never become laws. Freedom of expression on any medium, whether it is television, the internet, radio, or any other medium, should always be paramount.

Foreign Policy:

Israel: Israel is the standard bearer of freedom in the Middle East and must not be abandoned. That does not mean obey its every request, but our friendship with Israel matters.

The United Nations: The U.N. seems to support what the US opposes and opposes what the US supports. If we must remain in the organization, we should severely reduce our funding to the organization and evict them from Manhattan. Ideally, we should not be part of the organization whatsoever.

Drone Strikes: At the moment, I oppose sending attack drones without a formal declaration of war. These informal attacks via drones seem to be causing more harm than good.

Interventionism vs Isolationism: Unless the United States is directly attacked by a foreign enemy, the affairs of the world are not our own. We cannot even defend the border with Mexico, yet we bleed ourselves dry defending foreign nations. The Cold War is over, and thus we should withdraw all troops overseas and deploy them on our borders for security reasons. It is time to protect our homeland.

Congressional Declarations of War: We have not declared war via congressional vote since WWII, and it has affected our foreign and military policy negatively. For one, we must start enforcing the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Moreover, if the President sends troops overseas, he or she must receive approval from Congress within 90 days or recall said troops. Keep our espionage policy as is, but we must return the power of war to Congress where it belongs.