Summary of political beliefs

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Economic Issues
Minimum Wage: Raise to $15, and index to inflation (used to be opposed to this a few years ago)
Taxes: Maybe keep corporate taxes where they are. Perhaps look into making taxes harder to evade by switching out some kinds of taxes to others. Trump tax reform in 2018 was actually good overall, but we should increase the top tax rate higher and institute, say, a vacancy tax on real estate.
Unions: Mostly favorable. I stand for the right to organize for workers, including police officers. I also favor card check. At the same time, more unionized does not necessarily mean better as in some places people are very clearly better off as individual actors. I favor what MI Dems have done by making union dues tax refundable.
Healthcare: Obamacare was very good and I personally profited from it as a diabetic. A public option would be good but it's only worth pushing for if the critical mass exists.
Trade: Generally free trade. Let the goods pass through national borders and consumers reap the rewards. I am generally opposed to protectionism and favor NAFTA and trade with nations, including China.
Monopolies: Apply relevant current laws as needed.
National Debt: Keep on eye it on it. It is worth trying to keep surpluses in good times.
Tariffs: Oppose, generally.
Retirement Age and Entitlements: Gradually increase if that is needed to maintain the integrity of Social Security. It might be worth it raising the threshold and making the benefits more generous. Protect Medicare and Medicaid and especially Food Stamps.

Foreign Policy
Hawkish vs Dove: Lean Doveish, if Hawkish is to be defined as using military action liberally.
Internationalist vs Unilateralist: Strong lean towards Interationalism. Don't let China become the standard-bearer for a global order driven by "rules". We of course can deviate from our "rules-based order", but if we do, we also give license for China to do the same. Caution is important and context is necessary when considering action and options.
Ukraine: It is in America's interest that Russia be weakened, so arms for Ukraine. But Russia should not be so weak it becomes a Chinese puppet. What we can do with Ukraine depends on what it achieves on the battlefield. What happens with Ukraine is not to be decided by what the people of Ukraine want, as much as the American national interest, which takes in the global state of affairs.
Russia: Some kind of sanctions for as long as the war runs. Re-evaluate sanctions routinely if they are doing the nation's interests a service. If not, do not hesitate to scrap. We don't want a Russia completely resilient to sanctions and thus which is independent from us. Also, Western companies having a presence in Russia is very good and I hope that the Russian market has as much of a presence of Western firms as it can (with some exceptions...weapons being one of them). In general though, if there are sanctions being evaded, good...that's more American corporate power globally and more money for American corporations.
China: Top rival, globally. Treat it cautiously, for they are a great power with a ton of strength. Full-blown war would be economic and political suicide and MUST be avoided. Above all avoid the existence of a cohesive Eurasian bloc joining the Middle East, Russia, and China.
NATO: Strongly support, though expansion is something to be treated cautiously. We are not required to accept membership applications.
Cuba: Lift sanctions. Obama era policy here was good, it is a shame Trump shut the door on that.
Middle East: Maintain relationships with players in this region, including Israel and Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. Even Iran to some extent. This area is still important.
UN: A good forum for global cooperation. Use as needed.
Israel-Palestine: I've lost faith in a 2-state solution, but I don't know what is best in its place. Perhaps a 1-state solution with constitutional and religious guarantees. But the people probably won't want that.

Education
Use federal tax money to help fix leaking roofs in poor schools, in both black and white areas. Keep out 1619 Project, that is sensationalist bull****. In general, avoid the crazy ideas from both left and right.
School choice (Charter schools): Good. However, public schools should still be appropriately resourced regardless of their existence.
Private schools: Keep.

Social Issues
Gun control: Strongly oppose. States, of course, have some leeway to go closer to tight gun control.
Abortion: Ban at least up to 15 weeks I guess. Ideally, nationwide ban besides the three exceptions, but I do not think the popular backing exists for something going that far. "Ideally" and "Abortion" in context to laws may as well be oil and water.
Drugs: Marijuana should be legalized as evidence it is harmful for health overall is limited at best. Most drugs should be illegal, however. Cocaine is ruinous and so is crystal meth.
Smoking: Strongly oppose. Maintain existing smoking taxes. Don't hike them further because at this point it would just empower the black market.
Alcohol: I'm a teetoler, but I'm an avid reader of history. Societies everywhere have some kind of drugs to let themselves cope with life. There's a reason Prohibition didn't work.
Reparations: Made sense in 1865. We aren't in 1865 anymore.
Affirmative Action: I support it. But within limits. It ought to be not to be used to discriminate against men. Universities have the leeway to have a racially diverse student body.
LGBT: No privileges. Treat them as normal. It is dumb we talk so much about this.
Police Reform: Oppose many of the things activists suggest. Try to get incremental progress on this, with clear goals in mind. Seeking perfection here is futile.
Free Speech: Strongly favor. I've always been at least fairly absolutist on this.
Birth Control: Strongly support its availability. (The aborting of the unborn and the usage of birth control are two very distinct issues for me)
Immigration: Broadly supportive. We should make it easier to come and stay here. However, border security is important and we should not have wholesale open borders. We should keep out "bad hombres".
Private Prisons: I disapprove of them, but if we get rid of them we need to be ready to fully fill in the void and use tax dollars correspondingly. If we are unwilling to do so, then we need to keep them in some capacity, though it stinks. Perhaps make it a rule that we should no longer have any new private prison contracts.
Civil Asset Forfeiture: Ban it.
Crime: Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.
Prostitution: Status quo. I don't care about this issue but don't favor legalization either.