Summary of political beliefs

[afleitch]

Social Issues

General philosophy: Leftist/Libertarian

Separation of church and state: Strongly support

Freedom of speech: Strongly Support

Right to an abortion: Support in the first trimester

Affirmative action: Oppose

Gun rights: Oppose in a UK context- leave it as a state issue in the US

Civil unions or gay marriage: Support civil unions with the progression onto marriage

Euthanasia: Support

Prostitution: Let local areas decriminalise ot if they wish.

Capital punishment: Strongly Oppose

Economic Issues

General philosophy: Centre-Right

Employers and Employees: Huh?

Taxation: Reduce across the board and move towards a flat tax system.

Spending: Reduce across selected areas

Free trade: Strongly Support.

Funding of the space program: Strongly Support. We need to discover.

Foreign policy

General philosophy: Humanitarian Hawk

Iraq: Support. Now waning due to anger at the excrement that poured from Blairs mouth. But we need to stay in now we are there.

[afleitch]

Thought I'd go through this in a little more detail; my views have altered somewhat
Social Issues:

Abortion: Pro-choice. Satisfied with current UK laws on abortion. Dislike abortions for 'contraceptive' purposes and would prefer comprehensive sex education and easier access to contraceptives to help cut the number of potential abortions amongst the youngest age categories.

Gay Rights: Always supportive. Believe current UK legislation is acceptable, though would like to move towards gay marriage in the forseeable future. Support the need for better anti bullying policies in schools.

Separation of Church and State: In the US, must be kept seperate. Would support the disestablishment of the CofE, but it is practically impossible.

Affirmative Action: Oppose. It is important to remamber that affirmative action is not the same as anti-racism/sexism etc policy; those should remain and be enforced, but to try to redress the balance by actively promoting 'positive' discrimination is wrong.

Gun Control: Support. I don't see why anyone needs a gun or the right to own one unless it is part of your job to carry or use one. I know it's probably political heresy as a libertarian to say so.

Death Penalty: Oppose in each and every single case put before a civil or military court.

Censorship: It is not up to the government to promote the censorship of anything unless it directly incites people to commit an illegal act or act contrary to common law.

Flag burning: You have the right to burn a flag.

Hate crimes: Tough cookie this one. It has been common in law for centuries to not treat all acts against the person as the same; motivation and circumstance have always been taken into account. For example, an act of poisoning with intent to kill, for a long time automatically received the death penalty in England and Wales because poisoning was considered to be pre-meditated. I.e you could stab a man out of immediate rage brought about by a situation which could be grounds for manslaughter not murder, but you had to plan and execute an act of poisoning. If the courts see it fit to sentence someone harshly because of his attitude towards the persons colour or sexuality etc then they are within traditional rights to do so. Whether or not there should be a law to enforce it in each case is another matter.

Hate speech: Oppose unless, as with censorship it directly incites people to commit an illegal act or act contrary to common law.

Smoking: I support smoking bans. Why we once tolerated smoke filled cinemas and aeroplanes to begin with is beyond me.

Alcohol consumption: Should be maintained at 18, but should be waived in all cases for those younger where supervised. It is important to 'wean' people onto alochol in a responsible manner.

Euthanasia: Should be legal. Legal forms should be made freely avaliable from the Post Office and signed by a witness and doctor.

Drugs: I oppose the decriminalisation of marijuana except for medicinal purposes. Over the past twenty years, marijuana has become stronger, more dangerous and addictive due to indoor farming and cultivation to ensure the strongest crop. 

Gambling: I don't oppose it, but I oppose the reasons, in the UK at least, for legalising it; to boost government revenue and then to shortlist impoverished areas as potential sites well aware of gambling and addiction problems that often blight those areas.

Prostitution: Promote legalisation, though regulation. Prostitutes should have full control over their client list and this should be enforced. Brothels should be very heavily regulated.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Strongly support.

Immigration: Support current UK levels of legal immigration and would strongly encourage migration from EU member states. Oppose illegal immigration as it does not occur though proper channels.

Environment: Support the expansion of renewble energy and nuclear power. Support tidal and wave power. Support the promotion of 'energy independence' for households.

Patriot Act: Vigourously oppose and oppose any attempts to pass similar legislation in the UK

Economic Issues

Taxes: The Income Tax threshold should be raised to an level between £10 and £12k lifting poorer, part time workers and students out of the income tax altogether. Working Tax Credits should be abolished and incapacity/unemployment benefits should be restructured.

Unions: Supportive. Though I believe all unions should be unaffiliated with any political party.

Free trade: Strongly support except in military equipment.

Spending: Levels of spending should be pinned to inflation until their internal finances and administrative structures are reviewed and waste identified. Where cuts in spending can be made they should be made.

Social Security: Move towards part privatisation of the pensions system and an immediate raising of the retirement age to 67.

Space Program: Continue to invest.

Welfare: If you want to encourage people to enter the workplace, you have to make the take home pay higher than welfare. As outlined above, income tax should be abolished for those below a certain income allowing an incentive to non workers. The disability/incapacity benefits system should be completely gutted. There is too much waste and too many workers claiming it for trivial reasons.

Health-care: I support the NHS. I believe that the state and private sector can go hand in hand.

Education: Restore the assisted places scheme, reintroduce streaming and setting by ability in primary and secondary schools and encourage the promotion of craft/volcational/apprenticeship non academic education from the age of 14

Foreign Policy Issues:

Democracy and Trade: Use trade as a political weapon. Suspend trade with Zimbabwe.

United Nations: Strongly support. We must work with other nations to 'lock out' dubious undemocratic nations from key posts.

Iraq: Establish a flexable timetable for withdrawal.

Israel: Strongly support Israel and its defence of it's people and territory. Support establishement of Palestinian State under democratic leadership. Propose that Jerusalem become a joint adminstered 'free city' under the UN.

[afleitch]

Social Issues

Abortion: Should be seen as murder in the eyes of the law(both for the women initiating it and the "doctor" practicing it)

Religion: Christianity should be acknowledged as official religion, although other religions should not be persecuted.

Gay Rights: I'm on the fence as to whether open homosexuality should even be legal(although open homosexuals should be granted an amnesty conditional on keeping their condition private from here on out). Would also favour research into  how to make conversion therapy more effective. Gays should not be permitted to work in the public service.

Sex and Prostitution: Prostitution should be illegal. Adultery should be penalized by forfeiture of property/child visitation rights by the guilty party in the event that it leads to divorce.

First Amendment: Has been taken too far. Speech that is seriously offensive to community norms, be it that of Fred Phelps or Bill Maher, should be banned. The 1st amendment should not apply to pornography.

Second Amendment: Outdated really. Although if we implemented Swiss-style public militia service, it would probably be beneficial to the public spirit.

Crime: Death penalty is too kind for murder, rape, treason, pedophilia. I would sentence them to permanent solitary confinement. I'm partial to the idea of restoring debtors prisons so as to kill the current debt culture, though those already in debt should probably be exempt. For petty crimes I think corporal punishment would be appropriate. I would also favour Singaporean-style approach towards non-serious antisocial behavior.

Drug War: Well I regret the fact that alcohol Prohibition was repealed(it was actually working, especially before the depression), and think that cigarettes should be banned. You can guess my stance.

Gambling: Re-illegalize it.

Immigration: I think the multicultural experiment has been a mistake. Implement far more stringent standards regarding immigration, including consideration of cultural factors.

Economic issues

Education: Gradually phase out public schools. Fund universal education through school vouchers.

Tax Code: Fair tax or VAT+ return to protectionist tariffs.

Social safety net: Should be returned to state governments. Broadly favour reduction or privatization.

Labor Unions: Unions should be banned whether public or private. They invariably seek to sabotage economic production for their own narrow constituency.
   
Free Trade: Reinstate protectionists tariffs and nationalist economic policy in sectors where country is vulnerable to foreign production. But free trade for true Western allies.

Energy Independence and the Environment: Global warming is a load of hooey. Favour any measures to get off dependance on Middle Eastern oil.

Transportation: Free market. Privatize all roads.

 
Foreign Policy
Allies:Favour a more powerful NATO covering Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Israel as well(but kicking out Turkey). Should entail compulsory contributions to a semi-common military so that the burden doesn't fall entirely on America as it does now. Should also entail some level of free trade and easier inter-immigration.

Iran:Don't let Iran get the bomb, no matter what measures are needed to prevent it.

Africa: Favour the establishment of Western operated charter cities/regions, with consent of African governments.

You know if you were an effective troll you'd realise that you already posted in here on June 9th 2010. Your responses both times are well crafted (though the latter is laced with more bullsh-t)
but both completely different no doubt reflecting the persona you decided to adopt each time.

Just letting you know.

[afleitch]

It's been a while

Abortion: Pro-choice in the US context. Happy with the status quo in the UK

Drugs: I don't care. The idea that peoples right to be 'legally high' is an issue at all pisses me off. Legalise most drugs, and tax them in the same way we tax tobacco and alcohol and then see how many people care.

Censorship: Generally oppose. If you don't like something don't look at it

Gay marriage: Fully support. Anyone who says 'it's not a government issue it's religious' isn't answering the question or thinks it's safer to answer that way because opposing gay marriage is increasingly unacceptable. It IS a government issue. Marriage comes with all sorts of legal benefits. If it didn't, people wouldn't bother. If you want the 'state out of marriage' then accept that people who marry should therefore get nothing by right from their spouse or any recognition from the state that they are a couple or a family, even if they have kids. Let's all involve lawyers and sign contracts for everyting from pensions to hospital visits.

Death penalty: Strongly oppose. If you can't impose justice without taking someone's life because you don't know what to do with them, then you have a terrible justice system

Prostitution: Legalise it, regulate it, register it and tax it. Soon it will be cheaper just to bang your wife.

Church & state: Seperate (which includes disestablishment in the UK), no special rights and no tax breaks. No concessions in equality legislation because you happen to have a hissy fit around women and gays .

Affirmative action: Can't live with it, because it is positive discrimination but can't live without it because people (read striaght white men, as they are still disproportionate in business) are generally racist, sexist and homophobic assholes if they can get away with it.

Hate crime laws: Beating the crap out of a someone because of their race or the sexuality or whatever is worse than beating them up just because they are another person.

Immigration: I'm fine with it in principle, but it's not desirable to have it unrestricted.

Stem cell research: Yes, Fund it with every penny you can, even if it turns out not to be viable. It's only cells.

PATRIOT Act: Repeal.

Gun Control: Unless you are in the armed forces you don't need a gun. Evan farmers and hunters might need access to them, but it doesn't mean they need to own them

Assisted suicide: Allow. It's a matter of human dignity

Gambling: Allow it, tax it, regulate it etc.

Electoral Reform:

Term limits: Let someone be in public office until they retire, are defeated or die.

Statehood: Admit Puerto Rico, because they wan't it and D.C because they are your capital as states.

Voting age: Lower to 16.

Campaign Finance Reform: Only allow small donations

Voting system: In the UK, move to STV with a % threshold. In the USA move to STV and abolish the electoral college.

Gerrymandering: In the USA, establish an independent Boundary Commission to draw up multi member seats.

Voter ID: Automatic registration with no voter I.D so essentially if an adult comes up to you they vote and get a little sticker and and if a child comes up to you, they can't vote but get a little sticker.

Economic Issues:

Welfare: Support Clinton era reform.

Unions: Support the right of every working person in every profession from lawyers to shelf stackers to form unions.

Privatization: Case by case basis.

Environment: Move towards sustainable energy. Stick two fingers up to the car; turn freeways into railways if you have to.

Minimum wage: Support and tied to wage inflation.

Taxation: USA; Impose nationwide sales tax, lift poorest workers out of the tax system altogether and increase taxes on the top 25% of earners.

Healthcare: Establish an American NHS. If single payer is good enough for schools, the police and the fire service it's good enough for public health.

Trade: Support free trade

Embargo: Embargo states that contravene the principles of UN Human Rights

Pork: Oink oink

Subsidies: Case-by-case basis
 
Military: Cut spending.

Foreign Policy

War: If attacked, if ally attacked, if genocide can only be prevented through intervention, or with agreement from the UN

Draft: None, unless nation at threat of home invasion

UN: Is great, but shouldn't be about having every nation on board, only those who actually care about human rights, peace, democracy and personal freedom.

Nukes: Maintain.

[afleitch]

Vladimir; back up your statement.

If you consider it to be a 'self induced mental state', please outline precisely how all observations of animal species that reproduce by procreation have shown the display of homosexual behaviours. Please give evidence that all these animals, separated by hundreds of millions years of divergent evolution induce themselves into a differing mental state.

With regards to humans, please provide hard evidence confirming the point in the life of an adolescent (and for my example I will choose a male) in which they induce themselves; i.e they make a conscious decision that their pupils will dilate, their palms will sweat, chemical responses will take place and blood will rush to engorge the penis to a state of erection whereby it may self lubricate when faced with an attractive specimen of the same sex. At what point in their life was that conscious decision made, particularly if they had not reacted in a similar fashion to females. If there is no sexual attraction until it actually manifests itself, can you please confirm with evidence at what point individuals made a conscious choice to have any sexual response heterosexual, homosexual or otherwise?

Please also provide evidence, that in the event your hypothesis is 'true' that it sets aside homosexuals as a group that should be denied rights on the basis that their orientation is either a choice or a self induced mental state. Please provide evidence, given that you believe in God, that people's religious choices which involve adhering to a faith, leaving it, joining another, changing what you believe over the course of your lifetime or abandoning it altogether would not fit the same definition of a 'choice' or a 'self induced mental state', or if it does, that it deserves an arbitrary exemption from the conditions under which rights can be given or received?

Please provide evidence that domestic violence rates amongst same sex couples are higher than amongst opposite sex couples.

You may wish to review the following source material;

Broken Rainbow Conference Report C Jones (2002)
Homophobic Crime and Same-Sex Domestic Abuse D Collins, M Vallely (2001)
Domestic Violence within Lesbian Relationships K Townley (2001)
At the End of the Rainbow: A Report on Gay Male Domestic Violence and Abuse M Lehman (1997)
Same-Sex Domestic Violence: Strategies for Change S Lundy, B Leventhal (1999)
Lesbian, Gay Male, Bisexual and Transgendered Elders: Elder Abuse and Neglect Issues L Cook-Daniels (2002)
Hold Tight, Tight Hold: A Project on Same-Sex Domestic Abuse: Same Sex Domestic Abuse - A New Approach D Shelley (2002)
Violence & Abuse in Same-Sex Relationships: A Review of Literature A Richards, N Noret, I Rivers (2003)
Hate crimes in Scotland: A summary of results from the Equality Network postcard and email survey on hate crimes  Equality Network (2004)
Gay identity, interpersonal violence, and HIV risk behaviors: an empirical test of theoretical relationships among a probability-based sample of urban men who have sex with men M Relf, B Huang, J Campbell,Catania, J (2004)
Violence and social injustice against lesbian, gay and bisexual people L Sloan, N Gustavsson (1998)
Domestic Abuse against Men in Scotland  D Gadd, S Farrall, D Dallimore,Lombard, N (2002)
Domestic Partner Abuse. L Kevin Hamberger, Claire Renzetti. (1999)
Loving in Fear: lesbian and gay survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Queer Press Collective. (1993)
Men who beat men who love them: battered gay men and domestic violence. David Island. (1995)
Naming the violence: speaking out against lesbian battering. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Lesbian Task Force (1989)
No more secrets: violence in lesbian relationships. Janice Ristock. (2002)
Patterns of sexual violence among men. P.M. Davies (1998)
Professional’s guide to understanding gay and lesbian domestic violence: understanding practice interventions. J C. McClennen and J Gunther (2000)
Violent Betrayal: partner abuse in lesbian relationships. C M. Renzetti. (199

Please provide evidence, drawn from official government data of higher level of divorce rates

You may wish to refer to the following;

Badgett, M.V. Lee; Herman, Jody L. (November 2011). Patterns of Relationship Recognition by Same-Sex Couples in the United States

I am of course more familiar with UK data; the Office of National Statistics have confirmed that in the 7 year window since the introduction of civil partnerships, dissolution rates for those who had a civil partnership within those 7 years was 3.2% for m/m couples and 6.1% for f/f couples; which dovetails neatly into the existing understanding that in m/f couples, women are disproportionately higher instigators of divorce than men. The same figure for m/f couples, over the same 7 year window was 13%. While it is expected that over time these figures may converge, there is no evidence from my own country that divorce rates are higher.