I find my positions amazingly close to Raggage in many ways. But, rather than just cut and paste, I'll put in my own specifics.
Abortion:
I don't particulary like it, but I see it as being an individual choice. I can see limiting 'partial birth' to situations where the mother's life is endangered, though I consider it more of a wedge issue than a frequent problem. (that said, I consider it a well played wedge issue). I consider encouraging birth control (which can include the 100% effective abstinence) to help decrease the number of cases where the difficult choice needs to be made.
Iraq:
Although the fall of dictators is never a bad thing, it distracted resources from more important issues (such as stabilizing Afganistan and tracking down terrorists). Not to mention that now that we have a major humanitarian crisis currently in Sudan, we are too overstreched to help.
In addition, the war was planned poorly, working on the unrealistic expectation that everyone would welcome us with open arms - thus leaving out important matters such as having sufficent manpower to keep order, having the sort of international and regional support to give the action an air of legitimacy and keep this from turning into a major recruiting tool for the terrorists, to say nothing of the horific results of snubbing the Genevia conventions.
Tax Cuts:
Tax cuts paid for by deficit financing are no cuts at all - merely deferments with interest. Taxes are the rent we pay for all the benefits living in this great nation gives us. I welcome open and honest debate over what the spending priorities should be, and what actions constitute waste; But all told I would love to be making enough to be in a higher income bracket again.
Gun Control:
Anyone who want's to carry a blunderbuss is free to
. As I do not advocate the violent overthrow of the government, I see no need for civilians to have millitary-grade weapons. I would close gun show loopholes and set minimum quality standards to discourage the cheap 'saturday night specials' and the such which are popular with two-bit criminals for their cost and disposibility.
Education:
It's more of a state issue, but I encourage class size reduction, and sufficent funding to attract more teachers. (then again, I'm studying to become one - so I wouldn't mind the extra cash either).
Religion:
No endorsement of religion from any position in government while on the clock. People are free to have whatever faith they choose on their own time. Remove the McCarthy era 'under God' from the pledge. (why is a promise written by a socialist so big with conservatives anyway?)
Homeland Security:
Wasn't the CIA originally designed to co-ordinate intellegence operations anyway. Identify and find ways to break down bariers to interdepartment co-operation. (It can be done - the traditional rivalries between the branches of the millitary have greatly diminished improving our ability to pull off combined operations)
I think that better intel, and lower profile operations make for less impressive press, but more effective security. Survaliance, 'snatch and grabs', and tracking down and cutting off the money trails may not make for huge headlines, but it critically harms the terrorists ability to operate while minimizing the 'collateral damage' which makes a great recruiting point for the terrorists and their sympathisers. (pictures of dead civilians - especially women and children - are very effective in getting people mad enough to kill and support those who thrive on the hatred of the west.)
Other Civil Liberties:
I have mixed feelings on Affermiative action. In cases where discrimination does keep qualified minorities out of the loop it can be a remedy, but the impression of 'reverse descrimination' tends to feed the cycle of bias so it needs to be carefully considered and applied.
I see no problem with gays serving in the millitary. I see the 'don't ask, don't misbehave' attitude of the british as a decent comprimise. And the don't misbehave should apply to all orientations.
Gay Marriage:
I like the 'civil unions for all' solution many have pointed out - adds a legal equality for partners no matter what the persuation, while allowing churches to decide for themselves what they consider to be 'Marriage'.
Death Penalty:
Given the questionable legal process which has (by new DNA techniques) discovered several death row inmates to be not guilty, I have my doubts as to the effectiveness of the safeguards. In clear cut and severe cases I consider it an option, though rotting away in a jail cell is probably more fitting.
