Summary of political beliefs
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TJ in Oregon
TJ in Cleve
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« Reply #650 on: October 20, 2011, 06:52:36 PM »

I oppose a single-payer system because I believe such a system will inevitably lead to euthanasia in the mid-to-distant future.

I don't understand the reasoning here.

In the US today, most people will oppose the legalization of things like physicial-assisted suicide. I suspect that if the government is paying for healthcare, it will provide an incentive for more people to support physicial-assisted suicide because it saves them money. This is purely speculation on my part; I don't pretend to know the future. But, I think most people view things a bit differently if there is a financial incentive to do so. Of course you can make the argument that it already is more expensive for everyone to keep people alive, but the perception is more important than the effect in determining how it shapes public opinion. Having the government pay for healthcare would make it inherently obvious that the government would be shelling out money to keep patients alive against their wishes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18923323/ns/health-health_care/t/americans-still-split-doctor-assisted-suicide/#.TqBSLd6a9tM

No exactly.

Okay then, even more reason why I would want to oppose a single payer system. If most people think it should be legal, making healthcare tax payer funded will only increase their desire to legalize it in more places.
Good example of strawman argument.

How would you test that argument then?  Let me know when you've perfected the art of time travel.
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Fmr President & Senator Polnut
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« Reply #651 on: October 20, 2011, 09:21:04 PM »

Right... I like you TJ... but this is REALLY flawed logic.

Doctor-assisted Euthanasia happens every single day in hospitals in the US and in every other country, the difference is it's about assisting someone to pass who is going to anyway, but is suffering - it's not called that, but that's what it is.

There is NO correlation between euthanasia and the type of health system you are part of.

Also, consider that in the current US system your care is based far more around costs than more public-based systems.

I would recommend reading up on how the health care systems ACTUALLY work in France, the UK, Australia and Canada - because they aren't subsidy schemes for private insurance companies their per-head cost of GDP on healthcare is lower and produce better healthcare outcomes.
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Fmr President & Senator Polnut
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« Reply #652 on: October 20, 2011, 10:13:44 PM »

* I based this on Marokai's ... sorry for stealing some parts, but if I agree with it... why type it again?

Overall philosophy: From the time I became fascinated with politics (around 8-9) until I was 16-17 I was pretty conservative person – but that’s largely due to the influence of my grandmother.

My overall philosophy has evolved over the last decade, with life experience, to make me more of an economic moderate (supports low-ish taxation, a progressive tax system) and a social liberal/libertarian. I suppose in many ways, I may well be a latte liberal.

I support the role of government in society, as someone who has worked for government and continues to work in that sphere, I know how efficient is actually is and believe that the size of government is not the issue, its how effective it is.
Social Issues.

Abortion: I support unrestricted abortion rights in the first trimester. However with each trimester there should be medically valid reason for the termination. I don’t support abortion at the point of viability unless for medical reasons – at that point, allow the option for adoption.

Drugs/Legalization: I support marijuana legislation and regulation, but continue to oppose any other attempts at legalisation.

Euthanasia: I support euthanasia for people with terminal illnesses, with medical approval and clear suffering.

Gay Rights: Gays and lesbians deserve protection from discrimination and unions should be given full legal equality with marriage. Churches can do whatever they like.

Gun Control: Licences, clip restrictions, mandated ownership limits,  and ammunition controls. Ban all automatic weapons for private purchase, most semi-automatics. Gun ownership is also a responsibility, it does not undermine the right to be expected to abide by reasonable controls.

Immigration: A fool’s errand. Provide an amnesty and path to citizenship to those already in place. Crack down on those hiring illegal immigrants. Don’t punish the children of illegal immigrants by denying them an education.

Prostitution: Support legalisation and STRICT regulation.

Separation of Church and State: I support subjecting churches to the same taxes any other property or property owner would be subjected to. The Churches views should be considered, but only as they would with any other stakeholder. Religious viewpoints should never be of primary concern in policy making in a Western liberal democracy.

Stem Cell Research: Of course it should be legal and encouraged. Good lord. The amount of possible breakthroughs far outweigh the "moral consequences" of a few frozen slabs of goo. Sorry.

Smoking Bans: Support bans in public spaces and in enclosed private businesses without proper ventilation systems.

Affirmative Action: I’m honestly ambivalent

Miscellaneous:
•   I oppose the death penalty in ALL cases
•   Mandatory minimum sentences are idiotic.

Economic Issues.

Taxes: I oppose flat-taxes fervently. Income taxes should encourage work and achievement, while at time same time reflecting the ability to pay and real-time effects of taxes on high-income individuals. I oppose personal income tax rates of above 50% on anyone. Support a crackdown on personal and corporate loopholes. Support a graduated set in estate taxes from $3m in value and up.

Education: Voucher systems would be a white-flag from public education. Education is probably the most important investment we make as a society. Teachers deserve pay on par with the service they deliver. No subsidies for private schools or Universities… you want to send your child to a private school… pay for it all yourself. Direct that funding to boost public education.

Environment: I support Cap and Trade as well as other programs to create carbon offsets. I support strong environmental regulation as well as the creation of additional national parks. 

Social Security: Social Security should remain out of the stock market’s reach. Incomes of over $250,000 per year should receive a reduced level of support, up until $1,000,000 when it cuts out. Increase the age of applicants.

Unions: Unions are a key in building the middle-class and the workplace benefits we all enjoy today. They must be monitored to avoid corruption, which only undermines the Union movement in the eyes of many people. 

Health Care: A ‘single-payer’ system – with a private system for elective and non-essential medical services. Government subsidies of prescriptions – no prescription should cost more than $50.

Energy: I support nuclear energy, providing the infrastructure is sound. But longer-term support significant investment in renewables, with 50% of power coming from renewables by 2040. Support a 5year moratorium on drilling.

Miscellaneous:
•   I support bring rail transit up to European standards, with an increased focus on bringing rail to more parts of the country than just heavily populated areas.
•   I support a 20% interest rate cap on credit cards.
•   I support raising the full-time minimum wage to move towards a functional living wage.
•   I support banning payday loans, and other predatory loan practices.
•   I support equal pay laws, further protection of maternity leave, and an expansion of vacation days per year for all workers.
•   I support banning drug advertising.

Foreign Issues.

Military Spending: Close overseas bases, cut defence spending by 25% immediately, with the aim of a 45% cut within a decade.

Iraq: Complete withdrawal, limited foreign aid.

Afghanistan: Withdrawal over the next year, with close monitoring and support.

Libya: Support for the NTC to establish stability.

Diplomacy/Sanctions: Sanctions CAN be effective, but rarely have the desired effect. Diplomacy should be default setting for international relations, however contentious.

Miscellaneous:
•   My general approach to dealing with terrorism is pretty much what Obama has been doing; targeted military strikes, intelligence gathering, and a law enforcement focus.
•   I very strongly believe in a two-state solution in Israel, but Israel needs to stop thinking they can do everything they want with no consequences.
•   I support getting rid of the trade embargo on Cuba.
•   Private military contractors should be controlled and regulated.

Electoral Issues/Government.

Voting Regulations: I support automatic voter registration, and oppose photo-ID laws, as they are mostly used as political tools to disadvantage young people, poor people, and minorities. I also support making election day a federal holiday, to increase turnout as much as possible.

Elections: I support compulsory voting – it’s a civic responsibility.

The Senate: The filibuster is a joke – if you have 51 votes, you should be able to pass something.

Referenda: Again ambivalent 

Electoral College: It’s an anachronism.

Miscellaneous:
•   I oppose electing judges. They should be appointed on merit.
•   I oppose allocating electoral votes by congressional district, it's insanely undemocratic and by far disproportionately benefits rural areas.
•   I support independent redistricting boards for all states. No gerrymandering!
•   2 year House terms are an utter joke!
•   I support any efforts to make all election campaigns entirely publicly financed.
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Marokai Backbeat
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« Reply #653 on: October 20, 2011, 10:23:14 PM »

You're a dirty Socialist, Polnut. Tongue
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Fmr President & Senator Polnut
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« Reply #654 on: October 20, 2011, 10:32:24 PM »


Curses! Sprung!!
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RI
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« Reply #655 on: October 21, 2011, 12:11:59 AM »

I'm revamping the positions I posted in January, but I used a lot of the same wording as I rather liked it. Smiley Also, I co-opted a view of the stylistic choices Marokai made. Finally, I obviously don't expect anyone to agree completely with my platform. Chances are, you'll like half of it but not the other. Tongue

Overall Philosophy: Though there are a number of things I could be labeled as, I like to describe myself as an “amoristic communitarian”. This ideology primarily combines aspects of Christian democracy and Catholic social teaching with a secular underpinning focused on the morality and primacy of love for the purpose of pursuing happiness, self-fulfillment, and spiritual growth. I believe that love, in both the broadest and in the most specific senses, is the quality that we as individuals and we as a society must embody, and I believe it to be the core moral value. I reject the core conceit of libertarianism—that people are self-sufficient—and believe that, as well as the individual, communities and society must also be equally looked after, for no action occurs in isolation, and social interaction serves as both the catalyst and conduit for achieving self-fulfillment and presents the stage for love to blossom.

Overarching Themes: I am pro-life in all cases possible; I believe that all human lives everywhere are inherently valuable, precious, and sacred. I believe in the promotion and protection of love, especially in its truest form of marriage, but also in the proliferation of agapic love, charity, and social justice through all the tools at the disposal of humanity, including but not limited to government. I support technocratic government centered on the accumulated knowledge of experts in each field in the pursuit of policies that can be objectively demonstrated to best serve the goals outlined above.

Social Issues:

Abortion: As stated above, I am pro-life to the extent possible. I strongly oppose abortion, except in the case of a direct and immediate threat to the life of the mother to which there is no other remedy. I believe that the life of a person starts at conception, and that such can be scientifically demonstrated. Additionally, the government should take a more proactive role in supporting adoption services and universal maternity leave to reduce the demand for abortion as well.

Affirmative Action: Generally oppose, though there are some exceptions when talking about income-based affirmative action. I oppose race or gender based affirmative action as unjust and discriminatory in most situations.

Death Penalty: I strongly oppose in virtually all circumstances. I believe that the death penalty is rooted in the concept of vengeance and the absolute denial of forgiveness, which has no place in a loving society. I generally oppose killing in anything short of immediate and direct self-defense or defense of another. I am also against mandatory minimum sentencing.

Drugs and Alcohol: I believe that we should treat drug usage as a disease and seek to rehabilitate users rather than imprison them; I do not support the legalization of any hard drug, but I do support their decriminalization for the purpose of rehabilitation. However, usage should be actively discouraged as it is detrimental to the individual and society. I support restricting smoking, drinking, and other legal drug usage from public spaces to better protect others from the external consequences of these actions.

Euthanasia: Oppose, as it is unfair and immoral to ask a doctor to kill another person, the very antithesis of their profession. I do believe in extremely limited circumstances that provisions could be made; however, everything possible should be done to limit suffering, and in the vast majority of cases this is fully possible.

Gun Rights: I believe that any type of gun can be responsibly handled if it is in the hands of the right person. As such, I believe that we should control who can purchase guns, but I do not favor limits on which guns they can purchase. This isn’t an issue that I have deep feelings about, though.

Immigration: I do not believe in the concept of an illegal person. I believe we should actively seek to welcome all individuals who seek to join our society, both legally and socially. I do believe that conditions should be met, such as back tax payment and proficiency in English for illegal immigrants to earn citizenship, if at all possible. In general, the immigration process should be more much streamlined than it is. Children of illegal immigrants born in the US should under no circumstances be denied the rights of American citizens.

Marriage: I believe that marriage and the family are vital and foundational aspects of society and community, and that our culture continues to denigrate it. I believe that marriage is the highest form of romantic love, and should be revered, encouraged, and protected, but it is also something that must be earned in order to be appreciated. To this end, I support covenant marriage laws with, among other things, mandatory marriage counseling and safeguards against divorce; additionally, no fault divorce should be banned. The current movement for temporary marriage is an assault on the very concept of commitment and should under no circumstances be allowed. I have no problem inherently with gays marrying; I believe that this issue is a red herring when it comes to the actual threats to marriage.

Prostitution: Similar to drug users, we should treat prostitutes as victims of circumstance rather than as criminals. We should actively help impoverished women who view prostitution as their only option through, but prostitution should not be condoned nor encouraged nor legalized. Those who profit from this exploitation should face criminal repercussions, however.

Separation of Church and State: While religion should not be actively enforced by the government, the State should not rebuke the ability of many churches to help fighting poverty, homelessness, disease, and other societal issues. Anyone who has the ability to help others should be embraced, not denied; that is, I actively support faith-based initiatives when practical.

Stem Cell Research: Oppose new embryonic stem cell research, as I believe such destroys life in the hope of saving other life, but actively support adult and umbilical cord research along with induced pluripotency procedures.

Economic Issues:

Education: I support the public education system, but believe that there are major improvements necessary to bring it up to what it should be. One main improvement is that education funding should serve to counteract the cycle of poverty by centralizing funding and by basing it on need and improvement rather than on pure ability. Standardized testing and No Child Left Behind should be done away with. I would look into the creation of nationalized tuition for post-secondary education, but at the very least would like to see more Pell Grants and public scholarships available, especially for high achieving students.

Energy: For the sake of ourselves, our future generations, and our planet, I believe we must immediately take steps to move to an alternative energy-based infrastructure that runs on a regionally-focused mix of wind, solar, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal, convection, nuclear, hydrogen fuel cell, and other sustainable technologies. Vehicles should run on hydrogen or electricity. I do not support further exploratory oil drilling or ‘fracking’.

Environment: I believe that, in order to protect and cultivate life, we must protect and sustain our environment to best of our ability. Humanity must serve as faithful stewards of the Earth, as we are the only ones capable of doing so. I do not support cap-and-trade or a carbon tax, however, as I am not convinced that these are the proper methods to handling global warming, if it exists. If it does, a conversion to alternative energy as stated above would be more than sufficient.

Fiscal Policy: I generally believe in New Keynesian economic theory and the modern macroeconomic consensus, but I am open to hearing other viewpoints and testing these methods through an objective process. I generally support countercyclical fiscal and monetary policies that actively rectify market failures and excesses. I believe that these policies should be conducted independent of political processes; that is, I support either the creation of a Federal Reserve-type institution for overseeing economic stability and growth run by a council of economists, or the folding of these duties into a revamped Federal Reserve.

Health Care: I support a form of single-payer universal health care as my ideal health care system that provides for basic care, with additional care available for purchase on the open market. I believe that market-based basic health care an intrinsically flawed and immoral system that does not treats people in a loving manner, but rather profits on suffering. At the very least, I support a public option.

Social Justice: One of the most loving actions is to help another in need without regard for the result on yourself. Society too should embrace this concept. We must extend ourselves to help those in need through any means possible. Although government programs are the most effective in this area, the work of charities and religious organizations should be encouraged and embraced.

Social Security: I do not support the privatization of social security. We must protect this social program for the sake of those who need it the most. In order to safeguard the promise that is social security, we must raise or lift entirely the cap of social security contributions on high-income earners. We should also means test benefits, and raise the retirement age no more than 10 years over the next 20.

Taxation: I believe in a system of taxation that places a fair burden on all members of society. The only system of taxation that I know of that I believe is capable of doing so is a progressive income taxation system. I favor other forms in addition to this system, such as progressive corporate taxes, sin taxes, a limited sales tax on high price items, and some others.

Miscellaneous:
  • I support reimplementing Glass-Steagal and regulation of derivatives trading.
  • I support the banning of payday loans and other predatory lending.
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RI
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« Reply #656 on: October 21, 2011, 12:13:54 AM »

Foreign Issues

General Philosophy: We must embrace humility and love on the world stage.

United Nations: The United Nations is a valuable element of global diplomacy that should be embraced and strengthened with the ultimate, far-off goal of a federal world government that recognizes the unity of life and the human race.

War: War, which has been and continues to be the greatest threat to human life and the world itself, should be avoided at almost all costs. The only just war is one in immediate and direct self-defense, or the immediate and direct self-defense of another nation or people. Diplomacy should always be our main weapon. When war is necessary, it is important to continue to respect human rights and dignity for enemy prisoners and combatants to the extent possible.

Weapons of Mass Destruction: To the extent possible, all chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons should be eradicated; however, I acknowledge the necessity of keeping a limited nuclear arsenal for deterrence purposes only. The use of such weapons is never moral.

Miscellaneous:
  • I support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Both nations have acted incredibly poorly, and neither deserves our active support.
  • I support heavier regulations on military-defense contractors.

Electoral/Government Issues

Electoral College: I support the abolition of the Electoral College and the institution of a national popular vote system that uses instant-runoff voting.

Government Construction: I believe that more power should be in the hand of the more educated when it comes to the construction of policy rather than in the uneducated masses.  However, when elections are necessary, they should be as widely accessible as possible.

Redistricting: Redistricting should be done entirely by independent commission, and should be done nationally. Such commissions should be made up of uninterested individuals who have never been elected who should be directed to focus on community preservation and electoral competitiveness.

Referenda: I do not support direct democracy, and I believe referenda to be a tool to give uneducated and easily swayed populations the ability to unilaterally decide policy without any regard to expertise and study. As a resident of Washington, I have experienced firsthand the inanity of continuous referenda.

The Senate: The standard for invoking cloture should be dropped from 60 senators to 55.

Term Limits: I strongly oppose all term limits, especially harm limits that potentially remove knowledgeable individuals from positions of policymaking.

Voting: I support instant-runoff voting for all single elected positions. A mixed-member proportional system would be ideal. I support compulsory voting and automatic voter registration for American citizens. I believe that general elections should be federal holidays in order to allow everyone who desires to the opportunity to vote.
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Yelnoc
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« Reply #657 on: December 12, 2011, 06:41:19 PM »

Nihilist?  I dunno.
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Hash
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« Reply #658 on: December 13, 2011, 07:50:02 PM »
« Edited: December 13, 2011, 08:33:45 PM by Minister of Free Time Hashemite »

Overall Philosophy: I have rarely taken the time to try and define my beliefs under the name of broad, overarching ideology. From a simple, straight-forward point of view I am a centrist or centre-left progressive liberal. I am an individualist when it comes to social 'moral' issue. On economic issues, I believe in the free-market and the free exchange of goods and ideas, but I shy away from any dogmatic ideology on either end of the spectrum. In this sense, I am centrist who believes in a free, fair and equal economy if such a thing can exist in reality. I am not an individualist if economic individualism is interpreted to mean a certain type of greediness which does not realize the reality and implications of living in society.

From a philosophical point of view, I have a Marxist view of world history and, to a certain extent, politics; but I do not share Marx's political philosophy. I am not afraid to call myself an elitist as is so often derided. Intelligence in all senses of the term is something necessary in politicians, balanced with intelligence on issues and the means to the ends. I have only scorn for politicians who seek to appeal to the masses by idiotic vote-winning scams, faux populism and dumb-it-down talk which ignores the realities. Society has become driven far too much by greed, greedy individualism, sound-bites, artificial constructions and stupidity which stifles sound, intelligent independent thought and philosophy in favour of whatever is quicker and whatever is simplest. To that extent, I am elitist and allergic to Western society as it is currently structured.

In a certain philosophical sense, I have deep affection and common ideas with European Radicalism.

Economic Issues:

Education: Education is fundamental to the construction and maintenance of a strong liberal democratic society. I support public education and public schools should receive more funding when and where necessary. I am wary of standardized testing and No Child Left Behind, but there should be some vague standards set about what one is expected to know, and there should be no shame in forcing a child to re-do a school year. I oppose merit-based teacher pay.
Debt and tuition fees are major concerns for higher education. I support reducing tuition fees as a short-term measure, but in a long-term perspective tuition would ideally be progressive and based on family income and ability to pay. The availability of scholarships and grants should be increased, especially for lower-income students. Student loans only encourage more debt, and any reform based solely on increasing student loan availability is ridiculous and an affront to students.

Energy: For our sake, for our children's sake and for our planet's sake, it is primordial that we immediately take steps to move to away from resource-based energy towards alternative energies including a mix, based on local circumstances, of wind, solar, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal and other sustainable technologies. I am wary of natural energy but recognize it superiority to coal or dirty oil-based energy. There should be major public investment into research and promotion of electric or hybrid cars, and there should be a tax credit or discredit based on the type of vehicle purchased.
Subsidies to oil companies are disgusting and a waste of public monies that needs to be spent on alternative energies. The Alberta tar sands are destroying the natural environment for materialistic greedy short-term goals which will be of no use to our children and grandchildren.

Environment: We are treating the earth as if it cannot be destroyed and we are exploiting it like if it were our slave. Our natural environment must be protected and preserved for humanity's sake. Climate change exists, and merely delaying decisions to later will not help and neither will ridiculous short-term 'measures'. I support strict targets on carbon dioxide and fossil fuel emissions. I support cap-and-trade or a carbon tax.

Fiscal Policy: I am a Keynesian in the sense that I believe that a state's role in the economy should be to regulate and tame the free market, promote competition and break monopolies, and work to ensure that the free market works in concord with democratic values such as equality, fairness, representativeness and equity. Government spending and intervention is necessary and desirable to a certain extent to work towards those broad aims. Deficits are not sustainable in the long-term, and deficits should be reduced and government budgets should be balanced. At the same time, deficits in this day and age are almost inevitable and I am opposed to dogmatic crusades for the "golden rule".
I have no problems with the principle of austerity as defined by harsh short-term measures which ensure long-term and future economic prosperity. In Hashpipe's utopia, social programs should not instinctively be the first target of austerity, rather government spending should all be laid out on the table and balanced with the goal of efficiency, quality and value for money. My main qualms are with austerity in practice, which turns out to be making the poor pay for being poor by dogmatically attacking social programs as useless and wasteful spending. In Hashpipe's utopia, austerity should be progressive whereby it is an effort shared proportionally by all in society.

Health Care: From a foreign perspective, I have a natural affection for single-payer universal health care. Single-payer universal health care allows all to receive medical treatment without discrimination based on their ability to pay and thus one's income. It is morally wrong, in my mind, that somebody should have to suffer because he cannot bear the costs of seeking treatment. I oppose two-tiered health care and am wary of private health care, but if the case can be made to me, I am open to a dose of private participation.

Social Justice: We live in a society, and we live in a world which is unequal. To a reasonable extent, we have a duty and the state has a duty to help those in need and those who cannot reasonably help themselves. Governments have the largest role to play in offering social justice, but the role of charities and NGOs should not be discounted.

Social Security: I am pretty uneducated on this issue, but social security is crucial and privatization of social security is a horrible idea propounded by irresponsible ideologues. It must be protected for those in need. Raising the retirement age is, to a certain extent, a necessity of the times we find ourselves in. Clinging to concepts of pensions and retirement age established in the 'fat cow' years of the 60s is quixotic and irresponsible.
I support welfare reform to the extent that it fights those 'welfare leeches' who as greedy individuals seek to draw out personal benefits for being lazy at the expense of others. Welfare reform should be carried out carefully and not as a dogmatic attack on broad abstract concepts and groups of people. Those who receive welfare should be reasonably expected to make efforts to find employment which is open to them and which respects their dignity.

Taxation: Taxation is a necessary part of civilization and it is a desirable thing if its aim is to provide and ensure a "public good". Those who complain like maniacs about taxes are, for the most part, greedy individualists who want to pay nothing but still get all the benefits in return. Their irresponsible, crazy and demagogic ideas are a cancer on modern political life. I support the progressive income tax as the fairest system placing a fair burden on all members of society. I support corporate taxes and sale taxes.

Trade: Protectionism, in my mind, is a tried and failed idea. I support the free exchange of goods and ideas, therefore I support free trade. But free trade to a controlled and reasonable extent which does not destroy national identities and culture, local communities and their economies and especially the environment and labour standards.

Miscellaneous:
  • I support a cap on interest rates for credit cards at something like 20%.
  • North American rail transit should be a major priority and be brought up to European standards.
  • I support an equal pay for equal work law.
  • A public broadcaster, funded by the state and providing balanced news coverage is an asset and a safeguard against the rise of biased media empires which stifle the free information of the public.
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« Reply #659 on: December 13, 2011, 08:13:34 PM »

Social Issues:

Abortion: I am passionately pro-choice and am a staunch defender of a women's right to choose. While abortion should perhaps not be legal in the final trimesters and while I fully support public efforts to spread the message that abortion isn't a random or innocent choice; it really isn't my business and thus shouldn't be the business of the state to decide what the hell a women capable of rational choice does with her body. In my utopia, it would be a non-issue.

Affirmative Action: I generally oppose it, except perhaps in certain areas of the public sector where representativeness of society is a necessary aim. In other cases, I oppose it.

Death Penalty: I support the death penalty only for the most heinous crimes where rehabilitation is clearly a pipe dream and a waste of public monies more than anything else.

Drugs and Alcohol: While usage of drug and alcohol should be discouraged, it should be an individual's own decision whether or not to use drugs and alcohol and he should live with the consequences of his action. Therefore, I support the decriminalization and taxation of soft drugs, just like alcohol. Individual use of drugs should be seen as a disease rather than a serious criminal offence. I support restricting smoking and legal drug usage in public spaces to protect individuals who do not use these drugs from the (poor) decisions of those who do.

Euthanasia: If a person is of sound and rational mind, that person should be allowed to ask for whatever kind of treatment they want, or lack of treatment if that is their choice. Euthanasia should be a legal option for those patients.

Gun Rights: I support mandatory background checks and banning assault rifles. The Canadian gun registry was perhaps mishandled, but it was spun out of proportion and served a real purpose to prevent crime and help law enforcement. I'm sorry to see it go.

Immigration: I support immigration, and I believe that the right immigration can be great and has proven to be great for our societies. Illegal immigration is wrong and should not be encouraged, but it is morally outrageous that human beings - illegal or not - who have settled in a country, made their life there and have proven otherwise good citizens should be viciously expelled. I support a selective path to regularization of illegal migrants based on employment, language capacities, integration into society and family reasons. Those with no criminal record, decent knowledge of the official language(s) and capacity to find employment should be welcomed as legal immigrants. I support deporting those non-naturalized immigrants who have committed serious crimes or proven to be behaving in a way contrary to what is expected of normal citizens. I am shaky on the issue of removing one's acquired nationality even on the basis of a serious criminal offence.

Marriage: Marriage is an outdated and fairly ridiculous concept. You don't need to be married to love another. From this view, I really don't care if two people who love each other want to get married and it is authoritarian and intrusive if a government or politician think that they have a right to meddle in somebody's private romantic life. I thus support same-sex marriage and I fail to see what is so morally outrageous about two loving individuals marrying each other. One's life is not my business, and it certainly isn't the state's.

Prostitution: Prostitution should not be encouraged or treated as a banality, but it is wrong to treat prostitutes as criminals rather than as victims of circumstance or poverty. While legalizing prostitution could lead it to be seen as a banal thing, I believe that legalization of prostitution would allow us to treat prostitutes as victims rather than criminals and would allow for a more efficient regulation.

Separation of Church and State: I am deeply attached to the complete separation of Church and State. Religion is a private choice, and should never interfere with the politics of a secular state. Religious institutions are actors like all others, and they have their right to opinion on political issues. But a political decision should never be guided primarily by a particular religious doctrine, especially that of a single faith, in this day and age in liberal societies. The 1905 Law of Separation was a milestone in the story of human progress and freedom, and it is an inspiration for my political beliefs.

Stem Cell Research: The scientific benefits of stem cell research far outweigh any 'moral implications' that it may raise. I don't particularly care or know a lot about the issue, but I fully support it.

Foreign Issues

Military Intervention: War is a destructive threat to human life and all societies, and should never be an end and only rarely be a mean to an end. A 'just war' are those fought in self-defense or aiding in the direct self-defense of an oppressed people in revolt or threatened by mass murder and genocide. Intervention to prevent genocides and for other humanitarian purposes is fair, but unilateral intervention with the aim of regime-change is wrong. In cases of war, at home and abroad, it is important to protect civil liberties against abuse and respect the human rights and dignity of enemy prisoners and combatants.

United Nations: The United Nations is a valuable actor in global diplomacy which should be embraced rather than mocked, derided or opposed. The UN should be strengthened and reform. Certain institutions like the Security Council should be revamped entirely.

Weapons of Mass Destruction: To the extent possible, all chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons should be eradicated; however, I acknowledge the necessity of keeping a limited nuclear arsenal for deterrence purposes only. The use of such weapons is never moral.

Miscellaneous:
  • Terrorism should be dealt with by targeted military strikes, intelligence gathering, and a law enforcement focus. The root causes of terrorism must be addressed seriously and talk of their importance should not attacked as 'unpatriotic'
  • I support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Both states have made terrible decisions and have done far more harm on their own than good. Israel needs to stop behaving erratically and with impunity. In an ideal world, Hamas should stop being retarded hotheads and terrorists.
  • I support regulating military-defense contractors and limiting the use of private military contractors.

Electoral/Government Issues

Electoral College: It should be abolished and replaced by a national popular vote system using IRV.

Electoral Reform: FPTP is an aberration which is unfair and undemocratic. It should be scrapped everywhere where it is currently used and replaced, ideally, with an MMP system using IRV for single-member constituencies and party-list PR with the possibility of open lists used for the proportional seats. The proportional component should be on a separate ballot and account for no less than 50% of all seats. I support STV where smaller regional multi-member districts are used.

Redistricting: Gerrymandering is disgusting. It should be up to an independent commission which draws districts on the basis of communities and regions. The commission should be made up of individuals with no political or personal interest in the results of the process.

Referenda: The use of referendum in the United States is far too common. Certain issues concerning human rights and fundamental democratic values should not be in the hands of the people. But I support the use of referendum when constitutions are amended and in certain other cases. Being unaccustomed to its use in practice, I favour to an extent the use of recall, but with strict rules and guidelines.

Miscellaneous:
  • Judges should not be elected.
  • Allocating votes by CD in the United States is wrong and would only reward gerrymandering.
  • I support the rights of all people to self-determination and believe that devolution of powers is to be encouraged. Centralization in our day and age in Western liberal democracies is archaic and wrong.
  • Local government in France is a ridiculous mess and needs to be completely re-invented. This is an issue I feel strongly about.
  • The set process for calling a by-election should be set in statute and not be in the hands of any elected political actor.
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k-onmmunist
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« Reply #660 on: December 15, 2011, 04:45:09 PM »
« Edited: February 01, 2012, 09:06:20 AM by Windis »

Overall philosophy: I consider myself, at heart, to be a socialist. When I say 'socialist', I refer to the belief in a narrowing of the class boundaries, and a strong state in the economy to aid the disadvantaged and help lessen the destructive impact of the boom/bust cycle. This also means the state management and nationalization of the commanding heights of the economy. The closest any party has ever come to my views is probably the 1983 Labour manifesto (yes, THAT one)

I'm also heavily influenced by liberal and democratic theories - I generally believe in the harm principle on social issues, and that it's no business of the state to regulate the personal choices of its citzens.

Social Issues.

Abortion: Very very strongly pro-choice up until 24 weeks. There should be no further decreases in the limit and all abortions should be performed on the NHS, by request. A collection of cells in your womb is not a human being. Sorry.

Drugs/Legalization: The Misuse of Drugs Act is one of the most idiotic, misguided and stupid pieces of legislation ever passed in this country, and that's saying something. ALL drugs should immediately be completely legalized and taxed. Production of these drugs should be put under the same regulation as current food/drug laws to ensure the product is pure and as safe as is possible.

Euthanasia: Legalize. No-one should be put through pain simply because they can't take their own life.

Gay Rights: Privatize marriage altogether and let people make their own contracts (so this would also legalize polygamy etc.) and remove the ban on blood donations - more heterosexuals carry the HIV virus than homosexuals now, so it's based on a myth anyway. Complete equality is the only way to go.

Hunting: It was quite right to ban fox hunting as it's a senseless, cruel and obsolete institution that should have been done away with long ago. I'd seriously consider extending the ban to all hunting.

Immigration: Keep immigration controls much as they are, I suppose. If I were an American, I'd be fully in support of open borders but the fact is that Britain is becoming heavily overcrowded and it's neccesary, as much as I wish it wasn't.

Prostitution: Once again, legalize, tax and regulate. No-one benefits from the current system except the pimps, and police time should be spent fighting real crime instead of victimless ones. Nationalize the brothels, much as Turkey does.

Separation of Church and State: Disestablish the Church of England, completely sever every link between the church and the state. Should have been done years ago.

Stem Cell Research: Goes back to my abortion argument. Legalize please.

Smoking Bans: I support the ban on indoor smoking though I'm very strongly against it being extended to cover outdoor areas, as I've heard is now being proposed. Keep as is basically. Marijuana smoking should be legal in public.

Affirmative Action: I oppose affirmative action on the basis of race, and instead prefer a system of affirmative action on the basis of class.

Miscellaneous:
  • I'd strongly support the establishment of an Equal Pay Agency to make sure equal pay is more correlated with equal work.
  • All anti-terror legislation should be repealed.
  • I support copyleft and the decriminalization of peer-to-peer filesharing.
  • I support abolishing the age of consent and replacing it with a tier system.
  • I'd support the death penalty for extremely serious crimes such as terrorism. Aside from that, no.
  • Sex education for all.

Economic Issues.

Taxes: Increase the top rate to 95% but only use that rate for those earning absolutely ludicrous amounts of money. Otherwise, the top rate should be 90% - a much more progressive system aimed at wealth re-distribution in other words. I'd reduce VAT gradually to maybe 5% because I dislike regressive taxes. I'd also support the introduction of a Tobin tax and LVT. I'm neutral on the idea of carbon taxes. Hike corporation tax.

Education: Abolish tuition fees, bring back the EMA and nationalize all private schools. Abolish faith and single-sex schools. Everyone should be equal in terms of education. I'd also add finance to the National Curriculum.

Environment: Nationalize airways, rail, trams and buses and begin developing a unified transport policy to increase capacity and reduce our reliance on cars. Re-open railways closed by the Beeching Axe. I'd also nationalize what's left of the automotive industry and begin massive expansion - Britain needs a strong motor industry, and the opportunity is there for us to develop a high tech, green car industry from scratch.

Industry: Nationalize steel, automotives and other major manufacturing industries and begin an expansion of these industries, the aim being to provide as much of our own industrial resources as we can. Create vast public works programs to fix Britain's infrastructure and create full employment. Nationalize coal and re-open the mines closed by the Tories.

Trade: Absolute free trade has failed Britain, and should be abandoned. A program of industrial tariffs should be levied to protect infant industries and to bring about fair trade against countries without sufficient environmental/worker standards.

Welfare: Undo all Tory welfare cuts. Raise the minimum wage to a 'living wage'

Unions: The unions are a vital component of British society and all anti-union legislation passed since 1979 should be repealed. Unions should play a key role and provide a check to both State and Business where needed, as well as seeking to defend workers rights.

Health Care: Nationalize all private healthcare and all private services within the NHS and end 'competition' within it. Abolish prescription charges. Our health system should based on that of Cuba/Canada's.

Energy: Nationalize electricity, oil, gas and water and immediately drop prices that have been enforced by the monopoly companies. Immediately begin the construction of large wind and wave farms in the North Sea and heavily subsidize the installation of solar panels on every home in Britain. Nuclear power should eventually be phased out, but only when there is a viable alternative.

Miscellaneous:
  • I support the creation of a state owned banking sector and the nationalization of insurance. Derivatives should be heavily regulated, and all legislation repealed in the Big Bang should be restored.
  • A maximum interest rate of 48% should be re-introduced.
  • School meals should be free once again, and provided by local government.
  • I support banning payday loans, and other predatory loan practices.
  • A 30 hour day week should be introduced, as should equality between maternity and paternity leave. The eventual aim should be a 20 hour workweek.
  • I support banning drug advertising.
  • I strongly support a huge trust busting campaign to break up all the big monopolies and create a dynamic and competitive market.
  • I support strong French-style regulations on supermarket construction to protect small business and encourage a diverse economy
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« Reply #661 on: December 15, 2011, 05:20:54 PM »
« Edited: February 01, 2012, 09:07:24 AM by Windis »

Foreign Issues.

Military Spending: Reduce the British Army to 100,000 and focus on making it a high tech efficient defence force. Keep the RN and RAF at a large size as they're the most vital component of Britain's military.

Iran: Stay the hell out of their affairs? It really is none our business.

Afghanistan: Complete withdrawal, limited foreign aid.

European Union: The EU is a neoliberal institution which encourages social dumping, wasteful spending and bureaucracy. We should leave and sign up to a free trade agreement along much the same lines as Norway/Switzerland have. Aim to sign treaties that will create a unified Europe, outside of EU auspices.

Other Organizations: Quit NATO and close all foreign military bases in Britain. Quit the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank. Encourage UN reform and play a larger role there.

Diplomacy/Sanctions: No entangling alliances or wars. We should only fight in self-defence. We should seek close relations with Europe, Russia and other emerging markets.

Miscellaneous:
  • Keep foreign aid at 0.7% of the British budget
  • I support a three state solution for Israel/Palestine. The best solution would be for Jordan to annex West Bank and Egypt to annex Gaza, as this would be the best way to ensure a good standard of living and safety for the Palestinian people.
  • Northern Ireland and the dependencies are British and should remain so as long as they support British control.
  • I very very very strongly oppose any sort of doctrine of "pre-emptive war."
  • Strongly oppose Scottish and Welsh independence.
  • Unilateral nuclear disarmament. Yes please.

Electoral Issues/Government.

Voting Regulations: Lower the voting age to 16.

Elections: Reduce the House of Commons to 300 members, to be elected proportionally using party lists. Fix parliamentary elections so they take place every 3 years.

The House of Lords: Abolish!

Constitution: Create a written constitution and bill of rights along American lines. It should also include many of the provisions that were included in the 'Second Bill of Rights'.

Referenda: Referenda should be held for any major change to the constitution or signing of a treaty that gives powers to international bodies.

Monarchy: Abolish the monarchy and replace it with a 'Warden' to be elected every 7 years in a 2 round presidential election system. The Warden's powers would resemble those of the American President.

Federalism: Turn Britain into a federal system with provinces of about 1 million people each. Provincial elections would replace much of local government and would take place annually.

Miscellaneous:
  • Strengthen the Supreme Court.
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greenforest32
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« Reply #662 on: December 15, 2011, 05:54:44 PM »
« Edited: December 15, 2011, 05:56:52 PM by greenforest32 »

I like a lot of what I read from this Winston guy but one thing I've always struggled with is unitary (states) vs federal states. Specifically, the idea of having increased local/regional government power through increased federalism and having a unicameral national legislature by abolishing the upper legislative chamber. I have no problem with unicameral unitary states (I'd love to see all the U.S. state legislatures become unicameral).

I really hate the U.S. Senate's absurd rules and while the idea of balancing out the legislative process between small and big federal states by having one chamber based on population and one based on equal representation of the states sounds good in theory (the populous states cannot override the least populous states and the least populous states cannot override the populous states thus leading to compromise), it does seem to benefit the smaller states much more substantially.

I've heard of other proposals to diminish the power of the upper chamber by weighting the vote of each member according to the population of their region/state/etc or giving the lower chamber the ability to override the upper chamber (think this is what they do in Japan) but that just makes the upper chamber seem redundant.

Does it make sense to have a unicameral legislature in a regionally diverse country like the U.S. with its federal system?

Does it make sense and is it fair to have a legislative chamber representing land or sub-national governments instead of people?

Bleah Tongue
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« Reply #663 on: December 15, 2011, 06:00:09 PM »

I like a lot of what I read from this Winston guy but one thing I've always struggled with is unitary (states) vs federal states. Specifically, the idea of having increased local/regional government power through increased federalism and having a unicameral national legislature by abolishing the upper legislative chamber. I have no problem with unicameral unitary states (I'd love to see all the U.S. state legislatures become unicameral).

I really hate the U.S. Senate's absurd rules and while the idea of balancing out the legislative process between small and big federal states by having one chamber based on population and one based on equal representation of the states sounds good in theory (the populous states cannot override the least populous states and the least populous states cannot override the populous states thus leading to compromise), it does seem to benefit the smaller states much more substantially.

I've heard of other proposals to diminish the power of the upper chamber by weighting the vote of each member according to the population of their region/state/etc or giving the lower chamber the ability to override the upper chamber (think this is what they do in Japan) but that just makes the upper chamber seem redundant.

Does it make sense to have a unicameral legislature in a regionally diverse country like the U.S. with its federal system?

Does it make sense and is it fair to have a legislative chamber representing land or sub-national governments instead of people?

Bleah Tongue

Admittedly, I wrote my platform mainly for the UK Tongue In the US, I'd probably have different views on the constitution etc. I also sacked some issues such as gun rights that aren't issues in Britain and replaced them with hunting, which is Tongue
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greenforest32
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« Reply #664 on: December 15, 2011, 06:04:35 PM »

Admittedly, I wrote my platform mainly for the UK Tongue In the US, I'd probably have different views on the constitution etc. I also sacked some issues such as gun rights that aren't issues in Britain and replaced them with hunting, which is Tongue

I understand, I wasn't asking anyone specifically, just writing down a thought I had.
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« Reply #665 on: December 15, 2011, 06:12:37 PM »

Admittedly, I wrote my platform mainly for the UK Tongue In the US, I'd probably have different views on the constitution etc. I also sacked some issues such as gun rights that aren't issues in Britain and replaced them with hunting, which is Tongue

I understand, I wasn't asking anyone specifically, just writing down a thought I had.

Ahhh fair enough Smiley
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« Reply #666 on: December 15, 2011, 06:18:14 PM »

Electing any legislature to a one-year term is an awful idea. Nothing would get done and congresscritters would think about reelection even more than they currently do.
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« Reply #667 on: December 15, 2011, 06:23:50 PM »

Electing any legislature to a one-year term is an awful idea. Nothing would get done and congresscritters would think about reelection even more than they currently do.

I think it could potentially work at a local level, though not at national.
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« Reply #668 on: December 15, 2011, 07:11:10 PM »

Electing any legislature to a one-year term is an awful idea. Nothing would get done and congresscritters would think about reelection even more than they currently do.

I think it could potentially work at a local level, though not at national.

Why would local politicians care any less about their reelection prospects?
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« Reply #669 on: December 15, 2011, 07:25:41 PM »

I really hate the U.S. Senate's absurd rules and while the idea of balancing out the legislative process between small and big federal states by having one chamber based on population and one based on equal representation of the states sounds good in theory (the populous states cannot override the least populous states and the least populous states cannot override the populous states thus leading to compromise), it does seem to benefit the smaller states much more substantially.

Why shouldn't populous states override less populous states?
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greenforest32
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« Reply #670 on: December 15, 2011, 07:45:27 PM »

I really hate the U.S. Senate's absurd rules and while the idea of balancing out the legislative process between small and big federal states by having one chamber based on population and one based on equal representation of the states sounds good in theory (the populous states cannot override the least populous states and the least populous states cannot override the populous states thus leading to compromise), it does seem to benefit the smaller states much more substantially.

Why shouldn't populous states override less populous states?

It is exactly what I'm thinking about. Bicameralism undermines equal representation of the people.

Either we're going to have an upper legislative chamber that represents the state governments equally regardless of their population or we're not. If not, the Senate should be abolished no?
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« Reply #671 on: December 21, 2011, 11:56:59 PM »

I'm new here and thought this would be as good a place to introduce myself as any.

Overall Philosophy: Democratic-socialist, social-anarchist.

Social:

Abortion: Solidly believe in a women's right to choose, strongly oppose any attempt to infringe on this basic right.

Gay Rights: Strongly oppose DADT, strongly support letting same-sex couples adopt, strongly support legalizing same-sex marriage, strongly oppose DOMA, believe same-sex marriage should be legalized at the federal level (having the validity of your marriage vary by state is ridiculous).

Sex: Believe in legalizing and regulating prostitution, comprehensive sex education and proper information regarding safe sex, strongly oppose Sebelius's attempt to stop the sale of the morning after pill to those under 18, believe in legalizing incest as practiced among consensual adults.

Death Penalty/Prison Reform/War on Drugs: Strongly oppose the Death Penalty and mandatory minimum sentences, support drastic overhaul focusing on rehabilitation, legalize Marijuana, end the war on drugs, drastically reduce sentences for possessing illicit substances of all variety, refocus on rehabilitation of junkies.

Immigration Reform: Support full amnesty for all so-called illegal immigrants and passage of the DREAM Act. The rise of the standard of living in Mexico has lead to a natural tapering off of illegal immigration, the issue is primarily manipulated by white supremacists.

Second Amendment: I support the right to carry small arms for self-defense, favor concealed-carry, however I also support the ban on assault weapons and favor criminalizing hunting (it's barbaric).

Economic:

Education: Trash No Child Left Behind, fire Arne Duncan, pro-project based learning, for legalizing home-schooling and removing government interference, completely overhaul school system, kill voucher programs, kill the standardized test.

Health Care Reform: I favor a government run single payer system.

Trade: I tend to favor protectionist trade policy, I oppose NAFTA the TTP and all similar deals and  believe we should follow the example of the high tariffs that led Japan to it's post-WWII economic boom.

Tax: I believe we should raise the corporate tax rate by 10%, institute a financial transactions tax, create a new tax bracket for those making upward of $500,000 a year that is 10% higher than the current top tax rate, and make social security solvent by ending the social security payroll tax cap on those making over $250,000 a year and end the bush tax cuts.

Labor Unions: I support the Employee Free Choice Act and "corporations are not people" constitutional amendment (although not necessarily in the language put forth by Mr. Sanders), also strongly oppose "Right to Work" laws.

Minimum Wage: Replace with living wage.

Energy Independence/Environmental: Support increases in funding for Wind and Solar, further increasing the fuel standards for new vehicles, eliminating taxpayer subsidies of fossil fuels, and implementing a steep "carbon tax", support increasing funding for national parks and expanding hiking trails within parks.

Infrastructure/Transportation: Support building 5,000 km of 200+ km/h high-speed rail over the next 30 years.

Government Regulation: Reinstate Glass-Steagal, repeal the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980, repeal the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act).

Foreign Policy:

Support ending war in Afghanistan, closing all military bases world wide, bringing all troops home, slashing the Pentagon's budget in half, kill the unnecessary Dept. of Homeland Security, repeal the PATRIOT Act and make continued foreign aid to Israel dependent on return to 1967 borders.

Election Reform:

Term Limits: As has been demonstrated by California term limits lead to corrupt, lobbyist-written legislation and are inherently unconstitutional. Strongly Oppose.
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« Reply #672 on: December 24, 2011, 05:08:35 PM »

I'm new here and thought this would be as good a place to introduce myself as any.

Overall Philosophy: Democratic-socialist, social-anarchist.

Social:

Abortion: Solidly believe in a women's right to choose, strongly oppose any attempt to infringe on this basic right.

Gay Rights: Strongly oppose DADT, strongly support letting same-sex couples adopt, strongly support legalizing same-sex marriage, strongly oppose DOMA, believe same-sex marriage should be legalized at the federal level (having the validity of your marriage vary by state is ridiculous).

Sex: Believe in legalizing and regulating prostitution, comprehensive sex education and proper information regarding safe sex, strongly oppose Sebelius's attempt to stop the sale of the morning after pill to those under 18, believe in legalizing incest as practiced among consensual adults.

Death Penalty/Prison Reform/War on Drugs: Strongly oppose the Death Penalty and mandatory minimum sentences, support drastic overhaul focusing on rehabilitation, legalize Marijuana, end the war on drugs, drastically reduce sentences for possessing illicit substances of all variety, refocus on rehabilitation of junkies.

Immigration Reform: Support full amnesty for all so-called illegal immigrants and passage of the DREAM Act. The rise of the standard of living in Mexico has lead to a natural tapering off of illegal immigration, the issue is primarily manipulated by white supremacists.

Second Amendment: I support the right to carry small arms for self-defense, favor concealed-carry, however I also support the ban on assault weapons and favor criminalizing hunting (it's barbaric).

Economic:

Education: Trash No Child Left Behind, fire Arne Duncan, pro-project based learning, for legalizing home-schooling and removing government interference, completely overhaul school system, kill voucher programs, kill the standardized test.

Health Care Reform: I favor a government run single payer system.

Trade: I tend to favor protectionist trade policy, I oppose NAFTA the TTP and all similar deals and  believe we should follow the example of the high tariffs that led Japan to it's post-WWII economic boom.

Tax: I believe we should raise the corporate tax rate by 10%, institute a financial transactions tax, create a new tax bracket for those making upward of $500,000 a year that is 10% higher than the current top tax rate, and make social security solvent by ending the social security payroll tax cap on those making over $250,000 a year and end the bush tax cuts.

Labor Unions: I support the Employee Free Choice Act and "corporations are not people" constitutional amendment (although not necessarily in the language put forth by Mr. Sanders), also strongly oppose "Right to Work" laws.

Minimum Wage: Replace with living wage.

Energy Independence/Environmental: Support increases in funding for Wind and Solar, further increasing the fuel standards for new vehicles, eliminating taxpayer subsidies of fossil fuels, and implementing a steep "carbon tax", support increasing funding for national parks and expanding hiking trails within parks.

Infrastructure/Transportation: Support building 5,000 km of 200+ km/h high-speed rail over the next 30 years.

Government Regulation: Reinstate Glass-Steagal, repeal the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980, repeal the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act).

Foreign Policy:

Support ending war in Afghanistan, closing all military bases world wide, bringing all troops home, slashing the Pentagon's budget in half, kill the unnecessary Dept. of Homeland Security, repeal the PATRIOT Act and make continued foreign aid to Israel dependent on return to 1967 borders.

Election Reform:

Term Limits: As has been demonstrated by California term limits lead to corrupt, lobbyist-written legislation and are inherently unconstitutional. Strongly Oppose.

I agree with you on most of these things.  Except, if we criminalize hunting, then how will we get our meat?
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« Reply #673 on: December 24, 2011, 08:56:48 PM »

I'm new here and thought this would be as good a place to introduce myself as any.

Overall Philosophy: Democratic-socialist, social-anarchist.

Social:

Abortion: Solidly believe in a women's right to choose, strongly oppose any attempt to infringe on this basic right.

Gay Rights: Strongly oppose DADT, strongly support letting same-sex couples adopt, strongly support legalizing same-sex marriage, strongly oppose DOMA, believe same-sex marriage should be legalized at the federal level (having the validity of your marriage vary by state is ridiculous).

Sex: Believe in legalizing and regulating prostitution, comprehensive sex education and proper information regarding safe sex, strongly oppose Sebelius's attempt to stop the sale of the morning after pill to those under 18, believe in legalizing incest as practiced among consensual adults.

Death Penalty/Prison Reform/War on Drugs: Strongly oppose the Death Penalty and mandatory minimum sentences, support drastic overhaul focusing on rehabilitation, legalize Marijuana, end the war on drugs, drastically reduce sentences for possessing illicit substances of all variety, refocus on rehabilitation of junkies.

Immigration Reform: Support full amnesty for all so-called illegal immigrants and passage of the DREAM Act. The rise of the standard of living in Mexico has lead to a natural tapering off of illegal immigration, the issue is primarily manipulated by white supremacists.

Second Amendment: I support the right to carry small arms for self-defense, favor concealed-carry, however I also support the ban on assault weapons and favor criminalizing hunting (it's barbaric).

Economic:

Education: Trash No Child Left Behind, fire Arne Duncan, pro-project based learning, for legalizing home-schooling and removing government interference, completely overhaul school system, kill voucher programs, kill the standardized test.

Health Care Reform: I favor a government run single payer system.

Trade: I tend to favor protectionist trade policy, I oppose NAFTA the TTP and all similar deals and  believe we should follow the example of the high tariffs that led Japan to it's post-WWII economic boom.

Tax: I believe we should raise the corporate tax rate by 10%, institute a financial transactions tax, create a new tax bracket for those making upward of $500,000 a year that is 10% higher than the current top tax rate, and make social security solvent by ending the social security payroll tax cap on those making over $250,000 a year and end the bush tax cuts.

Labor Unions: I support the Employee Free Choice Act and "corporations are not people" constitutional amendment (although not necessarily in the language put forth by Mr. Sanders), also strongly oppose "Right to Work" laws.

Minimum Wage: Replace with living wage.

Energy Independence/Environmental: Support increases in funding for Wind and Solar, further increasing the fuel standards for new vehicles, eliminating taxpayer subsidies of fossil fuels, and implementing a steep "carbon tax", support increasing funding for national parks and expanding hiking trails within parks.

Infrastructure/Transportation: Support building 5,000 km of 200+ km/h high-speed rail over the next 30 years.

Government Regulation: Reinstate Glass-Steagal, repeal the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980, repeal the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act).

Foreign Policy:

Support ending war in Afghanistan, closing all military bases world wide, bringing all troops home, slashing the Pentagon's budget in half, kill the unnecessary Dept. of Homeland Security, repeal the PATRIOT Act and make continued foreign aid to Israel dependent on return to 1967 borders.

Election Reform:

Term Limits: As has been demonstrated by California term limits lead to corrupt, lobbyist-written legislation and are inherently unconstitutional. Strongly Oppose.
Your views are interesting (Im a Paleoconservative for Ron Paul), but I agree with Scott--Hunting is very important.
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Snowstalker Mk. II
Snowstalker
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« Reply #674 on: December 26, 2011, 01:03:35 PM »
« Edited: December 26, 2011, 01:06:58 PM by Northeast Governor Snowstalker »

Social issues:

Abortion:
Though I dislike abortion, the consequences of banning it would be far worse than the current legal status. Banning things doesn't reduce the rate of usage; it only drives it underground. Abortion must be safe and legal. Those who are truly pro-life like myself realize that slowing the abortion rate comes not from taking away a woman's right to her body, but from funding anti-poverty programs and through comprehensive sex education in schools as opposed to abstinence-only programs.

Same-sex marriage: Allow it.

Death Penalty/Euthanasia: Due to the costs of the appeals process and the underlying possibility that any innocent person may have been executed, I oppose the death penalty under all circumstances. Life in prison without parole should be the highest punishment.

Euthanasia: Having seen two family members deteriorate in hospices for months until they finally died in agony, I find that forcing these people to stay alive is far more barbaric than letting them choose their own fate. Allow patients to end their own lives, be it passively (cutting off life support) or actively (injection)

Drugs: The War on Drugs has been a costly and authoritarian failure. Legalize soft drugs, decriminalize hard drugs. Focus on rehabilitation instead of punishment--drug users have no place with murderers and rapists. Once again, support anti-poverty and job training programs so that people don't have to resort to dealing drugs (fun fact: most dealers don't actually make much money)

Prostitution: Like drugs, banning it doesn't work. Legalize and regulate using the same system as Nevada; require the use of protection, weekly STD tests.

Gun Control: I believe in the right to keep and bear arms. Other than some limitations (no firearms for those with certain mental illnesses, 1-day waiting period, no guns in public institutions, allow private institutions to decide whether they want to allow guns or not), I oppose gun control. I support allowing concealed weapons with a permit and oppose the assault weapons ban.

Education: Standardized testing teaches conformity and forces curriculums to focus on teaching the test. Merit-based pay and voucher schools are terrible ideas. Require schools to provide healthy options at lunch but allow some junk food (with a calorie cap). Allow student-run prayer in school, but it can't be led by a teacher (i.e. the current policy).

Immigration: Maintain border security, but don't build a fence. At most, create an "electronic fence". Support a guest-worker program towards citizenship while simplifying the process of legal immigration.

Voter ID laws: They're a terrible idea and are inevitably intended to suppress voting rights. Support automatic registration on the condition that you have taken the same citizenship test that residents have to take (it would be a required high-school test, the only exception to my opposition to standardized testing).

Economic stuff next.
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