State your economic, social, environmental, and foreign policy here

[W in 2004]

Economic Policy:
I believe that the government should give some sort of aid to the poor.  This assistance should be given with the goal of helping the poor achieve financial independence.  I strongly support government funded education and training that would give people the skills they need to take care of themselves.  I also realize that sometimes in an intermediate period the government may need to provide such things as food and shelter until the recipients are capable of providing those things for themselves.  Special attention should be paid to poor children, who have no control over their financial situation.  I support providing healthcare to children who do not have healthcare.  The goal of my economic policy would be to give the poor the support they need while they obtain the tools they need to achieve financial independence.

Environmental Policy:
I believe that some governmental regulations are necessary to protect the environment.  These regulations should not unduly restrict businesses from operating.  The government should preserve some land in its natural state for the benefit of the environment and so that people can enjoy its natural beauty.     

Social Policy:
I am pro-life.  I think the government should consider marriage to be between a man and a woman.  Homosexuals should not be prohibited from living together and having a relationship.  I think that homosexual couples could be granted some of the things that I have heard considered by the Democrats.  I strongly support the right of citizens to own and use guns.  The type of guns allowed may be limited by the government.

Foreign Policy:
I support the giving of aid by the US government to developing countries and countries devastated by disasters.  I do not believe that the United States should leave the United Nations.  I think that it is to our advantage to remain part of the UN.  The UN should never be given too much power because it is not a democratically elected body.  Many of the delegates to the UN are appointed by dictator thugs who have undemocratically seized power.  I believe that the US should not become involved in military conflicts that do not directly influence our national security.  The US should never be prohibited from going to war based on the whims of an international body that has no stake in our own national security.  We could greatly increase our national security by securing our borders from illegal immigrants.  I strongly support legal immigration.  The United States is a country that was built by the hard work of immigrants.   

I would be interested to know where on the political spectrum you would consider me to be.

[A18]

Economic Policy:
--Abolish Social Security
--Abolish public schools, and go with school vouchers
--Abolish minimum wage
--Implement a flat tax, with a generous exemption if need be, and no credits or deductions
--Abolish Medicaid
--Adopt a loser pays system
--Repeal all anti-discrimination laws (private sector)
--Abolish the federal gas tax, and let the states handle the roads

Environmental Policy:
--Abolish the EPA and let the states handle this.

Social Policy:
--Outlaw all abortions
--Legalize all drugs, and abolish prescription requirements
--Leave marriage the way it is now
--All federal weapons control in the 50 states is unconstitutional.
--Legalize machine guns
--Legalize prostitution

Foreign Policy:
--Pull out of the UN
--Create some NATO-like treaty organization with more nations

[Soup18]

social- conservative

economic- conservative

environment- mixed

[Richard]

Economic Policy:
--Abolish Social Security
--Abolish public schools, and go with school vouchers
--Abolish minimum wage
--Implement a flat tax, with a generous exemption if need be, and no credits or deductions
--Abolish Medicaid
--Adopt a loser pays system
--Repeal all anti-discrimination laws (private sector)
--Abolish the federal gas tax, and let the states handle the roads

Environmental Policy:
--Abolish the EPA and let the states handle this.

Social Policy:
--Outlaw all abortions
--Legalize all drugs, and abolish prescription requirements
--Leave marriage the way it is now
--All federal weapons control in the 50 states is unconstitutional.
--Legalize machine guns
--Legalize prostitution

Foreign Policy:
--Pull out of the UN
--Create some NATO-like treaty organization with more nations

[Hitchabrut]

Economic

Encourage job creation
Cut welfare spending
Crack down heavily on pork
Kick out illegal immigrants and encourage legal immigration of English speakers
Flat tax
Encourage trade with allies

Environment:

Allow drilling in Alaska
Research solar power more extensively

Social Policy:

Insert Evangelical Preacher Speech here

Foreign Policy:

Expel UN from New York and leave UN immediately
Cultivate close ties to loyal nations
Create system of treaty-bound real alliances
Cut all foreign aid to enemies and countries that refuse to aid in War on Terror
End support of Road Map to Hell

[TeePee4Prez]

Economic:

-  Pro-union
-  Favor a somewhat more progressive tax stucture with bigger student credits.  Keep marriage/home ownership/child tax credits as is or slightly reduce.
-  Bush 2001 cuts= good. Bush 2003 cuts= One step towards Feudalism.  Tax cuts during a surplus are a good thing and were definitely needed during that time period, but the 2003 cuts did not stimualte the economy at all, were heavily skewed towards the wealthy and created a pile of debt.
-  Strengthen OT to lower end professional sectors that are currently exempt.  50-60 hour workweeks for $35-40K is atrocious for recent college grads.
-  Pro-trade with strong labor and environmental considerations.
-  Eliminate "double taxation" of corporate and individual returns, BUT even dividend and capital gain rates with earned income.  Only tax the retained earnings portion at a flat rate of 15%.  Will give a company more incentive to give out dividends and truly show what a company's worth. 
-  Give aid to poor, but create more incentives to work.  "Learned dependency" is rampant from what I hear in Philadelphia public high schools.  I swear some kids can barely read, but know how to get that ACCESS card.  Tougher restrictions (and hopefully less spending) on welfare recipients, but much higher education spending.
-  Tear up HMO bill and create a  hybrid private-public health insurance system similar to the one John Kerry proposed.  Insurance companies are far too profitable and catastrophic coverage is needed.

Social will come later. 

[PADem]

 Economic Policy:
-- Support partial privatisation of social security
-- Support the idea of school vouchers
-- Supportive of tarrifs for certain industry
-- Keep taxes as they are now(no cuts/raises)
-- Against Affirmative Action
rimination laws (private sector)
--

Environmental Policy:
-- Don't have a problem with drilling in ANWR
-- Support a tax on gaz-guzzling cars that are so big nobody actually needs one

Social Policy:
--Proud Pro-Life Democrat
--Support Civil Unions for homosexual and heterosexual couples
--Marriage as defined by Christianity/Judaism/Islametc
--Support strong gun control (i think the 2nd amendment is the worst one on the books)

Foreign Policy
--Creation of an extra army division
--Support a strong U.N with no vetoes
--Supported War in Iraq

[Beet]

Economic Policy:
-- Support partial privatisation of social security
-- Support the idea of school vouchers
-- Supportive of socioeconomic affirmative action
-- Pro-trade
-- Repeal some recent tax cuts, reinstate inheritance tax
-- Support $10,000 child college tax credit
-- Support expansion of Fannie Mae loan programs and continued low interest rate policy
-- Support state-led infrastructure development and suburban smart growth
-- Support achieving affordable housing through market prices

Environmental Policy:
-- Keep ANWR as it is
-- Support tax credits for companies that research and develop commercial hybrids
-- Support raitfying and implementing the Kyoto Accord

Social Policy:
--Pro-Choice during the embryonic stage
--Support 6 week paid family leave funded by payroll tax
--Support McCain/Kennedy immigration reform bill
--Support Civil Unions for homosexual and heterosexual couples
--Marriage as defined by Christianity/Judaism/Islametc
--Support gun background checks, registration, and assault weapons ban
--Support increasing minimum wage by $1 and indexing to cost of living henceforth

Foreign Policy
--Use hard power as a platform to extend America's soft power
--Support a strong, reformed U.N. led by the U.S.
--Support an "international system" led by the United States
--Support peaceful competition between nations
--Mixed on the Iraq War
--End economic assistance to Israel and Egypt

[opebo]

Economic: Redistributionist Keynesian liberalism with high progressive tax rates and high minimum wages.

Social:  Complete laissez-faire - legalization of all prostitution, drugs.

Environmental:  Don't care.

Foreign policy:  Don't really care.  Isolationist and anti-war (nearly all wars the US has been involved in were destructive to most americans interests).

[dazzleman]

Economic Policy:
-- Support partial privatisation of social security
-- Support the idea of school vouchers
-- Supportive of socioeconomic affirmative action
-- Pro-trade
-- Repeal some recent tax cuts, reinstate inheritance tax
-- Support $10,000 child college tax credit
-- Support expansion of Fannie Mae loan programs and continued low interest rate policy
-- Support state-led infrastructure development and suburban smart growth
-- Support achieving affordable housing through market prices

Environmental Policy:
-- Keep ANWR as it is
-- Support tax credits for companies that research and develop commercial hybrids
-- Support raitfying and implementing the Kyoto Accord

Social Policy:
--Pro-Choice during the embryonic stage
--Support 6 week paid family leave funded by payroll tax
--Support McCain/Kennedy immigration reform bill
--Support Civil Unions for homosexual and heterosexual couples
--Marriage as defined by Christianity/Judaism/Islametc
--Support gun background checks, registration, and assault weapons ban
--Support increasing minimum wage by $1 and indexing to cost of living henceforth

Foreign Policy
--Use hard power as a platform to extend America's soft power
--Support a strong, reformed U.N. led by the U.S.
--Support an "international system" led by the United States
--Support peaceful competition between nations
--Mixed on the Iraq War
--End economic assistance to Israel and Egypt

I agree with much of what you propose, though I'm a bit more conservative than you.

I favor cutting government spending over repealing tax cuts.  I'll believe the Democrats really represent fiscal responsibility when I hear them call for spending restraint in something other than defense.

I don't agree with you on ANWR or the Kyoto Accord.  I really can't get past the fact that 98 senators voted against the Kyoto Accord and that, as far as I've heard (please correct me if I'm wrong), the Europeans are not implementing it either.

I'm ambivalent about the paid family leave and the tax to fund it, but I could probably be talked into it.  I think one of the great problems today is the work-family balance.  We have ourselves to blame for the problem, but we have to try to balance better.  One big issue is the mentality many people have toward those who take leave, and the fact that it can have long-term negative career implications to take any type of significant leave.  This is something the government can't fix; the people have to fix it by changing their attitude toward work, and recognizing that we need some time to decompress.

I am not familiar with all the details of the proposed immigration reform bill, but if Ted Kennedy supports it, then I probably don't like it.

[A18]

I'm ambivalent about the paid family leave and the tax to fund it, but I could probably be talked into it.

That is seriously an ultra-liberal thing to say. Especially coming from you.

[dazzleman]

I'm ambivalent about the paid family leave and the tax to fund it, but I could probably be talked into it.

That is seriously an ultra-liberal thing to say. Especially coming from you.

It is a fairly liberal proposal, but so was sick pay at one time.

I do think our society has a serious problem with overwork, and that it would be good for us to take a step back from it a bit.  This is one way to do so, though it's not a 100% effective way.

Of course, the devil's in the details.  What would be the circumstances under which the leave was permitted, and who would decide whether it would be paid or not?  How often could one take the leave?  I guess I'm already talking myself out of it.

But still, I think we need a dialogue on how to arrange our overall society so as to leave more time for things other than work.  If you're not out there working yet, you may not appreciate how much work has encroached onto people's personal times. 

A prime cause of this has been the women's movement, and it's implicit worship of work, and the attitude behind it that a person is nothing if not working for pay.  We have convinced ourselves that we must be busy every minute, and turned into a society of energizer bunnies.  Modern electronic gadgets not only give us the capability of communicating at all times, but create the expectation that we will be available at all times.  It's a double-edged sword.

Maybe the paid family leave is not the real answer, but we do have a problem that it would beneficial for us to address at some point, in my opinion.

[A18]

Sick pay is also ultra-liberal. All of this stuff is disgusting and vile. And at the federal level, blatantly unconstitutional.

This isn't a solution to a problem. This is an additional problem. A government program is the closest thing to eternal life we will ever experience on this planet.

All this does is take the control of people's money out of their own hands, much like Social Security, Medicare, and all these other socialist programs.

Honestly. I think opebo is to the right of you on this issue.

[dazzleman]

Sick pay is also ultra-liberal. All of this stuff is disgusting and vile. And at the federal level, blatantly unconstitutional.

This isn't a solution to a problem. This is an additional problem. A government program is the closest thing to eternal life we will ever experience on this planet.

All this does is take the control of people's money out of their own hands, much like Social Security, Medicare, and all these other socialist programs.

Honestly. I think opebo is to the right of you on this issue.

Philip, I don't agree with you about sick pay.  My guess is that you have indirectly benefited from sick pay.  If you think sick pay is ultra-liberal, then you're aligned against about 80% of the population.

I already said I basically talked myself out of the paid family leave proposal, though I do recognize the problem that it attempts to address, and I think we should try to find another way as a society to address it that doesn't involve a government entitlement.

[A18]

Because I've never aligned myself against 80% of the population before.

[dazzleman]

Because I've never aligned myself against 80% of the population before.

HAHA, lots of your views are in a minority, obviously.

But that doesn't make everybody who doesn't agree with you on a particular view ultra-liberal.  I really don't believe sick pay is ultra-liberal, or even liberal today.  Very few conservatives would support taking away sick pay.

[WalterMitty]

economic:
staunch capitalist.  i guess i border on being an anarcho-capitalist.  i think everyone here knows my views on unions.

social:
im mainly a social liberal.  i favor gay rights.  i support keeping abortion legal.  the death penalty should be abolished.  im strongly pro-immigration.  i support gun control.  i oppose school prayer and other such nonsense.

evironment:
the environment is a mess.  do i trust the government to clean it up?  no.

foreign:
id like to think im pretty hawkish when it comes to dealing with terrorists and despots.

[TeePee4Prez]

Social:

-  Strong supporter of a woman's right to choose in the first 2 trimesters.  Life of mother is only acceptable thereafter.
-  Favor comprehensive family planning and sex education with funding
-  Favor gay marriage, but have some cautious leanings when it comes to adopting children.
-  Strong separation of church and state
-  Oppose school vouchers
-  Oppose death penalty
-  Mixed on immigration.  Support legal immigration to fill demands; however, it needs to be curbed to prevent an influx of cheap labor.
-  V-Chip is a good thing, but Joe Lieberman goes too far on media regulations.  Let grown people watch what they want!
-  Stem cells- Fund and Expand!

Environmental

-  Oppose ANWR, but would be open to it if needed to strangle Saudis after their support of 9/11.
-  Favor CAFE standards

Foreign

-  Vietnam, Gulf II: unnecessary
-  WWI:  highly question motive to enter.  Was Democracy at stake?  Alien and Sedition Act was quite facist.
-  WWII, Gulf I, Kosovo/Bosnia: necessary
-  Compromise of Israel/Palestine.  Both have rights to land.
-  Strongly favor UN membership and oppose Bolton

[DanielX]

Economic:
As lasseiz-faire as possible.

Social:
Let people do what they want as long as the unconsenting aren't hurt. (ie, no rape, abortion, etc. but okay with drugs, gambling, prostitution, etc.).

Environmental:
Only a government concern on goverment land. Which there is way too much of...

Foreign:
Kill the damn f**king terrorist scum by any means. Be honest about it, too. Don't make deals with tyrants, either.

[Ebowed]

Economic:

-I am strongly opposed to all forms of affirmative action.

-I support the elimination of needless money-hogging wastes in the government such as the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Education.

-Generally in favor of unions, though they can get out of hand.

-I am a strong supporter of school vouchers.

-I support a special tax on corporations that outsource their employees to foreign countries.

Environmental:

-I oppose drilling in ANWR, and would support signing the Kyoto Treaty.

Social policy:

-Strongly against abortion in all cases (except possibly in cases where the mother's life is in danger), as well as human cloning and embryo experimentation.  I believe life begins at conception and that every human is entitled to a right to live, no matter what the quality of their life may be.

-I am against the death penalty in all cases, no matter what the crime.

-I support an unrestricted right to bear arms.  This also includes an unrestricted right to buy and use fireworks at any time of the year.

-I oppose organized prayer in public schools, but I don't have a problem with and encourage voluntary Bible study groups, 'see you at the pole' prayer groups, etc.  I oppose removing "In God We Trust" from money; I do not support removing "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, but I oppose its mandatory recitation in schools.

-I am generally undecided on gay rights.  I do not believe homosexuality is normal or even fully moral, but I certainly don't think it's a disease or mental disorder.  I am undecided on gay adoptions but lean towards oppose.  I would prefer that the government not have anything to do with marriage at all, and would prefer civil unions granted for all homosexual and heterosexual couples.

-I believe everyone should have the right to vote.  Even felons.

-Fully opposed to censorship on television, censorship or suppression of video games, etc.

-Support full decriminalization of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs.

-Oppose decriminalization of prostitution.

-Undecided on gambling, but lean towards supporting its legalization.

-Undecided on immigration.

Foreign policy:

-Originally and still somewhat opposed to the War in Iraq, but I am pleased that Saddam Hussein has been removed in power and I support the rebuilding of the nation.

-Support chemical and nuclear weapon bans and such.  Generally a foreign policy dove.

And now for that question that some members have spent months agonizing over -- am I more conservative, or more liberal?

[dazzleman]

Social:

-  Strong supporter of a woman's right to choose in the first 2 trimesters. 

Choose what?  What color dress she wants to wear that day?

It's funny how supporters of abortion can't even bring themselves to use the word.

[Ebowed]

Typical anti-choice propaganda from dazzleman.

[dazzleman]

Typical anti-choice propaganda from dazzleman.

I assume you're being facetious.

My point was serious, actually.  There's something wrong when you must use euphemisms to describe something that you support.

[Ebowed]

Typical anti-choice propaganda from dazzleman.

I assume you're being facetious.

LOL, don't worry.  I was mocking Flyers' constant use of the very annoying term "anti-choice."

Which leads us to another question.  Given Flyers' use of terms such as 'right to choose,' 'anti-choice,' etc., why is he pro-choice for the first two semesters and anti-choice for the third?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Economic:

-I am strongly opposed to all forms of affirmative action.

-I support the elimination of needless money-hogging wastes in the government such as the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Education.

-Generally in favor of unions, though they can get out of hand.

-I am a strong supporter of school vouchers.

-I support a special tax on corporations that outsource their employees to foreign countries.

Environmental:

-I oppose drilling in ANWR, and would support signing the Kyoto Treaty.

Social policy:

-Strongly against abortion in all cases (except possibly in cases where the mother's life is in danger), as well as human cloning and embryo experimentation.  I believe life begins at conception and that every human is entitled to a right to live, no matter what the quality of their life may be.

-I am against the death penalty in all cases, no matter what the crime.

-I support an unrestricted right to bear arms.  This also includes an unrestricted right to buy and use fireworks at any time of the year.

-I oppose organized prayer in public schools, but I don't have a problem with and encourage voluntary Bible study groups, 'see you at the pole' prayer groups, etc.  I oppose removing "In God We Trust" from money; I do not support removing "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, but I oppose its mandatory recitation in schools.

-I am generally undecided on gay rights.  I do not believe homosexuality is normal or even fully moral, but I certainly don't think it's a disease or mental disorder.  I am undecided on gay adoptions but lean towards oppose.  I would prefer that the government not have anything to do with marriage at all, and would prefer civil unions granted for all homosexual and heterosexual couples.

-I believe everyone should have the right to vote.  Even felons.

-Fully opposed to censorship on television, censorship or suppression of video games, etc.

-Support full decriminalization of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs.

-Oppose decriminalization of prostitution.

-Undecided on gambling, but lean towards supporting its legalization.

-Undecided on immigration.

Foreign policy:

-Originally and still somewhat opposed to the War in Iraq, but I am pleased that Saddam Hussein has been removed in power and I support the rebuilding of the nation.

-Support chemical and nuclear weapon bans and such.  Generally a foreign policy dove.

And now for that question that some members have spent months agonizing over -- am I more conservative, or more liberal?

Just barely more liberal.