Politcal Views

Re: Politcal Views
Abortion- Pro-abortion

Welfare- Welfare should be a support of last resort and not a lifestyle.

Gun Control- Anyone who wants one and can demonstrate responibility through a background check and training should own be able to own one.

Foreign Policy (briefly)- Keep the interests of the US as the prime directive.

Education- Public education should be better than it is. I do not believe in vouchers.

Death Penalty- Pro-death penalty

Environmental Policy- More can be done than is. The technology is there to be used and should be enforced through grants from the government and tax breaks until each and every pollution making facility has come under control.

Terrorism- What ever needs to be done to guarantee the safety of Americans on American soil needs to be done.

Military Spending- Should be at levels appropriate to be able to do above.

Drugs- Amsterdam has the right idea.

Homosexual marriages- Don't see how this should bother anyone, but should not be forced down anyones throat. Few religions endorse such events and therefore should not be called a marriage, but a union or whatever...

Some of these issues are hard to quantify without a larger explanation.

Abortion: I think its wrong. But personal freedoms are paramount, so I have no right to keep you from access to one.

Welfare: Put time limits on benefits and require work from those physically able to do so.

Gun Control: Background checks are fine, limiting type (rocket launcher, flamethrower, etc.) is fine. Other than that, hands off my weapons.

Foreign Policy (briefly): Less appeasement, more wrath of the Gods from the skies when we are attacked. (brief enough?)

Education: Re vamp welfare and social security and use that money to make our schools the benchmark of the World. Better education will = in the long run less dependence on the gvt. for support.

Death Penalty: PRO

Environmental Policy: Protect our wetlands and aquifers. But if a choice needs to be made between 10,000 jobs for people and a small fish or bird ... I choose the people every time.

Terrorism: They kill one of our soldiers ... we hit one of their training camps. They kill one of our civilians, we bomb one of their villages.

Military Spending: Same level of spending but trim some of the 'fat'

Drugs: More prevention at the source countries. Less jail time for addicts, more treatment for the addiction.

Homosexual marriages: One more aspect of personal freedom, if gays want to get married and be as miserable as all the other married couples :wink: ...... but seriously, it should be allowed or disallowed on a state by state basis.

Abortion - Pro choice until quickening. After that, abortion to save the life or health of the mother, including partial birth abortion in unusual, but necessary cases.

Welfare- Government should have time limited safety nets to help people who are placed in dire circumstances, not of their making. Any other welfare should be the in the purview of religious and non-profit charities and foundations.

Gun Control- No gun control, but there should be a wait before purchase (24-48 hours) and a background check.

Foreign Policy (briefly)- Government should become involved in another country's affairs only if our own national safety is at stake.

Education- Have not made up my mind on this one. Don't care much for vouchers for the few.

Death Penalty - Pro, but reserved for the most heinous cases, where the guilt of the person is unequivocal.

Environmental Policy- Use common sense. Pass laws to prevent pollution of the environment. I adore birds, but people ARE more important than birds.

Terrorism - Root it out and destroy it.

Military Spending - Defense, IMO, is the prime purpose of government. Spend where it is needed, but make concerted attempts to economize, especially when it comes to handing out contracts for equipment and supplies.

Drugs- All drugs should be decriminalized. People should not need to have prescriptions to buy ANY medications.

Homosexual marriages- Have flipped flopped on this one. I think that committed, homosexual couples should have the same rights as hetero couples, but am unsure as to whether to call it a "marriage", as it is a very loaded word, that elicits a lot of controversy. Civil unions, IMO, would take care of that. The couple could then be married by the clergy.

I hope homosexual marriage will not become an issue in this election. Someone (Howard Dean?) pointed out that too many of our elections are marred by tiny, temporary issues that deflect attention from the important things and this may be one of them.

As an historian who accidentally specialized in marriage, marriage was the issue by which the nascent civil authority in the Middle Ages began to wrest power from the Church and Medieval through Renaissance marriage was a mess.
Around the year 1215, it became clear that marriage was and would become a contract which protected the economic rights of those entering into the contract.

Also, when one considers what common law is and how it originated, gay marriage already exists -- go to a place like WilliamsSonoma and look at the bridal registry. There aren't a lot of gay couples but they are there!

I don't want to come off as a party pooper, but I would like to see this thread stay on topic until we get some more posts on peoples political views.

Abortion: A personal decision the government should not be involved.

Welfare: Only as a last resort. With no one with the exception of the handicapped able to receive benefits without being inrolled in workfare programs. There should be no free ride.

Gun control: Pro. I see no reason for private ownership of automatic weapons.

Foreign Policy: Charity begins at home. Our foreign policy makers should never forget that concept. I would also stop using our manpower and resources as the policeman to the word.

Education: Against vouchers. Public education must be strengthened. Permissiveness IMO and social promotions is what killed our educational system I would use a three strikes rule. Disruptive and incorrigible students would after three strikes be expelled permanently and only the qualified should be promoted. In addition I would return to neighborhood
schools. Busing should be kaput.

Death Penalty: Pro.

Environment: To complex a question to give yes no or maybe. Each situation must be reviewed.

Terrorism: Go after that which is aimed at the US and make the punishment worse than the crime.

Military Spending: Based on the need. How much is too much is not something I could possibly define.

Drugs: I would do away with long term jailing of drug users and spend the money on rehab. However, for drug dealers I would jail them and throw away the key. They are nothing less than mass murderes.

Homosexual marriages: Marriage or civil union of some sort is in order. Which to me is irrelevant.

Re: Politcal Views
Abortion: Eh, I'd say that 99% of the issue is up to the individuals involved and their doctor. I tend to dismiss the arguments that there should be absolutley no limitations on it. I'm not for many limitations but everything has some sort of limits.

Welfare: It's necessary but the system should have enough checks and balances in it that it doesn't become a way of life for people that are able to work.

Gun Control: I believe the 2nd Amendment implies an individual right to own firearms. As with the abortion issue there are limitations to any right though. Most people that claim they have a "reasonable" or "common sense" solution to the gun issue are selling snake oil.

Foreign Policy (briefly): To big an area to really cover. I think we need to eliminate things like "Most Favored Nation" trading status and act equeally across the board when dealing with International issues. Consistancy should be key.

Education: (wide issue here) The state should fund all education through secondary school (high school). IMO, the state's responsibility is to set educational standards and assess whether they are being met. It's up to teh local school board to determine how to meet the standards. As long as the same standards apply to the institution I support school vouchers.

Death Penalty: Way overused but a necessary option for the most violent criminals.

Environmental Policy: We don't have (and never have had) a coherent one. Extremists rule the day.

Terrorism: It's going to be with us forever. Get used to it.

Military Spending: The military really need s to be dismantled and reassembled after a through review of what they are expected to do. Functions that aren't military in nature (i.e. natural disaster response, etc..) should be removed from the military and put under other departments/agencies. There is to much overhead, replication and waste internally.

Drugs: Whatcha got?

Homosexual marriages: My only objection here is the use of the term "marriage". The proponents of homosexual marrige usually discredit the religous objections by arguing "seperation of Church and State". Marriage was a religous act long before it was a secular act so it just seems absurd for the state to take a religious ceremony, make it mean something else and then tell people that their religioulsly based objections have no merit. Seperation works both ways. Leave "marriage" as a religious act and find another term for the secular institution. Legal standing and benefits should be removed from either and handled seperately.

Re: Politcal Views
Abortion: I'm not a woman. It's not my business. Nor do i consider it the business of anyone else.

Welfare: There really was no percieved need for this before "the great depression." Since that time, it seems to have entered the public arena as a topic of debate. Johnson's "War on Poverty" was a part of his Roosevelt-progressive-democrat legacy. From a strictly pragmatic point of view, we are all better off if we don't simply abandon our fellow citizens. It also seems to me the height of snide, elitist hypocricy to decry social welfare on the one hand, while goverment gives out fat subsidies to business and makes sweetheart deals on the other.

Gun Control: The second amemdement reads: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. It does not read "any goddamned fire arm i want." Article I, Section 8 of the constitution reads: Congress shall have the power to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; The amendment does not contradict that section of the constitution. Congress has the right to regulate firearms as they see fit--get over it.

Foreign Policy (briefly): Pretty much the same view i take with social welfare. Generosity when and where appropriate, in amounts the national coffers can afford, make this a better world to live in. Once again, it is hypocricy to decry foreign aid while spending billions to prop up tin pot dictators or repressive regimes. We are not the world's cop. We should not act uni-laterally, unless we can demostrate without quibble or cavil that our security is at stake, and threatened by a clear and present danger.

Education: Once again, from a pragmatic point of view, it is in everyone's interest to provide for a good education for all. I don't believe, however, that the Feds need do anything more than revenue sharing--i don't think they have any business setting curricula, which ought always to be in local hands. The Shrub's "leave no child behind" is hypocritical nonsense, it is one of the worst unfunded mandates to ever come down the pike.

Death Penalty: Perhaps, but i've read too often that it costs the taxpayers more to fund 10, 15 or 20 years of special incarceraton and appeals than would life imprisonment, so i can't think it serves any other purpose than revenge.

Environmental Policy: Don't sh*t in your own nest, and don't let anyone else do it to you. This is a real no brainer. Trashing the environment in the name of economic prosperity is a shell game for the suckers--that is never about anything other than the bottom line for a handful of members of the monied classes.

Terrorism: Years og bungled foreign policy have landed us in this mess, and currently, we're digging the hole deeper every day. We're stuck with Afghanistan and Iraq. We ought to do the best we can, get out as fast as we can, and develop a rational foreign policy which is not predicated on providing the oil industry with the wherewithal to rip the citizens off as consistantly as in the past. A hefty tax on imported oil would make alternative sources of energy more attractive, as well as domestic exploration and resource development. So long as our foreign policy is dedicated to propping up scum like the Saudi royal family, or the latest Nigerian junta, we make targets of ourselves. It will probably be generations before we straighten out the latest mess, even if we immediately move to a more rational policy.

Military Spending: This is the first imperative of the constitution, immediately after the formation of a more perfect union--that is, provide for the common defense. Note the word defense. Not provide opportunities for the Vice President's cronies to mulct the taxpayer in dubious foreign adventures. A strong military, not geared to random foreign conquest, is a must.

Drugs: Which one's? Sugar? Alcohol? . . . oh, you mean illegal drugs. Stop wasting money on showcase, ineffective law enforcement, put resources into drug rehab, and decriminalize reefer, because the tax revenues will be a cash cow. End the hypocricy.

Homosexual marriages: Not an issue. This particular tempest in a teapot bids fair to be a huge issue in the coming campaign for no real reason. Other than religious fanatics, i'd like to know who really cares; and, religious fanatics included, its really no one else's damned business.

Having said all of which, i don't look for any improvement in my lifetime. Politicians have a vested interest in continuing a system of cronyism and pork, and the people be damned. I don't expect any significant change from the slow but inoxerable slide into plutocracy.

Re: Politcal Views
Abortion: The choice needs to be there.
I hope to never be responsible for someone's having to make a choice on this, and I hope fewer and fewer need it.

Welfare: Knowingly giving to less fortunate/needy, but not in a habit-forming way.

Gun Control: Yes. Freedom requires responsibile behavior, which requires knowledge. And in this case, one ignorant person suffices to mess it up for many responsible, wise gun-toters. Work towards a situation that there is no real or perceived need, and everyone can be comfortable with 2nd ammendment speaking of the union, not the individual.

Foreign Policy (briefly): In it's current state, I am against it. It is the primary cause of most of the strife facing us at the moment. Work towards extending the scope of the constitution outside the borders.

Education: Is the one of the worst examples of societal myopia. There should be much more emphasis put on this, but in practical ways? hmm...how about if corporations were assigned school districts and their buttom line was inversely connected to the drop-out rates...

Death Penalty: my gut says keep it available for extreme cases. But, my mind says I wish I could stay above the fray. In either case, JUSTICE needs to prevail, so until the system has no innocents on death-row, there needs to be a moritorium (if this means forever, then I am against it based on practical limitations)

Environmental Policy: Need to add a variable to account for the fact that we don't have UNLIMITED resources, and that short-term restraint in mucking up the environment actually will make long-term sense even for offending corporations.

Terrorism: I am against it, but equally as well against creating/condoning oppressive situations that puts otherwise peaceful people in such dire situations to resort to grotesque acts. Weedwacking dandelions is not a longterm solution, especially if you previously sell dandelion seeds and fertilizers.

Military Spending: Makes sense only if you have stock in it, which also makes you prone to wag-the-dog mentality that prevents striving to reach a place where it is not needed.

Drugs: I don't know. I like to stay unaddicted.

Homosexual marriages: I have seen spouses of the same sex put many "traditional" spouses to shame in demonstrating what a family should be. I don't think sexuality is something that should be "evangelical" either way, which may partially explain homophobia as well.

Wake me up when we get to Utopia-central.

Education: There is a good part of the voting public, including parents, and the legislative branch of government that has a strange ambivalence toward education. Salaries for teachers, who are in a position where they must earn master's degrees, have not "kept pace with" other branches of employment. Although the baby boomers were in elementary school when Sputnik launched the American frenzy to improve education, schools are often on the bottom of most politicians' lists.

Gun Control: My daughter likes to present the Spanish model for gun control which includes psychological testing and training in the use of fire arms.

Abortion: Should not be a political issue but should be guaranteed for all. After all, both men and women enjoy sex. Despite the fact that very few use abortion as birth control, let everyone enjoy sex responsibily.

Welfare: Watch the recently broadcast PBS biography of Charles Dickens then try to take a stand against it. I personally wonder just how many people wearing their voter hat think there should be limits on welfare but when they wear their head of HR hat or their president of a company hat refuse to hire women who are in the category of "displaced homemaker." Furthermore, there are people whose employment potential is limited to non-existant.

Death penalty: It exists because most people during the course of their life times have felt that someone's crime is so heinous that they must die. Western civilization has at its foundation the Hebraic notion of the avenging god and the Greek notion of the frivolous god who plays with lives. It is hard to escape from the death penalty.

Gay marriage: I already wrote about this but received some oblique criticism about straying from the political. Perhaps that is an illustration of the sort of mind-set that creates the ambivalence we see in re: education and abortion.

Abortion -- Nobody should be "pro-abortion." I am pro-choice.

Welfare -- For welfare for people who need it. Against welfare for corporations of any kind.

Gun Control -- Guns don't kill people; people kill people.

Foreign Policy (briefly) -- Keep our noses out -- and in those rare instances where we have to get involved -- be fair.

Education -- I for education.

Death Penalty -- I consider the death penalty to be more civilized than life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Environmental Policy -- Keep the Republicans as the loyal opposition so that we don't go overboard -- but the Democrats have the better ideas on the environment.

Terrorism -- I'm against it! (Whether sponsored by Osama Bin Laden or George Bush!)

Military Spending -- Gottta do it.

Drugs -- I use to have a drug problem, so I probably shouldn't comment on this. But now I can afford all I need, so....

Homosexual marriages -- Who really cares who gets married or who doesn't.

This is a lot more enlightening than I originally thought it would be!

BBB
My approach to change society and its behavior is to find and use incentives to encourage behavior that promotes the common good rather than only punishment. It makes more economic sense and is more successful at a lower cost---and better cooperation is achieved from individuals and corporations. BBB

ABORTION: Pro Choice. Birth control education starting at an early age in schools and a home will reduce the need for abortions. Cultural attitude changes are also required, such as not being considered a man until he has fathered a child, equal responsibility of males and females for birth control. Zero tolerance of anti-abortion terrorists.

WELFARE: Safety net for those in verified need; promote wide range of incentives and job training to self-support. Prefer government-created public service jobs to maintain and improve the national infrastructure rather than hand outs except for those parents of young children and those unable to work because of disabilities.

GUN CONTROL: Background checks and licensing for all non-military type gun purchases. Hand guns for self-protection OK. Rifles for hunting should require special training. Ban automatic weapons except for availability by police-supervised gun clubs where members can use them for target practice only on site. If you want to own something other than a self-protection hand gun or a hunting rifle, then join a branch of the military where you will be trained in weapon use and have opportunities to use them.

FOREIGN POLICY: Based on homeland security for all American citizens; economic interests of all US citizens, not big corporations; use the tax laws to force multinational corporations to be good American citizens by conducting their businesses to benefit the US and not only their shareholders. Currently tax laws encourage business practices that are detrimental to the US economy and its citizens. There are few laws with incentives for multinational corporations to create and retain good high paying jobs in the US. Provide financial assistance to developing countries to improve the lives of their citizens and to promote a trade market for American products.

EDUCATION: Top priority. The GI Bill education program did more to promote the US robust economy and advance science and technology expansion than any other program in US and world history. A similar Bill, but not limited to GIs, must be enacted. The payback for enabling students to enter higher education institutions will far exceed any costs. Cease budget-eating bussing and return to neighborhood schools, preferably smaller schools. Correct education racial discrimination via housing patterns, real estate bias. Affirmative action based on race has done its job and requires change. Base affirmative action on financial need regardless of race. Strengthen the public school system by strict standards for teacher education and training, class size reductions, and pay teachers commensurate with the value they provide to our society. Strictly separate religion and state in public education institutions. As an aside, parental involvement in their children's education is important for success. But as long as most families require two incomes to survive, encouraging parent participation in their local schools is difficult, if not impossible. It also makes it difficult for a least one parent, especially single parents, to stay home to care for children. Employers should be offered tax incentives to enable a parent to participate in their children's education and daily care.

DEATH PENALTY: Against the death penalty---except if the convicted person requests it. I've been torn about how to protect prison staff and other inmates if the death penalty is not available; undecided about whether the death penalty should be applied to anyone killing someone while incarcerated.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: All laws should be written to punish polluters, including government. Tax laws are only one method of creating incentives to stop or clean up pollution. Most commercial interests could be achieved by using environmentally sound methods and, would provide lots of new jobs in such an industry. All world governments must cooperate because environmental damage knows no borders on this planet.

TERRORISM: Eliminating the root cause of terrorism is the only effective deterrent. US foreign policy and terrorism are linked and a direct cause effect. US foreign policy is a disgraceful failure and has been for decades. Unfortunately, our foreign policy has been unduly influenced by corporate commercial interests abroad than what is best for the citizens of the US or the country at issue. The old cliché "We reap what we sow" is so true. The government's homeland security efforts and financing has gone mostly to cosmetic improvements. Sadly, we will learn that we are only a little more protected than we were prior to 9/11.

MILITARY SPENDING: Get the industrial lobby out of Pentagon budgeting. I like Donald Rumsfeld's attempt to modernize and reorganize the pentagon and the US military establishment. The cabal of the military-industrial complex hasn't suffered a whit despite his efforts for the obvious reasons of the powerful lobbies. The military should privatize many of it's non-fighting jobs. Our troops must be trained as multi-taskers or separate objectives such as combat and occupation.

DRUGS: Decriminalization is the only thing that will take the profit out of the illegal drug trade. Education and treatment is the remedy. Use the tax laws to discourage the legal drug industry from it's apparent campaign to get every citizen on one or more drugs. The congress should consider naming the Drug Industry as a disguised monopoly and prosecute it under RICO laws.

HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGES: Marriage can be a civil or religious contract; at the party's choice. Heterosexual and Homosexual couples should have the choice of a contract based on marriage or civil union. All laws should be applied to both without discrimination.

ABORTION: Only in rape cases or when the mothers life is in danger. Absolutely barbaric whether or not you believe life begins at conception or birth.

WELFARE: Opposed, particularly at the corporate level where government handouts feed big business. For the individual it should be reserved for the needy (blind,people with MS,etc) not for the abled-bodied looking for a free ride. No more living indefinitely off of welfare. Get a menial job like everybody else.

GUN CONTROL: No gun control, but background checks, short (24-48 hours) hassle-free wait periods and training on proper use.

FOREIGN POLICY: America's foreign policy should rest on four principles 1) non-interference 2) no foreign aid or military assistance 3) security against attack 4) target the aggressors, not the innocent.

We can do more for world peace by providing free trade,by refusing to meddle in other countries affairs,and by not arming the participants in disputes.

EDUCATION: More money isn't the answer, though in some areas it's probably needed. What's needed even more is parents to be parents. Take the time to raise your kids, encourage and motivate them to learn. Way too much reliance on government in this area, and way too much time spent on teachers disciplining brats instead of teaching.

DEATH PENALTY: All for it in cases where the evidence is irrefutable.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: Pollution is the real deal. Global warming isn't. I don't have a problem with preserving forests and punishing polluters.

TERRORISM: Eliminating terrorism while a noble concept is completely unrealistic. I think it can be minimized by the steps I've outlined under foreign policy.

MILITARY SPENDING: Homeland Security - YES ! Troops policing the globe - NO ! Development of more nuclear weapons - WHY ?? We can already destroy the world 10 times over.

DRUGS: Legalize them along with prostitution. Let natural selection work its course. People are going to do the drugs they want to do whether they are illegal or not. Why not reap the tax revenue off of legalized drugs, and end the violence associated with lucrative drug smuggling.

HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE: I could care less what consenting adults do. If two people are happy together, let'em have at it.

Re: Politcal Views
Abortion - Was against abortion all my life till I lived in a place where it was illegal and where a child's life is, on average, not too pleasant.

Welfare - I've seen the lack of a social net, it's ugly.

But I prefer ambitious work programs. I'd rather the government create jobs than give handouts.

But in a choice of hand outs or no social net I prefer hand outs.

Gun Control - I love guns but favor gun control.

I don't think making guns illegal in the US would help in the short term so it's not a big deal to me.

Foreign Policy (briefly) - Can't do it breifly. As this is my greatest interest in politics.

I do not like isolationism but do not like the militaristic opposite.

I prefer ambitious foreign policy that is not militaristic.

Education - The most important job the government has. IMO the government should do it's damndest to make sure there are no discrepancies.

In nations where there is a discrepancy (e.g. public schools are worse than private) the division of wealth is horrible.

Death Penalty - I think the death penalty serves the purpose of vengance the most and think vengange should not be a part of justice (which IMO should be as devoid of emotion as possible).

Environmental Policy - Depends, it's a no-brainer to take care of what we got. But people differ on what that constitutes.

I'm not really green, and that's because of some of the absurd science some enviromentalists practice.

Terrorism - Same as fishin' "get used to it".

Military Spending - I think we could be as militarily strong for half the cost.

I'd beef up human resources and stop paying for pipe dreams.

Drugs - I support the legalization of certain drugs and oppose the legalization of others (the really addictive stuff).

Homosexual marriages - I support it. And think it should be called "marriage".

Sure it offends some, but desegregation offended people as well. Pandering to bigots is not my cup of tea.

wellstated CdK, we could argue some points but it would be piddlin'

dys,

There are few people I'd rather argue said points with. Have a go!

I betcha it's Gun Control, full legalization vs. partial and maybe another...

Edit: maybe you prefer isolationism?

Cdk, drugs for one--one mans poison etc--
gun control--type and calibre yes-registration no.
absolutely agree on education as primary function of government.
on terrorism, not sure of fishin' comments but assume-it ain't what its cracked up to be. I agree.
Like i said "piddlin"
oh, and no I dont go with isolationism, lived most of my life non-national so i favor more internationalism-

Yeah, mostly piddlin'

To me the "one man's poison" thing is how I consider things like pot. But to me there is a point when a poison is just a poison.

As to the guns it's funny. We are reversed. I don't much care about doing gun control half way. When I say I'm in favor I'm talking about makin' them illegal.

But if we are talking about the middle ground I'd reverse your position. I'd not care as much about caliber as about registration. I got shot with a .22 once.