I thought it might be helpful for those who are interested in understanding the thinking behind my posts and comments on social and other media, and a good and helpful personal experience, to identify in detail my political beliefs and philosophy.
* First and foremost, I very sincerely believe that in the history of our country no one single individual has done more damage to America, the American people, American values, and American democracy than Donald Trump. Opposing, denouncing and disavowing Trump has absolutely nothing to do with partisan politics – it is about patriotism.
* I am not a “card-carrying” member of the Democratic Party or Republican Party or any other Party. In the past I have voted for Democratic, Republican and third-Party candidates in various elections, based on the issues and the individual candidates. However. I will never again for the rest of my life vote for any Republican candidate in any election at any level unless there is a drastic change to the leadership and agenda of the Republican Party.
* The application of strict libertarian/conservative beliefs and of strict communist/socialist beliefs are both based on the false assumption that all individuals are honest and enter each transaction and relationship with complete honesty and integrity. Of course, we all know this is not true. The government has the right, and obligation, to enact restrictions and regulations to protect individuals from dishonesty and harm. And the government must recognize that the rights and freedoms of the individual citizen are just as important as, if not more important than, the rights of the “state”.
Winston Churchill is credited with saying, “If you’re not a Liberal at age 20 you have no heart. If you’re not a Conservative at age 40 you have no head.” I believe to be effective and successful a government needs both heart and head.
* I firmly believe that my current financial and social position is the direct result of the actions and decisions I have made in my life, both good and bad. I do not blame the wealthy, “the man”, illegal immigrants, minorities, liberals, conservatives, or anyone or anything else for my current situation or my lack of wealth. I believe I, and I alone, am personally responsible for my current situation and take full responsibility for my actions and decisions – as should everyone.
I do acknowledge that other groups of individuals may have faced more, and different, obstacles than I have as a WASP growing up in northeast America, but history is full of stories of individuals with a variety of “handicaps” successfully overcoming obstacles of all kinds.
* It is not the responsibility of the government to “redistribute wealth” or provide guaranteed income or welfare benefits to citizens. However, it is beneficial to society for government to provide appropriate benefits and assistance to families with dependent children (for the benefit of the children), veterans and individuals with physical and mental illness and disability.
* I believe that government has a fiduciary requirement to be fiscally responsible with the money it raises via taxes, fees and other sources. Like a family or a business, it should spend and borrow judiciously.
As the Concord Coalition states - “Fiscal responsibility is essential to creating a better, stronger, more prosperous nation for the next generation. The choices we make today -- or fail to make -- will determine what kind of future our children and grandchildren inherit 20 and 40 years from now.”
* In addition to exercising fiscal responsibility the government must also exercise responsible stewardship of our country’s lands, waters, minerals, timber, air, and all other aspects of the “environment”.
BTW – I fully believe in science, whether it involves global warming, virus and disease prevention, or whatever.
* A healthy and well-educated populace is beneficial to and important for the security and the future of both the individual citizen and the state. The government should provide or enable universal access to free or reasonably priced health care and to continuing education and “pre-Kindergarten” education opportunities.
A well-educated and intelligent electorate is especially important for the continuation of our freedom and democracy. In the past few years, we have seen the danger and damage that ignorant and “under-educated” voters can do.
* Social Security and Medicare are not discretionary government welfare or “entitlement” programs. Social Security is a government-maintained employee retirement plan and Medicare is a government-maintained employee health insurance plan – both paid for by employee and employer contributions.
* The government does not have the right to prohibit, restrict or inhibit the sexual relationship or activity of two freely consenting adults who are both fully capable of freely consenting.
* Marriage is a legal contract. The government does not have the right to prohibit, restrict or inhibit the ability of two adults capable of free consent to enter into a marriage contract based on their sex or sexual orientation. Nor should it restrict or inhibit the free and equally consented dissolution of a marriage contract.
* The strict separation of Church and State, as outlined in the Constitution, is a foundation of American democracy. Every American has the right to worship and believe as he or she so chooses – or to choose not to worship or believe. The government cannot force anyone to choose one religion and set of beliefs over any other, or to choose any religion or beliefs. No specific religion, sect or church can dictate government policy or legislation. The specific religious beliefs of a religion, sect or church must never be legislated.
If the religious beliefs of your chosen sect or religion tells you that abortion is wrong – don’t have an abortion. If the specific religious beliefs of your chosen sect or religion tells you that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is wrong – don’t practice homosexuality and do not marry someone of the same sex. But you cannot force someone with different religions beliefs, or no religious beliefs, to act in accordance with the specific religious beliefs of your chosen sect or religion – and most definitely not via legislation or government regulation.
America is not a “Christian country”. The greatest threat to the future of America and American democracy today is the Republican Party because it is totally controlled by the repressive so-called “Evangelicals” of the extreme Christian fundamentalist “Religious Right”, whose agenda is directly contrary to the true teachings of Christ and contrary to true conservative policy.
As an aside, while I acknowledge and appreciate the “good works” performed by legitimate organized religion and genuinely religious individuals, I truly believe that in the history of the world more evil than good has been done in the name of a god, God or religion.
* I believe the 2nd Amendment has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the unrestricted right of an individual to own and carry any kind of gun.
The Amendment 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.” U.S. Supreme Court Warren Burger, nominated to the Court by Nixon, correctly observed - “The real purpose of the Second Amendment was to ensure that state armies – the militia – would be maintained for the defense of the state.” The state militias that existed in the time of the Revolution have since been replaced by state police, the National Guard and the US Armed Forces. State militias no longer exist – so the Second Amendment is obsolete and has no application today.
I believe no individual of any age has a need or a right to own and carry an assault weapon or an AK-anything. It is not needed for hunting, target practice or protection. The one and only purpose of an assault rifle is in its name – to assault. And ownership of a “normal” gun or rifle must be treated in the same manner we treat automobiles and driving.
Another aside – while it is true that guns don’t kill people, people kill people, people with guns kill a lot more people more quickly and efficiently than people without guns.
* I believe the one and only purpose of the Tax Code is, or should be, to raise the money necessary to fund the government. The Tax Code should be fair and equitable and treat all taxpayers equally, be consistent and treat specific conditions, situations, and activities the same in all instances, and encourage savings, investment, and growth. It should not be used for social engineering, to redistribute income or wealth, or to deliver social welfare and other government benefits, to encourage or discourage certain economic decisions (other than savings, investment, and growth), or to provide exclusive benefits for specific industries, business activities, or classes of taxpayers.
The government should not “punish” ambition, entrepreneurship and success. I do not believe the answer to all our problems is to excessively tax the rich simply because they can afford it. I do not believe in a “progressive” tax rate schedule. I believe every American should pay his or her “fair share” of taxes – but if it is fair for a person with net income of $50,000, after appropriate deductions, to pay, let’s say, 10% of that income in tax then a person with net income of $1 Million or $10 Million or $100 Million of net income should also pay 10% in tax. The person with millions in net income is obviously paying more tax than the person with $50,000 of net income, but not disproportionately so.
* Bill Clinton said in a television interview given after leaving office that the difference between his and the Democratic Party’s world view and that of then President Bush and the Republican Party was that he and the Democrats believed America should work and act together with the other nations of the free world whenever possible and act independently only when it was absolutely necessary, while Bush and the Republicans believed America should act independently whenever possible and work with other countries only when absolutely necessary. I support the world view of Clinton and the Democratic Party.
Your
thoughts?
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