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ravencallscrowsFirst off, i'm at least temporarily distancing myself from a particular political campaign. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dreamingcrow cited the reason i'm electing to do so here and did so with a cogent style i'd likely fail at recreating. Sure, it takes money to run a campaign, but i'm sick of being hit up for cash every time i look at something online or in my e-mail.
Had an interesting discussion withgreenshadows yesterday about different issues, and i'm going to toss out a handful of political positions which may surprise some:
GBLT Rights/Affirmative Action: People are people. Quotas are wrong. It is no business of the government or employer what an individual chooses to do in the privacy of his or her home in as much as that conduct is not directly in violation of the law or clearly detrimental to job performance. In cases where it is alleged that bias exists based on gender, race, or sexual identity they shall be investigated as age and religious discrimination are handled.
Gay Weddings: Support, but not as a federally mandated item. The decision to legalize marriage is something which should happen on a state level- just as individual jurisdictions have varying requirements for licensure. The federal governmental position should be to extend Social Security benefits and the like to surviving members of any civil partnership upon the demise of one. Then again, with the divorce rate being what it is, i think the government needs to allow any group of people who elect some form of civil recognition to do so with, if not its blessing, at least its toleration.
Hate Crimes: Oppose. Not because incidents like the Mathew Shepard beating aren't horrifying and inhumane, but because legislating special punishment in these cases is tantamount to legislating against intent- thus potentially opening a Pandora's Box of Orwellian Thought Crimes. The motivation for people to act the way they do is something which shouldn't be illegal, just distasteful. Murder isn't any more wrong when motivated by bigotry, and accordingly shouldn't be punished differently
Environmental Protection: Support, with a twist. Current environmental laws allow industrial polluters to do so with little or no significant penalty. Companies which pollute the ecosystem, dump toxic wastes, and the like should be liable for fines amounting to no less than 150% the costs of repairing the damages they cause, and will also be responsible for making an acceptable cleanup- not just funding it.
Additionally, consumer-driven incentives (in the form of tax credits for the purchase of low emissions and alternative fueled vehicles) for the auto industry to move away from petro-chemical dependances and the concomitant environmental damage.
International Trade: Sure- on even terms. In short, if a country wants the US as an export market, they show it by having low or no tariffs. Want Most Favoured Nation status, demonstrate the exemplary levels of civil rights your citizenry enjoy.
Taxation: Big business and those making money in excess of 500% of the national average should shoulder the greater shares of the tax burden. Small business and the working class need all the edges they can get.
Military: The executive or legislative branches of the government shall be empowered to appoint a civilian oversight committee to review performance and cost reports before military contracts are awarded. This should help curtail military cost overruns as well as curb sub-spec or insufficient equipment before it reaches a point where troops dependent upon it are to be deployed. We owe those who pledge their lives in defence of the nation nothing less. Current developments- like insufficient body armour being available to troops presently in Iraq and the determination that the Army's new Stryker vehicles are in places insufficiently armoured to stop .50 calibre weapons fire, made just before brigades equipped with this vehicle were to be deployed- are both embarassing and a disgrace to the nation, as well as needlessly costly.
Fiscal Accountability: As private citizens, we are liable for the cheques we write and the money we spend. Our country should be no less. Budgets must be balanced.
Foreign Policy: The United States should not act outside of existing treaty obligations except under United Nations auspices unless a clear national interest is established and confirmed by a supermajority vote (2/3ds) of both houses of Congress.
Specifically:
Aside from that, the United States is one nation on the global stage, and needs to learn to view itself as such. It is not the world's police force, neighbourhood bully, or banker, but a nation of immense resources which has much to contribute- whether for profit or for sheerly altruistic purposes- to the world at large
Education: In order to prepare the children of the nation for the world of the future, education should be a priority. As social service programs during the Depression like the TVA and WPA provided jobs when needed, federally subsidized university education shall be provided for those who agree to teach a year where needed for each year of education.
Capital Punishment: Yes. Especially with the technological advances- like DNA testing- which make wrongful convictions less likely, there are certain crimes which are sufficiently severe as to warrant the death penalty. Many premeditated murder cases fall here, and, as far as i'm concerned, so are sex crimes against children.
Campaign Finance Reform: Yes. I'd like to see the limits candidates are allowed to spend on advertising in the course of an election capped at the annual salary of the position multiplied by the number of years of the term for which the candidate would be elected. This would force very grass-roots campaigns, with the candidates forced to speak to and, perhaps more imporantly, be accountable to, their constituents; rather than relying on media blitzes and flashy ad campaigns. Realizing that this isn't likely, how about this: Ban so-called "soft money" except as it's used specifically by political parties to present position papers for their candidates, and mandate full disclosure of all donations from corporations, lobbyists and special interest groups. Allow direct campaign contributions, with mandatory reporting of any donation either in cash or in kind valued at $250 or greater.
I'm sure there are other issues of interest. If anyone wants to know what i think about any of them, just ask in the comments section. I'll spare everyone further opinionated diatribes. If you think i'm wrong about an issue, tell me- and tell me why.
And a prediction: contingent on the California recall- if der Terminator is elected, look for a return to the airwaves of the Dead Kennedys' "California Über Alles," perhaps with lyrics revised from their 1979 form.
dreamingcrow cited the reason i'm electing to do so here and did so with a cogent style i'd likely fail at recreating. Sure, it takes money to run a campaign, but i'm sick of being hit up for cash every time i look at something online or in my e-mail.Had an interesting discussion with
greenshadows yesterday about different issues, and i'm going to toss out a handful of political positions which may surprise some:GBLT Rights/Affirmative Action: People are people. Quotas are wrong. It is no business of the government or employer what an individual chooses to do in the privacy of his or her home in as much as that conduct is not directly in violation of the law or clearly detrimental to job performance. In cases where it is alleged that bias exists based on gender, race, or sexual identity they shall be investigated as age and religious discrimination are handled.
Gay Weddings: Support, but not as a federally mandated item. The decision to legalize marriage is something which should happen on a state level- just as individual jurisdictions have varying requirements for licensure. The federal governmental position should be to extend Social Security benefits and the like to surviving members of any civil partnership upon the demise of one. Then again, with the divorce rate being what it is, i think the government needs to allow any group of people who elect some form of civil recognition to do so with, if not its blessing, at least its toleration.
Hate Crimes: Oppose. Not because incidents like the Mathew Shepard beating aren't horrifying and inhumane, but because legislating special punishment in these cases is tantamount to legislating against intent- thus potentially opening a Pandora's Box of Orwellian Thought Crimes. The motivation for people to act the way they do is something which shouldn't be illegal, just distasteful. Murder isn't any more wrong when motivated by bigotry, and accordingly shouldn't be punished differently
Environmental Protection: Support, with a twist. Current environmental laws allow industrial polluters to do so with little or no significant penalty. Companies which pollute the ecosystem, dump toxic wastes, and the like should be liable for fines amounting to no less than 150% the costs of repairing the damages they cause, and will also be responsible for making an acceptable cleanup- not just funding it.
Additionally, consumer-driven incentives (in the form of tax credits for the purchase of low emissions and alternative fueled vehicles) for the auto industry to move away from petro-chemical dependances and the concomitant environmental damage.
International Trade: Sure- on even terms. In short, if a country wants the US as an export market, they show it by having low or no tariffs. Want Most Favoured Nation status, demonstrate the exemplary levels of civil rights your citizenry enjoy.
Taxation: Big business and those making money in excess of 500% of the national average should shoulder the greater shares of the tax burden. Small business and the working class need all the edges they can get.
Military: The executive or legislative branches of the government shall be empowered to appoint a civilian oversight committee to review performance and cost reports before military contracts are awarded. This should help curtail military cost overruns as well as curb sub-spec or insufficient equipment before it reaches a point where troops dependent upon it are to be deployed. We owe those who pledge their lives in defence of the nation nothing less. Current developments- like insufficient body armour being available to troops presently in Iraq and the determination that the Army's new Stryker vehicles are in places insufficiently armoured to stop .50 calibre weapons fire, made just before brigades equipped with this vehicle were to be deployed- are both embarassing and a disgrace to the nation, as well as needlessly costly.
Fiscal Accountability: As private citizens, we are liable for the cheques we write and the money we spend. Our country should be no less. Budgets must be balanced.
Foreign Policy: The United States should not act outside of existing treaty obligations except under United Nations auspices unless a clear national interest is established and confirmed by a supermajority vote (2/3ds) of both houses of Congress.
Specifically:
- Israel/Palestine: Violence toward civilian noncombatants shall cease immediately. Financial aid to Israel shall be reduced by one percent for each incident wherein civilians are killed. The Palestinian Authority shall immediately disavow terrorism as a tool and remove members with known affiliation to terrorist organisations and will similarly see a one percent reduction in aid for each act of terrorism against targets within the pre-1967 boundaries of the State of Israel.
- Terrorism: Governments with known or suspected links to terrorist groups deemed a threat to US territory or citizenry shall be pressed to sever these ties at risk of trade sanctions and/or reduced aid.
Aside from that, the United States is one nation on the global stage, and needs to learn to view itself as such. It is not the world's police force, neighbourhood bully, or banker, but a nation of immense resources which has much to contribute- whether for profit or for sheerly altruistic purposes- to the world at large
Education: In order to prepare the children of the nation for the world of the future, education should be a priority. As social service programs during the Depression like the TVA and WPA provided jobs when needed, federally subsidized university education shall be provided for those who agree to teach a year where needed for each year of education.
Capital Punishment: Yes. Especially with the technological advances- like DNA testing- which make wrongful convictions less likely, there are certain crimes which are sufficiently severe as to warrant the death penalty. Many premeditated murder cases fall here, and, as far as i'm concerned, so are sex crimes against children.
Campaign Finance Reform: Yes. I'd like to see the limits candidates are allowed to spend on advertising in the course of an election capped at the annual salary of the position multiplied by the number of years of the term for which the candidate would be elected. This would force very grass-roots campaigns, with the candidates forced to speak to and, perhaps more imporantly, be accountable to, their constituents; rather than relying on media blitzes and flashy ad campaigns. Realizing that this isn't likely, how about this: Ban so-called "soft money" except as it's used specifically by political parties to present position papers for their candidates, and mandate full disclosure of all donations from corporations, lobbyists and special interest groups. Allow direct campaign contributions, with mandatory reporting of any donation either in cash or in kind valued at $250 or greater.
I'm sure there are other issues of interest. If anyone wants to know what i think about any of them, just ask in the comments section. I'll spare everyone further opinionated diatribes. If you think i'm wrong about an issue, tell me- and tell me why.
And a prediction: contingent on the California recall- if der Terminator is elected, look for a return to the airwaves of the Dead Kennedys' "California Über Alles," perhaps with lyrics revised from their 1979 form.
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no subject
Date: 2003-10-01 08:24 pm (UTC)Anyway, those are just my thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-01 08:32 pm (UTC)There are ways to run a successful campaign without disgusting your donors constantly.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-01 08:35 pm (UTC)Not saying i'm changing my stands on anything, or which candidate i'll support in the Washington caucus on 7 February, but i'm dropping the local e-mail list, i don't plan on reading the blog for a month, and, like M'liss, i've gone from being a likely volunteer to someone who's probably going to stay on the sidelines until new year.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-01 09:36 pm (UTC)Make it 33% per incident. In other words, three strikes and they're out.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-01 11:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-02 10:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-02 06:56 pm (UTC)I think the US should only give money for humanitarian aid (and only to humanitarian agencies), not for military or political purposes.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-02 07:44 pm (UTC)