Sun Tzu

My original answers didnt make it back up again. I dont know if they were edited, but certainly not by me. Which is probaly just as well. I voted for the current president in his first term, but my views have changed drastically in next couple that followed that. They are different now from how I would have answered this the first time as well.




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I make alot of statements here. For the sake not having to put IMO before every statement referencing something I stating as if it is "the truth or reality", please keep in mind Im stating my opinion. Each of our realities is our own decisions on how we have chosen to interpret the information that is happening all around us. If you see something you feel needs clarification I'll try and word it differently. If its about debate, please do a search to see if its a topic that has already been here and bump it with a new response and I'll be happy to post there. Or create a thread on that subject.

ECONOMY:

Abolish the IRS and institute a value added tax or national sales tax

Promote to Congress a “pay as you go” spending policy, Balanced Budget Amendment stipulating that Congress can not spend more than it took in the previous year

Aggressively go after any form of political corruption like earmarks

Eliminate government granted monopolies and subsidies, and similar steps to promoted a deregulated free-market

Disband federal service monopolies like the US Postal service, and allow states the choice to do the same for privatization

Promotion of all other services that can be privatized to be taken out of the hands of the federal government

Downscale the size of the welfare system to its ultimate elimination, offer incentives to private entities that trade education and similar



WAR in IRAQ:
The newly elected Iraqi government was sworn in on May 20, 2006. The Iraqi parliament is scheduled to meet soon. American troops have completed their “mission.” Begin pulling troops immediately. Leave consultants at the request of the newly elected government.



NATIONAL DEFENSE (In General):
(Including Homeland Security)
Other answers influence this one- so the way this is answered falls into their areas as well.

All troop deployment would end, S Korea, Iraq, etc. A 25% or higher pay increase to all military personnel. The military would be the one area unification of funding from the government and education would exist. Guarantee all military members college degrees, by increase education benefits 2-3x what it currently is, and offer greater training than currently offered raise the recognition to accepted accredited college levels. Channel more funding into the special warfare sections of the miltary. This with the future goal of downsizing the main body and expanding a more specilized military.

Continued funding would go to missile defense, and more allocated to satellite defense and space warfare. Top priority would go into securing the border. Until terrorism declined, the same level of scrutiny on those entering for a known temporary amount of time.
Abolish the patriot act.

Discontinue all diplomatic ties to any country caught conducting formal and informal operations of spying on the US that are sponsored by their country of origin.


SOCIAL SECURITY:
Eliminate it. Give individuals the responsibilty to take of themselves. This would have to be granfathered ofcourse for those already contributed. It may come to this whether we loike it or not anyway. Give individuals the responsibility that can handle to put it where they fit to take care of themselves.


ISRAEL:
(Included in its own category for several reasons)
This answer ties in with other categories, but cut aid until all settlers have moved out of the West Bank entirely. Diplomatically the US should not extend friendship to one side more than the other. Eventually discontinue aid entirely, as with all countries.



FOREIGN POLICY (In General):
(Include Iran and N Korea)
Work with other countries to give credibility to the UN. At present it appears to be a facade. I believe the UN in (what it could be) essential to Earth one day reaching a lasting peace. War, invasion of countries, and similar would be decided by countries of the world in times of genocide, catastrophes, etc. Of course that is not where it is now. The process of making the UN an entity free of contradiction and corruption is another thread. I am by no means looking toward a “New World Order” direction. Countries of the world should preserve their cultures.

With regards to countries that don’t’ share the US form of a Republic; it should be kept to the business of the country. The people themselves will change it if the true intentions are their by the majority, just as America did.

Situations like Iran exist because the UN is the way it is. Iran is protected by Russia and China very much like the US protects Israel. Themes of right or wrong, for the good of the world are superceded by the reality of consistent contradictions against the meaning of what it could have evolved to.


IMMIGRATION:
While I do not advocate along the border is the best approach, because terrorism will be a threat for years to come, I would initiate the building of a structure for that reason alone. The balance to protect native civil liberties and prevent those that want to do harm to the US is already challenging enough. A porous border allows too many to easy of an opportunity to could destruction. A decline in illegal immigration would only be a side effect.
Illegal immigration is exactly that illegal. Instead of creating squads to round up those living here illegally, cutting the government sponsored cervices they consume. If any person chooses to gain American citizenship an ability to speak, read, and write English at a very basic level would be required.



EDUCATION:
Work toward a separation of education and state. This would be done with early incentive programs for privatizing schools. The privatization could offer schools the freedom to specialize in certain area allowing students to excel in areas of their choice. It would also allow parents more choices and more control.



ABORTION:
Oppose government actions that either compel or prohibit abortion, sterilization or any other form of birth control. Specifically to condemn the practice of forced sterilization of welfare recipients, or of mentally retarded or "genetically defective" individual. Support the voluntary exchange of goods, services or information regarding human sexuality, reproduction, birth control or related medical or biological technologies. Oppose government laws and policies that restrict the opportunity to choose alternatives to abortion. Unless deemed medically necessary for the life of a mother, partial birth abortions should be illegalized. It gets into an obvious philosophical; spiritual influence when discussing policy here. At the end of the day, what a female decides to do is ultimately her choice in a free society. The federal government should stay out of this area, and allow private charitable and social entities to contribute their services. On a personal level I feel a female should give abortion a second evaluation at the point brain waves can be registered by the fetus.



HEALTH CARE:
A complete separation of medicine from the state. Oppose any government restriction or funding of medical or scientific research. Support an end to government-provided health insurance and health care. Government’s role in any kind of insurance should only be to enforce contracts when necessary, not to dictate to insurance companies and consumers which kinds of insurance contracts they may voluntarily agree upon.


SPACE PROGRAM:
I would work for a hopeful one day multinational approach to space exploration. Much like the international space station. Space exploration is one area I feel would benefit all countries if resources as well as personnel were international.
Other areas that would consume a majority of federal spending would lie in the area of national defense. While world peace is a hopeful goal; it would not deter me to discontinue developing technology privileged only to the US. Especially in the area of satellite defense. China is far ahead in an area the US can’t afford to be behind in, satellite warfare.



WAR ON DRUGS:
Legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. While on a personal level I feel drugs should be legal, much like cigarettes and alcohol are, I don’t know that legalizing substances such as heroin would propel the county forward. The bottom line is people should be given the freedom to do what they choose to their bodies. The only time government intervention would be utilized is children are being affected in a harmful way or someone is found operating a vehicle under the influence- at which point the penalties would be severe.



CRIME:
The federal government would address crime through consistent and impartial enforcement of laws that protect individual rights. Limiting law enforcement to true crime will restore respect for the law and those who enforce it. Criminal laws would be limited to violation of the rights of others through force or fraud, or deliberate actions that place others involuntarily at significant risk of harm. Immediately reform the justice system's mandatory sentencing policies to ensure that violent offenders are not released from jail to make room for non-violent offenders. Repeal criminal laws which work against the protection of the rights and freedom of American citizens, residents or visitors, particularly laws which create a crime where no victim exists.

OTHER:
Work to permanently discontinue the practice of three private companies to do a presidential vote count. All votes will be counted under close neutral supervision with multiple venues of surveillance monitoring the entire process. Work to ensure that Americans that are illegible and choose to vote do not get that right taken away.

Allow other parties to be a part of the presidential debate.

While regional voting has its negatives they do not outweigh the damage being done by a trapped two party system. Thus I would eliminate the Electoral College.

Lastly regardless of my spiritual beliefs going into office, I would practice my influence over making policy as an agnostic while in office. This by no means would cause my opinion for families to discontinue practicing whatever belief system they choose. Personal relationships are treated as private contracts, solely defined by the individuals involved, and government discrimination is not allowed. The federal governments involvement in this area would end.

Overall,
I would be conservative on some issues while liberal on others. I would consider my approach 90% Libertarian.


That indeed would be great

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To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking