QUIK-SUMMARY
Social liberal, fiscal "practicalist"
Training in economics, logic, business, MBA honors (Stanford) - Using thinking and facts to come to the conclusions to rely on.
My values - See detailed version below. What I want the most is for all of us to be better off, all boats rise in a rising tide.
I write all the time on people effectively living their lives and on responsibility and what it takes to be
effective and happy.
_________________________________________________________________________________
MY VALUES RELATIVE TO FEDERAL ISSUES:
Social net - Absolute net for those who are unable to produce income for themselves. Beyond that, people must be responsible to produce sufficiently for themselves and not slack off, for self-respect.
Education - Vital, vital, vital. Especially in values and principles. Unemployment is very low for those who went to high school and showed some stability due to character. The key area to improve, for higher prosperity.
Medical insurance - At least have a system that allows for checkups with no reason to avoid and then covers the cost of those who are not capable. It should emphasize and have financial incentives for people to be healthy and for preventive care.
Social Security and Medicare - Absolute must for old age, reduce for people who don't need it, so pays some for others; make both solvent and solve the over $35 trillion of unfunded liabilities already incurred. (Yes, our nation in total is behind by $50+ trillion dollars, with revenue of $2.1 trillion!!!)
The debt - Few realize that the debt consists of the National Debt to bond holders PLUS the unfunded obligations to Social Security and Medicare. The total is at least $50 trillion dollars (see Trustee reports for SS and Medicare) but our total revenue is $2.1 trillion. No rational person would not see this as horrendous if it were the ratios in his personal situation! Yet there is policitcal resistance to addressing this.
Balanced budget amendment - Since congress is incapable of not succumbing to various pressures to give people and special interests what they want, we must put this into law, so that only a 2/3 majority can override it in appropriate circumstances. (The balance may be over a specified period other than one year, and might have to not start for about three years.) No one can legitimately argue against this over the long term, except politically and inappropriately.
Pro-choice: Roe V. Wade is a reasonable compromise. It makes sense for the conscious entity to choose what is right for a not yet developed higher consciousness, though I respect the alternative argument and the beliefs the pro-life people have.
Gay Rights: Absolutely, though should not trample on others, so should be called by another name, such as civil unions. Eliminate all discrimination and make rights equal. If no other name is acceptable, marriage is fine.
Unions: Important where competition does not properly drive wage levels, but limit, as with corporations, abuses of power. Workers have rights that shall not be infringed upon, such as the right to work (without having to join a union), without prejudice and harm.
Special program to prevent low income and save manufacturing jobs - Invest to retain manufacturing as needed, require training while on unemployment insurance (to fill jobs going unfilled due to lack of skills, create incentive to learn and earn so not dependent on others.
Good management of the Government: Sounds like an oxymoron, but an excellent CEO can make alot of progress. We cannot achieve low enough taxes and spending to have a balance budget unless we do this vital piece - othewise it is wishful thinking.
Wise regulation: Where it matters and not such that it does harm.
Legal: The loser of a complainant suit should pay the fees and costs of the winner (obviously adjusted for the situation).
Taxation: It appears that the budget cannot be balanced by spending cuts alone. Recognize that taxing the rich more will not fill the gap - and we don't want to discourage investing or drive it overseas. Raise the rate above $250,000 by 4%, above a million by 6%.
Defense: It appears to me that there are massive efficiencies and smart allocation decisions that can be made. Protection of the citizens is a key function of government.
Illegal immigration: Lowers wages, brings in less educated (contributing less to growth and also causing more unemployment). Implement the E-Verify program, using a competent private contractor (as government is not competent in that area), so that the illegals could not get jobs and would "self-deport".
