My fiscally conservative/socially liberal platform!

Eliminate capital punishment, of course create an impermeable "life sentence in harsh conditions" for these convicts

Promote individual liberty, democracy and economic freedom (in that order) world wide

Fully fund Head Start

Institute a "voluntary" single payer low end health payment system...

Promote public transportation (passenger rail, high speed rail, buses) heavily. Probably best as a public/private mix, as long as there is sufficient competition in the private portion (otherwise, why bother with a private sector?).

All payment for services (ie, salary, etc.) must be convertible at any point to some defined amount of legal tender, to be written off (expensed) and taxed at that rate when paid

Phase in a $2-3/gallon gasoline tax (about 1/2 that for heating oil? with subsidies for the poor) over 10-15 years to promote efficient vehicles and reduce dependency on foreign oil.

No churches in the government - schools, etc.

Promote (rather than regulate) free speech in all its devious and insidious forms

Government must always run in the black during "boom" times; when running in the red in "bust" times it must be due to extra spending, not tax cuts... spending at the lowest income levels... ie, public works, manual labors, etc.

Social security tax is "paid" by general funds for first $10k or so of income; increase payment cutoff to $100-150k or so.

Income tax rates should be more progressive, very low under $15k, raise to about 50% over $500k...

(On both these tax issues, ways of setting and adjusting the income cutoffs should be formulated)

"Repeal" the "marriage penalty," and/or make it an option for single earner households (?)

Create a "parallel marriage" law that defines a domestic relationship contract with all the rights and responsibilities of the institution.

Promote "open adoption" arrangements

Promote enlightened sex education and birth control availability (world wide) for teens

Roll back Supreme Court decisions (and legislations?) giving corporations "human" rights (ie free speech)

Free air time (radio/tv) for all political candidates.

Make corporate officers and directors responsible as human beings for crimes committed "on their watch"

Legalize, regulate and tax marijuana, decriminalize and heavily regulate "harder" drugs;

Insitute a full amnesty for non-violent drug offenders.

Crack down seriously on drunk/drugged driving; see "public transportation"

Keep a close eye on college campus "speech codes";

Do something to keep "operations" of churches inside the law (cf. priest child abuse scandals);

Similar issue with college disciplinary procedures and actions.

Require all residential zoning laws to allow a certain small percentage of commercial development (ie, corner stores, etc.)

"Gun Court": OK, America has way too many guns, and far too many people are killed or injured due to their use. But their presence is an intractable problem and cannot be solved by attacking gun ownership. It seems, however, that attaching higher penalties to any crime committed in which a gun is used or present, jacking up the bail for those crimes, and fast tracking the case, will at least help get people who misuse these weapons of personal destruction off the streets, faster and for longer.

Personal Responsibility: it is not my intention to create a babysitter government, making life risk-free. However, many of life's "risks" are not ones we can choose freely, they are created by others (think: dangerous products, air and water pollution, etc.) and should be tightly regulated and limited. This does not extend to clear personal decisions to use products with known and publicized dangers, such as cigarettes, fatty foods, etc. There is, however, a question as to whether use of such products should put one in a "special risk" pool requiring purchase of separate health insurance (bearing the risks of the danger) for diseases related to their use. Or not, who cares, we all do foolish things I suppose...

11/7/02

© Huw Powell
printed 29 March 2024

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