Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Brief Overview on Issues

Here is where I stand on major issues:

Abortion - I support women's right to choose, however, I do not believe abortion should be used as a form of birth control.

Budget - I believe the national budget needs to be rewritten from scratch and programs that do not work need to be eliminated. I believe we should be spending more on education and social programs than on weapons.

Civil Rights - I support marriage equality. I believe that Affirmative Action is outdated and that everyone should have equal considerations for job and school placement regardless of race or gender. I support the Second Amendment, however I believe that rigorous background checks should be required in order to purchase any firearm.

Crime - I believe that prisons should be places of rehabilitation and contribution to society. I do not support prison sentences for non-violent offenses. I believe that incarceration should require prisoners to contribute to society. I do not support the dealth penalty. I support the legalization of marijuana, as this would lead to a dramatic decrease in drug-related crimes.

Economy/Business - I believe that small businesses are the backbone of our economy. I do not support tax-payer bailouts of companies that are deemed "too big to fail." I believe that American companies should have to pay workers a fair and equal wage regardless of gender or location operation. I believe that companies that hire illegal immigrants in order to save money should be penalized. I believe that banks and businesses need to be held accountable for any wrongdoing.

Education - I believe our public education system needs to be reformed to ensure that students everywhere get the same quality education regardless of where they live or what their socio-economic status is. I believe that two years of community college should be provided in exchange for community service in order to ensure that every high school graduate has the chance to succeed. I believe that public school teachers should have a national starting salary of $60,000.

Energy/Environment - I believe America needs to regain its energy independence by investing in renewable and sustainable sources of energy, such as solar and wind. I believe in stopping the purchase of all foreign oil, and thus reducing and eliminating our dependency on fossil fuels altogether. I believe in protecting and preserving the environment. I support higher emission standards for all modes of transportation and believe investments in clean sources of fuel need to be better funded.

Government - I support term limits for members of the House and Senate and believe we need to eliminate the opportunity for career politicians to emerge. I believe we should have more than two major political parties. I believe that former members of Congress should be paid a pension after completing their service. I believe that Congress does not deserve annual pay increases while denying American workers an annual increase in the minimum wage.

Gun Control - I support the Second Amendment. Ownership of a handgun should be subject to a background check and psychological evaluation. I would also support the creation of firearm insurance.

Health/Wellness - I believe that our education system should include nutritional instruction as part of the required curriculum. I believe that just as math, reading and writing proficiencies are required to graduate high school, so should a physical fitness test be incorporated. I support tax rebates for individuals who lose weight, quit smoking and/or regularly use fitness facilities. I believe that health insurance should be provided to every American citizen.

Immigration - I support finding a way to end illegal immigration. I believe that legal immigration and the path to citizenship should be readily available to anyone who is willing to put in the work.

National Security - I support reasonable spending on national defense. I believe that every American should have to contribute at least two years of service to their community in order to graduate from high school. I believe that our military should be called into service for defensive reasons only. I believe veterans should be paid a lifetime pension.

Religion - While I believe that everyone has the right to practice whichever religion they so choose, or not practice any religion at all, I believe that these practices should remain private. Despite being raised Jewish, I do not support any major religion. I believe that religion should remain completely separate from politics, and that politicians who use religion as a means to a political end are in violation of the US Constitution. I believe that religious institutions, should they wish to participate in the political process, should be subject to taxation.

Science - I support stem-cell research. I believe funding for organizations like NASA and NIH needs to be increased. I support the theory of evolution.

Taxes - I support ending corporate tax loopholes. I support abolishing the federal income tax and establishing a national sales tax.

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