I Am Unwanted

I was thinking how generally speaking I don't fit into any political party. I suppose I am closest to being a Libertarian, but some of my positions are still not in line with the strict interpretation of a Libertarian platform. I thought I would share my weirdness with you all and see if anyone wanted to share there 'uniqueness' as well. Sometimes I get in a mood and play devils advocate, but for the most part I believe the following...

Guns...No restrictions (murder is already illegal)
Abortion...I support abortion rights (but am personally opposed to abortion)
Gay Marriage...I support gay rights (but not the lifestyle)
Death Penalty...Against
Nuclear Weapons...I am for complete disarmament of nukes with or without an agreement with other nations.
Nuclear Power...Against
Marijuana...For Legalization (even if I don't personally use)
Financial System...Silver backed currency and some version of Capitalism.
Stock Market...Abolish it (creates greed and corruption)
Minimum Wage...Against
Maximum Wage...Capped at 10 times lowest salaried employee
Environment...For reduction of trash and pollution, but against cap and trade scams
Police...Limited to pistol and shotgun...No tanks (duh)
Food Stamps...$100 per week to ALL CITIZENS ($5,200 a year...No one should be hungry)
Health Care....100% free (no ridiculous care exchanges)
Education...100% free including public universities (educated population benefits all)
Military...Minimal and use the billions to pay for above free programs
International Intervention...None (Let the UN handle it...No more wars)
Jobs...Severe tax penalties for outsourcing jobs overseas
Corporations...Must have a 50% wholly owned US partner or be a US company to do business in US
Income Tax...Eliminate and move to VAT or national sales tax
Amendment...Congress and Government employees MUST be part of any public system...No exemptions
Elections...No Special interest money...PERIOD
Politicians...MUST follow the Constitution or face jail
Corporations...CEOS responsible for criminal activity can face jail
Crime...Must be a victim of person or property or NO CRIME WAS COMMITTED
Freedom...Leave people the hell alone to live learn and be happy

I am sure there are more and I know there are problems in implementation here and there, but eliminating our wars and ridiculous military spending would allow for us to pay for people's basic needs and health. So I realize I am all over the place and that is why I get labeled every type of political party at one point or another. I believe people need to be put first and wars eliminated. If I can keep from killing someone in my day life then our Government and society can do the same.

I guess this is sort of an intro thread that I never did, but if you thought I was weird then that is because I am weird.

I hope others might share.

Thanks

Go read about the Zeitgeist Movement. With some small exceptions/unnamed items, you're a Zeitgeister.

Imagine you're a race of beings traveling through space and happen upon a virgin planet, loaded with plant and animal life, as well as rich in resources and you decided to stop by and set a spell. Wouldn't it behoove you to identify the planet's resources and then use them as intelligently and sustainably as possible so they would last as long as possible and the environment could be kept as pristine as when you found it?

All it will really take for a system of that kind to be implemented, is enough people realizing it's possible.

a reply to: Metallicus

Ok your score was 14 totally agree ,3 disagree ,9 i don't know enough about or was not applicable to Australia . = B +

a reply to: Metallicus

I'm all over the map regarding my beliefs as well, and they do change from time to time as I become more educated about the various issues in life.

I find though that as I get older, I'm becoming a bit more steadfast in my beliefs, currently maybe 1/4 to 1/3 liberal and 2/3 to 3/4 conservative. Any change in my viewpoints is becoming more difficult. I think that it's because I don't like crap forced upon me no matter how well the intention. Convince me...don't force me.

I'm currently pro-death penalty when it's a open and shut case, but I don't think that the felon should have decades of appeals. Three and done. Dragging it on is inhumane in my opinion.

And as for the Military...I think there should be two options, though both mandatory. Either be drafted at 21 for three years or join a Federal workforce that repairs infrastructure across the Nation for three years with both having equal pay. If you want to stay on after those three years, then you may volunteer for the professional service. Of course, the choice will always be up to those doing the hiring.

Thank you. Truly views to ramp up the imagination. I would give two stars if I could.
Unfortunately, only through a system equal rights world wide. ie, One World Government can your view come about. Maybe some day we can drop the " one world government thing, and call it, The Home World Government system. If you run for President or Chancellor of the world, you get my vote.

Thank you all fir the responses. I guess all my views are subject to change. I know I don't have all the answers. I agree that I don't like being forced by a Government to do anything. I used to be more of a hard core fiscal conservative, but frankly, all of the waste on wars and military expenditures got me to the point of wondering why we could spend billions killing people around the world and then take those billions and cut them from food stamps and other programs for our own citizens.

I suppose I now just think people should be good to each other.

originally posted by: Metallicus
Nuclear Power...Against

Why are you against nuclear power exactly?

originally posted by: Metallicus
Stock Market...Abolish it (creates greed and corruption)
Minimum Wage...Against
Maximum Wage...Capped at 10 times lowest salaried employee
Jobs...Severe tax penalties for outsourcing jobs overseas
Corporations...Must have a 50% wholly owned US partner or be a US company to do business in US

I strongly disagree with these, mainly because they seem like relatively uninformed opinions. They're too idealistic to be feasible, and they seem to be predicated mainly on the 'money is the root of all evil' logic.

Also, i just don't understand the logic behind unrestricted guns for civilians, but only pistols and shotguns for police.

Just my 2 cents.

I Am Unwanted

You may not match up with any political parties, but I promise that they all want you. They want your vote and your donations. Don't ever feel like they don't want you ...

I'm all over the map as well. I have no idea where I fit in. I change my opinions frequently.

I'm still against the death penalty though. It doesn't seem to work. Ok it gets rid of the criminal but doesn't deter others. A wrongly convicted person could be executed. Or I think they should just suffer. It doesn't bring the victim back.

I am with you on a lot, but military needs to be strong. Not deployed all over the world securing oil and Poppys, but strong at home. I would hate to know what it's like to live in a war zone. I have seen it first hand and it's horrible.

I think if we could focus the change into the political system and instead of having career politicians, have 4 year terms of regular folks. People who actually know what living in 2014 is like. People who have had to dig deep just to survive.

I will say, I am more with you than against you.

originally posted by: violet
I'm all over the map as well. I have no idea where I fit in. I change my opinions frequently.

I wish more people could be like that. Admit to change as they grow, learn, evolve. Loose the ego.
Stay golden.

originally posted by: violet
I'm all over the map as well. I have no idea where I fit in. I change my opinions frequently.

I'm still against the death penalty though. It doesn't seem to work. Ok it gets rid of the criminal but doesn't deter others. A wrongly convicted person could be executed. Or I think they should just suffer. It doesn't bring the victim back.

It would deter others if it was a PUBLIC execution .

a reply to: Metallicus

Wow! I really appreciate your post. I thought we were totally opposite on politics for some reason, but I agree with you on a LOT of your points. It's good to get to know you a little. Opened my mind and I always appreciate that.

I don't fit on the right or left, either. It depends on the issue. That's why I end up in debate with both sides here.

I agree with FlyersFan, though. They WANT you. You are exactly the person both sides want. Those of us who don't fully buy into one "side" or the other are the valuable votes that decide elections.

I won't go into detail about my positions, but I wanted to say thanks!

a reply to: Metallicus

You aren't unwanted. You don't want anybody.

WOW! I agree with you on most points, except I am against abortion (It's murder and how can our country get back our respect for human life if we don't even protect the weakest among us [the unborn])...and I'd like to see the income tax abolished (it's unconstitutional) and replaced with nothing! Reduce government size to what our forefathers had in mind and 'we' won't need all these unconstitutional, unnecessary taxes. I think anybody who wants to call themselves married should be free to do so, gay or straight consenting ADULTS, and the government should keep its nose out of marriage of any type. I admit I am very inconsistent with my views on the death penalty--I'd have to say that every case needs judged on its merits, I guess.

You are not alone, hon...

a reply to: violet

I don't think the death penalty is so much about deterrence as it is the idea that some people are beyond rehabilitation and God should sort them out.

It's society's way of saying, "What you have done is beyond our ability to encompass. Only a higher power can adequately judge that."

Why are you against nuclear power exactly?

I think it has too much of a negative impact on our environment.

Wow! I really appreciate your post. I thought we were totally opposite on politics for some reason, but I agree with you on a LOT of your points. It's good to get to know you a little. Opened my mind and I always appreciate that.

I think sometimes I play devil's advocate and maybe it seems I am against something when I am really just asking questions. Also, I am seriously anti-Obama / establishment. I also am VERY pro-2nd amendment and the Constitution.

WOW! I agree with you on most points, except I am against abortion (It's murder and how can our country get back our respect for human life if we don't even protect the weakest among us [the unborn]).

I am personally very opposed to abortion, but I also believe in individual freedoms. I prefer to err on the side of personal liberty although it is a tough topic for me.

I don't think the death penalty is so much about deterrence as it is the idea that some people are beyond rehabilitation and God should sort them out.

I definitely see your point, but there is enough death in the world. I don't feel an enlightened society can enforce a death penalty on a fellow human, however, I have been on the other side of the fence on this issue in the past.

Again, thank you all for your responses.

a reply to: Metallicus

First the digression after the kudos for the thread F&S.
You're not wierd, Metallicus... anybody who is caricatured
to do a few good power slams with somebody else's teeth
is plenty conservative and OK with me
And anyway they both appear to be diggin' it.

Now the meat in the stew, I took the poll and went from
Libertardian to totally reactionary in a few years, but cosmo.
in other words, anybody can do anything thy like as long as
nobody else gets hurt. With only a few notable but invisible
exceptions at the top of our food chain, I think we've got it
down. Personally-- if I easily fit in anywhere it would be time
for another soul searching session.

a reply to: Metallicus

Actually, you're not so weird. Your positions listed are very, very similar to mine. Maybe we should make our own political party, lol.

The only one that I would tweak would be the one about abolishing the stock market. The stock market is a way that a corporation can gain capital to finance expansions (ie a new factory). Removing that part of the finance arena would have some pretty severe effects due to the inability of increasing capital through the release and sale of stock. It would create an even heavier reliance on the banking industry and that probably wouldn't be good either. I'd say increased regulation and abolition of the use of derivatives within the stock market as they really are a form of gambling and are what is used for arbitrage. Arbitrage, imho, should be the target there as it should not be the case that a company is forced to merge because of a well-executed play on the stock market or that resources should be locked in order to up the price of a commodity or block a competitor from acquiring it.

Derivatives and arbitrage--those two things are what I would abolish in a heartbeat.

I guess I would also tweak the jailing of CEOs. As it stands right now, a CEO and CFO are legally bound to sign their annual reports and assume responsibility for all that is reported within them. If some sort of fraud should occur, then they assume responsibility and can face jail time as a result. The big problem isn't so much that they can't go to jail. It's more that the interpretation and language of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is that, in order for a CEO or CFO to go down with the ship for fraud, the claimant must prove that there was an intention of fraud aka "scienter". That means that if a company engages in a seeming fraud, unless they can find an email exchange involving the CEO or CFO that pretty much states that they are engaging in a fraudulent activity, there is no scienter. Roughly 99% of cases that go to court via the Securities Act of 1934 get tossed out because they lack evidence of scienter. In other words, CEOs and CFOs aren't that dumb and may compartmentalize knowledge of what is done to meet a specific goal without knowing whether it was legal or not. That pretty much applies to many things that may occur within a company including other illegal activities outside of fraud.

I'd also add that piercing the veil would probably help the infections within capitalism. If an investor invests in a company, the assumption of liability should be increased and not limited so that pressure for risk taking on behalf of those investors is also tempered with assuring that your investors don't get cleaned out by your illegal or questionable activities. If the Supreme Court wants us to believe that corporations are people because of those investors, then why should they have legal protections for potential illegal activities and suits?

The corporate veil allows for the creation of a certain class of citizens who can freely invest their monies with the risk to their own persons being limited to the amount of their investment within the company. They, through investment, really get placed in a position of being above the law and that's not right if that personhood is reliant on them. No one and no entity should be above the law. In a kind of extreme comparison, it would be like hiring a hitman to kill your wife and facing little penalty or jail time because, well, you hired a hitman and didn't do the deed yourself. That's bull in my book.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

The only one that I would tweak would be the one about abolishing the stock market. The stock market is a way that a corporation can gain capital to finance expansions (ie a new factory).

You bring up some very good points regarding the stock market. I used to dabble in the market and always felt like it was rigged. I eventually tried being a contrarian investor and that worked a lot better. As far as capitalizing business I think that there are still private equity firms that could invest in corporations, but maybe it is the ownership stake they take that creates the need for profits above all things. I am very open to learning more and finding better ways.