Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
Are you for or against an international governing body?
While our foreign policy is strongly independent and fair to all, I am for a body to serve as a mediation and meeting place.
The UN has not fulfilled its noble founding principles - I am in support of pressure to reshape the UN to its roots. A proactive UN will be of benefit
to all men, women and children. I strongly support its investigation of human welfare around the globe, and discussion of national development
assistance. We may indeed pull out of the UN as a last resort if the corruption and foreign policy bias does not improve.
Despite necessary aid to raise human living standards, I am against international reliance and dependency. Development assistance should be carefully
crafted - taxpayer money should not be surrendered to prop up other nations and regimes. I am also against restrictive binding pacts, and other biased
allegiances. I do not wish America's choices to be constrained and her options limited.
In terms of economic governance I am strongly against the power of international monetary funds, and beleive they should be tightly regulated to
prevent what could, and has, lead to immoral situations.
Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
Will organized religious institutions be effected by your policies?
Interesting question. I beleive in freedom to worship - if the law is respected by all. I do not beleive in indoctrination - the state shall
not assume any "religion" in it's domestic matters or services. This also extends to private education, such as catholic schools. I beleive
in
secular institutions and though I am signalling large scale reform,
individual expression is always protected and even enhanced.
Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
Are you pro choice?
I am pro choice in every issue - unless that choice involves directly harming in a physical, emotional or financial way. For a specific abortion
related response, please see
here.
Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
How will you impact the war on drugs, poverty, and hunger?
I support the movement to legalize soft drugs including marijuana and anabolic steroids. My reasoning being the lack of violent and addictive
tendancies, the absence of serious physical harm, and the cost of enforcing law. However,
hard drugs strongly concern me and will therefore
recieve full attention.
I will impose universal trade embargos on the big producers - Colombia, Mexico, Afghanistan and the Golden Triangle. This shall be a punitive action
and encouragement to get their drug cultivation under control.
I see benefits in increasing port security in Miami, and raising the frequency of our inspections. Another popular destination for smugglers is the
Mexican border. With all related problems in mind, I see no other option than to militarize this border. Additionally, we will fund humanitarian
initiatives to help foreign coca farmers develop alternative means of income.
In dealing with hard drug users who need help, we will focus strongly on education and rehabilitation. We will
help people - criminality will
not be so much of a factor anymore.
Poverty? I'm glad you asked. Following my defense policy discussed earlier, our expenditures will be reduced significantly. However, I don't intend
to save that money, I will redirect it to where it needs to be. Regional councils shall receive a cash injection to begin the process of urban
regeneration. Our objective will be to appropriate developments in neighborhoods and towns across the country. Not just new developments, but repair
and clean up work shall also be undertaken. We will create a more attractive and psychologically better environment for lacking areas.
To implement this well, and our War on Poverty, we need statistically accurate information. Our current census data is 7 years out of date. I propose
increasing the frequency of the U.S. Census from 10 years to 4. Also, we will finance more extensive monitoring of our programs and reports at the
local level.
To expand on the War on Poverty, I beleive in the merits of self-determination, so this shall not be welfare orientated. We should make life easier in
terms of education costs, health care costs, and tax. As of the current situation, I submit it is easier to make a good living in Western Europe. The
plan is simple, free national medicare and a scrapping of college and university fees. A revamp of tax banding schemes. The latter two are straight
forward, as for the medicare however I beleive that we should be open to a system that is part nationalized and part privatized. We would maintain a
high quality service by offering incentives to professionals and refusing to pay big pharma' inflated prices for their drugs.
Hunger? No-one needs to go hungry in the United States of America. Those who cannot afford basic food will have their finances investigated, given
advice, and surplus food produce. We will encourage farmers to grow more - and at the same time social security paychecks can be less (a fair
adjustment).
Your question reminds me of our water problem. I will immediately reverse (by executive order) policies put into place by the Bush Administration to
allow higher levels of toxic compounds in our water supply. Our water shall be purified without the use of health endangering additives!
Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation
Thanks Sir.
No, thank you!
[edit on 16/4/07 by SteveR]