Window or Mirror?

I am writing this in the aftermath of the DNC and RNC of 2008, prior to the 2008 election. My purpose is to articulate my views on the issues, should anyone care, and I hope that I will refine my views and learn a great deal as I prepare this page (and change it over time I am sure).

My Background
I am a Christian, the evangelical type. I believe that our God is sovereign, that we are created in His image, that He came and died to save us, and that He is coming back. I am a son, a father, a husband, an employee, a biker, a homesteader, a computer geek, a servant, a leader, and a man. I was raised in a middle class family by a first generation American (German immigrant) mother and an American father (of Scottish descent) who are both devout followers of a fairly mainstream covenant religion. My post-secondary formal education has been in science and military intelligence. I have traveled extensively on this terrestrial ball, and we have lived in Western Europe for an extended period of time. We currently live on a hobby farm near Wausau, WI, USA. I share these facts because they each – along with others – have a bearing on my view of politics.

Executive Summary
My view on politics can best be described as a return to an idealized view of our American past; the late 18th century specifically. I believe in government that is as small as possible with no possibility of a “career” in politics. I believe in free trade, a free market, no regulation, and that people should have to live with the full measure of the effect of their actions.

Note: I have oft been accused – because of my view on welfare – of desiring not to help people. Those that accuse me of this read what I write, they do not know me. I believe – strongly – in charity. I also believe that God has a plan, a way that He wants charity done, and charity from the government does not work because that’s not what God intends. I back up my belief in personal charity by volunteering and giving of God’s bounty to me in dollars, time, energy, and love to others.

The Issues
While I assume that this section will be added to – and might change as I learn – I have started the section with several issues and given my views on them. Let the order in no way imply what I view to be more or less important (unless I state that).

International Issues

Foreign Policy
I have been accused of having no capacity for a liberal thought, not one. Here then we have the first issue I take a position on, and the word ‘liberal’ is in the definition! I believe that America should pursue a policy of “liberal isolationism”. That is, I believe in free and open trade (please refer to Free Trade section) and free travel between countries, but I strongly support non-intervention. I support the complete avoidance of all entangling alliances and the refusal to engage in almost any war that does not protect our territory. It should go without saying – but I will type it anyhow – that I am categorically against membership in the United Nations. Note: If America insists on playing “policeman to the world”, then I support doing that with integrity and consistency.

Homeland Security
With a proper defense of our borders, an avoidance of foreign entanglements, and the ability to be independent from an energy standpoint will drastically reduce our need for a separate concept called “Homeland Security”. Over time, ‘homeland’ security is the only kind we’ll need, and we will have it far more naturally. I support no “Patriot Act” or any other thing with a flowery name that limits individual liberty.

War
I believe that we should avoid war, and go to great lengths to do so. When we – inevitably – go to war we must go with extreme prejudice, in full force, win and win decisively, and be done with it quickly. I do not support any involvement in local or regional conflicts where the territory in dispute is not ours. There can be no doubt that we will defend our own territory, immediately and aggressively.  If there is a ‘world war’ a vote should be taken (Congress) that passes with a super-majority in order to involve the nation’s fighting forces and then the Rules of Engagement must be specific.

Free Trade
I believe that goods and services should flow unhindered, provided that each trade does not imply an ongoing relationship between the powers exchanging the goods and services. Specifically, I support:

• the trade of goods without taxes, tariffs, or quotas
• The absence of trade-distorting policies (subsidy, tax, other legislation)
• Free access to markets and market information
• No government-imposed monopolies
  
• The free movement of labor between and within countries (provided that movement is temporary or otherwise legal and does not otherwise imply a change in permanent immigration status for those rendering the service)
  
• The free movement of monetary vehicles between and within countries

Immigration
The laws that we have in this country should be enforced, therefore I believe that people who enter this country illegally should be deported. This should occur regardless the method used to enter (surreptitious entry, overstaying a visa, etc). The number of people that should be allowed to enter for “no reason” should be limited (perhaps to zero) and work visas should be granted sparingly. I believe that asylum law should exist, but should also be invoked sparingly. We should aggressively protect our borders to reduce the internal investigation into illegal immigrants (watch the door, not every room in the house).

For those already in the country illegally, I would support a wide range of options from immediate deportation and reapplication (with entry bias) down to methods for earning citizenship based on employment or sponsorship.

Domestic Issues

Energy
The earth was put here for us to steward and to use (tame). I support a reasonable use of all resources the earth holds and support no governmental interference beyond general guidelines on the use of resources and creation of energy. I support the pursuit of alternative (renewable) energy sources but support no governmental control or interference in their development or research. I don’t support taxing energy but if a tax is placed, it must be non-punitive (flat across generation types). There should be no governmental interference with any extraction method, provided the guidelines are followed.

Gun Control
The Second Amendment obviously applies to the individual and not a group. This certainly means that citizens should possess – and carry – firearms. Further, in a country where the government is the third layer for inherited rights (God, the individual, government), the government cannot possibly have more rights than the individual. Individual rights are not cumulative… that is, two people cannot out-vote a third person and take something from them just because there are two of them and one of the other. Because of this, I support the individual’s right to possess ANY weapon. I support no restrictions on ownership, no registration, and reciprocity should be the default (states would have to change their constitution to limit carry). I do support the idea that convicted felons no longer have the same rights they once enjoyed and that this would extend to firearms (I also would drastically change the definition of ‘felony’ and the enforcement of law).

Crime
Fewer laws, simpler, easily understood and morally reasonable, and strict enforcement. Add in stiff penalties and no loopholes or plea bargaining and we have a start. Prisons should not be a fun place to be and the end result of every prison day should be effective labor. Death penalty, yes, for pre-meditated murder. Crime is already born of hate, there should be no special treatment in the law for this (penalties for strong-arm crime should be stiffer). “White-collar” crimes should  result in the offender in the same prison as any other, doing the same labor. Judges should have fewer options at sentencing.

Drugs
Should be legal, all of them. What needs to happen is that the system that enables ‘users’ to survive when they add nothing to society disappears. If you want to smoke up and not show up to work, fine, but there is no governmental safety net for you. Legalize it, tax it like anything else, remove the welfare system for the able-bodied. There is no “war” on drugs. Wars have human enemies and can be won.

Civil Rights
I support no quotas on hiring (no affirmative action), no discrimination based on race, gender, or religion. The separation of church and state is a concept not in the Constitution and should not exist in government (beyond the obvious, no governmentally funded or mandated religion). If the government is to stay involved in marriage licensing (I do not believe this is a business they should be in), I am against the extension of that licensing into gay couples.

Jobs
The government should not be in the “job” business. Government does not create jobs, businesses do. Governmental involvement in business can only result in the businesses reduced ability to create jobs. Unions are – categorically – bad for business, I don’t support them. I do not support the setting of any wage for any job and that includes any minimum wage. I support no subsidy for any business, no governmental regulations, and no governmental interference of any kind (except the enforcement of criminal and civil law, of which I believe there should be less).

Environment
I support no governmental involvement in forestry and parks or any other natural resource management. Any land that the government owns must be stolen from the people or purchased, with our tax dollars. The government should not be in the business of owning land. Regulations – on emissions, percentages of energy types, etc – should be general, high-level, and enforced at the state level.

Economic Issues

Budget and Economy
While I believe that our moral deficit is far more important to reverse than our financial deficit, I support a balanced budget. I would not push for an Amendment to the Constitution to that effect, but I would support extreme restrictions on unbalanced budgets being passed. Federal money should be used to run an extremely small federal government. Earmarks should not exist because there should be so little federal money available that it isn’t even a question to be asked. The government should not carry debt, just like families shouldn’t. I am strongly in favor of returning this nation to the gold standard and I stand against any international counterfeiting ring and, as such, favor a complete replacement of the Federal Reserve system.

Social Security
Having a system in place to care for citizens – at any age – erodes our sense of and focus on self-sufficiency. The federal government should not be in the business of supporting citizens financially. I support the complete removal – over time – of the Social Security system beginning with a privatization plan and culminating with the last payout to people who already have paid in to the full. The control of the citizen’s dollar, at every age after majority should rest with the citizen.

Welfare
We have a system that was initially designed as a safety net, and today, that system is a hammock. I stand firmly against any governmental system designed solely to support the financial well being of able-bodied individuals. Since we have enabled several generations of families to live off the hard work of others, a plan to remove welfare entirely will take a lot of will and time. We must begin now. For individuals that need temporary help I support a natural charity system beginning with immediate family, then extended family, then friends, church, community, township, and state. There must be a similar charity system in place for those who are truly not able-bodied. Note: Those who purposefully make themselves unable to work would be exempted from this system.

Technology and Infrastructure
I believe that networks should be subject to the rules that the owners of the network set. Any network owned by the federal government should be limited to governmental use and should exist primarily to coordinate the defense of our country. The government should be allowed no preferential access to networks, should not be in charge of encryption, and should have no ability – or funding – to capture data and watch citizens. Moving from the information superhighway to physical highways, I don’t think it is a good idea to force states to allow federal interstate highways to run through their state.

Other Social Issues

Poverty
I believe that the primary cause of poverty is not a lack of employ, opportunity, or money, but a lack of moral fortitude, solid family upbringing, and will (Please note my use of the word “primary” and the differences from the word “only”). To eliminate poverty we must give individuals the product of their work with little taxation and we must encourage families to rebuild and become stronger. While it is tempting to put programs in place to help innocent children while they are outside the home, the home is still the primary influence on children and nothing we try to do at a federal level (in school or otherwise) will truly make an impact when homes are broken. The improvement of the family and home will take a generation, or maybe two, if we commit to it fully. In the short term we can reward the responsible two-parent family, rather than giving a “baby bonus”.

Education
As my opinion is on almost everything President Franklin Delano Roosevelt  did, I suggest it be undone. The federal government should never have been responsible for the education of our children and the sooner we take this responsibility away from the faceless giant, the sooner we begin to move this country in a better direction. I support home and private schooling. I support more time spent between parents and children, learning how to relate as a family and learning a trade. Since it will take time to undo this massive structure, begin with vouchers and real choice. Remove all barriers to home education.

Health Care
Much like education, our personal health is not the government’s concern. We must be self-sufficient and doctors must be freed from the litigious environment they operate in today. An open health system with private insurance and no predatory lawyers will be open and cheap enough for people in charge of most of their money to afford. I support health care by private institutions and support no governmental regulation or involvement in the health care system. As families strengthen, learn, and teach each other, their lifestyles will improve and they will begin using preventative care. The need for health care will dramatically decrease and citizens will be able to cover their own health expense.

Life Issues

Families and Children
God ordained and blessed the family long before any government came into being, including this one. Two-parent families produce children with better health and higher education. If the government is to give a benefit to people, that benefit should begin with the encouragement of two-parent families that raise their children responsibly.

Corporations
Companies – of any size – should be controlled by the customers of that company, not the government. I do not support federal taxation of corporations as I support no governmental restriction or interference with them. I also support no federal infrastructure that corporations would benefit from (primarily). I support strong restrictions on personal bankruptcy and would aggressively enforce contract law when companies attempt to take workers pension funds.

Abortion
I am in strong favor of protecting all innocent life. Life begins at conception. I support an abortion ban, except where the continued physical existence of the mother is threatened. I know that unplanned pregnancy is one of the most difficult things to bear, but I also know that abortion is being used as birth control in this country today. A respect for innocent life must again be born in the hearts of American citizens, and this begins with the end of infanticide. While I understand that stem-cell research holds great promise for some disease and illness, I also know that we do not take body parts for transplant away from human beings today, resulting in their death, just to give them to others, based on their age or development. This is exactly what stem-cell research does.