edit: i realize this is ridiculously long, but i am home sick still and procrastinating about writing papers about globalization and it's affects ont he media, and the use of the media by politicians in emerging democracies in central eastern europe
Ok so i am thinking of writing this up as a final thesis paper for an american politics grad course, in a much more complex form of course. HEre is the basic argument.
Would a 3rd party unite americans or simply divide them further?
Here is what i would support if i was to start this party, please do not flame, buy critique constructively. DT and others input is appreciated as it will help me garner ideas from the other side of the fence so to speak.
I realize this is more of a moderate left wing perspective, but i think with a few changes probably, it would have beaten kerry easily, and bush fairly easily as well. Opinions? Any issues i missed?
Gun Control- gun owenership is a fundamental right, i believe in this. Buy why do you need a tec9 to protect your home and go hunting? Draw clear lines between millitary style equipment (100 round drum mags, bayonet lug etc) and civilian type weapons (sport shooter stuff, hunting rifles, bolt action weapons etc). Hand guns are a sticky issue, not sure what to do here. Canada does not allow them, has a higher per capita gun ownership rate and about 90% less violent crime, and 95% less gun involved crimes. Make it very clear that you will not, under any circumstances, try to keep any american from owning a gun.
Gay Marriage- If i have the right to marry my very hot GF, then they can marry theyr Bfs. What the hell do i care, it doesn't affect me. Now maybe we can come to an agreement here about CALLING it something else (civil union anyone?) as this will satiate the far right as well as the left. Most people will accept this as their is no fundamental difference, and most anyone looking to get married while being gay is not going to be strongly catholic/orthodox anyways.
Stem cell research- lets face it, the bush plan on this is dumb, youc an do it, but only on stuff before a certain date. It allows no research to be done, but also pisses off the hardliners. Why not allow for it, under all stem cell lines, but only under very stringent cell cultivating guidelines? The abortions are being done anyways for say, medical reasons (fetal alcohol syndrome, mother may die etc) may as well put it to use and not let the mothers pain be in vain right?
war in iraq - well saddaam was an asscake. Anyone who doesnt admit he needed to be taken out, frankly, is a turd burglar. Now was their terrorists there, or big old nukes/chems? No. I believe the usa coudl have garnered much mroe support if they just said look guys, he is a dick and is screwing over his whole country. What say we go in and kick his ass, and then the world can help the iraqi people have a better life? Naive? Maybe.
Health care - the us system sucks if you are poor. The canadian system is great if you are poor/cheap dont mind waiting. It took me 2 days to get a cast in canada when i shatterred my wrist, and 3 hours at a ER thsi week with gastroenteritis. It took me all of 30 mins to be xrayed and casted in the us for busted fingers. Advantage - usa, only i had insurance. I would support some sort of govt health care that increased benefots to employers for offering benefits to employees. tax cuts etc. Make sure the workers are all ocvered, and then offer some sort of basic care to the poor who cant afford it. Not sure how this would be accomplished, as i am no expert in the medical field, but hey that si what advisors are for. They just pay me to come up with ideas.
Millitary - downsize the RA and upsize special forces. provide them with the best of the best as they always were supposed to have. The millitary is a large part of what makes the us the us, it must be supported.
tax issues - sticky. I believe the rich tax cuts bush offerred shoudl be cut back a bit, as they were hefty. BUT they cant be rolled back, the rich invest and push forward the economy BUT they only invest if the little guy can afford to buy his products. Therefore, spread the massive tax cuts from the few to the many. Still lose the same amount of tax income, but spread out benefits a bit more.
foreign policy in general - the USA is returning to an isolationist yet imperialist policy (very strange mix). It is chest thumping in the middle of the road daring people to come get it. The us should use its economic power and market incentives (hello 100 million consumers) to have people do it's bidding, not millitary force.
Abortion - i would be a very wise candidate here, and avoid it at all costs. Personally, i think a woman can do whatever she wants with her body, and no politician should have the right to tell her what she can and cannot do.
Ok so i am thinking of writing this up as a final thesis paper for an american politics grad course, in a much more complex form of course. HEre is the basic argument.
Would a 3rd party unite americans or simply divide them further?
Here is what i would support if i was to start this party, please do not flame, buy critique constructively. DT and others input is appreciated as it will help me garner ideas from the other side of the fence so to speak.
I realize this is more of a moderate left wing perspective, but i think with a few changes probably, it would have beaten kerry easily, and bush fairly easily as well. Opinions? Any issues i missed?
Gun Control- gun owenership is a fundamental right, i believe in this. Buy why do you need a tec9 to protect your home and go hunting? Draw clear lines between millitary style equipment (100 round drum mags, bayonet lug etc) and civilian type weapons (sport shooter stuff, hunting rifles, bolt action weapons etc). Hand guns are a sticky issue, not sure what to do here. Canada does not allow them, has a higher per capita gun ownership rate and about 90% less violent crime, and 95% less gun involved crimes. Make it very clear that you will not, under any circumstances, try to keep any american from owning a gun.
Gay Marriage- If i have the right to marry my very hot GF, then they can marry theyr Bfs. What the hell do i care, it doesn't affect me. Now maybe we can come to an agreement here about CALLING it something else (civil union anyone?) as this will satiate the far right as well as the left. Most people will accept this as their is no fundamental difference, and most anyone looking to get married while being gay is not going to be strongly catholic/orthodox anyways.
Stem cell research- lets face it, the bush plan on this is dumb, youc an do it, but only on stuff before a certain date. It allows no research to be done, but also pisses off the hardliners. Why not allow for it, under all stem cell lines, but only under very stringent cell cultivating guidelines? The abortions are being done anyways for say, medical reasons (fetal alcohol syndrome, mother may die etc) may as well put it to use and not let the mothers pain be in vain right?
war in iraq - well saddaam was an asscake. Anyone who doesnt admit he needed to be taken out, frankly, is a turd burglar. Now was their terrorists there, or big old nukes/chems? No. I believe the usa coudl have garnered much mroe support if they just said look guys, he is a dick and is screwing over his whole country. What say we go in and kick his ass, and then the world can help the iraqi people have a better life? Naive? Maybe.
Health care - the us system sucks if you are poor. The canadian system is great if you are poor/cheap dont mind waiting. It took me 2 days to get a cast in canada when i shatterred my wrist, and 3 hours at a ER thsi week with gastroenteritis. It took me all of 30 mins to be xrayed and casted in the us for busted fingers. Advantage - usa, only i had insurance. I would support some sort of govt health care that increased benefots to employers for offering benefits to employees. tax cuts etc. Make sure the workers are all ocvered, and then offer some sort of basic care to the poor who cant afford it. Not sure how this would be accomplished, as i am no expert in the medical field, but hey that si what advisors are for. They just pay me to come up with ideas.
Millitary - downsize the RA and upsize special forces. provide them with the best of the best as they always were supposed to have. The millitary is a large part of what makes the us the us, it must be supported.
tax issues - sticky. I believe the rich tax cuts bush offerred shoudl be cut back a bit, as they were hefty. BUT they cant be rolled back, the rich invest and push forward the economy BUT they only invest if the little guy can afford to buy his products. Therefore, spread the massive tax cuts from the few to the many. Still lose the same amount of tax income, but spread out benefits a bit more.
foreign policy in general - the USA is returning to an isolationist yet imperialist policy (very strange mix). It is chest thumping in the middle of the road daring people to come get it. The us should use its economic power and market incentives (hello 100 million consumers) to have people do it's bidding, not millitary force.
Abortion - i would be a very wise candidate here, and avoid it at all costs. Personally, i think a woman can do whatever she wants with her body, and no politician should have the right to tell her what she can and cannot do.
. Just touching on major points. In a bell curved voter distribution it actually would most likely win, this is why most parties (up until now anyways) have tried to push a little more towards the center just prior to the election. 
I love it when someone can sum it all up short and sweet. It couldn't have been said better.
