Monday, August 10, 2009

I always seem to do fine if I just make a general list of my ideas instead of going into detail about how to do things.

So here is a list of general things I believe in about government, taxes, and like that.
---------

I believe the the USA is a republic.

I believe republic means that the ultimate power rests with the people and not the government.

I believe the government exists to serve the people and not the other way around.

I believe the people have representatives for the purpose of telling government what the people want done and what the people's vision for the country is.

I believe it is the duty of the executive branch of our government to execute the will of the people and to work diligently to secure the people's vision.

I belief the people exercise their power through representatives they send to congress.

I believe it is the duty of Congress to pass laws which protect the interests their employers, the people, and which work to secure the vision the people have for their country.

I believe the House of Representatives represent the people directly and that the Senate represent the interest of entire states. States are made up of people, of course, but the Senate represents a larger concensus.
---------

I believe everyone in the world is entitled to at least the basic necessities of life and that the people do not have to do anything to "deserve" these basic life necessities. The necessities of life should include clean water to drink, wholesome and adequate food to eat, clothing to wear, and a place to live to protect them from the elements and ensure a congruent family life. I believe all the people in the world should have access to a regular uninterrupted education. I believe all people are entitled to live unmolested by outside aggressors.

I believe everyone in the USA is entitled to sufficient food, clean water, adequate housing, access to a quality education, a place to live, access to medical care.

I believe all men and women are born to equal opportunity to make their way in life and to excel beyond that initial equality to achieve whatever personal or material success that is within their abilities to achieve.

I believe the governments of the United States exist to protect the rights and well-being of the citizens, and to facilitate the citizens' pursuit of happiness and prosperity.

I believe in the right of individual law-abiding citizens to be left alone by their government.

I believe the government is best that governs least.

I believe in compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters. I believe in charity and in good works. I believe in neighbors helping neighbors and, when possible, not abdicating that responsibility to governments.

I believe taxes are necessary to support our society and its protections and needs. I believe those with money should contribute money, and in proportion to the blessings of their individual prosperity.

I believe those not blessed with material wealth should contribute to their society by doing public works, that they may not feel left of that society, or suffer the humiliation of being supported by their neighbors.

I believe those who are sick, disabled, handicapped or otherwise not able to work, should be supported by their fellow citizens to the extent that they cannot support themselves, up to and including total support.

I believe all people are entitled to the dignity of honest work, the dignity of education, and the dignity and benefits of equal citizenship.
---------

I believe in the right of society to protect itself and to establish rules to effect a peaceful existence.

I believe that society has the right to punish citizens who do not abide by the laws it has put in place to protect its citizens, including the absolute right to put citizens to death after due process of law.

I believe there should be levels of citizenship, and that the highest levels of citizenship, such as voting and the enjoyment of all freedoms specified in the U.S. Constitution, should be extended only to honest, productive, law-abiding citizens. I believe the rights of criminals and other troublemakers, including repetitive scofflaws, should enjoy only limited rights and privileges of citizenship until their reform has been honestly and truly effected.
---------

(to be continued)





9 comments:

  1. What I can't understand is why we are so often on opposite sides. Most of this, I agree with as well.

    That argues that our goals aren't so different, just the paths we see to get there.

    If we (as in we the people) could focus on what we have in common, perhaps we could accomplish a great deal more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with the things you have written down. Now the question is how? How do we achieve this? Corruption seems to go hand in hand with power. I am not saying it is absolute, but it is rampant as all you have to do is turn on the television to hear story after story about liars and cheats and those who steal to make themselves have more than needed or earned. Is the US on a spiral into ruin? I have heard a few conservatives swear this is so, that the US is on a decline just as the decline of the Roman civilization. Hannady.com is just one of those.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Stephanie B - Well, like I was just about to tell Ettarose, my trouble starts when I try to flesh out my goals into an action plan. That's where we always seem to get into it. :) I was thinking of attacking the health care thing by making a list of things that I think are wrong with the current system, and then turn it around into a plan for curing those ills. No pun intended. Like, one of the big problems is the insurance companies being greedy and of course wanting to turn a profit, and another is the congress listening to the drug lobby instead of the people. Maybe that would work with the long list on this current post - think of things that are keeping the things on my list from coming to pass.

    I have too many thoughts (and words) inside me. I want to change the world. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Ettarose. I don't think we have to live with corruption. We just have to start sending people to Congress that promise to do what we tell them to. But that takes organization. The fix is in on reelections - these lobbyists give their congress boys big money to get reelected. That's the name of the game. Grass roots is the answer but nobody seems to be able to get started. I personally think we need a third party. And all of us will have to give generously for tv commercials to get our guys elected. I don't know if we care enough anymore to do that. Most people like to just sit on their behinds and complain instead of doing something about it. The Congressmen depend on that. But the answer is organization - because there is surely enough people who are fed up that would vote for a third party candidate. I just think the current two parties are too tainted and people are too tired of them. Start over. YOU should run. Get all the humor blogger misfits to vote for you. :) It would give you something to do. Good pay, too. Great retirement benefits. :) And then when you sold out to the lobbyists too like all the rest, you would pretend you didn't know us anymore. Cool. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Ettarose, I know what. We can run A. She's all classy and everything. People would vote for her. As long as she kept her mouth shut so people didn't discover she was Irish, eh? That would probably be a drawback. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. @A. - Let me head you off at the pass before you wake up: I would never in a million years REALLY try to keep you quiet. You know that. Sigh. I do wish you could run though. Clean house in Washington. We need somebody. A LOT of somebodies. Good morning. Or good 4am.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Too late, far too late. You know perfectly well I would never in a month of Sundays be prepared to run on that selection of issues, and you also know where the stumbling block lies. Since I'm not prepared to discuss that again, you have indeed effectively silenced me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is too much Darfur and Zimbabwe all over again. There are more of us than "them" and we are too scared to get beaten about the face and neck to go for change. Why don't YOU run?

    ReplyDelete
  9. @A. You can run on anything you want to run on. You don't have to run on my issues. You have time for a hobby. :)

    @Ettarose - Hmmm. I'm not afraid to get beat. But I can't even make it into Humorbloggers, much less Congress.

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails