I have been uber frustrated with so many of my friends building their political ideals on bashing the opposing party. It comes in the form of personal attacks towards candidate's personal lives, crude humor, attack on the rights of others rather that expressing protection of one's own values and beliefs. It makes me want to hide until sometime in January next year. I want people to be vocal in politics, but I want them to be loud about what is important to them (why animal life is important, rather than how bad people are that eat animals, why it is important that marriage be kept between a man and a woman, rather than why gays are bad or don't deserve rights, why is it more important to see how much a presidential candidate made per year rather than knowing what he stands for and what he would do as president).
My mantra in life is based on Gandhi's quote, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." I guess I need to do what I want others to do and express what I believe in and why...
1. I believe in small government. I want to live in a world where I can make my own choices, I can suffer natural consequences for my actions, where the taxes I pay go to helping out people in efficient ways and they also pay for my share of the public services I use. Currently, the average cost to educate a child is around $10,000 per student. In a class of 30 students, that is $300,000 a year. A teacher for that class is making about 10% of that. From a business perspective, this seem extremely inefficient and I would prefer to see government funded private schools that were given 1/2 the amount per student and allow companies to walk away with a profit while saving billions of dollars per year. This is one example of many, but the way I understand it, we can be more efficient. The more money we eliminate in government spending, the more money in our pockets. We then can choose to donate to nonprofits that we are passionate about and see the work we love move forward.
2. People working builds a better country. We worry about our current debt problem, as we should, but so many people feel the answer is found in raising taxes for the rich or middle class. I think if everyone in this country that was able, was working, we could decrease the amount we pay out in government benefits, increase tax revenue from people who would then be gainfully employed, and increase the general moral of millions who feel like they are a part of society again. I work with people with intellectual disabilities. Many of them can work, but are discriminated against because of misconceptions that come with their disability. If these guys were given more of a chance to support themselves, we would save millions of dollars more. I also feel that any welfare programs should come with a service or work requirement. If the government is giving money to people who are well deserving, which I know there are many, allow them to give back to schools, churches, or other meaningful groups so they are always motivated by work (when they are able) and so they always feel like they contribute.
How do we get more people jobs in this country? Lets support domestic businesses, small, medium, and large. Let us also support the American Dream, that we can all own a home, be 100% debt free, and have a family that we can comfortably support without associating success with shame.
3. Marriage Equality. I say this humbly and respectfully with love towards all my friends who have different views because of their faith, but it is what I passionately believe. I want the option to be able to fall in love, marry the person of my dreams, and maybe even have kids. I want to live in a world where my kids can go to school and feel normal because they also have 2 parents who love them, that are married, that just happen to be gay.
4. I believe that the power of the individual is always greater than the power of government or regulations. I often will see friends holding up their victim card about how crappy their job is, or how much their rent is. Employers can only treat us as poorly as we allow them to. Landlords can only charge as much as we are willing to pay. Every time we sacrifice something important from our life for another, we give our power to them. If we all were to stand united, we as employees, consumers, and human beings, can influence the world around us. Heck, go watch Newsies if you don't believe me.
5. Anti Abortion, Pro Choice. So, I can't say I like abortion at all. I have friends who have made this choice and it led to tons of heart ache. I am not sure of the moral side of things, but I do know I don't want life to have to stop. I know that adoption often leads to attachment disorders that screw people up and it also causes tons of pain for mothers giving up their child. I also struggle with parents raising children out of obligation when they are not ready rather than out of love. I would love to see people be a little more careful and just wait. I know that life happens and this isn't always able to happen, so that is why I am Pro Choice. Let the mother and father if he is involved make the choice that works for them and they will have to live with for better or worse. It is too hard and complicated for me to get involved with something that will never happen to me, so I will not judge, but rather love and support those with this difficult decision.
6. Right to Bear Arms. I think people should be able to have guns. I want background checks attached to them and for lots of safeguards. Bad people will always be able to find weapons. The more good people that have weapons the safer the world, in my opinion. This is a huge responsibility that should come with tons of training and safety, but so is owning a car. I think if citizens have the right to own guns, it helps prevent government from controlling people but the threat of greater force. People should peacefully control government. I know this sounds a little right wing crazy, but chat with me about it sometime, it makes sense to me. And for the record, I do not own a functioning gun and have never shot one.
7. Foreign Policy. I really don't know the answer here. I think if we get involved in another country's drama we need to make sure there is a clear need for help from people who can not defend themselves (like the jews in the holocaust), we then need to make sure these people want our help, and then when we have helped, we need to step back as quickly as we can in a way that their country can still be successful. I hope we would never occupy a country for oil or personal gain.
8. Energy Independence. I would like to see government offer huge cash rewards to companies who roll out clean energy products that are cost neutral to consumers. I think this would help jump start a market that is free from products that destroy our environment. How great would it be if there were solar electric cars that were the same price as cars that used gas. We would all hop on board.
Okay, please don't destroy me ideas here. I am sure there are some here for people to agree with and disagree with. I am very much not a republican or democrat because I agree too much with things on each side.
I would love for you to leave comments not to argue my ideas, but to share your views and how you got there. This is how I learn and grow.
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