Sunday, November 4, 2012

How I Would Fix America Part II: The Restoration of Freedom

"Give me Liberty, or Give me Death!" (Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775 at the Virginia Convention)

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same." (Ronald Reagan)

"Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect." (Eleanor Roosevelt)

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way the respects and enhances the freedom of others." (Nelson Mandela)

"It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom." (William Wallace, Braveheart)

The above are some of my favorite quotations about freedom.  We have lost so much freedom in America and it has happened in such minute increments that many people are unaware. Freedom and personal liberty have been attacked at every level of government from local to federal. 

But what is freedom? I agree with the definition, "Do what you want, but first do no harm."  Harm means physical injury to body, property or finances.  It does NOT mean harm to someone's "feelings."  With the freedom to speak one's mind comes the risks and consequences that someone may respond to said speech by taking it personally and feeling offended.  Well, people don't die from being embarrassed or having their feelings hurt.  In fact, having one's feelings hurt is a choice. We always have the choice on how to respond to what we hear, see and experience in this life.  Choose to grow a spine & suck it up; don't take things personally and do not let what others' say affect you. Obviously our friends and loved ones are normally an exception to this rule because we allow them to be a part of our psychology and emotions.)Think "You always hurt the one you love."  It's not out of intent!) However, what some bloviating politician or talking head has to say should not have such an effect if one is rational.  I guess rational is the key here and being so is also one's choice.

I long to be free to say and do as I please, to define my life as I see fit, free to take my own risks knowing that the consequences are mine to deal with, to associate with whom I please, to marry whom I please, to have sex with any consenting adult with whom I wish, free to worship what or whom I please or to refrain from worshiping, free to ally with any political party or ideology I choose, free to travel the country and world without first being treated like a criminal in order to do so, free to put into my body anything I choose, free to fail, to succeed, to try again. 

So here are some thoughts, many of which will be unpopular. I am and will remain a hardliner on personal liberty.
  • Freedom of speech is absolute (Political, religious, hate, love, etc.)
    • Yelling "Fire" in an open theater would cause harm, so it should not be engaged in. 
  • Remove government from marriage completely
    • Marriage is a symbolic joining of two or more freely consenting adult individuals into a unit of love, mutual support, compassion and nurturing. It does not need to be licensed.
    • This would make gay, polygynous, polyandrous, polyamorous and other unions perfectly fine, which they should be.
    • Ceremonies may be religious or secular. No officiation is necessary to make such a commitment.  It could be as private or as public as desired. Just set aside the time and make it special. 
    • Civil law can take care of any issues resulting in the disintegration of such unions, just like it does any other verbal contract or professed oath.
  • Freedom of privacy shall be upheld
    • No government entity may gather information, spy upon, eavesdrop on, search the garbage of, track the electronic footprint of or surveil in any way without due cause
    • Government entities must prove that there is just cause prior to engaging in the surveillance of a citizen
    • FBI, CIA, Military, Government agencies, drones, etc may not gather information of any kind on individual citizens except in a criminal investigation where parties to be surrveilled are specifically identified and presented to the court for approval 
  • Freedom against unlawful search and seizure 
    • TSA practices shall be abolished 
      • Flight safety shall be the responibility of the carrier
    • The search of any person by an organization, corporation, transportation service, entertainment venue, etc is strictly prohibited.
      • If such an entity believes an individual to be a threat or criminal, they must have evidence, report it, and abide by the need for a writ of habeas corpus
      • The presumption of innocense shall be upheld
  • Habeas corpus shall be fully restored 
  • Freedom of religion shall not be infringed upon
    • Adults freely choosing to adhere to a religious doctrine may do so with zeal so long as it
      • Does not harm others physically, psychologically or financially
      • Does not infringe on the personal freedoms of its members as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights
      • Does not require members to cause harm to others
    • Absolute separation of all religions from all government buildings, functions or recipients of funding
      • Since there is no evidence of a supreme creator, this separation must be so.
        • Should such an entity make itself known unequivocally such that all humans agree, this can be revisited
      • This assures freedom of religion and the freedom from religion in the public sector
      • Religious-based organizations shall not be exempt any differently from property or other taxes than any other private entity
      • Those serving or being paid by any public institution may not display or wear religious artifacts or images while on the job.
        • Having such items on their person or in their possession out of view is permissible
      • Similarly evangelizing and proselytizing any religious view may not be engaged in while on the job by those serving or being paid by any public institution
      • The Pledge of Allegiance shall be returned to its original pre 1954 form, removing "under God" from its phrasing
      • "In God We Trust" shall be removed and "E Pluribus Unum" restored as the official motto of the United States
        • The change was irrational, taking place in 1956 during the Cold War when atheism was equated, or at lease intricately tied in the minds of Americans, with communism. 
      • Where "God" appears on statues, buildings, memorials, etc prior to the adoption of this freedom will serve as a physical historical record and not necessarily be removed
        • Removal shall be the first option (as to a museum, etc)
        • Architecturally imbedded religious imagery shall have a plaquard of explanaiton
      • No corporate prayer shall be engaged in by public organizations or on government-owned property
        • Except by private organizations utilizing a public building as a meeting or gathering place
      • "So help me God" shall be removed from oaths in courtrooms or any government swearings 
      • Bibles shall not be used for oaths in courtrooms, government swearings or any public proceedings 
        • Bibles may be carried out of view for those employed or volunteering in the public sector while on duty and out in the open when not on duty
    • Private, non-public groups and organizations may self-decide how they wish to incorporate religious beliefs.
      • May display religious symbols and artifacts in and on the organization's property
      • May engage in the practice of excluding those who do not share common beliefs
      • May create and engage in religious ritual so long as no one is harmed and all members are free to disengage from the group at any time for any reason without coercive attempts to keep them.
      • Adherents may wear and display symbols and artifacts on their property and person
        • Exception is if they are employed by the state in any way and only for the time when they are on the job (they may however keep such things on their person and out of view while on the job.)
  • The right to keep and bear arms shall be restored
    • Exceptions:
      • Prisoners convicted of a violent crime may not possess firearms after release from prison
        • Severely mentally ill persons (schizophrenia, severe paranoia, sociopaths and those who cannot discern reality, etc) may not possess firearms
      • States may not abridge this basic right or regulate it except for the provisions above
      • No firearm shall be registered
      • Personal firearms may be carried in automobiles or on one's person
      • Firearm safety shall be taught to all children from a young age as part of the public curriculum and greatly encouraged in private educational institutions.
  • The right to vote is secured
    • The voting age shall be restored to 21 years of age
    • Voting is limited to legal citizens of these United States
    • Identification must be presented at the polls in order to receive a ballot
      • States shall shall ensure that all its adult citizens, no matter how remote have such identification
    • Every effort must be made to secure the votes of citizens serving outside the country
  • The rights of a person regarding his or her body shall not be a matter of the state
    • Abortions may be sought for any reason and without prejudice during the first trimester of pregnancy
      • Abortions later than the first trimester must meet certain criteria
        • Survival of the mother is paramount
        • Viability of the fetus
          • If the fetus could survive outside the womb without excessive intervention, alternatives must be considered and the wishes of the mother may be denied in such cases
          • Severe disability of the developing fetus (i.e. anencephaly, abnormal development, etc)
    • A complete end to the "War on Drugs" shall be enacted
      • Recreational drugs shall be legalized, regulated and taxed
      • Truthful education on the risks and consequences of utilizing recreational drugs is required in all schools both public and private
      • Individuals choosing to utilize drugs to excess shall be denied certain services until they stop such use (i.e. welfare, food stamps, etc)
      • Employers may not base dismissal on presence of drugs with their employees, but solely on performance
    • Prostitution shall be legalized, regulated and taxed like any other industry
      • The health and well-being of those in the sex trade shall be protected
      • Occupational Safety guidelines shall be proposed and enacted
Again, I could go on with many more specifics but the overarching ideology is that individuals shall be responsible for their own choices and the consequences thereof. Do what you wish to yourself, but do no harm to others.  It's a simple premise and one of the few which government should have a role in protecting.







Saturday, September 29, 2012

How I would fix America Part I: Who$e Money i$ it Anyway?

It is YOUR money! You earn it. It is MY money. I earn it!  (The government steals it!)  Would you like to keep more of your money? I sure would

In order for that to happen we need to limit government, cut taxes, eliminate bureaucracy, reclaim individual liberty and require personal responsibility.

Accepting welfare, food stamps, medicaid, free phones, subsidies, etc should be a last resort and hopefully those receiving such handouts would have a sense of shame and motivation to be self-sufficient as quickly as humanly possible.

It continually amazes me that our lawmakers forget where tax revenue actually comes from and how the economy works.  Taxing our income is essentially stealing the money we earn so that they can have what they want, advance their own agendas, pander to special interest groups, get their automatic raises, fund useless studies, squander on senseless social programs and more and redistribute.  How is that supposed to help the economy?  The cyclical talk about whether to extend or not to extend the Bush tax cuts and the raising of the debt ceiling is infuriating.  Of course they should be extended.  In fact we need deeper tax cuts!  Why?  Because allowing people to have more money in their pockets stimulates the economy! It creates consumer confidence, job growth, business growth - you name it. 


The other piece of the tax cut puzzle is the one politicians really don't get and that is they must cut spending.  We're talking real cuts here.  Entire departments need to be eliminated and/or privatized and the people we elect must also feel the cuts.

How about we:
  • Require a balanced budget
  • Change the rules and how the senate and congress are compensated:
    • Institute equal term limits for both houses to 12 years total (for life)
      • Two terms for 6-year representatives 
      • Six terms for 2 year senate representatives
    • Pay shall be 3x the national median individual (not household) income. So if the national median annual income for an individual is $30K, the elected representative makes $120K
    • Remove all automatic pay increases for said elected officials. Since term limits are in place and pay is based on current economic conditions, raises are unnecessary.
    • Health insurance shall be for terms of service only and be commensurate with what the rest of working American citizens are offered.
    • Cancel every pension that is being paid to retired Senators, Congressmen and surviving Presidents.  They make enough on their books, public speaking engagements and high paying consulting positions.  How can they even think of accepting more of the taxpayer's money? Are there any who refuse, or have refused this money?
    • Any corporations, organizations or entities which have contributed towards an individuals election efforts either through a PAC or directly may not hire  said individual in any capacity for 7 years after his/her term is ended.
    • Have all legislators, railroad workers and every other federal employee who does not already, pay into the Social Security system like the rest of the working folk in the country.
  • Presidential expenditures shall be reasonable
    • A budget for diplomatic travel shall be set and adhered to
    • A budget for diplomatic entertaining shall be set and adhered to
    • All vacations for the president or his/her family shall be paid for by the president
    • Entertainment of celebrities have no place at White House functions on the taxpayer's dime.
    • All non-diplomatic parties thrown by the president shall be paid for by the president
    • The president shall set aside 2 hours per week for speaking with individuals who petition to do so. This can be carried out by telephone, Skype or in person.
  • Take a portion of the savings from the downsizing of government to refund the Social Security coffers and make it completely separate from the operating budget of government gain, ironclad. 
  • The Department of Education can be eliminated completely and the public education responsibilities returned to the states and local governments. 
    • On the state level certain requirements must be met:
      • Schooling shall be year-round
        • Hours of education shall be increased to mirror the parental working day
      • Standards must be reinstated
        • Competency must be measured before students move on
        • Rewards go to those who excel (not everyone, just for showing up)
        • Students with aptitude shall be paired with those who need remediation to foster mentoring
        • Eligibility for sports or artistic extracurricular activities is based on achievement or progress in achievement in core competencies in academics 
      • Critical thinking must be part of the core curriculum
        • Students must be encouraged to question everything
        • Debating skills must be taught to minimize ad-hominim and straw-man fallacies
  • Privatize Social Security and as many other programs and departments as possible. (Public businesses are are transparent and accountable to their shareholders, which ensures they run more efficiently, and honestly!)
  • Eliminate the EPA. Replace the volumes of regulations created during its tenure to a reasonable general law (i.e., do not contaminate soil, water or air). 
  • Reduce the size of the FDA by 3/4, Have them focus on drug safety and imported food safety. Domestic food safety can be handled by its producers.
  • Eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts. There is so much money in arts and entertainment that the group of industries in comprises could set up a far more expansive endowment, should the individuals within those industries desire. (It's their choice after all... it would be a free country again!)
  • End the war on drugs. Legalize (pretty much everything), regulate production to keep out contaminants, create labeling guidelines and obtain revenue through taxation just like tobacco and alcohol.
  • End all subsidies to farming and industries. There is no such thing as "Too Big to Fail" 
    • Allowing all farms to produce
    • Making industry accountable for poor management
  • Become energy independent
    • Drill, baby drill
      • End the NIMBY attitude (Not In My Back Yard)
    • Fund research in viable cost-effective energy alternatives
      • Reliability testing for said alternatives must take place before implementation
      • Financial feasibility must be shown prior to implementation
      • Make research results transparent to facilitate collaboration 
  • Privatize the postal system.
  • End the Fed. Return to a gold standard.
  • Reform the financial system to mitigate corruption and abuse. (I know it is messed up, but on this subject, I am ignorant and have no specific suggestions.Anyone?) 
  • Require a net worth review of all citizens of retirement age providing social security only to those with less than $2 million in assets. 
  • Eliminate corporate taxes
  • Institute a flat rate income tax on earnings of 10%
    • Eliminate all deductions except the following:
      • Mortgage interest
      • Medical expenses (allow deduction for total outlay, not percentage of adjusted gross income)
      • Non-religious charitable contributions
      • Educational expenses 
    • Remove "dependents" scale
      • Married pays the same as single
      • Having children does not reduce your rate
  • Institute a 2% national sales tax on purchased goods
    • Doing this would solve the issue about the wealthy paying their fair share. They spend a lot more and will therefore pay a lot more.
    • Exceptions would be the following:
      • Food
      • The first $15,000 of an automobile
  • Eliminate capital gains tax for individuals whose total earnings are below $1,000,000 annually
    • Those earning above one million dollars may be taxed no more than the flat income tax rate of 10%
  • Limit and overhaul welfare
    • This should be a transitional program with a time limit
    • Recipients must be drug-free in order to receive benefits
    • Recipients must refrain from reproducing offspring while on the program
    • Job placement services would be offered
    • Companies would receive an incentive for hiring those from the welfare rolls.
      • Such workers must be retained for a minimum of one year to receive incentive
    • Add training and education requirements to acceptance of welfare
        • Literacy programs
        • Technical training
        • Apprenticeships
    • Require community service of ALL recipients and all of their dependents over age 12 and over (this removes "getting something for nothing"). No service: no welfare.
    • Encourage charities in the private sector to supplement this program.
  • Limit and overhaul medicaid
    • Making all medical expenses tax deductible will help
    • Require all hospitals to establish benevolent funds to treat those in need
    • Require all pharmaceutical companies to establish a portion of their inventory to treat those in the program
    • Limit services to cover
      • Child immunizations
      • Sick visits for adults and children
      • Least costly medication choices
      • No elective treatments or services shall be recompensed
      • Basic diagnostics
    • Recipients or their families may not sue practitioners for services received while in the program except:
      • Negligent death
      • Gross error (wrong limb operated on, patient mix-up, etc)
      • Others TBD
    • Reinstate institutionalization for the intractable mentally ill who cannot be cared for by family or local community. We must have compassion for this population and as a nation care for these individuals and turn them out to become the homeless population
    • Recipients must comply fully with medical advice or be removed from the program
    • Encourage private charities to set up medical funds from which the poor can draw
  • End tax breaks for all religious organizations. The separation of church and state mus be absolute and the churches shall not be considered differently than any other type of private organization subject to taxation
  • Keep the military strong and well funded
    • This should be the biggest line-item in the federal budget
    • Stop policing the world with force.
      • Any acts of aggression or war must be in response to imminent threat
      • All such acts must be subject to congressional approval
      • All diplomatic options must be exhausted prior to action
    • Take care of veterans
      • Provide healthcare to service related ailments and injuries
      • Provide educational and placement programs to get vets employed in the private sector quickly
      • Provide incentives to companies hiring vets similar to those for hiring welfare recipients
  • End all foreign aid until all of the above has been accomplished and then overhaul the systems
    • Countries with human rights infractions shall receive no aid
    • Countries abridging the free speech of their citizens shall receive no aid
    • Countries that persecute people based on gender, religious views, political beliefs, sexual orientation, nationality, etc shall receive no money
    • Countries holding non-criminal patriots of other sovereign nations must release those prisoners back to their respective countries
      • All other detainees must receive a trial
        • Trials must be public and transparent to all nations involved
        • If found guilty, they  may continue to be detained,
        • If found not guilty, they must be released back to their country of origin
          • The prosecuting country has the right to ban them from their borders
    • Aid shall be earmarked for specific projects such as
      • Digging wells
      • Farming and irrigation 
      • Disease prevention and treatment
      • Providing means for their most poor and marginalized to be self-reliant
      • Development of industry to produce products or services that are trade-worthy in the global marketplace
      • Technical innovation and advancement
      • Peaceful pursuits
    • The goals of all foreign aid shall be tied to increased freedom and opportunity for the recipient's citizens, maintaining peace within its region and the facilitation of said country being self-reliant as a nation
    • The use of foreign aid monies must be traceable and 100% transparent
I could go on, but I am sure you get the gist of my views. Maximum freedom, minimal government, personal responsibility.  Gee, that sounds a little Libertarian. Go figure!

Coming up in Part II: "Give me Liberty or give me Death" and the restoration of freedom