The Role of Government
The government should be of the people, by the people, and for the people. That means government should benefit everyone, and that everyone should participate.
Government gives society a way to collectively make decisions. It allows us to collectively solve problems, provide opportunities, improve the quality of life for everyone, and ultimately shape our Country -- all without resorting to war, violence, or general upheaval.
Health Care
I believe that every US Citizen should have a basic level of healthcare. By that, I mean people who don't have insurance should have a good option other than the emergency room.
Every American should have the privilege of health-care when they have a life-threatening disease/injury, or are unable to work because of disease/injury, or if their health would significantly improve through treatment.
Every American should also have access to preventative medical care. Regular checkups not only pay for themselves through preventing future costs, but they also increase the quality of life for everyone.
This healthcare should not be forced on us through the inefficient health insurance system that is currently pre-eminent. A single-payer system similar to Medicare would be ideal.
Government Regulation of Business
I believe that a well functioning capitalist system requires regulation by the government. This is not only to protect the integrity of the economic system from dangers such as monopoly, monopsony, and price cartels, but also to guide the system away from harming our society and our environment.
The libertarian ideal that every person should be able to do as they please, so long as they harm no one, is a good rule of thumb -- but too often, people who believe in such an ideal miss the importance of the role of government in mediating interactions, especially potentially harmful interactions.
Environmental protection is very important to me, as well as protecting individual liberty against the often dehumanizing effects of a capitalist economy.
Foreign Policy
I believe in the power of economic diplomacy. The world will respect us largely based on the strength of our economy, and the benefits it provides to the world. American music, movies, and video games have a deep effect on bringing the rest of the world closer to us, as do the many american businesses that provide valuable services to other countries.
Economic leverage is the best kind of diplomatic leverage possible. That is why its so important to build our economic connections with more and better trade.
I am a pacifist -- and I believe that war is never a solution. Our country should stop selling weapons abroad. We should actively communicate with our enemies. And, when situations such as Darfur occur, we should act swiftly to prevent continued genocide.
Investing in Our Future
I believe that the Government is an important vehicle for our society to come together and make investments in everyone for the future. Such investments include:
The government should be of the people, by the people, and for the people. That means government should benefit everyone, and that everyone should participate.
Government gives society a way to collectively make decisions. It allows us to collectively solve problems, provide opportunities, improve the quality of life for everyone, and ultimately shape our Country -- all without resorting to war, violence, or general upheaval.
Health Care
I believe that every US Citizen should have a basic level of healthcare. By that, I mean people who don't have insurance should have a good option other than the emergency room.
Every American should have the privilege of health-care when they have a life-threatening disease/injury, or are unable to work because of disease/injury, or if their health would significantly improve through treatment.
Every American should also have access to preventative medical care. Regular checkups not only pay for themselves through preventing future costs, but they also increase the quality of life for everyone.
This healthcare should not be forced on us through the inefficient health insurance system that is currently pre-eminent. A single-payer system similar to Medicare would be ideal.
Government Regulation of Business
I believe that a well functioning capitalist system requires regulation by the government. This is not only to protect the integrity of the economic system from dangers such as monopoly, monopsony, and price cartels, but also to guide the system away from harming our society and our environment.
The libertarian ideal that every person should be able to do as they please, so long as they harm no one, is a good rule of thumb -- but too often, people who believe in such an ideal miss the importance of the role of government in mediating interactions, especially potentially harmful interactions.
Environmental protection is very important to me, as well as protecting individual liberty against the often dehumanizing effects of a capitalist economy.
Foreign Policy
I believe in the power of economic diplomacy. The world will respect us largely based on the strength of our economy, and the benefits it provides to the world. American music, movies, and video games have a deep effect on bringing the rest of the world closer to us, as do the many american businesses that provide valuable services to other countries.
Economic leverage is the best kind of diplomatic leverage possible. That is why its so important to build our economic connections with more and better trade.
I am a pacifist -- and I believe that war is never a solution. Our country should stop selling weapons abroad. We should actively communicate with our enemies. And, when situations such as Darfur occur, we should act swiftly to prevent continued genocide.
Investing in Our Future
I believe that the Government is an important vehicle for our society to come together and make investments in everyone for the future. Such investments include:
- Education. Our country thrives on its university system. We should focus on investing MORE in higher education, to ensure that our country continues to have by far the best university system in the world.
We should also open our universities to foreign students from around the world, and allow graduating students to easily become citizens.
- Scientific Investment. Government investment in scientific research provides massive economic benefits, ensures our continued economic success as a country, and improves the quality of life for everybody through the innovations that result. Many of these innovations would simply not be worth the investment from a purely capitalist perspective, but ultimately provide incredible value.
- Infrastructure. One of the great successes of the 20th century was the creation of the National Highway system. Such investments can often cost seemingly extreme amounts of money -- but the benefits they provide are incalculable. As the cost of oil continues to rise, I believe our country is going to have to make another significant investment in our transportation infrastructure, in addition to our energy infrastructure.