Where do you stand on the issues?

[Justice]

Every election year we have to hear about stuff that we usually don't discuss. You have your liberal views, conservative and somewhere in between. Where do you stand?

 

1. Abortion: Pro-life

 

2. Gay Marriage: I don't give a crap what people do in their personal lives, but marriage, to me, is between a man and a woman, only.

 

3. Prayers in school: I'm all for it as long as Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the ONLY religions allowed. We can't have sacrifices or anything like that going on in schools!! LOL!!!

 

4. Death Penalty: I'm all for it. I realize I said I was pro-life for abortion, but when it comes to proven hardened criminals or I should say murderers then I'm all for the death penalty.

 

5. Guns: As long as there is a three day background check on those that purchase guns AND bullets, I'm all for it.

 

6. Health Care: I'm against any state run health care system. I like the way things were before Obamacare.

 

7. War on drugs: Legalize it!!!!

 

8. Taxes: Lower the taxes on the 98% and raise it on the top 2%.

 

9. Immigration: America became great because of all the nationalities that came here and helped built it. As long as those trying to come to America to live here do it by the book, then I'm all for it.

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: I liked Gingrich's stance on illegal immigrants.

 

11. Free trade: I'm against it.

 

12. Military Spending: I'm both for and against it. I feel like we should put more money into the vets and less into our defense budget.

 

13. Foreign Policy: Mind our own F'in business!!!! Why help others, financially, when we have our own issues here at home?

 

So, which way do you think I lean?

Edited May 14, 2012 by NoJustice

[DC Tom]

So, which way do you think I lean?

 

Northwest.

[Justice]

LOL! That's all you're going to give me? Where do you stand on these issues, Tom?

 

 

 

Northwest.

[DC Tom]

LOL! That's all you're going to give me? Where do you stand on these issues, Tom?

 

 

1. Abortion: Pro-choice

 

2. Gay Marriage: Should be legal. But it's for the states to decide individually, it ABSOLUTELY should not be a federal issue.

 

3. Prayers in school: Only during finals.

 

4. Death Penalty: Absolutely. Not wantonly, but some people (Richard Ramirez, Jeffrey Dalhmer) are just too dangerous and damaged to have around.

 

5. Guns: Support the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment as an individual right.

 

6. Health Care: Against any state-run health care, AND against managed care, where the bean-counters get to override doctors on fiscal grounds. If they can do that, I want to be able to sue them for malpractice. Support tort reform that actually requires medical judgement (rather than civil) and caps punitive damages at a realistic level.

 

7. War on drugs: don't really care.

 

8. Taxes: Raise them on everyone, as long as they're accompanied by spending cuts. Otherwise it's not even relevant.

 

9 & 10. Immigration and illegal immigrants (because if you treat them as two separate issues, you're an idiot): Streamline the citizenship process (which is WAY too damned complex and tedious right now).

Limited amnesty for current illegal residents - some form of temporary resident status, contingent on a clean record and consistent work status, and payment of back-taxes for the period of illegal residency, that puts current illegals on an expedited track to permanent resident status without undue disruption to the national economy and people's lives. Going forward, absolutely zero tolerance for illegal immigration.

 

11. Free trade: I'm for it, when I'm not against it. Unless I'm ambivalent.

 

12. Military Spending...uh, what? Am I for or against military spending???? That's too retarded to give an answer to.

 

13. Foreign Policy: See Roosevelt, Theodore. See also Bush, George Herbert Walker.

[TheMadCap]

1. Abortion: Pro-choice. However, if I was female, I would not have one. Just my preference.

 

2. Gay Marriage: make ALL "marriages" civil unions, go and get "married" by a priest in a church. Problem solved.

 

3. Prayers in school: wouldn't be a problem if people would stop being "offended" if someone doesn't conform to thier belief structure.

 

4. Death Penalty: all for it.

 

5. Guns: fine by me.

 

6. Health Care: keep private, allow across state line negotiations to lower cost/increase supply. Tort reform (no idea how to make this happen practically).

 

7. War on drugs: decriminalize MJ, the rest can stay controlled AFAIAC.

 

8. Taxes: Flat tax for ALL. 10-12% sounds right.

 

9. Illegal Immigrants: I eliminated the other immigration catagory. I think we should punish those who hire them, eliminate support system and the problem corrects itself. For those already here, we can't send them all back, we need some way to help them become citizens in a legal and organized manner.

 

11. Free trade: I'm against it.

 

12. Military Spending: huge influx of dollars to the economy. Although cuts will likely have to be made everywhere, this is no exception.

 

13. Foreign Policy: stop being the world's police force, however, protect our national interests and trade as the military should. I like Tom's TR reference, this was what I was going for with my answer...

Edited May 14, 2012 by TheMadCap

[Rob's House]

1. Abortion: Only for liberals (it's a truly disgusting practice)

 

2. Gay Marriage: I don't give a ****

 

3. Prayers in school: I don't give a ****

 

4. Death Penalty: Yes, only b/c it can be used as a bargaining chip. Not that I don't think some people need killing, but vengeance isn't a good justification for government policy.

 

5. Guns: It's a constitutional right (not contingent on the current existence of a militia) and is beneficial for personal defense as well as giving people the ability to organize and fend off the government should it become oppressive.

 

6. Health Care: We need reform, & that means less government, not more, and government should stop forcing every insurance policy to be so comprehensive in coverage. If you want a policy that offers sex reassignment hormones or psychological counseling, you buy the policy that fits you.

 

7. War on drugs: It's a !@#$ing travesty. It creates violent black markets, gives dangerous people access to money & power, is a drain on society to imprison so many people who are not dangerous, & there is little to no justification for imprisoning a "free" adult for ingesting a drug by choice.

 

8. Taxes: fairtax.org

 

9 & 10. Immigration: First, secure the border. Second, make it easy for people who got here legally & have put down roots to become citizens rather than giving them the boot when their visas expire. Third, now that we've shut the floodgate to illegals we can massively open up legal immigration channels to increase the # of people let in & we selectively choose who we let in based on the economic needs of the country.

 

11. Free trade: Absolutely. Foregoing the benefits of comparative advantage is foolish & wasteful. VERY limited protectionism for industries like steel that would be essential in time of war that could otherwise leave us helpless in the face of an embargo.

 

12. Military Spending: this is the most overstated expenditure we have. National defense is arguably the primary function of the Federal government & only accounts for 20% of the budget.

 

13. Foreign Policy: I'll not tout the name of Theodore Roosevelt b/c I don't care for progressives, regardless of party affiliation, but "Speak softly & carry a big stick" sounds about right to me.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Rob's House

[/dev/null]

1. Abortion: Personal choice and respnosibility, I just don't want to subsidize it

 

2. Gay Marriage: Economy is in the sh*tter and our troops are spread out all over the world. Yeah, lets talk about important stuff like this

 

3. Prayers in school: Against it. But I am for teaching some of the basic beliefs of Western Judeo-Christian civilization. Like thou shalt not kill, honor thy parents, don't bear false witness. You know the silly stuff

 

4. Death Penalty: Underutilized

 

5. Guns: See 2nd Amendment

 

6. Health Care: Medicare/Medicaid setting their rates is an unsung cause of our current problems. If I go to the doctor and can pay $100 in cash he has to reject my payment if Medicare/Medicaid offers $250. Because offering the same service for a lower price than the Government pays is discrimatory to Medicare/Medicaid paitients

 

7. War on drugs: I have the same opinion of drug use that I do of Guns and Gay Marriage. Not something I particularly care for but the way I choose to live my life is not grounds to deny others their right to it.

 

8. Taxes: Before asking the 1% to increase their fair share, how about asking half the country that don't pay federal taxes or receive more back than they pay to pony up something first

 

9. Immigration: If you're here legally, welcome to the show. While the Unemployment Rate is so high, I would welcome lowering the number of work visa's issued so that those jobs could go to Americans

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: Why are they allowed to collect benefits?

 

11. Free trade: All Free Trade agreements should be re-assessed periodically. If it's determined that our trade partner has an unfair advantage, like slave labor or blatent disregard for the environment, agreements should be terminated. I'm all for free trade as long as the playing field is level

 

12. Military Spending: If we didn't have to maintain an Empire and police the world, our military costs would decrease

 

13. Foreign Policy: Mind our own F'in business!!!! Why help others, financially, when we have our own issues here at home? We're in agreement here

[KD in CA]

1. Abortion: I don't give a crap what people do in their personal lives as long as it's not infringing on me.

 

2. Gay Marriage: I don't give a crap what people do in their personal lives as long as it's not infringing on me. And why the hell is the government in the business of certifying any marriage?

 

3. Prayers in school: I'm all for it as long as it's a religious school that gets zero funding from the gov't.

 

4. Death Penalty: I think it should be used about 1,000 times more frequently than it is. Expand crimes eligible for the DP to cover all violent felonies and make it mandatory for large scale embezzlement and corruption by elected officials. Bernie Madoff and Pedro Espada should be dead already. Watch how fast our fiscal hosue is restored once you do that a few times.

 

5. If we enacted my ideas in #4, I suspect we'd have a lot fewer issues on this one. Otherwise, don't see why there should be restrictions.

 

6. Health Care: I'm totally in favor of health care. And I'm totally in favor of people being responsible for their own. I'm also in favor of the gov't building free clinics in the hood and poor rural areas that are staffed with doctors and nurses who are working there in exchange for forgiveness of student loans. And I'm also in favor of #4 for any school officials who feed kids unhealthy crap because they were bribed by the food vendor. I'm not a big Michelle Obama fan, but her crusade as First Lady is the most worthwhile since Betty Ford's.

 

7. War on drugs: Stop prosecuting individuals for possession and enforce border and immigration laws. 80% of the problem goes away.

 

8. Taxes: Implement #4 for anyone who uses the phrase "tax cuts" since it is a meaningless, political term. Implement a two tiered tax system on all earning above the poverty level (which would be redefined to actually mean poverty instead of an arbitrary number designed to buy votes for tax-and-spend politicians). The first tier would be for earning between poverty level and 200% of the average congressinoal district earnings and the second tier would be for earnings above 200%. Also, eliminate virtually all itemized deductions (other than charitable giving); no state tax deduction, no mortgage interest deduction, etc. There's your tax increase on 'the rich'.

 

9. Immigration: Continue to allow reasonable #s of people to immigrate. Stop hamstring industry and innovation by limiting certain visa types (i.e., HB1) under the bullsh-- excuse of 'protecting American jobs'.

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: Start a program whereby illegals can obtain citizenship by showing ten years of reporting income/paying taxes. Promise to not deport them during the ten year period so long as they keep filing. Audit at least one of the ten returns. Put those convicted of any felony on the next plane home. Close the border.

 

11. Free trade: In favor as long as it is reciprocated.

 

12. Military Spending: Should be reduced. End the dick swinging contest between the services that results in waste and inefficiency.

 

13. Foreign Policy: Recognize that we can't control it all any longer. Stop being short sighted when making friends and enemies.

 

14. Government labor unions: Outlawed.

 

15. Education curriculum: Mandatory education of basic financial concepts so our country isn't so !@#$ing stupid.

[B-Large]

Every election year we have to hear about stuff that we usually don't discuss. You have your liberal views, conservative and somewhere in between. Where do you stand?

 

1. Abortion: Pro-life (Pro Choice)

 

2. Gay Marriage: I don't give a crap what people do in their personal lives, but marriage, to me, is between a man and a woman, only. (Don't care who People Marry, Man, Women, not Really my Business in a land of Freedom and Liberty)

 

3. Prayers in school: I'm all for it as long as Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the ONLY religions allowed. We can't have sacrifices or anything like that going on in schools!! LOL!!! (In Public Schools, Stick to Math and Science, alot- If people want to pray in school personally, great)

 

4. Death Penalty: I'm all for it. I realize I said I was pro-life for abortion, but when it comes to proven hardened criminals or I should say murderers then I'm all for the death penalty. (Death Penalty is cost effective, my keep real slimly characters alive and Fed for no practial reason?)

 

5. Guns: As long as there is a three day background check on those that purchase guns AND bullets, I'm all for it. (I don't think Glocks need 45 round clips, so some reasonable amoutn of controls- Loughner could have done more damanage with 20 extra rounds....)

 

6. Health Care: I'm against any state run health care system. I like the way things were before Obamacare. (Implement ACA, begin building exhanges and build upon what works, kill what doesn't. The days of spending way more for less outcomes is UnAmerican. If people don't want to but insurance, and cannot pay, I am 100% in favor of turning them away when they do get sick, which in enevitable.)

 

7. War on drugs: Legalize it!!!! (Legalize it)

 

8. Taxes: Lower the taxes on the 98% and raise it on the top 2%. (Work to Lower Taxes across the board, implement a flat tax eventually, and force the government to live in what it brings in... lets starts breaking down this power-grabbing, coersive tax systems we have that the Government continues to use to manitulate its citizenry. Right now, raise taxes on everyone, cap Government spending and cleanup the deficits and long-term debt- ut has to be done, we ran up the tab, time to pay the piper then start the reforms mentioned above)

 

9. Immigration: America became great because of all the nationalities that came here and helped built it. As long as those trying to come to America to live here do it by the book, then I'm all for it. (Secure the Boarder, since we start wars under the premise of national security, the boarder should be low hanging fruit- let people who want to come here to WORK do so on 6 month permits, streamline the path to Citizenship- one of the Fed's basic jobs is to protect the country, lets do that)

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: I liked Gingrich's stance on illegal immigrants (Kick them out, the ones that wants to stay, apply for citizenship- I am glad to have diversity and people who desire a better life, I consider them my bretheren- just don't violate my laws)

 

 

11. Free trade: I'm against it. (On the fence on this one- capitlism doesn't have tariffs and protections.... you complete and win, or die.... but then again, Chinese Products and trash prioducts makes me sad)

 

12. Military Spending: I'm both for and against it. I feel like we should put more money into the vets and less into our defense budget.

(This is one of the few Consitutionally enumerated powers of the Fed, to protect the country. I like Ron Paul's stance on this.... lets cut the Budget in half, stop fighting wars all over the place, secure our borders and work to identify threats to our SOIL and deal with those threats accordingly- Like any other Government outlay, the Defense Dept could do with alot less, I am sure of it. Take care of our injured service people.... take care of them well)

 

13. Foreign Policy: Mind our own F'in business!!!! Why help others, financially, when we have our own issues here at home?

(See Ron Pauls stance)

 

So, which way do you think I lean? (Towards Guys? See Above for Gay Marriage Stance- just kidding, LOL

 

See bolded above-

[fjl2nd]

My crazy LIBERAL views!!! Be afraid!

 

1. Abortion: My view is that I disagree morally with abortion but it should still be an option to others. so, Pro-Choice.

 

2. Gay Marriage: I fully support gay marriage.

 

3. Prayers in school: Against it in public schools. Kids can pray individually, but no actual classes headed by teachers.

 

4. Death Penalty: I am against it. Costs more than Life in Prison and innocent people have and will continue to die.

 

5. Guns: Some light restrictions like background checks, etc. is cool with me.

 

6. Health Care: I fully support a Single Payer system that will cover all Americans. It works in a lot of places...

 

7. War on drugs: End it. A complete waste of money. No Return on Investment.

 

8. Taxes: Entire tax code needs reform. A real progressive tax system without loopholes. I also have an unpopular view on estate taxes.

 

9. Immigration: Immigration is important for the USA. We need to really push it and make it easier for people to enter the country.

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: I believe there is good and bad economic impact from illegals. I am in support of the DREAM Act.

 

11. Free trade: I am mostly for it because the world is becoming more and more globalized.

 

12. Military Spending: I used to rally against military spending but it can help economically. However, morally I disagree with a lot of our policy.

 

13. Foreign Policy: Ideally, I would love to just stay out of everyone else's business but I know that's not possible at this point.

[Jim in Anchorage]

Every election year we have to hear about stuff that we usually don't discuss. You have your liberal views, conservative and somewhere in between. Where do you stand?

 

 

 

5. Guns: As long as there is a three day background check on those that purchase guns AND bullets, I'm all for it.

 

 

3 day background check on ammo?[or "bullets" as you call it.] The system would grind to a halt instantly. That would be 1000's of checks a day.

[Koko78]

1. Abortion: Pro-life (other than cases of rape or medical necessity), but the somewhat-less-than Constitutional compromise we have right now is probably the best we're going to do.

 

2. Gay Marriage: I'm a big believer in equal rights. If gays want to be stupid and get married, I really don't care; but married gays should have the same benefits, protections and pitfalls as a straight married couple.

 

3. Prayers in school: Do not care.

 

4. Death Penalty: Philosophically I'm not opposed to it, but the way it's set up now, executions cost too damn much. Cheaper to let them get shanked in the shower.

 

5. Guns: People have the right to bear arms. Regulation/licensing is fine, so long as the regulatory scheme isn't designed to be such a burden that people cannot get licensed.

 

6. Health Care: Obamacare is a joke of an unconstitutional reform. Make insurance carriers and hospitals non-profit, allow unfettered competition across state lines for insurance companies. Reign in pharmaceutical companies so that the US market isn't subsidizing the total amount of their research, allowing them to sell their drugs cheap everywhere else.

 

7. War on drugs: Waste of money for the most part. Legalization, taxation and strict regulation are better than the asinine drug policies we have now.

 

8. Taxes: Eliminate almost all loopholes, credits and deductions (personal and business). Lower the tax rate to reflect this. Everyone who earned any money, including welfare, pays a minimum ($25?) in income tax no matter what. No one can receive more in refunds than they paid in taxes.

 

9. Immigration: Loosen the restrictions for those seeking to become citizens. Allow non-citizens easier access to working in the US, and tax the crap out of guest-worker wages.

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: If you make it easier to enter the country, ratchet up the penalties for crossing the border illegally.

 

11. Free trade: Protectionist measures do not work in a global economy. Free trade benefits everyone involved. The union crybabies who feel they're entitled to make $25 an hour, full benefits and ridiculous retirement to put two parts in a machine and push a button can either adapt to the global market or die.

 

12. Military Spending: Needs to be done. We are not going to survive if we're caught unprepared and attacked by a rival like China. That said, we need to focus resources more on developing solutions to current problems than spending hundreds of billions on developing weapons systems that keep us 12 steps ahead of China/Russia when we're fine being 5 steps ahead.

 

13. Foreign Policy: We either need be involved in other countries' affairs only to the extent needed to protect our security or trade interests or be the arsenal of democracy and ensure freedom for everyone around the globe at the point of the gun; we can't do this half-assed attempt balancing act between the two, based on political expediency.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Koko78

[RkFast]

All I know is, I was reading an article about Dave Mustaine wanting to start a "supergroup" with Lars Ullrich and James Hetfield and the idiot writer had to inject Mustaine's feelings on gay marriage.

 

I cant even read about a thrash metal band without hearing about gay marriage.

 

Of all the things that need to be worked on in this Country...the obsession is gay marriage.

 

Enough about !@#$ing gay marriage.

Edited May 15, 2012 by RkFast

[3rdnlng]

All I know is, I was reading an article about Dave Mustaine wanting to start a "supergroup" with Lars Ullrich and James Hetfield and the idiot writer had to inject Mustaine's feelings on gay marriage.

 

I cant even read about a thrash metal band without hearing about gay marriage.

 

Of all the things that need to be worked on in this Country...the obsession is gay marriage.

 

Enough about !@#$ing gay marriage.

 

 

16 trillion in debt, chronic high unemployment that is much worse than stated, rampant inflation coming, a nuclear Iran, terrorists dedicated to destroy us, rationed healthcare and we're talking gay marriage? What will we be consumed with next, free contraceptives? Obama sure knows how to get the country talking about everything but his failures.

[LeviF]

1. Abortion: I honestly don't give a ****.

 

2. Gay Marriage: See #1, although it seems to me that it should happen, legally.

 

3. Prayers in school: See #1, again, as long as there aren't teachers pushing it and as long as it doesn't disrupt learning.

 

4. Death Penalty: In a more perfect world, we'd be able to do this cheaply and efficiently. In this world, let them rot in prison.

 

5. Guns: Unbending on the 2nd Amendment.

 

6. Health Care: You get what you pay for.

 

7. War on drugs: Enough with the bull ****, just legalize it already and let people die the way they please.

 

8. Taxes: Spend money in more efficient ways and in smaller quantities and a low, simple tax system will do us fine.

 

9. Immigration: Bring back the quotas!

 

10. Illegal Immigrants: Make those here currently either apply for citizenship or get out. Citizenship is bestowed based on good character and certain financial considerations (like whether they've been paying taxes, for instance). After that, it's time to be unbending on illegals: deport their asses.

 

11. Free trade: I'm for it, provided that the other nations involved aren't screwing us with it.

 

12. Military Spending: Quit foreign intervention almost cold turkey and this won't be an issue anymore.

 

13. Foreign Policy: See #12. "Mind our own F'in business" sounds pretty good. It's our own business and people we need to protect.

Edited May 15, 2012 by LeviF91

[Justice]

3 day background check on ammo?[or "bullets" as you call it.] The system would grind to a halt instantly. That would be 1000's of checks a day.

 

Do you know a better way to stop criminals from buying ammo? And believe it or not, you'll see a lot less murders of passion if someone had to wait three days to purchase some ammo.

[/dev/null]

Do you know a better way to stop criminals from buying ammo? And believe it or not, you'll see a lot less murders of passion if someone had to wait three days to purchase some ammo.

Your example sucks, murders of passion involve firearms that are already loaded.

 

People don't go to the ammo store in a fit of rage

Edited May 15, 2012 by /dev/null

[Justice]

Your example sucks, murders of passion involve firearms that are already loaded.

 

People don't go to the ammo store in a fit of rage

 

True. Stupid example. Murders of passion happen on the spot. But my point still remains, make it harder for people to purchase ammo and it should reduce crimes by gun.

 

I agree with many of you that have a problem with some of these "issues". Our government and political leaders shouldn't bother with some of these topics, but nonetheless, we have to hear about these topics every four years so we might as well discuss them.

[BiggieScooby]

Lots of "wedge" issues here. On these wedge issues, I believe its best for the state to decide. Didn't see Energy, Postal Service, Education, and R&D which is surprising. Very few of these have a direct impact our economy.

 

1. Abortion: State Issue allow the state to decide.

2. Gay Marriage: State Issue allow the state to decide.

3. Prayers in school: State Issue allow the state to decide.

4. Death Penalty: State Issue allow the state to decide.

5. Guns: State Issue allow the state to decide.

6. Health Care: National Issue, as this impacts us all much like the idiot who does not have car insurance.

7. War on drugs: State Issue.

8. Taxes: National & State Issue. At national level Eliminate Corporate Taxes & Tax Breaks too. Get rid of lobbyists on K-Street - no need. Increase Capital Gains Tax to 40%, labor & investment should be taxed similarly. Get rid of loopholes & write offs. Uncap Social Security tax from $105,000 limit to unlimited. Don't raid Social Security Trust, keep money separate.

9. Immigration: National Issue - encourage the folks to come here and work.

10. Illegal Immigrants: National & State Issue - allow 12 million illegals a path to citizenship.

11. Free trade: National Issue. Nothing is free, someone always wins and loses. As a way out of our "free trade" policies Pass Buy America Act: to improve American manufacturing. Reimburse manufacturers at point of sale. Force federal government to buy american and if we cannot make it in the U.S. find a way to make these goods over a 5 year window.

12. Military Spending: National Issue. Pay the troops, but slash military industrial complex spending. We outspend all other countries on military defense spending combine. It's time to realize that we can scale this back and still be #1.

13. Foreign Policy: National Issue. We've spent 1.5 trillion in Iraq & Afghanistan. Iraq was a huge waste on federal dollars and did little to fight the war on terror. Kill the enemy were he lays.

[IDBillzFan]

But my point still remains, make it harder for people to purchase ammo and it should reduce crimes by gun.

Just out of curiosity...specifically which gun crimes do you expect to see reduced by making it harder for people to buy ammo?