(no subject)
Abortion: Incredibly pro-choice. First and foremost because I don't believe government should dictate your major life decisions or how you live your life. Secondly because living in a society without abortion as an option is a health risk for women. A woman who decides to have an abortion will have it whether or not it is legal. Mexico and American had the same number of reported abortions last year. In Mexico abortion is illegal and while America only had 6 reported incidents of death due to complications, Mexico had them in the thousands. Not to mention banning the procedure altogether leaves no option for people that have a legitimate medical need for it.
Affirmative Action: It needs to be reformed so it's not based on race but rather socio-economic status. There needs to be affirmative action because education is not equal. The number one student in a class in public school in downtown DC was once compared to the number one student in a prestigious high school in Northern Virginia; the DC student tested almost two years behind the other student. It isn't right and it isn't fair to put those two students up for competition with one another. But, the way AA is now it basically only helps the affluent minorities.
Age of Consent: 18 is good. I don't much care about this as an issue, but I don't think a 16 year old is nearly as mature as an 18 year old.
Animal Testing: Hard to take a stand on it--I don't feel to strongly either way. If this could potentially be the drug that could cure cancer or AIDS then go ahead and test it on a monkey.
Death Penalty: Vehemently against it. It's a barbaric act that costs the state thousands of extra dollars each year. It is unjustly prejudiced against african americans and other minorities. It's my belief that anyone who willingly kills another person is mentally ill and should be locked up for the rest of eternity rather than be killed.
Downloading Music/Movies: Eh. I can't say either way. I am guilty of downloading a lot of things.
Drug Decriminalization: I think the drugs that are illegal now should remain illegal. If this was a good world then cigarettes would be illegal too, but America makes too much money off of them to be banned. I think that the sentences for nonviolent drug offenders should be much lighter than they are. I think needle exchange programs are good.
Factory Farming: Not just bad for animals, but bad for humans! I don't want my beef pumped full of chemicals!
Free Trade: Free trade is good with constraints on exactly how powerful a business can become. Antitrust laws need to be enforced and big business needs to be kept in check because monopolies destroy free trade. Obviously.
Funding of Arts: What our generation has not had is a renaissance of any sort (save for perhaps a technological, but that's not what I'm going for here). Arts are what makes a society and defines a culture. To dismiss the arts is to send a death wish on culture. Keep the arts alive!
Gay Marriage: I am for it, basically. I don't believe that the state can define what marriage is because that's left up to a church to decide. I think a state can define the union that earns tax breaks though and I think gay couples deserve this Civil Union. But I recognize the potential problems in doing that--all of the loopholes that would arise. So what it comes down to is I'm for Gay Marriage however the state tries to do it.
Gun Control: I am not pro-gun. I think the second amendment is outdated and basically null to our current society. But I'm also realistic and I know that it's in the Constitution and it's not leaving any time soon. I am against concealed weapons and handguns. I am for background checks. I know that the people who are going to be killing people with guns are not going to buy buying them legally, but realistically there's no way of stopping a black market, aside from police stings and what not. You just have to make the laws strict so if they're caught they are dually punished.
Immigration: America was founded on the principles of immigration--people looking for a better life. People immigrating illegally is a huge problem, but not because they're necessarily coming here. It's that they are being exploited because they'll work for any amount of money as oppose to the average American citizen who is smart enough to hold out for a living wage. Now if there was no outsourcing and all American manufacturing jobs were still being kept in America, then this business with jobs would be much less pressing than it is now. Also, since most of our illegal immigrants are coming from Mexico it makes me wonder about Mexico. Hmm. Maybe if there wasn't NAFTA, maybe if America--the wealthiest nation in the world--would help the nation of Mexico then perhaps that nation could be self-sufficient and not have this huge problem.
Hardcore Pornography: I mean, I've never looked at pornography ever.... No really, if the participants are over 18 and willing then there's no problem with it.
Human Cloning: Cloning is a frightening example of the power of science. No, I am not for cloning. Yes I am for stem cell research, but I do believe there has to be a certain check on the power of science.
Miltary Draft: Of course I'm against the draft! It adversely targeted the lower income minorities in a way that was as though the government said, "Oh this group is expendable." However, if the draft were to be reinstated I would DEMAND that it include women. I also think that at the age of 18 girls should have to sign up just like boys do. In this modern world women are equally able to fight in war--perhaps not in combat positions, but most men in the army don't qualify to fight in combat.
Minimum Wage: Minimum wage is fine for high school students, or even college students. But when you're a person who is trying to support a family, you have no college degree, maybe not a high school diploma, minimal work experience and you have to take a job at McDonalds because it's either that or no money for your kids, you need to be paid a living wage. A living wage is roughly $7-8 an hour--which you still can't live off of, but it's a compromise. I'm not sure how you could have this put into place because I, frankly, don't know too much about employment, but yeah. Living wage!
Prostitution: I don't think legalizing prostitution will change anything. Whether it's legal or not it's going to exist and whether it's legal or not it's going to be a dangerous job. People argue that you could better fight off STDs and help the prostitutes out, but lets be honest. Who is going to go get their business license to say I'm a Prostitute. It's a job that is taboo and will always be taboo and downright shameful. The women who most often turn out to be prostitutes--drug addicts, run aways, homeless women-- are also not going to go get a business license.
School Vouchers: School vouchers are a scapegoat. Instead of fixing the problems in public schools you would allow them to completely deteriorate and then overpopulate private schools or prestigious public schools and just cause the same atrophying affect? Why not put that money into fixing problems.
Taxes: I don't believe in tax cuts for the rich. How did old money get to be old money? Living in the Old South I can tell you: they were smart and saved it. This goes for the tax cuts. The richest of the rich are smart enough to save their money rather than invest it in a tumultuous economy. I think no matter how you cut it, the middle class is disadvantaged by tax reform/plans. I think the rich should pay more taxes than the poor, it's just common sense.
United Nations: Necessary in the modern world. The US is not a police force and they do not have the jurisdiction to go into whatever country they want and do whatever they want. When we go against the UN the rest of the world sees us as a giant spoiled brat who doesn't think it has to listen to anyone else. The UN may not necessarily be the most effective organization--there's a lot of red tape and obvious things wrong with it (Libya... human rights...whaaaaa?)--but it is absolutely necessary. If the US were to back out of the UN it would send a definite message to the international community that we have no regard to any of their sentiments.
Universal Health Care: Not in America. UHC would bring down health care standards in America and we're spoiled people.
War on Terrorism: It's our generation's War on Drugs: a war on something that is never going to disappear. Stepping up homeland security is understandable and I do think America was getting rather complacent pre-9/11. However, the War on Terror is nothing more than a rhetorical guise used to scare the American people in submission, out of conscience though and into the numbing lemming-like state of fear.
Welfare: If by now you think I'm anti-welfare then you're... not politically savvy. I am pro-welfare, but I'm also pro-welfare reform. Of course it's a travesty to have generations of welfare families, but I think if it helps one person get off of the ground and get their life on track then it's worth it. I don't have a problem with giving my money to the poor and disadvantaged. I'm blessed in my life and I think that I should share my blessings with the rest of the community. I earned my money, yes, but it was my society and community that allowed me to have a job in the first place-- I am giving back to them.
I'm not getting my laptop until I'm at school. I am so pissed I can't even speak.