2004 Presidential Politics
The Timatollah's wish lists from presidential candidates:
- A strong US military and the will to use it to project force anywhere in the world to protect US interests and the interests of our democratic allies. Including Israel, and including Europe, even if the Europeans don't have enough sense to realize their long-term interests (i.e., freedom and security) are threatened.
- Domestic security through freedom and lack of bureaucracy. A recognition that what happened on Flight 93 should be a model for how US citizens can and should take responsibility for their own security and the security of their fellow citizens.
- Simplified taxes and fair taxes. A substantial simpification of the tax code. Reduced tax rates and fewer deductions and tax credits. No flat-tax nonsense: truly progressive taxes. A balanced budget: No long-term surplus; no long-term deficit. A committment to secure Social Security and Medicaid trust funds through the magic of compound interest on federal bonds; no privatization of Social Security.
- An encouragement to consumers to pay off their credit-card debt and save more money. Support for fiscal and monetary policies that make that more likely. Increased emphasis on investment as the foundation of economic security, not consumer spending.
- A committment to equal rights and personal security for all Americans, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered ones. Support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. A committment to religious freedom for all Americans, from non-believers to fundamentalists Christians. A committment to personal freedom for all Americans, including a woman's right to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. A commitment to the right of gay and lesbian people to marry the same way that straight people do. An end to the bogus "Don't ask, don't tell" regarding gay people in the military, replaced by "All qualified Americans are welcome in the US military. Period. Being gay isn't a disqualification. Get over it, and get over it now."
posted by Tim Wilson at 10:30 AM
