Subject: Elections in the US are tomorrow, here is how Jari (won't) be voting:
The county newspaper published a "Voter's Guide" for the elections today. I think this is a good idea, but woefully incomplete. Personally, I think such a service should be done nationally through a government-run website, and all presidential candidates be listed in it, and the short version (with a link to the long) of their stance on major topics listed. This would allow lazy voters like myself who would not normally vote, would vote randomly, or would vote with little knowledge of the candidates, a chance at the polls. But all that aside, here are my opinions on the topics listed in the newspaper's voting guide:
"Star Wars": a space-based system to detect and destroy orbital and sub-orbital rockets aimed at the US. My opinion: Yes, we should build it because someone else will, if they haven't already. But regardless of whether we build it or not, someone will figure out a way to get weapons around it, so we can't really depend on it. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
ANWR: oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. My opinion: No, we should not drill inside the Wildlife Refuge. While drilling might lower gas prices, the national Wildlife Refuge system was set up to preserve wildlife and habitat against any significant impact by man, and all wildlife reuses must meet stringent requirements to ensure this. I know of one incident of precedence in this matter: some wildlife refuge or national reserve in California whose name I forget was dammed in order to provide water for a nearby community, despite national outcry against it. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Head Start: preschool should be governed by the Department of Education, not the Department of Health & Human Services (as it is now). My opinion: Yes, it should be moved to the Department of Education, because as it is now, just about anyone who wants to can open a daycare and call it a preschool. Schools must now meet certain education standards, and the same should apply to preschools. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Gay Marriage: Constitutional Amendment: the constitution should be amended to explicitly define marriage as between a man and a woman. My opinion: No, it should not be amended. The government has no business sticking its nose into the matter. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Gay Marriage: Who should be in charge of deciding if same-sex marriages are legal? My opinion: The issue should be left up to individuals, but since marriage requires the involvement of government on one level or another, a national poll on the matter should be put on the ballots. Bush: federal government, Kerry: state government.
Abortion: My opinion: No opinion. Bush: against, Kerry: no comment.
College Relief: How should people be helped to pay for college education? My opinion: independent watchdog groups should monitor college's distribution of funds and ensure that student fees are fair and justified. Also, a national scholarship fund should be set up that includes scholarships that are awarded for factors other than "student need" (such as aptitude, special achievement, etc.). Bush: grants for community colleges, more student loans and need-based grants, Kerry: tax cuts for college students.
No Child Left Behind: standardized tests to ensure students are learning what they should, and (monetary) punishment for schools whose students fail these tests. My opinion: Schools should not be punished monetarily, but should be required to fire poor-performing teachers. Monetary punishment should only come after repeat offenses. Also, the test needs to be overhauled so that it is more all-inclusive and not just multiple choice. Some students test poorly, and a more generalized test would ensure teachers don't just "teach the test". Bush: It's good, Kerry: It needs more money.
Fuel Efficiency Standards: cars should have fuel efficiency standards they must meet. My opinion: Yes, but there should also be an increased incentive to switch to alternative fuel sources, such as tax credit and/or increased funding for alternative fuel source development. Bush: trucks/SUVs only. Kerry: yes.
Drug Imports: Drugs made in other countries should be allowed into the US, and covered by Medicare. My opinion: Yes, foreign drugs should be allowed and supported by the US, but first a combined FDA of Americans and members of that country (at the moment, Canada is the only consideration) should be established to oversea the creation and certification of the drugs. Bush: No, Kerry: yes.
Health Care Costs: How do we keep them down? My opinion: Honestly, I'm a bit of a socialist. I think necessities and things that are by nature a monopoly or oligopoly (health care, electricity, water, sewer, gasoline, phone, etc.) should be overseen (and in some cases controlled) by the federal government in order to keep rates and availability sane. Maybe I should just move to Canada. Bush: "personal health savings accounts" (see "Social Security" below), HMOs, Kerry: Medicare should make up the difference.
Social Security: Individuals should be able to exempt themselves from social security and defer SS taxes into a "personal health savings account". My opinion: Yes, people should have the right to choose how their own health safety net should be set up. I'm not sure if I would choose to have my personal SS taxes diverted, though. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Health Insurance: My opinion: A national health insurance plan available to everyone, and special, cheaper ones for low-income families and people with specific medical conditions. Bush: Tax cuts to plans that offer high deductibles and low premiums, and for businesses that offer "personal health savings accounts" (see "Social Security" above), Kerry: national health insurance plan, health insurance tax breaks for elderly, low-income, small businesses, and people between jobs.
Income Tax: My opinion: We should move to a "flat tax" system. It would simplify the process, thus minimizing mistakes, and would also simplify the wording, making it hard-to-impossible to utilize loopholes. Bush: income tax rules/language needs to be simplified, Kerry (it doesn't say).
Tax Breaks: Who should have to pay taxes, and how much? My opinion: My proposed "flat tax" should be applied to everyone who makes more than X amount of income. Someone once suggested the Income Tax system should be repealed and replaced with a national sales tax, but although it would be easier on the individual, the paperwork for this would be insane for businesses, and would create an extra burden on states which already use sales tax as a source of income. Bush: tax breaks for home purchases (me: no), health insurance (me: yes), savings accounts (me: no), and investments (me: no), Kerry: tax hikes for high-income people (me: no), keep the inheritance tax (me: no).
It seems to me that there is little rigidly between "liberal" and "conservative" this coming election, with the candidates often taking views opposite to what is considered "stereotypical" of their party, and sometimes even agree with each other. I regret that I have no information on the other presidential candidates, and it angers/saddens me that the newspaper didn't include them. I hope this post helps you all decide who you want to vote for tomorrow!
"Star Wars": a space-based system to detect and destroy orbital and sub-orbital rockets aimed at the US. My opinion: Yes, we should build it because someone else will, if they haven't already. But regardless of whether we build it or not, someone will figure out a way to get weapons around it, so we can't really depend on it. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
ANWR: oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. My opinion: No, we should not drill inside the Wildlife Refuge. While drilling might lower gas prices, the national Wildlife Refuge system was set up to preserve wildlife and habitat against any significant impact by man, and all wildlife reuses must meet stringent requirements to ensure this. I know of one incident of precedence in this matter: some wildlife refuge or national reserve in California whose name I forget was dammed in order to provide water for a nearby community, despite national outcry against it. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Head Start: preschool should be governed by the Department of Education, not the Department of Health & Human Services (as it is now). My opinion: Yes, it should be moved to the Department of Education, because as it is now, just about anyone who wants to can open a daycare and call it a preschool. Schools must now meet certain education standards, and the same should apply to preschools. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Gay Marriage: Constitutional Amendment: the constitution should be amended to explicitly define marriage as between a man and a woman. My opinion: No, it should not be amended. The government has no business sticking its nose into the matter. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Gay Marriage: Who should be in charge of deciding if same-sex marriages are legal? My opinion: The issue should be left up to individuals, but since marriage requires the involvement of government on one level or another, a national poll on the matter should be put on the ballots. Bush: federal government, Kerry: state government.
Abortion: My opinion: No opinion. Bush: against, Kerry: no comment.
College Relief: How should people be helped to pay for college education? My opinion: independent watchdog groups should monitor college's distribution of funds and ensure that student fees are fair and justified. Also, a national scholarship fund should be set up that includes scholarships that are awarded for factors other than "student need" (such as aptitude, special achievement, etc.). Bush: grants for community colleges, more student loans and need-based grants, Kerry: tax cuts for college students.
No Child Left Behind: standardized tests to ensure students are learning what they should, and (monetary) punishment for schools whose students fail these tests. My opinion: Schools should not be punished monetarily, but should be required to fire poor-performing teachers. Monetary punishment should only come after repeat offenses. Also, the test needs to be overhauled so that it is more all-inclusive and not just multiple choice. Some students test poorly, and a more generalized test would ensure teachers don't just "teach the test". Bush: It's good, Kerry: It needs more money.
Fuel Efficiency Standards: cars should have fuel efficiency standards they must meet. My opinion: Yes, but there should also be an increased incentive to switch to alternative fuel sources, such as tax credit and/or increased funding for alternative fuel source development. Bush: trucks/SUVs only. Kerry: yes.
Drug Imports: Drugs made in other countries should be allowed into the US, and covered by Medicare. My opinion: Yes, foreign drugs should be allowed and supported by the US, but first a combined FDA of Americans and members of that country (at the moment, Canada is the only consideration) should be established to oversea the creation and certification of the drugs. Bush: No, Kerry: yes.
Health Care Costs: How do we keep them down? My opinion: Honestly, I'm a bit of a socialist. I think necessities and things that are by nature a monopoly or oligopoly (health care, electricity, water, sewer, gasoline, phone, etc.) should be overseen (and in some cases controlled) by the federal government in order to keep rates and availability sane. Maybe I should just move to Canada. Bush: "personal health savings accounts" (see "Social Security" below), HMOs, Kerry: Medicare should make up the difference.
Social Security: Individuals should be able to exempt themselves from social security and defer SS taxes into a "personal health savings account". My opinion: Yes, people should have the right to choose how their own health safety net should be set up. I'm not sure if I would choose to have my personal SS taxes diverted, though. Bush: yes, Kerry: no.
Health Insurance: My opinion: A national health insurance plan available to everyone, and special, cheaper ones for low-income families and people with specific medical conditions. Bush: Tax cuts to plans that offer high deductibles and low premiums, and for businesses that offer "personal health savings accounts" (see "Social Security" above), Kerry: national health insurance plan, health insurance tax breaks for elderly, low-income, small businesses, and people between jobs.
Income Tax: My opinion: We should move to a "flat tax" system. It would simplify the process, thus minimizing mistakes, and would also simplify the wording, making it hard-to-impossible to utilize loopholes. Bush: income tax rules/language needs to be simplified, Kerry (it doesn't say).
Tax Breaks: Who should have to pay taxes, and how much? My opinion: My proposed "flat tax" should be applied to everyone who makes more than X amount of income. Someone once suggested the Income Tax system should be repealed and replaced with a national sales tax, but although it would be easier on the individual, the paperwork for this would be insane for businesses, and would create an extra burden on states which already use sales tax as a source of income. Bush: tax breaks for home purchases (me: no), health insurance (me: yes), savings accounts (me: no), and investments (me: no), Kerry: tax hikes for high-income people (me: no), keep the inheritance tax (me: no).
It seems to me that there is little rigidly between "liberal" and "conservative" this coming election, with the candidates often taking views opposite to what is considered "stereotypical" of their party, and sometimes even agree with each other. I regret that I have no information on the other presidential candidates, and it angers/saddens me that the newspaper didn't include them. I hope this post helps you all decide who you want to vote for tomorrow!