My first contribution to this series of 3 blog posts–my platform if I were to run for president! (Also, feel free to request a position on any issues I didn’t include, or to elaborate on anything listed)
Healthcare: America’s problems with the healthcare system are not ultimately an issue of scarcity of resources, but instead a fundamental imbalance in how those resources are applied. That is why I support a federally-run public insurance plan that will put emphasis on providing access to the Nation’s primary care physicians. By proper management of chronic disease, and addressing problems before they require costly acute care, we will spend less money on medical bills, and more time living happy, productive lives.
Drug Policy Reform: The criminalization of the use of certain substances has inflicted profound damage to the fabric of our Nation’s society and that of many of our neighbors. We’ve spent a great deal of energy punishing those who actually need treatment, and fostering the growth and entrenchment of a vast and violent drug trade. By decriminalizing the use of illegal substances and developing more effective rehabilitation programs, we can keep more of our citizens productive, reduce the burden on our already overcrowded prisons, and allow our police forces to concentrate on catching real criminals.
Reproductive Rights: I wholly support the right for women to make medical decisions for their own bodies. Limiting access to abortions infringes on the right of women to start families on their own terms, and when they are ready to adequately provide for new life.
Equal Rights: I stand firmly with our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters by supporting their rights to be lawfully wed, raise families, and defend our country. It is not the place of the government to judge its citizens based on the person they love.
Education: Our public educational system needs to be overhauled from the ground up. Wider implementation of year-round school schedules in primary and secondary schooling will improve knowledge retention and prevent burnout of students and staff. Teachers must be rewarded for seeking additional training in both pedagogy and their teaching subject. Furthermore, we must make the teaching profession as a whole more attractive to the sharpest talent via significant increases in salary, credential program accreditation standards, and credential program admissions selectivity.
Energy: Although we cannot yet support our Nation’s powergrid on wholly renewable resources, a clean and practical stepping stone already exists, and America pioneered its use herself: Nuclear power. Modern reactor designs are safer and more efficient than ever before, and using domestically abundant and difficult-to-weaponize Thorium fuel will enhance our national security by reducing our reliance on foreign energy sources.
Financial Sector Reform: The recent economic collapse is the fruit of the deregulatory policies enacted over the course of the previous three decades. If America is to have a strong and lasting economic recovery, a better balance has to be struck between protecting consumers from the volatility of the derivatives market and maintaining the liquidity of capital.
Government Corruption: The inordinate influence of monied interests must be earnestly divorced from U.S. politics. Publicly funded elections, an amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision, and stricter lobbying regulations must be enacted to allow our leaders to fight for the opportunities and dreams of the many, not the few.
Defense: In a world where many nations can scour much of the life from the surface of Earth with the push of a button, our greatest defense is diplomacy and multilateralism. By keeping open dialogue with even those we consider enemies, we can stop conflict without needlessly spilling young American blood. At the same time, the savings from closing many of our unnecessary overseas bases can be applied to maintaining our military’s technological advantage via DARPA and other research agencies.
Taxes: Because the poor and middle class have no choice but to spend larger portions of their incomes on necessities such as food, housing, and utilities, I support a progressive income tax that places more of the burden on those who can afford it—the upper middle class, the rich, and the ultra-rich.