Where do you stand on the issues? [Fun Poll]

[kombayn]

This is to find out where each user on the RonPaulForums.com stands on the issues. While I agree with almost everything Ron Paul stands for... On social issues I find us a little bit on the different sides of the spectrum. But to me Fiscal issues are so much more important right now, that's why he's had my support ever since I first heard about him.

A little bit about myself, I'm a former registered Democrat from last election when I turned 18. I voted for John Kerry only because I wanted the United States to get out of war, but I didn't not like him and thought he was a horrible candidate who was Mr. Monotone. This year I re-registered as an DTS (Decline to State) Independent because I feel so disenfranchised with the Democratic Party. I can't find myself becoming a Republican anytime soon unless the Ron Paul Revolution reforms the party. So I find myself loving the Libertarian Party more each day, so I consider myself a Libertarian Democrat (in the easiest sense to explain it).

Now onto our test, these are the issues put up by CNNPolitics.com and I am asking each poster on the board, what they would do as President or just stand on the issues and these issues are...

Abortion
Economics
Education
Energy
Environment
Free-Trade
Gambling
Guns
Health-Care
Immigration
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
Same-Sex Marriage
Social Security
Stem-Cell Research
Taxes
War on Drugs

Here are my answers...

Abortion: Pro-Choice, not in favor of repealing Roe v. Wade for the possibility of creating a black market on abortions on states that ban it. Could cause a lot of criminal problems and social problems. Expand sexual education (though leaving it optional to parents if they want the kids to be involved) and get rid of the abstinence movement. It has caused our children to want to have un-safe sex even more. Expand the education and you'll see the decrease in abortions. Planned Parenthood is good, birth control is good, abortion while I agree is wrong, another individual or Government shouldn't have the right to tell a woman how to use her body. Find studies that show why women have abortions and how we can prevent it. Work with private companies on the matter to help these women and this problem in the nation. In favor of a "Partial-Birth" abortion ban if the state does ban it, but will not allow a full abortion ban.

Economics: Supports having our Federal Reserve backed by platinum, gold and silver. Would have the Federal Reserve broadcast all their meetings to the public on C-SPAN. Hold a committee to keep tabs on the Federal Reserve by the top economists in our held offices.

Education: Pro-Vouchers (Make Private Sector compete with Public Sector), with vouchers and incentives for families to choose where they like their child to go to school, it's an American right to have a proper education where YOU SEE FIT. Eliminate the Dept. of Education, let the local and state officials handle their own schools.

Energy: Repeal taxes and barriers for private companies, would allow the free market to decide what will be our replacement for energy. Supports Solar/Wind supplied technology.

Environment: Allow private companies to study these matters to give back to the government, would support the building of new oil refineries in rural American towns to create new jobs.

Free Trade: Would repeal any memberships in trade organizations or world organizations. Allow the free market to do its business.

Gambling: Against any laws that prohibit gambling. It’s counter-productive and government intrusion on the highest level.

Guns: Pro-Gun Rights

Health-Care: Supports a single-payer health-care system. The only way to solve the current mess we’re in. Basically get government intrusion out and allow poverty stricken people a chance to get health-care. Would though allow the Private Free Market Health-Care to still do its magic. Single-payer would have guidelines for REAL emergencies and not that it gets abused. Would help someone who is in poverty, get emergency health-care and not having to pay a outrageous bill because they had no insurance.

Immigration: Completely reform it, no fence, eliminate the welfare state and you’ll solve more than half this problem. Get rid of the incentives that illegal workers can earn. They must be documented. Supports helping immigrants who lived in the U.S. for more than 15 years. Would help get them new work visa's on constant renewal while waiting in the back of the line, would have to pay an up-front fee to be documented legally and then pay a monthly fee after that. Would use that money in the Government to help cut more taxes for the individual United States citizen.

Iraq/Iran: Non-intervention foreign policy. We only go to war when it’s declared on us.

Same-Sex Marriage: Supports Same-Sex Marriage. Leave it up to the states to decide.

Social Security: Eliminate taxes from the system, do not allow illegals to get a piece of the pie, allow younger people to opt-out. Help set-up private organizations to give the American people a retirement plan. Social Security needs to be reformed so the Government can’t touch and neither can people who don’t have a legal citizenship.

Stem-Cell Research: Supports stem-cell research and using it for the medical field. Though that should be left up to the states and private companies, no federal ban should be imposed though.

Taxes: Abolish the IRS and replace it with nothing, cut spending in half and you’ll solve the tax problem. People should not be taxed on the fruit of their labor it’s unconstitutional. Big Government, Big Spending is the problem. Less Government, Less Taxes & Tariffs are the solution. Let the people decide what they want to do with their money.

War on Drugs: Against the War on Drugs would immediately put it to an end. Though would leave it up to the states to decide their drug-laws, would not have federal bans on any drugs and allow the free market to purchase their medication wherever they like. Supports decriminalizing drugs and sending non-violent offenders to private rehab programs (choice of religious or non-religious rehab as well).

So that's myself on the issues, can't wait to read what others say...

[AutoDas]

Abortion
┖ pro-choice up until the fetus can interpret pain
Economics
┖ laissez-faire; abolish the Federal Reserve and allow for competing currencies, but I would not support a gold standard
Education
┖ vouchers for the first generation
Energy
┖ market is finding alternative resources
Environment
┖ against pollution, but do not believe in taxing carbon
Free-Trade
┖ free markets don't require trade agreements
Gambling
┖ no restrictions
Guns
┖ the right to bear arms shall not be infringed
Health-Care
┖ insurance companies should have the right to discriminate who they want to insure
Immigration
┖ open borders and all it should take to be a citizen is to recognize the Constitution as the supreme law of the land; I support a North American Union if there is no welfare
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
┖ non-intervention, but not isolationist
Same-Sex Marriage
┖ get the state out of marriage, but all contracts should be upheld by the state
Social Security
┖ do nothing, it's already falling apart
Stem-Cell Research
┖ no government funding, but it should not be illegal
Taxes
┖ Land Value Tax is the least manipulative tax in a free market
War on Drugs
┖ an utter failure

[majinkoola]

Mine are basically the same as Ruwart's here - http://www.theadvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php - with a few exceptions.

Abortion - states rights, I'm pro-life at the state level. I've gone into this enough in that other thread.

Monetary Policy - The Fed should be abolished. Free banking should be allowed, including fractional reserve banking. However, I don't think at this point fractional reserve banking would exist. If the Fed is abolished, that probably means there's a president in there who understands monetary policy who could talk about the faults of fractional reserve banking. Plus, those banks wouldn't be allowed to put the deposited amount on the balance as that constitutes fraud. And I doubt companies would accept notes from the fractional reserve banks. I think the free market would force commodity banking.

Education - I want to expand on her education idea of getting rid of public education. I so strongly agree with her on this. I think our current system of education is just utterly inefficient. I went to some pretty good Christian private schools, and am now going to a top 10 university, but I've learned so much more from other sources (parents, Internet, personal reading) that I find all of my previous education to be utterly inefficient. It's tough to get this point across because it's so ingrained in people to accept that we must have a system of education where you go to class and listen to people speak and that's the only way it can be done. Education should evolve with the technology we have beyond that model.

Energy - Get the gov't out of the way, and I am completely positive that our energy "crisis" would be over. Progress in this area has only been stifled by gov't involvement. You don't need federal money going into this, that's just a waste.

Environment - Again, no gov't involvement except the judicial system for property rights reasons. I think this wouldn't be an issue either, because the energy solutions eliminate the need for most pollutants.

Free Trade - I've somewhat switched on this. Obviously out of the trade organizations. I'm for 100% free trade, if the rest of the gov't policy is as it should be. Meaning, if there's very little taxation and very little regulation, the US would undercut the rest of the world anyway; it would spur a ton of investment in the country. The only way companies in other countries could compete with the US is by subsidizing their industry, which would just bring a bunch of goods into the country on the very cheap. However, I think a tariff is a better tax than the income tax, consumption tax, corporate tax, etc. Take the Cayman Islands for example. No income tax, no tax on businesses, the gov't is funded mainly by tariffs. And they're doing a lot better than, say the Virgin Islands with their income tax. It would be a flat tariff for everything though, not put up by lobbyists. Except for agricultural commodites, which would be 0, however. Doing that and stopping subsidies to our farming industries would do more for poor countries around the world than anything to date. Again, I'm for no tariffs, once the economy is in the right place.

Gambling - I imagine everyone on this site is against gov't regulation of this. It seems absolutely absurd to me that the gov't has any say here.

Guns - 0 regulation.

Health Care - Again, get the gov't completely out of the way and prices will plummet. There are a lot of activities that currently are only allowed to be performed by doctors due to regulations whenever nurses or physician's assistants could easily do them. Take away regulations requiring comprehensive health care and doctors' visits fall drastically. Take away the power of the FDA and drug prices fall due to increased competition.

Immigration - This is the main issue where I differ from most libertarians, and to a slight extent, Dr. Paul. I'm from Arizona so this is a very important issue to me. Of course remove the mandates on the states to provide any services to illegal immigrants. That would cause the southwestern states to remove the mandates, while the more naive states would keep those services and lose their working population. However I oppose open borders for two reasons. One being is that I believe the erasure of borders could help lead to a world gov't, which eventually would enslave the world. If the US becomes completely totalitarian, that's one thing. The world does it, humans are screwed forever. There's another reason, which is one people brand as racist but I would apply it to France, Scotland (the home of my ancestors and the one I'm currently visiting), Spain, or any country. If we have the economy that I'm talking about, with Mexico still sucking, I think almost the entire population of Mexico would come over if they received automatic citizenship. I have many illegal immigrant friends, and it is true that most of them are hard working, so the mandates wouldn't make a difference. Imagine 70 million people from the same country crossing the border/being born in the country within a span of about 20 years(it doesn't matter which country), and likely staying as near to their home country as possible (so they'd be mostly in the Southwest). The states of Arizona, New Mexico, California, Texas would be de facto Mexico, with the only difference being the laws. With the tensions that inevitably ensue between Mexicans and Americans (as happened in the artificially created Iraq, and Bosnia)and a majority of the voters being Mexican with really no ties to America, what would prevent the voters from seceding? Remember how America took over the Southwest - many illegal immigrants I know believe that that land is rightfully their land, and that Americans should leave. The people of the Southwest are being bipartisan in their support of increased immigration control - the rest of the country doesn't realize the magnitude.

National Defense - I'm for a strong national defense, unlike some libertarians. I am of course for non-intervention and the works, but I think a national defense is required, due in part to all the trouble we've caused in the past around the world. It seems weird to me that some people are so afraid of our own gov't that they don't want any standing military yet they have no fear of other (more corrupt) gov'ts and terrorist organizations. Nonintervention/removing tariffs would remove a lot of the reasons for attacking the US, but not all of them.

Same Sex Marriage - People can enter into whatever contract they want, and the state should enforce those contracts. But no "married" individual, gay or straight, should receive extra benefits from the state based on the fact that they are "married." That's nonsensical.

Social Security - RP's plan is rock solid with me.

Stem Cell Research - I don't have a position on this yet because this issue kind of grosses me out (South Park). I don't understand the extent of everything. Some day I'll come around to it. The federal gov't certainly shouldn't be involved though.

Taxes - Again, I haven't come to a specific ideal as to how taxes should be paid. I'm against the income tax, tariff, corporate tax, property tax. I sort of like the idea of excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol paying for national defense. Not marijuana as that has proven medicinal purposes. The taxes against alcohol and tobacco haven't really created a black market for those as some say would happen. I read a bit of Rothbard on this issue, I need to read more.

War on Drugs - Dumb, end it. I've seen this first hand. I've known young children (including a family member) who have been made drug addicts because they wanted to make money selling drugs.

Overall - The world is where it is today because the US had such libertarian policies for so long. Without that there wouldn't have been anywhere near the innovation and there's be a lot less wealth in the world. Return to those policies and we'll lead the world to a better place, quickly.

[Kludge]

Abortion
┖ No gov't funding. Keep legal but require father's consent unless pregnancy resulted from rape, incest, or will likely result in death of the mother if not aborted.
Economics
┖ Government has no right to regulate/manipulate anything in the economy.
Education
┖ Eliminate public education.
Energy
┖ Eliminate the "gas tax", and stop giving incentives to buy "fuel-efficient" cars.
Environment
┖ For pollution charges to arise, it must be filed by citizens against citizens/corporations
Free-Trade
┖ End all tariffs.
Gambling
┖ no restrictions, stop taxing.
Guns
┖ the right to bear arms shall not be infringed (that includes ALL arms)
Health-Care
┖ Eliminate gov't intervention in this market, including Medicare/Medicaid.
Immigration
┖ Impose lower fees, move towards open borders and give legal status to those who came illegally but tag & tax 'em like cattle for pissing on our lax laws.
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
┖ GTFO as a part of total Isolationism. Diplomacy is not for governments.
Same-Sex Marriage
┖ Marriage is for The Church. Legal recognition of marriage should be completely abolished.
Social Security
┖ Pay out remaining funds, stop collecting FICA taxes.
Stem-Cell Research
┖ no government funding, but it should not be illegal.
Taxes
┖ Eliminate all taxes. Instead, the gov't should charge much higher fees to lawbreakers based on their income.
War on Drugs
┖ Eliminate. Legalize all drugs/poisons/chemicals/nuclear warheads etc.


And FFS, eliminate NASA. (Thanks for the format, AutoDas )

[NaT805]

Abortion
┖None of the governments business
Economics
┖None of the governments business
Education
┖None of the governments business
Energy
┖None of the governments business
Environment
┖Enforce through property rights.
Free-Trade
┖None of the governments business
Gambling
┖None of the governments business
Guns
┖None of the governments business
Health-Care
┖None of the governments business
Immigration
┖Wouldn't be a problem
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
┖Non-interventionism
Same-Sex Marriage
┖None of the governments business
Social Security
┖None of the governments business
Stem-Cell Research
┖None of the governments business
Taxes
┖The ultimate minimum tariff's just to run the govt.
War on Drugs
┖None of the governments business

[UnReconstructed]

Abortion
┖None of the governments business
Economics
┖None of the governments business
Education
┖None of the governments business
Energy
┖None of the governments business
Environment
┖Enforce through property rights.
Free-Trade
┖None of the governments business
Gambling
┖None of the governments business
Guns
┖None of the governments business
Health-Care
┖None of the governments business
Immigration
┖Wouldn't be a problem
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
┖Non-interventionism
Same-Sex Marriage
┖None of the governments business
Social Security
┖None of the governments business
Stem-Cell Research
┖None of the governments business
Taxes
┖The ultimate minimum tariff's just to run the govt.
War on Drugs
┖None of the governments business

ditto

[RSLudlum]

edited for stupidity!!!

[therealjjj77]

Abortion
I am pro-choice up until a single cell with unique DNA from the mother and father is formed. From that point on I'm pro-life. The Constitution says in the Preamble, "...establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility... to ourselves and our posterity," It is the duty of our government to provide justice not only for ourselves but also our posterity. I don't believe it's OK to kill someone if they can't see, are deaf, or have no nerve feeling. At the point they are human life, they become our posterity and should be under the protection from our government. Single cell bacteria with DNA are defined as life. At conception is when the Right of Life must be protected onward.

Economics
First, troops are coming home from around the world. Again, don't mean to belabor the quote but, the Constitution says in the Preamble, "provide for the Common Defense... to ourselves and our posterity,". It did not say "the Iraqis people" or "the Korean people". Take that with the tenth amendment and it is not in the government's contract with "We The People" for it to be going around the world doing things for other countries. The Constitution goes on to read, "do ordain and establish this Constitution...". If "We The People" had the ability to establish and ordain the Constitution that set up this government, and we never gave up that Right, then we have the ability on our own to establish similar organizations for people to contribute voluntarily to for doing things around the world including if we wished to form a militia to achieve whatever humanitarian objectives people may have.

Second, the illusion of "social security" is going bye bye. The Constitution does not allow for this. If states wanted to set up their own social security, then can do so. When the Preamble says, "provide for the general Welfare", Section 1, Article 8 details what that is to mean. "Social Security" is not listed. Therefore, the states should do so. Would you rather have the state collecting your taxes or the federal government? Which is more efficient/wasteful? I would rather have neither but we're not talking about governors here.

Now that people are keeping their hard earned money, I would start removing government regulations on pharmaceuticals, health care, food, agriculture, education, labor, and the list could go on and on. This would have the affect of bringing down prices as more competition enters those markets and keeps them competitive and efficient. Then YOU would be regulating them. Now, if they sold you a faulty product, and wouldn't resolve it with you, take them to court. That's what courts are for. If a restaurant produces bad food, take them to court. Between that, the bad media rap,and the going out of business that follows, the other restaurants would adjust their procedures so they don't make the same mistake.

Competing currencies would be in. Also, the Federal Reserve would no longer be the Central Bank. (It could still exist and attempt to compete, but not while wielding the government in it's right hand and corporate America in it's left.) Also, I would strongly encourage the legislature to add an amendment to the Constitution that the United States can no longer borrow money. If it is urgent enough, the people can contribute to get it done. It comes from their resources either way, just this way there is no debtor afterward.

Also, an amendment barring the United States government or any of the states from creating trusts. The people would retain that right under the common law.

What would you see? After a few years we would see an economy that would soar back to the top. Also, people would have more wealth.

Education
Dept of Education: gone. No Child Left Behind: gone.

Energy
Get out of the Middle East. Sell all government held land to citizens and conquer any land that has been given to the United Nations and sell that to citizens as well. Deregulate the energy industry. Deregulate the way vehicles are manufactured. If you want to drive a light weight vehicle that gets 150 mpg, that's your own prerogative. Modify patent laws so they only give a 5 year advantage to the inventor. After that it is no longer their "intellectual property".

Environment
Remove the Department of Ag and the EPA. Let nuisance suits deal with the matter. Encourage people to take companies to courts now that the EPA no longer is protecting them.

Free-Trade
All the way. However, tariffs and tax on non-resident aliens/foreign corporations working/doing business here would be the methods for funding the government once again.

Gambling
None of the government's business.

Guns
Ummmm... Let the states deal with this one. However, no state should infringe on the 2nd amendment. Taxing this right through registration, or purchase of, would be abolished as it violates the purpose government was established for.

Health-Care
Dept of health: gone.

Immigration
No more welfare for illegals. All illegals who are caught are deported and barred from entering lawfully for 5 years.

Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
Already answered in "economy".

Same-Sex Marriage
In economy I said, "Also, an amendment barring the United States government or any of the states from creating trusts. The people would retain that right under the common law." The government has no business in marriage. It aught to stay out of it. We didn't contract the government to deal with or punish sin. That's God's territory.

Social Security
Already covered in "economy".

Stem-Cell Research
Government aught to stay out of it. Again, it's not in the contract.

Taxes
Tariffs and taxes on non-resident aliens/foreign corporations working/doing business here. No other taxes.

War on Drugs
Government aught to stay out of this. It's not in the contract.

[Unspun]

Abortion
┖ No Government funding. Abortion in and of itself is a moral issue ( just as murder, theft, etc are moral issues) and as such it is up to states and local governments to regulate it if they wish. On a personal level it is morally wrong.
Economics
┖ The only business the government has in our economy is keeping taxes low, making sure not to stifle innovation and competition with bad legislation, and to ensure contracts are enforced.
Education
┖ Thomas Jefferson believed in public education for all those who wanted it. However, I do not think it is a federal responsibility given to the federal government. It should be localized and given as many choices as possible via tax breaks and vouchers if public schooling isn't cutting it.
Energy
┖ Eliminate the gas tax and all corporate subsidies. Again, government needs to stay out and let the market regulate consumption and let free market competition introduce innovative ways to fuel our lives.
Environment
┖ Three words: Private property rights. Let people sue for polluting their land, water, and air.
Free-Trade
┖ It's better than managed or socialized trade.
Gambling
┖ Federal legislation is unnecessary and I don't see why it'd be necessary at any other level of government.
Guns
┖ The second amendment guarantees us the right to bear arms and protect ourselves from criminals and government.
Health-Care
┖ Free market solutions all the way. Give tax breaks, keep regulation low, and leave the treatment decisions up to doctors and their patients.
Immigration
┖ Make it easier for those who want to come to work to get in. Border fence is silly and wasteful. The problem is with our welfare state, not the immigrants.
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
┖ They are sovereign nations who have not offensively attacked us. There is no reason to be in these nations at all.
Same-Sex Marriage
┖ This is a personal issue and shouldn't be up to government.
Social Security
┖ Pay out remaining funds, stop collecting FICA taxes.
Stem-Cell Research
┖ No government funding, but it should not be illegal.
Taxes
┖ Eliminate all taxes based on income, capital, assets, and wealth. Enforce voluntary user fees, import tariffs to pay for government.
War on Drugs
┖ Is a failure. Eliminate all funding that goes to imprison people who are guilty of non-violent crimes.

[sophocles07]

Abortion
┖None of the governments business
Economics
┖None of the governments business
Education
┖None of the governments business
Energy
┖None of the governments business
Environment
┖Enforce through property rights.
Free-Trade
┖None of the governments business
Gambling
┖None of the governments business
Guns
┖None of the governments business
Health-Care
┖None of the governments business
Immigration
┖Wouldn't be a problem
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
┖Non-interventionism
Same-Sex Marriage
┖None of the governments business
Social Security
┖None of the governments business
Stem-Cell Research
┖None of the governments business
Taxes
┖The ultimate minimum tariff's just to run the govt.
War on Drugs
┖None of the governments business

I agree.

[Kade]

This is to find out where each user on the RonPaulForums.com stands on the issues. While I agree with almost everything Ron Paul stands for... On social issues I find us a little bit on the different sides of the spectrum. But to me Fiscal issues are so much more important right now, that's why he's had my support ever since I first heard about him.

A little bit about myself, I'm a former registered Democrat from last election when I turned 18. I voted for John Kerry only because I wanted the United States to get out of war, but I didn't not like him and thought he was a horrible candidate who was Mr. Monotone. This year I re-registered as an DTS (Decline to State) Independent because I feel so disenfranchised with the Democratic Party. I can't find myself becoming a Republican anytime soon unless the Ron Paul Revolution reforms the party. So I find myself loving the Libertarian Party more each day, so I consider myself a Libertarian Democrat (in the easiest sense to explain it).

Now onto our test, these are the issues put up by CNNPolitics.com and I am asking each poster on the board, what they would do as President or just stand on the issues and these issues are...

Abortion
Economics
Education
Energy
Environment
Free-Trade
Gambling
Guns
Health-Care
Immigration
Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
Same-Sex Marriage
Social Security
Stem-Cell Research
Taxes
War on Drugs

Here are my answers...

Abortion: Pro-Choice, not in favor of repealing Roe v. Wade for the possibility of creating a black market on abortions on states that ban it. Could cause a lot of criminal problems and social problems. Expand sexual education (though leaving it optional to parents if they want the kids to be involved) and get rid of the abstinence movement. It has caused our children to want to have un-safe sex even more. Expand the education and you'll see the decrease in abortions. Planned Parenthood is good, birth control is good, abortion while I agree is wrong, another individual or Government shouldn't have the right to tell a woman how to use her body. Find studies that show why women have abortions and how we can prevent it. Work with private companies on the matter to help these women and this problem in the nation. In favor of a "Partial-Birth" abortion ban if the state does ban it, but will not allow a full abortion ban.

Economics: Supports having our Federal Reserve backed by platinum, gold and silver. Would have the Federal Reserve broadcast all their meetings to the public on C-SPAN. Hold a committee to keep tabs on the Federal Reserve by the top economists in our held offices.

Education: Pro-Vouchers (Make Private Sector compete with Public Sector), with vouchers and incentives for families to choose where they like their child to go to school, it's an American right to have a proper education where YOU SEE FIT. Eliminate the Dept. of Education, let the local and state officials handle their own schools.

Energy: Repeal taxes and barriers for private companies, would allow the free market to decide what will be our replacement for energy. Supports Solar/Wind supplied technology.

Environment: Allow private companies to study these matters to give back to the government, would support the building of new oil refineries in rural American towns to create new jobs.

Free Trade: Would repeal any memberships in trade organizations or world organizations. Allow the free market to do its business.

Gambling: Against any laws that prohibit gambling. It’s counter-productive and government intrusion on the highest level.

Guns: Pro-Gun Rights

Health-Care: Supports a single-payer health-care system. The only way to solve the current mess we’re in. Basically get government intrusion out and allow poverty stricken people a chance to get health-care. Would though allow the Private Free Market Health-Care to still do its magic. Single-payer would have guidelines for REAL emergencies and not that it gets abused. Would help someone who is in poverty, get emergency health-care and not having to pay a outrageous bill because they had no insurance.

Immigration: Completely reform it, no fence, eliminate the welfare state and you’ll solve more than half this problem. Get rid of the incentives that illegal workers can earn. They must be documented. Supports helping immigrants who lived in the U.S. for more than 15 years. Would help get them new work visa's on constant renewal while waiting in the back of the line, would have to pay an up-front fee to be documented legally and then pay a monthly fee after that. Would use that money in the Government to help cut more taxes for the individual United States citizen.

Iraq/Iran: Non-intervention foreign policy. We only go to war when it’s declared on us.

Same-Sex Marriage: Supports Same-Sex Marriage. Leave it up to the states to decide.

Social Security: Eliminate taxes from the system, do not allow illegals to get a piece of the pie, allow younger people to opt-out. Help set-up private organizations to give the American people a retirement plan. Social Security needs to be reformed so the Government can’t touch and neither can people who don’t have a legal citizenship.

Stem-Cell Research: Supports stem-cell research and using it for the medical field. Though that should be left up to the states and private companies, no federal ban should be imposed though.

Taxes: Abolish the IRS and replace it with nothing, cut spending in half and you’ll solve the tax problem. People should not be taxed on the fruit of their labor it’s unconstitutional. Big Government, Big Spending is the problem. Less Government, Less Taxes & Tariffs are the solution. Let the people decide what they want to do with their money.

War on Drugs: Against the War on Drugs would immediately put it to an end. Though would leave it up to the states to decide their drug-laws, would not have federal bans on any drugs and allow the free market to purchase their medication wherever they like. Supports decriminalizing drugs and sending non-violent offenders to private rehab programs (choice of religious or non-religious rehab as well).

So that's myself on the issues, can't wait to read what others say...

I really like your answers, and I can't really find anything I disagree with. (Your response on abortion is excellent)...

What do you think about Church/State issues?

[kombayn]

^Funny, I've found your responses very keen with my ideals on these boards. Church/State issues are non-entities in my mind. The Church has nothing to do with the State. To say it is otherwise, makes it a complete contradiction of the 1st amendment.

[Elegy]

Abortion
I am pro-choice up until a single cell with unique DNA from the mother and father is formed. From that point on I'm pro-life. The Constitution says in the Preamble, "...establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility... to ourselves and our posterity," It is the duty of our government to provide justice not only for ourselves but also our posterity. I don't believe it's OK to kill someone if they can't see, are deaf, or have no nerve feeling. At the point they are human life, they become our posterity and should be under the protection from our government. Single cell bacteria with DNA are defined as life. At conception is when the Right of Life must be protected onward.

Economics
First, troops are coming home from around the world. Again, don't mean to belabor the quote but, the Constitution says in the Preamble, "provide for the Common Defense... to ourselves and our posterity,". It did not say "the Iraqis people" or "the Korean people". Take that with the tenth amendment and it is not in the government's contract with "We The People" for it to be going around the world doing things for other countries. The Constitution goes on to read, "do ordain and establish this Constitution...". If "We The People" had the ability to establish and ordain the Constitution that set up this government, and we never gave up that Right, then we have the ability on our own to establish similar organizations for people to contribute voluntarily to for doing things around the world including if we wished to form a militia to achieve whatever humanitarian objectives people may have.

Second, the illusion of "social security" is going bye bye. The Constitution does not allow for this. If states wanted to set up their own social security, then can do so. When the Preamble says, "provide for the general Welfare", Section 1, Article 8 details what that is to mean. "Social Security" is not listed. Therefore, the states should do so. Would you rather have the state collecting your taxes or the federal government? Which is more efficient/wasteful? I would rather have neither but we're not talking about governors here.

Now that people are keeping their hard earned money, I would start removing government regulations on pharmaceuticals, health care, food, agriculture, education, labor, and the list could go on and on. This would have the affect of bringing down prices as more competition enters those markets and keeps them competitive and efficient. Then YOU would be regulating them. Now, if they sold you a faulty product, and wouldn't resolve it with you, take them to court. That's what courts are for. If a restaurant produces bad food, take them to court. Between that, the bad media rap,and the going out of business that follows, the other restaurants would adjust their procedures so they don't make the same mistake.

Competing currencies would be in. Also, the Federal Reserve would no longer be the Central Bank. (It could still exist and attempt to compete, but not while wielding the government in it's right hand and corporate America in it's left.) Also, I would strongly encourage the legislature to add an amendment to the Constitution that the United States can no longer borrow money. If it is urgent enough, the people can contribute to get it done. It comes from their resources either way, just this way there is no debtor afterward.

Also, an amendment barring the United States government or any of the states from creating trusts. The people would retain that right under the common law.

What would you see? After a few years we would see an economy that would soar back to the top. Also, people would have more wealth.

Education
Dept of Education: gone. No Child Left Behind: gone.

Energy
Get out of the Middle East. Sell all government held land to citizens and conquer any land that has been given to the United Nations and sell that to citizens as well. Deregulate the energy industry. Deregulate the way vehicles are manufactured. If you want to drive a light weight vehicle that gets 150 mpg, that's your own prerogative. Modify patent laws so they only give a 5 year advantage to the inventor. After that it is no longer their "intellectual property".

Environment
Remove the Department of Ag and the EPA. Let nuisance suits deal with the matter. Encourage people to take companies to courts now that the EPA no longer is protecting them.

Free-Trade
All the way. However, tariffs and tax on non-resident aliens/foreign corporations working/doing business here would be the methods for funding the government once again.

Gambling
None of the government's business.

Guns
Ummmm... Let the states deal with this one. However, no state should infringe on the 2nd amendment. Taxing this right through registration, or purchase of, would be abolished as it violates the purpose government was established for.

Health-Care
Dept of health: gone.

Immigration
No more welfare for illegals. All illegals who are caught are deported and barred from entering lawfully for 5 years.

Iraq/Iran (Foreign Policy)
Already answered in "economy".

Same-Sex Marriage
In economy I said, "Also, an amendment barring the United States government or any of the states from creating trusts. The people would retain that right under the common law." The government has no business in marriage. It aught to stay out of it. We didn't contract the government to deal with or punish sin. That's God's territory.

Social Security
Already covered in "economy".

Stem-Cell Research
Government aught to stay out of it. Again, it's not in the contract.

Taxes
Tariffs and taxes on non-resident aliens/foreign corporations working/doing business here. No other taxes.

War on Drugs
Government aught to stay out of this. It's not in the contract.

Very well said on all points especially abortion, I agree with everything.

[Aspie Minarcho-Capitalist]

Abortion: Pro Life with the exception of rape, incest, extreme financial instability and problems with the mother's and/or fetuses health. Leave it's legality issue up to the states, but no government funding for it as well as birth control (although I personally advocate birth control).

Economics: I subscribe to Austrian Economics and Laissez Faire Capitalism (very minimal regulation such as food safety laws) in the Rothbardian and Misesian tradition. I'm in favor of dismantling the Federal Reserve, the abolition of the fiat monetary system, the strict prohibition of fractional reserve banking, and a return to a 100% full reserve gold standard (gold based full reserve system). Withdraw from the intercessive International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Education: Support separation of education and state, no regulations on homeschooling.

Energy: Abolish the Department of Energy and let the free market run it's course.

Environment: Abolish the EPA, but subsume a minor subset of their more intelligible regulations under an independent agency. Property rights to protect everything else and allow people to sue anyone who infiltrate pollutants on their water, land, property, and air (Fracking is one example that would impose this).

Free-Trade: Genuine unilateral free trade is good, but repeal all government managed "Free Trade agreements" that have decimated the middle classes and US sovereignty (NAFTA, GAFTA, TIIP, TPP etc). I'm in favour of withdrawing from the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Gambling: No counterproductive federal nor state legislation.

Guns: Unrestricted right to gun ownership (whether it be revolvers, assault weapons or laser rifles). No federal or state control.

Health-Care: Abolish the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and respect individual freedom of choice in healthcare (e.g right to try unapproved treatments). Deregulate the healthcare industry and allow modern medicine and alternative therapeutic treatments to voluntarily compete.

Immigration: I'm an exponent of very unassailable border security and fervently oppose third world immigration. Open borders compress wages due to mass importation of cheap labor that big business favors, it encourages socio-cultural division and statist programmes like coercive-enforced segregation, multiculturalism and affirmative action, and thus threatens the national sovereignty of any country's monoculturalized unity. Establish a border fence and advocate zero intolerance on illegal immigration (including amnesty and citizenship - deport them all and have them barred from entering lawfully for a certain period). No social welfare and guest worker programmes should be granted to legal immigrants and allow border officials to refuse entry to immigrants who possess unskilled labor productivity.

Iraq/Iran: Fully committed to non-interventionism, no exceptions.

Same-Sex Marriage: No government definition of marriage, allow individual churches to dictate what constitutes to the pertinence of marriage.

Social Security: Dismantle it.

Stem-Cell Research: No government funding at the state or federal level, but I support stem cell research.

Taxes: Repeal the Internal Revenue Service and replace it with nothing.

War on Drugs: End it at the state and federal level - legalize the whole lot and allow homeowners to grow their own drugs/remedies on their property with no restrictions.