Issue

Position

Education

Education is of primary importance in building a sustainable democracy and free society. Centralization of administration for cost-savings. Teacher bonus-payments related to pro-rata success of school producing increase of college enrollment. Reduce testing requirements, focus on core curriculum. Increase teacher salaries, create new programs for non-credentialed teachers in training, create programs to incent retirees for teaching to reduce class sizes, lengthen the school year.

Healthcare

Everyone in America should be entitled to high-quality preventative, general and catastrophic healthcare, including mental health through a single-payor national health plan.

Job Creation/Growth

Significant investment should occur for worker training.  Funding for government technology jobs at the federal, state and local level for programs that offer 12-18 month return on investment such as self-service government internet sites.

Senior Programs

No elderly person should be making decisions on a fixed-income such as should I purchase  food or needed drugs. A significant amount of funding for senior ride programs, assisted care,

Social Programs

Investment should be made in social programs at the community-level to encourage athletic and academic programs for youth, neighborhood rehabilitation programs, child care/day care and extended day programs for working parents and programs for seniors.

Environmental Protection

Significant investment in regulation, protection of our food and water supply and the natural beauty of our land resources. Severe penalties should be levied against companies that violate environmental protection laws that include criminal penalties for repeat offenders.

Foreign Policy

World leadership through firm, benevolent example. The School of the America's at Fort Benning, Georgia should be closed immediately and reparations (see below) should be paid for prior unjust American actions.  We should adopt a  policy of helping other countries negotiate conflict resolution through the formation of a new Cabinet-level Department of Peace. We should provide guidance and funding assistance for countries wishing to develop infrastructures to become self-reliant, such as education, healthcare, safe food and water programs, agriculture. We should no longer attempt to interfere in politics of other sovereign nations. We can establish trade and economic incentives for countries with strong commitment to human rights, environmental protections, and other "good nation-citizen" attributes.

Civil Rights/Liberties

We advocate repeal of much of the Patriot Act, and Patriot 2 Act.

Housing

Expanded public housing assistance for low-income families with equity-based incentives for taking care of their property.

Campaign Finance Reform

No non-individual donations. No individual donations in excess of $100.00. Funds to be divided equally among parties. Non-partisan broadcast channels established to provide debate forums and equal program time for all candidates for federal, state and local offices.

Living Wage

A living wage should be established by geography. No working person should consider leaving his/her job because they can collect more through welfare programs.

Woman's Rights

A woman should have an unalienable right to privacy, and medical care free from threat from extremist groups. when dealing with matters such as a decision to abort, or place a child for adoption.

Alternative Energy Research and Incentives

Significant tax incentives for purchase and delployment of alternative, reusable energy products and energy efficient products. Reversal of the accelerated business depreciation for SUV's. Stringent and progressive fuel efficiency requirements for all vehicles. Annual energy tax on all SUV's and Automobiles that do not meet federal fuel efficiency requirements

Medical Research

America and joint-government facilities for the research of cancer, AIDS, preventative and alternative medicine, diabetes and other common public health issues should be well-funded and attract top researchers.

Science and Technology Research

Exploration of space, the oceans and other frontier-based research for non-military purposes should be well-funded for the safety of our program participants and for benefit of all humankind.

Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system should be segmented between repeat, violent offenders and a general prison population. Multiple attempts to treat drug-use offenses medically should be made. Initial entry into prison for non-violent offenders should work toward rehabilitation and training. Violent offenders should receive intensive counseling to help them understand their behavior, and to help society understand what causes violent behavior.

Gun Control

Assualt weapons should be banned. Background checks and waiting periods for home-defense and hunting weapons.

Line Item Veto

Any president that achieves 60% or higher of the popular vote should have line-item veto capability for their term.

Business Regulation- Consumer/Shareholder Protection

A business pattern of fraud and misrepresentation will be prosecuted as a major felony.

Defense Spending

A strong, rapidly deployable, well-funded military is critical for the defense of America and its allies.  There is presently significant waste in the military program. A scientific, technology and military review board should review all military programs for waste, antiquity, maintenance costs and return on investment. Better domestic and international intelligence networks for threat assessment and analysis.

Veterans Issues

Veterans should not incur any forfeiture or decrease of their promised benefits. Funding for VA healthcare and education programs should be increased.

Corporate Welfare/Good Corporate Citizen Policy

American corporations operating in and hiring employees in other parts of the world must adhere to the stricter of U.S. Employment, Health and Safety, OSHA standards, or the local laws in effect at the foreign facility, including minimum wage and environmental protection laws.

Balanced Budget

Future generations of Americans should not be burdened with paying for tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate welfare. Budgets should be submitted that will, over the span of an administration, eradicate or significantly reduce the deficit.

Reparations

America should invest a disproportionately larger amount of funding to address the prior questionable actions of our country. We should direct funding to the Native-Americans, African-Americans, Iraq, Cuba, Central America and Vietnam for education, healthcare and other non-violent purposes for their people.

Independent Ethics Review Committee

An oversight committee to investigate Government wrong-doing such as possible war crimes and aiding and abetting fraudulent manipulation of energy pricing will be established and empowered.

Anti-terrorism

Automated ID technology for public transportation systems. Better, faster automated equipment for vehicles and passengers.

Voter Tax Credit

Voters in the Primary and General Elections will receive a $50.00 tax credit.