1. Death penalty; right

 

2. Steeply progressive income taxes and the belief that the rich should be forced to give back more to share with the poor; middle

 

3. Estate taxes; middle

 

4. Abortion; Left, the goverment should not have anything to do with this.

 

5. Welfare programs (including increased govt provided/paid health insurance); Left

 

6. Privatized social security; middle

 

7. Degree of Govt regulation of business; right

 

8. Minimum wage; middle

 

9. Gay marriage; right

 

10. Gun ownership rights. right

 

QUOTE]

Issues of note to me:

 

 

Energy Policy: Not the typical "climate change" fear mongering and indoctrination you find on TV and in schools but rather more efficient and clean power. I am an outspoken advocate of nuclear power and the conversion of coal to other natural resources so as to ween ourselves off of foreign sources of fuel. Understandably until an economical and valid energy source for vehicular transportation comes into existence then we will still be reliant on Oil.

 

National Defense: I may well be the closest thing to a militarist on this site. I am not an advocate of blind force, however I do not mind using it as an extension of foreign policy and I am also an advocate of total commitment. If we are going to be involved in any kind of military action we need to be willing to go as far as is necessary (even to the extent of blacking out news correspondents) in order to ended with the least amount of casualties on our side. I am also not for the willy-nilly use of force (i.e. sending a few cruise missiles somewhere to show "we mean business"). I also do not feel that social programs deserve any kind of priority over military spending.

 

 

Foreign Policy: I want someone who is not afraid to be firm and strong with military action if needed but at the same time I do not want someone who recklessly uses it. I also do not want people in office who will not look at the world in a pragmatic sense. I can't stand the concepts of American Idealism in that "everyone wants to be just like us." At the same time I don't want total isolationism because we have world-wide interests we need to protect.

 

Immigration Reform: I am not advocating open borders, and I would like to see more stringent penalties for illegals while making the naturalization process more streamlined to help those who want to come to the states legally. If need be though I would not be adverse to using deadly force to guard the border. Not that I want people looking for a better life dead, but I would rather they come here legally. For those already here illegally I am willing to concede some form of amnesty ONLY after they have paid fines for being here illegally(or done some form of community service), learned English and passed the citizenship test. At that point then I could be okay with former illegals being here.

 

:thumb: Agree on all points.

 

National Defense and Foreign Policy are two of the main reasons I’m a Republican. You might have some competition in the militarist category.

 

We need a president and foreign policy that is proactive rather than reactive. We cannot sit back in an isolationist mode and wait for attacks to happen. Two prime examples are Pearl Harbor and 9/11. The Khobar Towers bombing, embassy bombings in Kenya/Tanzania, and USS Cole attack were all preludes to 9/11 and the threat by Al-Qaeda.

Because I didn't seem to answer the questions to someone's satisfaction, please allow me to clarify that my responses are the bolded within the quoted text of leatherneck's original post in my post above.

 

To further clarify, as I was apparently mistaken in that I thought leatherneck just wanted other barometers, my position on the following:

 

Education: I don't believe that education should be a "right". I believe it is a privilege, and I believe it's as abused as the welfare system. I believe that children should be able to be removed from school for behaviorial issues. I believe that children who are not interested in learning should not be allowed in schools. If we are to have taxpayer-funded education, the value of that investment would be greatly enhanced if those receiving that education held it in some regard.

 

Vouchers: I believe in a voucher system. I believe most children will succeed in a school environment in which they "fit", whether sociallyor academically. I believe a child should be able to attend any school they choose. I do have some reservations regarding the acceptance of Vouchers by private schools who receive no federal funding. I believe that schools who do not rely on federal funding actually provide a better overall educational opportunity than if they were subject to the same legislative requirements as public schools. But from public to public schools, I believe students should be free to attend the school that best suits them, and that the money should follow.

 

1. Death penalty; - For...the only 2 problems with the death penalty is it isn't used enough and it takes to long to carry out the sentence. I personally think we should go back to hangings in the town square.

 

2. Steeply progressive income taxes and the belief that the rich should be forced to give back more to share with the poor; - Against...I tend to be more in favor of a flat tax or fair tax program.

 

3. Estate taxes; - Against...double dipping

 

4. Abortion; - Against (in most instances)...

 

5. Welfare programs (including increased govt provided/paid health insurance); - For...in very limited use.

 

6. Privatized social security; - For...100%

 

7. Degree of Govt regulation of business; - As little as possible

 

8. Minimum wage; - Against...I think the free market should determine wages

 

9. Gay marriage; and - don't really care one way or the other, not my business nor should it be the governments business.

 

10. Gun ownership rights. - For...in the Uncle Ted camp on this one.

I also quoted RM's post about education because I couldn't agree with something more then I do her post.

1. Death penalty; Moderate

 

2. Steeply progressive income taxes and the belief that the rich should be forced to give back more to share with the poor; Conservative

 

3. Estate taxes; Conservative

 

4. Abortion; Moderate

 

5. Welfare programs (including increased govt provided/paid health insurance); Conservative but not far right

 

6. Privatized social security; Conservative

 

7. Degree of Govt regulation of business; Ultra Conservative

 

8. Minimum wage; Conservative

 

9. Gay marriage; Moderate

 

10. Gun ownership rights. Moderate

 

11. Legalized marijuana. Liberal

 

12. Liquor stores open on Sunday. Liberal

 

13. Environmental regulation. Conservative

 

14. Facial hair. Conservative.

1. Death penalty; Moderate

 

2. Steeply progressive income taxes and the belief that the rich should be forced to give back more to share with the poor; Conservative

 

3. Estate taxes; Conservative

 

4. Abortion; Moderate

 

5. Welfare programs (including increased govt provided/paid health insurance); Conservative but not far right

 

6. Privatized social security; Conservative

 

7. Degree of Govt regulation of business; Ultra Conservative

 

8. Minimum wage; Conservative

 

9. Gay marriage; Moderate

 

10. Gun ownership rights. Moderate

 

11. Legalized marijuana. Liberal

 

12. Liquor stores open on Sunday. Liberal

 

13. Environmental regulation. Conservative

 

14. Facial hair. Conservative.

 

Beard-hating, pot-smoking, drunken neo-con!

I have taken Jesus Christ as my savior, IMO, that answers to which side I am on.

I have taken Jesus Christ as my savior, IMO, that answers to which side I am on.

 

 

Curious...does this statement mean that you believe that people who's opinions differ from yours haven't "found Jesus"?

Curious...does this statement mean that you believe that people who's opinions differ from yours haven't "found Jesus"?

 

No....and I expected your response in this. IMO, with where my Christian beliefs lie, I can not consider myself a liberal, or Democrat if you will.....I really can't.

No....and I expected your response in this. IMO, with where my Christian beliefs lie, I can not consider myself a liberal, or Democrat if you will.....I really can't.

 

 

Fair enough. I'm just trying to figure out where you stand on the issues listed.

I'll cut and paste shortly.

Because I didn't seem to answer the questions to someone's satisfaction, please allow me to clarify that my responses are the bolded within the quoted text of leatherneck's original post in my post above.

 

To further clarify, as I was apparently mistaken in that I thought leatherneck just wanted other barometers, my position on the following:

 

Education: I don't believe that education should be a "right". I believe it is a privilege, and I believe it's as abused as the welfare system. I believe that children should be able to be removed from school for behaviorial issues. I believe that children who are not interested in learning should not be allowed in schools. If we are to have taxpayer-funded education, the value of that investment would be greatly enhanced if those receiving that education held it in some regard.

 

Vouchers: I believe in a voucher system. I believe most children will succeed in a school environment in which they "fit", whether sociallyor academically. I believe a child should be able to attend any school they choose. I do have some reservations regarding the acceptance of Vouchers by private schools who receive no federal funding. I believe that schools who do not rely on federal funding actually provide a better overall educational opportunity than if they were subject to the same legislative requirements as public schools. But from public to public schools, I believe students should be free to attend the school that best suits them, and that the money should follow.

 

Wow! Something you and I completely agee on.:thumb:

I strongly agree with both of those opinions, and believe both of those issues should be added to LN's barometric list.

 

If a mod could add them to my original post, I sure would be mighty appreciative.

Beard-hating, pot-smoking, drunken neo-con!

 

Finally, ONE BGP'er who understands me!!!!!:clap::banana::notworthy::ylsuper::jump::sssh:

I'm 100% surprised at some of the posters who are agreeing with me on the educational issues.

1. Death penalty; Yes

 

2. Steeply progressive income taxes and the belief that the rich should be forced to give back more to share with the poor; I want a flat tax. I'm ok with the first $10,000 or so being tax free.

 

3. Estate taxes; No. It's double taxation.

 

4. Abortion; First timester

 

5. Welfare programs (including increased govt provided/paid health insurance); I have no problem giving people a hand up. But the handout generational welfare we have now is absolutely horrible. We're creating a permanent underclass. I would rather see 1000 people get a helping hand than one person living on the system. I personally feel the welfare system makes people dependent and IMO it's a form of enslavement.

 

6. Privatized social security; Yes

 

7. Degree of Govt regulation of business; As little as possible

 

8. Minimum wage; No

 

9. Gay marriage; and I have no issue with "Civil Unions" of two people.

 

10. Gun ownership rights. We have too many gun laws as it is. I would like to see some of them repealed.