To clarify my position for friends, acquaintances and perhaps newfound enemies about my recent chest thumping, drum beating patriotism;
* I am not a union employee. I don't agree with all aspects of unionized labor. I don't think people that are abusing the system should be protected. I also don't think we punish the abusers by assuming everyone is abusing the system and abolishing it.
* I don't think choices in State Government should be made based on influencing the next presidential election, such as our elected officials in Wisconsin are doing under the guise of less federal power and more state power.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://wseu-sepac.org/documents_print/fitzgerald_scott_20110322_fundraising_letter_contributors.pdf&pli=1
* I believe in honoring contracts and allowing people to come to the table to discuss. In the private sector the recourse for a broken contract is the judicial system. Those claiming that there is a violation of separation of powers occurring in Wisconsin because a citizen is challenging the behavior of the Wisconsin legislature do not have respect for the Constitution. The outcome is irrelevant, the right to petition the Government shall not be abridged.
I don't believe that elected OR appointed authorites should reduce or eliminate the RIGHT, not privledge, to discuss and negotiate in good faith. Regarding good faith and authorities, regarding the Middle East, not only should we [Americans] not be there, the people of those countries shouldn't tolerate dictratorships and autocracy. This is far, far different than supplying assistance to Japan. That is a humanitarian effort that was requested by an allied democractic nation.
* I believe our nation is under economic duress caused by multiple factors
- endless war and meddling, essentially reaching back to 1989.
- free market broken by bailouts of unregulated "too big to fail" megacorps while main street is left to crumble. The Federal Government doesn't bail out small business and shouldn't bail out the big ones because of their poor decisions either.
- the failure of individuals to learn the three R's; Responsiblity, Relationships, Respect, leading to the entitlement generation, and frankly, the behavior of some of our newfound Tea Party heros such as Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin. They have the right to be heard, but civility is not their forte, and unless they are competing to be a shock jock like Howard Stern, should reconsider not their message but their tone.
an interesting read about entitlement and the education system:
http://chronicle.com/article/Students-Should-Check-Their/126890/
* I believe education is the future of this country and if we fail to educate the next generation we fail as a country.
* I am tired of Government pushing an extremely Conservative social agenda under the guise of 'smaller government' and 'economic crisis' hoping that the people are too dumb or lazy to notice that the morals of Christians are being pushed upon ALL citizens of the United States. If you want to push Conservative legislation, fine, but why aren't we purusing real economic reform? Defunding the EPA, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Planned Parenthood, education and outlawing abortions do not come close to fixing the budget.
* I'm tired of a constant louder and louder megaphone being used to shout at the 'enemy' under the guise of 'free speech'. We need to reform the electoral process to save any faith remaining in our political system.
I could probably go on for a while. Just because I see a different path than others about how to make sure my child grows up in a great America doesn't make me a lunatic. In fact, ironically, many of my thoughts line up with the 'Tea Party'. The difference is, in my 'Real Tea Party', corporate voices aren't the prominent role.
Here's my "contract for Americans". The only difference between my contract and the Tea Party's are #2 and #7.
1) Identify constitutionality of every new law
2) Protect the finite resources of our environment
3) Demand a balanced federal budget
4) Simplify the tax system
5) Audit federal government agencies for waste and constitutionality
6) Limit annual growth in federal spending
7) Repeal the healthcare legislation passed on March 23, 2010 and pass a single payer system
8) Pass an 'All-of-the-Above' Energy Policy
9) Reduce Earmarks
10) Reduce Taxes
Rock on, MH
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