User:Jgardner/Politics

I believe I should represent some of my political beliefs.

Definition of Politics
Some say that "politics" is based on the word "polis" as in city. I don't doubt this. But I prefer to think of it as related to the word "polite" which means that politics is the practice of being polite while disagreeing. It's a way to get along without trying to beat each other senseless.

Politics is life. We have to build up relationships and we have to make decisions based on how it will affect those around us. We have to have someone lead us. There is no way out of this. Get over it.

American politics, I believe, is the best political system. We have mastered the way of being political without being enemies. I admit we can do better. But in the end things seem to work out right. I attribute this to the general sense of decency and propriety that the American people have, which I believe is the most advanced in the world at this time.

Fundamental Truths
There are certain fundamental truths that if we don't agree on we have no basis for discussion. This my short list:


 * 1) We are all created equal. There is no need to equalize anyone by penalties or subsidies.
 * 2) We all have a right to life.
 * 3) We all have a right to liberty. This means we all choose our own fate.
 * 4) We all have a right to the pursuit of happiness.
 * 5) Government is ordained by God to protect the rights of man.
 * 6) When governments exceed or subvert their purposes, they are corrupt and need to be replaced.

Sounds familiar? It will if you've ever studied the Declaration of Independence.

Ultimately, no matter what form of government you live under, you are the master of your own fate. Ultimately, when all is said and done, a government is a direct reflection of the people they govern. The people have the keys to change their own government to their own satisfaction.

The LDS Church and American Politics
While a great deal of LDS members are Republican, a great deal are also Democrat. Our church does not endorse any party, and members are free to join whichever party they desire to join. Nowadays, I believe the reason the majority of members tend to align themselves with Republicans is because they find that that party better represents them. That will change overnight should the parties change positions (as they are constantly doing.)

LDS members not only have a right but a duty to participate in politics.

International Politics
As far as international politics, I believe we should be using our vast, indominatable influence to put down tyrants and dictators and establish free democracies everywhere. First, we will use our diplomatic influence, threatening and scheming with other countries. Then we will use our economic influence, rewarding good behavior and punishing bad with economic trade deals, tariffs, and sanctions. Finally, when they pose a threat to us as a nation or to the world at large, we will use military force to destroy the offending regime. We cannot hope to live in the same world as dictators and tyrants and expect to have peace. Our ultimate goal must be to establish constitutional, economically free democratic societies in every corner of the earth.

Let's face the facts. (1) The USA is the most powerful nation on the earth. We are the sole superpower. No one poses even a serious threat to us at this time. (2) We have become the most powerful nation through our core principlies of political and economic liberty. (3) We conquer our enemies not with our guns and bombs, but with the after-effects of nation building and trade deals.

We must continue on this path. Eventually, the entire world will be united in accordance with our ideals with us, not behind us. Those who oppose us in our world domination scheme are the enemy. This includes enemies foreign and domestic. Unfortunately, I consider the democratic party, most of them, to be the enemies of our country and its purposes. Yes, I do question your patriotism! Our goal from day one has been to spread the light of liberty to every dark corner of the earth. And spread it we will! You are either with us, or against us. That is, you stand for freedom and democracy and economic liberty, or you stand for tyranny, oppression, and slavery.

I don't believe in alliances. Our allies of yesterday are our enemies today. Our allies today were our enemies yesterday. And these positions shift throughout time. If they are with us, we are with them. If they are against us, we are against them. We will not support an ally doing evil; and we will not punish an enemy doing good.

Free Trade
I believe that free trade is the key to economic prosperity both here and abroad. NAFTA is a blessing. CAFTA will be more so. I anxiously await the day when China and India exceed our GDP. Economics is not a zero-sum game. Just because others win doesn't mean we have to lose. Everyone can win together. The reason why free trade is so important is because fundamentally, free, informed, open trade create wealth out of thin air. When I sell my time for a paycheck, I am getting more value than what I put in. When the company that pays me gives me money for my time, they are getting more value than what they put in. Both parties come away from the deal with more than what they entered with. If it weren't so, no transaction would occur.

As far as trade balance, it is a bunch of hogwash. Despite all the theory, I have yet to see one evidence that supports it. How many years have we been imbalanced in our trade? Yet what nation is superior to ours economically? When one country buys more than they sell, their currency increases in value because there is less of it at home to buy the same amount of goods. (This is known as deflation. Inflation is when money decreases in value over time.) (As a side note, deflation isn't bad. We just went through another period of it but no one was willing to say that it actually occurred.) Thus, what they have at home is actually worth more than what it was before. Eventually, the balance of trade will reverse, with the scales in opposition.

In reality, the countries we are trading with are actively destroying their economy. Thus, we are giving them cash for their goods, but they are squandering the cash. Should they ever figure out how to put that money to good use, they will begin to import more of our goods.

Taxes, Spending, and National Debt
On the subject of taxes, we are way overtaxed. In the 1950s, the federal government took only 2% of people's paychecks. Today that is closer to 25%. We must cut taxes more than 90%. As a note, reducing the rate of taxes can increase tax revenue. I believe we would maximize tax revenue if it were closer to 2% than 25%.

I don't even agree with the income tax. Instead, the federal government should levy a per-capita tax on the states.

I don't agree with the federal government giving anyone money for free. Money should only be paid for services or goods fulfilled. Handing out money is throwing it away.

I think the federal deficit is a bad thing. Let the federal government get a net positive in their bank account so that that money can be reinvested by intelligent people into the economy. Perhaps, if the positive is great enough, there will be less of a burden for taxes. I demand that we stop overspending immediately, and begin to repay the debt. I don't suggest we cut military spending. That would be national suicide. I suggest we cut every program that is not explicitly condoned in the constitution, starting with welfare, moving to social security, and on to education funding. Cut, cut, cut, then cut some more.

The way things should be, according to myself:
 * 1) Government should collect taxes on a strictly non-economic basis. For instance, usage taxes, per-capita taxes, and property taxes assessed against the quantity of land owned, not the value thereof. If the tax rate is low enough, enforcement is done by society wagging its finger at those who refuse to pay. If it is too high, there is a great risk that people will try to subvert it. Government should never spend its money on extracting taxes forcefully. The people should tax themselves willingly.
 * 2) Government should always run a small surplus. This surplus should be put into an account that is invested by various banks and institutions at a reasonable rate and with very reasonable security. The surplus shouldn't be large -- just enough to cover a few years of poor revenue or to support an emergency such as a war.
 * 3) Government should limit its spending and tighten its belt. It should be asked every year to do more with less and be more efficient. It should constantly evaluate how it spends every dime and whether it can put that dime to better use by optimizing services or streamlining government. People should be elected not just based on how well they present themselves but how fiscally responsible they are with the public's money.

Elections
At the heart of every democratic system is the election. Rather than have a civil war every few years to oust corrupt government officials and put in new ones and establish needed reforms, we make our voice heard--bloodlessly--at the polls. Every citizen should attribute some mystical power to public will. People who are elected should behave like they are divinely appointed to their position by the mystical will of the people. Those who lose elections should behave like they were not chosen.

When elections are tampered with, and when trust in the elections results are destroyed, then the entire system will degrade to warfare. Let it not be so. This is particularly troubling to me because of my proximity to Seattle and King County.

Social Services
Charities are the responsibility of the people. Should we forget to supply the needed capital to provide social services, the government, local, county, state, or federal, should not step up to fill the gap. No, the people should bear the consequences of their own selfishness. God has his own punishments proscribed for those who forget the needy, the widows, and the fatherless. And punish He has, punish He will. We must fear his punishments and ensure that everybody in our community has their needs being met on an individual level.

Take for instance the latest tragedy in the South due to Hurricane Katrina. Who should step up to rescue the people and repair the damage? At the core, the people affected are responsible. They must save themselves. They should ensure that they are doing all in their power to help. But then outsiders will want to help as well.

We should have a private, national emergency fund. People can contribute on their own accord, and the funds can be managed by a board of directors. Oh wait! We already have this: The Red Cross. This organization and organizations like this can be effective in directing efforts. We should allow plenty of competition in this arena.

Does the military belong in the efforts? We shouldn't have a standing national army, and the state governors can direct their armies to do what they like.

Morality and Religion
On moral issues, I believe we should enforce the ten commandments to the letter. Our English Common Law was based on the biblical law a long time ago. It has since morphed into the point where good is evil (preventing a crime is a crime) and evil is good (adultery is not a crime).

We have as a community a responsibility to raise our children in the right way, teaching them what is moral and immoral. If we raise our kids such that they think pornography is the right of free speech, and that sleeping with another person besides yous spouse is a great way to become happy, then we will have raised a corrupt generation and we can't expect good things. However, if we raise them to abhor all forms of wickedness, even the thought of wickedness, and admonish them to stand up and fight for righteousness, then we will have raised a proper generation, and can be assured that our nation, under God, will stand for one more generation in power and might and blessings.

This bleeds into the topic of religion. Let me state the facts: There is no separation between church and state. There is only a limit that congress, the law-writing arm of the federal government, cannot support or prevent the practice thereof. What that means, in my mind, is that everyone is free to practice their religion everywhere, including the classrooms, including the courtrooms, and including the halls of congress. No one is prevented in practicing their religion.

What is a religion? This is hard to define but common sense should prevail. Atheism is a religion. So is secularism. But so also is Mormonism, Catholicism, and Christianity in general. Teachers should be able to say, "I don't believe there is a God" as much as they should be allowed to say, "I believe God is Jesus Christ" or "Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration" in their classrooms.

Disagreement and Tolerance
I know a lot of you will criticize me for my beliefs. I think you have a lot of growing up to do. You expect me to tolerate you and your beliefs (as silly as they sound to me), and yet you afford me no similar toleration. I say, let every person believe what they may, and act according to their beliefs within the boundary of the law of the land. And let's not criticize one another for what we believe but let's build up our own beliefs and relish in the similarities we share and encourage all to be better people.