Points of Politics
This page will be updated occasionally. I welcome your comments.
On Legal Reform
- Why do state and federal judges often disregard the
law and precident and write entire new laws from the shattered remains of old
ones they strike down? Their job is to interpret the laws that have been
written, not make new ones. A judges politcal views should never enter into a
verdict in a courtroom.
- Under what charter does the justice department of the
federal government act when it joins with the state's attorney's general to
target and sue entire industries into bankruptcy? If something is truly
dangerous and needs changing, isn't that what the legislative branch's job is?
- Why do lawyers collect 30% to 50% of an award? Isn't that an incentive for lawyers to ask for higher and often ridiculous awards?
- Why are punitive damages awarded to the suing party even if they've already been compensated for damages?
- Why does it take all of a jury to find someone guilty, but only one person on the jury to find someone innocent?
About the Media
- The Freedom of the Press was guaranteed by the
Founding Fathers to act as watchdogs against tyranny and criminals in
goverment, if the press becomes biased to the point of supporting a particular
party without regard to accuracy, doesn't that violate the Constitution and
threaten the Union?
- If the news media becomes entertainment and disregards journalistic integrity and accuracy, to whom does America turn to find out about important issues and laws?
On Children and Schools
- Why is it that our child-care workers and teachers often get paid less than
parking lot attendants and zookeepers?
- Why can't we fire teachers and professors that have been around so long
as to earn tenure, even if they are incompetent?
- Why don't especially effective teachers get raises/bonuses? Why aren't our
effective teachers the ones writing the curriculum instead of university-trained
professors who have never taught in K-12 schools?
- Why are school vouchers declared as only for the privileged and that they
hurt the lower-class, when early trials show that the majority of the population
that uses vouchers and charter schools are the lower-class that can't afford
to move into an area with a good neighborhood school?
- Why do the state schools accept federal education program money on the condition
that they accept restrictions on what they teach? Why do they accept federal
education program money that ends up costing the state more than the funds
are worth?
- Why do we promote bilingual education when most immigrants realize that
the only way to true success in America is to speak fluent English, and when
it has been shown repeatedly that not only are English scores better for non-English-speaking
students in English-language classes, but also in Math, Science, and other
core areas?
On Campaign Financing / Voting Reform
- As long as America's votes can be purchased (through advertising), our representatives
can be bought (through campaign contributions). I do not believe this means
we should limit advertising as much as it shows the need for better sources
of information.
- How is it that campaign reform should limit the power of some organizations,
such as citizen action groups (IE- "special" interest groups) but
not others, such as unions?
- Until we begin basing our votes on fact and by how well our representatives
have followed our beliefs and priorities, we cannot hope to have a government
we can trust.
- Until we create a system that gives us easy access to unbiased, factual
information on the actions of our representatives, how can we make accurate
voting decisions?
- Why not limit campaign contributions to 1% of median income and only in
a citizen's name, not business, union, or organization?
- Why do we allow people to register to vote who don't understand how the
government operates, or what it's responsibilities and limitations are? We
expect more of new immigrants than of life-long citizens.
On Societal Issues
- Why should race matter when hiring or firing employees? If we are all equal,
why put colors into our laws?
- What business do I or anyone have in knowing someone is gay? Why is "coming
out of the closet" so important? Should 97% of American's citizens be announcing
that they are heterosexual?
- Have we become so sensitive to each others feelings that we can't talk to
each other any more?
- Why is it okay to have a Negro College Fund? Would it be okay to have a
Caucasian College Fund? Shouldn't all funds be for those who need them, regardless
of color?
- Why should we dock people's incomes who are working hard to support themselves
and their families and give to those who choose not to lift a finger to help
themselves? Aren't we punishing those who are keeping society running?
- Why do many feminists declare themselves superior to men? Or isn't equality
enough for them? There are more women than men in top colleges, and more women
than ever are in the work force. After all, sure I'd love to run a major corporation,
but I haven't got the right to declare myself "oppressed" because I don't.
- Why should feminists define what being a man should be? They obviously don't
have any experience about about what it means. After all, are they happy letting
men define what women should be?
News/Info/Political Links
I am often asked for places to get information on the internet regarding information with a "less-liberal" slant. If you're as tired as I am of hearing all conservatives called "extremist", "right-wing" or "militant", you can look in these areas. Some are conservative, while others are just more objective than CNN, NPR, NY/LA Times, or the standard ABC, NBC, or CBS network television tripe.
- Fox News - attempting to create a
counter-voice to the blatantly liberal television network news organizations
and the CNN & CNBC cable news channels. Not conservative, just balanced
(IE- equal time.) Rather than putting on scores of pundits and experts after
every news event that tell you what to think, they actually present the news
in unbiased fashion and let you decide... what a concept.
- Heritage Foundation - an organization
dedicated to informing citizens about government policy, rather than turning
it into five-second sound-bites.
- Accuracy in Media - is an organization
dedicated to accurate, fair, and balanced reporting.
- Project Vote Smart - very informative,
non-profit, non-partisan source of political candidate information. How can
you make decisions on political candidates if you don't know what they stand
for (instead of what they say they stand for) by checking their voting records?
Internet World had a great article about who
Vote Smart is.
- Thomas - Find out what bills are actually
being debated about. Read the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights,
and many other works.
- CSPAN - a non-profit government-news
source created by cable television that shows their government working and
tallies votes on bills.
- FECInfo - Federal Election Campaign
Finance Information.
- Fair Tax - information on a simple,
fairer, Federal tax system replacement.
- The Libertarian Party Platform (USA,
NC) - I have to think
most of the Founding Fathers would be Libertarians
- The Republican Party Platform (USA,
NC)
- The Democratic Party Platform (USA,
NC)
- More Political
Parties - Did you know there is not only a Green Party and a Socialist
Party in the US, but even a Communist Party? Inform yourself of the options
and decide!
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