My take on some issues

The New York Times had run an article on the views of the candidates when there were still a bunch of them. The article listed each view in a capsulized form. Here's the article.

And so, keeping with this format, I too, shall give my views on those same issues in the same capsulized format. Here goes:

Health Care
Democrats want universal health care where Big Brother handles all our medical needs. The GOP wants the free market to run things - that is, Big Money and Big Pharmaceutical. I propose a halfway point. I advocate getting the feds out of health care and handing it over to the states. That way, if New York or California want socialized medicine in all its glory, then their respective taxpayers can pay for it. If Texas or Florida want to give the free market a try, then they can have a go at it. However, I will require that all states cover their citizens in some way, shape, or form - even if it's a state version of Medicare. This will allows for all forms of health care to be tried out, and hopefully from that, we can learn what works best - whether it's socialized medicine, free-market, or some combination of both.

Abortion
I'm opposed to it, as is evident in different parts of my blog. I will advocate the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and let the matter revert back to the states. If I can at least get that much done, that'd be great. I would also then work on the state level so that I could help former president Bill Clinton not only live up to his promise of "making abortion rare", I would try to make it non-existent. There needs to be more airing of the prolife side of the debate, and I'll be the president that gives the prolife side the air time it needs.

Climate Change
I support cleaning up the environment, and I will crack down on major pollutors, charging them whopping fines so as to pay for my "a computer in every household" program. However, I am iffy on the "global warming" thing, because I'm old enough to remember when scientists were warning about global cooling. If they were wrong then, then maybe they're wrong now. Plus, if the granddaddy of environmentalism Al Gore can't clean up his own house, then that speaks volumes about the credibility of the whole global warming movement. I'd also crack down on the con artists out there selling "carbon credits" and give the fines toward actual programs for environmental clean-up.

Immigration
We are a nation of immigrants, and I won't change that. However, those here illegally will have to resolve their illegal status if they want to remain in the country. I oppose total blanket amnesty, because that is not fair to those immigrants who are here legally and have been going through the process of legalization the right way. I will give them 6 months to a year to resolve their illegal status by paying fines and starting the process of citizenship, or face deportation. Those here illegally who are criminals will be deported immediately.

Iraq
Here we have an example of the damage being done. I opposed going to war back in 2003, but that's past history now. We have gone there, upset the controlling authority, and we are now the controlling authority. To leave now would be chaos not just for Iraq but the whole Middle East. We must help the Iraqis get back on their feet so that the can self-govern, and only THEN can we leave. We owe it to them, because we caused the disruption to their country, they didn't ask us to come.

Iran
Wholly, totally opposed to going to war in Iran. After what we went through in Iraq, to go into Iran with the same boneheaded plan would make us look stupid in the eyes of the world, because we hadn't learned our lessons with our experiences in Iraq. And we aren't done in Iraq, anyway. Why stir another hornets' nest?

Economy
I would insist on a line item veto, and if I don't get it, politicians better be prepared for me to veto the hell out of bills that contain pork or other earmarks. If we are going to ask the rest of the country to tighten their belts, we should be setting the example by tightening our own belts. Our economy will improve with all of us learning better spending habits. I would also work on cutting current taxes for useless and expensive programs that contribute nothing to our country. Or if they don't get cut, I'll divert the extra taxes to my "computer in every household" program.

More to come.