In the Age of Trump here are the things that most concern
me. I’m not sure of their priority order but I list them as they come to mind
in rapid succession:
- Retention of Gay Rights; continue to decrease discrimination of gays
- Full access to healthcare at the least cost possible; move towards universal coverage
- Full access to quality education for all; no barriers based on income or poverty; based on ability, personal achievement and motivation
- Maintain regulations against greed in commerce and industry; safeguard banking and investment industries against fraud and manipulation
- Planned maintenance and replacement of public infrastructure
- Eliminate private donations from political campaigns
- Separation of Church and State
- Woman’s right to choose abortion or not
- Free trade world wide with tariff penalties on nation’s subsidizing their goods
- A full commitment to world peace and making it happen
- Replacement of ‘oil standard’ with new technology and renewable energy sources
- Protection of the planet with air/water/soil conservation standards adopted and policed globally
There are more topics of interest but these are my primary ones. Being gay is the reason for my first topic, but gay
rights speak as well to the civility and acceptance of diversity throughout our
society. It is healthy to be diverse; society is strengthened and more dynamic
because of diversity. Diversity does not require sameness of mind or thought;
that would be the opposite of diversity.
Healthcare is a basic human right. Yes it is expensive; but
it is also a primary element of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If
we all have that we are then able to live out our own dream.
Access to education according only to the student’s ability
and self motivation should produce the highest possible outcomes for our
society. Intelligence and ability are not dictated by wealth or social class.
They should be free to seek their own rewards based on their own merit.
Governance ought not be purchased. All elected officials
should be barred from accepting any emolument that could be construed to
influence the official’s discharge of duties. All political campaigns are to be
paid from public budgets of the specific taxing bodies attached to the elected
office.
Free markets do not exist for the most part. Regulations
shall be crafted to guard the public against manipulation and greed from
stakeholders of commerce and industry. The banking and investment industries are
to be carefully regulated to avoid fraud and manipulation.
Public infrastructure is a common good used by both
commercial and public interests. It ought to be well planned and budgeted from
public resources for timely maintenance, replacement and expansion.
Religious beliefs or absence of same are not to directly
affect the governance of the people. Such are private and social matters free
of interference from government. Mingling of church and state issues is
strictly prohibited.
A woman’s right to choose child bearing issues is solely her
own, not that of the state or religion. Abortion access is a health option
guaranteed to all women.
Free trade encourages full use of all economic resources
throughout the globe. Artificial pricing of labor, raw materials or finished
goods will not be allowed with the exception of penalties levied against a
nation’s goods that are subsidized by their government.
The natural state of the world’s societies should be rooted
in peace. All nations must work together to build and maintain that peace. Military
forces are to be designed for defensive postures and uses rather than offensive
ones. World governing bodies are to design controls against violations and
implement their use as needed.
Removing the globe from the ‘oil standard’ is commonsense.
Oil supplies are finite. Locale of such resources cause social unrest and wars.
New energy resources are available and expanded without harming the planet or
causing wars. Thus the oil standard should be eliminated by 2050.
The planet is our home and needs to be protected from
behaviors that would despoil it or cause its death. Environmental protection is
vital to mankind’s survival and quality of life.
In a complex world of enormous diversity we owe it to
ourselves and future generations to adhere to the above principles. This is my
opinion. What’s yours?
February 7, 2017
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