[seahorse]

I do think if PO happens that provides the best motivation for the EU to truly unify - if nothing else, bc they will all be sharing a few gas/oil pipelines coming from Russia and the Caspian. Absent that, I'm not so sure.

[EnergySpin]

Resisting China is a pretty good incentive by itself.
But you are right, the energy crunch will do that. And they are already paying 5-6$/gallon. If it gets more expensive, they can reduce the teaxes while keeping the state income afloat. If OPEC switches over to Euros (actually never mind that it does not have to be this way, the companies/Central Banks hold so many assets here they can liquidate them for dollars bursting the bubble and affording the oil). Manufacturing base is intact (in all the industries, why did we fuck this here?) so they can build the stuff they need.
About the research .... it is trully amazing, I('m actually between jobs going there for a year) and it is multicultural (but everything in English ). Defense budget is a small part of their national budgets and defense industries have diversified R&D product lines (i.e. telecomm, networks and planes
Why can't we do all that crap? What the hell happened?

[The_Toecutter]

Here's my platform:

1. War in Iraq - Violates Article VI Clause II of the U.S. Constitution and various international treaties the U.S. agreed to like the Uniting for Peace Charter. Pull out immediately, try Bush and every congressperson that voted in favor of the war for treason. War in Iraq costs $80 billion each year to the American people and has resulted in the deaths of nearly 2,000 American soldiers and over 100,000 innocent civilians.

2. Replacing Rehnquist- Ralph Nader
Replacing O'Conner- Jacob Hornberger would provide a nice balance to Ralph Nader.

3. Euthansia - A choice. Let individual people make it on their own will, instead of stopping them.

4. 2nd Amendment - The Brady Bill is a violation of Second Amendment. Abolish it. Further, any weapon of which the government is allowed to own, so too should the public be allowed to own so as to provide a defense against the government in times of tyranny. If the government doesn't want individual people owning nuclear weapons, so too should the government not be allowed to own them. There would be only one rational option. If the government wants its soldiers to be able to own fully-automatic assault rifles, so too should the public be allowed to own them.

5. Allowing Patriot act to Lapse, dismantling the Homeland Security Department, and preventing PATRIOT 2 from taking hold - Not one terrorist has ever been convicted in America since 911. Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act allows the government without a warrant or a court order or probable cause access to a person’s library, medical, commercial, and academic records without their consent. Those who are forced to turn over those records would be prosecuted if they told someone of the government invading their privacy. This violates the 1st amendment. Section 802 of the PATRIOT Act allows the government to classify a person or set of persons committing an act of dissent of which the government feels may be an attempt at coercion to influence government or corporate policy as a terrorist or terrorists, without any proof or cause that the act is causing any harm, another 1st Amendment violation. As stated earlier, Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act gives the government access to a person’s personal information without their consent or a warrant or a court order or probable cause. This violates the 4th amendment through amending Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Section 216 and 217 of the PATRIOT Act grants the government rights to searches of people’s homes, cars, telephone conversations, computers, and other property, and allows them to place under surveillance or confiscate this property, without a court order, warrant, or probable cause. This violates the 4th Amendment. Section 412 of the PATRIOT Act allows the government to detain any immigrant within American borders if they deem necessary, without a court order, warrant, or probable cause. It allows no judicial oversight. This violates the 4th Amendment and allows suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus. This section also grants the government the ability to strip Americans of their citizenship. Section 304 and 307 of the Homeland Security Act allow the government to forcibly vaccinate people even if the vaccine isn’t tested and is entirely experimental, and grants the company that manufactures the vaccine immunity from lawsuit if anything goes wrong. This is a violation of the 4th Amendment. President Bush’s military order, part of the PATRIOT Act, allows the government to try a non-military American citizen in a military tribunal. It allows the government to force people to incriminate themselves and allows the government to designate American citizens as ememy combatants without allowing them a chance to prove their innocence in the court of law. This is a violation of the 5th Amendment. The Homeland Security Act in Section 710 gives the Homeland Security Secretary unrestricted access to anything a witness states or reveals and has full access to the names of confidentially protected witnesses. This violates the 5th Amendment. Section 412 of the PATRIOT Act allows the government to detain immigrants without probable cause, warrant, or court order and strip Americans of their citizenship denying either of them a speedy and public trial. This violates the 6th Amendment. The 2nd Amendment, the most defended and prized among America’s conservatives, who generally don’t care about the others, will be the last to go once all the rest are taken away. One could easily note the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, which later became the VICTORY Act, also known as PATRIOT 2, has a provision to pass bill called the Our Lady of Peace Act, which would ban the private sale of all firearms within the United States. PATRIOT 2 has been pushed repeatedly by President Bush himself, although fortunately has failed to pass. Whatever rights the PATRIOT Act and Homeland Security Act failed to remove, PATRIOT 2 strips away the rest and adds even more constitutional violations. Ironic, considering George W. Bush himself and all members of Congress had to take the oath of affirmation before assuming office, which states, ‘I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.’ Every member of Congress that voted for these two bills along with the President that signed them into law committed nothing short of treason. The Homeland Security Department further costs Americans $40 billion a year.

6. Base closings and defense spending - Keeping a standing army during a time of peace within America is a violation of the third amendment to the Bill of Rights. The Colonial Declaration of Rights of October 14, 1774 states "keeping of a standing army in these Colonies, in times of peace, without the consent of the legislature of that Colony in which the army is kept, is against the law." Close them fuckers down, and cut the defense budget by $300 billion. According to the Department of Defense auditors, the DoD cannot account for 25% of expenditures, about $100 billion.

7. Senate Fillibuster rule - Keep the filibuster. It is needed so that a minority in congress can keep their voice.

8. Drilling in Alaska - No drilling unless the companies allowed to drill do so at a zero profit level, with compensation to the public for all the damages that will be done to the land in question. This is public land, not corporate land, and thus the public is owed compensation. Also under the condition that the government grants to the company(s) in question no subsidies.

9. Abortion - I may not agree with it, but it should be up to the woman in question and only the woman in question. Her body, her choice.



Other issues I'd like to throw out:

10. Corporate welfare- This is in excess of $100 billion a year, by some estimates $200 billion a year. This encompasses all government subsidies to corporations such as the utility, auto, oils, agriculture, and defense industries. All corporate subsidies should be ended outright.

11. War on Drugs- Countless violations of the 4th amendment this war should be abolished. Costs taxpayers over $40 billion a year.

12. Big Government- Abolish the CIA, FBI, NSA, DEA among other government bureaucracies that subvert the United States Constitution, threaten the safety of the American people, constantly usurp our civil liberties, and cost tax payers a combined toal of over $50 billion a year.

13. Social Security- Prosecute all those politicians that tampered with the 'lockbox', and make all industries bailed out with its funds such as the Savings and Loans among others pay what was taken, including liquidating the assets of the companies and politicians in question if necessary to replenish as much as possible.

14. Federal Reserve- Article I Section 8 Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress and only congress the power to coin money. Abolish the Federal Reserve, and back U.S. Currency with a fixed value so as to control inflation while prosecuting the banking establishment that sought to concentrate the bulk of the nation's money in its hands.

15. The environment- Want to generate pollution with a coal plant, a factory farm, refining crude into gasoline, or manufacturing an automobile? All pollution generated by industry should be taxed to pay for the damage it causes to the public in the form of contaminated drinking water, respiratory illnesses, foodborne illnesses, and the like. Industry would have no choice but to change their ways because no one could afford their products if they have to pay for the pollution associated with it. It is unfair to those who have to pay medical bills for illnesses caused by pollution they didn't put out, unfair for them to pay for property damage caused by soot of another industry, and unfair for them to purchase a food product contaminated with various pathogens without prior knowledge of the product's risks having been distributed. Would the social costs of burning a kWh of coal be added to the cost, it would be over $.09/kWh, would the same be done with gasoline it would be over $5/gallon, and would the same be done with internal combustion automobiles they would cost double what they do today(Sales would be so low there would be no choice but to offer the electrics for sale).

16. Media Monopolies- Abolish the Telecommunication Deregulation Act of 1996 and the FCC's decision regarding corporate ownership of radio and television. The airwaves were meant to be owned by the public, and not private individuals. The public deserves compensation for use of their property for purposes of advertising. Promote the development of individual, noncommercial, local radio by abolishing much of the FCC's regulations regarding pirate radio stations. Strictly enforce the Sherman Antitrust Act and laws regarding monopolies to break up the current media ownership.

17. Electricity- Promote the merits of alternative energy systems through extensie use of them. Under public approval, grant the governments of each county the ability to fund development projects for alternative energy such as wind and solar through their tax dollars. These developments would be publically owned, tax paid, built and with electricity sold at zero profit zero loss, and need to be publically approved. The merits of the alternatives along with cost analysis would be presented to the public of each county deciding the issue.

18. Genetically Modified Foods, Mad Cow Disease, and General Food Safety- All GMO, hormone-supplimented, or irradiated food products should require labelling so the consumer is given the option whether or not to purchase GMO, irradiated, or hormone modified products by having knowledge of what they are purchasing. All ruminants slaughtered for human consumption should be tested for Spongiform Encephalopathies before their meat enters consumption and is labelled as having been tested and free of infection.

19. Congressional, Executive, and Judicial Pay- Each congressperson shall henceforth be payed the median income earned in the United States for each year. The same shall apply to the President and his Cabinet, the Vice President, and to all Supreme Court Justices.

20. Campaign financing- A spending limit of no more than $5 million 2005USD for each presidential candidate, $200,000 for each state senator, and $100,000 for each state representative shall be exceeded. All non-monetary aid from incorporated sources should be abolished(Travel, lodging, ect.).

21. Presidential Debates- Abolish the current duopoly and private-controlled FEC rules that prevent other candidates from parties outside the two main parties from participating in presidential debates for public elections. Abolish private control of the debates.

22. Unemployment- Unemployment shall henceforth not be tallied on the basis of those receiving aid, but instead on the total number within the work force without a job, by their own will or not.

23. National Debt- Pass a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution criminalizing overspending by the Federal Government, freeze all foreign assets of our national debt, forgive all corporate-held assets of the national debt, and freeze the interest at the rate of inflation, and begin paying it off from all the cuts made in the budget. All previous cuts in the budget, cuts in defense spending, corporate welfare, elimination of the drug war, elimination of various bureaucratic functions, along with assets liquidated from politicians and their corporate benefactors which looted social security, would first go immediately to paying off in full the national debt and nothing else. 15 years would be a realistic timeframe with $500 billion per year saved.

24. The corporation and the Constitution- The constitution was intended to apply to individual people and not corporations. Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad is often cited as proof that corporations are granted the same rights as individual people but this is fallacy. The court never ruled on the 14th amendment case cited. Therefore, the constitution shall strictly be applied to individual people only, and not incorporated entities. Thomas Jefferson stated so eloquently: "I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of the moneyed corporations which already dare to challenge our Government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

25. Tax Cuts- The wealthy make most of the nation's income, therefore they should pay most of the nation's tax revenue. All offshore tax havens should be abolished, as should all loopholes that let the wealthy get out of paying their taxes. Furthermore, with the constitution not meant to apply to corporations, the bulk of the taxes should be shifted from the individual to the corporation. After the national debt would be payed off in a short period of 15 years by cutting $500 billion from the budget, a tax cut should be issued, from the bottom up.

26. Living Wage and Minimum Wage- All incorporated entities will be required to pay a living wage based upon region and living expenses of that region(ie. $26/hour in San Franscisco, but perhaps $12/hour in Butte, Montana). All unincorporated entities shall be exempt and subject to the 1992 minimum wage, preventing harm to small businesses. The minimum wage should hence be unchanged from its last installment, except for a quarterly adjustment for inflation or deflation. This would be the wage small businesses would pay, while the incorporated entitities would be subject to paying their employees the living wage necessary for a family of four to live comfotably.

27. Border Patrol- To close the borders and restrict travel is a basic affront to the freedoms granted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All borders with America shall henceforth be opened and unrestrricted, and border patrol abolished.

28. Mass Transit- The auto industry in the 1940s bought out and tore down the mass transit systems held within this country. In their place, publically held mass transit systems shall be erected after the national debt is payed, offering service at zero profit zero loss with cities built to accomodate mostly bikes, walking, and light rail, instead of only automobiles.

29. Veterans Issues- All veterans of the United States Armed Forces should be provided with full healthcare no matter whether they have an illness or not, all veterans should be provided with free housing on any remaining military bases, and all veterans should be exempt from taxes and payed each year a living wage based upon the region which they live.

30. Flag Desecration- It's supposed to be a free country. Let people be free to desecrate the Yankee Schwastika to their heart's content.

31. World Bank and IMF- Abolish all debts owed to America and American-based multinational corporations at the time of loan held by developing nations.

32. Trade- Abolish NAFTA, prevent CAFTA, abolish the WTO.

33. Crime and Punishment- The death penalty violates the 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution and costs taxpayers more money than to keep the subject in question in prison for life. Abolish it. The three strikes law shall also be abolished, and punishments for crimes such as robberies, grand theft auto, murder, manslaughter, shall all be reduced dramatically for the initial offense while repeat offenses shall have increased penalty.


I think that's enough for now.

[SeasonOfPain]

What Toecutter said.

Actually, that was very representative of my politics up to several months ago.

Now most of those issues seem pretty insignificant when you consider what's coming.

Either way, I still believe that the best policy to follow is the so-called Golden Rule. Don't mess with me and I won't mess with you.

[aldente]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', 'S')o, if we get a police state, will there be free doughnuts for everyone?

[I_Like_Plants]

Wow I've been through a lot of airports and they never scanned my eyes! I feel left out now! I did get felt up, close and personal, with a metal detector wand and um, hands in europe once though.

[killJOY]

Toecutter for Prez!


You so smart!

[Roy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')Hmm. By this logic, Somalia which seems to lack a functioning central government, is the world's most free country.

[Chuckmak]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seahorse', '
')Chuckmak,

Its easy to pick a label for youself when you haven't taken a position on any political issue. So, as a moderate, where do you stand on the Iraqi war, picking a replacement for Justice Oconner, euthansia, Brady Bill, allowing the Patriot Act to lapse, Base closings, the Senate Fillibuster rule, drilling in Alaska or off the coast of California (need I say abortion?). You tell us where you stand on these and all the other issues, and then we'll brand you appropriately. The point is, everyone sees themselves as being mainstream, surprise, surprise - but its how we see you that counts. So, maybe, just maybe, you'll get our vote for president.

[DomusAlbion]

I want to see a return to Feudalism, where I’m a country lord and all of you are serfs tending my fields.

[The_Toecutter]

I hate heirarchies. If I see any feudalism post-peak I'll do my best to kill every goddamn feudal lord I find. Of course, we're already on the path of corporate feudalism without peak having caused that! The corporate feudalism is impossible for a single individual to dispatch without killing innocents since we still have a government in place(and an oversized one at that). Hoping if peak does come, it gets rid of all these boardroom nazis, but in the short term, its more likely to make them worse as this country creeps ever more past that line of fascism.

[eric_b]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('The_Toecutter', 'H')ere's my platform:

(...)

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('The_Toecutter', 'H')ere's my platform:
cut the defense budget by $300 billion. .

[seahorse]

Toecutter,

Everyone's willing to fight, going to kill, but just somehow, the timings just never right - "But I will, I swear I will kill everyone of them bastards."

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Riddick', 'A')ll generalizations are false.

[Doly]

I'd say generalizations are generally true, but not true in all cases.