|
POSITION
ON THE ISSUES
ABORTION:
While
I personally find abortion deplorable, I am not prepared to impose
my personal belief on the entire nation. I therefore support keeping
abortions safe and legal for those women who believe they need it.
A more complete opinion is available on my Web
site.
GUN
CONTROL:
Statistics
measuring the effectiveness of gun control are, at best, inconclusive.
At worst, they show gun control laws to worsen the very problems
they purport to solve. Before we further discuss curtailing this
very important liberty, I would insist on conclusive evidence showing
that such measures would be effective.
DRUGS:
While
many drugs are far too dangerous/addictive for casual or recreational
use (such as PCP), and while I *discourage* excessive use of all
drugs (including alcohol and nicotine), I would fully support decriminalization
of the sale and use of some drugs (such as marijuana).
MILITARY
SPENDING:
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION:
While
this nation has made magnificent strides toward preserving the environment
for future generations, more progress is possible and desirable.
In particular, I would like to see the emissions of SUVs brought
into line with ordinary passenger cars. I would also like to see
expanded research into recycling techniques.
EDUCATION:
At
this point, it hardly matters where the money comes from; the fact
is our schools are in deplorable shape, and the future of our booming
economy is threatened by improperly educated young adults entering
the workforce. I therefore fully support *greatly* expanded funding
of academics.
SUPPORT
FOR THE ARTS:
I don't
have a very articulate point of view here. My basic view is that
government funding of the arts is, overall, a good thing, and should
continue. In particular, I would be pleased to see increased funding
for Public Broadcasting so that corporate sponsorships need not
be pursued to ensure survival.
IMMIGRATION:
This
is an incredibly complex issue, involving funding of entitlement
programs, effects on employment, population density and urban planning,
social impact, and other factors. I lack the facts and formal training
to offer an informed opinon.
FOREIGN
AID:
This
question is over-broad; each instance of foreign aid is unique.
(I could comment on specific instances of foreign aid.)
PRIVACY
RIGHTS:
I am
a strong advocate of privacy rights for the citizens of this nation,
if for no other reason than the basic lesson we were all taught
as children: It's none of their business.
At
the same time, however, I find the ideas presented in "The Transparent
Society", by David Brin, to be worthy of some public discussion.
INTERNET
REGULATION:
I am
an adamant opponent of any regulations which attempt to censor information
or mandate MPAA-style ratings on the Internet, with the following
exception: I would like to see effective measures in place to prevent
the sending of unsolicited commercial e-mail ("spam"), unless the
recipient explicitly and pro-actively indicates they wish to receive
such material.
Anti-spam
legislation would be difficult to craft, as there are First Amendment
issues involved. However, it's interesting to observe that First
Amendment issues are the *only* issues involved. There are no other
legitimate arguments that can be brought to bear in defense of spam.
CORPORATE
REGULATION:
Corporations
have shirked a great deal of social and ethical responsibility in
the name of maximizing shareholder value. On the other hand, government
regulation tends to be complex, slow to act, and too often insufficient.
I would therefore be interested in exploring ways to put social
and ethical responsibility into the shareholder value equation.
DEATH
PENALTY:
Sadly,
I believe there are people in our society who are irredeemable,
and should be permanently removed. However, I'm not convinced execution
is the best way to handle this in all cases.
ANYTHING
ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
With
the advent of inexpensive, widely available computers, Intellectual
Property law in this country is in dire need of fundamental re-examination.
In particular, copyright and patent law must be brought into accord
with the unalterable realities of digital media.
|
