Reply #73: Let's all believe

[BernieBear]

The idea of a "Liberal" is decidely negative at this point in time - bleeding heart liberal, tax and spend liberal, big government liberal - that is how the "other side" has framed us. I am not any of those things, I frankly don't know what a "liberal" is, maybe there is a definition somewhere. I just know that 'many' people don't want to 'be' a liberal and they see themselves as 'successful' and they are "Christians" (or have a belief in God) so they "are Republicans"

I live by my faith in a Universal intelligence I call God
I believe in national fiscal discipline
I believe in personal responsibility
I believe we are all one
I believe we are as strong as our weakest link
I believe in affordable health care for all
I believe Doctors need to be paid well (trust me they currently aren't, they work REALLY hard now for very LITTLE reimubursement, the drug companies and Insuranace companies are the one's making the money)
I believe in strengthening social security
I believe in flat tax starting around $40K and is a flat percent no matter how much you earn with no deductions (includes taxation at same rate on capital gains)
I believe in separation of church and state to the degree that the state has no right to impose a religion on me, but has no right to take away might right to worship
I believe our nation is a nation based in spirituality but not in "Christianity" as in a particular brand of belief structures, dogma and practice - all "Christians" do not believe the same
I believe in equal rights but not quotas
I believe in a system which rewards those that are successful
I believe in each person having the integrity that if they are successful they provide back to their community, their nation through charitable giving, community efforts, etc.
I believe that not all people have the skills to be successful and we must not just warehouse or give subsistance to those who are poor and disadvantaged, we must provide programs that motivate, encourage and TEACH them how to get from where they are to where they want to be
I believe in John Edwards' two America's but I believe John Edwards left out the bridge in between - our party (in my mind) should be the bridge. That's how I believe in personal responsibility and helping those who have less
I believe war should always be a last resort
I believe in a strong military but one you rarely use
I believe we should lead by example and not by firepower
I believe we should be globally engaged
I believe America should be the shining star upon the hill and we have the obligation to lead the way, but we can not lead by force or fear, instead we should lead by example
I believe we must end partisianship in politics as our current group of lawmakers are ALL (almost) CORRUPT
I believe that honesty must underly our national debate
I believe we should end campaigning as it's been done and instead every newspaper and every TV station should provide a forum whereby a standardized "issues" list is completed or discussed by each candidate. They are allowed to ask questions of one another's plan but not to make "misleading" statements. There would be no advertising of campaigns. It would all be issue based (as a nation we could decide how to include how to view the area of morals and ethics). Each candidate would also prepare a resume which would be given to all Americans. Every taxpayer in the country would pay in $25 per year into a fund which would provide $5 billion dollars which should cover the cost of the candidates preparing resumes, issues statements and cover media costs (provided by TV, newspapers at cost) THERE WOULD BE NO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ALLOWED BY ANYONE OR ANY COMPANY TO ANY POLITICIAN
I believe elections should be a national holiday and held on Friday
I believe winners should not be announced until a set day in the future so all votes can be counted.
Any "projection" by a news organization should be, by law, identified in large letters as (for example) ZOGBY EXIT POLL PROJECTION ESTIMATES, but it is not binding and no one "concedes" until the set period is up.

I believe John Kerry will be inaugurated on January 20, 2005
I believe I don't ever have to know the "how" of something, the universe is much better at figuring that out then I am, I just need to know the "what" and then do the next right thing and show up every day, it always works out.