Reply #177: I'm not exactly a centrist, but I'm probably more so than many DUers.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

At least inasmuch as that I'd rather see a policy I think is moderately good and has a good chance of being implemented to one that I think is very good but will lose to a bad one. I don't know if these views are representative of people who regard themselves as "left-wing centrists", but I am one such person and they're my views.


Iraq: Get out. Start soon. Don't rush it once you've started - it's worth trying to leave the country in as unbroken a state as possible. It will go to hell in a handcart as soon as the Americans are gone no matter what, though.

Iran: Don't invade it. Try to make people believe that you may invade it if pushed, because doing so is a valuable diplomatic tool, but even if pushed don't actually invade it. Use diplomatic pressure, sticks and carrots to try and persuade it to abandon its attempts to aquire nuclear weapons, or to frustrate them if it continues.

Domestic Spying: Make sure it can only be done via the legal system. Ensure that the security agencies are not used for political purposes.

Economic Policy: Higher taxes on the rich and very rich; tax cuts for the poor.

Health Care Reform: This is one where what I'd like to see brought in and what I think the Democrats should try and bring in differ widely. I think America should have a European style national health service; I think the Democrats should support government funded health insurance, because it will cost them fewer votes, even though it will be less efficient.

US Job Protection/Minimum Wage: Don't try and use America's economic muscle to force companies to employ Americans in preference to non-Americans; that's morally unjustifiable. Tolerate "outsourcing", but don't encourage it. Cut subsidies to American industries & agriculture and protectionist tariffs on imports - they're some of the primary causes of third-world poverty. Pressure the EU to do the same. Pressure Third World countries to impose somewhat better minimum labour standards. Protecting American labour at the expense of the rich if good; protecting American labour at the expense of the poor in the Third World is bad. The minimum wage is an issue for professional economists where the opinions of lay-people are utterly worthless, but from what I've heard something in the region of $8:00 per hour would be sensible.

Education: Spend much, much more money on it, especially in poor & deprived areas. No ID in schools. Subsidise college education for the poor. Education is the most important responsibility of the state.

Environment: Introduce heavier taxes on pollutants. Spend more money on researching renewable energy sources. Build more nuclear power stations - nuclear fuel disposal is not nearly as bad for the environment as global warming.