Me (Pro) vs. You (Con) Presidential Debate

Domestic Policy: One of the most important parts of my platform will be to restore many civil liberties lost in previous administrations. This means if elected, I will immediately begin working to repeal the Patriot Act and the National Defense Authorization Act, while putting an end to the NSA spying on citizens without a warrant from a court. People have the right to privacy, and that right must be protected and my administration will work towards that. I would also decriminalize drug use and legalize prostitution. One of the most important rights is the right to liberty and that means people should be able to do as they choose, even if it is potentially dangerous or otherwise frowned upon. Ultimately, people who don’t harm others will not be punished with jail time and a criminal record. This will also save lots of money that is currently spent on the disastrous War on Drugs. Not only that, if these acts are legal, they can be conducted in a much safer manner as you know what you’re buying with drugs (so they won’t be laced with anything the consumer doesn’t want) or prostitutes are less likely to be abused. I will also work to abolish affirmative action based on race and allow employers and schools to accept people based on their accomplishments and ambitions, not based on race or gender. They may also choose whether they give preference to those who come from lower income backgrounds or not. Finally for domestic policy, I will enact stricter gun regulations. One must demonstrate they can handle and treat a gun safely and properly, much like one must pass a driving test before they can drive, before they can legally purchase and carry a gun. They will also need to take tests to show they are psychologically sound and pass a universal background check. This ensures, that most people with guns will know how to properly respect and treat such a potentially dangerous tool. Foreign Policy: The first thing I would do in foreign policy would be to cut foreign aid. This is taxpayer money which could either be spent on things that benefit Americans or paying off the large national debt the United States faces. I will also decrease the enormously large amount of money the US currently spends on the military, as this money could also be put to more productive use. I will also work towards ending the War on Terror and withdrawing most American troops from the Middle East. The soldiers have worked hard and shown great bravery and it’s time for them to come home. Otherwise, we will always try to negotiate in situations before ever risking soldiers’ lives in war. This will include continuing President Obama’s current negotiations with Iran. However, we will maintain an international presence and work with the UN to keep peace in regions across the globe. Social Policy: I believe the government should not be involved in marriage and no one should receive any perks because they are married. This will solve the controversial gay marriage topic, so a Church (or wherever) can choose whether they marry a gay couple or not. I also believe that euthanasia should be legal, as long as consent is given. It is humane, because if someone does not wish to go through unthinkable pains and just wishes to die, they should be allowed to do so. The right to liberty should include the right to choose to die. I will also work towards legalizing abortion in all 50 states. It is often practical, as the parent won’t be able to raise the kid in a proper environment. It is also often humane, because a woman who was raped, did not choose to be rape, so therefore she did not want to have a baby (at least with the person that raped her). The Supreme Court has also already declared abortion as a right. Finally, I believe the Death Penalty should be implemented in cases of murder (unless it was an accident, such as killing someone in a car accident). Along with this, I believe we should encourage cities and states to increase their police force. This will help act as a deterrent to crime, and ideally make the US a safer place. Energy/Environmental Policy: I believe we should give tax cuts to startups in nuclear power. Nuclear power can harness great amounts of energy and has little emissions. It is the most realistic option to replace coal power, which is too damaging to the environment. As one of the world’s largest energy consumers, it is our responsibility to the world and future generations to make an effort to protect the environment. Education Policy: The American education system has many flaws and needs to be revamped. It must have a greater focus on STEM subjects, much tougher marking, and require understanding of concepts just not how these concepts are implemented. An example would be, students would need to demonstrate they understand the theory behind physics problems, not just how to solve questions with physics concept. This combination will lead to America having some of the brightest minds of the future, as they have strong thinking and reasoning skills, while growing up in a competition, where they will push themselves to improve. Immigration Policy: I believe anyone who passes a universal background check, should be able to become a citizen easily, provided they can pass a citizenship test. The US was built off immigrants, and they or their children can often add great things to society. Healthcare Policy: I believe healthcare is a basic human right. I would transition into a Canadian style healthcare system. It will cover everyone from birth to death and be paid for as part of national budget, where everyone paying taxes pitches in. This system is also more pragmatic as people will be less concerned about large medical bills and therefore have more money to spend in the economy. I also believe all children should be required to be vaccinated. If a child is not vaccinated it is not only a threat to the child, but others. Following the same reasoning, I believe there should be a smoking ban in public areas. Economic Policy: I believe that welfare should be abolished and replaced with a negative income tax, as described by Milton Friedman, paired with a flat income tax. This is an example of how this would be run (1): -“The income tax rate is 50%. -The tax exemption is $30000. -The subsidy rate is 50% and equal to the income tax rate. Under this scheme: -A person earning $0 would receive $15000 from the government. -A person earning $25000 would receive $2500 from the government. -A person earning $30000 would neither receive any money nor pay any tax. -A person earning $50000 would pay a tax of $10000. -A person earning $100000 would pay a tax of $35000. However, I would drop the income tax rate to 25%, so people have more money to spend in the economy or save for later use. Also, I believe minimum wage should be abolished as companies can hire more workers, there is less incentive for companies to automate jobs that people could be working, and it makes it easier for teenagers to get work experience. Not only that, but if a person and a company agree to a wage, the government should not interfere with that deal. I believe that retirement pensions should gradually be phased into a private system. This way, people who have spent many years paying into the system would be compensated, but then future generations do not need to rely on the government to take care of their savings and they can spend/save their money as they choose. I would also encourage the Federal Reserve to lower the inflation targeting rate from 2% to about 1%. The recession is over, so there is no reason for the inflation rate to be that high. One percent is still needed though to avoid deflation, which can have dangerous consequences, economically. I would also put a higher priority on paying back the national debt, even if some social programs or infrastructure projects need to be cut. 1-http://en.wikipedia.org...Con must now provide their platform, but can not address mine yet. He may simply list what he believes with short explanations or if he chooses he can go into more depth.