Category: Uncategorized

Tenet#6

The Pro American Party believes our military needs to be the best in the world. In a world that does not respect anything but power,  we cannot afford to have anything less. However our foreign policy should be weighted in favor of providing non-military assistance as a primary component of our policy. The use of our military should be a last resort and only for clear and limited purpose that is the best interests of the vast majority of citizens and not of the elite or special interests. Educational and cultural exchange opportunities should be encouraged for citizens and at all levels of government. The Pro American Party believes that cartons of food that say “USA” show more good will than military options and should be pursued when advantageous. When American goods are sent to a foreign country it is incumbent upon the State Department to devise a method for ensuring those goods are actually delivered to the people of the country and not simply to those in power.

Should it be necessary for the military to engage in war the Congress is authorized to collect an additional tax to pay for this expense.  The immediate negative view of an extra tax will, by itself, ensure that all Americans are involved in the decision to go to war.   Politicians will have to be able to explain why a war is in our best interests.

If I Had The Power is comprised largely of veterans who have great respect for our military.  We want our military reserved as a last resort, not a first option.    Future tenets will further enhance the status of our veterans, to create a better path for them once they return home from their military duty.

Tenet #5

The budget of the United States shall be established in five year increments. The budget of the United States shall be balanced. Persons making less than $25,000 per year shall not be subject to federal income tax. (Note:  the same Social Security formula  mentioned in previous tenets will be used to determine the total amount a citizen will be allowed to make before paying taxes.   In essence, as the cost of living goes up, the more money that can be made before taxes kick in.)  Taxes for citizens making more than $25,000 a year shall be taxed at a progressively higher rate as their income rises. Tax rates will rise in taxable increments of $25,000.   Congress will set the tax rate based on their five year budget and the rate will include a 7% emergency fund over the agreed upon budget. If, at the end of five years, the fund goes unused, 20 % of the surplus will be returned to the citizenry each year that the fund goes unused in the same percentage as they were taxed.

There are three fundamental differences between this budget method and the current budget method.  First, the budget must be balanced.  Second, although the tax rate will increase as income increases, it will be the same, incrementally,  for everyone as they go through the various tax brackets.  It follows below:

0 – $25K  =  no tax

25K – 50K =  15 percent – but only on the amount over 25K (the first 25K is not taxed)

50K – 75K = mixed – no tax on first 25K, 15 percent for 2nd increment, 17 percent for 3rd increment

In essence the tax rate will rise 2 percent every 25K until it reaches a maximum rate of 50 percent.

This is different from the current method because currently the brackets are designed completely differently and once you are in a particular bracket you pay a tax based on the entire amount you make,  not the incremental approach taken here.

Third, because the budget must be balanced the tax rate will be flexible.  When the 5 year budget is determined, the tax rate for those 5 years will be based on that budget.   This will certainly put pressure on lawmakers to limit the size of the budget, but requirements from other tenets will prevent lawmakers from harming the poor in order to save the rich money.

If unexpected emergencies require expenditures beyond the ability of the emergency fund,  a temporary surplus tax will be necessary to again balance the budget.

One of the other expectations of this style of budget is that it will greatly limit the number of wars we engage in because we will all pay for it in real time.   The current method of ‘borrowing’ money for wars allow us to ignore the reality that sooner or later the bill comes due.

 

 

Supreme Court Hypocricy by Congress

President Obama has just nominated Chief Judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy of Antonin Scalia who died a little over a month ago.

Unfortunately for Garland, unless the Scalia family themselves were to interject themselves into the process and ask that Garland get a vote, it is almost certain that a vote will not occur.

Once again this shows how both Republicans and Democrats ignore their duty in the face of political ends.   We, the American citizenry, and our constitution are the ones that pay the price.

In this instance the Republicans are the bad guys.   However, they are simply following actions that the Democrats have made in years past.   If interested, please look at the following links.   These links show that both sides are hypocrites and have no values that can’t be thrown away for temporary political advantage.

Of note, it was the “Thurmond” rule in 2008 and now it is the “Biden” rule in 2016.

Here is yet another, more in depth explanation of the issues.

Here are the Democrats doing the same thing.

Tenet #4

The Pro American Party believes it is in our national interest to be able to produce, in-country, all goods currently imported into the United States. Any product sold in the U.S. for which over 50% of the product component is imported is eligible to be designated as a product of national importance. Once such a designation is made, low cost loans shall be made available by the government to certified businesses and entrepreneurs to produce the designated product in the United States so that U.S. production capability is increased to a minimum of 50% of total sales. Certification in particular areas would be granted by meeting required qualification standards for the industry in question. In certain circumstances this may be impossible. In such instances the Congress is authorized to make exceptions as necessary.
Tariffs, if necessary, shall be imposed by the Congress on all imported goods to ensure American made products are competitive. When determining the amount of the tariff the Congress should review the work standards and wages of the country of origin as part of the tariff determination process.

It is our hope and belief that this tenet will open the door to bringing manufacturing back to the United States.   In the past manufacturing jobs were responsible for creating much of the middle class.   The last several trade agreements have not been in the best interests of Americans, and as a result we lost millions of manufacturing jobs.  We intend to bring them back!

Tenet #3

While recognizing that there is room for legitimate debate among subject matter experts, this party believes in the scientific method as the most appropriate way to determine the facts in any area of dispute.

The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way.

The following comes from Science Buddies dot org:

 

  • The scientific method is a way to ask and answer scientific questions by making observations and doing experiments.
  • The steps of the scientific method are to:
    • Ask a Question
    • Do Background Research
    • Construct a Hypothesis
    • Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
    • Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
    • Communicate Your Results

It is important for your experiment to be a fair test. A “fair test” occurs when you change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions the same.

At If I Had The Power we reject the idea that the conclusions people make are equally valid regardless of how those conclusions were reached.  We don’t want those that yell the loudest to win the contest, we prefer facts and a way to validate those facts.

 

Tenet #2

The Pro American Party endorses the idea that having a working population is in the best interests of our country. We also support the idea of active citizenship and believe everyone needs to do their fair share.  (Active citizenship will be discussed in future posts.)

In our view it is not in the best interests of the country for one segment of society to support the other in the form of welfare.   Corporate welfare is therefore abolished immediately.   Support for corporations will come in the form of a reduced tax rate should they abide by the tenets of this platform.   In addition, American corporations may, if they choose, ask for specific help from the government as needed, provided that assistance shall directly benefit American workers in the form of greater employment and/or higher wages.

Welfare or other assistance for the needy shall be abolished for all but the most severely disabled and replaced with a government program that guarantees all adult persons not in school an opportunity to work full-time in their community. The wage for this work should be $12 an hour, with child care benefits and health care included at no cost. Yearly wage adjustments should be based on the same formula as social security increases/decreases. If a person is able to work, but chooses not to, he/she will not receive a wage or government benefits. Workers will pay into social security and receive social security benefits at retirement, but no other pension plan will be provided.  Of note,  the government shall provide suitable employment to the disabled, should their disability be able to be reasonably accommodated as specified in the ADA.  It is noted that all workers must perform their work according to accepted and approved standards or risk losing this benefit.

The intent of this program is to ensure that all Americans can find work immediately if they lose employment in the private sector; such employment would remain available to each person until a new private sector job can be secured. The type of work that recipients perform would depend on the needs of the local, state and federal governments, who will decide what services are needed in their respective jurisdictions.   The Department of Labor will coordinate this effort, and will assist state and local entities in developing work programs that meet federal requirements.  As a result of this program, all other assistance programs will be eliminated as there will be no need for them.

Local businesses are eligible to use persons in this program for temporary workers. They would reimburse the program $25 per hour for every person provided, but the individual would continue to receive their normal wage and program health/child care benefits from the DOL. The costs of this program would also rise/fall using the aforementioned formula.

Students who are at least age 18 and attending a college, junior college or technical school may work up to 20 hours week.  They will also be eligible for health and child care benefits.

This tenet is designed to ensure all Americans can find work should they choose.   In addition, this tenet will require corporations to pay a competitive wage, because they will not get workers if they do not meet or exceed the government program.   This tenet will also eliminate the ability of businesses to reduce wage/benefit/hours worked that harm American families.   It should also be noted that having full employment will reduce social friction, crime and discrimination.   There will no longer be one segment of society giving to another, as all persons will earn their wages with their labor.

The wage for a person working full-time would be $24,960 per year.   This means that a household supported by only one wage earner would not be subject to federal income tax.  Specific tax rates will be discussed in a future post.

Social Stratification and Capitalism

Social stratification describes the social position of persons in society.    In our society we categorize people into rankings based on factors like wealth, income, social status, occupation and power. In the U.S.stratification, in its simplest form, refers to upper class, middle class, and lower class.

Although stratification is found in all developed countries, it has run amok in the United States.    We, as a society, have become so separated that we have forgotten that each of us has individual worth and contributes to the whole.   E pluribus unum, the motto of our country, seems to have been forgotten of late.   To me this is a serious issue and one that I address in the tenets to come.

Capitalism is Good???

Capitalism is a tested economic strategy with many advantages.   Our country has developed under the auspices of this economic model. We have become the world power, in part because of this system.  However we do need to recognize the tensions that exist with capitalism in a democratic society.   By definition, a democracy is designed to give everyone a voice, while capitalism only gives voice to the rich and powerful.   Because of this tension, strong government with democratic values is required to keep rein on the abuses capable in unchecked capitalism.

One of the biggest problems with capitalism is that it causes us to completely lose our values in favor of money.   This abuse has disrupted more traditional and meaningful human interaction and crushes diverse cultures under its weight.   Our worth is determined by our bank accounts, at a time when society would be better off if worth was determined by an individual’s contribution to society.

Capitalism encourages greed, over-consumption and rampant consumerism.  In my younger days I was a willing cog in the capitalism machine.   I moved my entire family, multiple times, in pursuit of a better job with more money, more prestige and a nicer car.  It is only in retrospect that I regret my actions and wish to at least warn others that this is a false pursuit and does not result in real happiness.

What problems does capitalism create?

(The following paragraph is from an unknown author, but I include it because it is on target and succinct.) Under capitalism, the profit motive is supreme. Mathematics replace morality in the sense that profitable activity thrives and all other activity is suppressed. Problems arise from activities which are financially productive but socially destructive. Love is fundamental to human welfare and yet, because it leads to activity such as sharing, caring and giving away, it runs counter to economic ‘progress’, so those activities which promote love are discouraged, while those which discourage it are promoted. The capitalist system rewards selfishness but punishes altruism.

In light of the problems discussed I have developed tenets for the Pro American Party that create a new value system, one that promotes unity in our country.   I would ask that you look at tenets #7 and 11 when they are published to see how I address these issues.

Pro American Party

I know, I have just written about the negatives of political parties with the George Washington quote.   However, given our current political structure, I don’t see another way to proceed.   Perhaps we should be called Independents of the Pro American persuasion.  If you think of a better name, or a better structure, please help.

In the meantime the platform of the Pro American Party is designed to foster political ideas that support the best interests of the overwhelming majority of Americans. The focus of this party is on economic issues and national security, but it will address all issues that affect our quality of life. Recognizing that both the Republican and Democratic Parties have made it clear by their actions and rhetoric that the good of our Country and its citizenry is far less important than their ideologies and special interests, the Pro American Party is formed to protect our country and citizens now and into the future.
Purpose of Government:

The highest purpose of government is to protect its citizens. Within the Pro American Party we believe in a government that not only protects us from foreign powers, but also from corporations and any other entities that have resources and means beyond those of the average citizen that, if unchecked, may act in ways that are not in the best interests of our citizens.

The Pro American Party wants the government to be as small as possible, but large enough to do the work necessary to safeguard our sovereignty.   We believe we have a responsibility to future generations to safeguard our human and natural resources. Our government will be designed to ensure these resources are protected now and into the future.

Both the Republican and Democratic parties are welfare parties.   The Democrats give to the poor and the Republicans give to the wealthy via corporate welfare.   This party will require that everyone earns what they get…but unlike other parties, we will create the structure that allows all to be successful when they act responsibly.

The tenets of the Pro American Party will follow, but if after reading them you think we need to add one or more, please submit your idea.

 

George Washington

George Washington, father of our country, made the following statement:

“However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

Have you ever considered how the two major political parties in our country have put a strangle hold on power?   Do you think Republicans and Democrats have the answers to every problem?   I don’t.

One of the things that really upsets me is the coercive manner the parties use to ensure their members stay the party line.   Our elected representatives are not free to speak their minds…at least not without retribution.    Party leaders decide who gets into key committees.   They also decide whether certain members will get money from the party for reelection and how much, based on their adherence to the party platform.  God help the man or woman who sides with the other party on an issue of importance.   If you do, they will run a candidate against you in the next primary to highlight their displeasure.

Imagine if we did not have political parties and instead required each representative to create their own unique platform.  In such a case strategic alliances would hold sway only when there was a meeting of the minds.  Our country would be stronger for it.

Some of the nonsense within political parties is currently being highlighted mostly by the Republicans in the race for the presidency.   After spending an entire debate excoriating Donald Trump, complaining how incompetent he was, at the end of the debate each of the candidates then swore they would support him if be became the nominee.   Were they kidding?   No, unfortunately they were not.   In our current environment, their loyalty to their party is more important than their values.

How did we get to this point?   Wow.

Victor Hugo

Below are two of my favorite Victor Hugo quotes.  I have published them early because they give insight into my thinking process.

“Where there is darkness crimes will be committed. The guilty one is not merely he who commits the crime, but he who caused the darkness.”

This quote points out that if we set up a system that ensures that some of us will fail, those who set up the system are just as guilty as those who are trapped within it.

For example, there are several social theories that attempt to explain at least some aspects of crime.  Social Structure theories posit that crime is an acquired behavior because conditions within the environment are pathological.   Give the Hugo quote, we can say those who were responsible for creating the pathological environment are just as guilty as those who are forced to live in it.

We will discuss this more in the future.

The second quote I like is found below:

“Change your opinions, keep your principles.”

Too many of us (myself included) make a decision about something and then quit thinking about it.   This becomes a problem when new information emerges, but we refuse to look at it…we have made up our minds.

This quote reminds me to keep an open mind when new information presents itself and then reevaluate my stance on an issue with the new information at hand, but based on those enduring principles within us that guide our thinking and behavior.