Common Sense Party 1

Gray, Cesar, Delphinia, Carson, Rocio, Johannah

Common Sense Party

Government/English 4

Baker/Brandes

November 7, 2018

Mascot: The Thinker

Symbol:
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Party Platform

FOREIGN POLICY: Military service, military spending, and syria

Military Service: We believe one year of military service for citizens 18+ should not be

mandatory. There are plenty of youth willing to enlist in the service. I understand wanting the

youth to understand and appreciate the freedom of living in America, but sending unwilling
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youth to fight for their lives is unreasonable. If there is ever a point in time where there are not

an abundance of volunteers, then I believe in making it mandatory.

Military Spending: We believe that we should not increase military spending and instead divert

some of the money going into improving our country. Increasing and improving our military at

the rate we are now does not help our country in the long run. We have one of the best militaries

in the world, but our education system is failing, over 50% of our population is obese, and we

have around 50,000 veterans living on the streets with little or no help when they leave the

military. We shouldn’t be pouring more and more money into our already functioning military

when our citizens are suffering. That money should instead go towards programs and federal aid

for the people that need it. We should divert spending to diplomatic efforts.

Military Force: We believe that military force should be a last resort for international relations.

Diplomacy needs to be our first line of offense. We need to present ourselves as a country

founded on diplomacy and compromise. If we are to achieve world peace, we must be willing to

attempt diplomacy before putting up dukes.

DOMESTIC POLICY: Net neutrality, gun control, drug legalization, and election reform

Net neutrality: We believe that the internet should be a public space for anyone and everyone. I

understand paying to be a member, or have an account on certain websites. It’s unethical to make

people to pay for the internet when you need to succeed. Everything is on the internet, job

applications, family, and school work.We believe that the internet should remain free and
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unbiased by providers. As a greater and greater part of society and people’s daily lives, the

internet is the new town square and no one company should be in control of the space. In fact, as

the government owns the town square, it should provide access to the internet as it is now like

any other utility.

Gun control: We believe that weapons should be regulated more heavily to guarantee safety in

society. Part of acquiring a weapon should include a training in the proper use of the weapon.

Being able to correctly handle a weapon is incredibly important training for anyone who plans on

using one. Even those who may never use a gun, in particular, in any setting should participate to

be comfortable and familiarize themselves with guns and their Second Amendment rights.

Drug legalization: We believe that drugs should not be legalized. Drug addiction is a mental

health issue. Addicts need to get mental help, not easier access to drugs. We think that drugs

should be decriminalized, but not legalized.

Election reform: We believe the division and toxicity produced by our election system has gone

too far and our country requires serious reform to the way our elections are held. Televised

debates between candidates shouldn’t have live audiences, voters should be given money to

donate to local, state, and federal races, companies and corporations should be public about the

candidates they support financially and companies should not be treated like citizens.Within our

party we do not endorse candidates who run vitriolic or spiteful campaigns.

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Governmental Reform: We believe governmental processes are being corroded for short term

political gains. We need to implement previous super majorities on senate confirmations to breed

compromise and trust between parties and individual politicians.

CRIME: Body cameras, felons voting, and death penalty

Body cameras: We believe all police officers should have their body cameras on at all times

while doing their job. Body cameras should be worn for the safety of law enforcement, and

safety of the citizens. If body cameras were on at all times, so many crimes would not have been

looked over by judges because it would all be on camera. There are so many circumstances of

police brutality and racial profiling, it is beneficial for both parties. This would help with solving

so many problems.

Felons voting: We believe convicted felons should have the right to vote. These people are still

human beings. These people have served their time and deserve to be reintegrated into society

and have simple rights. Having served their time and not seen a relapse in criminal behavior

notes them as contributing members of society. People can grow and change and to discriminate

against them based on something they may have done when they were too young to drink is

fixed thinking.

Death penalty: We strongly believe the death penalty is not a just punishment. We as human

beings should not be allowed to kill someone for killing someone, or for anything. I suppose that

the prison system is built to make people suffer, so we believe by killing somebody for
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committing a crime is not making them suffer because you’re kind of taking them out of their

misery. We believe criminals who create a major crime should stay in jail to suffer and live with

what they did, because that’ll affect them more in the end. It is has proved an inefficient

deterrent for crime and does little to elevate our society. While it may help alleviate prison

overpopulation, the decriminalization of minor crimes, such as possession of certain drugs, can

do more in a progressive manner.

ENVIRONMENT: Climate change regulations, climate agreement, and banning disposables

Climate change regulations: We believe we should implement a carbon tax as well as a suite of

other regulations to counteract the impact of the gradual destruction of our climate. Big business

should carry their weight and pay the dues they owe for destroying our environment.

Deforestation and offshore drilling should have large fines and fees to discourage these

destructive practices.

Climate agreement: We believe the Paris Climate Accord should be supported by all countries.

Countries who are not on track to meet these goals should be supported and encouraged by other

countries through both directed aid and economic blockades. The Climate Accord is not enough

to insure a clean and prosperous world for future generations.

Banning disposables: We believe that we should ban disposables that are less than 50%

biodegradable.Though it might be inconvenience to businesses it’s the best thing to do for

everyone on earth. Plastic has an awful effect on our planet, it endangers sea creatures, stays in
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landfills for hundreds of years, and leach chemicals into our ocean. It’s not the biggest step we

could take towards saving our planet, but it is progress.

ECONOMICS: Cutting public spending, taxing the rich, and minimum wage

Cutting public spending: We believe cutting public spending to balance the budget is the

incorrect and irresponsible way to paying off our debt. We think public spending is an essential

part of our government. Based on the federal budget, the majority of our government is a health

insurance agency, an essential aspect of our government.

Taxing the rich: We believe in taxing the rich more. The rich have enough money to be taxed

more and it not make a difference to their income. Their money will be well spent, and put back

into the economy to benefit the public.

Minimum wage: We believe that the federal minimum wage should be adjusted with inflation.

This would benefit the million of Americans working minimum wage and would benefit our

economy as a whole. Through the last few years the cost of living has risen far beyond the seven

dollars per hour federal minimum wage. Some people need to work three jobs just to put food on

their table, and some work three and still can’t even afford a good home for their family. It’s

awful that we force people to work themselves to the bone just so they can afford their basic

needs.

IMMIGRATION: Separation of children, wall, and deportation of criminals

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Separation of children: We believe that separating children from their families at the border to

discourage illegal immigration is an awful practice, and I am ashamed to be a citizen of a country

that does it. Children are innocent, they do not deserve to be punished for their parents trying to

seek a better life for them. These children have no choice but to come over here, because of

parents, and then for them to be traumatised is unethical, and immoral. Forcing children into

camps does not discourage immigration all it does is show the world that we are a hateful,

uncivilized country.

Wall: We believe a wall along the southern border is an ineffective method of protecting our

border. The wall symbolizes a new wave of American isolation, a backwards thinking ideal. A

wall also symbolizes a deepening divide between us our international neighbors, and we can’t

threaten our tenuous relationships any further.

Deportation of criminals: We believe in deporting criminals who have committed a major crime.

We do believe that a lot of immigrants come to the US for a better life, but if they came for a

better life why are they committing harsh crimes. They should be deported and face time over

there in the prison system they are from. But we do not believe immigrants should be deported

for a citation or misdemeanor because at least 100,000 people are pulled over everyday.

SOCIAL ISSUES: Abortion, same sex marriage, and gay adoption

Abortion: We strongly believe that abortions should be legal, women should be able to have full

control over their bodies. We disagree with the argument that abortion is murder because a small
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ball of cells is not a baby, it does not think, feel, or breathe. Some people argue that religiously

life begins at conception, but this country separates church and state for a reason. A select few

should not be able to use their religious beliefs to force millions of women have babies from the

result of rape, or have a baby when it puts their health at risk. Abortions should be made legal so

the women that want or need one will be able to access them, and the women that believe life

begins at conception will not have to get one.

Same sex marriage: We believe that everyone should have the right to marry. The United

Nations Declaration of Human Rights includes the right to marry and have a family as a basic

human right. Then why are gay people not allowed to marry their partners? If it is a happy and

healthy relationship no one should be able to interfere with their lives. Again a lot of the

arguments against gay marriage are rooted in religious beliefs, but we live in a country that

separates church and state. The government should make their decisions solely based off of what

is in their citizens best interests, and equality will always be in their best interest.

Gay adoption: We believe gay individuals should be allowed to adopt children. Just because

someone’s sexuality is anything other than heterosexual, does not mean they are less of a human

being, and deserve less rights. If someone is brave enough and fit to adopt a child, then they

should be allowed to.

HEALTHCARE: Pre-existing conditions, legalization of weed, and obamacare

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Pre-existing conditions: We believe insurance companies should not be able to discriminate

against pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions mean any health issue you had before

signing with this insurance. This can mean it is a health issue you’re born with, something self

inflicted like smoking or drugs, and everything else in between. Discriminating based on

previous conditions of a customer leaves the neediest people without the ability to afford

healthcare, increasing their debt and lowering their standard of living. This is an immoral

practice that needs to be stopped.

Legalization of weed: We believe in the legalization of marijuana. Marijuana is a medicinal drug

and has been proven again and again to work for a multitude of issues. It is natural and has been

used for centuries as a medicine and as a recreational drug. It is safe, no one has ever died of a

marijuana overdose.

Affordable Care Act: We believe the Affordable Care Act is an imperfect solution. We believe

serious reformation in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries are needed soon. The

Affordable Care Act was a quickly built dam, it has kept the worst of the flood waters at bay, but

without a more permanent and sustainable solution, the ACA will give away to the forces of the

healthcare industry.

EDUCATION: Taxing the rich for student loans, common core, and charter schools
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Taxing the rich for student loans: We believe that the rich should be taxed to contribute to lower

student loans. Education is the best investment one could ever make, but the current cost of

education is far too high. College should be available to everyone, but the way it is now no one

but the rich can actually afford to pay their whole tuition. The rich are in the position to give

their money to a better cause and still afford their lifestyle, so there is no reason they shouldn’t

help the next generation get a better education.

Common core: We believe that where in theory Common Core provides every student a fair

education it fails to match the individual needs of individual students and promotes lazy teachers

with little room for creativity or personalized learning. It forces schools to teach irrelevant

lessons that fail to prepare students for real life and instead wastes their time which could be

filled with actual meaningful lessons that would prepare them for what they actually will face in

life as an adult.

Charter schools: We believe that not every student is the same or learns the same way so all

schools should not be the same. Every student needs their individual situation and learning style

met to actually have meaningful learning and having charter schools that are not subjected to the

decisions and policies of a larger school district is one way to accomplish this. Charter schools

give the necessary freedom for especially alternative schools to succeed and give students

alternatives that they need.

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SCIENCE: Vaccinations, nuclear power, and evolution in schools

Vaccinations: We believe that making an educated decision is what is most important. Parents

should be provided with information about both the benefits and negative effects of vaccines.

The parents who are unwilling to educate themselves will only know the benefits and vaccinate

their children anyway, and the ones that do educate themselves will be able to make the best

decisions for their family.

Nuclear power: Nuclear power, along with renewable energy are pillars of how we will move to

a more sustainable future. Nuclear power is no longer the machines associated with 3-Mile

Island and Chernobyl, and through continued research into nuclear fusion power, we can insure

cleaner sources of nuclear power. In a world where our destruction is more and more eminent,

nuclear power needs to be part of the immediate solution.

Evolution in schools: We believe evolution should be taught in a scientific setting while

creationism can take its place with other religious beliefs. Creationism has no scientific

background and is based in religion. If church and state are to be separate, Creationism shouldn’t

be taught as science. Creationism can be taught as a view of the world in an appropriate class

such as a world religions or philosophy class.