Nathanael Fonken

10/30/2018

English 4

Ray Brandes

Political Positions

Foreign policy:

Military Spending: I believe that military spending should be increased. I think that

increased funding for the military would allow the military to invest in more specialized support

roles, would give the military more money for service benefits and money to educate those in the

armed forces, and would assist in the much needed funding towards researching military

technologies that could be repurposed into civilian life. Putting a greater investment into our

military doesn’t harm our economy or take away money from welfare programs, because it is, in

a way, a welfare program that pays for education, healthcare, retirement, and gives people who

have nowhere else to go a place to be and gives them skills they can use when they return back to

the civilian economy i.e cooking, engineer work, medical education, etc..

Syria: I believe that the United States government should support the democratic

opposition to the Syrian regime indirectly. We should not put boots on the ground in Syria, or

interfere with direct airstrikes on military targets. Action in Syria would put us into direct

conflict with Russia, who is already fighting there, thus, we should avoid confrontation, and try

to diplomatically enforce a Russian withdrawal from Syria.

Crime:

Body Cameras: I think that it’s only fair that police should be held accountable for

misconduct via body cameras. I also believe that it has another use though, having widely

available footage observing engagements with criminals and poor interactions with civilians

would allow police to take advantage of an enormous database of footage in their training

programs and would allow civilians to learn from their confrontations as well.

Felons Voting: As of now, under what is considered a felony, I believe that felons should

not be able to vote. I believe that the disenfranchisement of felons is crucial to maintaining a safe

democracy, particularly from domestic terrorists and violent political dissidents. If the choice

could be made to change the disenfranchisement to specify those crimes then I would, I don’t

think that anyone who would use fatal violence to advance their political agenda should be able

to participate in politics at all.

Domestic Policy:

Net Neutrality: I believe that the internet should be a free place free from 3rd party

influence. I don’t think that the government should be able to restrict use to the internet, or that

people with monetary incentives should be able to influence it’s access to better their own

interests. The internet is how almost all free speech in the modern world manifests itself, and just

how free speech is championed as a human right, the proveir of that, the internet, should be

respected as a right by the same standards.

 Gun Control: I believe that access to firearms should be restricted on an individual basis,

that people should be trained and licensed to use them before they can buy them, that people

should be tested for mental stability to renew licenses for them, that felons shouldn’t own them,

that a 3rd party should be able to vouch for their competency and stability, and that the

government should keep track of all legally owned firearms and their sale. I don’t agree with any

policy that restricts the purchasing of individual guns or “bad guns”, because the laws that are

put into place to restrict such ownership are often vague, ineffective, business unfriendly, and

leave heavy discretion to individual officers to interpret the law, which leads to much higher

prosecution for illegal firearms ownership against minorities and no enforcement of such laws in

rural areas.

Environment:

Climate Change Regulations: I believe that climate change regulations should be put into

place to protect future generations. The destruction we are causing to our environment are

leading to increasing dangerous irreparable effects on the environment and the lives of those

living in it. If we don’t take a stand to protect the world as it is, it’s likely we won’t have the

capacity to survive the next 2 centuries.

Climate Agreement: I believe that international cooperation is required to protect the

planet as a whole. The environmental effects of pollution aren’t only local, so laws to protect the

environment shouldn't be local. If we wish to preserve the world we live in, we have to cooperate

to do so.
Economics:

Public Spending: I believe that public spending should be reduced so that the burden on

future generations is reduced. Our deficit is out of control and we shouldn’t consider investing

further funds into large government programs until we can pay for what we currently have in

place. Otherwise we’ll be trapped into a financial bubble that we can’t escape.

Immigration:

Wall: I believe that investing money into a border wall is environmentally unrealistic and

a complete waste of government funds. The wall won’t prevent illegal immigrants from getting

into the country, it’ll likely only spurr on larger criminal smuggling industries like the difficulty

does in the mediterranean. Money invested into the wall would be better spent on investing in

American economic interests, rather than pouring funds into a pointless program makes latin

America countries hostile to us.

Deportation of Criminals: I believe that illegal immigrants who have turned criminal

should be deported and barred from reentering the US for an allotted amount of time. I don’t

think permanently banning illegal immigrants is just, especially for those under specific

circumstances, who have built families within the US or served for the armed forces.

Social Issues:

Gay Marriage: I believe that the government should be completely uninvolved in

marriage. Marriage is a personal choice, and the government shouldn’t be allowed to regulate it
as they please. Regulating marriage, especially on a religious basis, with the law is oppressive to

the personal freedom and social lives of individuals and violates the separation of church and

state.

Gay Adoption: I believe that gay couples should be able to adopt as straight ones do. We

have no shortage of children who need parents and divorce among gay couples is much much

lower than straight couples. Preventing gay couples from adopting is a choice that leaves

children without parents and happy homes, and it’s a choice that makes the lives of children

worse.

Healthcare:

Pre-existing conditions: I believe that insurance companies shouldn’t be allowed to deny

healthcare to those with preexisting conditions. Our healthcare is so expensive, that denying

insurance dooms patients to bankruptcy at the first sign of medical trouble. It’s necessary to

maintain the medical health of working class citizens to provide the option for healthcare to all.

Legalization of Ganja: I believe that marijuana should be legalized. People should be able

to make their own decisions about their own body, and legalizing it puts money into the hands of

criminals and turns victims into criminals. If we wish to keep people safe, our best option is

legalize it, to keep money out of the hands of criminals, to properly regulate it, and to make help

for people readily available.

Education:
 Charter Schools: I believe that charter schools should be readily available to all students.

It makes education competitive and increases student interest in their academics. It also allows

the development of specific systems from troubled students who would otherwise fall out of the

system and lead troubled lives.

Taxing the rich: I believe that taxes for the super rich should be increased. We should add

a higher tax bracket to pay for the increasing dangerous student loan debt. Our increasingly

competitive economy is making it almost mandatory to go into college to succeed in your

specialized industry, and we should work towards funding education for all.

Science:

Nuclear Power; I believe nuclear power should be in wide use. It has great potential as an

alternative power source to fossil fuels, although in its current state, where it’s typically used in

the form of cheap and wasteful systems with a chronically negligent disposal of nuclear waste.

We shouldn’t underestimate it or fearmonger it’s potential.

Evolution in schools; I believe that evolution should be mandatory in biology science

classes and all teachings of creationism should be reserved for optional religious or history

classes. Any other policy is ignoring blatant scientific truth in favor of a personal connection to

their own religion. I policy enforced on that personal connection violates the separation of

church and state, science and religion should stay separate.