Deep Down Feelings

When I posted that I was not sure if Barak Obama was the kind of guy I could support, I guess I really didn't do a gut check on my own feelings. Here are some things I feel strongly about:

• Tall, articulate people get a pass in a lot of cases when the less articulate and equally smart people do not. President Bush (43) is the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Services and the President. He is not the gifted speaker that Ronald Reagan was and "Slick Willy" could talk his way out of (or into) a box. Even if you don't agree with him, he is the President for now.
• I am for the "Death Penalty". I am against the length of time it takes for the legal system to do the will of the people. If you do something so bad and get caught, you should go to the head of the line.
• I am against gun control. If you are a bad guy and use a weapon, see the above paragraph.
• My problem with the Federal Government is the process. They start out with darn good ideas and then bloat the issues up with "Pork" that there is no way anyone can understand where or why the legislation is or was going. "No child left Behind" is a wonderful goal, it is just not the end state. Remember boys and girls, if you accept Federal $ you cannot complain about the rules you have to follow.
• I believe in the Constitution and that what is unstated should be left to lower level Governments. For example, It is the Federal Government's role to provide an Armed Force to protect us. It is not the Federal Governments job to tell us how, why, where or when to educate out children. Fewer dollars taken by higher levels of Government mean that the lower levels will have funds to work with. My example. If Kansas has the 38th economy in the Nation why should the Feds want us to spend more $ on education to move us up in the ranking. If the local voters want us to spend more, so be it. I think it is great if the state wants to make sure there is a floor to support the kids in small districts but they should not put a ceiling on what the rich districts get to spend if they so desire.
• There are a few freedoms I am willing to give up if the threat is great enough. I think a National or State Identification Card system is needed. Hell, I carried a Military ID card and Drivers License almost all of my adult life. There is no "bridge too far" if we decide to build a data base and enforce our immigration/visa laws. If you don't belong here, I'm willing to let our Government take/send you home. Show up on my radar at a Hospital, school, job site or welfare system without the necessary documentation and off you go.
• I believe that dang near all of us came here as the result of immigration. Even the Indians are descendents of people that came over from Europe/Asia via some form of a land bridge. I want our lives to be enriched by having new people come here and share their lives and cultures with us. I want an open immigration policy that is clear and easily understood. I think having workers come here from Mexico is a great idea. If they are only here to work and want to go back when they are finished we need a program to control it. Students that come here to go to school need a good system to allow that and make sure they go home when they are done. If they want to remain here let them apply from there.
• Abortion is an abomination. I hate it at my core. I would never advocate it as a method of ending the life of a child. There are a bunch of people out there that want children and can't make that happen. There is room in our world for more kids. On the other hand, I never want my Government to get in the business of telling a woman what to do when it is her and her Doctor's decision that is important. I no playa da game, I no maka da rules.
• I am truly for any program that helps people get more education at whatever cost they can afford. Anyone that witnessed what the GI Bill has done for our country truly feels like we need more money to help poor people go to schools. I would fund Teachers by giving them loans and writing part of the loans off every year they teach.
• I think some form of mandatory National Service is a good idea. There are needs for assistant teachers/role models in our schools. There are more jobs in hospitals than good candidates. I think some form of Basic Training is a good thing.
• I think there is a need for more involvement/input into our education system from the private sector. What does our economy need in the way of skills from our kids when they come out of school? Why don't we have ways to "add skills" for our workers to continually upgrade? What's the matter with having the best trained firefighters, Police, Nurses and Teachers in there world?

OK, that's enough for now. Thanks for reading. Dennis