I offer for your consideration, hope.
The Independent Party Platform.
We the Independent Party hold these truths to be self-evident
- That any nation that would declare war on the world does not deserve the support of the sane members of its society.
- That any nation that would deny equal rights and justice to a segment of its population does not deserve the support of the sane members of its society.
- That any nation that would steal the economic future of its citizen’s progeny does not deserve the support of the sane members of its society. AND
- That any nation that would declare its religious philosophy superior to all others does not deserve the support of the sane members of its society.
Independent Party thoughts prior to the platform
We want change so badly that we will accept the word without the deed. Every presidential candidate is a representative of and invested in the status quo. Their concept of change carries a different connotation than yours and mine.
In the last election the Democrats were sent to Washington to stop the war. They will tell you that in their own way they have succeeded. Their concept is different from yours and mine. Every presidential candidate is a product of this type of thinking. Simply stated they are limited by their knowledge of what cannot be done. Change to them is not change to us. So what are they really saying when we hear their clarion call to change? We are hearing the word but not the deed.
We the Independent Voter want change and our party platform makes this very clear.
We support National Health Care
The present system, which allows pain, suffering and death, is a national disgrace. Insurance companies and doctors have priced themselves out of any reasonable market and their profits border on the obscene. Every industrial nation in the world but ours recognizes the imperative importance of a healthy population. We can follow their example and create a better and less expensive all-inclusive system. That not one more child needlessly die nor one more citizen suffers in pain speaks more to who we are as a people than any other action we take.
Immigration
Borders closed, Employer Sanctions
With all due respect to the citizens of the world it is time for the United States to refresh its democracy with an inward looking revolution. Our founders warned us that we would need to restate our principles at various times in our nation’s history. This is one such time. Hopefully when we emerge we will be able to make a meaningful contribution to the betterment of the world.
To our neighbors, we will always welcome you as guests and friends and hope that you will welcome us as well. To those that are here illegally, be warned we have had all the nonsense we can tolerate.
To our fellow citizens open your eyes and look around. Many of these people, especially the children, are as Americanized as you and I. We must error on the side of compassion and love. We must remember that this is a new time and a new hope.
The War in Iraq
A great nation admits when it has made a great mistake, the War in Iraq.
We are requesting that the international community provide a committee to represent the interests of the Iraqi people while our troops are withdrawn in a professional military manner.
We are recommending to the congress that once the Iraqi People have established the government of their choice that we sit down with them and discuss restitution. We can help them improve the quality of their lives if that is what they want.
To the Iraqi People and to the world, we the American People have seen the truth and we the American People have spoken. We were wrong.
Afghanistan
The administration has lied so often that why we are really there and what we really want is a mystery. We sight the administrations claim that Osama Bin Laden was responsible for 911. To this day, he has not been apprehended. The president says that he does not spend much time thinking about him. The CIA disbanded its Bin Laden task force and resources have been shifted to Iraq.
We will keep the troops now present in Afghanistan. At the same time, we are going to take a real hard look at the 911 disaster. Perhaps there are less noble reasons we are in Afghanistan- .Impeachment
We seem to have amnesia concerning our nation’s recent history. If we are to have change, if we are to have any respect for ourselves let alone the respect, not fear, of the world, then we must address this time in our nations history. If we ignore our responsibilities, future generations may suffer the same fate we now bear.
Using the administrations own mantra, “If you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to fear,” we suggest that we present our case for the war in Iraq and the corresponding, “national security”’ actions to the International Criminal Court at the Hague.
We have a responsibility to our principals and the millions of our citizens that have died to preserve our freedoms to make sure our actions were correct. That we have to ask such a question demands an answer.
No More War
The United States has been at war since at least the day of infamy. Generations have not known peace and with current thinking, generations to come will not know peace. Well, the Independent Party has had enough. No more war, it is over. The United States will withdraw as the world’s policemen.
It is time to step into the twenty first century with courage not fear. To lead where no nation has led before. To set an example for the world. When there is injustice, the United States will place its resources at the discretion of the United Nations. At no time in history has the most powerful nation of its era forgone war as a means of settling conflicts. We the United States, as the leading power in the world, can and should set the example and take our rightful place as the truly great nation we believe ourselves to be.
We will no longer need a large standing military with our proposal for national service.
There are many challenges in the world for our unique energies and the new frontiers of space beckon to our call for adventure.
We now honor all of those that have fought and died to end war. Thank you.
National Service
We the Independent Party support the idea of national service. We have become a nation of “what can I get” not “what can I give.” Upon graduation from high school (or sooner if someone drops out) we propose a two year national service contract with our new young citizens. Our nation has many needs: cleaning up our cities, caring for our senior citizens, assisting with our new national health care program , helping our beleaguered schools and protecting our nation. A true citizens military. As new citizens, they would gain an understanding of the problems that face our nation and they could take pride in making a contribution.
For these services we propose offering two years of higher education as a show of our appreciation.
Economic Policy
The economic policy of the Independent Party recognizes the multiplicity of problems facing the nation. Our approach is predicated on two primary realities. Number one, those who created these problems cannot and will not fix them. Number two, failure to change is not an option for our children or our nation.
The National Debt
This problem and the excuses border on insanity Two hundred. and sixty billion dollars yearly in interest on trillions of dollars of debt and no end in sight This money, which would go a long way toward national health is paid to foreign governments and financial institutions.
With our new economic policies we plan on paying this damn debt off. It will be difficult. However, leaving it for our children and grandchildren is disgraceful.
The Proposed Stimulation Package
The Independent Party opposes the so-called stimulation package. This creates yet another problem to mask past problems but will only create future ones. National health care and or serious energy legislation would help secure the nation’s future. This would place long-term savings in the hands of the people. We believe the present proposals would be funny if they were not so very, very sad. Incompetence of this kind is the reason for the creation of the Independent Party Platform.
Taxes
We have reviewed, with much humor, the incomprehensible multitude of tax proposals, including the current system.
The Independent Party makes the following tax proposal. All income, no matter from what source, will be taxed at ten percent. No deductions and no tax exempt status. Five percent to the federal authority and five percent to the states. Local taxation by a vote of the people. Excess revenues from the federal authority will be returned to the states and excess revenues from the states will be returned to the local communities. This is all the money the government receives. Simple, clean and uncomplicated.
Mortgage Foreclosures
The Independent Party supports an immediate moratorium on single-family housing foreclosures, allowing homeowners to continue making payments at the initial interest rates.
More of our citizens on the streets means more government assistance, which really no longer exists. Lending agencies will continue to receive a return on their investments and the entire system and the lives involved can hold on a little longer. Maybe long enough- .
Credit Card Debt
We have become a nation that borrows for not only consumer gratification but also survival. There are no easy answers to this national dilemma. Bills should be paid. However, the criminal interest rates made legal by our legislators is a crime against the nation and must be changed immediately. An interest rate of prime plus one or two percent, not twenty or thirty.- Public Financing of Elections
Our nation is not well served when our legislators must offer their influence for election. We need the best of us to serve our nation. To come, give of their wisdom, passion and love and then return to their lives. When they have to spend nearly half of their time fund raising they are not concentrating on the people’s business.
A great many of our problems might never have happened if our legislators had been paying attention to the nations needs.
The Independent Party stands firmly behind public financing of elections.
Drugs
The drug wars its attendant millions needlessly incarcerated and billions of dollars wasted are over. Frightened citizens and armed warfare on our cities streets are a direct result of the failed policy, which has succeeded only in raising the price of drugs to the point that drug dealers can afford to buy politicians. In due time the value of drugs will decline and the worlds purveyors will seek more lucrative markets or products. We win.
The medical and economic benefits will go a long way toward alleviating the nations suffering and the lack of fear will be a blessing.
We can deal with the horrors of addiction, medically and with compassion not incarceration. The war is over.
Education
We propose bringing one thousand teachers and educators to Denver, Colorado. Twenty from each state, ten to be chosen by educators and ten selected by a statewide lottery. The federal government’s role will be as facilitator and implementer. What they request of the federal government will be begun immediately
The Independent Party would like to suggest that after health nothing is more important to the welfare of our nation than education. Those who educate our children should be honored in our society and paid according to the incredible service they perform.
A Many Sided Sadness
The Independent Party supports a woman’s right to choose and hopes that fewer of these choices are necessary, so say we all. (There are no easy answers to love; there are no easy answers to sex.) The Independent Party wants to see that the health and welfare of all the parties concerned takes precedence over the debate. Adoption, abortion and child raising must all be supported financially and emotionally. The sadness of children having children must be treated with a special love and all the support of a deeply concerned society
This society and the Independent Party will not allow a return to the horrors of the past. Abortions will not end because of legislation from the bench. Rather we believe that a well-educated and informed society will make better decisions.
Energy Independence
Any discussion of the energy crisis must take note of the fact that the energy and automobile industries and their representatives in congress have known, for at least the last three decades, about the serious crisis facing the nation. Either they are extraordinarily incompetent or they have actively worked to harm the nation (or god forbid both). The end result is that they can not or will not save the nation. Their time has passed; we can no longer allow them to interfer with the incredibly important task of saving the nation.
The Independent Party proposes the following as a starting place for survival. A Marshall Type plan for alternative energy technologies. To bring the genius of American ingenuity to research and development without the impediment of the present system. To put our nation to work refitting existing homes and business with the latest alternative energy technologies. Our goal is to decrease existing energy usage by fifty percent in the next five years. All new construction will incorporate the latest alternative energy technologies. More efficient usage of existing energy sources. Café standards of 75 to 100 miles per gallon within the next two years. An understanding that the internal combustion engine is antiquated technology and new modes of transportation need to be developed immediately including mass transit and high speed rail.
Twenty seven thousand people starve to death every day. The usuage of food stuffs for fuel is not only unconscionable but also extremely inefficient. Not to mention that it has increased the price of food. We propose switch grasses and hemp as two more realistic alternatives.
Millions of Americans back to work in good paying jobs making our nation more secure.
Global Warming
As lay people we can not answer the confusing question of global warming. However, we are competent to answer the question of good stewardship of our world. We have poluted, trashed and soiled the very environment we live in.
The Independent Party intends on bringing the latest technologies to the fore with the intent of saving we poor fools. Everything from energy independence to different kinds of transportation to trash disposal.
Hope for the Future
As a people and as a nation our heritage is to go west. However, there is no more west and we are taking out our frustrations on an innocent world.. Not because we want to but because we have been told that we can and that we should.. That restless spirit which is unique;ly American craves a challenge. Space, ”the final frontier,” that is our heritage and that is our “west.” We will need to reeducate ourselves. We will need to be trained to overcome new physical challenges .We will need to allow that unique entrepreneurial spirit to fly as never before. The Moon, Mars ,who knows what waits for us out there. It will require new industries and new workers for these industries. And it will require the strength of a great people filled with a new hope for all of humankind.
