I am in this campaign for the long haul.  Whether I win this time or not this is an opportunity for me to address issues of concern, and, hopefully to attract a base of real Americans, Americans with the courage of their convictions, who are as fed up as I am with the lies and manipulations too common in our politics.  Americans too long discouraged and obstructed from participation in our political process.   

For any voting/taxpaying citizen/public member of our American Democratic Republic to say I am not political is like a clergyman saying he is not religious.   If you have social and economic interests you are political.   And, if you think that you can be uninvolved, non-political and still have your social and economic interests taken seriously, you are more than naïve.        

For years the extremes of both Parties have presented versions of reality and history that are not necessarily true.  The sin of omission and literary license have been used too often to take advantage of a lack of knowledge by the general public and the existence of popular myths that have enabled myth-information and myth-conceptions to dominate the thinking of too many.  It is time to take some of them on…

Taxes as a deterrent to business  First of all, we get a lot for .053% per dollar; a lot more than we get from private sector taxes and fees.  And, we have much more of a say in how they are spent if we get off our duffs and live up to our responsibility as citizens. Secondly, most businesses get local and state tax breaks for coming into a community, and tax credits and other help from the Fed to relocate.  And, more often, local tax payers pay for infrastructure changes to meet their needs.  As well, we pay to educate the labor force, pay for police, fire, roads and bridges, and other services.  So, how do taxes deter business?   What does deter business is our high cost of labor, real estate, insurance and banking.  Yes, there are environmental costs, but while many say that is a problem who wants polluting industries in their town or city.  Especially because we know that local tax payers will have to pay out to clean up after them.   And, due to the last 4 Governors’ cut backs in Higher Education, we do not have the skilled labor force to work new tech industries.      

Environment, as long as we need to breath the air, drink water, and live on the earth, strong environmental protections are vital.  (I have a list of legislative measures, and formal recommendations to the Governor that I will be proposing regarding the Environment and Energy) 

 Abortion: While, I do not like the idea of abortions, I am Pro-Choice because it is evident that Pro-Choice states, as Massachusetts, (which has the lowest abortion rate) do more to reduce abortion rates than Pro-life states.   Too often those opposed to abortions disapprove of the public funded services to educate, provide health care and other services that keep abortion rates low.  I find this very hypocritical.  For some, to kill a doctor, or blow up a clinic is "what they deserved," but to spend money to prevent abortions is wrong?  Remember, you can not worship both God and Mammon! 

As well, I do not see any big effort to adopt the thousands of children already in foster care; especially children with birth defects, HIV, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc.  Also, having worked for DSS and DYS programs, I have witnessed the horrific abuse of unwanted children.  Too often, as well, many Pro Life are anti birth control, thus in combination these lead people to abort.  And, even when abortions were illegal, if you were rich enough society doctors would secretly perform them, while poor women were left to back ally butchers.              

Gun Control: I do not have a problem with responsible gun ownership.  I have many friends who are hunters, and have guns for their personal security.  Massachusetts has some of the toughest gun control legislation, and they are still able to buy and have their guns.   For those that say: “Guns do not kill people; people kill people.”  I am more concerned with violations of the 3rd and 4^th Amendments to the Constitution.  (Clarification: the 3^rd addresses soldiers housed in our homes; from the 1^st and 2^nd Continental Congresses, and the Declaration of Independence, which referred to having a spy in every patriot’s home.)   With all of the internal surveillance: GPS in cell phones, black boxes in cars, cameras everywhere, private sector and government tracking our credit card purchases, and government tracking telephone and e-mail communications, etc.  I would rather have some gun control than more people control.   

Gay Marriage: I support Gay Marriage.  Marriage has two meanings: one a religious sacrament.  The other is a secular/legal status.  By law and statute one must be legally "married" to share benefits and have Rights with their partner.   Gay Marriage does not compel or force any church to marry anyone that that church does not want to marry.  But, it does enable a couple to have the full benefits of secular law and legislation.   

Immigration: is another topic that plays on the emotions, the fears, and prejudices of people to avoid a rational “guest worker” policy that serves the interests of Middle Income America.  We have policies that allow well educated people from around the world to come here and take up high paying jobs.  While we seek to hunt down low wage immigrants whose work saves us (Middle Income America) a lot of money.    

Again, hypocrisy and the public con job reigns, for it has been the same interests for generations that have enticed people, with job offers, to risk their lives to come here, who then denounce illegal immigration.  And, why… They bring in illegals that they can use, abuse, then lose, to work almost as slaves, for cheap wages, poor living conditions, no health and safety considerations.  And, now they are to pay in taxes for what they did not have to pay in wages and benefits.     Remember how it went when local kids worked the tobacco farms, and when asked to pay a higher wage found it cheaper to bring in labor from Puerto Rico.  Then when challenged to provide services, dumped them, and looked elsewhere.   

Rather than take the time and make the effort to come up with a reasonable guest worker policy that might cost them a little more it is easier to blame the problem on immigrants while it was cheaper to dump them on the door step of tax payers.