Voting in America

Tomorrow is Election Day in America.  We go to the polling places to cast our votes for candidates and propositions.  I always vote.

My own preferences are for 1) everyone paying some income taxes (43% pay no Federal taxes), federal and state sales/consumer taxes, co-payments for Medicare services, etc. 2) reduction of spending on military and restrictions on war powers of the President and Congress, 3) a zero-population growth governmental policy, and parents paying more for the upbringing and public education of their own children, 4) a secular and non-religious government, and all churches paying taxes, 5) freedom, liberty, and justice, 6) environmental protection and reduced consumption, 7) cut all government workers salaries by 10%, and stop paying any higher level government (federal, state, local) employee more than $150,000.00 per year, 8) don't give governmental bailouts to corporations where their executives get obscenely high salaries and "bonus" payments, 9) develop a socialized medicine program in the U.S.. 

The Republicans have clearly demonstrated to me (and they have been in charge for 12 out of the last 20 years at the Federal level) that their reduced taxes program (trickle down economics) and inability to reduce spending has just resulted in very deep governmental debt to capitalist bankers and foreign governments.  They often pander to the fundamentalist religious right and don't support women's rights.  Their war mongering policies are expensive, unnecessary and cruel. They voted against many deserved benefits for combat veterans and 9/11 site workers in the last few years, and "just say no" to too many reasonable governmental expenditures.   

I favor many of the ideas of the Libertarian Party.  

Since our current President, our Commander In Chief, got us out of Iraq and soon will have us out of Afghanistan, and has avoided other major military engagements elsewhere despite the unrest in the Middle East, the Democratic Party gets my support for a proven and working foreign policy. The Democrats have consistently supported women's rights.  Many Democrats support closing tax loopholes used by the rich and poor to avoid paying any taxes or a lower percentage of taxes, and support fees for subsidized governmental services.  

As for the President, I favor the character, ideas and poise of President Obama.

Both Democrats and Republicans need to work together, compromise, reach a new consensus, avoid extremes (Tea Party obstructionism, negativism and rigidity), spend wisely, reduce spending, get everyone to pay their fair share of taxes, and solve problems.