Lightfoot for U.S. Senate
Separation of Church and State means the state can't endorse religion, not that you cannot follow a religion of your choice.
Government According to Gail Lightfoot
It is the Cities and Counties that need to work together so that roads meet at their jurisdictional lines not the state or federal governments.
We, the People, as individuals, need to understand that government [since it uses force] is not a solution for every problem. Problems are best solved by individuals, either on their own or with friends, family or groups set up by and for voluntary individual action.
THE CONSTITUTION
Restore it. The Constitution grants certain carefully ‘enumerated powers’ to the federal government. The purpose is to limit the federal government to just those listed powers and no others. All other non-enumerated ‘powers’ are “reserved to the states . . . or to the people.” Cut the federal government back to those ‘powers’ by returning all unconstitutional agencies and regulations back to the states. Individuals are ultimately responsible for the decisions and may suffer from poor decisions. The government is not there to fix them or their mistakes. Individuals can choose to help others but should not be forced to by government.
FOREIGN POLICY
Commerce, not coercion, creates fewer enemies.
Notify the world that the U.S. is not their policeman. Bring our troops home. Return control of Iraq to the people of Iraq and responsibility for peace in the Middle East and everywhere else to each country's citizens. They have more to lose than we do. Individuals and/or non governmental organizations [NGOs] can and should work to reduce conflict around the world and provide aid when and where it is needed. We and others should only go where it is safe and where safe havens for those in danger can be provided. We and others seeking to help those in need should use diplomatic channels to provide permanent relocation so lives are rebuilt instead of waiting years hoping to return ‘home’ whether it is a natural disaster or some sort of civil dispute resulting in violence.
THE ECONOMY
Let the private sector work its wonders. If we respect private property, reduce government control by agencies, licenses, regulations and subsidies everyone can work towards the goals they think are most important.
TAXATION is legalized theft. Stop it. Find other funding methods [fees]. If a service cannot attract financial support, maybe we don't need it.
ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY
Reform the legal system for easier access by individuals. Set up user friendly web sites and make them available in Kiosks or at the local library so anyone can sue for damages to their person or property. If polluters had to pay, they would think more carefully about what they do.
Possession or use of a substance is not a crime, ‘Decriminalize Drugs’, educate to promote responsible drug use.
Nuclear waste should be reused so the final byproduct is so small that storage is not a problem.
Different life styles are not a crime. If force or violence is used, authorities can investigate and ask for a court hearing prior to taking any action unless a life is in immediate danger. It is up to the court to provide appropriate solutions.
HEALTH CARE
Pass the “Health Freedom Protection Act,” to deregulate the health care industry. Leave all medical decisions, including abortions, to individuals, families and physicians. Let individuals shop for the health insurance they need. When we individually select health insurance, it can follow us from job to job and state to state. Insurance companies will compete for our business if we have the right to pick and choose the coverage we need.
EDUCATION
Allow parents to choose the schooling they wish for their children. Gradually end all government funding of education beginning with vouchers that follow the child. Recognize that children learn best when they choose to learn and learning is a lifelong process. With today's technology no one need remain uneducated even if they never leave home. Exceptions to this would come under the heading of Welfare.
WELFARE
Privately funded and supported agencies do a better job of helping individuals get back on their feet or have long term assistance with dignity. This is as true internationally as it is here at home [see foreign policy].
SOCIAL SECURITY
Encourage personal retirement savings accounts. Merge all taxpayer funded and government agency retirement plans for everyone over 55 into one identical plan for all retirees – including Congress. Allow anyone to opt out along the way transferring what they paid, with reasonable interest added, into their personal retirement account.
IMMIGRATION
Set up a simple registration system to know who is here, why and for how long. Do not punish those who came here without ‘permission’ because we failed to allow for their entry. They came because we had jobs waiting for them. That is a sure sign we were not permitting enough immigration to meet our needs [not theirs].
ID cards. Passports, Visas and licenses or privately issued IDs can be tamper proof and insured as such.
POLITICAL REFORM
No retirement benefits for elected officials. Let them, like everyone else, earn retirement by working and paying into a fund for that purpose. With no ‘retirement benefits’, we might not need to limit terms.
Term limits for all elected officials – I prefer just one office, one term. That sounds drastic but it would be very effective. The government of the people can be run by the people. We don't need ‘experts’ or career politicians. In fact, that is the last thing we need. Meanwhile, the term limits we now have are continuously being challenged. If the people really want long terms for elected officials, let them set them longer.
Enact “Fully Informed Jury” laws. Let Jurors know they can ‘judge’ the law as well as the defendant.
Immediately post vote counts at all polling places with next day pick up and posting at a central public location.
Inform the voters which candidates are publicly posting all contributions and expenditures.
The power to overturn existing problems lies in the hands of the voters. Know who you are voting for, what they believe and why they seek office. When voters begin to pay attention and turn the rascals out, change will happen.
SECOND AMENDMENT
Secure our right of Self Defense by keeping the Second Amendment intact and understood as a protection of the individual right of all Americans to keep and bear arms for protection.
EMINENT DOMAIN
Eminent Domain is for ‘public’ use of land only!
GAY RIGHTS and CIVIL UNIONS
Marriage is no longer a legal issue of property so it is no longer a government issue unless the individuals wish to have a legal contract. It has become a religious or Church issue. Civil unions are legal contracts which can be taken to a court. The government does not need to write our contracts for us. We can do it ourselves and/or hire competent help. Employee benefits are up to the business and its employees, not the government.
STEM CELL RESEARCH
Let private enterprise deal with Stem cell and DNA research and development. Let the discussion of morals and ethics take place in the public arena where all sides can be heard and individuals can decide what projects to support according to their own beliefs or business goals.
