The Progressive Contract

As the campaign seasons heat up, you will hear more and more Republicans signing contracts and pledges.  Republican's have already pledged to take welfare from teen mothers (Republican Contract With America); destroy our healthcare system, kill Social Security, kill Medicare, continue the Ponzi scheme of feeding the coffers of the wealthy with the wages of the poor, deregulate Wall Street, bring education back to the time of segregation and high drop outs, dismantle earnest efforts for energy independence, destroy the environment, limit our right to vote (Tea Party Contract); ensure the poor and middle-class shoulder the burden in an effort to stabilize the economy, make abortion services almost unobtainable, eliminate due process, erase any hope that children of illegal immigrants who call themselves Americans from becoming legal Americans (GOP.gov Pledge); respect the marriages of others unless they're a same-sex couple, believe that same-sex couples make horrible parents, sex partners, and are likely to be involved in legal troubles and addiction, eliminate welfare for single parents, defend the unconstitutional DOMA [Destruction of Marriage Act], fight to enshrine bigotry within the United States Constitution, reinstatement of DADT, abolish abortion, put girls under lock and key until marriage, ban pornography [damn the First Amendment!], reject Sharia Law [doesn't the First Amendment and Article IV of the Constitution already do that?] (Bob Vander Plaats Pledge for 2012ers); again, enshrine social inequalities and bigotry into our constitution, appoint activist judges [but they support conservatives, so they're not really activists], institute McCarthyist witch hunts into supporters of same-sex marriage and gay persons, eliminate due process in the District of Columbia (NOM Pledge).

All that ruining of America is a lot to take in, I know; for these reasons alone, we as progressives must not become short sided of our goals.  I just saw a new progressive contract that was emailed to me; I'll not name the organization, but I found this alarming.  Why change something we already have, something that is already tried, true, and more importantly, trusted.  We as progressives have followed one pledge, and one pledge alone.  It is the Progressive Contract which I derived from FDR's October 31, 1936 campaign speech we know as, "I Welcome Their Hatred!"  In that speech, he laid the pillars and foundation for what would become the cornerstones of the modern progressive and democratic movement.  This contract is still in use today and should remain in use for as long as the American progressive movement shall live.  This is the first pledge, the first contract, and the only contract that stands by the everyday American.  This is who we are, not only as progressives, but as a nation.

Below, are the enumerated promises made by FDR to the American people; below is the true progressive pledge to America.

The Progressive Contract
By Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Our vision for the future contains more than promises.
1. Improve working conditions for the workers of America
1. Reduce hours over-long
2. Increase wages that spell starvation
3. End the labor of children
4. Wipe out sweatshops
5. End monopoly in business
6. Support collective bargaining
7. Stop unfair competition
8. Abolish dishonorable trade policies
2. Cheaper electricity in the homes and on the farms of America
3. Better and cheaper transportation
4. Low interest rates
5. Sounder home financing
6. Better banking
7. Regulation of security issues
8. Reciprocal trade among nations
9. The wiping out of slums
10. Better land use and reforestation
11. Conservation of water all the way from its source to the sea
12. Drought and flood control
13. Provide useful work for the needy unemployed
1. Refuse to accept the disparagement of the unemployed
2. Keep government on the side of the Good Samaritan
3. Continue insurance for the unemployed
4. We prefer useful work to the pauperism of a dole
14. Continue our efforts for young men and women so that they may obtain an education and opportunity to put to use
15. Help for the crippled, for the blind, for the mothers
16. Provide security for the aged
17. Protect the consumer against unnecessary price spreads
1. Protect against the costs that are added by monopoly and speculation
2. Continue our efforts to increase the consumer purchasing power and keep it constant
For all these, we must continue to fight!

If The Presidential Election Was Today...

My Projections:

Barack Obama (D) [Incumbent]

RCP Poll-of-Polls: 43%

Likely Electoral Points: 236

Rick Perry* (R) [Governor - Texas]

RCP Poll-of-Polls: 45%

Likely Electoral Points: 233

The swing states have been narrowed to Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, holding a total of 69 points.  Obama will likely take PA and NH, and Perry will likely take NC and OH, leaving Iowa and Nevada up for grabs.  Obama would have to win both Iowa and Nevada to win the election if this event happens.  The state to watch in this election is Iowa.  We are still to close to call!

Here is a link to my 2012 prediction map:   http://www.270towin.com/2012_election_predictions.php?mapid=bXx

Feel free to make your predictions and share!

*I predict Rick Perry, the Teavangelical front runner, will likely win the necessary 1212 delegates required to win the Republican nod over establishment front runner, Mitt Romney.

If The Presidential Election Was Today...

Here are my predictions:

Barack Obama (D) [Incumbent]

Gallup: 45%

Likely Electoral Points: 174

M Romney (R) [Fm. Governor - Massachusetts]

Gallup: 39%

Likely Electoral Points: 181

With the swing states of CO, FL, ME (1)*, MI, MN, MO, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OR, PA, and VA holding 183 electoral points, this prediction is still too close to call.

*Maine and Nebraska are not winner-take-all states; I estimate all 5 delegates from Nebraska will lean GOP.  3 Maine delegates will likely lean Democrat, leaving 1 Main delegate as a swing vote.

This has been updated to reflect Mitt Romney's likely win over Rick Perry.  I expect Mitt Romney to take at least three-fifths of the delegates to the Republican National Convention.

No Deal: My Letter to the President

Dear Barack Obama,

No deal, Mister President!  No, I’m not talking about your capitulation on our nation’s solvent social safety net, I’m talking about any deal to trim the deficit whatsoever in conjunction with this debt ceiling vote.  I, and more than likely, the majority of the American people, want to see this debt ceiling vote come to a head with no political bipartisanship affecting its outcome.

The American debt ceiling is not a tool to use as a weapon against the heads of the American people and the economy, nor is it negotiable, raising it to pay our debts and keep the government functioning is constitutionally mandated; you, Mister President and constitutional scholar, should already know this.  If you offer any type of deal, be it good or bad, even from a progressive stand-point, this will open the Pandora’s Box for what can be leveraged with the debt ceiling vote, so offer no deal!

Offer no deal and use your constitutional and executive authority to raise the debt ceiling yourself with the aid of the Treasury Department; our economy is at stake, America is at stake, Americans are at stake, do not throw any of these things or people under the bus with meaningless political theater.  Allowing any deal undermines the authority of the executive and sets a precedent for others who will follow this Congress to use the debt ceiling as leverage against a sitting president.  I and the American people understand the deficit needs to be tamed, however, I must urge you that doing so with the Full, Faith, and Credit of the United States and the economies of other nations which rely on our economy to keep the markets stable and fair with proper competition literally at gun point would be the destruction of any recovery made thus far since the end of the Great Recession.

Sincerely,

A Concerned American Citizen

Opposing Same-Sex Marriage is un-American

The Constitutional Argument for Same-Sex Marriage Equality

Banning marriage equality for same-sex couples is and will likely always be unconstitutional in the United States.  State statutes and constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage violate the first, fifth, and fourteenth amendments.  The first amendment promises the right to freedom of speech, same-sex marriage bans curtail that right.  The fifth amendment states, "No person shall be...deprived of life, liberty...without due process of law[...]"; allowing a public vote on banning same-sex marriage is a violation of the due process clause of those people adversely affected by the law that deprives those people of life and liberty.

The fourteenth amendment is the most obviously violated of them all when marriage equality is denied to same-sex couples.  The fourteenth amendment is broken up into four parts, or sections, less the enforcement section.  Bans on same-sex marriage easily violate the first section of the fourteenth amendment, which states, "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."  In this amendment, the due process clause is viewed as so important to the fabric of the United States and for the protection of its citizens, the clause is reiterated.

As for the actual body of the constitution, the so-called "'Defense' of Marriage Act" (DOMA) is a major violation of Article Four.  Article Four states, "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof" and "The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States".  DOMA gives permission to the states to ignore these clauses completely in the case of same-sex marriage.

I am gay and therefore will always support marriage equality for same-sex couples, but as a supporter of the United States constitution and as an American, even if I was personally against this, I would still feel compelled to support marriage equality for same-sex couples on the basis of the law.  I do believe it would be un-American to take action contrary to the support of marriage equality for same-sex couples.

#GOP Field Much Worse Than Before!

After watching the first two Republican Debates, the first one being on Fox and the second on CNN, I have noticed just how blatant these candidates are being when waging divisive culture wars and trying to out-"right" (far out-"right") their other opponents.  When I was first able to vote, being the math-minded, logical person that I am, I created a point-system to rate the candidates depending on their answers to certain questions during the debate.  The point-system has been extremely reliable in picking a candidate who was more in line with progressive values throughout the nation.  Picking a president is not about his charisma and how well he or she can spin a topic into his or her favor.

A candidate can either gain or lose the points depending on the topics in which he or she answers listed herein:

Civil Rights = 600 points

Workers Rights = 500

Gay Rights = 1000

Economy = 300

Corporations = 500

Iraq = 200

Afghanistan = 300

Pakistan = 200

Libya = 200

Israel = 300

Healthcare = 400

Medicare = 400

Social Security = 400

Defense Spending = 300

Fair Tax = 200

Middle Class Rights = 400

Immigration = 200

Gun Laws = 100

Middle East Protests = 200

Abortion Rights = 600

Stem Cell (Embryonic) Research = 200

Education = 300

Energy = 300

Environment = 400

Drug Laws = 200

Tea Party = 300

Space & Technology = 200

Role of the Federal Government = 300

Debt Ceiling = 400

National Security = 300

Lying = Automatic 100 point deduction

Miss a Debate = Automatic 1000 point deduction

After watching two debates, here is where the GOP candidates stand:

Republican	Debates
M Bachmann	-6100
H Cain	-5300
N Gingrich	-4600
G Johnson	-1500
R Paul	-400
T Pawlenty	-5000
M Romney	-4700
R Santorum	-4800

Currently, Ron Paul is in the lead with negative 400 points; I must say, this is pretty sad.  The gay rights, Medicare, workers rights, healthcare, social security, debt ceiling, role of the federal government, and abortion issues killed all of these candidates.  They are just too far right, for my tastes, and I imagine mainstream Republicans.

The Afterlife, or Something Like it

Last weekend, I experienced a special occurrence that has only happened a handful of times within my life and has already affected me profoundly.  This weekend, I realized that I believe in the existence of some sort of afterlife.  To be exact:  I realized that the existence of an afterlife is logically possible.  You probably do not know this, but I am agnostic, that is I believe in a higher force of some sort, but have not acknowledged the identity of that force.  Now, I believe in an afterlife, sort of.

Up until my junior year of college, I was atheist, only believing in what is tangible.  What changed that is throughout my courses in civil engineering, math, physics, environmental science, chemistry, and sociology, I began to notice patterns that linked all natural aspects of those sciences to each other:  the natural logarithm.  At that moment, one of the special occurrences aforementioned happened:  I had the realization that without the existence of a higher force, this natural pattern could not exist and our multi-verse could fall into entropy.

This weekend, I was thinking about the Big Bang Theory and an article where Stephen Hawkins said because of the existence of gravity, spontaneously, universes could come into existence.  I started thinking more about this, now armed with what I had learned in math about gravity and the space-time continuum.  On the surface, it would seem that without the existence of large, massive objects, gravity could not exist.  Gravity not only warps the fabric of space-time, but it exists because space-time exists and space-time exists because gravity exists, therefore, space-time and gravity will always exist.

This is where my idea of the afterlife comes into play.  I have come to believe the afterlife exists along the fabric of space-time.  I still do not know what effect, if any, gravity plays in this vision of the afterlife. One idea is it may force, through trans-universal wormholes, our sentience to enter another universe and another life, or our sentience may just become one with the fabric of space-time forever, this, I still do not understand.  I am sure, in time, I will come to understand whether death is the end of the line for our sentience or if reincarnation actually is the next chapter, or this may be the end of that line of thought due to the lack of evidence.  I also know that I will likely never acknowledge the identity of the higher force I have come to believe exists.