I believe in the inherent worth of every single American. The minority kid in the back of my classroom, the one whose mother was arrested last week, whose father is unknown, whose trailer is now empty except for him. He deserves a chance. He deserves funding.
I believe in our old people. I believe in the wisdom of the aged, the knowledge they have to give us, the experiences they can share that can teach us about our world. I learned more from my grandmother, who died in 1997 at the age of 91, than I did from any other person in my life. I know she needed her Social Security, she worked 20 years for a small pension, and if some Wall Street republican had stolen it from her, she might have taken a ferry ride over to see him and demanded her money back.
More:
I believe in the New Deal: I believe that in a just society, those of us who have more have an obligation to insure that those who are struggling have their basic needs met. I believe their children deserve an exemplary education, so that they can pave their own way, and that if their parents cannot give them basic stability, other alternatives need to be explored. I believe THIS is where Churches and neighborhood communities are absolutely vital.
I believe that every single American should have health insurance, no exceptions. We are always hearing how we are the richest, most powerful nation on earth - then how, pray tell, can almost 50 million of our citizens be unable to go to the doctor for basic care because they don't have health insurance? Sometimes I think the disconnect will make my head explode. This is unacceptable in a civilized nation. Let's cut our 690 BILLION Defense spending this year by 100 billion, and put the money into some kind of health insurance for all.
I believe that Americans should have no problem paying their heating bill in the winter, that especially if they work, they should have a few bucks to put away at the end of the month. I believe that if they are unable to work, they should be able to count on the compassion and generosity of their fellow Americans to help them in their time of need.
I believe that our worst instincts have been hijacked by multi-millionare talk show hosts who have mesmerized their listeners with tales of taking care of your own and ignoring all others with no consequences to a just society.
I believe that individuals should count more than corporations, that products coming from overseas should be tariffed to compete with American goods, that if we do this prices may go up, but Americans will have jobs, so it will be a wash in the end. I believe that any Senator or Congressperson who votes to make it easier to send jobs overseas should be defeated in the next election
I believe that the government should not impose certain individual religious beliefs, such as life begins at conception, upon the many. I believe people should be trusted to make decisions that are in the best interest of themselves and their families, and that the government really does not know what is best for people.
I believe that the citizens of the United States of America, a land that was attacked by 19 men, flying our own airplanes, using our own jet fuel, should not have turned into rabid warmongers, totally lacking in critical thought, willing to attack any land or people that remotely disagreed with us. I believe that we should have stopped to think, to consider alternative responses, rather than to respond with bombs.
I believe that if I am ever elected to office, these are the things I will fight for, and that I will never sell out to some bigshot with a payout.