My Politics: Where I stand, and 9 ways the current crop of politicians has lost me

I’m a 60-year-old white guy, former Wall Street vice president, one-time small business owner who grew up in a Republican household, raised by strong parents, including a father who ran a major corporation and a mother who gave up her professional life to raise two kids. I've voted for both Republicans and Democrats since I was 18 years old.

If there was ever a guy the Republicans should target, it’s me. But they’ve missed by a mile. I fear that a segment of the Republican Party is, in many ways, becoming dangerous as we head to the primaries. The world is changing and the dinosaurs are long gone, except in the GOP. 

The Democrats remain pretty much uninspiring as well, moving in and out of mediocre policies that seem more designed to pander to their base as much as the Republicans are pandering to theirs. The Democrats, though, have failed to fire up their base the same way Trump and Cruz have roiled theirs.

By nature, politicians lack courage, and nobody seems especially courageous here . . . just either loud or rather bland.

Here are 9 Thoughts . . .

First, I considerate myself a moderate, that dying breed of voter who feels comfortable in the middle of the road advocating lower government spending while also managing to think government does have a valuable role in America, even if politicians can’t manage to get out of their own way. I think one of the primary goals of government should be to "do no harm," so I support programs that protect people, water, air and our land.

Second, I do believe that politicians pander to the wealthy, have created and endorse an unfair tax system, are heavily influenced by money and lobbyists and often oblivious to the real-life issues facing millions of Americans. I do not believe we should move towards a “Robin Hood” tax structure where we take from the rich, but rather a tax system that honors, supports and lifts the middle class without penalizing people for their growth, success and financial well-being. That may mean tax breaks for education, increased retirement programs, better mandated health care programs and an investment tax system that favors long-term investment over short term trading (including a shift in how hedge fund companies are taxed).

Third, I think companies need to be penalized if they move operations overseas, and rewarded if they keep operations (and jobs) here. Companies are using mergers to move headquarters overseas to avoid U.S. taxes. Offer a limited time tax amnesty to bring tax money back here before eliminating offshore loopholes, then close the loopholes. Reward companies for building new plants here. 

Mandate that companies fully fund their pensions and retirement programs, eliminating those liabilities and better protecting older workers. Lower the top corporate tax rate to 25 percent (from 35 percent), but change write-off rules so companies can’t avoid paying any taxes.

Fourth, I fully support term limits for all federally elected politicians. What’s reasonable? Maybe 3 Senate terms (12 years potentially) and 5 terms for members of the House (10 years). In many cases corporations have mandatory retirement (usually at age 65) for their executives . . . Time to clear the hanger’s on out of Congress. It has been said that anyone spending more than 10 years in any given job has stayed too long. I agree.

Fifth, we need to reduce the money influence on politicians and shine a much brighter light on their contributors and the contributors to PACs (Political Action Committees) and Super PACs. We should know who gives what to whom . . . There should be no curtain hiding campaign financing or shielding contributors. Shine the light. I want to know who pours millions of dollars into political campaigns.

Sixth, I completely and unwaveringly support marriage equality. I have friends and family who are gay, and why on earth would I deny them the same rights and privileges I enjoy? Further, I believe we need to make sure all people have the same rights here . . . access to housing, medical care, non-discriminatory laws and regulations, etc.  If we continue to generate laws that purposely discriminate against certain groups of people, then that’s shame on us. (And shows our narrow-mindedness and belief that we will never be discriminated against. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes for once.)

Seventh, I do believe there is a war on women . . . both in the job marketplace and with women’s health care. Just look at the facts . . . continued failure to mandate equal pay for equal work to start, as well as the continued assault on Planned Parenthood. 

Why? I am offended that some old white guy in Washington can tell my daughters what to do with their bodies. Politicians’ never-ending attempts to put themselves between a woman and her doctor, including trying to mandate invasive fetal monitors . . . requiring patients to watch videos before considering an abortion, the closing of clinics and the constant attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, which would leave millions of people, mostly women, without access to affordable care. We need to move past these issues, and certainly older white mostly male Republicans need to move way off this issue.

Eighth, I simply don't understand why anyone would vote for fewer laws overseeing the safety of our water and air. I favor strong environmental protections, and point to the current crisis in Flint, Michigan, as a warning shot to ever bigger environmental issues. The fact that politicians changed the city water supply source, which in turn led to the lead exposure and poisoning of thousands of residents merely because they wanted to save money, and never tested the supply, is, one could reasonable argue, criminal. We have similar issues with pollution of our ground water supply in fracking areas and around mining regions. People have the right to demand their politicians keep them safe, and that includes making sure their air and water is safe. Politicians need to put their people first, before business interests that oil their political aspirations. Clean air, water and food supply.

Ninth, (and last for the time being), let’s not forget that politics is a contact sport and we need to make sure we’re part of the game. Write, talk, debate, use your brain and make sure you’re supporting someone not shouting the loudest, but who best aligns with your political beliefs. Don’t fall for easy answers and social media rants and “news,” but learn, follow, be critical and demand better.

So far, so disappointing.

Some of the Republican candidates make Barry Goldwater and George Wallace look like raging liberals, and while I might be able to warm to a couple of them, I choke on the right turn needed to make it through the bloody GOP primary gauntlet. The party is in trouble. They’ve lowered their own bar very low. These are not the "conservatives" of days past. These are fake conservatives more than willing to throw aside the Constitution while they pretend to embrace it . . . fake "conservatives" who shout a lot but offer little thought and insight. Too bad.

While Hillary Clinton is an option, her sense of entitlement, measured campaigning and inability to handle her email/server issues may overshadow her middle-of-the-road policy positions. She carries huge negative numbers. Barry Sanders is probably the only candidate, whether you agree with him on anything or not, who has steered the same course for years and years, seldom wavering in his positions and not speaking to impress and score points (though that’s always the goal when you need votes), but rather to spread his “every man” mantra. Might be interesting.

It’s “only” January, but the primaries and caucuses start soon . . . Virtually every pundit in the world thought Trump would implode well before now . . . They thought that it would happen in July . . . then August . . . It’s January and he’s not only still in the race, he’s well ahead of his competition. He hasn't said one thing that sounds like a policy, and people actually believe him when he says Mexico will pay for his wall across the southern border.

Wow.