Depression. It is what we are in now, no matter how much the corporate media attempts to water it down and get us to sleep into it. The housing district is in shambles, unemployment is nearing 10%(and that's even with it being underestimated, due to soldiers being counting in the civilian employment numbers in recent years), the nation is 10 trillion dollars in debt and the stock market lost 1/3 of it's value in a year. It's actually lost over 40 percent of it's value in that time, if inflation adjusted. Homelessness is at its highest sinse the Great Depression, and a individuals credit cards run out and the bils-to-job pay ratio continues to worsen, soon much more of society is going to start to not just feel it, but become the Migrant Mother.
So what do we do about this?
Candidates, elected(?) officials, and t/v pundits generally softball, vastly underplay, and mislead greatly on the matter. Fact is, we can't just make this dissapear. We're going to go through it, we ARE going through it in its ankle deep form already. The damage is done, but what we can do is act in a way that shortens, minimizes, and brings us out of it in a the healthiest manner possible; and in a way that is healthy for our future, not just in terms of the economy but in terms of being truly free and equal.
There are, at large, the main problems that have created and intensified this matter:
-The multi-costly War on Terror(lives and freedom first, economy second)
---Draconian Legislation Led out by Homeland Security
--Military Industrial Complex
-Outsourcing and Sweatshops
---Mispending by the Public
--Bailout, Monopolization(with help of the Government)
-Fascism fed by Unchecked Government
-Prison Industrial Complex
-Federal Reserve and Income Tax
-Past abuses never Reparated
-Division by race, gender, religion, party, class, ect.
The following, afterwhich begins an indepth explanation of the why's and how's, is a multi-faceted 3 step breakdown that will begin to repair the economy, get it thriving, and help it gain a first-time balance across the board:
1) End The War Of Terror Immediately
-Close The Homeland Security Department
--Bring About End Of Military Industrial Complex
1a)Repeal Bailout
-Retrieve given funds
--Return 700 billion dollars to Federal Reserve
2)Ban importing of Sweatshopped goods
-Public acting upon realization that spending is a daily vote.
--End of Prison-Industrial Complex
3)Close Federal Reserve
-End Income Tax, Switch To Refundable Federal Sales Tax
--Provide period of Reparations long overdue for Native and African Americans
Alot of people are wondering how to reverse this mess, when it is right infront of our faces(if we stop looking at the t/v and look at our real world). One of my favorite quotes is from the song Watching The Wheels: "People asking questions, lost in confusion. I tell them there's no problem, only solutions." If we take the following steps, we will not only come out of Depression, but we will solve most of the issues that are holding our country(and world) back, and declining it. We will get on the right track, we'll start to turn the potential this country has always had, a potential that has been fleeting, into kinetic energy. We'll be able to talk about the strides we're taking as people and as a country, rather then pointing to the rest of the world and trying to make ourselves a beacon by saying our (dim)light is brighter then their darkness. Let's hold ourselves to the highest standard, not the lowest, and start here:
(Keep in mind this principle, in very basic form:
If i give you an IOU, and i have reason to believe you will pay me later, I will accept it at value. Now let's say, later on you come to me and give me an IOU, but I already have several IOU's from you in my room, will i accept your next one at it's written value?
What i'm saying here is, we need to start by increasing the debt. Or else the dollar will lose all it's value.)
First, we need to end the War on Terror immediately. This decision is a neccessity superceding even the matter of the economy. But in terms of the economy, ending the War on Terror, as well as closing down the related Department of Homeland Security, would free up hundreds of billions of dollars per year. We spend about a trillion dollars, this year alone, on the Military Industrial Complex. By bringing home troops, not just from Afghanistan and Iraq, but from bases around the world, minimizing our army to just what is needed to defend this land, and focusing our spending on improving our lives rather then on building massive weapons to kill off others, we will also immediately have the oppurtunity to reap a surplus. [The War on Terror & Culture of Enforcement: http://tinyurl.com/WOT-COE ]
Secondly, and hand in hand, we must repeal the Bailout. For a short period, the population made the right move and stood pretty strong against the unconstitutional Nationalization, and further government Centralization. The 700 billion dollars we are now providing, should never have been printed. It is money we have to borrow from the Federal Reserve and pay a debt on[More here: http://tinyurl.com/WOT-COE ]. It will lead to further devaluing of the dollar, and puts us an additional 700 billion dollars in debt. Going into further debt to pay off irresponsible/criminal businesses is not a way to resolve a falling economy, but rather it is giving the economy concrete shoes. By repealing the act, having the companies who have already gained moneys from the Treasury return them, and ultimately returning the money to Federal Reserve, we will decrease our debt by 3/4 of a trillion dollars of what it will be by the time the Bailout is completely tapped.[More here: http://tinyurl.com/Govt-Bailouts ]
Our next step is to amend another major problem with our economy: Individual spending. Our economy moves with spending. Taxes provide money to the government (supposedly) to pay for government programs. As Outsourcing and it's appeal to ruthlessness(through the use of Sweatshops) has led corporations overseas, and their slightly cheaper and far more advertised products were swapped up by U.S. consumers and put non-name brand small businesses out of business, a major wave built. Less jobs, less money for the average worker, more unemployment, and less spending. To make matters worse, those now working for these outsourced companies were now getting paid pennies, and so they weren't able to spend money on U.S. products sent overseas...which means we didn't even get an indirect benefit. The only people benefitting are major corp executives, who sit on much of their assets.
So the wheels grind more and more and the economy slows down. Then more jobs are cut, and continue to be cut as the slide occurs. So. How will we eliminate our debt and pay for government programs if the jobs and the public spending decrease? We can't. We have to look back to how this started:
Companies went overseas. Sweatshops were built increasingly. Those products, despite sub-human conditions, were allowed to be imported back into the United States. Meanwhile consumers, including some of those who had lost jobs to outsourcing ironically enough, purchased those goods, giving said corporations more profit and more money to spend to buy out other companies, to built more human rights violating facilities and ship more business overseas at little cost. As mentioned, mom and pop businesses who didn't take part, or allow themselves to be bought up, were crushed left and right. Their prices were just a bit higher perhaps, or they just weren't "cool". So this population, as consumers, has to take some of the blame for what has happened. Perhaps for some of the country, it was ignorance. Perhaps others didn't care. And perhaps many of those who know their jobs are safe, or that think their jobs are safe, will continue not to care. But the rest of us have to start now. We have to realize that our biggest vote ourside of our personal expression, is the money we spend. It's year round, and it is money that funds the good and the bad. Who we give our money to is who we support. Their practices, their results. So this is our next step.
Going from there, i believe we also have the Constitutional Right, and Duty, to ban imports of products made in ways that violate the laws of the United States. [More on sweatshops: http://tinyurl.com/Sweatshops-And-Human-Labor-Act ]This way, we are ensuring a that new versions of slavery are not done under our heads, while helping the economy. Even those companies that would choose to keep their factories overseas, would now have to give a living wage and remove such atrocities as 12 hour work days, rape of women and children, and child labor from the factories that make their products. A major improvement in our world, a message that would be sent to the world that America really does believe in freedom and equality, and one that would grant us at the least, an indirect boost in spending on American products..and at it's best would also bring many jobs back to the United States.
Contrary to what is commonly accepted as truth now, movements such as the Civil Rights Movement are solid proof that whether we each as individuals, and in the long term together, spend our money on a company or not will have impact on it's policies. Such movements are indications that if we check our government by using all of our rights, including building a movement out onto the streets regularly, we will get somewhere positive. It doesn't happen instantly on a nationwide level, but for each of us it can happen instantly on a personal level. That's the only way it can start, for that matter.
Now, i had mentioned the Prison-Industrial Complex. The Prison system we have in place today uses convicts to work labor. They are usually paid next to nothing for their labor. One might argue that due to their conviction, it is just and a way to rehabilitate them. Particularly violent criminals. But that notion would give creedance to a notion that slavery is a cure to criminality. Which is essentially saying that one atrocity will cure the another. But there's also another issue here, companies such as IBM, Motorola, Compaq, Revlon, Boeing, Texas Instruments, Honeywell, Microsoft, and Chevron(along with many others) have many of their products made in American Prisons. Which means that they have found a loophole around fair-paid labor. A loophole that is not only mistreating those who are in prison, and helping purpetrate the push that has given us the largest prison population in the world(that's right, not China with it's billion person population, but in the "land of the free"), but is also sapping jobs from the public and again...stifling spending...creating a bigger wealth gap....
Which creates a sick circle sinse impoverished areas create desparation which creates increased crime, which spends more people to prison and allows for more prison "jobs", which creates more stifling of spending and an even bigger wealth gap, which leads to more desparation - and so on. The solution is short and simple. We must ban prisoners from being used in said labor. And there are two very good options here:
One, we can allow jobs into the Prisons if they workers are paid a fair wage. That wage, in turn, can largely go to pay for their incarceration. A portion would go into personal savings so that they would be able to rebuild their lives when living a potential extended prison stay. This wage process would be Constitutionally fair and would reduce State and Federal government spending and therefore decrease debt. Some jobs would undoubtably return to the public and the thirst to create larger prisons by companies that fund lawmakers would somewhat subside. It would be a good step for society, to say the least.
Option two would be to completely ban companies from having prison labor. This, in addition to being a second option for eliminating unfair labor, would also be good for the economy because it would return alot of jobs back out into the public. Thus increasing spending and reducing debt.
Let me stop here for a moment:
Think about it: A government that is spending over a Trillion dollars less per year, a wage gapthat is no longer increasing(but rather decreasing), a returning job market, and a debt thatis shrinking rather then requiring new numbers to be put up on it's clock. A dollar that iscoming back to life. Decreasing gas prices. Decreasing food prices. Decreasing heatingand electric prices. It's solvable. Don't be deterred, please don't be misled by the vague and solutionless words of the mainstream political spectrum. By taking these actions(and there is more that can be done yet) living conditions for everyone will improve, we'll have a country that more resembles the rhetorical claim of being free, we'll be viewed far better in the world and have more influence on foreign peoples knowledge of what it takes to improve their nations, and we'll be working our way out of this Depression. We'll be on our way to building a truly stable enonomy and nation because we'll be creating balance.
Now, there are still a few pieces of the puzzle missing to eliminate any leaks in the ship. When our nation allowed for the creation of the Federal Reserve after a period of panic known as the "Panic of 1907", and then the creation of the Income Tax to pay for the borrowing of money from the private institution now known as The Fed, we stepped across two Constitutional boundaries and set the country on a crash course that was bound to happen. We have to begin to turn this damage around by closing the Federal Reserve. Following, we must repeal the Income Tax Amendment, which attached to the Constitution a law which contridicts the Constitution itself. Excess taxing caused through the creation of an artificial need. The Income Tax will be replaced with a Federal Sales tax that will start at it's cap, 17 percent. That sounds very high, but in correlation to the Income Tax will actually prove less costly for most of the population. Those who are at or below the poverty line* will recieve a tax rebate, as provided by a filing of their years receipts, at years end. The government has no right to tax anyone into hunger, nor out of home.
(*The Poverty Line is in need of review, as it is too low in it's current form. Many people living "above" the poverty line are actually not making enough to make ends meet. Having to be in debt to get by, as our government has demonstrated, is not living at ends meet.)
The Congress would have the power to adjust the Federal Sales Tax, but again, no higher then the 17 percent cap. Any surplus will go towards the debt, and once the debt is eliminated, the Congress should be strongly encouraged to lessen the tax. Additionally, once the nation is in a year-to-year surplus, each citizen of the country can "opt-in" for a refund of a share of the years tax surplus. Rebates will not be returned by amount spent on the year by said individual, but will be divided equally based on the number of eligable persons in the United States, and said individuals' dependents. This will help create a minor redistribution that will help (a little)to make up for years of curruption by executives.
The last key piece of this particular legislation, which i'll refer to as The Fair Federal Sales Tax Act, would ban the Congress from having any year of spending cross over into Debt. The sole exception to this ban would be during an armed military invasion of U.S. soil.
One of our biggest mistakes in our history has been that we have allowed ourselves to be divided again and again. At certain moments it seems we are more divided then others, and i believe that is where we stand now. You're either red or your blue, your either a woman or a man, you're either rich or your poor, you're either a supporter with endless loyalty or your the enemy,...it's either black or it's white. Sadly, we haven't yet learned from the harm this causes. Usually bleeding out into war, which bleeds our lives and the futures of everyone. Just as much as we have yet to learn, we have yet to provide reparations for atrocities of the past. Two that certainly stand out are Slavery and the Native American Holocaust. [Why Reparations?: http://tinyurl.com/WhyReparations ] This is a step we need to take, and i believe even as can come out of a Depression following the steps above, if we want to come all the way out and create a balance, we will have to make the sealing of the deal, a Reparation period(and hopefully a will to coexist). Reparations would occur at a scaling rate, so as not to put a strain on an economy attempting to recover, but also providing immediate justice. 1,000 per individual adult(plus 500 per child) for the opening 2 years(a cost of apprx 45 billion dollars per year), 2000 per individual adult(plus 1000 per child) for the 3rd and 4th years(apprx. 90 billion dollars per year). 4000 dollars per year for the 5th through 8th years, plus 2000 per child(apprx. 135 billion dollars per year). This cannot make up for the salaries and land never recieved or stolen long ago, that never was able to be passed down generation to generation, and it certainly can't make up for the horrible atrocities including the loss of freedom and life, but it can help mend the gap that was created by these events. Our government owes that to the new generations of Native and African American peoples.
In closing, you turn on the t/v and you hear debates. You hear pundits. You hear the Congress and the President. You hear foreign leaders saying similiar things about their nations, which supposedly are different types of governmens then our own. Vague possibilities for the future, with the only clear sentences ever said being "Let's give the banks money. "Let's buy the banks." There are real solutions and there is a real possibility of coming out of this with improved conditions of life and feeling free, rather then being permanently restricted further. I believe these plans would be completely effective and, just as importantly, is Constitutionally sound. Honestly the People and the Constitution are what this nations possibilities of democracy lean on.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Part 2: Life, Wages, Education, Health and Environment
-Life-
Cloning
Cloning has resulted in suffering and early death for many animals, has put uncertain foods into our supply, and leaves open the possibility of human cloning leading to similiar suffering and additional unknown consequences and risks to humanity. I support an "Animal and Human Rights Anti-Cloning Act", which would provide both animals and humans with no uncertain rights, that are preserved in our government. It would save animals from the torments of clonings failures, it save future human beings from the same, and it would remove our already poisoned food supply from even further harm.
This is a more crucial issue then many realize, as every day that passes technology opens up more possibilities, and on a given day the meat you buy may have been toyed with in a lab, with unpredictable consequences. And we cannot rely on the FDA to move on it, as they have proven their lack of action and even their misaction constantly sinse their creation.
Death Penalty
There are certain basic principles as to why murder is wrong. Amongst them:
- it steals the freedom to live, from the deceased
- it causes harm to the living loved ones by stealing someone from their world
Considering these principles, it is impossible to justify the death penalty. If nothing else, because it causes unjust harm to the family/loved ones of the executed. They are an innocent party in the manner, and should not be brought maximum suffering. It may be hard enough for them to deal with the guilty living in chains, but that is something the State cannot resolve. I therefore, do not support the Death Penalty because it acts as excess punishment on this principle alone. Denying additional innocent parties the right to the Pursuit Of Happiness is not a solution to the unjust loss of life.
Additionally, several percent of people who are executed, turn out to be innocent later. Had these individuals not been executed, while they couldn't get back the years they lost in jail, they could have the rest of their lives. An execution in a way, amounts to sentencing someone to life, and then if it turns out the evidence was fraudulent, they still have to serve the sentence regardless. That does not sound like it is even remotely in line with the principles of our justice system.
I support a federal ban of the Death Penalty, to protect both the rights of the innocent and preserve the principles of the justice system as entailed by our Constitution(or perhaps, "to help bring the principles of our justice system back to life", is a more appropriate phrase).
Abortion
It is my observation that womans equality to man has become almost entirely leaned upon the issue of Abortion. While women continue to own just a fraction of the nations property, and while women are recieving just 77 percent of the salary compared to what men recieve for the same jobs, candidates have us focusing on Abortion. Barack Obama in a speech did mention the pay discrepency between men and women, but interestingly enough: Women are paid 78 percent the pay of men in candidate Barack Obamas' campaign staff. Something, perhaps revealing, that media-contacted leaders of NOW and Code Pink have downplayed. McCain has paid
women equally, but doesn't see a need to tend to this nationwide serious issue. So again, we are offered two poor "choices". One who doesn't talk about it, and the other who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. Most people don't know of Obamas mispay of women in his campaign, and two womens action groups have helped clean up the mess in the cases where women do find out, so this issue has continued to benefit Obama.
I see abortion as a distraction issue. Which is scary, considering it's importance: If you view it as a womans right, then it is very significant to you. If you view it as the unborns right to live, then it is very important to you. Distraction issues tend to create alot of hate, they are meant to divide, because nothing puts a cherry on top of distraction quite like division. Reality is, most people believe they are right on this issue, and have good intent. Most women who commit abortions do not even remotely consider themselves murderers, and most people who believe that a fetus has a right to birth don't hate women. If we ever hope to get anywhere on this issue, and if we hope to truly see equality between men and women, we need to attempt to have calm discussions on this matter, that are logical and unbaised. We need not to see those we debate with as enemies, but as concerned individuals trying to make the right choice. It may not be true in all cases, but i believe more often then not it is.
My view, based on discussions and research, is the following:
Once the fertilized egg attaches itself to the womans uterus, which takes about a week, the process of pregnancy has officially begun. Many times fertilized eggs are flushed from the womans system prior to attachment to her uterus, and that would hardly be considered abortion. Now, we have made many technological advances sinse Roe v Wade that have revealed that a fetus is capable of doing and feeling more, and at an earlier stage into pregnancy, then scientists ever imagined before. Because of this, i take a Pro-life stance from the moment of pregnancy because time stands to reveal more about the unborn child. What it has already revealed is even just weeks into the pregnancy, an abortion brings torment to the fetus up until it expires. Who knows what else we are set to discover in years to come.
Still, I believe an appropriate decision on this matter should currently be reached in the Supreme Court. I believe Roe v Wade is coming up for review at some point(?) in the future, and hopefully it will be expediated and all evidence will be presented from both sides of the argument. This will allow for a debate that hopefully, if the public pushes for detail, leads this nation a proper answer that is as timely as possible. But again, I would encourage us all to converse as individuals about this in a logical matter before then. Our method to this point has created division and uncertainty, which is not good for life nor choice.
-Wages-
Womens Salaries
Woman are equal to men. I personally need no time to understand that. But also this concept has been guarenteed sinse day one of our Constitution, yet ignored for much of our history. As a matter of fact, as previously mentioned, it is still ignored in parts till this day. Women have a right to equal pay, the have an equal right to persuit of their hopes and goals. This nation is not providing that, and as said, the issue is being skirted. How do we resolve this matter?
Constitutionally speaking, government can not force a private business to pay one person or another a set salary. While our Constitution recognizes the equality of people, government cannot force a private business to adopt this belief into their own private lives, short of stopping them from bringing physical harm onto another.But there are two things that can be done. One by the people, and one by the government of the people under the approval of the people.
I'll touch first, on the latter. There has been talk of an Fair Pay bill, but as touched on, it would violate the Constitution and give more power of interpretation to the government. It would give the government the power to decide how valuable your work is. This is a dangerous concept. But the government can do something. The government has say over the payment of peoples whom work government jobs. Legislation should quickly be put forth that guarentees women and men recieve equal pay for the same workload in the government workplace. The Equal Pay In Government Act. Additionally, this legislation should also provide that any charitable organization that recieves federal funding must pay equally, men and women. No charity that works around a personal belief should be recieving federal funding, anyhow. But that is different matter. By taking this step, we'd be ensuring that a sizable portion of jobs in the United States give women an equal oppurtunity, and it would set a strong example for one of the most basic principles off our society, equality.
Another action that can be taken, as mentioned, is that taken by the people. Women and all men who support womens equality can put pressure on businesses to just the pay with the power of theirspending, or lack there of. Again, this is where the historical success of the boycott succeeds. By standing for ourselves and eachother, we can make ground while our government is still putting up the red tape. Whether a business be local, or national, or international, if we find it's policies in this and/or other matters to be aggregious, we have a choice: We can lend support or take it away. In the economic world, our dollar is our ballot. If someone makes money off of inequality, then buying their products or services is helping them succeed in that manner. By refusing to purchase from them and making it known to said businesses why, giving them an altimatum, a growing movement can either change their ways or knock them out of business. You can be pretty sure they will choose changing their ways over losing business and profit.
Women and Men alike, Human Beings, have much power as individuals, and so much power when working in masses. We can make most of the alterations in society that we need to see just by our own actions together. Gladly be next to anyone in line..the boycott line.
A 2 Point Minimum Wage System
Minimum wage comes from a basic human right principle, that people should not be forced to work in slave-like conditions, that people should be able to live off their hard work. Our Minimum wage has lagged well behind inflation for some time, and has rarely been boosted nationally in recent memory. But there is more to the problem then this. When ever the minimum wage is increased, the cost of food magically increases too. So the better pay day doesn't amount to much new, and this can particularly harmful to single parents and poor working families. That's why i propose a just bill in line with human rights that will help children of poverty, who cannot defend themselves.
The Minimum wage should be immediately risen, and risen in a 2 point system. Minimum wage would also increase yearly with inflation, to ensure that working conditions do not slip below the set standard.
The two point system works this way:
-A increase of the minimum wage to 8.50/hr
-For parents, the minimum wage would be 10.00/hr
This graduated system provides that the salary for those who most need it will move towards a more justified level, not be instantly erased by increased prices.
Those applying for said job would not be required to reveal in their job interview whether or not they are a parent. It would be illegal for a business to ask that question of an applicant, or levy job availability based on whether one is or isn't a parent. Firing someone after finding out they were a parent would also be a criminal act. This would fall in a similiar line with the previously established sexual harrasment laws.
Congressional And Presidential Salaries
In recent years, our Congress has passed measures with such gifts as giving members golden toilet seats, and of course the White House has historically been a mansion with enough rooms to house a quite of a few of the homeless people who line the streets of D.C. Again, the behaviors you would expect from Royalty.
Congressional members recieve over $150,000 in pay(upwards of over $200,000), and the President recieves $400,000. The vice president recieves $221,000. One problem with this concept is that it turns these positions into positions that one can even more easily be pursued for the sake of money, rather then to provide service to the population. Another is that our Congressional members and our President recieve these enormous salaries no matter whether they hear us out, as is evident most particularly by these last couple years. We need to return these positions to public service first, and salary second.
I propose that all Congressional salaries be cut to 1/3 of their size: $50,000. That the salary of the President be cut to 1/5 their size: $80,000. That the Vice President be to 1/4 its size: $55,000. These tax dollars could go to more valueable uses, and certainly men and women working in mansions such as the White House and the Capitol Building are not in need of any more lavishment to distract or lure them from their true purpose, to serve the American people.
Additionally, those who argue that these salaries would not suffice, and would chase away potential worthy figures are ignoring the fact that only those who value the oppurtunity of public service entirely, over salary, could possibly be worthy of such positions.
We must restruction the salaries of the officers of the people to help bring them back down to earth. We must to make our tax dollars more truely serve their purpose.
-Education-
Education
lived in the old system.
In short, i propose a Non-Hostile Healthcare Act, which would create a Congressional committee in line with the Constitution to publically discuss, decide, and bi-annually review the measured cost standards of say, a trip to the hospital in an ambulance, or a stay there for a night, or a check up, and set a ceiling on the pricing. Those who go above this ceiling would be subject to fines exceeding 1 million dollars, and risk closure upon repeated violations, with a mandatory shut down after 3 violations. This is one area where government intervention is required because it is the duty of the government to protect the Right of the People to Life and
Health. Giving someone the ultimatum to either suffer further health consequences or pay up is no different then holding a weapon to someone and trying to take their wallet.
Drilling
We have to take into effect the environment consequences of our actions when discussing Alaskan refuge drilling, and offshore drilling. The two environments are part of our balance. They are two distinctly different environments, almost acting like poles. If we fail to respect this balance, can we be angry at the consequences? Our problem with gasoline prices doesn't seem to be from a gas shortage. It appears to be from greed and self-centered behavior. Oil companies have cashed in on any and every situation and turned it into an oil crisis, shooting the prices up. But we could have, and can revert this. It's actually quite simple, and it goes back to one the most successful principles of the Civil Rights Movement and other successful movements in human history...The Boycott. If we aren't dedicated to sending a message that we will not stand for high gas prices, then why should we expect the prices to come down just because we are allowing the Oil companies to drill for more oil they don't even need. It seems to me that we are welcoming more profit and control on their part, if anything.
Rather then do harm to other creatures, and to environmental balance, we have an oppurtunity to empower ourselves and make all of our lives better. Bringing down the pump prices would also bring down the food prices, bring down home heating prices, and bring down electric bill prices. It would be a very big positive shockwave for our economy and our self esteems.
Dumping
Rivers, Lakes, Reserviors, and our Oceans are becoming increasingly toxic, in addition to the very ground we walk on. It is a combination of behaviors that has led to this. We, for one, have to take responsibility for our littering and wreckless tossing of items such as plastic bottles onto beaches and into the ocean. These plastics leak toxins, many of these items kill sea life, and it's all coming back to us. When we drop a wrapper on the street, chemicals from the inks and plastics/aluminums go into the ground and when it rains, they find their way into fresh and salt water. They make our soils less fertile and they adversely effect the balance of life in our environments. We are risking facing a generation of cancer when we behave this way. So we must take this action into our own hands, and think about the good we are doing everytime we decide not to lazily toss aside garbage.
Just the same, Corporate Dumping is largely responsible for our woes as well. Mercury is at dangerous levels in many of our water systems. Toxic chemicals sit in barrels at the bottom of the Hudson River in Ny, and in rivers all across the country, as well as lakes and our two ocean waters. The leak over time and again, come back to us. Corporate government, to no surprise, has been light on itself. We need stricter laws against dumping. Because many rivers lead into multiple states, and our oceans touch many states, i believe the is a rightful argument for passing a Federal crime statute against such behavior that will make it a much bigger risk for companies to attempt to dump toxins. Human and animal life being harmed comes with serious consequences in most walks of life. It should be no different here. I believe there should be a minimum 1 million dollar fine(5 million minimum for a second offense, as well as a shut down of related facilities) against any corporation that dumps toxins, and a minimum year in prison for any person who orders and takes part in such activity. Additionally, said corporation should have to pay for the cleaning up of the toxins, which shall be overseen.
War On Drugs; Should Any Drugs Be Legalized?
The Rockefeller Laws have long been proven to fit in to a project of racial bias. The War On Drugs has, to no surprise, not done much to solve our drug issues(hmm could it be in part, the CIA smuggling?). Rather it has helped feed racial division and inequality. These laws need to be repealed, as they hold a clear bias. And example of this is that drugs which are common in the urban community draw larger sentences then those in the corporate community. Additionally, 3 strikes and you're out is not an appropriate way to handle an addiction.
Just as the War On Drugs should come to an end, and a more sound and less militaristic approach to the problem be found, conversely no illegal drug should be legalized. Drugs have a history of use in supression of population(such as Opium in China, under British control), and most drugs lead to vastly increased abuse of another, not just oneself. Marijuana has been the main topic of debate in legalization. My legal argument against would be that Marijuana use takes the worst of both the Alcohol and Cigarrette world, and combines the two. Marijuana smoke toxicates the air of those around the smoker, and Marijuana smoking drivers are more then twice as likely to get into a fatal car accident then those who don't smoke. Additionally, would it be a good idea to someone working on an airline runway, or as a safety inspector, or as a bus driver, and so on, to be able to go and smoke a joint on a smoking break? One of the fundamentals contained in our basic rights is that you have a right to do what you wish, as long as it doesn't physically harm another. Thus why i cannot support legalization.
There is also the issue of legalization for the sake of medicinal purpose. As well as the use of hemp for non-drug products. I do think both are good ideas. In terms of medicine, many medicines that are sold to the public are far more harmful then marijuana if misused. But yet, due to the profit, we don't hear a word about banning them. So there doesn't appear to be a legitimate argument as to why marijuana is held under separate principles then say, pain killers.
Hemp items are useful to our society and economy. The are also cheaper to make, and more accessable to the citizen. Hemp plants are natural to our environment. It seems to me that banning something natural to our environment is altering the environment itself. The government of the U.S. currently only allows for industrial hemp to be grown through purchasing a license. This is another example of the government attempting to control a market that would otherwise be very good for economics, both in terms of production and in terms of consumer prices. This license requirement should be lifted, and likewise to create a balance to discourage the amount of hemp that will be grown for drug purposes, property seizures should be the result of growing hemp for drug sales. In addition to prosecution. For personal drug use, a heavy fine should be enacted.
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As bleak as our future looks, with such a small percentage of the population feeling we are on the right path, we can pitch tent rather then fold up tent. We can get hands on with the problems rather then let rhetoric continue to tear us down the road of ruin. We have to make that committment each, as individuals, and then as it grows person to person..we will find ourselves having built a bandwagon without waiting for others to jump on it. We will have already taken steps that will have laid the ground, for the entirety of the kind of alterations in our government and society that are direly needed.
Cloning
Cloning has resulted in suffering and early death for many animals, has put uncertain foods into our supply, and leaves open the possibility of human cloning leading to similiar suffering and additional unknown consequences and risks to humanity. I support an "Animal and Human Rights Anti-Cloning Act", which would provide both animals and humans with no uncertain rights, that are preserved in our government. It would save animals from the torments of clonings failures, it save future human beings from the same, and it would remove our already poisoned food supply from even further harm.
This is a more crucial issue then many realize, as every day that passes technology opens up more possibilities, and on a given day the meat you buy may have been toyed with in a lab, with unpredictable consequences. And we cannot rely on the FDA to move on it, as they have proven their lack of action and even their misaction constantly sinse their creation.
Death Penalty
There are certain basic principles as to why murder is wrong. Amongst them:
- it steals the freedom to live, from the deceased
- it causes harm to the living loved ones by stealing someone from their world
Considering these principles, it is impossible to justify the death penalty. If nothing else, because it causes unjust harm to the family/loved ones of the executed. They are an innocent party in the manner, and should not be brought maximum suffering. It may be hard enough for them to deal with the guilty living in chains, but that is something the State cannot resolve. I therefore, do not support the Death Penalty because it acts as excess punishment on this principle alone. Denying additional innocent parties the right to the Pursuit Of Happiness is not a solution to the unjust loss of life.
Additionally, several percent of people who are executed, turn out to be innocent later. Had these individuals not been executed, while they couldn't get back the years they lost in jail, they could have the rest of their lives. An execution in a way, amounts to sentencing someone to life, and then if it turns out the evidence was fraudulent, they still have to serve the sentence regardless. That does not sound like it is even remotely in line with the principles of our justice system.
I support a federal ban of the Death Penalty, to protect both the rights of the innocent and preserve the principles of the justice system as entailed by our Constitution(or perhaps, "to help bring the principles of our justice system back to life", is a more appropriate phrase).
Abortion
It is my observation that womans equality to man has become almost entirely leaned upon the issue of Abortion. While women continue to own just a fraction of the nations property, and while women are recieving just 77 percent of the salary compared to what men recieve for the same jobs, candidates have us focusing on Abortion. Barack Obama in a speech did mention the pay discrepency between men and women, but interestingly enough: Women are paid 78 percent the pay of men in candidate Barack Obamas' campaign staff. Something, perhaps revealing, that media-contacted leaders of NOW and Code Pink have downplayed. McCain has paid
women equally, but doesn't see a need to tend to this nationwide serious issue. So again, we are offered two poor "choices". One who doesn't talk about it, and the other who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. Most people don't know of Obamas mispay of women in his campaign, and two womens action groups have helped clean up the mess in the cases where women do find out, so this issue has continued to benefit Obama.
I see abortion as a distraction issue. Which is scary, considering it's importance: If you view it as a womans right, then it is very significant to you. If you view it as the unborns right to live, then it is very important to you. Distraction issues tend to create alot of hate, they are meant to divide, because nothing puts a cherry on top of distraction quite like division. Reality is, most people believe they are right on this issue, and have good intent. Most women who commit abortions do not even remotely consider themselves murderers, and most people who believe that a fetus has a right to birth don't hate women. If we ever hope to get anywhere on this issue, and if we hope to truly see equality between men and women, we need to attempt to have calm discussions on this matter, that are logical and unbaised. We need not to see those we debate with as enemies, but as concerned individuals trying to make the right choice. It may not be true in all cases, but i believe more often then not it is.
My view, based on discussions and research, is the following:
Once the fertilized egg attaches itself to the womans uterus, which takes about a week, the process of pregnancy has officially begun. Many times fertilized eggs are flushed from the womans system prior to attachment to her uterus, and that would hardly be considered abortion. Now, we have made many technological advances sinse Roe v Wade that have revealed that a fetus is capable of doing and feeling more, and at an earlier stage into pregnancy, then scientists ever imagined before. Because of this, i take a Pro-life stance from the moment of pregnancy because time stands to reveal more about the unborn child. What it has already revealed is even just weeks into the pregnancy, an abortion brings torment to the fetus up until it expires. Who knows what else we are set to discover in years to come.
Still, I believe an appropriate decision on this matter should currently be reached in the Supreme Court. I believe Roe v Wade is coming up for review at some point(?) in the future, and hopefully it will be expediated and all evidence will be presented from both sides of the argument. This will allow for a debate that hopefully, if the public pushes for detail, leads this nation a proper answer that is as timely as possible. But again, I would encourage us all to converse as individuals about this in a logical matter before then. Our method to this point has created division and uncertainty, which is not good for life nor choice.
-Wages-
Womens Salaries
Woman are equal to men. I personally need no time to understand that. But also this concept has been guarenteed sinse day one of our Constitution, yet ignored for much of our history. As a matter of fact, as previously mentioned, it is still ignored in parts till this day. Women have a right to equal pay, the have an equal right to persuit of their hopes and goals. This nation is not providing that, and as said, the issue is being skirted. How do we resolve this matter?
Constitutionally speaking, government can not force a private business to pay one person or another a set salary. While our Constitution recognizes the equality of people, government cannot force a private business to adopt this belief into their own private lives, short of stopping them from bringing physical harm onto another.But there are two things that can be done. One by the people, and one by the government of the people under the approval of the people.
I'll touch first, on the latter. There has been talk of an Fair Pay bill, but as touched on, it would violate the Constitution and give more power of interpretation to the government. It would give the government the power to decide how valuable your work is. This is a dangerous concept. But the government can do something. The government has say over the payment of peoples whom work government jobs. Legislation should quickly be put forth that guarentees women and men recieve equal pay for the same workload in the government workplace. The Equal Pay In Government Act. Additionally, this legislation should also provide that any charitable organization that recieves federal funding must pay equally, men and women. No charity that works around a personal belief should be recieving federal funding, anyhow. But that is different matter. By taking this step, we'd be ensuring that a sizable portion of jobs in the United States give women an equal oppurtunity, and it would set a strong example for one of the most basic principles off our society, equality.
Another action that can be taken, as mentioned, is that taken by the people. Women and all men who support womens equality can put pressure on businesses to just the pay with the power of theirspending, or lack there of. Again, this is where the historical success of the boycott succeeds. By standing for ourselves and eachother, we can make ground while our government is still putting up the red tape. Whether a business be local, or national, or international, if we find it's policies in this and/or other matters to be aggregious, we have a choice: We can lend support or take it away. In the economic world, our dollar is our ballot. If someone makes money off of inequality, then buying their products or services is helping them succeed in that manner. By refusing to purchase from them and making it known to said businesses why, giving them an altimatum, a growing movement can either change their ways or knock them out of business. You can be pretty sure they will choose changing their ways over losing business and profit.
Women and Men alike, Human Beings, have much power as individuals, and so much power when working in masses. We can make most of the alterations in society that we need to see just by our own actions together. Gladly be next to anyone in line..the boycott line.
A 2 Point Minimum Wage System
Minimum wage comes from a basic human right principle, that people should not be forced to work in slave-like conditions, that people should be able to live off their hard work. Our Minimum wage has lagged well behind inflation for some time, and has rarely been boosted nationally in recent memory. But there is more to the problem then this. When ever the minimum wage is increased, the cost of food magically increases too. So the better pay day doesn't amount to much new, and this can particularly harmful to single parents and poor working families. That's why i propose a just bill in line with human rights that will help children of poverty, who cannot defend themselves.
The Minimum wage should be immediately risen, and risen in a 2 point system. Minimum wage would also increase yearly with inflation, to ensure that working conditions do not slip below the set standard.
The two point system works this way:
-A increase of the minimum wage to 8.50/hr
-For parents, the minimum wage would be 10.00/hr
This graduated system provides that the salary for those who most need it will move towards a more justified level, not be instantly erased by increased prices.
Those applying for said job would not be required to reveal in their job interview whether or not they are a parent. It would be illegal for a business to ask that question of an applicant, or levy job availability based on whether one is or isn't a parent. Firing someone after finding out they were a parent would also be a criminal act. This would fall in a similiar line with the previously established sexual harrasment laws.
Congressional And Presidential Salaries
In recent years, our Congress has passed measures with such gifts as giving members golden toilet seats, and of course the White House has historically been a mansion with enough rooms to house a quite of a few of the homeless people who line the streets of D.C. Again, the behaviors you would expect from Royalty.
Congressional members recieve over $150,000 in pay(upwards of over $200,000), and the President recieves $400,000. The vice president recieves $221,000. One problem with this concept is that it turns these positions into positions that one can even more easily be pursued for the sake of money, rather then to provide service to the population. Another is that our Congressional members and our President recieve these enormous salaries no matter whether they hear us out, as is evident most particularly by these last couple years. We need to return these positions to public service first, and salary second.
I propose that all Congressional salaries be cut to 1/3 of their size: $50,000. That the salary of the President be cut to 1/5 their size: $80,000. That the Vice President be to 1/4 its size: $55,000. These tax dollars could go to more valueable uses, and certainly men and women working in mansions such as the White House and the Capitol Building are not in need of any more lavishment to distract or lure them from their true purpose, to serve the American people.
Additionally, those who argue that these salaries would not suffice, and would chase away potential worthy figures are ignoring the fact that only those who value the oppurtunity of public service entirely, over salary, could possibly be worthy of such positions.
We must restruction the salaries of the officers of the people to help bring them back down to earth. We must to make our tax dollars more truely serve their purpose.
-Education-
Education
Obviously our public school system, our education structure, is failing us. But when we allow the government to run education, we open up a door that allows the government to engineer knowledge with an agenda based bias. So we end up with fictional stories about the exploits of Columbus, Cowboy and Indian Wild West tales, paragraphs exhalting Presidents like gods, and so on. Blind patriotism and one of the worst educations in the world is what we have gotten. Which makes it very easy for a government to opress. Children sing songs about how great America is, in the first grade. But how about we show them so they don't have to lean on songs to neutralize their fustrations as they grow, and the nightmares we have to deal with today.
In order to do that, a major step is to educate ourselves on the true history of our country and the world. So that we can turn the potential of our nation into a reality, rather then try to pretend it's already there. So how do we work on turning it completely around? It starts with educating ourselves, leaving behind any and all bias we have. Absorbing facts. Asking questions and getting answers. But we must also put our children through an education system that doesn't leave them digging out of a hole as adults.
Today, the government disperses 89 billion dollars to the direction of education. It's a dwindling number which also varies depending on a childs environment. In Ny alone, children in the city recieve far less then children in suburban and upstate Ny recieve. That's unacceptable and Unconstitutional. We must solve all of these matters at hand, and this is my proposal:
The Public Education system must be dissolved. In it's place, every single elementary, intermediate, and high school student will recieve a $7,000 education voucher, yearly. This can be used to attend a private school of their parents choice, or be home schooled. This brings back the balance of education amongst the entire nation, and puts much more power into every parents hands in deciding what is an appropriate education for their child Diversity, and an education system moving back towards the hands of the people: The Education Deregulation and Equality Act
How would this work?
-The act would cite the U.S. Constitution, which states that the government shall not regulate beliefs. Under this knowledge, no government run school, whether state or federal nor any combination there of, is in step with the 1st Amendment.
-Public schools could be sold by the States to private institutions, which would rush at the oppurtunity to enroll millions of new private school students. This would, as well, help local and State economies.
-Parents have the right to choose which ever school they like which best fits what they believe is a good education for their child, or can homeschool their child.
-Education facilities, to be voucher-eligable, must match a pair of requirements. Basic Mathematics is not a subject that is open to the interpretation of the government. Therefore the government can hold the gaining of knowledge in Mathematics to the minimal point of comprehension of addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, probability and logic as standards of eligibility. Additionally, working towards the comprehension of the language of the U.S. Constitution would be the second requirement. This would not require a set interpretation, but ability to read the document and to become aware of the definitions of words in said document. No additional subject matter requirements could be enacted, as they would open up the possibility of creating a government bias towards subject matter such as history and science, which would return us to our initial problem.
-The bill would not block States from providing additional monetary assistance for students, but would require it be equally dispersed per individual student in coordinance with the Constitution.
-To avoid misspending of Vouchers, the following would be put into place:
Vouchers would be recieved by the parent of each student in the form of an atm-like card. The money attached to the Voucher would be held in a U.S. treasury deposit specifically and only created for Education dollars.
The voucher cards would be presented to pay for daily schooling and daily school items. This would work much like a credit card, but without any loaning or interest.
A reciept would be required to be given to the parent following and purchase, to keep track of the balance. I want to quickly note that i believe as a nation, we need to move back towards cash and away from the dangers of a cashless system, but that this is one measure where a card makes alot of sense.
Stores selling school items would be responsible for ensuring their clerks and management don't allow the cards to be used for items that are not related to daily learning. For example: a new cd player, or food items, or hair coloring. Violations would produce fines for said store/s, and worker/s involved, and would bring criminal charges among those adults directly involved. Intial fine would be 10,000 dollars for the store, and 1,000 dollars for each worker involved. Adults, whether worker or parent, who were directly involved would be subject a federal offense for fraud. A guideline of products which clearly are not related to daily education would be made very available to every store and citizen, so there is no concern over possible grey-area entrapment. No reading materials, no matter the content, could be placed upon the list.
A separate, additional, 200 dollar voucher could be successfully applied for by parents of students who are training via the use of a musical instrument.
If we are going to have a free, educated, productive, ever-improving nation, we need to have a freedom-based education system. I believe our current system requires a bold, well thought out restructuring, and i also believe The Education Deregulation and Equality Act is said legislation.
-Health and Environment-
Healthcare & Pharmaseuticals
Currently hospitals and their pharmaseutical partners can withhold medical help from an individual by pricing them at more then a reasonable cost of service. How many people we know have avoided the hospital on this premise, alone. This is essentially hijacking someones wallet for their wellbeing, holding them hostage at the sake of their health. Many people only give in once they are in dire straits, and then they take an excessive hit to the wallet in addition to the costly hit they took to their health. It is clear that pharmaseutical prices and hospital bills move well above a reasonable price, and therein is the truly appropriate measure we need to take in ensuring Americans can afford medical health. We must move legislation that puts an end to theft practices such as 400+ dollar a night hospital beds, 1000+ dollar ambulance rides, or charging 50 dollars for a pair of Tylenol. We must create legislation that fines hospitals and pharmaseuticals for outrages prices that cripple peoples ability to ensure their health, and afford living.
lived in the old system.
In short, i propose a Non-Hostile Healthcare Act, which would create a Congressional committee in line with the Constitution to publically discuss, decide, and bi-annually review the measured cost standards of say, a trip to the hospital in an ambulance, or a stay there for a night, or a check up, and set a ceiling on the pricing. Those who go above this ceiling would be subject to fines exceeding 1 million dollars, and risk closure upon repeated violations, with a mandatory shut down after 3 violations. This is one area where government intervention is required because it is the duty of the government to protect the Right of the People to Life and
Health. Giving someone the ultimatum to either suffer further health consequences or pay up is no different then holding a weapon to someone and trying to take their wallet.
Drilling
We have to take into effect the environment consequences of our actions when discussing Alaskan refuge drilling, and offshore drilling. The two environments are part of our balance. They are two distinctly different environments, almost acting like poles. If we fail to respect this balance, can we be angry at the consequences? Our problem with gasoline prices doesn't seem to be from a gas shortage. It appears to be from greed and self-centered behavior. Oil companies have cashed in on any and every situation and turned it into an oil crisis, shooting the prices up. But we could have, and can revert this. It's actually quite simple, and it goes back to one the most successful principles of the Civil Rights Movement and other successful movements in human history...The Boycott. If we aren't dedicated to sending a message that we will not stand for high gas prices, then why should we expect the prices to come down just because we are allowing the Oil companies to drill for more oil they don't even need. It seems to me that we are welcoming more profit and control on their part, if anything.
Rather then do harm to other creatures, and to environmental balance, we have an oppurtunity to empower ourselves and make all of our lives better. Bringing down the pump prices would also bring down the food prices, bring down home heating prices, and bring down electric bill prices. It would be a very big positive shockwave for our economy and our self esteems.
Dumping
Rivers, Lakes, Reserviors, and our Oceans are becoming increasingly toxic, in addition to the very ground we walk on. It is a combination of behaviors that has led to this. We, for one, have to take responsibility for our littering and wreckless tossing of items such as plastic bottles onto beaches and into the ocean. These plastics leak toxins, many of these items kill sea life, and it's all coming back to us. When we drop a wrapper on the street, chemicals from the inks and plastics/aluminums go into the ground and when it rains, they find their way into fresh and salt water. They make our soils less fertile and they adversely effect the balance of life in our environments. We are risking facing a generation of cancer when we behave this way. So we must take this action into our own hands, and think about the good we are doing everytime we decide not to lazily toss aside garbage.
Just the same, Corporate Dumping is largely responsible for our woes as well. Mercury is at dangerous levels in many of our water systems. Toxic chemicals sit in barrels at the bottom of the Hudson River in Ny, and in rivers all across the country, as well as lakes and our two ocean waters. The leak over time and again, come back to us. Corporate government, to no surprise, has been light on itself. We need stricter laws against dumping. Because many rivers lead into multiple states, and our oceans touch many states, i believe the is a rightful argument for passing a Federal crime statute against such behavior that will make it a much bigger risk for companies to attempt to dump toxins. Human and animal life being harmed comes with serious consequences in most walks of life. It should be no different here. I believe there should be a minimum 1 million dollar fine(5 million minimum for a second offense, as well as a shut down of related facilities) against any corporation that dumps toxins, and a minimum year in prison for any person who orders and takes part in such activity. Additionally, said corporation should have to pay for the cleaning up of the toxins, which shall be overseen.
War On Drugs; Should Any Drugs Be Legalized?
The Rockefeller Laws have long been proven to fit in to a project of racial bias. The War On Drugs has, to no surprise, not done much to solve our drug issues(hmm could it be in part, the CIA smuggling?). Rather it has helped feed racial division and inequality. These laws need to be repealed, as they hold a clear bias. And example of this is that drugs which are common in the urban community draw larger sentences then those in the corporate community. Additionally, 3 strikes and you're out is not an appropriate way to handle an addiction.
Just as the War On Drugs should come to an end, and a more sound and less militaristic approach to the problem be found, conversely no illegal drug should be legalized. Drugs have a history of use in supression of population(such as Opium in China, under British control), and most drugs lead to vastly increased abuse of another, not just oneself. Marijuana has been the main topic of debate in legalization. My legal argument against would be that Marijuana use takes the worst of both the Alcohol and Cigarrette world, and combines the two. Marijuana smoke toxicates the air of those around the smoker, and Marijuana smoking drivers are more then twice as likely to get into a fatal car accident then those who don't smoke. Additionally, would it be a good idea to someone working on an airline runway, or as a safety inspector, or as a bus driver, and so on, to be able to go and smoke a joint on a smoking break? One of the fundamentals contained in our basic rights is that you have a right to do what you wish, as long as it doesn't physically harm another. Thus why i cannot support legalization.
There is also the issue of legalization for the sake of medicinal purpose. As well as the use of hemp for non-drug products. I do think both are good ideas. In terms of medicine, many medicines that are sold to the public are far more harmful then marijuana if misused. But yet, due to the profit, we don't hear a word about banning them. So there doesn't appear to be a legitimate argument as to why marijuana is held under separate principles then say, pain killers.
Hemp items are useful to our society and economy. The are also cheaper to make, and more accessable to the citizen. Hemp plants are natural to our environment. It seems to me that banning something natural to our environment is altering the environment itself. The government of the U.S. currently only allows for industrial hemp to be grown through purchasing a license. This is another example of the government attempting to control a market that would otherwise be very good for economics, both in terms of production and in terms of consumer prices. This license requirement should be lifted, and likewise to create a balance to discourage the amount of hemp that will be grown for drug purposes, property seizures should be the result of growing hemp for drug sales. In addition to prosecution. For personal drug use, a heavy fine should be enacted.
...........................................................................................
As bleak as our future looks, with such a small percentage of the population feeling we are on the right path, we can pitch tent rather then fold up tent. We can get hands on with the problems rather then let rhetoric continue to tear us down the road of ruin. We have to make that committment each, as individuals, and then as it grows person to person..we will find ourselves having built a bandwagon without waiting for others to jump on it. We will have already taken steps that will have laid the ground, for the entirety of the kind of alterations in our government and society that are direly needed.
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