* Environment: The idea behind carbon credits (also known as "cap and trade") is to use capitalism to help regulate carbon emissions. The government sets a limit on how much carbon companies can emit, with stiff penalties. Some companies will naturally (or through effort) end up with lower emissions than their cap, and some will end up with more. Rather than facing the penalties, the companies with more go to the companies with less and say "hey, I'll pay you to claim that my excess emissions are actually yours." They agree, and instead of one company having too much and one having too little, we now have two companies at or just under the limit. It sounds really shady, and it took me a while to understand, but I think I get it now.
As for other countries, I think we should be helping developing nations such as China and India to build green infrastructure in their nations. By helping I mean give them money outright, and hire civil and other engineers and send them over there.
* Gay Marriage: Yeah, I'm kinda of the opinion that marriage should be taken out of the civil arena entirely (i.e., the goverment shouldn't have a stake or role in marriage at all), but that's not gonna happen.
* Death Penalty: I was disappointed to hear Obama last night say we have to find and kill Osama bin Laden. I was saddened when Saddam Hussein was put to death. *sigh* I'm a pacifist, what can I say?
* Foreign Policy: I'm glad Obama says we should talk before attacking nations. I'd rather we didn't attack them, but at least we should talk first.
* Immigration: Good point, that I'd rather they weren't exploited. It seems to me it's a fine line to tread though, between preventing them from being exploited, and preventing them from being hired at all - and therefore losing their livlihoods and having them then become a burden on the US instead of a boon. I wonder if we could come up with some sort of guest worker visa, where the formerly illegal immigrants will now be allowed in legally, and have some protections of the law, but maybe have a lower minimum wage limit for them.
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branchandroot
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Date: 8 October 2008 13:43 (UTC)As for other countries, I think we should be helping developing nations such as China and India to build green infrastructure in their nations. By helping I mean give them money outright, and hire civil and other engineers and send them over there.
* Gay Marriage: Yeah, I'm kinda of the opinion that marriage should be taken out of the civil arena entirely (i.e., the goverment shouldn't have a stake or role in marriage at all), but that's not gonna happen.
* Death Penalty: I was disappointed to hear Obama last night say we have to find and kill Osama bin Laden. I was saddened when Saddam Hussein was put to death. *sigh* I'm a pacifist, what can I say?
* Foreign Policy: I'm glad Obama says we should talk before attacking nations. I'd rather we didn't attack them, but at least we should talk first.
* Immigration: Good point, that I'd rather they weren't exploited. It seems to me it's a fine line to tread though, between preventing them from being exploited, and preventing them from being hired at all - and therefore losing their livlihoods and having them then become a burden on the US instead of a boon. I wonder if we could come up with some sort of guest worker visa, where the formerly illegal immigrants will now be allowed in legally, and have some protections of the law, but maybe have a lower minimum wage limit for them.