Civic Initiatives and Endorsements
by D.J. Sprague

  1. A Michael Newdow endorsement, separation of church and state

His initiative is simple. The U.S. Constitution is not for the majority of this country. It is for each individual citizen.  Regardless of the language of the Constitution, its content, its spirit clearly insists on a clean separation of church or religion from the state. Any argument to reflect majority sentiments about religion or spirituality at any level of government, on currency, or the Pledge of Allegiance, or any preamble of order is moot because expression of any religious or spiritual tradition of the majority in or on any federal or state forums violates the spirit of the American Constitution. Any such assertions  constitute a tyranny of the majority over the minority. The spirit of the U.S. Constitution protects each individual from this. Politicians that dissent from this notion do so because of their constituency. The constituency rebels from this notion because they are imperialistic with regard to their spiritual beliefs, believing as they do, that their faith is the 'one and only' faith among all in the world. And also erroneously believing, as the religious majority do, that belonging to an organized religion is prerequisite to social morality. It is rather, axiomatic that the religious majority does not and will never rule over issues of inalienable rights, of which religious orientation is only one.

  1. Tax exemption qualification for religious organizations

A religious organization must not regard their articles of faith as "absolute truth," but rather as they are...'articles of faith.' Religious organizations must be able to distinguish between 'faith' and 'truth.' Acknowledgement and agreement with this is prerequisite to receiving tax exemption status as a religious organization. Otherwise, they are classified as a philosophical advocacy group.

  1. President elect

The office of the U.S. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the head of the American Federal Bureaucracy, and Chief of Foreign Affairs, is too important to be elected by uninformed popular vote. Rather, the Office of President needs to be filled by one chosen by the U.S. Congress after review of résumés tailored for the job, and blind to name, gender, and religion.

  1. Flat tax

Retask the IRS to process a flat tax system. This would significantly reduce federal government overhead and release IRS personnel to the private sector where they can make a more direct contribution to the country's GNP. A flat tax system would require everyone to pay taxes commensurate with income. No exemptions, no exceptions. No loop holes or shelters for the wealthy. A flat tax system would require a tax payer to receive a ten-question form for federal or state tax withdrawal for the next year of employment. 

  1. Death penalty abolition

Initiate death penalty prohibition, that it be made law of the land for two reasons: (1) the death penalty policy is paid for by innocent lives, which are inevitably wrongfully convicted, and (2) the death penalty policy is hypocritical. 

  1. Elimination of the crime and punishment system

Rather than crime and punishment, predators are isolated from other predators, except perhaps for therapy families, evaluated and treated with the intent of socializing them until at least in theory, they are ready to be released as a member of society. In this way, they become a valuable member of society with insight on social predators, or the socializing theory that released them evolves. Otherwise, without theory compliance, they remain isolated from society, indefinitely. 

  1. Dissolution of the political party system

Elimination of the political party system would allow representation to be elected by positions and visions that have more strategic flexibility of being liberal, moderate, or conservative. Political party systems put these strategies into straight jackets. The congeries of all problems or issues require debate between liberal, moderate, and conservative points of view. Released from political party straight jackets, debates based upon solution strategies and tactics, rather than political adversarial philosophies and sentiments will be conducted freely.

  1. Educating the voter

Democracy works only with a well informed voting society. Government sponsored publications of issues, facts, solution strategies, and tactics should be regularly and thoroughly disseminated to the public, via libraries, postal mail, email..whatever multiple means available.

  1. General Education

Invest in the citizen, the country's most valuable asset, by establishing education regulations as law of the land to include these parameters:

  1. Public Health

Invest in the citizen, the country's most valuable asset, by establishing education regulations as law of the land, to include these parameters:

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