General Thoughts democracy
Political corruption is a cancer that eats away at the foundations of democracy. It manifests in many forms, including lobbying abuses, bribery, extortion, nepotism, cronyism, patronage, parochialism, graft, embezzlement, and influence peddling. Each of these practices undermines public trust and distorts the democratic process, shifting power away from the people and into the hands of the privileged few.
The rise of money in politics can be traced back to the 1976 Buckley v. Valeo decision, where the Supreme Court ruled that government could not limit corporate political spending without violating free speech rights. This landmark case opened the door for unprecedented financial influence in elections. In 2010, the Citizens United decision expanded this ruling, allowing unlimited political spending by nonprofits, for-profits, unions, and corporations. The result was a dramatic increase in untraceable money influencing elections, weakening the Federal Election Commission's (FEC) ability to enforce spending limits.
Corporate communism
Corporate communism: as a system of governance where wealth redistribution and state intervention are employed to significantly increase corporate power; often using communist style tactics, such as government wealth funds to perches business entities. wildly exacerbating wealth inequality in society.
illiberal forces
"A Republic, If You Can Keep It" The words of Benjamin Franklin resonate more strongly today than ever before. Democracy is not self-sustaining—it requires vigilance, courage, and a commitment to defending it, no matter the source of the threat. Regardless of where a threat to democracy originates, it is our duty to counter it and call it out for what it is.
Transparency and Classification
Another significant issue eroding trust in government is the over-classification of information. While it is reasonable to classify information to protect sources and methods, there are instances where information has been classified for less justifiable reasons—such as to avoid public embarrassment or shield agencies from accountability. This practice undermines trust and hinders informed public discourse.
Review and Reform the Classification Process: We must take a closer look at the overall classification system to ensure that information is classified only when necessary. This includes regular reviews of classified materials to determine if continued classification is warranted.
Improving communication with the Lawmakers
I propose the development and implementation of a government communication application that would be available on mobile devices. This platform would allow direct, secure communication between citizens and their representatives, functioning similarly to social media platforms but dedicated solely to civic engagement.
Money in Politics
The influence of big money in politics undermines our democracy. When politicians accept large donations to influence policy, the public loses trust in our institutions. We must end this cycle of corruption.
I believe we should transition toward a publicly funded campaign system to ensure that elections are fair and not driven by private interests. Private money in government erodes democracy, infecting our systems and destroying public trust. To avoid this, we must act decisively.
Congressional Term Limits
I believe term limits should be in place and enforced for our congressional leadership. Specifically, I propose a limit of 8 years in the House of Representatives and 8 years in the Senate, for a total of 16 years in Congress. This time frame strikes a balance between fostering experience and ensuring regular turnover that brings fresh perspectives to our nation’s challenges.
Minimum Wage Reform: A Localized Approach
At first glance, abolishing the federal minimum wage may seem like a harmful idea. However, in practice, the federal standard is often used by employers as a justification to pay workers below a true living wage. A "one-size-fits-all" approach does not reflect the economic realities of different regions—what may be livable in one state may be completely inadequate in another.
Targeted Wage Increases: Local and state officials can set wages based on the actual cost of living in their communities, ensuring workers earn enough to support themselves and their families.
Public Showers and Public Bathrooms: A Path to Dignity
By incorporating public showers and bathrooms into rest stops, transit hubs, and other high-density areas, we can provide convenient, accessible locations for those in need. These facilities serve not only as places for hygiene but as beacons of hope—spaces that acknowledge the humanity and resilience of those experiencing hardship.
Benefits of Public Hygiene Facilities:
Restoring Dignity: Providing access to hygiene facilities helps individuals maintain a sense of self-worth, which is crucial for mental health and reintegration into society.
Rural and Farm Infrastructure: Empowering Rural America
Modernizing Farm Power Infrastructure:
We must establish a grant and loan program to help farmers improve outdated power systems. This program would provide funding for critical upgrades to ensure that farms can support modern equipment.
For example, many large-scale milking machines require 480V power to operate efficiently. However, some older farms are still working with 208V systems that are incompatible with newer equipment. In these cases, farmers are often forced to invest in costly step-up transformers or switch to gas-powered generators—solutions that are expensive and inefficient. Federal support for infrastructure upgrades can help eliminate these barriers, reducing costs for farmers and boosting productivity.
Farm Loans
Barriers to Access:
One of the primary obstacles embedded in the farm bill is a clause requiring proof of "managerial ability." While intended to ensure responsible lending, this clause can unfairly exclude hardworking farmers and ranchers who may lack formal managerial credentials but possess the practical expertise needed to run their operations. Removing this requirement would vastly increase loan eligibility and allow more farmers to access the funding they need to succeed.
Additionally, the requirement for applicants to prove they have "sufficient credit elsewhere" often disqualifies farmers who could otherwise benefit from the favorable loan rates offered, which range from 1.5% to 5%. This provision effectively locks out many smaller operations and family-owned farms that need competitive financing to grow or recover from financial setbacks.
To make farm loans more accessible and equitable, I propose the following reforms:
Remove the "Managerial Ability" Clause: Shift the focus to the farmer’s practical experience and history of operation rather than formal managerial qualifications.
Greener Dairy farm?
Methane Capture and Energy Generation:
Dairy farms can adapt methane capture technologies already used in the waste disposal industry. By collecting methane emissions from manure and other waste, farms can:
Burn methane to produce heat and energy, converting a more harmful gas into one that can be captured and disposed of using carbon capture technology.
Implement zeolite clay mixed with copper to absorb methane from the air and speed up its natural conversion into carbon dioxide. With adequate investment in research and development, farms could deploy devices capable of absorbing methane emissions directly from pastures.
Hydroponic Underground Farming: An Eco-Friendly Approach
By implementing hydroponic systems in underground, regulated settings, we can cultivate crops in optimal growth conditions, regardless of external weather. This innovative approach offers resilience against:
Extreme heat and cold
Severe weather events
Land availability constraints
In addition to increased yields, underground farming reduces the need for extensive pesticide, herbicide, and diesel fuel, enabling the production of food that is both more environmentally friendly and cost-effective for farmers and consumers alike.
Bio-polymer plastic and farms
Plastic pollution is a significant and escalating issue that continues to worsen as conventional plastics—known as olefins—accumulate in landfills and oceans, contributing to an environmental crisis. To address this growing problem, we must look toward sustainable alternatives, particularly in the packaging industry, one of the largest producers of plastic waste.
Biopolymers, derived from renewable agricultural sources, offer a promising path forward in the fight against plastic pollution. Common biopolymers used in sustainable packaging
wind and Solar power
In addition to infrastructure improvements, we must continue to subsidize clean energy incentives in urban areas and expand these efforts in rural communities. Ensuring that both urban and rural areas have access to affordable, sustainable energy will strengthen our economy and reduce our collective carbon footprint.
Plastics: A Path Toward Sustainability
Transitioning away from olefin-based plastics and polymers is the next big step in addressing the global plastic crisis. It is essential that we prioritize this shift to reduce the environmental harm caused by synthetic plastics.
Recycling: A System That Needs Fixing
Let’s be honest—it’s unlikely that everyone will thoroughly wash their recyclables. Instead of expecting perfection, we should focus on upgrading recycling facilities to handle contaminated materials. Modern advancements have made it possible to sort and purify shredded plastic ("regrind") to 98% purity—a level acceptable for reuse in production. However, these machines are expensive and require federal investment to achieve widespread implementation.
Methane Capture Tech
Zeolite Clay with Copper Additive: Zeolite clay (commonly found in cat litter) mixed with a small amount of copper has been shown to absorb methane from the air, significantly speeding up the natural conversion process. With adequate investment in research and development, it is feasible to create devices that can be placed in pastures to passively absorb methane emissions from livestock.
The Rainforest: Earth's Natural Defense Against CO₂
he Earth’s atmosphere and oceans share a unique symbiotic relationship, where carbon dioxide (CO₂) is absorbed and stored in deep pockets beneath the ocean’s surface. This natural process helps regulate the planet’s climate. However, the Earth can only maintain this balance if it retains the tools necessary to do so—one of the most powerful of these tools is old-growth forests.
Old-growth forests, particularly rainforests, play a critical role in absorbing and storing massive amounts of CO₂. These ancient ecosystems are irreplaceable, acting as the planet’s "lungs" by taking in approximately 2 billion tons of CO₂ per year. Protecting what remains of the world’s rainforests is not just important—it is essential to the planet’s survival.
Free Higher Education: An Investment in Our Future
The current student debt landscape underscores the urgency of this issue:
The average graduate owes $30,000 in student loans.
1 in 6 borrowers owes over $50,000.
40% of students drop out of college to avoid taking on more debt, yet they leave with significant financial burdens.
This issue isn’t limited to young people—three million older Americans are still burdened by student loan debt. Women, in particular, bear a disproportionate load, holding $929 billion of U.S. student debt as of 2019.
Furthermore, 73% of student debt negatively impacts the bottom 80% of the population, making it a significant barrier to economic mobility.
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