On  Tuesday, the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Charlotte,  North Carolina. This past Thursday, the Republican National Convention  came to a close.

This  Sunday sandwiched between the 2 conventions and as I prepare to bring  my perspective of the upcoming DNC as I did last week on the RNC, I  thought perhaps this was a perfect time to dredge up a report I did on  May 19 of this year: The Cornfield Political Platform.

I  have tweaked it a bit grammatically as well as added a few more points.  I believe that for those who follow my reports, this will provide an  insight as to how I view the issues and what helps form the basis of my  perspective when providing examinations of the candidates, surrogates  and the campaigns.

The Cornfield Political Platform

1.  Size of Federal Government - I am for a leaner, streamlined federal government with more power and authority vested in local and state governments.

2.  Taxes - The tax code needs simplied. Close tax loopholes and get rid of deductions. I am not opposed to a flat tax or a value added tax.

3.  Government Spending - I  believe in spending what you have. Only in rare emergencies should  government borrow to pay bills. Unnecessary or redundant government  programs, agencies, bureaus, departments should be eliminated to cut the  cost of government spending on all levels: local, state and federal.

4.  Government Revenue - When  necessary to keep vital programs, agencies, bureaus and departments  operating, an increase in revenue (taxes) may be necessary, but should  be rare, not the norm. Pledges to never raise taxes should be  eliminated. It is at times necessary to pass limited taxation  adjustment upward.

5.  Safety Nets - Should  be there only for the elderly, the infirmed and disabled. Most other  assistance to others can be provided traditionally on the local level  through families, communities, chuches, charities and local and state  government as needed.

6.  Social Security - Needs  revamped and overhauled for the future. Current recipients should have  option of current program or a new overhauled program. Social Security  Trust Funds should be off limits to Congress with hefty fines on  individual members of Congress who attempt to "borrow" from the SSTF.

7.  Medicare - Needs  revamped and overhauled for the future. Perhaps individual medical  savings account is the route to go. Current recipients should have the  option of the current program or the new system.

8.  Medicaid - This should go directly back to the states and implemented as outlined in #5.

9.  Supplemental Security Income - Should be given back to the states to administer in a manner as outlined in #5.

10. Military/Defense - We  must ensure that we have the best equipped, best trained military in  the world. We must be sure we stay ahead of the world in defense weapons  and technology including with cyber security. We do need to assess our  commitments and global locations. Closing those bases that are not  necessary, consolidating our foces and bases where feasible.

11. Education - Belongs  on the local level. Local school boards should have more say over the  curriculum and evaluation. Bad teachers should be weeded out without  regard to tenure. Parents must become more involved. No federal  oversight, only state and local administration.

12. Laws and Regulations - A  complete study and analysis of all federal laws. Get redundant,  outdated, overly cumbersome laws and regulations off the books. We must  make sure our laws are concise and fair.

13. Environment and Energy - We  must become independent for our energy needs. We must explore all  avenues. We must approach new technologies with common sense. We must  ensure we do the best for the enviroment, but measured and with common  sense without being overly burdensome. We will move from fossil fuels to  newer, greener energy once that technology is developed and affordable.  We must weigh the needs of jobs and the economy against rules and  regulations put in place which would place an undue hardship on families  and individuals.

14. Equality - We  must ensure that all our citizens are treated equally under the law. No  one class or group of individuals or couples should be granted any  rights and benefits not afforded to every other group of individuals and  couples.

15. Immigration - We  must stop the fear mongering and address the issue with common sense.  Mass deportation will not work. Children who have grown up in the US all  or the majority of their lives and who are here, not of their own free  will, should be afforded a path to residence, but not citizenship, by  serving in the military or upon completion of college giving back to the  community in such areas as medicine, research and development.  Immigration laws need enforced and streamlined and overhauled with  quotas reassessed every 5 years.

16. The National Debt - As  I stated government should spend only what it brings in through  taxation and fees. To pay down our unsustainable national debt, 10% of  revenue should be used explicitly to cut the debt balance. Government  will have to live with the 90% left to meet its expenditures, making  cuts to stay within that amount. This 10% should be used until the  national debt is liquidated. Once liquidated, the 10% should be set  aside and build a surplus in the event of an emergency to prevent the  need for borrowing in the future. If God and religious organizations can  make it on 10%, the government can do without 10% to address the  national debt and buld an emergency fund for the future.

17. Jobs and Labor - The  federal government needs to get out of the way and let the market work.  Except for ensuring workers are not abused and safety concerns are  dealth with, government should be in the position of enhancing an  environment that is conducive to job creation - not an impediment to  work and business expansion.

18. Unemployment Insurance - This  should be returned to the states with full authority. Benefits should  be limited to encourage individuals to actively seek work. Training  classes and assistance in finding work should be provided and required.  All of this should be managed and administered at the local/state level.

19. Food Assistance - This  again should be a state/local activity and not a way of life. This can  be done successfully as was done traditionally as outlined in #5.

20. Financial and Banking - The  federal government should ensure that proper oversight is in place to  prevent those in the financial markets or banks from predatory  practices. Banks or other financial institutions which run into trouble  should be allowed to fail and let the market make corrections, while  ensuring that customers are protected against loss. Regulators,  inspectors and members of the Federal Reserve Boards should not be past  or current employees of financial institutions or banks. Regulators,  Federal Reserve Board members and inspectors must be completely  independent of the industry.

21. Abortion - Abortion  should not be banned in its entirety. There should be exemptions for  rape, incest and medical necessity (the life of the mother or viability  of the unborn).

22. Same-Gender Long-Term Relastionships - Same-gender  relationships should be afforded the benefit of state blessing just as  opposite-gender relationships now are. There is no reason to complicate  or not allow equality under the law with all the benefits and  protections afforded opposite-gender couples over the use of a word on  the state license. Best option is that all state licenses use the term  civil union on all state documents. Let the couples have a "marriage"  privately within the framework of their religious institutions or  according to their moral view. All couples, whether same-gender or  opposite-gender, should be afforded the same rights and benefits under  the law when receiving a license to recognize the joining of the two  individuals legally.

23. Campaign Finances - Campaign  financing reform is drastically needed. All political campaigns should  be funded on all levels (local, state, nationally) by the people through  a fund set-up specifically for that purpose, placing all campaigns on  equal footing with equal funding based on type of campaign (local,  state, national). No funding of political ads by any other entity or  individuals should be allowed and only publically-financed ads should be  allowed. This will take Congress having the guts to cut off any and all  outside influences.

24. The US of A in the World - America  must accept and understand its position of leadership in the world  along with its responsibility as being a beacon of freedom. However, the  US of A must not become entangled in every outbreak or unrest that  occurs. We must choose our battles carefully. When our government (the  Executive and Legislative Branches acting in unison) does choose to  intervene, we must ensure that our military forces our not hampered by  politics or changing public mood. Rather when our military forces are  unleashed it must be with one objective - to win and then withdraw from  the battlefield. The US of A must not be in the business of nation  building and must eschew the path of "winning the hearts and minds" of  the enemy. The enemy is the enemy.

25. Voter ID Laws - Voter  photo identification seems logical and practical from where I sit in  the Cornfield. We have had the law requiring a photo ID in the Hoosier  State since 2005 with no disruption nor suppression of the vote. From my  perspective, all the talk about voter fraud and voter suppression is  all hooey. The practicality of a having a photo ID to vote, to me, is  that in order to receive government benefits, to purchase alcohol or  cigarettes, to pick prescriptions, to cash a check and the list goes on a  photo ID is required. Doesn't it just make common sense if an ID is  required for these things an ID would be appropriate before casting a  vote? Think about it, you even have to have identification to have a  job. Isn't the most important function in our free society is choosing  our elected officials? So why not provide a photo ID which under Supreme  Court rulings must be free of charge?

That's just a bit of The Cornfield Political Platform. It is not all inclusive nor does it address all issues. It is just a sampling of where I stand politically on the issues.

From the Cornfield, let the chips fall where they may. This is the foundation which shapes my views of the issues.