Our Platform for Outlining Colorado’s Future

In an era defined by contentious politics and polarized viewpoints, I am proposing a refreshing new model for political discourse and decision-making—one that leans on reason, evidence, and systematic scrutiny of every policy issue. Imagine if funds, usually directed towards expensive advertising campaigns, were instead allocated towards the creation of a dedicated forum. A forum specifically designed for the systematic assembly and evaluation of arguments for and against pertinent policy issues. In this proposed political party, politicians would be obligated to express their level of agreement or disagreement with each argument, thereby placing a strong emphasis on evidence-based decision-making. They would pay particular attention to the top 10 pro and con arguments on each issue, assigning a percentage score to reflect the extent of their agreement or disagreement. Their voting behavior should then align with the stance backed by the preponderance of credible evidence. For public t...

Reasons to agree : The bombing deterred Libya from further acts of terrorism A Rand Corporation study found that Libya significantly reduced its involvement in terrorism after the U.S. airstrikes (Hoffman & White, 1991). Libya’s aggressive actions against the U.S. declined for nearly 25 years after the attack. It sent a strong message to adversaries The Center for Strategic and International Studies found that the airstrikes signaled U.S. commitment to retaliating against terrorist sponsors (Cordesman, 1987). Other hostile nations saw the consequences of state-sponsored terrorism, potentially deterring future threats. Deterrence through military strength is historically effective Military action is often necessary to maintain international security and prevent future attacks. Countries that take decisive action against aggression are less likely to be targeted. The apology may have emboldened adversaries Weakness in foreign policy can be interpreted as an invitation for further a...

Reasons to agree : The issues that we face are complex enough that good smart men could spend all their time trying to solve our problems, and still not solve them. We have not hope of solving our problems if corrupt politicians spend all their time raising money so they can distort the truth in 30 second commercials.

Supporting Evidence Logical Arguments: Long-term implications: Voting based solely on immediate emotional satisfaction can neglect long-term policy implications that affect daily life. Substance over style: Voting should prioritize the candidate's policy positions and qualifications over charisma or image. Supporting Evidence (Data, Studies): Studies have shown that voters often prioritize short-term feelings over long-term policy outcomes. This includes the 'halo effect', where voters disproportionately favor charismatic candidates (Kinder, 1986). Supporting Books: "Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government" by Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels Supporting Videos: TED Talks like "The Irrationality of Politics" by Michael Huemer discuss the importance of rational decision-making in democracy. Supporting Organizations and their Websites: The Voter Participation Center Supporting Podcasts: "The Weeds" by Vox disc...

Reasons to disagree: Kids can have more unsupervised play in back yards than a city park.  Reasons to disagree: The fact that kids have fun in their back yards does not negate the criticisms of suburban sprawl. The question is if back yards have features that can not be obtained in a city park. Sure kids can have more unsupervised time in a back yard, but they get to meet more people at a suburban park. Everything has trade offs, and you can raise good kids in most environment.  Images that agree : Videos that agree :

One Hundred Dollars $100 - Most counterfeited money denomination in the world. Keeps the world moving. Ten Thousand Dollars $10,000 - Enough for a great vacation or to buy a used car. Approximately one year of work for the average human on earth. One Million Dollars $1,000,000 - Not as big of a pile as you thought, huh? Still this is 92 years of work for the average human on earth. One Hundred Million Dollars $100,000,000 - Plenty to go around for everyone. Fits nicely on an ISO / Military standard sized pallet. The couch is worth $46.7 million. Made out of crispy $100 bills. One Billion Dollars $1,000,000,000 - You will need some help when robbing the bank. Interesting fact: $1 million dollars weights 10kg exactly. You are looking at 10 tons of money on those pallets. One Trillion Dollars Comparison of $1,000,000,000,000 dollars to a standard sized American Football field. Say hello to the Boeing 747-400 transcontinental airliner that's hiding in the back. This was until recently ...