Our Platform for Outlining Colorado’s Future

Issues : Keeping Americans Safe We must ensure that our intelligence and law enforcement efforts are able to address threats before they reach our shores. Reasons to agree: Addressing threats means learning about them, studying them, and working with other governments in stopping them. Reasons to disagree: Blow-back. If we don't "address threats" in a smart way, it might create resentment. Webpages that agree http://www.fbi.gov/ https://www.cia.gov/ http://www.state.gov/

Issues / Keeping Americans Safe Romney has said that, we should spend at lest 4 percent of GDB on defense. Reasons to agree This kind of investment will make up for critical gaps in the modernization of our equipment, personnel and health care efforts. We have typically spent about 4% of GDP on defense. 4% is a good amount, given our challenges. Most countries spend about 4% of their GDP. Sometimes people try to make a big deal about how we spend more than other countries, but that is just because our economy is so much bigger than most other countries. Indonesia spends a higher percent of GDP, so does China. Saudi Arabia spend about twice as much as we do. We have a lot of land. Our people are spread out over a large distance. Everyone wants to take out the big dog. We are the protectors of the free world from despotic, tyrannical countries that want to rule the world, and are willing to kill others to be in charge... We would like it if other democracies carried their portion...

Governor Mitt Romney and Drugs People should have to pass drug test to get government assistance . 2003 12-21-2005 ; Healey kicks off student drug testing program in New Bedford 02-21-2003a ; Governor Mitt Romney fights for prescription drug coverage for seniors 2005 12-20-2005 ; HEALEY EXPANDS SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT FOR WOMEN 07-28-2005 ; HEALEY ENDORSES MANDATORY OVERDOSE REPORTING BILL 2006 06-30-2006 ; ROMNEY VETOES NEEDLES BILL; Says legislation will worsen heroin crisis by loosening drug paraphernalia laws 12-21-2005 ; HEALEY KICKS OFF STUDENT DRUG TESTING PROGRAM IN NEW BEDFORD Also see Gangs People should have to pass drug test to get government assistance. Reasons to agree I have to pass a drug test to work. I hate work. I wish I could get money for doing nothing. If I have to pass a drug test, to have the honor of working, people should have to pass a drug test, if they want free money. Like a lot of folks in this state I have a job. I work, the...

Issues / Raising the Bar on Education Governor Mitt Romney said everyone benefits when parents and kids can choose their schools. I would like to hear your reasons to agree or disagree ; until then, here are my Reasons to agree with Romney: It is best to trust individuals to make decisions for their own lives . Choice is good . School choice is good . Parental Rights and Practicality: While school choice might not be feasible for every family, it honors parents' rights to choose the best educational path for their children, whether Catholic, public, or any other type of school. Informed Decisions: With the freedom to choose, media outlets could offer evaluations and comparisons of schools, fostering a culture where education is a priority, akin to everyday consumer choices. This increased scrutiny and interest could lead to better-informed decisions about children’s education. Choice and Access: Just as bookstores and libraries coexist, providing choice doesn't necessa...

Reasons to agree We should invest in infrastructure projects critical to the national economy and its flow of goods and people, instead of funding home-district pork.

Issues / Strengthening Latin American Allies and Confronting Tyrants We should weaken the threat of the Castro regime. Reasons to agree Castro has political prisoners. We should not sit down for coffee with dictators when they put their citizens in jail for what they think. Castro helped the Soviet Union sneak nuclear weapons into Cuba. JFK had to stand up to Khrushchev in order to get them out. Castro was the leader of his country for 49 years. No one should have power that long. Cuba only has one party. One party government is bad . Governments should not be allowed to control the media . Castro controls the media, including the internet. Cubans are rarely permitted to travel abroad. This country is a cage. Cubans are never permitted to create political organizations At best Castro has maintained Cuba's pre-1959 level of development, but at an "extraordinary" cost to the overall welfare of Cubans. When castro was in school he apparently collaborated in a...

We must not allow a nuclear-9-11 . We must not allow a nuclear Pearl Harbor. We should take Ahmadinejad at his word . We should tighten economic sanctions against Iran . We should isolate Iran diplomatically . We need to communicate to the Iranian people the dangers of being nuclear capable . Iran is seeking nuclear weapons . Iran's nuclear ambition has nothing to do with clean energy . We should not assume that Iran will act responsibly when they have the bomb . We are faced today with the horrific proposition that those who speak of genocide are developing the capability to carry it out. It's time to face the reality of the Iran ian threat, take Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at his word and act accordingly. We must tighten economic sanctions against Iran , isolate Iran diplomatically, and make it clear to the Iran ian people that while nuclear capabilities may be a source of pride, it can also be a source of peril. CHALLENGE : We are faced today with the horrific propositi...