National Defense
OUR SECURITY IS OUR GOVERNMENT’S NUMBER 1 JOB – INCLUDING THE INTELLIGENT AND BALANCED USE OF MILITARY POWER - DOESN'T THIS MAKE SENSE?
(Why should you care: There are people outside, and even inside, our borders who want to see you and your family hurt. Keeping our nation safe and strong and in the global leadership role is what you demand and is in you and your loved ones’ best interests.)
(What’s in it for you: The safety of you, your family, and community from people who want to hurt you.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Leverage America’s leadership role on the global stage and cultivate the like-minded Western leaning GDPs into a joint interoperable force, while maintaining sovereign autonomy, that operates synergistically to sustain and assert established international rule of law. Double the number of veterans - “responsible veterans” - in Congress to greater than 50%. Veterans who take their oaths seriously and put America’s interests before party or personal interests. Get more veterans elected to Congress – a demographic that’s substantially declined since WWII and serves to weaken America’s ability to intelligently respond to security matters.)
Don't you agree?
Making us safe and secure without bankrupting the country is the top job. We need a strong yet cost effective defense. Leveraging our allies to fairly share the costs of collective security, and intelligently deterring those who would harm us before they get too far out of hand (Iran, N. Korea, China, Russia, including international extremism, trafficking, and crime), is key. Make no mistake, the heads of these regimes are not friends of the U.S. They do not view the world through our American lens. They are corrupt enemies of our vision of a peaceful world order based on human rights and rule of law. But, this can be changed.
United U.S. and allied policy will persuade and compel Russia, China, and Iran to get on board with doing the right thing and collectively work together to embrace the world’s established system of rule of law or be marginalized. Understand America is no longer 50% of the worlds GDP as we were after WWII when we were the only powerful kid on the block. Today, America represents less than 25% of global GDP. That means we enjoy half the size of the global economic pie that we enjoyed 70 years ago. Intelligently leading and consolidating Western military power through efficient bilateral and multilateral military policies offers the U.S. the best chance to sustain its position as the global leader of the free world until the trend of declining relative GDP is reversed.
Recent populist movements and concerns over globalization, including the rise of dysfunctional counter-productive nationalism, at home and abroad, have become issues because of a lack of intelligent policy and effective leadership. People need to feel safe. When the eco-political environment begins to destabilize, unrest and extreme behaviors begin to emerge. Intelligent and balanced national defense policies advance security.
Don’t you agree?
Servicemembers & Veterans
OUR MILITARY SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN, AND VETERANS, ARE WHAT STAND AGAINST THOSE WHO WANT TO DESTROY OUR WAY OF LIFE – AREN’T THEY ALL WORTHY OF CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP THAT’S BOTH EXPERIENCED MILITARILY AND INTELLIGENTLY ABLE TO ACHIEVE AMERICA’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES?
(Why should you care: There are people outside and inside our borders who want to see you and your family hurt. Keeping our nation safe is in you and your loved one’s best interests – this is what our servicemen and women do – including our veterans.)
(What’s in it for you: The safety of you, your family, and community from people who want to hurt you.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Double the number of “responsible” veterans in Congress to greater than 50%. Ensuring our servicemembers, both active duty and reserve, are funded with the best training and equipment to win Americas wars. This can be achieved by informed Congressional leadership that intelligently funds multi-year military budgets and compels the Department of Defense to focus ends, ways, and means assessments with an eye toward maintaining strategic overmatch without, overstretching our capabilities, against adversaries, that includes maximum leveraging of interoperable allied forces. This includes the elimination of defense sequestration policies and implementation of a 5-year defense budgeting cycle.)
Have any of the prospective Utah Senate candidates EVER served in the military? This matters because Congress is constitutionally empowered to declare war. Our elected representatives should have a deep appreciation of our military capabilities, limitations, and the rigors soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen/women and their families face if they are to effectively lead. Otherwise the potential for negligence, miscalculation, and a failure to execute checks and balances could result in policies detrimental to the interests of the United States. Your elected representatives must have the confidence and background to challenge the Executive branch of government, including the Department of Defense, with tenacity and privation on matters of national security to avert circumstances that could lead to unintended consequences, manufactured crisis, and misadventures.
Folks, make no mistake, there are those out there who want to see America hurt. Your military sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, and friends and neighbors are on duty every day keeping us safe.
I call on every veteran and family member who has had a son, father, mother or daughter, or friend or neighbor in the armed forces to vote for a veteran candidate to get more balanced veteran representation in congress in the 2022 election and beyond.
Both our active duty and veteran service members form the foundation of the spirit and values that defend and keep American safe. Many elected representatives have avoided answering our nation’s highest calls to duty. Though they are entrusted with the heavy burden of sending loved ones to war, most have never served a day of military service in their lives. Do you feel this is a bad thing? Are those the people who you want to lead our security interests and country?
Just as important, not only are our active-duty service-members working every day to keep us safe, so are our veterans. Our veterans are the muscle tissue, the foundational bedrock, that gives strength to the backbone of America. They carry the American values and patriotic “Oath of Enlistment” and ethics that reinforce our nation's calls to service long after their tours of duty are completed - essentially to the grave. Their sacrifices, commitment to our country and values, and especially their mentorship to our youth and communities are essential to perpetuating the spirit of duty and defending the security of our nation. They are on duty every day of their lives and must be adequately funded for the sacrifices and services they have rendered.
Have any of the Utah Senate candidates EVER served in the military?
Term Limitations
TERM LIMITS ARE HEALTHY FOR GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL SECURITY. TERM LIMITATIONS KEEP ELECTED OFFICIALS FOCUSED ON WHAT’S HEALTHY FOR AMERICA AND FOCUS OFF WINNING THE NEXT ELECTION.
(Why should you care: There are the elites and career party politicians whose goal is to keep and control their power, their family’s power, and friends' power. But, it’s your power. You can say no to elites who spend your money and do not represent your interests and America's interests first. You can say I want better; I want better; I want better.)
(What’s in it for you: Leadership and governance that is focused solely on your security, prosperity, and keeping more money in your pocket, including the services that enhance your quality of life.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: 100% of all candidates who seek election under The Utah Bull-Moose Party commit to no more than two consecutive terms for U.S. senators and three consecutive terms for members of congress.)
Aren’t Term Limits Healthier for America?
This is why our founders limited the time a President can be office. The Bull-Moose Party supports term limitations, the 22nd amendment, and will advance the philosophy of term limits. Elected officials should be patriotic citizens who intend to serve exclusively for the health of America, all Americans, and the future of America.
Folks, career politicians can become jaded and focused more on their political careers than on the interests of the people they represent – and often, they don’t even see it. Term limitations give us fresh ideas, new energy, and better leadership overall.
But don't we already have defacto term limitations some folks suggest? Since we have elections every few years, aren't we able to simply vote out incumbents we don't like? In theory, the answer is yes. In practice, the answer is no. This is not to suggest candidates that seek re-election are not good Americans, but career politicians that seek reelection time and again tend to bias behavior with an eye toward reelection. Their allegiance is to the special interests who bank-roll the money necessary to get their candidates the needed visibility required to get reelected at the expense of doing what's right for America.
Party machines have a lock on which candidates get wide media attention and visibility, which, as you see, gives you the same problems and caustic non-productive situations over and over again. Qualified candidates outside the Republican and Democratic Parties are simply sidelined due to the financial power they wield and ingrained cultures that exclude other responsible voices from being heard. Unless you are willing to tow the party lines, a viable candidate does not get the opportunity to have their voice heard. Only those who play “party-ball” rise to the top.
But what about the institutional knowledge that would be lost that comes from years of elected experience if term limits were imposed? A fallacy! All national level candidates have vastly experienced staffs and advisory institutions at their disposal to ensure continuity from one candidate to the next. And those candidates who have held elected office can continue to serve, advise, and mentor the next candidate on the staff as they chose.
The bottom-line is your elected candidate should be the person who is focused on getting into Congress, doing the right thing, and getting out. This is what ethically a candidate should stand for - and all Utah Bull Moose Party candidates abide by.
No other party has embraced these ideals. They have been about insular control and preservation of the political elite - regardless of party affiliation. A better way is to change the Party culture to embrace term limitations voluntarily. Since the parties have been unable to do it, embracing an outsider who does is the key to reinvigorating parties that have lost their way.
Regarding election reform… since marketing and money works, and the candidate with the most money is most often the victor - unfortunate conditions that actually can be remedied - the Utah Bull Moose Party supports election policies that level the playing field to give viable candidates an equal opportunity to express their qualifications and give voters choices among those who are the most qualified verses the best funded, and by extension, marketed.
Finally, gerrymandering and any other manipulative obstacles and laws that are designed to deliberately dissuade or suppress Americans from voting must not be tolerated.
Answer: Intelligent Term Limits –Utah Bull Moose Party 2022!
Economy and Taxes
A STRONG ECONOMY AND INTELLIGENT TAX POLICY ARE KEY COMPONENTS OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
(Why should you care: The money comes straight out of your pocket!)
(What’s in it for you: Governance that is focused solely on keeping more money in your pocket, and security and services that enhance you and your kids' opportunities and quality of life.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: U.S. economy represents post WWII percent of global economy (50%), regain lender to the world status, sustain U.S. dollar as global reserve currency, and sustain U.S. lead in guiding global finance. The glass for America is still half full – not half empty. Innovationism, Resiliency, and Regulation, or IRR, are the keys - and cornerstones of the Utah Bull-Moose Party. Reversing the trend of declining American global GDP, and the resultant economic, political, and military security that comes with it, is the answer to the problem. Innovation is the secret sauce in improving economic circumstances. Support for Federal policy that rewards innovation and innovative approaches to globally competitive business across the entire socio-economic spectrum is foundational. This, together with intelligent regulation and economic resiliency, which includes intelligent tax policy and budgets that pay the bills, including win-win international agreements, are large parts of the solution. And institutionalizing a tax plan that eases us off making up revenue shortfalls by borrowing abroad and driving us deeper into deficit debt is needed.)
Isn’t intelligent American self-sufficiency and resiliency balanced with the advantages of globalized economic well-being a healthier approach?
American economic and security interests have ALWAYS come first, American interests do come first, and, American interests will ALWAYS come first - any candidate that does not buy these basic premises should NOT be elected - period! This does not mean our global realities are a zero sum game. To the extent possible, always seeking win-win circumstances with our neighbors is the right approach - because such an approach is self-evident and obvious - but never do we risk our own interests - to do so would invite disaster at the least, and at the extreme, would be treasonous.
President Kennedy, a veteran, famously used the slogan: “Rising Tides Lift All Boats.” But the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, miscalculated the second and third order effects of this point and now wonder why globalization is not going well. A world economic order built on the redistribution of “excess” wealth from developed countries to emerging economies works well when developed countries are themselves secure, employed, financially solvent, and have excess capital to invest. U.S. national debt has grown to 25+ trillion dollars and yet now the U.S. represents only half the relative global GDP it had after WWII. The tides aren’t rising folks. I’m not talking about a day-to-day U.S. stock market report card, I’m talking about the long game that weathers the inevitable cyclic ups and downs we’ll most certainly encounter.
We can fix this. Redistribution continues and the rich get richer and the middle-class stagnates. Imbalance in rising tides is creating the wave of anti-globalization, disturbing growth in caustic nationalism, and an angry rise in populist movements, because many of our people simply feel insecure about the future and our collective economic health. This can be fixed.
The strength of our economy provides the foundation of our national security and political influence around the world. The strength and security of America rests on a strong and intelligently managed economy that works to make us the most innovative and competitive nation in the world. This means intelligent choices have to be made on what we can and cannot fund. A little bit of John Maynard Keynes, when necessary, a tad of Milton Friedman when appropriate. Effective and smartly balanced budgets are important tools to help us stay on top as the economic and political leader of the western world’s free way of life.
As a small businessman, I deal with so many taxes. My little business pays more in taxes than it makes in net income! Intelligent tax reform that promotes equity for everyone at all income levels is the answer – including fixing corporate tax havens that avoid paying their fair share of taxes by “off-shoring” their taxable income – leaving you and me to pay for them - thank you incumbent politicians. New leadership with fresh innovative approaches to accelerating our economic fortunes will get us on the path to equitable and intelligent taxation legislation, and provide accountability to our people. Term-limited representatives who are focused on good governance instead of their next election is part of the key to having the freedom to fixing our problems – so let’s get on with it.
The solution - legislation that promotes and incentivizes American innovation with the goal to keep us in the global economic lead. Resiliency that ensures our economy is not so shallow that a single global economic event can bring us to our knees. And intelligent regulation that keeps our planes landing safely, our food healthy, and our drugs curing our ills - including effective regulation that eliminates off-shoring of corporate profits and special interests that are "too-big-to-fail" and a continuous process of aggressively assessing and reassessing the merits of all security and economic agreements with our global neighbors are key focuses.
Isn’t intelligent American self-sufficiency and economic resiliency, balanced with the advantages of win-win approaches to globalized economic well-being, a healthier approach?
Balancing the Budget
INTELLIGENTLY MANAGED BUDGETS AND RESPONSIBLE FISCAL POLICY ARE REQUIRED FOR CONTINUED AMERICAN GLOBAL LEADERSHIP, SECURITY, AND STABILITY.
(What’s in it for you: Management of your money so that you will have enduring national security and medical care when you need it most, including social security income when you become too old to work.)
(Why should you care: If you are among the blessed to see a ripe old age, you will reach the point where you will also have difficulty working and taking care of those you love. And, you’ll need to see the doc a bit more. You have worked hard, been an honest tax payer and contributed substantially to the health of our nation. You don't need politicians who continue to scare you into thinking social security will not be there, medical support will be unaffordable, and your nation won’t be there for you after a lifetime of being there for it.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Institute legislation that works within an annual budget, a 5-year budget, and a 25-year budget that puts us on a realistic map to sound fiscal management and being debt free. It will take time to dig out of the debt we are in, and there will inevitably be relapses – especially in times of national crisis. However, Congress is responsible for this action and must step up and get this job done, or they should be voted out of office.)
Right?
Every single American newborn, man, woman and child is in debt well over $80,000. Our national debt poses a risk to America’s future and global security. Just like a household, a healthy nation must operate within its means, and intelligently manage risk, or it ceases to exist. The solution is intelligent investment of our resources so that America stays innovative and strong and competitive on the global stage.
In order to maintain America’s place as a leader and to maintain our security, which is in all our best interests, we must better manage our money. But, like a business, we as a nation compete economically on the global stage. We therefore must borrow when we must, and invest intelligently where it makes sense, relative to our global neighbors, in order to ensure our security, standard of living, and lead the global agenda with American values that contribute to global hope and stability. Intelligent balanced budget legislation will get our fiscal house in order over time while at the same time not ham-stringing us in times of crisis to confront emerging security needs. The key is to define the criteria and exceptions when flexibility in fiscal policy beyond established budgets is needed. But just as with a household, a plan to recover from a period of overspending must also be a part of the plan.
This makes sense - Right?
Foreign Affairs and Trade
INTELLIGENT & FIRM WIN-WIN FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS A KEY COMPONENT OF ENSURING OUR LASTING SECURITY AND COHESION OF OUR ALLIANCES.
(What’s in it for you: Economic and physical security - in a competitive world - that does not always embrace our rules of the game)
(Why should you care: Great empires rise and fall… but for the United States, not on our watch.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Sustain Americas leadership role in shaping diplomatic, economic, and military global policies. Sustain existing norms of global rule of law. Achieve and sustain annual U.S. balance of trade surplus. Achieve long-term goal of American percentage rate of global GDP of 50% through Innovationist policies. Western leaning powers, led by the United States, represents over 70% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These nations embrace established global norms of behavior and rule of law. Though America has seen more than a 50% decrease in its share global GDP since WWII, maintaining the leadership role among our allies offers the best chance for sustained economic health, growth and global stability. This can be accomplished through trade policies that favor and reward western leaning powers and punish through sanctions regimes that do not adhere to established rule of law. This together with incentivizing western values and interoperable military capacity, that we’re unafraid to use, are key.)
Right!?
Make no mistake, the world security environment has changed. Near-peer rivals routinely challenge and test our capabilities and resolve to maintain the established global order - think Ukraine, Taiwan, China, Russia, N. Korea, etc. Pre-WWII balances of power have begun to reemerge. The benign American led champion of global security and rule of law is routinely being challenged by adversaries with a different, and corrupt, vision of a world order that is contrary to American and western leaning interests.
This can be fixed.
American economic and security interests have ALWAYS come first. Our American interests do come first. And our American interests will ALWAYS come first. Any candidate that does not buy these basic premises should NOT be elected. This does not mean our global realities are a zero-sum game. To the extent possible, always seeking win-win circumstances with our neighbors is the right approach and, in our interests, - but never do we risk our own interests - to do so would not invite disaster, it would be treasonous.
Leadership along with leveraging our like-minded Alliances that represents over 70% of the global economy is the key to our physical and economic security, and to the world's. Our community of like-minded allied nations need to cultivate and renew our relationships and "do-the-right-thing." Our system of world governance is the right one – it’s the one we - America - created. Intelligently leveraging and advancing Western like-minded economic and political relationships, which have preserved a generally healthy and peaceful world order since WWII, is the key to maintaining global stability. Protecting our security and economic interests and advancing mutually beneficial trade relationships where it makes sense, is good business. Win-win approaches that help America prosper and our friends prosper, is essential to achieving our goals. Lose-win international relationships whereby America loses is simply put, ridiculous and not an option. Aggressively finding and insisting on enforceable winning solutions that fairly helps ourselves, our allies, and to the extent we can the disenfranchised around the world, is good for me, you, Utah, and America.
Common sense - right?
Crime & Justice
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUSTICE ARE CORNERSTONES OF OUR SECURITY AND WE WANT THEM TO BE FOLLOWED AND ENFORCED - RIGHT?
(What’s in it for you: Law and order that keeps you and your family safe and keeps peace in the community is what you demand.)
(Why should you care: You pay for it. You should expect it)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Reduce State crime by 80% by incentivizing the award of Federal funding based on states performance in the reduction of crime rates. Adequately fund the laws that empower the law enforcement community to execute their mandates, cultivate ethical compassionate, yet firm, law enforcement personnel, and measurably validate performance.)
Right?
U.S. prisons contain more people as a percentage of our population than any other developed country. There are as many reasons for this ugly leading statistic as there are proposed solutions to the problem. However, the bottom-line is still this: if you don’t break the law and don’t commit crimes, you don’t go to jail. If you break the law, you pay a penalty - period. Our justice system is imperfect, as all are, and it has flaws that if fixed, could make it better. The foundation of our justice system has been shaped by America’s founders. At the core of their efforts was integrity and justice for all, and still is today.
As for the Supreme Court, The Utah Bull Moose Party is worried about its relevancy with its reluctance to tangle in “political” affairs when it should, and is specifically chartered to do so, as one of the three legs of America’s Constitutional checks and balances. The Supreme Court appears ever more interested in being involved in cases that are at the level of a “people’s court,” rather than tackling head-on into affairs that concern their charter to serve as one of the three equal legs of American power. Again, electing strong candidates to Congress who understand their role as keepers of our Constitutional charter, with the sole power to amend the Constitution, is supremely important to empower not only the Legislative Branch of government, but hold the Judicial Branch accountable for weighing in on, and getting involved with, matters of State leadership affairs and exercising its charter to serve as a critical component of America’s system of checks and balances. For if they do not, the Supreme Court will embark down the slippery slope of becoming an impotent and inconsequential people’s court rather than an essential mechanism to balance misuses of political power.
Doing the right thing in the spirit of fairness and upholding Constitutional principles is key. Part of doing the right thing is making sure we have well-trained and ethical law enforcement that are embedded in, and representative of, their communities and sufficiently funded and empowered to get their jobs done, as well as ethical law enforcement in the three leadership components of our nation - Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
Right?
Immigration & Border Security
IMMIGRATION IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD – MANAGED WELL IT IS HEALTHY FOR AMERICA - AND, EFFECTIVE BORDER SECURITY IS ESSENTIAL FOR AMERICA'S SECURITY “WE DON’T WANT A STINKIN' WALL” WE WANT INTELLIGENTLY ENFORCED BORDER SECURITY. THIS IS NOT HARD TO DO.
(What’s in it for you: Intelligently managed immigration keeps the criminals out, and keeps those who are willing to contribute to America’s health, values, and interests in. Well managed immigration policy maintains law and order and a healthy community, economy, and workforce that is balanced with your social and economic needs.)
(Why should you care: Because you don’t want to be the person who sends a grade school American adolescent to another country they have no relationship with, no language skills, and no social skills, because of circumstances beyond their control. That’s not who we are. You also do not want to import criminals into America, or masses of people that could undermine our national security interests by over burdening America’s capacity to integrate and absorb them. America needs to strictly and humanely enforce intelligent immigration laws and border security – practices our previously elected officials have abysmally failed to manage and enforce.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Revoke or deny 100% of U.S. visas and green cards for those who commit felonies, strictly enforce existing immigration laws, reassess immigration policy, and update ineffective immigration laws / policy. Adequately fund the laws that empower the law enforcement community to execute their mandates, cultivate responsible and ethical law enforcement personnel, and measurably validate performance. For “Sanctuary Cities,” cut off all federal funding where practical and dismiss and/or indict authorities responsible for failing to uphold the law. Establish international relationships that deliberately manage the flow of migrants that is sustainable and strictly in America’s best interests.
Let’s do the right thing and enforce it?
If a person enters the United State illegally, they are breaking the law – plain and simple. American law enforcement must be empowered to use the laws we have in place and enforce them. Intelligent and humane immigration management allows the kind of folks we want in the United States in, and keeps the kind who are unhealthy for America out. We need good people to immigrate to the United States who want to become Americans - it is good for our economy, society, and healthy for our security interests.
Border security is a critical component of our national security. Intelligent laws and enforcement are key to securing our borders. Reasonable border security and immigration policies and practices are the solution. Though dramatic, emotional measures to construct a wall as the sole solution to our immigration challenges are not alone effective and have become a polarizing bumper sticker that does not stand as a healthy solution to America’s border management needs. A physical wall alone is medieval, a waste of money, and simply does not work from a practical standpoint. All the modern tools of effective border management are what is needed and must be adequately funded by Congress. This includes personnel, modern technology, policies, laws and regulations, walls where appropriate, and accountability - including consequences and solutions for governments that are unable or unwilling stem the flow of migrants. Border management is not only an American problem, but also a global problem that the world and its nations must confront - the days of Ellis Island have passed. Yet, migrants and immigrants are not evil and are welcome in healthy numbers. Most families simply seek a life. The circumstances require empathetic and strong global policies by elected leaders charged with finding and implementing solutions in a vastly shrinking and economically segregated world with ever more limited resources.
But an oversimplification of a “Wall”… NO! As an Army Combat Engineer, show me a wall, and I will show you ways around it, under it, over it, and through it. This is why the Berlin Wall came down, the Great Wall of China did not work, medieval castles are no longer built, and the Maginot line failed to avert WWII. Walls represent tyranny, and a lack of intelligent and modern border management and creative / imaginative policies. Resolve in enforcing existing laws and treaties and funding for effective immigration and border management is the answer. Though a wall may satisfy a visual emotional need of symbolic resolve to fix our border problems, it alone is not the answer, and it leaves a stain on what America represents. We don’t need a stinkin' wall - i.e. WRONG BUMPERSTICKER. We need intelligent border security measures and immigration law enforcement policies together with neighboring nation’s support, including the international community, to achieve practical border controls that address mass migration.
Education
GOOD EDUCATION PROVIDES THE KNOWLEDGE TO SUSTAIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC AND SECURITY INTERESTS
(What’s in it for you: Education breeds innovation and innovation keeps America in the global economic lead and creates jobs. Global economic leadership ensures you and your loved one’s security, values, and way of life.)
(Why should you care: You and your loved one’s economic well-being and security depend on it.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: 100% attainment of minimum Federal standards to achieve high school diploma through standardized testing. Focus the Department of Education on assessing where the U.S. stands globally on basic education standards. Incentivize States with Federal funding for education systems that quantifiably meet basic standards. Allow States to determine the education programs and systems that achieve basic standards and permit their students to compete nationally and globally.) Free education should continue to be competitive scholarship based. The student debt problem in America is real and needs solutions. Federal and State programs that offer employment to unemployed student debt holders to pay down and/or forgive debt needs to be an avenue and part of the solution. The Federal government has too much debt already, individuals must be held accountable for the decisions they made regarding their debt circumstances.
Does this make sense?
Our competitive edge and economic health as a nation and state depend on our ability to compete globally. Competing globally includes having the best educated and most innovative population possible. An intelligent education helps prepare students to compete globally and produce innovative ideas. Innovation is the key to maintaining a technological edge and is the secret sauce in staying an economic front runner. Education is in the direction of our national security interests, which we all, including the Federal government, should have some concern over.
Knowing your competition and their standards, therefore, is an important variable in knowing whether your education system is sufficient and up to the task of competing in the global market place. Armed with the Department of Education’s knowledge of where we stand competitively, states and communities can then best shape their education programs to suit local needs and stay relevant in an increasingly competitive world. Striking the right balance between funded Federal Government support that sets and incentivizes quantifiable basic curriculum proficiency targets, and the freedom families, states and communities must have to design what’s best for them and how to achieve basic federal targets, is the key. This, together with ensuring money is not the reason behind a person’s failure to get a good post-secondary education, is in all our best interests - whether it be for a trade or college education.
Makes sense – right?
Social Security
SOCIAL SECURITY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE AND HERE TO STAY
(What’s in it for you: If you are lucky, you will grow to very, very old age. When you do, having some financial safety net will be very welcome and necessary.)
(Why should you care: Because you are paying for it and you have earned it as part of your social contract. And, you are tired of elected leadership telling you Social Security is insolvent and won’t be there. It’s non-negotiable, it will be there, and is here to stay - period.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Discontinue the use of Social Security funds as a source of government revenue shortfalls, use separate revenue constrained system to take care of those who cannot care for themselves. This is a math problem and easy to solve. Beginning with annual and multi-year budget forecasts that balance all Federal funding demands is the key. Leveraging the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to inform law makers where difficult choices need to be made to grow the economy, bring down U.S. debt, intelligently fund all Federal demands, and ensure Social Security is healthy is key. Getting to “success” requires decisions to be made based on what’s feasible economically. This may include consideration of the entire spectrum of financial options including the adjustment of entitlement ages, economic resources of individual households, curbs to off-shoring, strategic tariffs, and projected efforts to grow American GDP. We simply need to make the right measurable choices that are within our means over time and do our best to make certain elderly Americans can live their senior years with dignity.)
This is not rocket science – let’s stabilize the program and intelligently move forward with it – agreed?
Why is Social Security still an unsolved problem? Haven’t the Republicans and Democrats had decades to get this right? The plain fact is that Social Security cannot go away, it will be funded, and failures of leadership charged with maintaining the program need to get on with solving the problem. Continuing to enable poor performance that cannot make simple budgetary decisions that households make every day have to stop. Don’t our senior citizens who have earned social security deserve better?
Replacing the answer-less failed leadership of the Republican and Democratic Parties is long overdue.
Right?
Entitlements
MODERN, INTELLIGENTLY MANAGED, AND SUSTAINABLE BASIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES (MEDICAID, MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY) ARE HERE TO STAY
(What’s in it for you: Bottom-line - you will need entitlement support when you get old and are unable to work. We have a community and government that is responsible for figuring this out - period. Improving legislation to do what’s needed to provide basic entitlements is something you should count on.)
(Why should you care: Leadership that’s always telling you the sky is falling does not help. We need leadership that provides solutions and properly balances ends, ways, and means to make certain you are not left adrift when your government needs to be there for you.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Present referendum on viable options, propose no single payer health care system (i.e. no Government monopoly), Federal oversight of minimum standards, State control based on State needs. This is a math problem and how to equitably pay for Entitlements. Beginning with annual and multi-year budget forecasts that balance all Federal funding demands is the key. Leveraging the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to inform law makers where difficult choices need to be made to grow the economy, bring down U.S. debt, intelligently fund all Federal demands, and ensure entitlements are healthy is key. Getting to “success” requires decisions to be made based on what’s feasible economically. This may include the consideration of the entire spectrum of financial options including the adjustment of entitlement ages, economic resources of individual households, curbs to off-shoring, strategic tariffs, and projected efforts to grow American GDP. We simply need to make the right measurable choices that are within our means over time and do our best to make certain Americans can live with dignity.)
Right?
The Republican Party leadership is wrong when it asserts “The time is now to work on responsible reforms. This is my our greatest goal and is something that we as a nation must come together to fix.”
WHAT?!? What about the last forty years?!?? The time has long passed to fix Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The Republican and Democratic Parties have led a failing entitlements agenda for more than forty years! The GOP was right when they said the time is NOW to fix the problem. The solution is to remove leadership that has fallen short and get someone in there who will lead the solutions that fix American entitlement programs once and for all.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid need to be available to our people as they get older or are incapacitated. Funding is the problem. Fiscal provisions and responsible budgeting to cover entitlement costs is what needs to be done. We all will need help at some point – intelligently managed entitlement programs must be funded - PERIOD! Yes, reforming the funding, without excess Federal control for these programs is important. Vilifying them is not the answer. Make no mistake, the Republican and Democratic Parties have failed you on entitlements.
Are you going to vote for a Party and individuals who have consistently failed you?
Health Care
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR OUR FAMILIES IS THE UTAH BULL MOOSE PARTY’S MOST IMPORTANT UNDERLYING THEME. WE KNOW IT CAN BE MANAGED MORE INTELLIGENTLY TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE AND FINANCIALLY MANAGABLE FOR ALL WORKING AMERICANS - AND YES, WE ARE FIRMLY AGAINST SINGLE PAYER (I.E. GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED AND CENTRALIZED) CARE
(What’s in it for you: Making sure that if you should be visited with unfortunate health circumstances, you do not lose your dignity, home, and capacity to support your family.)
(Why should you care: You have worked hard to responsibly provide for your family and their future. You are entitled as a contributor to our nation to not have to forfeit every asset you own: house, savings, if you, the baby, or other family member gets sick and needs care. We can do better than that.
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Working Americans should pay no more in medical insurance deductibles than the average amount paid by both Federal employees and Fortune / Forbes 500 companies - PERIOD! Pursue legislation with viable options, with no single payer health care system (i.e. no Government monopoly), but with Federal oversight of minimum national standards, State control with focus on unique State needs. This is a math and socio-economic values problem on how to pay for it. A non-partisan Congressional task force approach that culminates in a joint federal / state managed health care concept that leaves no American behind must be delivered. If, like The Utah Bull Moose Party, elected officials are there to “do the right thing” without concern for re-election, achievement of this goal can be achieved. Skepticism of single payer (nationalized) health care is prudent based on the difficulties the federal government has had in managing social security and Medicare and other programs that find themselves in the red. An intelligent look at all the options to optimize best outcomes for effective health care is needed - and then, “ACTION!” States must have authority to lead left in their hands based on, and to accommodate, their unique needs. Federal subsidies may be considered based on criteria driven by available federal resources and criteria that awards and incentivizes state health care systems based on both outcomes and innovative financial management considerations. Assessment of Federal resources available for health care using annual and multi-year budget forecasts that balance all Federal funding demands is key, to include private foundation partnerships with insurance companies, HMOs, and health care cooperatives. Leveraging the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to inform law makers where difficult choices need to be made to support American health care access for all must occur. Getting to “success” is complicated on this matter. It requires decisions to be made based on what’s feasible economically AND morally - but better health care management is well within reach for all working families - without breaking the bank. Doing this MUST include consideration of the entire spectrum of financial options including the economic resources of individual households, corporations, and health care providers. America simply needs to make the right choices that are within our means over time and do our best to make certain Americans can live with dignity.)
Folks, if you let the Federal Government take over your Health Care and make it “Single Payer”, I’m inclined to say you will not be happy. To be clear a “Single Payer System” is code for GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED HEALTHCARE - don’t let anyone fool you on that. Have any of you visited the Social Security Office and waited endlessly? Have any of you called a Federal Government service office of any kind and received an endless sea of teleprompters? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you know you don’t want a single payer government system. The Utah Bull Moose Party does not support the federalization, nationalization, or whatever you want to call it, of the American health care system! The money to tackle the problem is there, let’s make measurable positive change.
Accessible health care for Americans who are sick and in need of care is a part of civilized society – right?
Let’s be honest, the Republicans have failed on the health care front spectacularly even though they had in 2016 a complete legislative majority to tackle the health care problem - they failed. With a White House, House of Representatives, and Senate all controlled by Republicans, they still failed to reform health care - they couldn’t even bring it to a vote in the Spring of 2017 after years of planning!!! Now, the Democrats control the House and Senate in 2022, and they have no plan to fix America’s Health Care system. Folks, All Americans need to have access health care when needed without a complicated morass of tricks of the trade, opaque options, and tribal practices to get needed help - especially in life-threatening emergencies. THIS IS NOT SO HARD TO MANAGE THAT WE CAN’T ACHIEVE SUCCSS. And to do anything less is a national shame. Congress can’t keep letting Americans down on health care. They have campaigned on a platform of health care reform for years, then once elected it turns out there is no plan or Party cohesion to implement their agenda at all? You deserve better?
But where, where will the money come from to fix health care with American debt bloated to the tune of trillions of dollars. The Utah Bull Moose Party asserts the money is already there folks. ITS ALREADY THERE! Yup, the money is already there for outstanding health care in America. The U.S. is the largest nation on the planet in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). We pay the highest percentage of our national GDP on health care on earth (over 8%). America already pays 2 to 3 times the next county per capita for health care! You betcha - just do your homework. Look at the CIA factbook, or the U.N. / World Health Organization websites. The data is there. Yet, America stands at 42 down the list of countries with the longest life expectancy “that’s before COVID! Folks, the money is there and we are already paying for our health care solutions. America should have the gold standard, the model, for the best health care system on the face of the planet. Time for a change? We can do this!
So, aren’t we tired yet of the decades of elected incumbents telling us what the problem is versus implementing solutions? Folks, the solution is to stop voting for them.
Where’s the leadership? The Utah Bull Moose Party. Let’s fix this!
Regulatory Reform
REGULATION IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD – INTELLIGENT MANAGEMENT THAT’S HEALTHY FOR AMERICA WITHOUT SPECIAL INTEREST INFLUENCE IS THE KEY
(What’s in it for you: Safe food, safe flights, and safe drugs are what you’ve come to expect. You want all regulation to be intelligently and responsibly managed to protect us from irresponsible institutions and businesses that would otherwise seek to risk our safety for the sake of profit - right?)
(Why should you care: Some say free market forces alone will care for us since it is bad business to provide unsafe products or services. Well, I don’t want my family to be the victim of bad food, poor air traffic control, or inadequate law enforcement because of an overzealous agenda to deregulate.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Sustain what works, eliminate what does not work, incorporate intelligent improvements where necessary. Bureaucratic checks and balances, together with independent quality control oversight, is healthy for the those entrusted with the management of regulatory agencies that provide the services we demand. Intelligent Congressional oversight that engages and debates the merits of regulatory changes based on rigorous and scholarly analysis, together with Congressional accountability to key regulatory change independent of special interests is key – a process the is underpinned by The Utah Bull Moose Party policy of single term elected officials.)
Isn’t intelligent regulatory balance underpinned by single term elected representatives the right formula?
Intelligent regulation keeps our food and drugs safe, our environment clean, our medical procedures safe, our financial system fair and stable, and our planes flying safely. Intelligent regulation is essential to our economic health and our security interests.
The trick is managing regulation intelligently. In an ever-changing world, outdated, costly, and inefficient regulatory practices have to be modified and new regulations have to be delivered to provide for the public good. This is not rocket science. Congress and regulatory authorities simply have to make intelligent, regulatory choices that are fair and in the best interests of the American public. However, make no mistake, there are often powerful stakeholders and winners and losers in efforts to change outdated regulatory policies. In such an environment, special interests can bend the facts through the lens of their positions – most notably the Republican and Democratic parties themselves.
Neither the Republican nor Democratic parties, with their behemoth size and infrastructure, have room to criticize the need to reform regulations. After all, they have been the parties entrusted with managing the regulations in the first place. If we are unhappy with the state of regulatory matters, it’s their fault for doing nothing, and our fault for continuing to reelect them. Instead of spending all their energy battling each other from campaign to campaign and getting little done, maybe they should use their massive resources to focus on the public good and work together to shape effective regulatory policy. Recent health care unpreparedness demonstrates that the incumbent majority does not understand that after you get elected, you must have a well thought out plan for fulfilling your campaign promises. New elected leadership in the Republican party will change the culture to have a well thought out plan before becoming elected so that when elected they can execute what they have been elected to do.
Could it be time to vote against parties that produce under-performing leadership?
Energy & Natural Resources
CLEAN, COST EFFECTIVE, AND ABUNDANT ENERGY SOURCES ARE HEALTHY FOR OUR ECONOMY, AND ESSENTIAL TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
"Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us." (President Theodore Roosevelt)
(What’s in it for you: A clean environment enhances a person’s quality of life – that’s self-evident. The Utah Bull-Moose Party embraces this idea. For those who do not care about the environment and the legacy left for our children, The Utah Bull-Moose Party is not for you.)
(Why should you care: Even if you did not care for the cleanliness of our environment, and the legacy you leave behind, you may care for your security. Exhausting and squandering all your natural resources would force you to take what you need from others when visited by desperation. Those who conserve, innovate and optimize will be best positioned to provide a secure, healthy environment for generations to come.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Maintain 100% energy self sufficiency - develop technologies and alternative energy solutions that supply global needs. Since environmental damage, once done, can be irreparable, the bias between issues of environment verses economic development needs to lean toward the environment. This is The Utah Bull-Moose Party position, and in the tradition of President Roosevelt’s historic environmental preservation intentions. However, once environmental impact interests have been analyzed, debated, and intelligently accommodated, use of our natural resources should be permitted. The key is to elect as your representative intelligent, unbiased, one-term elected officials who are not controlled by special interests that will do the right thing. To further build on energy related environmental exploitation, The Bull Moose Party leans toward legislation that offers the prospect of reducing the use of fossil fuels in favor of technologies that offer the prospect of cleaner, more abundant, and more cost-effective energy solutions. This is the future and in the direction of America’s continued security interests.)
Do you buy this?
Intelligent management of our resources and the technology to assure uninterrupted supply of environmentally safe and cost-effective energy is in America’s interests. An intelligent approach to managing our energy and natural resources is: “Renewable, environmentally safe energy that includes breakthroughs in technologically advanced forms of new energy sources.”
America is enjoying an energy renaissance. Ensuring we do not squander the opportunity to sustain affordable energy independence, America must intelligently support research and development to maintain our lead as a global supplier of advanced and environmentally friendly energy solutions.
Our natural resources also include our treasured wildlife and parks. Striking an intelligent balance between preserving our spectacular environment, and leveraging the resources that coexist within our national lands are necessary. Intelligent conservation that balances exploitation of our national resources while preserving our environment is the challenge. The key is leadership that can strike a balance that best achieves all interested parties' objectives.
Constitution
CONSTITUTIONAL PRESERVATION AND SEPARATION OF POWERS IS ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS AND WAY OF LIFE
(What’s in it for you: In a word, Freedom. America has enjoyed a free society for over two hundred years. Though we have so many concerns and worries in our daily lives, and government cannot fix them all, we in America do not fear a knock on the door in the night and the disappearance of loved ones as so many regimes across the world have forced, and citizens have faced.)
(Why should you care: America is designed to have a cumbersome form of government to avoid oppression and tyranny. We have stuck to these values for a long long time and they have served us well. Your participation in selecting leadership that sustains these beliefs and values is so important to the health of our republic - which has become the world’s aspiration and inspiration for people’s hopes and dreams throughout the world.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Don't mess with it - there's no need - oppose those who do. Sustain oath of office. The Utah Bull Moose Party has no current agenda that supports any constitutional changes or amendments and as a matter of principle resists efforts to change the Constitution without extreme circumstance and cause.)
Step up - express your opinion – and vote – OR EVEN BETTER – RUN!
Through our Constitution, a four page hand written document on parchment, our Founders envisioned a democratic republic that would secure and protect the freedoms and values we cherish as Americans. At its core, our Constitution established the separation of powers between the Executive, Congressional, and Judicial branches of government, creating what we know as our system of checks and balances. This was done so that no one branch of government would ever have absolute power.
The preamble of the constitution defines up front the intent of what our founders had in mind when they established what the government of our new country would provide for our people: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Where the Declaration of Independence provided the “vision” of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, after winning independence from Great Britain codified the Constitution with its specific intentions with 5 cornerstones 1. Justice, 2. Insure domestic tranquility, 3. Provide for the common defence, 4. Promote the general welfare, 5. Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity.
The vision of the founders was quite clear and common sense with an eye toward doing the right thing for all citizens and not creating a class that enriched or empowered itself - a noble effort to be sure. The founders where aware of the limitations of government, and therefore wanted to provide the foundation that would enable all United States citizens to pursue their lives and business within the context of the precepts described in the Constitution’s preamble that deliberately minimized government interference in people lives, yet was intended to undertake a role in facilitating the enhancement of American citizens lives. Of course, a system of justice would referee conflicts among states and individuals, the muscle would have to be present to insure domestic tranquility and avoid internal chaos, the military would have to be sufficient to protect the United States from forces outside our borders that would threaten our society, promoting the general welfare includes reasonable governance actions designed to enable an ever improving capacity to enhance quality of life - both for the individual and for the community of citizens overall, and above all American’s would be free to pursue their lives without government interference except as intended to maintain good civil order - which includes, though difficult to legislate, a common sense two-way relationship between free people who embrace social responsibility and the governments mandate to do the right things for the people.
And, the founders embraced the need to address change. They knew amendments to the Constitution would be inevitable. So, they installed the mechanism within the Constitution to make changes to the Constitution when needed - all the while keeping an eye on the founder’s initial intentions of the values described in the preamble of the Constitution. In fact, three years did not even pass before the founder’s built upon the Constitution with the first ten Constitutional amendments being ratified - called the Bill of Rights. Again, always with an eye toward doing the right thing, minimizing government interference with the people’s freedoms, but enabling the general welfare of the people, and doing the right thing. This is what people want, and what the founders intended.
Carefully choosing leaders who are willing to embrace common sense and provide thoughtful positions on what our founders intended is very important to maintain stability in our way of life. For over two hundred years, our Constitution has stood the test of time. Protecting it, including its intent, is a solemn oath every armed services member embraces: “… I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same… so help me God.” Our rights and liberties come from our Creator and inspired forefathers who codified them. To protect them the Constitution established clear limits on the power of government. We want to keep this, right?
Judicial Nominations
JUDGES ARE INTERPRETERS OF LAW, NOT MAKERS OF LAW
(What’s in it for you: Supreme Court Justices have the capacity to interpret laws and the founders' constitutional intent. Because they are appointed for life, they have tremendous power to create defacto law that can be difficult to overturn by congress if disagreed with. Therefore, judicial nominations are important to you since they have a direct impact on what is going to be the law of the land. Ideally, Justices who embrace their role as interpreters of law, and not makers of law, are a protection from powers that could alter your Constitution. Therefore, the selection of right-minded justices, without counter-productive partisan-inspired interference is important – right?)
(Why should you care: Lord Acton said: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Ensuring our government’s constitutional system of checks and balances stays intact ensures our freedom – thoughtfully selecting Justices who embrace these ideas is healthy for your liberties and those of your families.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Support nomination of judgeship candidates for what they are - interpreters of law - not makers of law. Candidates that have demonstrated a keen understanding of express constitutional intent and have a record of conservative positions and support for the Constitution's system of checks and balances will be given first priority. The Utah Bull Moose Party supports the existing system of appointing judges and should occasion rise to have a say in the appointment of any new judges, bias toward judges who base their decisions on strict interpretation of the Constitution are favored.)
Does that make sense?
Lifetime appointed Supreme Court Justices are very important players in the American legal process. They are responsible for interpreting the law and what the Constitution intended when they decide upon or judge, a legal case. This is a process called judicial review. In this way, they have tremendous power to uphold or strike down what the U.S. Constitution and the law of the land means and who and what it applies to. In this sense, the Judges essentially have the defacto ability to make law. But, it’s congress' job to make our laws, not the Judges. This is why choosing judges carefully is so important. Judges who are well educated and experienced in our legal system, who know their constitutional role in the law-making process, is very important so that we do not appoint a judge to the supreme court who loses sight of his or her role of interpreter of law, not maker of law – a very subtle and important difference.
However, Judges are not “all-powerful.” When a Supreme Court decision is not be appropriate in the eyes of our people and congress, congress can overturn the court's decisions with a two-thirds vote followed by 75% of the states agreeing. As you can imagine, this is a time consuming, lengthy process in a country where getting even a majority vote is very difficult.
So, carefully selecting Judges who embrace their intended roles is very important and why congress puts so much energy into interviewing them and making sure potential judicial nominees’ track records of deciding cases is consistent with the ideal of interpreting law, not making law. Invariably in this process, partisan politics and the media manipulates the judicial selection process to advance their parties' agenda and sometimes make a circus of the process.
The key is to make sure you choose elected representatives who do the right thing, intelligently do their homework, listen attentively throughout the nomination process, and select the best judges from the pool of imperfect human nominated candidates to do the best job possible.
2nd Amendment
THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE
(What’s in it for you: Maintaining your right to keep and bear arms. There are truly horrific atrocities committed with the use of easily accessible fire arms – these horrors should not be wished upon anyone and measures to keep these arms from the hands of irresponsible people is something we can all agree on. But the enduring safety of our republic is, in part, assured by what our 2nd amendment rights guarantee. Extreme behavior by disturbed people should not overshadow the risk of tyrannical governance that could otherwise exercise oppressive power over you.)
(Why should you care: Though a controversial point of view, there are those who believe 2nd Amendment rights are a check and balance against oppressive governance which in turn keeps the freedoms you enjoy every day.)
(Utah Bull-Moose Way-Forward: Goal: Maintain the Second Amendment for the purpose intended without modification. The Utah Bull Moose Party will not support efforts to change the second amendment as written, but would support legislative efforts that keep arms out of the hands of criminals and unstable individuals who lack the responsibility to possess arms so long as such efforts do not restrict the founder’s 2nd amendment intentions for arms possession by responsible citizens.)
The Constitution is clear, American citizens have a right to keep and bear arms, plain and simple. This is a divisive issue in the United States for reasons that have merit on both sides of this polarizing issue that we all know very well. For example, irresponsible, criminal and otherwise unstable whack-jobs, most of us would agree, should probably not be allowed to have guns – at least, not in the Mad Moose Café, Bull-Moose Party Campaign Headquarters. Where a person stands on this issue can be the decisive point on whether you like them or not. So, a side must be taken. I support the right of responsible, emotionally stable, law-abiding American citizens to keep and bear arms.
Moral Issues
ON MATTERS OF MORALITY, THE BULL - MOOSE PARTY WILL DEFER TO THE WILL OF THE CONSTITUENCY.
The Bull-Moose Party will support all legislation that represents the majority of the voters will. Keeping our elected officials first focused on solving matters of security, economy and governance and not diverted by intractable moral issues is key. This approach has a better chance of moving the ball down the field a little further on matters we can all agree on.
Matters of morality are a slippery slope. They are lightning rods for divisive passionate opinions and not to be taken lightly. Morality penetrates all areas of life, business and government. Our founders recognized the difficulty in tackling divisive moral issues and governance, which is why they did their best to create the separation of church and state.
Extreme views generally don’t lend themselves to lasting solutions. Moderation in everything is normally a good rule of thumb. And yet, our values and culture are the fabric that binds us as a nation, community and culture. Changing cultural values happens in due course through the will of the community, and should not be by the directive of the state. Otherwise divisive state mandated moral issues would risk tearing our nation apart. Understanding, thoughtful, and intelligent dialog goes a long way in reaching consensus on contentious moral issues where compromise and universal understanding strives to be reached.
That said, there’s merit in a Judeo-Christian ethic, whose foundation is embodied in the 10 Commandments, and is the moral fabric that has allowed the rise of America as the world’s leading nation. Great care should be taken to protect our traditions and American cultural values - we should not be quick to change or erode them. Accepting that people are human, make mistakes, and eventually will be judged by their creator and held to account can help get us focus on issues we can make a positive impact on, including some moral matters that may not be ready to be solved. Being a good person and doing the right thing, recognizing our imperfections have resulted in decisions that if we had the chance to make them again, we might handle them differently, is part of the answer.
Maybe you can relate?
Okay… here we go… marriage. The first question The Utah Bull Moose Party is confronted with is whether the pursuit of happiness is a value we hold dear - as in “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Not for some, but all American citizens. The answer, is yes. The pursuit of happiness and the simple right to choose who you like, spend your time with, and make associations with should be a simple freedom we all enjoy.
The Utah Bull Moose Party supports that Marriage is an institution whose foundation and definition is made by the community, church, and culture that embraces it. As a time honored tradition that has tremendous community value, WE LOVE IT! The institution of marriage does not belong in the hands of elected officials or the federal government, though strong arguments can be made that in our democracy and government is a reflection of the will of the people, and, government has an important interest in the health and sustainment of our society which includes marriage. One only needs to look at other countries such as Germany and Japan, two leading economies, that recognize the importance of marriage, incentivize their people to marry and have families, and wrestle with circumstances that forecast difficulty in sustaining their societies because of low birthrates.
Marriage belongs in the hands of the community. However The Utah Bull Moose Party recognizes customs and values change and those people engaged in nontraditional relationships want to enjoy the same degree of acceptance as those engaged in traditional marital relationships between a man and woman. Government may be allowed to engage in “civil-union / domestic partnership” licensing, regardless of gender, for record keeping, taxation, estate planning, and legal matters associated with, for example, divorce. However government should not be involved in regulating Marriage as a custom – Marriage is the family, community, and church’s business. This distinction must be clear and is why the Utah Bull Moose Party advocates for leaving the definition of the word “Marriage” outside the confines of legal ease and replacing it with a more neutral adjective.
Marriage by traditional definition is a institution between a man and woman. And the principal players in a marriage are by traditional definition the "husband" and "wife." This is not new or ambiguous. This is millennium old tradition that transcends nations, cultures, and borders. Many people take extreme offense when the government attempts to change these cultural norms that trample on the rights of those who embrace long held tradition. It should not be used to marginalize nontraditional partnerships however or make them feel bad or less equal in the eyes of the law or community.
Alternative lifestyles should not be oppressed or bullied by the majority who do not embrace them either. Responsible consenting adults should be able to pursue happiness without discrimination and have equal rights and the right to "civil-unions / domestic partnerships" with the same protections and recognition offered by traditional marriages. There is no threat in taking this position - the sun will rise, trees will grow, and babies will still be born. The government should not be in the business of telling people who they can and cannot have a responsible relationship with. And, yes, the Utah Bull Moose Party recognizes that same gender “Civil-Unions / Domestic Partnerships” can potentially be perceived by some as a solution that does not put such relationships on an equal footing as traditional marriage and is in the mind of those who object discriminatory, unfair, and puts those so classified in a lessor position of civil acceptance within our communities. But, the Utah Bull Moose Party does not see it that way. There is no intention to marginalize or diminish nontraditional relationships. The problem is with those who harbor prejudice and those who empower others to make them feel somehow lesser - attitudes the Utah Bull Moose Party does not support.
In short, all Americans should be able to enjoy our established civil and human rights without exception. The Utah Bull-Moose Party will be the last institution to judge or infringe on the rights of peaceful Americans who pursue happiness without hurting others, and the last to support government redefinition of established time honored customs and traditions that do not oppress others - meaning the separation of church and state should include churches rights to congregate and define marriage as they wish as long as they do not advocate harm against others. To take a position contrary to The Utah Bull Moose Party’s position would be to endorse prejudice, ridicule, and persecution of people who’s relationships do not conform to or infringe on, those who chose to behave differently. That would be wrong.
Regarding a woman’s rights and abortion…. an elected representative or government official are the last people a woman should visit to obtain guidance on matters of her health and physical or emotional well-being regarding abortion. These decisions are in the hands of first, the woman, then her immediate family, her church, and at the very end of that long chain, if it were to ever get that far, the community and government. Nobody enjoys the prospect of abortion, but it is a decision that should not be removed from the woman faced with it, and be up to our elected representatives to decide.
Regarding equal pay. Of course, equal pay for equivalent contribution in the workplace goes without saying.
Finally, One last thing, The Armenian Genocide. More than 100 years after 1.5 million Armenian’s were killed and cleansed from Anatolia (modern day Eastern Turkey), the United States continues to officially not recognize this tragedy – because it may upset our absolutely and truly wonderful Turkish ally. Armenia, the first Christian Country, though regrettably not a western leaning ally due to the political, corrupt, and oligarchic pressure that imprisons its people, seeks recognition of this well documented genocide. Would you put politics aside for a moment and agree to the dignity of remembrance and officially recognize the tragedies of humanity, lest we repeat them again? The Utah Bull Moose Party is not seeking or endorsing reparations, and no one remains alive today to be held accountable for past crimes against this inhumanity. But, we can take action to at least remember this human tragedy before it is lost to time. Today, we have many wonderful Armenian and Turkish Americans who live among us who we call friends and neighbors – just as we have many Jewish and German friends and neighbors, and the same with all the other ethnically diverse Americans.
Why isn’t it the right thing to support the official recognition of the Armenian genocide? No, it does not mean such recognition must subsequently result in specific remedies or restitution.