John Shaw
Republican Candidate - Florida Senate
Issues
The following are stances I have taken on a few common political issues that many people deem important. I tend to separate this from my actual "platform" - my platform is not a list of issues. My platform is the solution in which we solve these issues. A platform is not "I am concerned about our children, our economy, and the elderly."
There are some issues which my platform does not directly address, and therefore, this section exists.
Taxes: The federal income tax is illogical, and it has been suggested numerous times since its birth that it is unconstitutional. Our founding fathers did not want the wages of American individuals to be taxed. Regardless of whether or not it is constitutional, though, a progressive income tax is simply not a good idea for many reasons. It makes sense to me that a person should have the ability to understand how much money they owe in taxes without having to spend a day figuring it out. If I am a business owner and you owe me money, do I let you tally up all of the expenses you're incurring and have you present me a bill? No. If you are indebted money to me, I present you with exactly how much that debt is. We need to move off of our currently chaotic and unstable system and onto something that we can actually control. In the past, I have been a proponent of a flat tax, however after years of feedback and consideration, I have recognized that the flat tax is simply another form of a personal income tax, of which I do not support. However, I do like the simplicity of a flat tax, and am actively searching for a tax system that best represents Florida, and this nation.
Bonus: If we legalized industrial hemp, we could eliminate property taxes, and simply grow hemp on our property and give it to the government instead.
Gun Control: I consider myself to be a person of peace and compassion. I am a proponent of avoiding wars at all costs, and have never traded the opportunity of a handshake for a fist. However, being able to defend oneself is truly an inalienable right, and I cannot allow any person, or group of people, to take away that right of mine. The Second Amendment also clearly outlines the right to bear arms, which confirms my own personal view of the matter. Gun control is simply another extension of prohibition, of which I do not support.
Immigration: We need to tighten up our borders. I am entirely in favor of people immigrating to America, legally, but until we can figure out what to do with the people that are already here, illegally, we need to stop allowing more people to come through, and do whatever it takes to ensure that no one does, so long that it is reasonable.
The War in Iraq: Like everyone else, I have strong personal views on whether invading the middle East was a wise strategy or a just war. As a candidate for State Senator, however, the real issue to me would be determining what is best for my constituents. The common ground we should all agree on is that we need to support the soldiers who are there now, so that they can get the job done and get home as soon as possible.
The Death Penalty: "Do unto others what you would have others do unto you," or, what it would perhaps seem according to our justice system, "Do unto others what has been done to you." A perpetual cycle of negativity will never solve itself, and to simply kill people is a sickening example of our intolerance to evolve as a society. I would like to see our entire justice system revamped, particularly in the way we supposedly "rehabilitate" offenders. A prison system is not an industry.
The War on Drugs: While I personally believe that prohibition is not the answer to maintaining a society safe from harmful drugs, it is not something I will be campaigning for at this time. It has been made expressly clear to me that the majority of the population does not agree with ending prohibition.
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