Gay Marriage: This is one of those issues that particularly bothers me. This is another situation where certain people think they have the right to decide which relationships are valid and which are not. There are so many situations each year where committed gay partners who have been together for 30 or 40 years are forbidden to see each other in the hospital because the family of one of them will not allow it. These are people who have committed themselves to a life together. Gay Marriage hurts no one. It doesn't make any marriage less sacred. Do you love your spouse less because two people of the same sex are living a committed relationship to each other, and would like to be recognized as family? More importantly the Defense of Marriage Act is unapologetically UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It is a law designed to specifically go against the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution. For those of you who do not know the Full Faith and Credit Clause says all licences issued in one state have to be acknowledged in every other state. If this clause was not in the Constitution the Defense of Marriage Act would not have been written up by Congress. To me it is deplorable that Congress would right any law to specifically go against the Constitution, but that was exactly the intent when creating the Defense of Marriage Act. Committed homosexual partners have a right to be treated as such. There relationships should be acknowledged by the government. I will support gay marriage, because there is nothing wrong with two people loving and being committed to each other.
Affirmative Action: In an ideal world Affirmative Action would not be needed. A few years ago I was very against Affirmative Action because I thought the idea was inherently racist and penalized white males. But here is what I have come to realize over the past few years...Racism still exists. I listen to people throughout my community, and I realize that there are people who still don't get it. People who if they could get away with it would never hire an African American to work a job. Affirmative Action has been instrumental in desegregating the workplace and many of the Universities. Hopefully some time in the future it will not be needed, but now is not that time. Affirmative Action needs to remain in place.
Personal Liberties: The preamble to the United States Constitution concludes with "Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." The founding fathers went so far as to create a Bill of Rights stressing these personal liberties that people have. Most important to a democracy our first Ammendment Rights. We have let the most easily offended among us dictate what we can say. My administration will stress personal liberties and fight any legislation that tries to infringe on our free speech, and due process of law. Also the Raines Administration will be completely against censorship. It pains me to listen to people blame musicians, and television for many of the countries problems. Music and Television are reactions to culture, not the other way around. Blaming people like Marilyn Manson, and violent video games to me is an insult to people all around the country. Speaking from experience, not just my own, but my observed from all the teens I have been around...We can listen to graphic music, and play violent video games without becoming violent. Censorship is wrong. We need to encourage expression, not limit it.
Religious Expression: Here is an example of how we let the most easily offended among us dictate what is allowed. A man was suing because the words "under God" are included in the Pledge of Allegiance. Arbitrary, nonspecific religious expressions such as this should not be offensive in any way. I am strongly against any Government institution promoting religion, but little things like that are ridiculous. Individual Religious expression is a right all American Citizens should have.
Limits to Religious Expression: Any attempt by a government institution, including public schools, and our courts is unconstitutional. Public schools have an obligation to teach with a secular purpose and thus must not promote any religion.
In short the Government's job when dealing with Religious Expression is to neither advance nor inhibit religion. The Raines Administration will respect everyone's right to promote their religion, and show their beliefs, but will keep Government employees from advancing their own religious beliefs in the workplace.