Re: [B]Outrageous pro obama ad featuring Children singing[/B]
what areas are you not collectivist (current definition of American liberal is more government)
What do I believe in. Well, I do not believe in nationalized industries, free market industry but with effective (or as effective as possible) regulation to regulate important industries that are of capital importance (insurance industry, banking, public transport). I believe in organized labor but in a manor to work for the best interest of the employees but not at the expense of companies and/or employment.
I believe in constructive discussions between employers, employees and the government to make sure that inflation is not rampant and that in times of economic difficulty pay freeze is always on the table.
Government has to be of a size that enables it to do it's work, no more and no less. If there are too many civil servants, they will have to be made redundant.
Government should be there to protect the weakest in society by intelligent means, making sure as much people who are able to work, actually do have to go to work. Even people with minor disabilities should be employed or be employable.
The government should make sure people have as much freedom as possible but without unduly interfering with the freedom of others (racism, no anti semitism, discrimination based on gender, sexual preference, race or religion).
Government should be there to enforce the laws of the land and to protect the borders and the people living in the country from crime and war.
Government should uphold the rule, if it ain't broke, don't interfere. If it is broke and the government needs to interfere it should be as minimal and short lived as possible.
Government should be transparent and accessible by the public, it should be unbiased and do things in an honest and open way.
Elections should never be an exercise in political wrangling. The political parties might argue among themselves, but when it comes to organizing an election it has to be done completely un-partizan. No trying to disenfranchise voters.
I am not enemy of collectivism but it has to be as minimal as possible. The government in the Netherlands has according to an article I just read one of the lowest number of government employees (at least in Europe). In the Netherlands only 2.9% of people work for the government and the government is slimming down even further with deregulation and less government and I think that is fine, as long as it does not violate the core duties of the government as decided by the people of the Netherlands.
I do not want big government with little independence and a nanny state, I want an effective small government that does what it's core duties are and not interfere unduly in private and corporate goings on.