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Josh
Conservative With a Pragmatic Streak, Hegemonist
Party: Republican
Ideology: Economic Libertarian, Social Conservative, Foreign Policy Hegemonist
Hot button issues: Foreign Policy
Political Heroes: Tony Blair |
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First, a bit of personal information. I’m a student at the Colorado School of Mines, majoring in chemical engineering with minors in public policy and economics. As such, I tend to bring a somewhat different viewpoint to politics than many have come to expect. My political opinions often focus on foreign policy, which I believe to be the most difficult and interesting political arena.
Second, how I got to this site and what I hope to do here. Chris contacted me last year about writing for the website, and I agreed. I believe that I can offer a somewhat unusual (yet informed) take on most issues, and I hope to bring a certain level of context to the issues I write about.
Third and finally, some specifics that will provide a general idea of my political predispositions:
- Kelo v. New London was the worst Supreme Court decision in living memory, if not of all time.
- I view marriage as a primarily religious institution, and do not have a real problem with defining it as “one man and one woman.” But, I do not support a federal gay-marriage ban. That decision should be left to the states, as marriage law traditionally has been.
- I believe very strongly that American hegemony (preeminence) is the best available option in the current global climate.
- I believe the most likely alternative to American hegemony is Chinese hegemony, which should not be encouraged until China is fully democratized and adequately protects basic human rights.
- Globalization is neither inherently good nor inherently bad, but it offers incredible potential for improvement in human life around the globe and should therefore be encouraged.
- Some political and cultural values are inferior to others. There are some areas to which relativism cannot be extended without degrading human rights and other vital institutions.
- Environmentalism should not be limited to protecting natural environments from human encroachment, nor should it always oppose business interests. The stark choice painted by the media and other interests is unbelievably shallow and inaccurate.
Hopefully these items give you a rough idea of where I’m coming from. If you have any questions please send them to dolcan5[at]hotmail[dot]com. Enjoy the site and come back often.
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