Rafig Gurbanzada

I support political philosophy founded on ideas of liberty and equality. I am one of those identifiably left of center. So, I believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. It is the sacred duty of the government to ease social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Therefore, I favor: the death penalty should be abolished; a market system in which government distantly regulates the economy is one of the best; public schools are the best way to educate students in vulnerable communities; a woman has the right to decide what happens with her body; society and government create a national plan for all energy resources and subsidize alternative energy research and production; gun control laws are necessary to stop gun violence; low-cost health care is necessary, yet some portion of health care could remain privatized; ownership and private property rights should be respected and eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government--with compensation to the owner) in most cases is wrong; the separation of religious institutions and nation state must be observed; first higher taxes and a larger government, and then lower taxes and a smaller government with relatively limited power are eventually necessary; the international community has a moral and a legal obligation to support peace and stability in the world.