In the first installment of the newly retitled “Independents Week” (since one week won’t be enough), I present the first Independent: Donald K. Allen.

First, though, a quick reminder as to how this is all going to go down.  First, and foremost, I’ll be profiling the candidate.  Basically, I’ll give a summary of the platform they’re running on.  Then, I’ll provide my own commentary on the candidate.  However, in the end, you’ll decide if you like them.

I’ve decided to keep all this solely to candidates I can confirm are actually Independents.  If they’re part of an Independent party (such as the New American Independent Party), are endorsed by a third party, or I just cannot tell if they’re an Independent, I won’t be profiling them as part of this series.  The former category because of the fact that the party they’re in or endorsed by is probably eventually going to decide on one of their candidates to run nationally, and the latter because it’s just easier for me.  I have limited time in my day, so I can’t go around pulling my hair out to decide whether someone is an Independent.  If they actually are, they’re usually proud to say so, and that makes it easy to tell.

So, with that clarified, on to Dr. Allen.

Background

Donald Allen was born in Rockford, Ill. on April 16, 1947.  He served in the U.S. Air Force for four year, enlisting in 1967.  He worked as a journalist in the Philippines and in the 467th Combat Support Group, and at George Airforce Base in California with the 479th Tactical Fighter.  He was discharge in 1971.  After spending several years as a horseshoer, he graduated from veterinary school in 1980.  He has been married three times and has two daughters.

Issues

Allen is for compulsory national service, explaining that two years in the military did him a lot of good.  He’d be for military or civilian service.  On the issue of NAFTA, he believes the government is working hard to create a common American (U.S., Canada, Mexico) economy.

In the area of foreign affairs, he is a strong believer in making sure that Islamic terrorism is not a threat to the country, and appears to support a continuation of the Iraq war, arguing that public opinion will make us lose and cost lives.  On the United Nations, my inference is that he’s not a big supporter.  He says the United Nations HQ should leave the U.S. for “remodeling” to bring the building up to code (saying he heard that is wasn’t).

On the issue of war, he is in favor of giving the generals whatever leeway they need to win (short of nukes, of course).  On immigration, he is for a guest worker program, but says we need to protect our borders, and identify all illegals residing here.  He’s also in favor of racial profiling, arguing that the current non-profiling system targets the wrong people.

His Social Security plan is a bit different than we usually see.  He wants to see a SS payments go into a true trust fund that cannot be touched by the government, along with any I.O.U.’s, and gaining interest.

His tax plan is the FairTax system, that would transform the income tax into a sales tax.

On Congressional issues, he’d like to see Congressional term limits, arguing that being on Congress too long allows them to become too used to it.  For Congressional budgets, he’s a supporter of a line-item veto.

On energy independence, he’d award one billion dollars to the company that gets us energy independent in 10 years.

His rather unique plan on health care doesn’t involve universal health care or personal health portfolios.  Instead, he says the root source of the problem are all the lawsuits that end us raising premiums.  He says implementing a “loser pays” system will stop frivilous law suits, and lower premiums.  He is in favor of continuing Medicare, SCHIP, et al. for those who need it.  He’s also in favor of teaching more home-based healthcare and first aid, arguing it’d lower costs because people who have a simple cold won’t go in to the doctors, leaving their time better suited for those who really need the doctors.   For pharmaceuticals, he would require all companies makes a “one world price”.

He says mandatory drug testing for all politicians would make them more serious about fighting drugs, and says that harsher penalties should be imposed on sellers, and their buyers publicized.

He is for national referendums on issues, saying that politicians should not have all the power.

He is for asking all K-12 teachers in the U.S. what should be done about education, and then putting those plans into implementation.

Finally, he thinks anyone who wants to leave the U.S. because they’re unhappy should be offered $25,000 to leave and never be allowed to come back.

Finally, as a veterinarian, he is a fierce advocate against puppy mills, and would take measures to shut them down.

Commentary

Dr. Allen is definitely an Independent, no doubt about that.  He subscribes to no ideology fully, and in my opinion, that’s not a bad thing.  He seems to consider his platform issue by issue, which is my definition of an Independent.

There are some things I agree with him on, and some I don’t.  I like his Social Security plan.  It’d backtrack on things a bit, and bring social security where it needs to be: a place the government can’t touch it.  These days, more and more of our social security is being spent for things it shouldn’t be.  Social security is meant to help people who are retired, and not other things.

Now, I know what you’re going to say, “But what about Medicaid and such?”  Yea, I know, a lot of those payments come from social security, too.  I just think there has to be a different way to pay for those things.  More and more people are going on plans such as
Medicaid, which drys up more money from the social security well.  It may be great now, but when we get old, and there’s no money for us, that we paid to social security?  Then it won’t look so great anymore.

I’m also a big fan of the Health Care plan.  In the past, I’ve been rather moderate on this, promoting an “in-the-middle-of-the-road” plan.  However, I think going to the source of increasing premiums, lawsuits, will help.  Now, I’m not saying stop them all.  There’s definitely a need for malpractice suits still.  But, they need to be only used for some of the most serious cases…ones where the doctors screw up royally.  I know that when we get to the day where we get to lawsuits for a medicine that causes a non-fatal but negative reaction is the day we’re all screwed.  Wait, we’re already there you say?  Damnit!

I’m also with him on national referendums.  Anything that promotes direct democracy is good in my book.  Among the current nationally known candidates, he shares this view with Mike Gravel (who also supports a FairTax plan – see, not only the domain of the Mike Huckabees of the world).

There are some places I disagree starkly, however.  Lets take racial profiling for one.  Forget allowing it to happen, it already does.  I’m no fan of racial profiling, because I believe it instills unwarranted fear into people.  Mostly, this continues to be propagated by the media, but that’s an issue for another entry.

I’m also not for publicizing buyer lists of drug sellers.  What’s the point in shaming people?  Yes, punish the sellers, but I’m going to guess the majority of drug users (hard drug users, not your college pot smoker) are there because of real addiction.  Yea, yea, I know, personal choice and responsibility, but everyone makes mistakes.  Some pay for it by sacrificing their mental and physical health.  We’re not going to humiliate cigarette smokers, are we?  Yet, many of them are just as addicted.

Finally, why should we have to pay for someone who wants to renounce their citizenship.  If they want out of this country so bad, I say good riddance.  Now, I’m not talking about someone who moves to Italy to go work or school, or just wants to experience another way of life for a while.  I’m talking about people who really hate America, and want to leave and go renounce their citizenship over it.  Want to do that?  Fine? But don’t except support from the taxpayers.  For a guy who’s against nationalized health care causing taxpayers grief, why he’d want us to pay to have someone leave is beyond me.

I’m also against his somewhat “tin-foil-hat” fear of a New World Order.  First off, we Americans appreciate our sovereignty.  So, like with the Brits, the idea of fully integrating into some kind of regional coalition, or one world government, is never going to happen.  Not in my lifetime, anyway.

That said, I’m for more economic cooperation, and fair trade, as long as it doesn’t affect us.  I can’t really make any sound judgments on NAFTA without studying it further, so I won’t.  But, if the countries around us could cooperate a little more on economics, the world might be a better place.

I like his Lincoln bedroom idea.  Our soldiers have done a lot for us.  So, I say, give ’em a night in the White House.  It’d cost air fair, and perhaps gas for a limo.  The stay would otherwise be free.  I also like the idea of getting regular Americans to stay there.  Perhaps it’d work nicely for youths.  Have ’em do an essay, and get an independent council together to decide which gets the night.

Finally, I fully support his puppy mill policy.  After all, who likes Puppy Mills?

Well, that’s Donald K. Allen for you.  I’ve given you some of his positions and my take on him.  Now you decide.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another Independent Candidate.