Bebo

Amata Aumua <AmataA55>

"Amata"

	my basic campaign principles	476 days ago
	I believe the starting point for any campaign must be the principles on which the campaign will be based. For me, I believe a candidate should consider the core values that define us as Samoans and with that as the underpinning express the principles that will guide the campaign based on those core values. I am pleased to present the basic principles that will guide my campaign for Congress. AUMUA AMATA’S BASIC PRINCIPLES 1. The centrality of God in our lives and the primacy of the family are the inextricably intertwined, fundamental building blocks of our society. Samoans are a God-fearing and God-loving people. God is central to all aspects of our lives and we must pay homage to Him first and foremost. God and family are central to building, maintaining and strengthening our society and are intertwined. It is God who nourishes our spirit; it is the family that nurtures our humanity, particularly those among us who are our young, our disabled and our elderly. We must do all in our power to preserve and protect our families and, in accordance with our custom, culture and beliefs, brook no interference in our worship of the Holy Spirit. 2. The sanctity of life is inviolable. As part of our belief system, Samoans view all life as being precious in the sight of our Lord. Life, which is God’s greatest gift to Mankind, begins at conception. I oppose any efforts by outside forces to undermine our values, interfere with our customs or impose on us any beliefs that are inconsistent with our traditional practices. 3. The preservation of private family property rights is the foundation of our culture. The most fundamental underpinning of our culture is our land, which defines us a people. Our land is inseparable from our blood. I oppose any efforts to diminish Matai stewardship over private family land in American Samoa. The fabric of our society was founded on the principle of family ownership of private property. Private land taken by government for the common good must be minimized and our property rights must be safeguarded by enforcing the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which requires just compensation whenever private property is needed for a compelling public purpose. I oppose any efforts to diminish the rights of the stewards of our privately held family land. 4. A strong national defense is essential for the protection of our freedoms under the American Flag. I believe the freedoms we enjoy, which are granted by God and guaranteed by the United States, are best preserved by a strong national defense. Whenever our nation has been threatened by danger from abroad, Samoans have been among the first to answer the call to duty in service to our country. Our men and women in uniform are our warriors and our heroes. Their service is our contribution to America’s strength. 5. The American principle of federalism, which limits the intrusion of the federal government into the lives of the people, is central to preserving our way of life. I believe strongly in the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which limits the powers of the federal government to those enumerated in the Constitution. The right to self-government and the right of the people to control their own lives is central to the preservation of our proud and ancient culture and our relationship with the United States. Our self-government has evolved over the 108 years of our membership in the American political family. Efforts to refederalize American Samoa weaken the underpinnings of our self-government and erode our ability to preserve our culture. I oppose any effort to expand federal authority over American Samoa without the consent of the people. Problems within our system are resolved best not by uprooting it, but by guiding it effectively by qualified leaders chosen by the people through the democratic electoral process.
	posted by Amata Aumua