If you were the president, what would you do?

MikesToy

Banned
What would you do about the following:
- Economy
- Housing
- Military
- Social Security
- Healthcare
- Taxes
- War on Terrorism
- Immigration
- Schools and Education

Where do we stand and where are we heading to?
 
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What would you do about the following:
- Economy Transform the country into an energy producer. I would use energy and energy technology to help pay down some debt to other countries thereby solidifying the dollar. Encourage manufacturing. This idea of preventing production to save the environment/world is such crap. We build/produce cleaner and better than anybody. By shipping manufacturing overseas all we're doing is allowing corrupt countries with lesser environmental rules produce the items we then import. That equals a net-loss for us and the planet. The water and atmosphere know no borders. It all mixes up and ends up here eventually.
- Housing Housing will fix itself largely with the recovery of the economy. Fannie and Freddie's forced loan directives would be repealed. Some of the money that was "saved" by having less risky loans could be used for low-income assistance to help people get into houses they could own, maintain and pay for if it wasn't for the 20%-30% down payment.
- Military 2-things: Whatever the Generals' told me and I'd spearhead a move to re-work the way contracts are bid/awarded.
- Social Security Don't know enough to have an opinion.
- Healthcare TORT REFORM!!!! And work to have the transportability/pre-existing condition issue fixed.
- Taxes Flat-tax. Savings from fired IRS people could be used to retrain them to actually work for a living. I think Barney Frank should clean the restrooms at the IRS retraining facility.
- War on Terrorism Touchy I know... Tell the Commanders to do the right thing and send the press home for 1 year.
- Immigration A big fence and totally restructure the process to become legal so as to raise the capacity of the system. We should have legal immigration at a much greater than we do today and no illegal immigration. All that are here now should be screened for additional criminal background, obviously they are criminals for breaking the border laws. They should then begin the enhanced immigration application process. While not ideal rounding them up and sending them home is not a realistic option either.
- Schools and Education Break the NEA. Fire some teachers. Allow for sane punishment of bad kids. Protect the educators from stupid parents, some of that would come with aforementioned tort reform.

Where do we stand and where are we heading to?

I will assume I get 2 terms and a 'workable' congress. (big assumptions, I know.)
All of the solutions to the issues you list require some philosophical shift within our society and a willingness of the populace to drop some of the "politically correct" aspect and to make some hard choices based on sound logic not "feelings". Accountability and responsibility are also required...


And I’d cruise around in 747 for fun like the current #*!% The difference would be we’d have a robust, growing healthy country; once again the envy of the world.

:cheers:
 
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What I Would Do


Okay......this is a very simplistic answer and I am going to assume that I have a 'compliant' Congress.

:girl:

- Economy

Lower taxes across the board - a single, flat-rate income tax for everyone; balanced budget amendment and put us back on the gold standard. I would do whatever I could to restrain the slide of the US Dollar into worthlessness.


- Housing

Get the gub'ment to stop meddling into the housing market, which only serves to make things worse every time they try to "fix" things. Much as some people hate it, market forces must be allowed to return us to a state of equilibrium.



- Military

Stop us trying to be the world's policeman; untangle some of our foreign alliances where it doesn't serve our interests - and deftly encourage some of our wealthier allies to pay more towards their defense. Let our generals and strategists run the war, instead of politicians.
:dancin:


- Social Security

As it is blatantly unconstitutional (retirement not mentioned as an enumerated power in Article I, Section 8); I would move towards privatizing the system - gradually - so that those already in the system would not get screwed, while younger workers would pay less and less into it but get less out of it as they age.

I also would move quickly to prevent Congress from "raiding" the nonexistent Social Security trust fund to mask the real amount of the federal budget deficit.


- Healthcare

Get the government out of it as much as possible, move towards a market-based system, allow interstate competition amongst the insurance companies, institute/enact major tort reform, stop all but severe emergency care for illegal immigrants. That would be a start!


- Taxes

Flat-rate personal income taxes; reduce the size, scope and power of the IRS; use the tax code for generating revenue rather than for social engineering.

Remind everyone that our tax sytem has its troubles, but the main problem is on the SPENDING side of the equation. No tax system will work properly and no deficits will be reduced until SPENDING is curtailed.
:trophy:


- War on Terrorism

Speak softly but carry a big stick - and not be afraid to use it where necessary. Avoid conflict when possible, but fight with 100% of what we got when the need arises.


- Immigration

Close the borders, stop the "freebies" for illegals, get rid of the 'anchor baby' provision that allows all the illegals with children born here to stay. Once we start arresting & prosecuting those individuals and businesses who hire illegals, many of them will deport themselves. No trabajo - no dinero.


- Schools and Education

Get the federal government out of the schools - as there is no constituitonal provision for Uncle Sham to be involved in it. Encourage competition through vouchers or some type of tuition tax credit where the money would follow the student to the school of his/her family's choice. The choke hold of the teacher's unions must be broken (NEA, AFT, VEA, etc.) and parents need to be empowered to take more control.

:frog:

~ Who says you can't dream big? ~
 
"A chicken in every pot, and a 4Runner in ever garage." I like it.

My first executive order, as a matter of national security and ensuring domestic tranquility, would be to end the monopoly of NFL Sunday Ticket on DirectTV and open the ability to show every NFL game up to every cable carrier.
 
Healthcare: No government run healthcare system at all!!!!! I would have competition b/w insurance companies and no pre-existing condition garbage. Also, Medicaid would have much stricter standards and would only be for those who are working a certain amount of hours and making below a certain salary or disabled.

Taxes: Enough with this "tax the rich"- if you work, you don't have to give almost 1/2 your money back to Uncle Sam (although I would love to throw in a luxury tax for the sports industry and actors/actresses who make ridiculous amounts of money).

Military: It is important to defend our country, but lets not make it our responsibility to help every country form a democracy.

War on Terror: Make it known that there will be consequences if they dare attack us

Immigration: Close up those borders and stop letting them have a free ride (healthcare, not paying taxes, etc)

In the end, I would make it WORTHWHILE to work.

In the end, my big message is
 
My first priority would be focus in creating jobs by promoting an ecosystem to promote large and small business.

Get rid of the welfare system completely, definitely no universal health care. In short, no free lunches.

Reduce the size of the government as much as possible.

Promote education, while I don't believe in the welfare system I believe in education. This is the only way to sustain democracy and capitalism. Everyone should have the chance to be educated so college level education should be accessible to all. That mean free education. People should have the opportunities to educate themselves and the opportunities to work if they choose to. Bottom line, make the American dream a realities.

Get rids of all the senseless debate such as gay marriage or abortion. There would be no need to legalize gay marriage because it would never be outlaw in the first place. As far as I am concern those are personal lifestyle of choice and should be regard as such. In short the government and every else should stay completely out of a person private life.

Reduce military involvement around the world yet at the same time cut off unnecessary media access to the military. There is no need to air our dirty laundry to the world. Since I don't believe in war. I firmly believe we should avoid war at all cost. However I also believe that there is no mercy in war.
 
My first priority would be focus in creating jobs by promoting an ecosystem to promote large and small business.


Seems to me that would be done by reducing (and simplifying) taxes - both at the personal & business level. Cutting "red tape" and easing some of the nonsenical regulations we have might help as well. By 'ecosystem', I assume you are referring to a business-friendly environment.
:biggrin2:



Get rid of the welfare system completely, definitely no universal health care. In short, no free lunches.



And that "welfare" we want to eliminate also should include corporate welfare as well. No taxpayer handouts or subsidies to billionaires! As for universal health care, that is prohibited by the US Constitution - in Article I, Section 8 and Amendment Ten; since medicine is not a power of the federal government.



Reduce the size of the government as much as possible.



If we can get the government - mainly at the federal level, of course - back to what is outlined in the 'enumerated powers' of the US Constitution, we will all be better off and will be a nation that is more free.

There are so many things that can be handled at the state & local level. The feds should only stick to what is authorized by the US Constitution and/or things that the states and people cannot do for ourselves (fight wars, sign foreign peace treaties, regulate interstate commerce, run the court systems, coin money, etc., etc.).



Promote education, while I don't believe in the welfare system I believe in education. This is the only way to sustain democracy and capitalism. Everyone should have the chance to be educated so college level education should be accessible to all.



I agree with you, partially at least; about the importance of education. However, the fact remains that not everyone is "cut out for college" and our economy needs different people for doing different things. Like it or not, there are some of us who will have to 'get our hands dirty' and will not be able to sit in some plush office somewhere. There needs to be more emphasis on trade schools, medical colleges, vocational education and other 'non-traditional' occupations. Not everyone wll be a doctor, lawyer or Indian chief! There are way too many people in our country who are educated far beyond their intelligence.
:hungry:

The current situation where we just throw more money at the education establishment hoping for results cannot work. More student loan guarantees, more grants and expansion of financial aid has not made school more affordable, since they just raise tution and fees to make up for it. Am I the only one who knows this appears a bit crazy? We have a cat chasing its tail. We need to get the federal gov't out of the education business as much as possible!
:hatsoff:



That mean free education. People should have the opportunities to educate themselves and the opportunities to work if they choose to. Bottom line, make the American dream a realities.



There is no way you are going to make something "free" - much akin to the situation with illegal immigrants getting "free" health care. These things that everyone wants to be 'free' to them, will obviously cost a whole lot of cash from someone else.



Get rids of all the senseless debate such as gay marriage or abortion. There would be no need to legalize gay marriage because it would never be outlaw in the first place. As far as I am concern those are personal lifestyle of choice and should be regard as such. In short the government and every else should stay completely out of a person private life.



Being a Libertarian, I agree strongly with getting the government out of our personal lives. Problem is, some people (quite a few, actually) have the mindset that "big government over here" (one person's group) is bad, but that "big government over there" (someone else's group) is perfectly acceptable.

Traditional 'liberals' so often like to claim they want "choice" with regard to abortion & whatever your sexual preference might be. Okay, fine.....but many of them are the same chumps who want Uncle Sam telling you where you can live, how big your house can be, what you can eat, where your kids have to go to school, etc., etc.

Likewise, our 'conservative' friends tout Second Amendment rights and want the government to respect their religious freedom and leave them alone - but are the first ones who seek to use the power of the state to enforce their authoritarian moral beliefs on others and to occasionally restrict free speech regarding something they might find personally offensive.



Reduce military involvement around the world yet at the same time cut off unnecessary media access to the military. There is no need to air our dirty laundry to the world. Since I don't believe in war. I firmly believe we should avoid war at all cost. However I also believe that there is no mercy in war.



We are indeed spread to thin around the world - and perhaps we do need to limit our presence in foreign lands. I am not one to rush into war, but it goes wthout saying that once we are there & boots are on the ground, we need to WIN and get the heck out of there ASAP.

Too bad you don't believe in war - because there are literally tens of millions of Islamo-fascists who are at war with you (whether or not you choose to acknowledge it) simply because you are not of their faith and that you are American. They hate you and me - because of the fact that we breathe free air, have the right to worship freely (or not at all), assemble peacefully and debate each other passionately in venues such as this forum.
:vader:

Anyway, this has been interesting. Peace to all of you!
:sleepy:
 
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...that is prohibited by the US Constitution - in Article I, Section 8 and Amendment Ten; since medicine is not a power of the federal government.
[/color]


If our Congress were only allowed to exercise the powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8, then we're paying them a whole lot more money than they deserve. The elastic clause (clause 18 in the section) basically says that it's up to Congress to enact federal laws that aid in carrying out the duties of all three branches of the government. This clause, along with clause 3 of the same section, have been paired to poke the power of the federal government into just about everything. So while health care isn't specifically stated as a responsibility or power of the Congress in S8, the argument that it's unconstitutional is open to debate.
 
Similar to the WPA of Roosevelt, I would rebuild the total infrastructure of the USA........from buildings to sewers to roads and put every single one of those unemployed back to work. I would lay waste to the Taliban and relocate their children to a civilized country. In between I would be showing my stimulus package to my wife. Next I would tell Iran to eat shit and let Israel bomb every single f'n site they want and pull monkey boy in a class to show him how much of a myth the holocaust really was. Let's see what did I forget............:flamethrwoer2:
 
I'd get rid of some the useless crappy little states, 50 is too many, way to much duplication of government and wasted monies. It's about time some of them merged and worked together and did things more efficiently.

I'd also tell NASA to quit sending stupid little remote control cars to Mars. What use it that to our country? Who really gives a shite what rocks are lying on the surface? Certainly not the 50 million families that can't afford to send their kids to school. A little redistribution of federal funds is needed here.

And the Marine Corp. Whats the point of that? Army, Navy, Air Force, that's got everything covered. Why another level of complication and command? No offense to those serving and those who have served. Thank you to all of you.

And folks, it's time for the stupid and annoying penny to go. It's had it's time. Everyone hates them and their not needed. Goodbye to the penny.

And I'll ban assault rifles and hand-guns. Mostly just to annoy Thai. :D
 
oh yah. Techo jogged my memory. invade Venezuela seize the oil and tell that little pissant to STFU.

I knew I had forgotten something.
 
Seems to me that would be done by reducing (and simplifying) taxes - both at the personal & business level. Cutting "red tape" and easing some of the nonsenical regulations we have might help as well. By 'ecosystem', I assume you are referring to a business-friendly environment.

Correct, that would be a good start.

And that "welfare" we want to eliminate also should include corporate welfare as well. No taxpayer handouts or subsidies to billionaires! As for universal health care, that is prohibited by the US Constitution - in Article I, Section 8 and Amendment Ten; since medicine is not a power of the federal government.

Heh everyone want a larger pieces of the pie so yes that include corporate welfare as well. This is also why we need an educated majority. I think this is also a perfect example of why large government is problematic. The systems always build on the name of the common people yet sooner or later it will end up benefit those in powers…

If we can get the government - mainly at the federal level, of course - back to what is outlined in the 'enumerated powers' of the US Constitution, we will all be better off and will be a nation that is more free.

There are so many things that can be handled at the state & local level. The feds should only stick to what is authorized by the US Constitution and/or things that the states and people cannot do for ourselves (fight wars, sign foreign peace treaties, regulate interstate commerce, run the court systems, coin money, etc., etc.).


I am a firm believer in our Constitution as well. It’s a beautiful piece of document that held our country together for so long.

I agree with you, partially at least; about the importance of education. However, the fact remains that not everyone is "cut out for college" and our economy needs different people for doing different things. Like it or not, there are some of us who will have to 'get our hands dirty' and will not be able to sit in some plush office somewhere. There needs to be more emphasis on trade schools, medical colleges, vocational education and other 'non-traditional' occupations. Not everyone wll be a doctor, lawyer or Indian chief! There are way too many people in our country who are educated far beyond their intelligence.


The current situation where we just throw more money at the education establishment hoping for results cannot work. More student loan guarantees, more grants and expansion of financial aid has not made school more affordable, since they just raise tution and fees to make up for it. Am I the only one who knows this appears a bit crazy? We have a cat chasing its tail. We need to get the federal gov't out of the education business as much as possible!

You are right and I agree. I didn’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of it when I wrote this. Basically what I like to see is getting people to train up as much as possible and get them out to the work force.

There is no way you are going to make something "free" - much akin to the situation with illegal immigrants getting "free" health care. These things that everyone wants to be 'free' to them, will obviously cost a whole lot of cash from someone else.

Of course there are always involve reading the fine print  . There should be a base minimum to be reach to get into the system but the overall process should be as transparent as possible. You are right, somebody still need to foot the bill. Though I would argue that this is different from free healthcare because it takes an active effort on the receiving end as well, after all not everyone want to be educated. For those who do and capable why not make it as easy as possible for them?

Being a Libertarian, I agree strongly with getting the government out of our personal lives. Problem is, some people (quite a few, actually) have the mindset that "big government over here" (one person's group) is bad, but that "big government over there" (someone else's group) is perfectly acceptable.

Traditional 'liberals' so often like to claim they want "choice" with regard to abortion & whatever your sexual preference might be. Okay, fine.....but many of them are the same chumps who want Uncle Sam telling you where you can live, how big your house can be, what you can eat, where your kids have to go to school, etc., etc.

Likewise, our 'conservative' friends tout Second Amendment rights and want the government to respect their religious freedom and leave them alone - but are the first ones who seek to use the power of the state to enforce their authoritarian moral beliefs on others and to occasionally restrict free speech regarding something they might find personally offensive.


Couldn’t agree more . I am a libertarian myself if that wasn’t quite apparent already. I think laws and regulations will always end up doing more harm than good to those who they suppose to protect.

We are indeed spread to thin around the world - and perhaps we do need to limit our presence in foreign lands. I am not one to rush into war, but it goes wthout saying that once we are there & boots are on the ground, we need to WIN and get the heck out of there ASAP.

Too bad you don't believe in war - because there are literally tens of millions of Islamo-fascists who are at war with you (whether or not you choose to acknowledge it) simply because you are not of their faith and that you are American. They hate you and me - because of the fact that we breathe free air, have the right to worship freely (or not at all), assemble peacefully and debate each other passionately in venues such as this forum.


Heh I am former military myself. I am also a supporter of the Second Amendment. With that in mind I still believe that we should avoid war as all cost though if our nation got attacked I wouldn’t think twice to bear arms once again to defend it.
Like I said I don’t believe in having mercy as war. As much as I hate war itself, I believe once we are going to war that mean game on. While some people have the luxury to debate what we should do while we are at war, our troop is suffering! That’s the part that kills me. Either we don’t go in to war in the first place, but if we do our troop deserve full support. They can’t go into battle not having the necessary equipment. They can’t go into battle with their hand tied behind their back…

Anyway, this has been interesting. Peace to all of you!

Same here 
 
If our Congress were only allowed to exercise the powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8, then we're paying them a whole lot more money than they deserve.

The elastic clause (clause 18 in the section) basically says that it's up to Congress to enact federal laws that aid in carrying out the duties of all three branches of the government. This clause, along with clause 3 of the same section, have been paired to poke the power of the federal government into just about everything. So while health care isn't specifically stated as a responsibility or power of the Congress in S8, the argument that it's unconstitutional is open to debate.


Well, they sure do use up every bit of that 'elastic' now, don't they? Wow!

If the Constitution is so flexible and covers so many 'hidden' tasks, then why have a constitution in the first place? If they really want Uncle Sam to take over so many aspects of our lives (education, health care, retirement, etc.), then they need to do it the right way and amend the US Constitution. They did it during the Prohibition Era (I disagree with the premise of prohibiting alcohol, but at least they did it the proper way.); and they repealed it the right way as well.
:fro:

We need government to be smaller and more accountable - especially at the federal level. I still believe in the Tenth Amendment!!


Cheers!
:bluejump:
 

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