Your Presidential Initiatives

Since there were no new posts here for over 60 days, and in light of the current competition of the presidential hopefulls, I pose the following question:

If you were suddenly named to be the next president of the USA what would be your top three initiatives?

 

Create a Department of Science and Industry that would combine all the pertinent federal agengies that support science and industry (including NIST, NOAA, NASA, NWS, DOEnergy, CDC, FAA, NTSB, etc) into one department.

Balance both the fededaral budget and the US current account (strengthen the dollar).

Probably not an initiative, but I would visit the final competitions for the the NG Spelling Bee, the DOE National Science Bowl, and similar competitions for high school students; and find innovative ways to support education.

 

1. Phase out all federal social welfare programs over 10 years

2. Eliminate Social Security for all under 45 years old (that includes me)

3. Eliminate the absurd tax system and implement the flat tax proposal proposed by Steve Forbes.

4. Get out of Iraq via phased withdrawal - but increase the size of the military.

Shawn

 

I would because a federal retail sales tax has the potential to be regressive. I would listen to the idea though

Shawn

 

1. Pull our troops out of Iraq and deploy them in a manner that makes sense for domestic security.

2. Begin an anti-corruption initiative which would include severely limiting the access of lobbyist and special interests groups, and campaigne contribution reform.

3. Fix social security.

Brian

 

1) Contain the invasion of illegal aliens through strict border security (doubling the size of the US Border Patrol would be my first step), proactive enforcement by ICE, and draconian punishment for companies who employ illegal aliens.

2) Increase troop strength in Iraq, take the handcuffs off the military leadership, finish the job we started, then get the hell out.

3) To finance the above, immediately cease all foreign aid to countries who aren't in lockstep with American policies.

 

Bruce,

Having been in Iraq, and still knowing soldiers over there, Iraq is a hopeless cause. Like it or not, there is nothing that our troops can do at this point. Had we had 400,000 soldiers in the invasion force, we could have sealed the borders, guarded the ammo dumps, etc. But the horse has left the barn, and we don't have the capacity to bring the horse back in if you will.

I'm not a liberal dem (see my post for my inititaves), but I agree with them on this point, it is time to go home and let the Iraqis determine what is going to happen in their nation. Like it or not, we went to war based on cherry picked intelligence, groupthink, revenge (Saddam tried to kill my Daddy), and oil. For an excellent analysis of this, read:

Camacho, P.R. & Hauser W.L. (October 2007). Civil-Military Relations - Who are the Real Principals? Armed Forces and Society

Shawn

 

1. Take the oath of office.

2. Give some impromptu inaugural address.

3. Resign the office immediately.

 

Education Reform
Healthcare Reform
Intelligent Re-Deployment of American Forces

 

1. Universal healthcare for children

2. Allow the option of automatically investing social security payroll deductions. Part of the money can be vested in a wide choice of growth and income funds and balanced mutual funds that combine domestic stocks, bonds, and money market funds. Allow money to be withdrawn after 25 years or age 60.

3. Create government sponsored casinos and increase lotteries. Proceeds will go to public schools.

4. Mandatory 20 dollar annual tax to fund environmental, social, and law
enforcement initiatives

5. One dollar annual alcohol and cigarette to help fund universal health care

6. Scrutinize wasteful defense spending and reduce foreign non-emergence aid. Use the extra money to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency
of our domestic and international intelligence networks and operations.

7. Pull our troops out of IRAQ and regroup.

 

Bruce for President!

My vote goes to Bruce! I would urge you President Bruce to also pay attention to Brian's (tigerhead) suggestions #2 and #3.

Susanna

 

Let me add one more. My fourth order of business would be to find out what the heck the deal is with Area 51

 

I disagree with you on Iraq and campaign contributions, but I'm so with you on this one. I bet Area 51 has a functional stargate.

In addition, I would try to:

1) End all abortion
2) Secure our borders
3) Repeal all gun control laws
4) Force originalist judges through the Senate

 

1. Address the illegal alien/border security problems. I believe that they might be the most serious long-term problems the US faces. The country's survival depends on our getting control of this.

2. Address the deindustrialization problem. The United States won't survive if it moves vital functions into the hands of potential adversaries. Imagine what would have happened in World War II if the US was dependent on Germany and Japan for steel and shipbuilding. We could have had all the MBAs on the planet and we still would have lost.

3. Address energy dependency. Short term that means ensuring access to foreign supplies of petroleum. Longer term it means developing alternative sources of fuel and chemical feedstocks.

4. I would retain a modest social safety-net, but I would try to place greater emphasis on the needs of the middle class, with less emphasis on the desires of the extremely rich and on subsidizing disfunctional behavior among the poor. I would favor placing behavioral conditions on program eligibility.

5. Science and engineering education needs to be upgraded. That means more emphasis on the quality of math/science instruction in K-12 schools. I would favor a national system of financial grants for university students enrolled in math, science and engineering majors.

6. I would affirm abortion rights. Many of our social problems are exacerbated by people having children that they are unable or unwilling to care for properly.

7. With regards to Iraq, we can't afford to let the place fall into Iran's hands or become a failed-state power-vacuum. But US forces can't play policeman in countries where they can't even speak the language. Iraq has shown that it only functions with a strong-man government. We overthrew Saddam, so we have to stay in Iraq until we have installed a new friendlier strong-man able to stand on his own. That means supporting the most effective pro-US interests in Iraq, even if they are unsavory. Accept that peace and democracy are no longer the goals and that Iraq will probably never become a little image of the US.

Shrink American force levels and give the remaining US forces truly military rules of engagement. Let the Iraqis do the neighborhood policing and patrolling while the US provides regime-survival insurance. Use our forces when the locals can't handle challengers like armed militias. Use air as much as possible and silence sources of incoming fire ruthlessly. Let the Iraqis pay our expenses with below-market oil contracts. Use Iraqi oil revenues as a carrot, directing development projects to peaceful areas and to friendly groups. Then settle in for the long term, several decades perhaps, and let our opponents know they won't force us out with car bombs and domestic public opinion.

 

Possibly, but is abortion really the best answer? I just don’t see how slaughtering innocent unborn babies solves anything. Rather than affirming abortion rights, why not make it easier for child welfare agencies to terminate the parental rights of unfit parents? And, why not make it easier for people to adopt? I’m no expert on adoption, but from what I have been told, it is a grueling process. I’m sure that there are many good people out there who are able and willing to care for unwanted children. Either way, sanctioning cold-blooded murder (almost always for selfish reasons) reflects poorly on this nation. The United States is better than that. We are supposed to protect the rights of the minority and the helpless. Other than that, I think you have some pretty good ideas.