debaser

ECONOMY:

I would institute a freeze on all tax hikes/cuts untill congress displayed the fiscal responsibility needed to pass a balanced budget. There is simply too much pork and too many pet projects in the system now. A fiscally responsible government would raise consumer confidence. I would also insist on stronger laws to punish so called "white collar criminals" who use their position to defraud investors of millions (billions?) each year.


NATIONAL DEFENSE:

Programs need to be put in place to attract and retain smart, aggressive young minds. Our military is the best equipped in the world, and it should stay that way, however some of the more redundant and/or outdated units should be phased out so that the dollars spent on them currantly can be spent on more worthwhile issues (like a pay raise for soldiers).

We need to ferret out and destroy threats to this country and our allies, but we should only do so when we have solid intelligence to back up such moves. To that end I would earmark a large sum of money to improvements not only in surveilance technologies, but also in human intelligence. There is simply nothing better than a man on the ground.


SOCIAL SECURITY:

With the ageing population of the USA we are rapidly approaching a moment of truth. First and formost, Social Security dollars must be reserved for that purpose and that purpose only. Congress should not have the ability to spend this money at will. By leaving the funds untouched, the amount available will slowly recover to acceptable levels. Individuals should be able to opt for various investment plans so long as a core amount (enough for basic subsistance) remains in their account.


FOREIGN POLICY: (including hotspots Iraq, N Korea, etc)

Our foriegn policy should include but not be dependant on the UN. An attempt should be made to further American interests around the globe, but never at the expense of our national security.

Iraq: An exit strategy must be developed and articulated. I advocate a "tough love" policy in which a staged withdrawal of US forces and administrative staff forces the Iraqis to take control of various aspects of their government at a set date. This will alleviate a good deal of the attacks and encourage cooperation with US and British administrators to create entities that will take over in their stead.

North Korea: North Korea has been a danger to it's neighbors for half a century. Now that they have developed nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them with ballistic missiles they threaten all of the ASEAN countries. This threat must be stopped, if not by aggressive diplomacy, then by targeted strikes at key government and military sites.

Israel/Palestine: Israel should return to an approximation of the borders set down in UN181. Palestine, in order to be a viable state, must be a contiguous entity. Once this is accomplished a closed border between the two nations should be established for a period (to be determined), to allow a cooling off. If this is unsuccessful, Israel is more than capable of re-occupying the area in question. In order for this to happen the Israelis must dismantle all settlements in the occupied territories, and the Palestinians must renounce the right of return.

(I could go on all night with Foriegn Policy specifics, I will be happy to answer any questions on issues not mentioned here)


IMMIGRATION:

Businesses that hire illegal aliens should be prosecuted and heavily fined, or the managers imprisoned. If the demand for illegal labor dries up, so will the immigration problem.

A correlary to this issue is that certain goods and services supplied by US companies should be taxed if those originate in foriegn countries at the expense of the American work force.


EDUCATION:

We need to devote more money and effort to educating our children. Teachers need to be held accountable for the performance of their students. Any child should be able to attend college or a trade school if they wish, and they should enter that school with the skills neccessary to excell.


DOMESTIC ISSUES:


Gun Control: I would press for a Federal Concealed Carry Permit and a repeal of the AWB. Mandatory gun safety courses should be instituted in high schools as part of the general health class. Every American should have a basic knowledge of firearms and safety, regardless of whether they choose to own one or not.

ANWAR Drilling: Until we have solid numbers regarding the amount of oil/gas under the reserve we have no business endangering one of our national treasures.


SPACE PROGRAM: It is time to look to the stars again. America is doing well, but we have no goals. To this end I would support a major NASA program geared towards a spectacular result. Commercial investment in the space program should be encouraged to help diffray the cost .

__________________