DKW's New Party

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Well, you gave an honest, straightforward response to the Constitutional question, but really dodged the funding question.  Running for office?

I most certainly did answer the funding question - you just jsut read it like you wanted to, since you wanted me to say something about taxes. Well, I think it could be done without raising taxes and without much federal assistance at all, other than diplomatic/paperwork type stuff. I already said I personally would pitch in to do it for free, and I would bet you could find a lot of other people willing to pitch in for free as well. This issue crosses all lines - political, racial, religious, etc....

Or have "Buy A Brick" sale like they did at Auburn to pave in front of the stadium... If Habitat for Humanity can get corporate sponsors and free labor to build houses, the Minutemen could probably do the same for a worthy cause like protecting our borders. Hands Across America? How about "Walls Across the Border"?

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You honestly think this is "certainly...answer[ing] the funding question"?

I personally would be happy to volunteer to lay a few concrete blocks, gratis. You could probably find a whole crew in Houston alone. Or better yet, let's use some undocumented workers to build it - they can build it from the other side as we wall them out...

Then that explains why you think Bush is such a good President. Republican magic funding. Build it and it will fund.

Why solve a problem when you can just rant on unrealistically about it?

Build a 30 foot fence across our Mexican and Canadian border-- and then maintain it-- as a volunteer project. Kinda like building a house for Habitat for Humanity.

Border security as a volunteer project. :huh:

Actually, there will be alot of corporations against it. Too many rely on the labor. Our economy relies on it. The housing boom relies on it. Fruit and vegetable picking relies on it. Rebuilding after the hurricane damage relies on it.

I'll give you credit for recognizing that there needs to be some type of guest worker program. I give Bush credit for seeing that, too. I don't see his party allowing it, though.

[Tigermike 3,053]

Why solve a problem when you can just rant on unrealistically about it?

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I knew you would finally get around to the Democrat's way of doing things.

[DKW 86 7,440]

Why solve a problem when you can just rant on unrealistically about it?

208123[/snapback]

I knew you would finally get around to the Democrat's way of doing things.

208134[/snapback]

Nah, Mike. The Dem way is to raise taxes for the Wall. Spend twice that amount on another project. Give the grant money to whatever organization and then not build the Wall. See the Clinton grant for rebuilding the levees in NO. They built Casino Infrastructure instead.

Or we could always create one or two or three new administrations whose job duties will overlap. They will be over paid, do little if any work. When someone with a brain finally notices this, they will burned at the stake foe being "Mean Spirited" for trying to bring fiscal reality into the situation. So thirty years from now, we will have the Wall Administration, the INS, and a new branch of the Army corps of Engineers all doing basically the same work, doing little if any real work, highly over paid.

As Ronaldus Magnus said: "A federal govt program is the closest thing on earth to everlasting life." Even when it has outlived its customers and need, we can NEVER end it, no not ever. It must be funded forever, with ever more highly overpaid, under worked, technically incompetent employees struggling to not be caught doing nothing so they can continue to justify the money wasted.

And on and on...

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Why solve a problem when you can just rant on unrealistically about it?

208123[/snapback]

I knew you would finally get around to the Democrat's way of doing things.

208134[/snapback]

Nah, Mike. The Dem way is to raise taxes for the Wall. Spend twice that amount on another project. Give the grant money to whatever organization and then not build the Wall. See the Clinton grant for rebuilding the levees in NO. They built Casino Infrastructure instead.

Or we could always create one or two or three new administrations whose job duties will overlap. They will be over paid, do little if any work. When someone with a brain finally notices this, they will burned at the stake foe being "Mean Spirited" for trying to bring fiscal reality into the situation. So thirty years from now, we will have the Wall Administration, the INS, and a new branch of the Army corps of Engineers all doing basically the same work, doing little if any real work, highly over paid.

As Ronaldus Magnus said: "A federal govt program is the closest thing on earth to everlasting life." Even when it has outlived its customers and need, we can NEVER end it, no not ever. It must be funded forever, with ever more highly overpaid, under worked, technically incompetent employees struggling to not be caught doing nothing so they can continue to justify the money wasted.

And on and on...

208176[/snapback]

Actually, my way is to not build this wall at all. I think it is a pretty stupid idea. But if it is an important part of someone's platform, put forth a feasible way to fund it beyond passing the hat, and rounding up some volunteers on the weekends. No one has done that yet, so if your new "party" is embracing the concept, get to work. Based on your most recent post, though, it sounds like you're party is just about talking about another party instead of coming up with real solutions to real problems.

Here's what your working with:

Alaska - Canadian Border: 1,538 miles

U.S. - Canadian Border: 3,987 miles (excluding Alaska)

U.S. - Mexican Border: 1,933 miles (Gulf of Mexico to Pacific Ocean)

Crunch some numbers.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Why single out me and my idea for your official declaration of "stupid"? (Altho with you being liberal, I bow to your intimate knowledge of the subject.) Last time I checked, this little thread was about wishes. Do you really think a party could come to power and fix the entrenched behemoth bureaucracy that is the VA in a single year? Do you think the ACLU would allow a single year for death row appeals? That's my wish. Didn't know I had to have a license, six permits and an environmental impact statement to make a wish... I'll tell the Fairy Godmother to run a haz mat check on the pixie dust falling out of her magic wand.

The problem with this country, regardless of which party is in power, is that the wishes and creativity and initiative that any public servant (whether appointed, career or elected) shows gets stiffled, overrun and overwhelmed by the bureaucrats, the environmentalists, the lawyers, the zealots, the extremists, the naysayers, the media, the editorial writers, the people who want to raise taxes to pay for it, the people who want to take funding from somewhere else to pay for it, the people who don't want to pay for it at all, the people who want to make sure we don't offend anyone with it, the people who want to make personal attacks against the person with the idea, the people who pad the project budget with pork spending, the people who misappropriate resources, the people who want to take all the credit where none is due... and I could certainly go on. No wonder only the people with too much time and money get elected, and only the most incompetent and underachieving get career public service jobs and only the most suck up get appointed. Even a President, again REGARDLESS OF PARTY, can't get something simple passed. So we the American people sit, complacent, and let it go on and on.

Even tho he is a Democrat, I find myself liking the Mayor of Houston. He ran on a platform called "Get Houston moving", meaning he pledged to do something about our sucky traffic problems. Well, he got the red lights downtown synchronized, and that was great. He tried a few other things that didn't work so well, and he got crucified for it. But I have to applaud him - he TRIED SOMETHING!! So it didn't work - at least he had an idea, we tried it, and oh well... But of course, his political enemies have bashed him over it, a bunch of lawyers filed suit against him for it, and he wound up having to gut the program so that it is inefective and basically toothless. But at least he tried.

So Tex, if I want to sit in front of this computer and fantasize about a 30 foot wall that appears magically overnight and maintains itself with a wave of my fairy godmother's wand without a penny of taxpayer money, then what's it to you?? I don't have the corner on the fantasy market - remember, John Kerry really thought he'd be a good President too. My idea is certainly no more stupid than that.

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Why single out me and my idea for your official declaration of "stupid"? (Altho with you being liberal, I bow to your intimate knowledge of the subject.)   Last time I checked, this little thread was about wishes. Do you really think a party could come to power and fix the entrenched behemoth bureaucracy that is the VA in a single year?  Do you think the ACLU would allow a single year for death row appeals?   That's my wish.  Didn't know I had to have a license, six permits and an environmental impact statement to make a wish... I'll tell the Fairy Godmother to run a haz mat check on the pixie dust falling out of her magic wand.

The problem with this country, regardless of which party is in power, is that the wishes and creativity and initiative that any public servant (whether appointed, career or elected) shows gets stiffled, overrun and overwhelmed by the bureaucrats, the environmentalists, the lawyers, the zealots, the extremists, the naysayers, the media, the editorial writers, the people who want to raise taxes to pay for it, the people who want to take funding from somewhere else to pay for it, the people who don't want to pay for it at all, the people who want to make sure we don't offend anyone with it, the people who want to make personal attacks against the person with the idea, the people who pad the project budget with pork spending, the people who misappropriate resources, the people who want to take all the credit where none is due... and I could certainly go on.  No wonder only the people with too much time and money get elected, and only the most incompetent and underachieving get career public service jobs and only the most suck up get appointed.  Even a President, again REGARDLESS OF PARTY, can't get something simple passed.  So we the American people sit, complacent, and let it go on and on. 

Even tho he is a Democrat, I find myself liking the Mayor of Houston.  He ran on a platform called "Get Houston moving", meaning he pledged to do something about our sucky traffic problems.  Well, he got the red lights downtown synchronized, and that was great.  He tried a few other things that didn't work so well, and he got crucified for it.  But I have to applaud him - he TRIED SOMETHING!!  So it didn't work - at least he had an idea, we tried it, and oh well... But of course, his political enemies have bashed him over it, a bunch of lawyers filed suit against him for it, and he wound up having to gut the program so that it is inefective and basically toothless.  But at least he tried.

So Tex, if I want to sit in front of this computer and fantasize about a 30 foot wall that appears magically overnight and maintains itself with a wave of my fairy godmother's wand without a penny of taxpayer money, then what's it to you??  I don't have the corner on the fantasy market - remember, John Kerry really thought he'd be a good President too.  My idea is certainly no more stupid than that.

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Boy, for someone who dishes it out as strongly as you can and do, you're being a bit sensitve, don't you think? In any event, it is not like I jumped on the proposal (despite your strong feelings of ownership, it is hardly your original idea, anyway) right away and called it stupid-- even though I admittedly thought that. And, despite your shrill protestations to the contrary, I didn't single you out and call you "stupid." But if people are adding what they think should be major intiatives to a proposed party platform, being asked for a somewhat general, but viable, plan for bringing it about shouldn't be considered an inappropriate question. I characterized it as "stupid" in response to David's rather useless retort attempting to insult me for how I would pay for an idea I didn't even support. If this was a "if you could wave your magic wand and have whatever you could have done to the country with no regard to cost or feasibility, what would it be?" thread, I wouldn't have said a thing. Lighten up. Or keep ranting and raving irrationally well into the New Year, if it really makes you happy.

[AURaptor 1,126]

If there's any way to work in being PRO Jessica Alba, then I'd consider joining.

***Picture Removed***

[TexasTiger 13,016]

If there's any way to work in being PRO Jessica Alba, then I'd consider joining.

***Picture Removed***

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Tax incentives for Alba movies? Special incentives for Serenity sequels with Alba?

[Captain Liger 0]

I guess Hank Williams, Jr. had it right afterall. If the South would have won the war we'd had it made. A political party born out of the Confederacy....now there's something I'd like to see.

-Just think, a Confederacy dominated by like minded conservatives where the only real battles in Congress would be over issues and bills labeled as "too" conservative OR labeled as "too close to the middle of the road."

-Anyone proclaiming to be a tree hugging hippie liberal would be immediately deported to the US.

-Trade would flourish between the CS and US of course as the US would depend on our agriculture and raw goods. We for their industrial and textile goods.

-Florida would still be a Southern state. No yankees allowed to retire there.

-Political and military relations between the CS and US would remain peaceful for the greater good and protection of the continent as a whole in the realm of foregin affairs.

-The Iron Bowl would be a national holiday. The BCS points system would not exist.

-The power of the Confederate government would be weak generally speaking and the individual states would control their own destiny. To ensure a unified nation, secession would be outlawed in writing in the new constitution to prevent another civil war unlike the US constitution.

-Sweet Home Alabama would be the national anthem.

-A one party system would more than likely be in place. With no liberals, why would there be a need for two?

-The golden eagle would be the national bird.

-The CS DoT would be the most prominent federal department as interstate transportation is vital to commerce and national defense.

-Tampa Bay along with all of surrounding Hillsboro County would be sold to Iran for some really nice Persian rugs to decorate the Confederate White House. It's inhabitants would not be allowed into the CS.

-An extremely small federal military would exist. All states would maintain their own version of an active duty military with enlistment numbers based on population and land mass. These active state troops would be consumed by the federal government in time of war. State commanders would still command their troops but would report to the federal government as opposed to the state government in time of war. A state national guard would also be organized to activate and take the place of active state troops in time of war.

-The evening meal would officially be known as "supper." Anyone caught calling it "dinner" would be deported to the US.

-No such thing as federal taxes as far as the individual is concerned. The only requirement for money to the federal government would paid by the state...so state taxes would be based on the amount owed to the federal government...based on population and its respective GSP.

-All soft drinks regardless of flavor and brand would be known in general speaking terms as "coke." Anyone caught calling it a "pop" or "soda" would immediately be deported to the US.

Yes, a conservative utopia indeed.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

8 year term limits for all politicians. Serve your time and then you are done. Annual salary will be capped at $80,000 per year. No lifetime paycheck for serving either. The aforementioned people will also abide by the same benefit programs as everyone else. For instance, they will have the same medical and dental benefits as everyone else working in the federal payroll.

People who honorably retire from military service after a minimum of 20 years will not be required to pay income taxes (federal or state) on their retirement pay for the remainder of their lives. Medical and dental services, as well as prescription drugs, will be free to these retirees and immediate family members (spouse & children up to age 18).

Except in the case of physical or mental handicap and old age (65 & >), welfare and food stamps will be limited to 12 months. People that do not fit into the above categories that receive government assistance will work for their checks. They will cut grass, maintain municipal parks, pick up litter, or anything else deemed appropriate by the federal welfare office.

3 strikes and you're out for BS lawsuits. Stupidity should not be rewarded. Return our courts to what they were designed to be, not a lottery style get rich quick system. Third strike results in a year long probationary period for the barrister, then disbarring on the next offense. Additionally, the attorney will be fined and responsible for all court costs in lawsuits deemed to be frivolous.

Convicted child predators will be executed the day after their trial.

Death row means exactly that. If you are sent to death row, you have proven that you can not live in our society. You will be allowed 1 appeal, provided it falls within certain grounds (new evidence proving innocence). Once convicted, justice will be carried out within 45 days of incarceration.

[DKW 86 7,440]

Liger, I think my party and yours are not quite the same. I long ago, maybe 19 years of age, changed from being really big on the CSA. After reading that, I would have to say that I am to your left quite a bit.

One thought, anyone or anything that does not have opposition to it will get lazy, shiftless, unresponsive. We NEED two parties to keep the debate and ideas flowing. othwerwise they would get very dull and stale.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

Having listened to several of the things mentioned, I thought I'd throw my two cents in on some random subjects. I'd like to hear TexasTiger's view as well, as thus far his comments have mainly been to discuss others' points.

Here goes:

Re-regulate the airwaves. The media consolidation is killing good reporting. Too much information control in the hands of too few. It's a disservice to the people.

All children under the age of 12 should be covered with some sort of basic health insurance. Regardless of what dumb decisions their parents have made or what bad luck may have befallen them, they shouldn't have to suffer for it. I'd also like to see a modified version of universal health coverage that would at least provide for catastrophic medical expenses. Too many companies don't provide adequate health insurance or don't provide it at all. I'm not convinced a total universal health care system is workable, from doctor's visits to prescription drugs, etc. But no one should either be denied care or go bankrupt due to some catastrophic illness or accident.

In general, we should work toward figuring out some way for every American to have health care one way or another. Morally it's just the right thing to do. I can't imagine Jesus sitting in on the "is health care a right or a privilege for those who work for it" debate and coming down on the side of "privilege."

Restore some sanity to the FTC and stop letting all these companies merge and decrease competition. We don't operate under a purely capitalist model. Monopolies and oligopolies hurt consumers and massive global conglomerates overpower the ability of individual citizens to effect change in politics, the workplace and a host of other things.

Phase out/eliminate all forms of corporate welfare and excessive tax breaks. If tax breaks are to be given, preference should be given to working people first.

Balance the damn budget. It's not that hard. Swallow your pride and get the UN's help in Iraq so we can quit throwing billions down that rathole while having to cut things here.

Approach the abortion issue more practically. Pro-lifers (me included) have gone too hard after a top-down legislative approach while not being invested enough or creative enough to do a better job of attacking the primary driving forces behind choosing abortions: lack of emotional and/or financial support. Work with colleges and workplaces so that getting pregnant doesn't mean a woman has to choose between having the child and getting an education or a job. I know sometimes people's mess is of their own making, but that doesn't mean you have to let them bear the fullest brunt of every consequence. If God treated all of us like that, making sure we got exactly what our choices deserve, we'd hate our lives.

I like DKW's approach on capital punishment. However, I would call for a moratorium on it nationwide while we get together the best minds and figure out a way to make it work right. I'm gravely concerned that all too often, whether or not you get a death sentence or get executed has more to do with how rich you are than how guilty you are. Rich people hire dream teams of lawyers that exploit every technicality and loophole. Poor people get whatever tired public defender comes their way along with the limited resources that implies. There are some racial concerns but I tend to think that if you look at the financial factors in conjunction with race, you'd fine the correlation is more about money than skin color.

Some of the conditions to look at for re-implementing the death penalty:

--A much higher burden of proof for a death sentence to even be considered.

--Mandatory DNA testing where appropriate.

--A streamlined appeals process that perhaps involves a constitutional amendment creating a separate court system for cases involving capital crimes. SCOTUS would still have final say.

--The family of the victim should have some say. If they wish to commute to life sentence rather than death, listen to them.

--All attornies who are up for being hired to defend people in capital cases go into a pool similar to a jury pool and are required to handle a certain number of cases within a reasonable time period for defendants who cannot afford a good attorney. Something has to be done about the quality of representation gap.

Those are some of the things off the top of my head. I'm sure more will come.

[DKW 86 7,440]

I dislike Nationalized Health Care. But I agree with Bob Dole: "It is a bad idea whose time has come."

We will hate it, despise it, curse it. But we will get it. I think the push for it comes from the business side if they see it cutting their overall costs to produce.

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Having listened to several of the things mentioned, I thought I'd throw my two cents in on some random subjects.  I'd like to hear TexasTiger's view as well, as thus far his comments have mainly been to discuss others' points.

208901[/snapback]

I haven’t really planned out a platform, but a few thoughts on the issue are as follows:

I am personally opposed to the death penalty for a number of reasons, but would not likely include it in a national party platform since most criminal law issues are state issues and someone’s position on this is not a deal breaker for me.

I think universal health care should be a goal. Don’t know the best way to get there, but think that for USA businesses to be competitive globally we need to have it.

Might tweak the particulars a bit, but largely support Bush’s idea on visitor work permits. Our economy’s growth is dependent on this labor and there are certainly areas where the available pool of willing citizens aren’t sufficient.

I doubt the abortion issue, per se, would be in my platform. As a candidate myself, my position would be to support choice prior to viability and oppose late-term abortion absent a genuine threat to the life or physical health to the mother. I would include provisions in the platform to actively encourage adoption.

Pass a balanced budget amendment with provisions for exceptions under extraordinary circumstances. Tough decisions are supposed to be part of the job of governance. Everybody wants everything, but wants to pay for nothing. Time to stop being a debtor nation dependent on the Chinese.

Agree with Titan on the FTC and media consolidation.

National Guardsmen and Reservists should not be deployed for more than 3 months out of a year except in extraordinary circumstances.

The portion of a salary exceeding $500,000 a year will not be tax deductible for the business as a cost of that business. Private jet travel can only be a tax deductible business expense for an amount not to exceed the cost of commercial air travel for the same flight. Luxury sky boxes, etc. cannot be a tax deductible business cost. Cap the amount of hotel costs that can be a tax deductible business expense. In short, businesses and individuals can spend as extravagantly as they wish, but it will not be subsidized in the form of tax breaks.

Limit the amount of the home mortgage interest deduction to not include the amounts more than 20% over the median house cost in a given area. Buy as big as you want and can pay for, but don’t expect a tax cut for the whole thing.

Expand incentives for natural gas vehicles.

Reinstate the tax rates that existed between 1993-2001 for the top income bracket—that was still the lowest rate in the western world and the very wealthy still got wealthier, i.e. it provided no disincentive.

Capital gains should not be taxed less than the tax on a working man’s labor.

Expand incentives for solar and wind energy, as well as other alternative energy forms.

Raise CAFE standards every two years.

Prohibit congressman, key staffers and executive appointees from lobbying for at least 5 years after leaving office.

Improve port security and support for first responders.

[Captain Liger 0]

Liger, I  think my party and yours are not quite the same. I long ago, maybe 19 years of age, changed from being really big on the CSA. After reading that, I would have to say that I am to your left quite a bit.

208896[/snapback]

I'm not THAT far right. From my vantage point I can't see "middle of the road" OR "far right wing." The CSA comments were aimed at being somewhat humorous. I failed miserably in that attempt it appears. BUT I don't necessarily think that creating a confederacy, in 1861, was a bad idea. History is context and if you read the history books carefully, and I'm not implying that you don't, the South really was nothing more than a colony of the North. It was like being picked on at the playground by the school bully for your lunch money. Could the CSA have survived? Who's to say? I suppose but it would have had an extremely rocky start not unlike what Iraq is going through today in terms of establishing a government. But I digress...

One thought, anyone or anything that does not have opposition to it will get lazy, shiftless, unresponsive. We NEED two parties to keep the debate and ideas flowing. othwerwise they would get very dull and stale.

208896[/snapback]

I don't necessarily agree. The Southern Democrats from 1877 (the end of Reconstruction) to about 1960 reigned supreme at the local, state, and national levels. Even with this one party system in the South debate was still heated (in state legislatures) at times becasue...well...we Southerners are prone to be hot headed and stubborn. If Southern born Democrats today would stop holding onto the past when their daddy's voted for FDR and every other Democrat, there would be a one party system again and it would be the Southern Republicans. I mean, we're basically, with a few exceptions, STILL a one party South but there's enough Democrats in office to say that we aren't.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

I dislike Nationalized Health Care. But I agree with Bob Dole: "It is a bad idea whose time has come."

We will hate it, despise it, curse it. But we will get it. I think the push for it comes from the business side if they see it cutting their overall costs to produce.

208933[/snapback]

I don't dislike it in what it attempts to accomplish. I'm very disturbed by the notion that good health care is something you should have to be rich enough or lucky enough to have. A brand new Infiniti G35 is something that's ok to be rich enough or lucky enough to have. But health care should be considered in more moral terms than a material luxury item.

What I do dislike are the current incarnations of Nationalized Health Care like in Canada or Britain. They all seem to end up with some degree of rationed health care, long wait times (even for serious things), less than well-equipped hospitals and doctors offices and ever increasing costs resulting from people over-using the system (supply/demand: the care is free so they go to the doctor for every sniffle) and resulting in higher and higher taxes. They end up having to scale back which causes major league freakouts because people get used to the entitlement.

What I envision would be some hybrid of private and gov't involvement and at least initially would just cover children and perhaps a very basic health plan for others that would include one annual checkup, some sort of discount on prescriptions and that sort of thing eventually. At first all it might consist of is something for major medical/catatrophic health coverage so that people don't get thrown into the street going bankrupt over a major accident or debilitating illness. I'm still processing it, I just think the goal of getting everyone some kind of basic health coverage is a worthy one. I'm wide open as to how to make it happen.

[DKW 86 7,440]

Titan, I agree with just about everything you said. That aside, we will get it 100% off the bat. The drive will be from employers for competition reasons. It will be horrifically mismanaged. It wil be VA lite and VA like. It will stink and suck. And we will get it. Healthcare will be rationed. It will likely have some HMO like provisions to keep the whackos at home. Maye escalating co pays from infant to adult that discourages some visits.

Under Hillary Care Doctors were assigned by Regional Politically appointed bodies. In other words bought off pols were in the first line of the bill. Hope that doesnt happen this time.

[Tigermike 3,053]

The dems keep harping on Nationalized Health Care like it is the end all of absolute essential and necessary entitlement programs. Therefore I have a question for you. Back in the early 1970's congress eliminated, closed and severely curtailed the U. S. Public Health Service, clinics. The US PHS had clinics all over the country and was staffed with nurses, DR's and administrative staff. I know they were in Alaska and used not only by Native Americans but military personnel stationed in remote areas. I was actually stationed in Juneau and the US PHS ran a hospital and clinic there. If the dems in congress in vast wisdom choose to do away with this program why are they pushing for a much larger and probably more bureaucratically inept system or program?

If like David said,

"It will be VA lite and VA like."

He is 100% correct,

"IT will stink and suck." 

"And we will get it."

Not only with bad results and service, but in our wallets as well. So go ahead and grease it up and bend over!

[TexasTiger 13,016]

If you had read this thread that you are so proud of, you wouldn't have needed to post your "Tex and Al why don't you ever tell us what you believe" thread. You'll notice that hating George Bush is not a plank in the platform.

Having listened to several of the things mentioned, I thought I'd throw my two cents in on some random subjects.  I'd like to hear TexasTiger's view as well, as thus far his comments have mainly been to discuss others' points.

208901[/snapback]

I haven’t really planned out a platform, but a few thoughts on the issue are as follows:

I am personally opposed to the death penalty for a number of reasons, but would not likely include it in a national party platform since most criminal law issues are state issues and someone’s position on this is not a deal breaker for me.

I think universal health care should be a goal. Don’t know the best way to get there, but think that for USA businesses to be competitive globally we need to have it.

Might tweak the particulars a bit, but largely support Bush’s idea on visitor work permits. Our economy’s growth is dependent on this labor and there are certainly areas where the available pool of willing citizens aren’t sufficient.

I doubt the abortion issue, per se, would be in my platform. As a candidate myself, my position would be to support choice prior to viability and oppose late-term abortion absent a genuine threat to the life or physical health to the mother. I would include provisions in the platform to actively encourage adoption.

Pass a balanced budget amendment with provisions for exceptions under extraordinary circumstances. Tough decisions are supposed to be part of the job of governance. Everybody wants everything, but wants to pay for nothing. Time to stop being a debtor nation dependent on the Chinese.

Agree with Titan on the FTC and media consolidation.

National Guardsmen and Reservists should not be deployed for more than 3 months out of a year except in extraordinary circumstances.

The portion of a salary exceeding $500,000 a year will not be tax deductible for the business as a cost of that business. Private jet travel can only be a tax deductible business expense for an amount not to exceed the cost of commercial air travel for the same flight. Luxury sky boxes, etc. cannot be a tax deductible business cost. Cap the amount of hotel costs that can be a tax deductible business expense. In short, businesses and individuals can spend as extravagantly as they wish, but it will not be subsidized in the form of tax breaks.

Limit the amount of the home mortgage interest deduction to not include the amounts more than 20% over the median house cost in a given area. Buy as big as you want and can pay for, but don’t expect a tax cut for the whole thing.

Expand incentives for natural gas vehicles.

Reinstate the tax rates that existed between 1993-2001 for the top income bracket—that was still the lowest rate in the western world and the very wealthy still got wealthier, i.e. it provided no disincentive.

Capital gains should not be taxed less than the tax on a working man’s labor.

Expand incentives for solar and wind energy, as well as other alternative energy forms.

Raise CAFE standards every two years.

Prohibit congressman, key staffers and executive appointees from lobbying for at least 5 years after leaving office.

Improve port security and support for first responders.

[otterinbham 0]

Okay. Instead of taxing excess profits, excess square footage, excess windfall incomes, I have a far more revolutionary, yet elegantly simple solution.

Instead of income tax, you have a national sales tax on everything but unprepared food and medicine. Everything else gets taxed without exception. Movies. Plane tickets. Lawyer's fees. The whole kit n' kaboodle. Home sales. The entire kit n' kaboodle. Say around 20-23%.

No payroll taxes. No FICA, FUI, SUI, etc. No capital gains tax. Just a national sales tax. The state and local government gets their share. And, with the exception of a national emergency, they cannot impose additional taxes.

I cribbed this from Neil Boortz, but it's a great idea. Just think of the nonsensical mountain of regulations, loopholes, and inequities that would be swept away with the stroke of a pen. People are taxed based on their consumption beyond their immediate basic needs.

Moving right along...

Immediate cessation of the death penalty. I know you guys hate that, but it serves no purpose but revenge. As stated in a earlier post, the only candidates for capital punishment are those committing treason, people who make their dogs wear sweaters, and people who put up Christmas decorations in their yards before November 30th.

Total and absolute overhaul of schools in this country beginning in the 7th grade. Before seventh grade, American children's test scores compare favorably with the rest of the industrialized world. However, at 7th grade, scores begin falling off a cliff. Instead, develop a curriculum that rewards achievement with far better incentive than grades: Early exit from the system. So rather than smart kids marching in lockstep with stupid kids in the classroom day after day, teach on the unit system so that smart kids can move on to college much more quickly. Meanwhile, the underperforming kids can be moved in curricula better able to prepare them to earn a living, such as computer repair, electrician, etc. etc. etc.

Commitment to an export economy in foreign policy and business incentives.

Like it or not, if we do not have immigrant labor, the economy will grind to a resounding halt. Just ask anybody in the construction, food processing or hospitality industry. Therefore, instead of the current mess, have a guest worker program instead. To qualify as a guest worker, one must agree that any child born inside the country to guest worker parents is not a United States citizen. In addition, 25% is deducted from a guest worker's paycheck to be held in an escrow account in that worker's name. To collect that 25%, the guest worker must return to his country of origin, go to the nearest US embassy or consular office, and present his ID and a matching thumbprint. Then that guest worker will be given his escrow money. In exchange, that guest worker may get basic health services and the occupational safety protection of the Federal Government.

Develop domestic energy reserves and alternative energy sources as a strategic priority of the country.

Fund scientific research both in universities and industry.

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Okay. Instead of taxing excess profits, excess square footage, excess windfall incomes, I have a far more revolutionary, yet elegantly simple solution.

Instead of income tax, you have a national sales tax on everything but unprepared food and medicine. Everything else gets taxed without exception. Movies. Plane tickets. Lawyer's fees. The whole kit n' kaboodle. Home sales. The entire kit n' kaboodle. Say around 20-23%.

No payroll taxes. No FICA, FUI, SUI, etc. No capital gains tax. Just a national sales tax. The state and local government gets their share. And, with the exception of a national emergency, they cannot impose additional taxes.

I cribbed this from Neil Boortz, but it's a great idea. Just think of the nonsensical mountain of regulations, loopholes, and inequities that would be swept away with the stroke of a pen. People are taxed based on their consumption beyond their immediate basic needs.

Moving right along...

Immediate cessation of the death penalty. I know you guys hate that, but it serves no purpose but revenge. As stated in a earlier post, the only candidates for capital punishment are those committing treason, people who make their dogs wear sweaters, and people who put up Christmas decorations in their yards before November 30th.

Total and absolute overhaul of schools in this country beginning in the 7th grade. Before seventh grade, American children's test scores compare favorably with the rest of the industrialized world. However, at 7th grade, scores begin falling off a cliff. Instead, develop a curriculum that rewards achievement with far better incentive than grades: Early exit from the system. So rather than smart kids marching in lockstep with stupid kids in the classroom day after day, teach on the unit system so that smart kids can move on to college much more quickly. Meanwhile, the underperforming kids can be moved in curricula better able to prepare them to earn a living, such as computer repair, electrician, etc. etc. etc.

Commitment to an export economy in foreign policy and business incentives.

Like it or not, if we do not have immigrant labor, the economy will grind to a resounding halt. Just ask anybody in the construction, food processing or hospitality industry. Therefore, instead of the current mess, have a guest worker program instead. To qualify as a guest worker, one must agree that any child born inside the country to guest worker parents is not a United States citizen. In addition, 25% is deducted from a guest worker's paycheck to be held in an escrow account in that worker's name. To collect that 25%, the guest worker must return to his country of origin, go to the nearest US embassy or consular office, and present his ID and a matching thumbprint. Then that guest worker will be given his escrow money. In exchange, that guest worker may get basic health services and the occupational safety protection of the Federal Government.

Develop domestic energy reserves and alternative energy sources as a strategic priority of the country.

Fund scientific research both in universities and industry.

I haven't examined all the pros and cons, but one more advantage of a VAT is those in the "underground economy" get taxed. Right now, those with nefarious sources of income get off largely tax free.