OK, this has been building for quite a bit, and I have touched on this before, but I’m a really fed up with government. The over-reaction to the deplorable Sandy Hook Shooting, the gridlock in Washington, etc., it’s just too much. So, not being one to curse the rain without opening an umbrella, here are my thoughts.
1. Military
a. Step One, GET OUT OF AFGANISTAN! Sorry, was that not forceful enough? We have no business there, we are not doing anyone any good and it’s Freaking Expensive in both money, and more important, LIVES! Just be done with it.
b. This goes down to point 5, but I’ll say it here. If the military doesn’t want something new, don’t push it through anyway! I tend to trust the people that have done the job for years and years, and if they don’t want a shiny new <fill in military tech here>, then that should be the end of it. “But people in my district/state/whatever need work.” I’m sure that these companies can find something else to build. Sorry if that’s harsh, but we’re a little beyond sunshine and rainbows in the country.
2. Domestic Issues
a. Very simply put, see the 10th Amendment. The Federal Government really needs to stop worrying about regulating the states and deal with the Big Stuff that is their responsibility.
b. Gun Control is not either banning all guns or using a second hand to hold your gun, it is a responsible way for States (see 2a) to control who can legally own a firearm and what kinds of firearms are legally available. Personally, I don’t see the reason for anyone to own a fully automatic weapon. There are better ways to make deer pâté. That is not to say that semi-automatic weapons should be banned, just the full auto. On that note, I would like to point out that any responsible citizen, who wishes to, should be able to buy any legally available firearm they can afford. Heck, let’s require everyone who wants to own a particular firearm to pass a 6-week course on how to use it. Believe or not, criminals don’t obey the law, so no matter how strict your gun restrictions, criminals will still have guns so people will still have to protect themselves.
c. Please, PLEASE give the President a Line Item Veto. Just look at the recent Sandy Aid Bill and listen to the oinking. All these amendments to bills that have NOTHING to do with them is part of the problem in Washington.
3. Foreign Issues
a. Can we PLEASE stop being the world’s police force? Isn’t there a group of countries, who all send representatives to a meeting yearly, which could take over this function? I don’t know, some kind of United Nations?
b. Again referring down to point 5, let’s cut all foreign aid, yes I said all, by half. I know we can’t responsibly get rid of it all, but we kind of have a cash flow problem here, so let’s trim what’s leaving this country.
c. Speaking of foreign aid, let’s enact a law/regulation/what-have-you that states “If a country receiving US foreign aid is found to be harboring a wanted enemy of the US, all foreign aid immediate stops and cannot be restarted for 10 years.” Osama Bin Laden anyone?
4. Elected Officials
a. I would like to see a Constitutional Amendment implemented that states “No individual may hold elected office on any level (local, state, federal) more than a cumulative total of 20 years.” Career politicians just annoy me on how out of touch they are and limiting how many terms of a particular office they can hold just isn’t going to deter them. This would not apply to appointed offices, such as cabinet positions, just elected.
b. The House of Representatives has been so f’d up for the past decade or so (yes, both Republicans and Democrats are to blame) that we should really think about implementing the Greek method of choosing. Take all the names of all constitutionally qualified candidates in a congressional district and pick one. That’s your Congressman/woman for the next two years. Can anyone really argue that we’d be in worse shape?
5. Budget
a. First thing to do, get rid of all automatic increases in spending. I don’t get a raise every year just because time passed, and neither should government agencies/employees.
b. You want to raise taxes on the “rich” to increase revenue, be my guest. But this won’t solve the problem. There is no way that was can tax our way out of this mess we’re in. Severe and across the board spending cuts are needed. It’s not going to be pretty or fun, but it needs to be done.
c. Speaking of taxes, let’s close any and all loopholes in the tax code and implement a flat sales tax. No deductions, no tax shelters, nothing like that. You owe X% of your purchases to the government and that’s it. Basic necessities, such as produce, dairy, clothing, diapers, etc, would be exempt, but you want a 72” 1080p TV, you’ve got to pay the tax. Personally, I think this is fairer than taxing income, since it doesn’t punish success, just luxury. Yes, there could be a Scrooge out there who makes a lot of money but lives like he’s poor, but I think that’s far more the exception than the rule.
