If I were in charge...

[jcd11235 0]

Here are some of the changes I would support (in no particular order):

1. I support neither privatizing nor eliminating Social Security. I do support workers being allowed to match their Social Security contributions with contributions into a privately controlled investment account. Both the contributions into and the payments from this account would be tax free, like a combination of a traditional and Roth IRA.

2. I would support an amendment to the Constitution (or Constitutional legislation) that both clarifies indivuals' right to keep and bear arms, and that a national citizens' militia comprises the bulk of the nation's military. Our military should be defensive, not offensive.

3. I would support progressive tax breaks for corporations that are partially (or completely) employee owned, the amount of which would be one half of the percentage of the company owned by employees. For example, a company which has employees that own 20 percent of the stock would receive a ten percent discount on their tax bill.

4. I would support an amendment to the Constitution (or Constitutional legislation) that required a balanced budget, with ten percent of revenue being saved for unforeseen emergencies, and ten percent of revenue being invested in such a manner as to help reduce the taxes of future generations without reducing the revenue of the government. If it is not too much to ask of individuals to invest in their own future, it should not be too much to ask of the government to do the same thing.

5. I would support making the top two funding priorities education and healthcare. An educated, healthy population is the most valuable asset any nation can have.

Just a few ideas. What changes would you make if you were in charge?

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[StreetScooby 5]

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Our military should be defensive, not offensive.

Overall I find your comments to be very thoughtful, with the one item noted above. We need to be able to effectively crush our enemies, whomever they may be.

We are all engines of karma

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Here are some of the changes I would support (in no particular order):

1. I support neither privatizing nor eliminating Social Security. I do support workers being allowed to match their Social Security contributions with contributions into a privately controlled investment account. Both the contributions into and the payments from this account would be tax free, like a combination of a traditional and Roth IRA.

Why limit the amount of tax deferred contributions to IRA's? The money will be taxed either before it's invested or after it's withdrawn depending on the type of plan.

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2. I would support an amendment to the Constitution (or Constitutional legislation) that both clarifies indivuals' right to keep and bear arms, and that a national citizens' militia comprises the bulk of the nation's military. Our military should be defensive, not offensive.

I understand your thinking here, but the Constitution already guarantees this right.

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3. I would support progressive tax breaks for corporations that are partially (or completely) employee owned, the amount of which would be one half of the percentage of the company owned by employees. For example, a company which has employees that own 20 percent of the stock would receive a ten percent discount on their tax bill.

I could support this. Problem is it could lead to over investment in the company by employees as they did with Enron. Diversification is a much more intelligent investment strategy.

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4. I would support an amendment to the Constitution (or Constitutional legislation) that required a balanced budget, with ten percent of revenue being saved for unforeseen emergencies, and ten percent of revenue being invested in such a manner as to help reduce the taxes of future generations without reducing the revenue of the government. If it is not too much to ask of individuals to invest in their own future, it should not be too much to ask of the government to do the same thing.

I'd go for this, but I'd require a % to pay down our massive debt.

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5. I would support making the top two funding priorities education and healthcare. An educated, healthy population is the most valuable asset any nation can have.

I don't support Socialized Medicine in any form. Would you support tax free medical savings accounts?

[jcd11235 0]

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Our military should be defensive, not offensive.

Overall I find your comments to be very thoughtful, with the one item noted above. We need to be able to effectively crush our enemies, whomever they may be.

Thanks. I agree that we need to be able to crush our enemies. A national militia would be quite capable of doing so. However, we also need to make sure we don't use our military to create enemies. Our current military (and its political leadership) seems quite adept at creating enemies, which ultimately causes us more problems.

The situation we created in Iraq is an example of this. We can blame SH all we want, but the fact is, we played a major role in allowing the Baathists to come to power to begin with.

I think we need to heed Washington's and Eisenhower's advice. I do not believe a large standing military is conducive to doing so.

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[StreetScooby 5]

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A national militia would be quite capable of doing so.

Effective militaries train constantly. Militias don't. So, I have to disagree with you here.

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1. I support neither privatizing nor eliminating Social Security.

On this point, I would like to be able to take short positions with my retirement money. Right now, the government doesn't allow that.

We are all engines of karma

[jcd11235 0]

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Why limit the amount of tax deferred contributions to IRA's? The money will be taxed either before it's invested or after it's withdrawn depending on the type of plan.

I'm not sure I follow. I only used IRAs as an example to show that SS matching contributions would be tax free going in and coming out.

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I understand your thinking here, but the Constitution already guarantees this right.

While I agree this right is already guaranteed, it is difficult to deny that the meaning behind the second amendment is often debated.

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I could support this. Problem is it could lead to over investment in the company by employees as they did with Enron. Diversification is a much more intelligent investment strategy.

I understand your concern. I did not mean to imply that employees should only invest in their own company. However, I believe that an effective way to increase productivity is to ensure workers reap the benefits of increased profits (and share the burden of poor performance). If the workers are directly invested in the company, they are directly benefitted by their own increased productivity.

I agree completely that investment diversification is a very good strategy.

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I'd go for this, but I'd require a % to pay down our massive debt.

I was making the assumption that part of our revenue is already being used for that purpose. I probably could have stated that more clearly. We do need to pay down, and eventually off, our national debt.

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I don't support Socialized Medicine in any form. Would you support tax free medical savings accounts?

If there was a mechanism to cover catastrophic medical costs, or cumulative costs exceeding the balance of a responsibly funded account, such accounts might work well. I would want to avoid the possibility of an 18 year old whose financial future is ruined because he/she had the misfortune of needing far more medical care than that person had accumulated in their medical account. The same problem could also happen to a 55 year old.

In the end, I think it would likely be cheaper to simply have a national health care system.



Thanks for your comments.

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[rushmc 18]

Everything but #5

Education is terribly over funded today. The problem is not money, it is the simple fact that success in the education system mean high attendance (that is how they get paid) Give parents choices and get rid of poor performers and there is more than enough money there already

As for healthcare. Want to really screw it up? Let the government fund and run it. Want to fix it? (cost wise anyway) tort reform.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kallend 1,679]

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Our military should be defensive, not offensive.

Overall I find your comments to be very thoughtful, with the one item noted above. We need to be able to effectively crush our enemies, whomever they may be.

If we didn't interfere in the affairs of other countries so much (think Iran, Cuba, Chile, Nicaragua, Iraq...) we wouldn't need to be able to crush the people we've pissed off.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Andy9o8 0]

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I don't support Socialized Medicine in any form.

I think you're letting yourself get bogged down on the concept of "socialized."
We already have "socialized":
- police protection; fire protection (yes, I know about volunteer firefighters); education; road construction & maintenance, etc. Yes, they're paid-for by taxes.

Look, I don't believe in the tyranny of the majority, either, but some facts stand out glaringly. One such fact is that the US is the only developed, industrialized nation on the planet that does not offer some kind of universal health care for its citizens. Many, many middle-class Americans who are either laid off, or self-employed, or who do not have "conventional" 40 hr/week jobs that provide benefits paid for by employers are simply uninsured because private health insurance is so expensive. With the affluence and resources the US has, that's just appalling. Can it really be that we're the only country that's got it right, and every other country is doing it wrong? I don't think so.

I say: instead of just labeling other countries' health care systems as "socialistic" and thereby tossing the baby out with the bathwater, why not view them as research and development, and develop something that works better than what we've got now?

(P.S.: MSAs are an interesting idea, but if you live paycheck to paycheck, and you can't pay into an MSA, it's really no solution.)

[quade 3]

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If we didn't interfere in the affairs of other countries so much (think Iran, Cuba, Chile, Nicaragua, Iraq...) we wouldn't need to be able to crush the people we've pissed off.

Partly true, partly wrong.

What other countries do, with the exception of gross humanitarian mistreatment or genocide, is simply none of our business whatsoever. If a country decides that it wants to rule by monarchy or theocracy, it's none of our business whatsoever.

That said, the absolute best defense is for other countries to know, without any shadow of a doubt that any attack at all upon the U.S. will bring about swift and conclusive retribution. While this does mean defensive capabilities, it's impossible to have only defensive capabilities of this nature without them also being able to be offensive.

So, actually, we do need to have the capability to crush. We also need to know when to use it and more importantly, when not to .

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[billvon 2,473]

>I don't support Socialized Medicine in any form.

We already have it, but it sucks. It almost guarantees that hospitals that do good jobs taking care of indigent patients go bankrupt. I'd be in favor of fixing that.

[Gravitymaster 0]

I thought you might be interested in this article.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/PovertyNowComesWithAColorTV.aspx

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"In terms of the items people have ... it amazes me the number of people who are at or near the poverty line that have color TVs, cable, washer, dryer, microwave," says Michael Cosgrove, an economist at the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas. That's not to ignore the hardships of poverty, he adds, "but the conveniences they have are in fact pretty good."

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The Census report also compares, from 1992 through 1998, people's perceptions of whether basic needs were being met. More than 92% of Americans below the poverty line said they had enough food, as of 1998. Some 86% said they had no unmet need for a doctor, 89% had no roof leaks, and 87% said they had no unpaid rent or mortgage.

Rationalizing socialized medicine which would benefit only a few by pointing out we have socialized law enforcement etc, which benefits many doesn't make sense.

There is little parity between the poor in the US and the poor in other countries. Can we do more? Sure, but why is it fair to ask the govt. to confiscate money from those citizen who have money to give to those who don't when there is no life-threatening reason? Why should those who can afford healthcare be forced into some govt. run program which would have to develop some type of means test to function?

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[Amazon 7]

"A society is judged by how it treats its weakest members."


Very old and very true addage

I pay a hell of a lot of taxes.. and volunteer time on top of it. I have my reasons...but one of them is NOT I got mine.. and you aint gettin any of it.

I want to live in a society that can and will take care of those who can not help themselves.. I also believe that educating our citizens pays off for ALL of us in the future.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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"A society is judged by how it treats its weakest members."


Very old and very true addage

I pay a hell of a lot of taxes.. and volunteer time on top of it. I have my reasons...but one of them is NOT I got mine.. and you aint gettin any of it.

How will we know when society has done enough for the poor?

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[Amazon 7]

How about when we are at the TOP of the list of education levels for countries in the world...

How about the lowest infant mortality rates in the world

How about instead of no child left behind.. NO child goes to bed hungry....

Those would be a very good start in my mind.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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How about when we are at the TOP of the list of education levels for countries in the world...

How about the lowest infant mortality rates in the world

How about instead of no child left behind.. NO child goes to bed hungry....

Those would be a very good start in my mind.

How much more will that cost and how much longer will it take?

Once we have achieved that goal, will we need to provide continued maintenence?

I was discussing this with some of my friends who are Koreans who claim the US as their adopted home. Apparently there is very little poverty in the Korean-American segment of society. Can you explain why so many immigrants find amazing success in the US beyond their wildest dreams, while so many of US born live in poverty?

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[Amazon 7]

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How much more will that cost and how much longer will it take?

Once we have achieved that goal, will we need to provide continued maintenence?

No idea.. but I bet we could do it for a lot less than the war in Iraq has cost us in money and lives and national pride.

Perhaps if more people thought that being well spoken instead of emulating the speech patterns of King Gorge would also be a good start.

Face it.. there is a huge segment of this society who aspire to being as dumb as dirt... and proud of it.

the ONLY way out of that mentality is thru education.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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How much more will that cost and how much longer will it take?

Once we have achieved that goal, will we need to provide continued maintenence?

No idea.. but I bet we could do it for a lot less than the war in Iraq has cost us in money and lives and national pride.

Perhaps if more people thought that being well spoken instead of emulating the speech patterns of King Gorge would also be a good start.

Face it.. there is a huge segment of this society who aspire to being as dumb as dirt... and proud of it.

the ONLY way out of that mentality is thru education.

We had spent over $5 trillion on "The War on Poverty" before the Iraq War, so I'm not so sure we would have solved it by avoiding war.

I do think you are on to something when you say many aspire to be dumb as dirt and proud of it. Of course it's easier to have that attitude when you know the govt. will save you. What I can't understand is how you believe the dumb as dirt segment will respond to education. Seems to me they are very satisfied with their place in life.

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[Amazon 7]

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We had spent over $5 trillion on "The War on Poverty" before the Iraq War, so I'm not so sure we would have solved it by avoiding war.

Hmmmmm and how many years was that in place as opposed to the what is the total now for this optional war???

The dumb as dirt..crowd includes some segments of my extended family..... all of them in the bible belt... quite a few of them home schooled so they will not be subjected to those EVIL outside influences...BUT once in a while.. one does better themselves and escapes the cycle of poverty and low paying jobs and gets an education or joins the military and then gets an education.

[jcd11235 0]

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Effective militaries train constantly. Militias don't. So, I have to disagree with you here.

There is no reason a defense oriented militia could not train to do their jobs.

When I was in the military (peacetime) I was part of a rapid deployment unit. We could be anywhere in the world in 24 hrs. We had a little more time in the field than most units. And we wasted a lot of time with busy work. A soldier does not need to be full time to be current in training.

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On this point, I would like to be able to take short positions with my retirement money. Right now, the government doesn't allow that.

Right. That is why I would want people to have a tax free private account in which they can match their SS contributions. It would allow (but not guarantee) a higher return than currently available, since it would be tax free. But it also would not remove the safety net that is already in place for those without the ability to manage their private accounts well.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[livetofall 0]

Revoke China Free trade and NAFTA and CAFTA exept Canada, whose standard of living and wages are similar. TRIPLE the excise tax on overseas good to force companies back here or leave here.

Social security will no longer go to these groups that came here on the free ride clause, other than what they have paid into. russians koreans somalians,etc so forth who also got th 0% interst loans wil be renigged on. Hey assholes, our families got started by having to farm or work in coalmines not given 100k to start. This also includes their weekly benifit that comes out of SS which they nevcr put a penny in as which anyone in my generation (40) now has to be 70 to collect due to these assholes who decided that WITHOUT VOTE OF THE PEOPLE to give such money to these scavengers who suck our system dry and live better than the average born American.

ACLU no longer able to threaten suit on a city or county whos the populus' vote goes against what they think is right for their special interests.

[jcd11235 0]

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Everything but #5

Education is terribly over funded today. The problem is not money, it is the simple fact that success in the education system mean high attendance (that is how they get paid) Give parents choices and get rid of poor performers and there is more than enough money there already

I agree that education needs more in the way of reform than just throwing money at the problem. I don't, however, believe that education is over funded.

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As for healthcare. Want to really screw it up? Let the government fund and run it. Want to fix it? (cost wise anyway) tort reform.

Our current healthcare system allows us to pay more and get less compared to many other first world nations. The problem is not malpractice lawsuits, either. Our system is fundamentally broken. As Andy908 said, we don't have to copy someone else's system, but it would be foolish not to learn what we can from other systems that appear to work better than our own.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[billvon 2,473]

>. . .no longer go to these groups that came here on the free ride clause, other than what they have paid into.

Sounds like your solution is to abolish SS and just use 401k's, then. That way no one gets anything other than what they paid into it.

[jcd11235 0]

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Revoke China Free trade and NAFTA and CAFTA exept Canada, whose standard of living and wages are similar. TRIPLE the excise tax on overseas good to force companies back here or leave here.

Without getting into any specific "AFTA," international trade always benefits both nations. Having free trade only with countries with a similar standard of living defeats the purpose of free trade. We are not trying to keep developing nations out of the market. Nor should we try, IMO.

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Social security will no longer go to these groups that came here on the free ride clause, other than what they have paid into. russians koreans somalians,etc so forth who also got th 0% interst loans wil be renigged on. Hey assholes, our families got started by having to farm or work in coalmines not given 100k to start. This also includes their weekly benifit that comes out of SS which they nevcr put a penny in as which anyone in my generation (40) now has to be 70 to collect due to these assholes who decided that WITHOUT VOTE OF THE PEOPLE to give such money to these scavengers who suck our system dry and live better than the average born American.

I hear lots about how foreigners suck the system dry, but I don't see it. Do you have any studies to support your assertions, or are they anecdote based? If you know of some actual evidence of this, I would love to see it, but I believe that a big deal is being made out of something that happens relatively rarely.

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ACLU no longer able to threaten suit on a city or county whos the populus' vote goes against what they think is right for their special interests.

The ACLU tend to defend those at the top of slippery slopes. Their role in our society is a valuable one indeed. They defends those who have rights that the majority may not be willing to readily acknowledge. Sometimes I agree with what their defendants stand for, and sometimes I disagree, but I'm glad there is an organization to help look out for those who may be unpopular.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[kallend 1,679]

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If we didn't interfere in the affairs of other countries so much (think Iran, Cuba, Chile, Nicaragua, Iraq...) we wouldn't need to be able to crush the people we've pissed off.

Partly true, partly wrong.

What other countries do, with the exception of gross humanitarian mistreatment or genocide, is simply none of our business whatsoever. If a country decides that it wants to rule by monarchy or theocracy, it's none of our business whatsoever.

That said, the absolute best defense is for other countries to know, without any shadow of a doubt that any attack at all upon the U.S. will bring about swift and conclusive retribution. While this does mean defensive capabilities, it's impossible to have only defensive capabilities of this nature without them also being able to be offensive.

So, actually, we do need to have the capability to crush. We also need to know when to use it and more importantly, when not to .

I haven't noticed many countries lining up to invade Switzerland or Sweden. Do they have a "crushing" capability that deters potential aggressors? No, they just don't piss their neighbors off the way we do, and they have effective defense forces that aren't bankrupting them. The USA spends more on so-called defense than the next 8 nations COMBINED. There is no need for overkill like that unless we truly intend to be offensive rather than defensive.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.