Running for President...

RE IDs:

The problem is that it often pops up right before elections (not surprising given that you have an election every two years, and that's just on the federal level). Given that in some places getting IDs is restrictive (given DMV office locations and opening times) that leaves many voters with insufficient time to get one.

One thing that could be done is to allow citizens to obtain IDs well before they can vote. Here (Israel), for example, you need an ID to vote - but you can (and IIRC are required to) get one once you reach 16. So you have at least two years to get it before you need it to vote. Another thing would be to expand the locations where you could get the ID.

RE term limits for SC judges, I'd think a mandatory retirement age would be preferable - it would limit the time in office like a fixed term would but also reduce the odds of a judge dying in office, allowing more orderly transitions.

Eyal wrote:RE IDs:

The problem is that it often pops up right before elections (not surprising given that you have an election every two years, and that's just on the federal level). Given that in some places getting IDs is restrictive (given DMV office locations and opening times) that leaves many voters with insufficient time to get one.

One thing that could be done is to allow citizens to obtain IDs well before they can vote. Here (Israel), for example, you need an ID to vote - but you can (and IIRC are required to) get one once you reach 16. So you have at least two years to get it before you need it to vote. Another thing would be to expand the locations where you could get the ID.

RE term limits for SC judges, I'd think a mandatory retirement age would be preferable - it would limit the time in office like a fixed term would but also reduce the odds of a judge dying in office, allowing more orderly transitions.

We had several states, mostly the CSA Southeastern states, that were under federal court order to get approval for changes to election laws. Justice Antonin Scalia, before his [in]timely demise managed to invalidate the Voting rights law.

So now we need voter ID to eliminate voter impersonation. Such a problem: with over a billion votes cast since 2000 there have been 30 +/-documented cases of voter ID fraud. 70 odd cases of people moving from state to state and casting multiple ballots in 2 or more states, or cities within one state. I have no issue, in theory, with voter ID, but the intended purpose is to suppress minority voting.

Eyal wrote:RE IDs:

The problem is that it often pops up right before elections (not surprising given that you have an election every two years, and that's just on the federal level). Given that in some places getting IDs is restrictive (given DMV office locations and opening times) that leaves many voters with insufficient time to get one.

One thing that could be done is to allow citizens to obtain IDs well before they can vote. Here (Israel), for example, you need an ID to vote - but you can (and IIRC are required to) get one once you reach 16. So you have at least two years to get it before you need it to vote. Another thing would be to expand the locations where you could get the ID.

RE term limits for SC judges, I'd think a mandatory retirement age would be preferable - it would limit the time in office like a fixed term would but also reduce the odds of a judge dying in office, allowing more orderly transitions.

Here in the US there is a law commonly called the REAL ID Act, which mandates Federal standards for driver's licenses (the most common form of photo ID) while leaving their issuance in the hands of the several states. It is highly controversial, and one of those issues that is not a clear-cut "liberal vs conservative" argument.

The USA has a unique problem in the way it attempts to draw borders between state and federal authority. The US Constitution sets out the scope of federal authority, and the 10th Amendment states that matters outside this scope are for each state to address. This principle is often violated in practice. For example, the 2nd Amendment addresses the right to keep and bear arms, which implies that it is a federal matter, yet various states have been allowed to regulate firearms in different ways. There have also been some questionable interpretations of the Constitution's "commerce clause", which allows the Federal government to regulate interstate commerce. This was less of an issue in the early days, compared to modern times when practically everything has an effect that crosses state lines. Does the fact that states and businesses honor other states' driver's licenses as valid IDs make them part of "interstate commerce"? Or are they honored under the clause which requires states to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of other states, and if so, why isn't my Florida concealed carry permit honored by the State of New York?

It seems to me that a state-issued ID that conforms to national standards would be a practical idea. One ID card showing whether you can drive, vote, own and carry firearms, use Veteran's Administration facilities, practice medicine, or whatever would be simple and straightforward, so long as there were protections built in to ensure privacy and prevent forgeries. In an age where companies who sell extended car warranties can buy a government database of everyone in the state who owns a car whose warranty is about to expire, I'm not sure about those protections.

dscott8 wrote:
Here in the US there is a law commonly called the REAL ID Act, which mandates Federal standards for driver's licenses (the most common form of photo ID) while leaving their issuance in the hands of the several states. It is highly controversial, and one of those issues that is not a clear-cut "liberal vs conservative" argument.

One would think. it was actually part of the Institutional Hysteria driven by Dubya Shrub's desire to push his Authoritarian Neo-Conservative agenda.

The USA has a unique problem in the way it attempts to draw borders between state and federal authority. The US Constitution sets out the scope of federal authority, and the 10th Amendment states that matters outside this scope are for each state to address. This principle is often violated in practice.

AKA "The Political Process." Which strikes at the heart of Expansionism v Strict interpretation. Much was left out of the constitution. Like what, exactly, is a "Natural Born Citizen?" Jefferson et al wanted much, like slavery to be solved through political process.

For example, the 2nd Amendment addresses the right to keep and bear arms, which implies that it is a federal matter, yet various states have been allowed to regulate firearms in different ways. There have also been some questionable interpretations of the Constitution's "commerce clause", which allows the Federal government to regulate interstate commerce. This was less of an issue in the early days, compared to modern times when practically everything has an effect that crosses state lines. Does the fact that states and businesses honor other states' driver's licenses as valid IDs make them part of "interstate commerce"? Or are they honored under the clause which requires states to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of other states, and if so, why isn't my Florida concealed carry permit honored by the State of New York?

That is a very good point. Traffic laws are fairlystandard. Everyone drives on the right, well except maybe Hawaii (never been there), Stop on red go on green. Concealed weapon permits are much trickier, States vary on when it is permissible to use deadly force from LA, FL shoot if you feel threatened to WI shoot only if you can not escape: ie if you are cornered in the attic or basement (except why did you not climb out of the basement window?).

It seems to me that a state-issued ID that conforms to national standards would be a practical idea. One ID card showing whether you can drive, vote, own and carry firearms, use Veteran's Administration facilities, practice medicine, or whatever would be simple and straightforward, so long as there were protections built in to ensure privacy and prevent forgeries. In an age where companies who sell extended car warranties can buy a government database of everyone in the state who owns a car whose warranty is about to expire, I'm not sure about those protections.

Except for the fact that it is required for "Homeland Security" Big Brother is Watching and your Real ID RFID chip is broadcasting your location and personal information in real time.

Its sole function is to aid Sheriff Joe Arpaio and other rabid illegal hunters quickly and efficiently separate out the good Mexicans from the bad hombre rapists and murderers. Another fine example of Republicans keeping the government off my back and out of my life without probable cause. Good idea, bad practice.

WeirdlyWired wrote: <massive snip> Good idea, bad practice.

In those four words, you have summed up much of the history of American government. Ours is a history of noble intentions poorly implemented. One example is "affirmative action". The idea was to level the employment market's playing field for minorities and women, but the real root causes (disparities in school funding, cultural bias in curricula, etc,) could not be fixed before the next election, so the politicians chose a brute force approach so that they could claim that they had addressed the issue. The result was resentment at the idea that minorities and women were getting "special treatment" and "unearned advantages", and the insidious assumption that any successful woman or minority person could only have succeeded because of those advantages.

There is an ultimately destructive relationship between voters who want simple answers to complex questions and politicians who must be seen to do something, whether it's the right thing or not. It is aggravated by various groups who have different definitions of "the right thing", based on agendas that are often self-serving. As a nation, we often have a hard time distinguishing between reality and agenda-driven propaganda, which is why I'd like to see logic and debating tactics taught in our schools, so that we can better recognize bullshit.

dscott8 wrote:

WeirdlyWired wrote: <massive snip> Good idea, bad practice.

In those four words, you have summed up much of the history of American government. Ours is a history of noble intentions poorly implemented. [equally massive snip]

yes! Just because "there autta [sic] be a law" doesn't mean there should be one. And I might bad intentions well executed USA Patriot Act, Telecom Act.

And, it seems, we can't even agree about whether Paul Revere was a Rebel Sympathizer warning the minute men (or whomever)of an attack, or Crown Loyalist riding to notify the British Garrison that reinforcements were coming.

And My governor standing on the steps of the state capitol Swearing before God that "Not one penny of white taxpayer money will be spent educating nigger children."

Sorry for the offensive language, PCers, Direct quote of Earl K Long circa 1953.

We are where we are. How do we move forward and fix things?

1. January 21st submit a list of nominees for every vacant judgeship in the USA (about 110) to congress for approval.

2. Blanket Repeal every executive order issued since Nov 7th.

3. Blanket Repeal every executive order issued by Obama. Inform the agencies that if they believe an order was a good idea to re-submit it for re-approval.

4. Send Paris Climate Change accord to congress for approval on grounds that it is a treaty and treaties require congressional approval based on the constitution. Congress will reject it, leaving the USA free to ignore any provisions because we can't be held to something we haven't signed (Obama's signature doesn't count because he is not legally allowed to sign a treaty without congressional approval).

5. Send TPP to congress for approval. It will be rejected and then re-negotiate the treaty. While we're at it, re-negotiate every other trade treaty we've got. And to go along with treaty re-negotation have all of those smart business types find all of the loopholes etc in US laws and regulations that encourage outsourcing of jobs and get rid of them. If necessary crowdsource this one.

6. Reform student loans

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6214&p=159764&hilit=loan#p159764

7. Replace the income tax with a flat tax with a floor. Approximately 15% with a $10,000 per person floor. Actual % and $ to be negotiated with end product revenue neutral. Floor to be indexed to inflation (otherwise it would get very painful to low income people very quickly).

- Anything above the floor is taxed. So for a family of 4 the floor would be ~$40,000. Anyone making less than $40,000 would pay nothing. A family making $50,000 would pay tax on $10,000, a family making $100,000 would pay tax on $60,000, a family making $1 million would pay tax on $960,000.

8. Remove all numerical caps and give a small business loan to anyone who wants one AND IS QUALIFIED. The last is critical or we will wind up with another bubble re the housing bubble.

9. Make our corporate taxes similar to the rest of the world. The corporations that are getting hammered by this are the US based small/mid sized ones. The big ones play the same tricks Apple, GE etc are playing and pay little or nothing. And having one of the highest corporate taxes is discouraging business from being based in US.

10. Repeal Obamacare replace with something. Secretary-elect Price supposedly has a plan.

11. Approve Keystone pipeline. I think it will take congressional action at this point, but they have both houses.

12. Block the EPA from issuing carbon regulations by law and while they're at it pass laws to block all of the other power grab stuff the EPA's been up to in the last 8 years that they tried to do by twisting regulations into a pretzel. As long as they have all 3 branches, might as well get it fixed.

13. Repeal as many job killing regulations (EPA and otherwise) as possibly. Regulation have gotten to the point where they are seriously damaging the economy. Priority to regulations that the rust belt voters hate the most.

14. Reign in the power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Great idea in theory. In practice it has turned into a left wing nightmare.

15. Pass a law requiring affirmative congressional approval of any regulation whose impact would be more than $100 million. Congress must vote yes or the regulation can't be enacted.

16, Demonstrate competence by passing a budget and passing it on time

17. Enforce anti-trust legislation

18. Outlaw unions for government employees.

19. Encourage bankrupt municipalities to actually file for bankruptcy and get started getting their fiscal house in order. Not just digging themselves (and us) into a bigger problem by all of these kick the can down the road games they are playing.

20. Re-do Dodd-Frank. Fix the compliance burden for small banks. Eliminate to big to fail. To big to fail is too big to exist. Break them up instead.

21. Get serious about enforcing immigration laws on employers.

22. Reform the education department. Charter schools are a good start.

23. Tax capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income.

24. Get the IRS to quit attacking conservative groups and crack down on all of the fraudulent charities instead. You know the ones that 90% of the donations go to fundraising expenses. It's the law of unintended consequences again. Now that the do not call list is in place, all of these guys have switched over to running fake charities since charities don't fall under the do not call list. It'll give the IRS something constructive to do instead of acting as an arm of Democrats R Us.

25. Cap the money that can be given in farm subsidies so that it goes to the family farmers it was intended for instead of adding to big corporate bottom lines.

26. Establish a repeal Day of the Week. Wednesday perhaps? Where each Wednesday at least 1 outdated regulation or law has to be repealed. We have so much overload in this area it will take years to clear up the mess.

27. Reform the lawsuit/hearing/sue & settle process such that proposed infrastructure projects don't take years and years before the first shovel of dirt is lifted.

I'll take some time to read this and discuss each point. In the interim I'd just say, I'm glad that you are in another country on another continent. We have Enough RWNJs and SELs here, but none as extreme as you seem to be from this list. I had forgotten that you have previously defended drug companies charging 1000% profits on life saving drugs, so it does fit.

biochem wrote:1. January 21st submit a list of nominees for every vacant judgeship in the USA (about 110) to congress for approval.

2. Blanket Repeal every executive order issued since Nov 7th.

3. Blanket Repeal every executive order issued by Obama. Inform the agencies that if they believe an order was a good idea to re-submit it for re-approval.

4. Send Paris Climate Change accord to congress for approval on grounds that it is a treaty and treaties require congressional approval based on the constitution. Congress will reject it, leaving the USA free to ignore any provisions because we can't be held to something we haven't signed (Obama's signature doesn't count because he is not legally allowed to sign a treaty without congressional approval).

5. Send TPP to congress for approval. It will be rejected and then re-negotiate the treaty. While we're at it, re-negotiate every other trade treaty we've got. And to go along with treaty re-negotation have all of those smart business types find all of the loopholes etc in US laws and regulations that encourage outsourcing of jobs and get rid of them. If necessary crowdsource this one.

6. Reform student loans

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6214&p=159764&hilit=loan#p159764

7. Replace the income tax with a flat tax with a floor. Approximately 15% with a $10,000 per person floor. Actual % and $ to be negotiated with end product revenue neutral. Floor to be indexed to inflation (otherwise it would get very painful to low income people very quickly).

- Anything above the floor is taxed. So for a family of 4 the floor would be ~$40,000. Anyone making less than $40,000 would pay nothing. A family making $50,000 would pay tax on $10,000, a family making $100,000 would pay tax on $60,000, a family making $1 million would pay tax on $960,000.

8. Remove all numerical caps and give a small business loan to anyone who wants one AND IS QUALIFIED. The last is critical or we will wind up with another bubble re the housing bubble.

9. Make our corporate taxes similar to the rest of the world. The corporations that are getting hammered by this are the US based small/mid sized ones. The big ones play the same tricks Apple, GE etc are playing and pay little or nothing. And having one of the highest corporate taxes is discouraging business from being based in US.

10. Repeal Obamacare replace with something. Secretary-elect Price supposedly has a plan.

11. Approve Keystone pipeline. I think it will take congressional action at this point, but they have both houses.

12. Block the EPA from issuing carbon regulations by law and while they're at it pass laws to block all of the other power grab stuff the EPA's been up to in the last 8 years that they tried to do by twisting regulations into a pretzel. As long as they have all 3 branches, might as well get it fixed.

13. Repeal as many job killing regulations (EPA and otherwise) as possibly. Regulation have gotten to the point where they are seriously damaging the economy. Priority to regulations that the rust belt voters hate the most.

14. Reign in the power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Great idea in theory. In practice it has turned into a left wing nightmare.

15. Pass a law requiring affirmative congressional approval of any regulation whose impact would be more than $100 million. Congress must vote yes or the regulation can't be enacted.

16, Demonstrate competence by passing a budget and passing it on time

17. Enforce anti-trust legislation

18. Outlaw unions for government employees.

19. Encourage bankrupt municipalities to actually file for bankruptcy and get started getting their fiscal house in order. Not just digging themselves (and us) into a bigger problem by all of these kick the can down the road games they are playing.

20. Re-do Dodd-Frank. Fix the compliance burden for small banks. Eliminate to big to fail. To big to fail is too big to exist. Break them up instead.

21. Get serious about enforcing immigration laws on employers.

22. Reform the education department. Charter schools are a good start.

23. Tax capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income.

24. Get the IRS to quit attacking conservative groups and crack down on all of the fraudulent charities instead. You know the ones that 90% of the donations go to fundraising expenses. It's the law of unintended consequences again. Now that the do not call list is in place, all of these guys have switched over to running fake charities since charities don't fall under the do not call list. It'll give the IRS something constructive to do instead of acting as an arm of Democrats R Us.

25. Cap the money that can be given in farm subsidies so that it goes to the family farmers it was intended for instead of adding to big corporate bottom lines.

26. Establish a repeal Day of the Week. Wednesday perhaps? Where each Wednesday at least 1 outdated regulation or law has to be repealed. We have so much overload in this area it will take years to clear up the mess.

27. Reform the lawsuit/hearing/sue & settle process such that proposed infrastructure projects don't take years and years before the first shovel of dirt is lifted.

Daryl wrote:I'll take some time to read this and discuss each point. In the interim I'd just say, I'm glad that you are in another country on another continent. We have Enough RWNJs and SELs here, but none as extreme as you seem to be from this list. I had forgotten that you have previously defended drug companies charging 1000% profits on life saving drugs, so it does fit.

biochem wrote:1. January 21st submit a list of nominees for every vacant judgeship in the USA (about 110) to congress for approval.

2. Blanket Repeal every executive order issued since Nov 7th.

3. Blanket Repeal every executive order issued by Obama. Inform the agencies that if they believe an order was a good idea to re-submit it for re-approval.

4. Send Paris Climate Change accord to congress for approval on grounds that it is a treaty and treaties require congressional approval based on the constitution. Congress will reject it, leaving the USA free to ignore any provisions because we can't be held to something we haven't signed (Obama's signature doesn't count because he is not legally allowed to sign a treaty without congressional approval).

5. Send TPP to congress for approval. It will be rejected and then re-negotiate the treaty. While we're at it, re-negotiate every other trade treaty we've got. And to go along with treaty re-negotation have all of those smart business types find all of the loopholes etc in US laws and regulations that encourage outsourcing of jobs and get rid of them. If necessary crowdsource this one.

6. Reform student loans

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6214&p=159764&hilit=loan#p159764

7. Replace the income tax with a flat tax with a floor. Approximately 15% with a $10,000 per person floor. Actual % and $ to be negotiated with end product revenue neutral. Floor to be indexed to inflation (otherwise it would get very painful to low income people very quickly).

- Anything above the floor is taxed. So for a family of 4 the floor would be ~$40,000. Anyone making less than $40,000 would pay nothing. A family making $50,000 would pay tax on $10,000, a family making $100,000 would pay tax on $60,000, a family making $1 million would pay tax on $960,000.

8. Remove all numerical caps and give a small business loan to anyone who wants one AND IS QUALIFIED. The last is critical or we will wind up with another bubble re the housing bubble.

9. Make our corporate taxes similar to the rest of the world. The corporations that are getting hammered by this are the US based small/mid sized ones. The big ones play the same tricks Apple, GE etc are playing and pay little or nothing. And having one of the highest corporate taxes is discouraging business from being based in US.

10. Repeal Obamacare replace with something. Secretary-elect Price supposedly has a plan.

11. Approve Keystone pipeline. I think it will take congressional action at this point, but they have both houses.

12. Block the EPA from issuing carbon regulations by law and while they're at it pass laws to block all of the other power grab stuff the EPA's been up to in the last 8 years that they tried to do by twisting regulations into a pretzel. As long as they have all 3 branches, might as well get it fixed.

13. Repeal as many job killing regulations (EPA and otherwise) as possibly. Regulation have gotten to the point where they are seriously damaging the economy. Priority to regulations that the rust belt voters hate the most.

14. Reign in the power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Great idea in theory. In practice it has turned into a left wing nightmare.

15. Pass a law requiring affirmative congressional approval of any regulation whose impact would be more than $100 million. Congress must vote yes or the regulation can't be enacted.

16, Demonstrate competence by passing a budget and passing it on time

17. Enforce anti-trust legislation

18. Outlaw unions for government employees.

19. Encourage bankrupt municipalities to actually file for bankruptcy and get started getting their fiscal house in order. Not just digging themselves (and us) into a bigger problem by all of these kick the can down the road games they are playing.

20. Re-do Dodd-Frank. Fix the compliance burden for small banks. Eliminate to big to fail. To big to fail is too big to exist. Break them up instead.

21. Get serious about enforcing immigration laws on employers.

22. Reform the education department. Charter schools are a good start.

23. Tax capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income.

24. Get the IRS to quit attacking conservative groups and crack down on all of the fraudulent charities instead. You know the ones that 90% of the donations go to fundraising expenses. It's the law of unintended consequences again. Now that the do not call list is in place, all of these guys have switched over to running fake charities since charities don't fall under the do not call list. It'll give the IRS something constructive to do instead of acting as an arm of Democrats R Us.

25. Cap the money that can be given in farm subsidies so that it goes to the family farmers it was intended for instead of adding to big corporate bottom lines.

26. Establish a repeal Day of the Week. Wednesday perhaps? Where each Wednesday at least 1 outdated regulation or law has to be repealed. We have so much overload in this area it will take years to clear up the mess.

27. Reform the lawsuit/hearing/sue & settle process such that proposed infrastructure projects don't take years and years before the first shovel of dirt is lifted.

1)Clear cut the national and stare forests

Reduce non-management pay to federal minimum wage.

Watch the economy blow worse than it did in 2008.

Eliminate health care for those who can't afford to pay for individual policies on their new part time minimum wage job,

After they save 10% of their wages for their retirement.

Pollute the water and the air to increase cancer, COPD and other respiratory problems. More medical bills for people who can't afford health insurance on their minimum wage jobs.

pack the courts with the most rectionary judges educated at Liberty U. who use the bible to interpret law.

I hope I do not live long enough to see RFC finish the Honorverse Arc.

biochem wrote:22. Reform the education department. Charter schools are a good start.

ELIMINATE the US department of education. In 40 years it has spent almost 1.5 trillion dollars and accomplished.......absolutely nothing, besides putting up a hideously expensive building that those of us who paid for it are not even allowed to see inside. Government education is not one bit better today than it was back in the 60's and 70's; if anything, it's worse.

24. Get the IRS to quit attacking conservative groups and crack down on all of the fraudulent charities instead. You know the ones that 90% of the donations go to fundraising expenses. It's the law of unintended consequences again. Now that the do not call list is in place, all of these guys have switched over to running fake charities since charities don't fall under the do not call list. It'll give the IRS something constructive to do instead of acting as an arm of Democrats R Us.

You're understating the problem. Sometimes up to 120% of the donations go to for-profit 'fundraising' companies. That's right. The 'charity' hires a 'fundraising' company and loses money.

Who runs those 'fundraising' companies? Where does the money go? Nobody knows. They're not subject to the disclosure rules for non-profits.
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Irony: falling off a chair while putting up an OSHA workplace safety poster.