Posted by
Civis on Monday, January 29, 2007 10:55:51 AM
A General Plea to my Federal and Local elected representatives:
1. Reduce the scope of the federal government and the power of special interests. According to the Founding Fathers, the federal government has certain express powers, including the right to declare taxes, declare war, and regulate interstate and foreign commerce. I understand that the last 140 years of amendments and laws have increased the power and scope of the federal government, but I would like to see some effort to reduce/reverse this trend. Countless regulations are increasing the costs and making it more difficult for citizens to pursue their happiness.
a. Eliminate or reduce the programs that are designed for the benefit of the few and are not in the interest of all. It seems that every group has its own lobbyists pushing their agendas with Congress. I am willing to bet that they are pursuing the interest of their employers, rather than the interests of all or the majority of citizens. When considering a proposal, please put it to the test and consider who it really benefits.
b. The social debate is an important one between the liberals, conservatives, and moderates. It generates a lot of publicity and I have strong views on many of the subjects. Let the individual States decide their stance on marriage and other social programs. Get these social debates out of Washington and quit expanding the scope of government to satisfy special interests.
c. It is well within the Federal government’s scope to levy taxes. However, the tax code is a complex grouping of revision upon revision. Please consider options like the flat tax, which could reduce the bureaucracy necessary to manage and the loopholes that corporations can exploit.
d. Eliminate earmarking and show some spending restraint. Support the Presidential line item veto so he can veto unrelated spending items that are inserted in bills without vetoing the entire bill. Congress would maintain the opportunity to override the line item veto.
e. Conduct an audit of the bills on the books to repeal any regulations or programs that are counter productive (unnecessarily increase the cost of doing business or living). Why are there so many restrictions that deter private American companies from pursuing alternative fuels or reducing our dependence on foreign oil?
f. When talking about health care, education, welfare, and other entitlement programs, the word “Universal” is bad. I would like the ability to choose what is best for me and my family. I support a flat income tax so that individuals cannot take advantage of the countless loopholes in the current tax code. However, I would support tax credits for contributions to a private non-profit charity or for private education. These institutions perform their duties much more efficiently than the government.
2. The War on Terror is a noble cause. You may disagree with the tactics taken in Iraq. If you voted for the war in Iraq before you voted against it, don’t blame President Bush for your decision. Instead admit that you had a change of heart because you did not realize it would be so difficult or because you are following the latest opinion polls. If you were against it from the start, go ahead and continue to push for a policy change. President Bush is not an evil man but many of you find it easier to discredit a policy by discrediting the man. It is ok to disagree with him, but keep the argument related to the policies.
3. Secure our borders first with a stand alone measure. After the flood of illegal immigrants is reduced, we could reach an agreement on how to address the illegal immigrants currently in our country. I consider myself a compassionate person. However, I do not want to hear about a bill that creates a large bureaucracy for dealing with the illegal immigrants (guest workers, verification of time in country to collect back taxes, etc..) in the country, but does not eliminate/reduce the flow of incoming illegal immigrants. Secure the border, then create a national ID, enforce employer laws, and then you could create your path to citizenship for illegal immigrants that are here without criminal records.
4. Stop the leaks of highly classified national security secrets. Why does the press have the ability and freedom to leak classified information with impunity? There are certain things the American people, myself included, do not need to know. Penalize the media that releases highly classified information and use them to determine the leaks. Some members of the media forget or deny that they are first and foremost citizens of the United States of America.
5. Apply common sense to laws and follow the moral code. There are cities that forbid children from playing tag at school, doctors practice medicine defensively, and there are so many safety regulations that many employers are probably breaking the law without knowing it. Why should a school district have to worry about a lawsuit for a child falling in play when there was no intention on their part for the child to be injured? The argument for gross neglect would fly if the school allowed the children to play tag on the roof of the school, but not when the children are engaged in normal play.
6. Provide and enforce a deterrent to the lawyers that bring forth frivolous lawsuits. When a countersuit is brought against a frivolous plaintiff, have their lawyer(s) listed as co-defendants. I am in favor of a 3 strike and your out rule (the lawyer is disbarred after 3 offenses). The lack of accountability in this culture sickens me. I can’t say it is worse than it was in the old days, because I don’t know. I am only 30. However, I do know that if I spill something hot on myself or eat McDonalds everyday, I am responsible for the outcome. In the current climate, I wonder how many corporations have a paid staff that has to think of warning labels for each of their products. Vending machine companies actually put stickers on their machines that tipping them over may cause death. Did you need a sticker to tell you that?