What would you do if you were president?

2009-03-12 15:49:50 UTC

1) CUT PERSONAL TAXES!

2) CUT SPENDING!

3) ELIMINATE CAPITAL GAINS!

4) CUT CORP. TAXES!

Polybius

2009-03-12 16:06:06 UTC

1. Economy - de-regulation was not the problem. Regulations brought on by the federal government cause businessmen to resort to shady tactics to keep the money they make (which seems to be too much, but that's another topic). I know people who "lease" their company vehicles from their family so they can eshew property taxes. It's shady, but legal. The tax laws need to be based on an end-product sale only. If that means cutting back government services, so be it.

2. I think this issue belongs to the states, as "providing for the general Welfare" in the Constitution does not mean "provide Welfare for the general public." The high cost of healthcare is largely due to the legal culture surrounding the profession. High malpractice insurance rates (based on lawsuits) drain doctor revenues. They require a bureacracy to receive payment from insurance sources after providing care. And then they must administer an abundance of tests to ensure they are not sued. This adds up. Start with putting a cap on lawsuit payouts, then let the states decide..

3. Foreign policy - talk softly, and carry a big stick. The biggest stick is our ancient nuclear weapon stockpile, which the congress thinks will be able to operate indefinately with vacuum tube technology. I'm not saying make more, even pare it back some, but we need to keep the weapons up-to-date.

4. This belongs to the states. Teen pregnancy is their business, but the heck that society at large is gonna pay for it. Personal responsibility means taking the bad with the good. Harsh, but there it is.

5. Based on sales of new products only. Income, payroll, Fica etc, gone. The states may do as they wish, but the Federal Government's only job under the Constitution is to treat with foreign powers, be that diplomacy or war.

6. The states should decide. It does not mention homosexuals in the Constitution, but I imagine it falls under the same spirit as the "right of free assembly." In fact, marriage is not mentioned in the Constitution, and as such it defaults to the states. I know this would mean some states allow it and some don't, but that's what freedom means, neh?

7. The FDA. It has become a ridiculous obstruction to the invention of new medicines, and has proven that it cannot even prevent the occasional tragedy when it approves a product. It should be reformed.

8. The war on Drugs. A noble goal, but it's not in the purview of government to protect citizens from themselves. If a drugged-up maniac crashes a car, then we can penalize the maniac, but why fuel a gang-war in Mexico by keeping a product forbidden. It didn't work during Prohibition, and it isn't doing so well now. The states can decide what to do after that.

Libertarian

2009-03-12 16:18:37 UTC

I think we all have an idea we could do this or that better. What we need to remember is the commander in chief has a big set of shoes to walk in.

I personally think the troops should be brought home asap, the money we spend on fighting other countries wars could be used to help our needy here in america fighting their own poverty and housing and health issue wars. My husband was in vietnam, and this Iraq thing is the same as it was then, death, dollars and destruction.

I would have children go to school 3 months at a time, off for 2 weeks, then 3 months again, off 2 weeks, on and on. I think that when kids are off school for 3 summer months they forget too much, get into too much trouble because parents can not afford decent daycare.

I also believe that schools should have students wear "uniform" clothing, such as blue jeans for the boys, blue oxford shirts, girls, skirts, or jumpers with some plain type of blouse. Plain type of shoes, such as loafers. Too many kids feel inadequate at school because they are made fun of because they can not keep up with the rich kids clothing. That would solve that problem real fast.

I also think that all teachers should be paid the same, regardless of where they teach in the united states. Incentive or bonus pay should come as a collective incentive per school. If you have students that reach certain GPA or low drop out rates, or high attendance records, then reward the school as a whole, pass it from the staff to the students. Give them an incentive to strive to do better as a group, not compete. I think if children maintain a certain grade level they should have an automatic college allowance set aside by the federal government. Help the parents and the students. If the student fails to maintain that commitment, then the funding stops.

I think housing taxes should be based on the square footage of a home. I think personal taxes should be based on how many children you have. As for extra things bought such as boats, PWC, vacation homes, there should be a tax table set up for this so you know exactly what you will pay year after year. There should be more education about sex in school and at home. People seem to want to skirt the issue, thus warranting in babies having babies.

I believe anyone that wants to co-habitat with another person should have the rights to the tax benefits, laws regarding "marrieds", the same as man-woman union. What goes on behind their doors are of no business to us, unless they break the laws.

I am neither democrate or republican, I am for the best person for the job. I know it takes a great team to manage our country.

It can not and will not be perfect, never has never will be. It is just a constant circle of peaks and valleys in life. We need to squash some of the media, they seem to like to incite fear in the public. We all wonder why cant it be like the good old days, well to some, these are the good old days, so we just need to buck up and look at the glass as if it is half full, not half empty!

Just my thoughts.....

Spock (rhp)

2009-03-12 16:08:23 UTC

1. in terms of the economy, investing is about 6 times as powerful as the government [20 percent of output versus 3 percent], so stimulus there is much more effective in fixing the present situation than more government spending. you stimulate investment by lowering taxes on businesses and investors, not by raising them, as the Democrats want to do.

2. healthcare -- the biggest part of the problem, imho, is that healthcare is being used as a dumping ground for the externalized costs of other segments of the economy. when those other segments begin to pay their own costs, the cost of health care to consumers will go down and consumer behavior, health wise, will improve.

The likely most offending segments are the tobacco and alcohol industries, closely followed by the obesity industry. Violence also plays a part in driving up health costs unnecessarily.

3. foreign policy -- i'm four square in favor of free trade [it helps the economy] and promoting freedom. how can you, morally speaking, be otherwise?

4. teen pregnancy -- welcome to adulthood, kid. get a job. since you knew or should have known about becoming pregnant, no freebie benefits from someone else. we will, however, hold your boyfriend fully and completely liable. he gets to work and pay, too.

5. taxes. taxing output is stupid -- it reduces output. tax consumption instead. if you must, tax excessive consumption [luxuries] more than regular consumption. taxes designed to stop industries from dumping their costs onto others, however, are ok and should be normal.

6. gay rights. i do not see that government has any business trying to regulate people's behavior when God has, undoubtedly, created them the way they are. on the other hand, I see no reason why government should subsidize any relationship, either. [we do not have a shortage of people.] no government drag, no government benefit. make own decisions like any adult.

7. military. anyone who is unwilling to fight for their freedom does not, in my opinion, deserve to either vote or hold public office. [the Roman republic knew a thing or two.] I won't force anyone to serve, but I sure won't respect those who refuse. Military service should be open to all sexes and genders. Some jobs should be reserved for military veterans only [police, for example].

Since the military's purpose is to protect society, any military person who provably commits rape or murder should be hung.

..

semisweetgirl

2009-03-12 16:12:49 UTC

Economy - I would have let it crash so we can find bottom. You can't build without a strong foundation.

Healthcare - give employers and health care providers incentives to allow expanded family members - like I could add my mom or grown children to my plan if they didn't have a job that offers benefits, albeit at the single rate. Elderly, incapacitated and active duty and veterans get govt funded benefits. Doctors would have to be reviewed but could offer flat rate care if they so choose and were in good standing with reviews - which currently our gov't will not allow.

Foreign Policy - Take a common sense pledge - Be kind, help where we can (AFTER taking care of our own people) with food, medicines, education... Support and strengthen our military. The best defense is a good offense.

Teen pregnancy - Initiate a national self awareness program that begins in kindergarten with being a good citizen, caring for yourself enough to take care of yourself - up to and including forthright discussions about relationships with other human beings and calling people out on being sh!tty to one another, addressing bullying and the causes in jr high leading into high school - sex why it is so great and how to handle it responsibly.

Education - reward excellence, penalize and remove failure. All kids want to succeed. Help them, raise expectation and reward teachers who help them get there. Not just on standardized testing real critical thinking exams.

Taxes - like tithes flat rate. Give to your community as charity get credit for community service.

Gay rights - all legal couple recognized as civil union, joined legally requiring divorce - all couples receive same IDENTICAL benefits under the law. Allow churches to retain use of the word "marriage" as so many people feel the need to do Gods work for Him - I think he created black, white, Asian, Hispanic...gay, straight... and loves us all but that has no impact on the law - the law would see legal couples as just that.

Open information - CSPAN would have a website that includes translated (into to human people language) line items of every vote with congressional accountability. That's right a sortable table of your representatives votes - no more saying one thing and doing another.

And throw in a bit of old school hard a$$ - treason will once again be punishable by death!

Currently conservative independent but open to conversion for the right common sense party to be invented :)

2009-03-12 16:00:58 UTC

1. eliminate the federal reserve, end the income tax, end all federal regulatory agencies

2. get the federal government completely out of healthcare period as is called for in the constitution

3. follow george washingtons advice and not get entangled in alliances, trade with all nations but dont get involved with them militarily.

4. nothing, the federal government has no authority to deal with peoples sex lives

5. end the income tax and cut 90% of the federal government

6. states rights issue

Libertarian

to Dan-o above me, how can you support ron paul and call for forced universal health care and want to tax marijuana? any money the government gets is wasted and used in ways to take freedom away from americans and expand government power.

youre saying that it will be taxed because that is just the way it is, as if it cannot be any other way. but marijuana is currently illegal, and that is the way it is. so why bother even trying to get it to be legal with that logic? i will do the right thing and try to legalize all drugs, and to have none of them taxed, as the government shouldnt legislate morality, and definitely doesnt need more money. i just find it odd that you would support someone who had almost 100% opposite views than you on some big issues like that. the reason people can afford healthcare is because of government intervention in that industry, not the lack of it. in the 50s doctors made house calls and one person could afford to pay for a whole family to be seen easily. then the government got involved and has gotten more expensive, less responsive to customers and more expensive. more government will just get us more of the same.

Dan-o

2009-03-12 16:00:00 UTC

1. Stop war spending, bring the troops home. It's not working like it did in World War 2. Encourage U.S. made products for American consumers. Cut down on foreign imports. Legalize Marijuana. (The tax revenue from this industry would be staggering). Last but not least, give coinage back to congress. There is nothing federal about the federal reserve. It's a banking industry that is putting our country into debt and playing puppet master with our leaders.

2. Get rid of insurance, and make tax funded health care for every citizen. (much like canada). Health care should be free for all, and this is the best way to do it.

3. Get out of Iraq. Get out of Afghanistan. Work on homeland security. Get rid of natural born citizenship to remove the incentive for illegals to come into the country and have a baby just for a free visa.

4. More education is the key. Tell them the dangers of having a child at such a young age. Abortion clinics should still be in commission. It's a necessary evil we need to stop the orphan homeless population. More mouths to feed is not the answer.

5. Remove gratuitous unneeded taxes. Only have taxes that fund health care, disease and scientific research, technology, poverty, BUDGETED military, and space exploration.

6. Let them have everything entitled to them that a straight couple would have.

pjkondorpoduszlo

2009-03-12 17:16:02 UTC

Create jobs but not have wasteful spending; build charitable programs for people who cannot afford health insurance but not force anyone to accept it, have meeting with leaders of all nations, let Prime Minister Al Maliki call the shots of what our military does in Iraq and likewise with Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan, but do anything to maintain national security (at the risk of privacy) and to get bin Laden's followers, teen pregnancy should be handled at the family level with no government interference, I would keep taxes the same rate as Bush had them but renew the tax cuts set to expire in 2011, and would favor all gay rights including marriage. I'd also do my damnedest do get Roe v Wade and Engel v Vitale overturned. I'd do all I could to make it harder to get abortions and cut off funding for it; and would also cut off (as well as I could) funding for stem cell research.

For the record I'm a registered Republican.

Edit: Me M: "Then I would let the incoming president deal with the problems I created through my complete inaction."

What "inaction" would that be?

PinkPanda

2009-03-12 15:57:17 UTC

For the UK:

1. No Idea. But I have no critique for the government over economy - its the medias fault.

2. Implement ID cards. Save the 47 billion lost on benfit fraud every year and pump it into the NHS that gets 90 billion a year....ID costs 12 billion BTW so, take that away and you get left with lots more.

3. Re-assemble the commonwealth and set up areas in largely deserted countries for asylum seekers and have a door in door out policy for those seeking work - if someone leaves you can come in.

4. Nothing. There isnt anything to do....apart from make abortions easier.

5. Lower inheritance, increase alcohol, junk food, tabacco etc tax. Otherwise - v. good.

6. The same rights to gays as straights, DUH

Fatefinger

2009-03-12 15:52:47 UTC

Leave it alone and let it fix itself. All this government intervention is making it worse.

Fix it but I'm not giving healthcare to people who can't pay it and to all the illegal immigrants like obama wants to.

First I would not talk with out enemies, we kill our enemies. I would also have America pull out of the UN and stop funding to it totally. I also would not remove the freedoms of the people to appease some UN scumbag. Close down the Mexico border. And put in a minefield like in Korea.

I don't know, I don't get involved in that and besides unless your mexican here illegally teen pregnancy has been going down.

Not raise taxes for the rich. No matter how you look at it it's only a matter of time until taxes go up for all. Not raise taxes ever and throw all obama's tax cheats in his cabinet in jail.

I don't care about what people's sexual preferences are.

2009-03-12 15:51:57 UTC

1. I would let it right itself. For a more detailed look, see #5.

2. I would keep it privatized, but make a form of universal health care that people can fall back on in the case of being laid off.

3. Not start random wars until we've paid off the unneeded ones, but I would keep our military strong and make sure that everyone knew it was there. I would pull out of all other countries and stop trying to police the world until our country got back on track. And crack down on illegal immigration - that's a big one.

4. Teach more than abstinence. I would make sure health classes covered other ways of dealing with it, such as taking the pill, et cetera.

5. By paying off the wars and not starting new ones, taxes could be reduced for everyone. Any businesses sending jobs overseas would see a very large increase in their taxes. That way, even those who continue to send jobs overseas are still helping this country in SOME way. (These taxes would be sent straight into that mini-universal health care system mentioned above.)

It's main purpose would be to ensure that as many Americans have as many non-government-dependent jobs as possible. With employment comes the ability to pay for the increased prices we'd see. (And thus, the economy would begin to right itself.)

6. Gays would have full rights to get married, adopt children, and so on. If gays want equality, then they will be equal; straights don't get benefits for being straight, so neither will gays.

And the welfare system would be redone so that it wouldn't be easily manipulated. If someone doesn't find a job in x number of weeks, then they would be employed by the government to do SOMETHING.

Education reform would also be a major thing for me. Unlike Obama, who wants to increase the quantity of education, I would focus on the quality, and increase the salary of public school teachers and encourage more people to become teachers, in the hopes that the number of teachers who teach with an answer key in hand and don't care if their students learn anything or not would be drastically decreased. With better education comes a better nation.

2009-03-12 15:58:35 UTC

1: Nationalize The U.S. Federal Reserve

2: Publicly funded Health Care(MUCH CHEAPER)

3: Do Whats Right No matter what.

4: Public opinion

5: Leave the same, Make do

6: I don't Care, but I do believe in the traditional form of Marriage (Man&woman)

7: Besides Health Care Shrink Goverment.

8: Instead of giving trillions of dollars to the rich, give it to the poor in the form of One time tax breaks(trickle up affect) works much better.

Again except, Heath Care, Police, Ambulance, Army , Socialism is a form of control(big brother).

2009-03-12 15:46:21 UTC

Dismantle the Private Federal Reserve Bank. Get rid of the CIA.

2009-03-12 15:48:42 UTC

1.economy....I would reduce spending to just the bare minimum and keep the tax cuts

2. health care I would fix the legal and insurance issues where the problems all stem from

3. foreign policy.... I would not negotiate with terrorist period. I would also go over the list of those receiving foreign aid and readjust it.

4. teen pregnancy .....I would remove all government subsistence and make them take responsibility for the kids.

5. lower them and promote business

6 gay rights......I would do nothing.....this is not an issue i find important.

Robin L

2009-03-12 15:51:15 UTC

"Most of us aren't that good at our own jobs" Speak for yourself, I will have to say I am quite good at mine. As for what I would do as president, Not sure, That's why I vote for the one I feel will best do the job and our new guy isn't hacking it very well. If we continue on the road he is taking us we will be a broke socialist nation before we know it.

holmesrhhs

2009-03-12 15:52:14 UTC

If i was president-

I will support small businesses and make new jobs by TAXING the uper class a little bit more and the middle class too. I would also stop exporting more than we importing too. Just a little of what i have

Healthcare will be tough but i would not make it completely free. I would have to make other optional insurance for them to get with the gov't helping them out.

Foreign policy is something i would be good at. I would keep my eye on the middle east and Korea. But i have to worry about the stuff at home. I will build up on our relationships with the countries we hurt

Teen Pregnancy is on the high, so i would ask disney or even superstars to help out with this situation and start a new motto or phrase....Examle like DARE

Gay Rights is something i dont FULLY agree with. You can be with whatever if you want but marriage is too far.

Being president is about leadership

Kwanzaa Baby

2009-03-12 15:49:40 UTC

1: economy - lower corporate taxes by 50%

2: healthcare - send all the illegals home

3: foreign policy - mess with us, we'll mess with you

4: teen pregnancy - introduce teenage boys to fathers with 12 gauge shotguns

5: taxes - Fair tax or flat tax

6: Gay rights (marriage, benefits, etc) - They are Americans they have rights, they are no better or worse than anyone else.

2009-03-12 15:47:44 UTC

I would keep my word and not say things just to get elected. All of our Presidents really wanted to have this job and with it comes much controversary.

2009-03-12 15:47:35 UTC

I would stop Democrat Politicians from turning the USA into a Communist Nation.

I would encourage Democrat Voters to Get Off Welfare, and Get Jobs.

toystopnotch

2009-03-12 15:57:10 UTC

give me back my constitutional rights,economy-it will heal itself/healthcare-when the economy heals more jobs with benefits/foreign policy-be strong but smart,don't be a bully/teen pregnancy-parental guidance and family values need to be addressed/taxes-survey to see which taxes are legal under the constitution and ditch the rest/gay rights-boy i don't know what to do on that one,flip a coin heads ok tails no go

2009-03-12 15:50:44 UTC

1. cut income taxes, ...create jobs using revenue raised through national sales tax, along with higher fines on criminals and traffic violations

2. raise sales taxes on cigarettes and use that money to fund health care to more Americans.

3. withdrawl from Iraq, increase troops in Afghanistan

4. outlaw abortion, invest in education.

5. cut federal income taxes

6. validate marriage equality accross the nation. To those of you who disagree: You do realize that civil unions demonstrate "separate but equal" which is constitutionally incorrect?

7. Put term limits on U.S. Congressmen.

8. Donate 100% of my own salary to those in need.

2009-03-12 15:46:50 UTC

Day 1 - arbitrarily fire every other govt. worker.

Day 2 - close the Post Office and ask UPS and FedEx to bid for the work.

Day 3 - Nuke Iran.

AgentK

2009-03-12 15:46:36 UTC

Not Monica Lewinsky. Democrat.

johncoolgun

2009-03-12 15:53:15 UTC

1. cut mor rates by 2%

cut capital gain taxes by 10%

cut income by 5%

first time home buyer tax credit (15000)

new car tax credit 5000

2. keep it same

3. foreign trade i would the mirror

4.i have nothing to say about this

5 cover it already

6.civial union but no gay marriage

NONAME

2009-03-12 15:50:18 UTC

1: economy ;cut taxes

2: health care; buy your own

3: foreign policy; kill the enemy

4: teen pregnancy; make beating children legal again

5: taxes; cut 'em. Tax the poor, they use all the resources.

6: Gay rights ; line 'em up and shoot 'em.

the declared

2009-03-12 15:51:11 UTC

If I were Prez. I would devote to 2 main issues....Universal Healthcare! come on man...how can the world superpower not provide healthcare to its citizens.....and second space colonization.

2009-03-12 15:50:04 UTC

I would do it just like Bush... Just 'hang out' in the white house and then go on vacations to my tax-payer-supported retreat to wine and dine with some dignitaries... Then I would let the incoming president deal with the problems I created through my complete inaction.

"Fix it but I'm not giving healthcare to people who can't pay it and to all the illegal immigrants like obama wants to."

^ That's not at all what Obama wants to do. Where did you come up with that one?

sexy princess lisa

2009-03-12 16:17:13 UTC

economy

2009-03-12 15:48:19 UTC

start a war.

I ♥ Field Hockey!

2009-03-12 15:47:46 UTC

sneeze all day long

2009-03-12 15:48:40 UTC

go green.

2009-03-12 15:47:58 UTC

nothing.................