If I were President…

There is no job in all of the United States as closely scrutinized as that of President of the United States. Even the celebrity scandals with which much of the country seems to be so completely obsessed at times, can not compete with the scrutiny on this one job. Leadership is the glue that binds us together. Whether or not we realize its value, the effects of its absence are unmistakable. Leadership is more than a title, and there are many who have held the title but failed to lead. Since I, like many others, will be closely scrutinizing the actions of the next President, it is only fair that I answer the question.

What would I do if I were President?

Domestic Policy

The establishment of an aggressive national energy policy.

1. An aggressive national energy policy would be the keystone to my administration. Americans believe in and want clean renewable sources of energy that can be produced here in the United States, but the government needs to create an environment that is friendly to innovation and provides incentives to buyers and producers to make this happen. Up to $700 billion dollars a year would be brought back in the U.S. economy (potentially more with the sale of clean energy technology overseas), jobs would be created, the environment would be cleaner, and we would eliminate the threats to national security that are inherent to depending on foreign nations for a vital resource. Perhaps, most importantly of all, however, is that this is really something we could use to energize the country to work towards a common goal. For more information about the need for a vital new energy policy consider Will’s post Oil Dependence and the Energy Crisis.

2. Formation of a service for education program.
   America has earned its economic standing in the world through innovation: electricity, the automobile, the computer, and the Internet to name a few. We also have a need for educated individuals to serve the community as doctors, nurses, and teachers to name a few. Throughout the years, many young men and women have turned to the military as a way to build a future for themselves. Service to country has prepared many of our youth to become responsible citizens and instilled in them a love of country that is necessary in a healthy society. Education, when offered openly to all who will take advantage of the opportunity, has the potential to be the keystone to balanced equality in our nation. Expanding the definition of service beyond the military and creating structured opportunities for community service in exchange for education would be a priority in my administration. For other great ideas about expanding education, see Will’s “Free Education for All.”
   

3. The establishment of a state/locally run national health care program.
   In a country like the United States, it is inexcusable that working men and women are unable to obtain quality medical care for themselves or their families. If a man or woman works to be a productive member of society, surely they have earned the right to real medical care. We are not talking about taking from the rich and giving to the poor; we are talking about giving people what they have justly earned. Such programs have met with tremendous opposition because we have lost faith in the government to spend our money wisely. I am very sympathetic to this argument.  In order to ensure that people have the kind of medical service they deserve without another bloated federal program, I would work to ensure that the program was implemented at the state or local level. The federal government would require a program meeting basic standards and would provide oversight, training, and support. There would obviously be expenses associated with such a program, and extensive research would be conducted to ensure that they would be minimal and fairly divided. It would replace the Medicare program, and the expenses which currently go to that program would help defray the cost. Participants in the service for education program listed in item 2 would also play a key role to keep expenses down.

Foreign Policy

1. Push for massive reform in the United Nations.
   The U.S. can no longer afford to be the world’s police force. Our adoption of this role has placed an unfair economic burden on U.S. citizens and has done unnecessary harm to our relationship with the global community. Although we can not, and should not govern ourselves by foreign opinion, we should try and maintain fair and amicable relations wherever we are able. We need a global body that attempts to resolve disputes between countries, and that when required, can act to enforce the peace between them. These actions need to be a community decision and need to respect the sovereign status of each of its members. I do not believe that the U.N. is currently up to the task, but I believe the answer is to push for reform that puts reasonable bounds on their authority and seeks to remove corruption from that body. A well run United Nations will free us to focus on making a better life at home, while discouraging the types of aggression that led to World War I and World War II.

2. Heavy reduction in non-humanitarian foreign aid.
   According to the National Debt Clock, the current debt of the United States government is $10, 542,780,984,853.05 or approximately $34,563 per person. I have intentionally left every digit in the sum to convey just how enormous that debt is. Foreign Aid spending adds approximately $15 Billion a year to that sum, with the Cato Institute estimating that number at closer to $50 Billion and heavily opposed by the American people. The United States should be a good neighbor, particularly where disaster relief is concerned, but it is irresponsible to spend such a large sum of money on foreign aid while we are so deeply indebted. This is especially true in those situations where the aid is being used to buy influence. I would not eliminate foreign aid, but I would cut it deeply.

3. Heavy reduction in U.S. military presence abroad.
   The purpose of the military is to defend our way of life. It protects our freedoms, and in a larger sense, our prosperity. Its ability to perform these actions is vital to our well being. Economic vitality is also of fundamental importance to our well being and we must be careful to balance these two competing priorities. $644 billion was requested for military spending in 2008, more than the next 10 highest spending countries combined based on a Reuters release and can be seen clearly on this Wikipedia chart based on the 2006 budget. The military plays an important role in protecting our economy, but we must avoid the danger of the military becoming the economy. Economic instability poses a serious threat to our national security. Heavy reduction in U.S. military presence abroad would be a good start at bringing these numbers under control.

Government Reform

1. Tax Reform
   Taxes should be simple, and loop holes found in fine print should not exempt people from paying their fair share. One solution which has been proposed to this dilemma is the implantation of a flat tax. A true flat tax seems like a good idea on the service but lacks fundamental fairness. Taxation should never cut in to the ability of a person to provide for their most basic needs, and those who are fortunate enough to reap the greatest benefits from our economic system should have a greater share of the responsibility. In accordance with this I would seek the implementation of a three tiered flat tax. I would also seek to identify non productive behaviors that distribute wealth upward, not by productivity, but through control of markets and money flow. The non productive upward distribution of wealth takes hard earned money out of the pockets of working Americans and needs to be stopped. Special taxes, not applicable to most Americans, would be applied to those behaviors in order to discourage them and repair the damage they cause. Every American deserves a chance at the American Dream, and our taxation system should help, not hinder, their efforts. Check out Will’s Voting for the American Dream and Business Model for Corporate Social Responsibility. I would also commission comprehensive studies to look for innovative ways of taking income tax out of the hands of the federal government while still allowing it to function effectively and meet its obligations. I do not know if a workable strategy could be found to do this, but it is worthy of exploration.

2. Massive reform to the U.S. banking system. The current Federal Reserve System gives private banks far too much influence over U.S. monetary policy. Thomas Jefferson so feared the role of banks in the U.S. economy that he uttered the following words:

   “The [privately-owned] Central Bank is an institution of the most deadly hostility existing against the principles and form of our Constitution…if the American people allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” Current events are bearing out his words.

   There are those that would like to return to the gold standard, but I do not believe this is an accurate reflection of our productivity. Our money supply needs to be tightly affixed to a set standard that allows it to maintain equilibrium in the world currency market, thus protecting the buying power of private citizens. I suspect that government and private banks are guilty of abuses in this area. Our currency needs to be released in a manner that provides strict safeguards to keep private banks, corporations, and the government itself from skimming off the top. I would assemble a team of visionary economists to advise me on how best to go about this reform. Also check out Will’s ideas on the Financial Bailout and Slaves to Debt.

3. New ethics rules to eliminate special interest money from the political process. Money and politics do not mix. A system that requires candidates for Federal office to raise millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars from private contributions, compromises them from the very start. A system would be set up whereby candidates are blind to the identity of their financial contributors, and strict penalties would be imposed if a candidate took money directly from a contributor. Tight limits would also be imposed to the total amount of money a candidate would be allowed to receive as an added precaution. In light of the strict financial cap, Presidential candidates who are able to demonstrate broad based support for their candidacy, based on pre-determined criteria, would be given a forum upon which to make their case to the American people. The parameters on this process would be constructed so as to insure that leading candidates from independent parties are included in the process and are able to run on a level playing field against Republican and Democratic candidates.

4. Establishment of new vehicles to remove ineffective politicians.
   The voice of the people must be first and foremost on the minds of our elected officials. We honor them with the offices which they hold to represent our needs and our dreams, and they must be held accountable. We deserve not only good leadership, but great leadership, and I would work to make sure that happened, but giving people the ability to get rid of ineffective leaders. For further information on this subject check out my earlier post, Removing Ineffective Politicians from Office.

5. Reform the Electoral College to give citizens a greater voice.
   I do not believe that the Electoral College works as intended. The number of electoral votes that is carried by powerhouse states such as California, Texas, New York, and Florida dwarfs that of most other states in a winner takes all contest, with no consideration of those who cast the losing vote (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:US_Electoral_College_Map.PNG) . The electoral system was initially implemented to keep the voice of smaller states from being overwhelmed by their more populace neighbors. The voices of the smaller states have dimmed as our population as migrated toward coastal states and large population centers. I believe that we might be better served by constitutional reform that breaks those votes down into their respective congressional districts. Smaller states and individual voters, would have a greater voice in government as a result of this action, and events such as the 2000 Florida recounts would have had significantly less effect. In light of the fact that this would be a Constitutional reform, it would have to be considered with great care, and with great attention to the voice of the people and the states.

6. Establishment of a decentralization program.
   The federal government has an important role to play in the well being of its citizens, but it was never intended to wield massive power over the states. Centralized power in heavy concentrations is an ideal environment for waste, inefficiency, and corruption. The federal government should lead, but it has no business managing the states. I would carefully examine each federal program, cut wasteful programs and spending, and return the implementation and management of several of them over to the states, provide training, and ensure that they had the resources and skills to do so. In a decentralized environment, some states would develop innovative ways of dealing with problems that centralized control does not allow. Effective strategies could be observed and taught to other states and the government as a whole would benefit.

   My administration would be one of innovation, guided by the people, visionaries, and philosopher kings. It would seek to make sure that the voice of the people was heard above all others. Each committee and cabinet would have a citizen’s advocate who could be depended on to be strong and impartial, who would interface with real people and represent their voice in each meeting. It would not be afraid to take bold new steps, but would do so with due caution. It would lead through inspiration and post these words prominently throughout the walls of the White House, so as never to forget its responsibilities:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” – The Declaration of Dependence

What is the Greatest thing you could do, if you were President?

**Special thanks to the Dan Carlin’s common sense podcast Episode #136 Confronting The Hydra for his insights on Medicare and military spending.