President for a day

sun rise · Jul 14, 2018

(1) Immigration - Anyone who has a job can become a citizen if they pass regular tests. Anyone who has a legitimate job offer can enter to work if it is in an industry with a shortage of people. Families can enter. Deport those who have committed major crimes or repeated minor ones.

(2) Taxes - get rid of the tax cuts for the rich and give quite a bit of money to reducing the debt and the poor.

(3) Jobs - job training for those dispossessed.

(4) Fair trade - Focus on China's unfair trade practices and get rid of the levies on the other nations.

(5) Abortion ( I almost didn't put that one) - Get rid of stupid restricted laws and offer pregnant women real help including financial without forcing them and with giving them free choice.

(6) Medical care - Institute the Swiss system, force providers to post prices like every other business and get rid of every inhibition to charging roughly the same prices as Japanese have to pay for similar tests and procedures.

(7) Education - Load forgiveness for those who complete college and find a job in the profession they trained for within 5 years.

Jayhawker Soule · Jul 14, 2018

David1967 said:
There are lots of heated debates about the job our President is doing. Nothing new.

Normalizing the current presidency does little other than perpetuate a dangerous lie.

CruzNichaphor · Jul 14, 2018

Altfish said:
1) Immigration: A system based on points
(2) Taxes: Wealthy pay proportionately more
(3) Jobs::Create jobs by infrastructure investment
(4) Fair trade:: Tariff free
(5) Abortion ( I almost didn't put that one): Women choose
(6) Medical care: Free to all
(7) Education: Free to all - no religious schools

Nice.

Rational Agnostic · Jul 14, 2018

David1967 said:
There are lots of heated debates about the job our President is doing. Nothing new. Eventually there will be another and the debate will continue in a different flavor. So that being said, if you could be President for a day and implement any new legislation as an executive order, what would you do concerning such things as;
(1) Immigration
(2) Taxes
(3) Jobs
(4) Fair trade
(5) Abortion ( I almost didn't put that one)
(6) Medical care
(7) Education
And any other relevant thing you may think of. Not what you wouldn't do ,but what would you do?

Sign an executive order to legalize marijuana nationwide, and to erase the criminal record of all individuals arrested for possession of it. How can we call ourselves a free country if we lock people up in a prison cell and label them felons for life because they smoked a funny plant that makes you relaxed, goofy, and hungry?

ADigitalArtist · Jul 14, 2018

Surrender all US territories to Canada.

Quetzal · Jul 15, 2018

David1967 said:
However we must do better than the ACA. The ACA was disastrous for middle income families who did not have employer provided Health care. We should look to places like Canada , South Korea and others who make this work in a reasonable way.

100% in agreement. Which is why I argued for a re-structuring of the ACA or, at least, leaving it place while an alternative like the examples you mentioned was created. Unfortunately, my wish didn't come true. But, hey, that is politics.

sayak83 · Jul 15, 2018

David1967 said:
There are lots of heated debates about the job our President is doing. Nothing new. Eventually there will be another and the debate will continue in a different flavor. So that being said, if you could be President for a day and implement any new legislation as an executive order, what would you do concerning such things as;
(1) Immigration
(2) Taxes
(3) Jobs
(4) Fair trade
(5) Abortion ( I almost didn't put that one)
(6) Medical care
(7) Education
And any other relevant thing you may think of. Not what you wouldn't do ,but what would you do?

Assuming its US presidency.
1) Set a cap on % of immigrants a company can hire.People interested in immigration can apply online through centralized immigration employment website, and if found suitable, they get hired and can come in. Basically how international students come generalized through industry sectors.
Abolish immigration based on family ties other than spouse and children.
For people entering without documents at the borders, create reasonably humane internment townships where they can stay till their case for sanctuary is processed.

2) I will defer to economists on this. Will try to reduce millitary spending and create public-private partnerships to reduce government overhead. Move out of middle east entirely in terms of the millitary.

3) Jobs can't be created on fiat. In future most jobs will go to hi-tech, entrepreneurship, and service. So creating better environment for these sectors should help.

4) Trade. Again case by case. Tariffs don't help much. But if currency manipulation etc. are happening, then putting trade restrictions can be considered.

5) Stays as it is.

6) Create a 2-year course that trains primary healthcare workers who will be the first point of contact for all routine healthcare needs of medicare and Medicaid insured people. Doctors will be referred to only in complex cases. Mandate the production of generic medicines cheaply that makes it cheaper for people suffering from common ailments. Incorporate eye and teeth into cheap insurance schemes.

7) Abolish zone restrictions for public schools. Mandate all public and private schools to take in at least 15% underprivileged kids or else pay very high taxes.
For college, fund online and distance learning institutes heavily to reduce college education costs. Mandate doubling of the number and amount of scholarships given by universities to underprivileged groups or loose government defence and medical research grants that fund much of their research.

8)Also ratify climate agreement and set aggressive sustainability targets.

9) Mandate that ordinary police would only have non-lethal instruments. But every district will have multiple strategically located rapid response specially trained and well armed units that can get to a violent crime scene within 5 minutes of being called.

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

Quetzal said:
Religious institutions would be taxed as a traditional american business.

Partially agree. Many small town churches with say 12 or 13 members barely afford the electric bill. (I know. I have church customers that fit into this category). Putting extra taxes on them would shut them down. So I am against that. On the other hand the big mega churches that bring in millions with the millionaire pastors should not be able to claim tax exemption simply because they are behind the "church" banner. It irks me when the TV preachers, these 'Profits' are selling their products tax exempt by calling their fee a "donation". Screw those guys. Just saying that not every case is the same. Good point to start a discussion though.

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

sun rise said:
(1) Immigration - Anyone who has a job can become a citizen if they pass regular tests. Anyone who has a legitimate job offer can enter to work if it is in an industry with a shortage of people. Families can enter. Deport those who have committed major crimes or repeated minor ones.

That sounds sensible.

sun rise said:
(3) Jobs - job training for those dispossessed.

Yes. This will be especially necessary as we move toward cleaner energy.

sun rise said:
(4) Fair trade - Focus on China's unfair trade practices and get rid of the levies on the other nations.

Yes .This is a good place to start.

sun rise said:
(6) Medical care - Institute the Swiss system, force providers to post prices like every other business and get rid of every inhibition to charging roughly the same prices as Japanese have to pay for similar tests and procedures.

Interesting. I'm not familiar with the Swiss system. Is it similar to Canada? If so, then I'm all for it.

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

sayak83 said:
9) Mandate that ordinary police would only have non-lethal instruments. But every district will have multiple strategically located rapid response specially trained and well armed units that can get to a violent crime scene within 5 minutes of being called.

I respect your opinion on this. But I don't think this could work in the U.S. The "ordinary police" are the first on the scene. If the perpetrator is armed and with murderous intent, then the officer needs to have the option of deadly force to be able to protect the public and his or her self. I certainly would hate to show up with a tazer and the bad guy have gun. In such a situation, 5 minutes is an eternity.

metis · Jul 16, 2018

David1967 said:
(1) Immigration [create a more thorough work-visa program that would include refugees, plus have heavy fines with jail time for employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens]
(2) Taxes [go back to 1950's standards, eliminate the vast majority of deductions, and consider using Friendman's idea of a "negative income tax"]
(3) Jobs [obviously do our best to create more and to help to educate those out of work to prepare for new jobs]
(4) Fair trade [penalize countries that don't and abide by the agreements ourselves]
(5) Abortion ( I almost didn't put that one) [I'm pro-life but don't feel I have the right to tell a woman what she must do with her body and what's in it; I would encourage more adoptions and provide more help for families to help take care of their children like funding day-care centers]
(6) Medical care [expand Medicare to cover all]
(7) Education [same as above for students who maintain good grades]

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

Thanks for your input @metis . I agree with pretty much everything you suggest, except for #2. I'm just not familiar enough with the tax system of the 1950s or the "negative income tax" concept to give an opinion. But you've given me food for thought. I'm going to look it up.

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

One thing that I didn't include in the OP, and so far (unless I'm overlooking it) no one has mentioned is 'cutting spending' in some areas. I think that should be an important aspect as well. Fiscal responsibility. We need to stop treating the middle class like a bottomless wallet.

sayak83 · Jul 16, 2018

David1967 said:
One thing that I didn't include in the OP, and so far (unless I'm overlooking it) no one has mentioned is 'cutting spending' in some areas. I think that should be an important aspect as well. Fiscal responsibility. We need to stop treating the middle class like a bottomless wallet.

I did. See 2).

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

sayak83 said:
I did. See 2).

Yes you did. My apologies. Some good ideas in that one. . I Like the idea of public / private partnerships. That could be promising. I would love to see NASA partner with Space X. Think how quickly we could get to Mars.As far as getting out of the middle east? I'm for that, unfortunately as long as we have an oil based economy, I just don't see it happening. We move to a different hopefully more environmentally friendly energy, and I think it will happen. Thanks for your thoughtful input.

Revoltingest · Jul 16, 2018

President for a day, eh?
- End all foreign aid.
- Apologize to Iran for the 1953 coup & the war by proxy (Iraq).
Begin negotiating cessation of hostilities.
- Pull military out of Middle East.
- Revamp tax code: no personal deductions, guaranteed income, low flat tax rate
- Erect statues: Mary Jo Kopechne, Stanislav Petrov, Suzanne Massey
- Every Wednesday is Hawaiian shirt day.
- Retool military for defense instead of playing policeman to the world.
- End tariffs.
- Harden critical infrastructure to withstand disasters & war.
- Put a whoopee cushion on Pence's chair.
- Do some gardening at the White House.

David1967 · Jul 16, 2018

I'm going to add one more. Cant believe I left this out in the first place.
Race relations. If you were president for a day. What measures would you take to improve race relations? To help insure equal rights regardless of race.

sun rise · Jul 17, 2018

David1967 said:
Interesting. I'm not familiar with the Swiss system. Is it similar to Canada? If so, then I'm all for it.

It's a hybrid public/private system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Switzerland

Kangaroo Feathers · Jul 17, 2018

Immediately declare war on New Zealand.

That's it. Everything else will fall into place after that.

sayak83 · Jul 17, 2018

David1967 said:
I respect your opinion on this. But I don't think this could work in the U.S. The "ordinary police" are the first on the scene. If the perpetrator is armed and with murderous intent, then the officer needs to have the option of deadly force to be able to protect the public and his or her self. I certainly would hate to show up with a tazer and the bad guy have gun. In such a situation, 5 minutes is an eternity.

Are ordinary police in Europe all armed with guns?

President for a day

The world is on fire

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The world is on fire

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...

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