We all seem to have our own opinions on the bailout and who should be the next president. If you were president how would you handle the economic crisis?? What would you do about our foreign policy and the war? What changes would you make in America? What laws would you try to change? What freedoms would you take away, or give back? What would you do?
Quite honestly I've not taken time to read all this mess. I've kept meaning to get back to this but just never seem to have time to write a response so have been putting off reading all the others. Now it's gotten so long that if I read them I'll again not have time to respond. But instead I'm gonna take time now to respond.
First I think most folks give the President way too much credit for what he can do or has done. What you must remember is it's NOT the President who makes law it is merely his job to enforce the law of the land. The President proposes and the Congress Disposes that is ya know how it really works.
So what would I do? As President there likely would be damned little I really could do so let me say what I'd do if I were appointed dictator with full and complete power to remake this country into what it once was. As President I'd do as many of them as I could but as President really most would not be within the power of the office.
I'd probably begin by rescinding ALL of the previous presidential decrees that kinda sort act as law without having been enacted by Congress. Next up I'd rescind all the Patriot Act laws passed since 9-11. Next I'd rescind all the illegally passed Constitutional Amendments passed after the end of the Civil War that were never ever legally passed to begin with. I'd put the US Constitution back where those wise founders of this nation knew it should be.
I'd close the borders like a closed and locked door. I'd stop ALL immigration for at least two years. I'd establish a group call it what one wants to call it to round up and remove ALL illegals in this country and any kids they had while here illegally. I'd chip them or ta too them or whatever it took to be able to know then if seen again. That chip would be one to let us know via computers where that person was at any given time anywhere in the world. I realize such might could be removed so there would be some indelible and non removable mark on them to identify them should they ever return. I'd make it a capital offense to enter this country illegally and on second entry would summarily execute them with no delay and no extra expense to the tax payers.
I'd end the war we're currently engaged in and return our troops to the US. I'd let all the world know that the US WILL NOT BE TROD UPON and that if you mess with us you face the most severe of consequences. If they didn't heed the warning I'd wipe them from the face of the earth and not spend one extra cent of taxpayer dollars doing it or rebuilding them after the fact. If I felt it necessary to wage war I'd wage it all out to conclusion at the earliest date and political correctness be damned.
I'd get tough with criminals of all varieties to include those using and selling illegal drugs. I'd put in place extremely severe penalties for any and all capitol crimes and likely would add new ones to the current list. Summary execution for all capital crimes PERIOD. Third strike criminals would be put to death.
I'd cap interest rates and end usury. I'd force lenders to be sure that folks had the ability to pay their debts before lending them money. I'd en prison anyone who rapes and robs the general public with exorbitant profits during times of crisis with prices not related to costs.
I'd end the current illegal personal income tax as there is no basis in law for it anyway. I'd leave corporate income tax in place. I'd enact a sales tax on luxury items not on the necessities of life. I'd enact import taxes to raise the rest of the revenue needed to run the government. I'd cut government spending to perhaps 25% of current levels in most areas.
I'd maintain a strong well equipped military capable of trouncing any and all potential enemies. I'd maintain our commitments to folks via Social Security Retirement as it was a contract with them and they kept their end of it. Money from the SS fund would no longer be available for General Fund use. I'd end hand outs and welfare. Those able to work would work if they wanted to eat and have a roof over their head. Those truly not able to work would be cared for as necessary.
I'd remove all those in power in government at all levels and never ever again allow any of them to be in public office again. I'd establish term limits for all office holders and remove all retirement packages associated with political offices. Slowly after all these reforms were in place I'd reestablish elections beginning at the local level. In the interim I'd have appointed folks able to run the essential offices and services required. Once citizens had again elected folks at the local and state levels and gotten things back on track there I'd again open up national elections. Congressmen and Senators as well as the President would be given one term each no more. I'd perhaps allow one to be a Congressmen then a Senator then run for President but one term each place and a lull between so no one could just stay in power continuously. The terms would be four years max. This would apply at all levels right down to mayors and governors and state house and senate offices. Pay would be capped at a living wage level and any future increases would be the same as the cost of living rose and any and all government employees would get the same pay raise percentage wise and the same health coverage.
Once I was confident that I'd restored the US to its former glory and was sure the US Constitution was again the law of the land I'd step aside and go back home never to be heard from again as I'd figure I'd have paid my debt to the country and would go back into retirement to enjoy whatever time I had left knowing I could do so in a free country governed in the way our founding fathers envisioned in all the wisdom endowed on them by the trials and tribulations they had just gone thru.
No sitting President can do those things. In fact damned few of them are within the power of any President to do. Big money would not like me on that you can bet the farm.
Folks it's really Congress and the Courts not the President that is responsible for most of what good or bad happens in this country. Sure the President can refuse to enforce bad law and he can stop making law thru Presidential decree. He can propose all sorts of good things but he cannot enact any of them. Congress has to enact them and then the courts has to interpret not legislate from the bench. Our country is grossly screwed up and it is NOT gonna be fixed at the polls. Sadly it's perhaps 50 years too late to do it via force also.
As I see it short of someone taking over as a benign dictator and doing the things I've outlined above I see little to no hope for Freedom and Liberty continuing in the US. I see only doom and gloom ahead and think that only when we've hit rock bottom and the way this country is being run is worse than it was in communist Russia at the height of the Soviet Empire will there be hope for a return to the way it was. Several generations living in abject poverty and near or total slavery will be required to return to the people the will to over throw and end what is happening.