Limit government spending to a specific percentage of last year’s GDP. 15–18% is ideal. This would be better to be a constitutional amendment. Exceptions for wartime.
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We need a program for government waste, fraud and abuse of whistle-blowers.  If someone is doing a job which is essentially worthless, and he is able to show this, give him 6 months salary and transfer him to a different job (and end that job). If someone can make a case that an entire department is a waste of taxpayers’ money, give him 2 years salary, lay off the entire department, and end all funding to that department sector.
As an example, as a teacher, I once sat in on a special education meeting of 10 or so teachers, counselors and principals for a severely disabled child.  2 or 3 people worked with this child daily. He was around 18, they were going to extend his time at school until he was 21, and what sort of education was he getting? One teacher proudly told about how he was beginning to understand the difference of shapes (circles, triangles, squares). Essentially at the cost of 2–3 full-time teachers, this was a babysitting service for the parents of that child. I realize that this is a situation where we cannot simply abandon this child; however, pretending that there is some sort of education going on is ridiculous.
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For government shutdowns and debt limit spending, Congress needs to pass a hierarchy of things which will be paid. The bill needs to provide that up to 80% of revenues will be paid (and no more). Near the top would be our veterans; near the bottom would be the Congressmen and President. Below that would be czar salaries. At the end of such a standoff, congress must vote and the president must sign a line-by-line payment to whatever groups were not funded. They should not be automatically funded.
It is my understanding that there is a bill like this in the House right now.
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All tax subsidies and tax breaks must be reaffirmed each and every year. Nothing else can be in this bill. Only yeas or nays on each and every tax break. Yes, I know that would be time consuming. Another good reason to do that.
Yes, I realize, if we all had our druthers, there would be no such tax subsidies. However, this is the next best thing.
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Some obvious cost-cutting measures: cut the budget of the Departments of Energy, Agriculture and Education by 90%, as none of these departments have really done what they pretend to do.
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Congress needs to put some restrictions upon the czars—they need to be limited in number or by total salary and expenses.  A czar not approved by Congress can function in this office for no more than 6 months.
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End all public-private ventures (like FNMA and FHLMC). Privatize all of these organizations and take government control and influence out of the picture entirely.
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Donald Trump’s biggest weakness is his wealth. Many people will not give to him because he is wealthy. However, if he spends his own money on his campaign, he will be accused of buying the presidency. So, here is what he does: he puts up no money of his own, he makes it known that he is willing to take public financing; and he promises that, for every dollar that comes in, he will match that dollar in giving to charity (and he will list the charities on his website.
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We need a public service announcement. The camera pans in close on some dead bodies in Mexico. Narration: “if you take illegal drugs, you pulled the trigger.” Or, show the dead body of someone in Mexico, give a short 20 second bio, and end with, “If you take illegal drugs, you killed _____.” Such public announcements, if done right, would reduce drug usage.
From Conservative Review #174 (HTML)Â (PDF)
A retired math teacher who spends most of his time exegeting the Old Testament and, once a week, puts out an ezeen.
Are drug laws constitutional? I see the constitutional amendment that was made for alcohol (later repealed), why not drugs? In my understanding its perfectly ok to restrict trade with Mexico, which would stop most drugs, if done right. I don’t know, maybe its better to give some forgiveness to bad guys, than give up constitutional rights.
@Zac, #1:
Federal drug laws certainly don’t appear to be. Anyone asserting that they are might attempt to explain how that could be so, in light of Amendments IX and X to the U.S. Constitution.
Greg, what really surprised me in california, was the pharmacists. I had attempted to buy a package of cold and sinus medication, now as far as I understood at the time, I simply had a case of runny nose and the medicine is a miracle in that case. The doctor behind the counter seemed to feel he deserved to know everything about me and was highly intrusive, it was like an interrogation.
I’m no drug advocate! I never even drink alcohol but I know when a simple purchase becomes a right to privacy issue. I also know that most of the drugs come across the border, that seems to be the problem.