What issues are important to you in regards to the upcoming election?

[Scott50]

What issues are important to you in regards to the upcoming election and how would YOU like the new the administration to address those issues?

[JRScott]

Top 5

1. Across the board cuts in Government spending of 30% to all programs/departments/etc. This is necessary to balance the budget. It is time we stopped overspending, this will mean changes in how benefits and entitlement programs work, ultimately we should seek to eliminate all entitlement programs within 20 years. We simply can't afford them.

2. Recall all US Military forces to US Soil wherever they are. Prior to WWI the US military was practically disbanded at the end of every war. We kept ships in ready in case they were needed but not on active patrol. Cut down to no more than 4 carrier groups. Refuse to deploy the US Military in any UN peacekeeping action. Army and Marine troops would be cut down as well with those remaining in active service supplementing border guards.

3. Withdraw/Renegotiate all the various trade deals of the last 2 administrations. They are heavily unfavorable to the United States and heavily favorable to the trading partners.

4. Become Energy Independent within 10 years. Do this by removing unconstitutional laws that limit energy production.

5. Reduce the National Debt with the goal of having it paid off in 10 years with a reduction in taxes as part of the deal.

[b_girl]

A comprehensive alternative energy plan, an end to the war in Iraq, and a cap on the ballooning deficit. I really wish the new president would also address national health care, but I just don't see it happening due to our country's out of control finances.

Oh, and credit card reform would be nice. He also needs to reverse all of the Bush giveaways to big business.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Top 5

1. Across the board cuts in Government spending of 30% to all programs/departments/etc. This is necessary to balance the budget. It is time we stopped overspending, this will mean changes in how benefits and entitlement programs work, ultimately we should seek to eliminate all entitlement programs within 20 years. We simply can't afford them.

2. Recall all US Military forces to US Soil wherever they are. Prior to WWI the US military was practically disbanded at the end of every war. We kept ships in ready in case they were needed but not on active patrol. Cut down to no more than 4 carrier groups. Refuse to deploy the US Military in any UN peacekeeping action. Army and Marine troops would be cut down as well with those remaining in active service supplementing border guards.

3. Withdraw/Renegotiate all the various trade deals of the last 2 administrations. They are heavily unfavorable to the United States and heavily favorable to the trading partners.

4. Become Energy Independent within 10 years. Do this by removing unconstitutional laws that limit energy production.

5. Reduce the National Debt with the goal of having it paid off in 10 years with a reduction in taxes as part of the deal.

[PoorGrammyinBK7]

We all have our priorities. Mine are national security and affordable health care, better controls on government spending, less government waste, energy independence, more cooperation and bipartisanship among our leaders.

But we need to remember - we are not electing a monarch or a dictator. No one person is going to be able to do everything he/she promises. It will take someone who is willing to work with both parties to get things done. As far as I know, only one candidate really has a record of doing that. And the othr elected representatives in Congress need to be less about their agenda and more about getting business done.

[chloe0724]

My biggest want is for us to stop spending the money we are spending in Iraq and start helping the people in the USA with the money instead. It hurts me to see how badly our country is suffering, yet we keep spending money in other countries. The govt needs to take a hard look at its spending, much like we have all had to do and face the music.

[AngelinaCatHub]

My biggest want is for us to stop spending the money we are spending in Iraq and start helping the people in the USA with the money instead. It hurts me to see how badly our country is suffering, yet we keep spending money in other countries. The govt needs to take a hard look at its spending, much like we have all had to do and face the music.

[Cali]

The gov't has always spent more money in other countries, it is just more visible now.

[JRScott]

The gov't has always spent more money in other countries, it is just more visible now.

This isn't true, our foreign aid budget is significantly smaller than our social security budget......


Poor Grammy though is correct in that really nothing significant will change if we elect McCain or Obama. Real change is not possible as President. Regardless of which one is elected the troops will be coming home.

The true power of the United States government is in Congress, and has been for a century. Most of this power is usurped power from the states which they should not possess.

Unfortunately what is necessary Congress will not do because it benefits them to much as things are. What we need is a Constitutional Convention called by the legislatures of the states, it is the method of amending the Constitution that has never been used and the only one that can bypass the corruption of Washington.

In such a Convention they would need to repeal the 17th Amendment, impose term/time limits on service in the Legislature, impose restrictions on campaigning for the Executive branch while serving in the Legislature, and impose limits on the hiring of relatives by Legislature and Executive Branches.

They would also need to repeal the 16th Amendment, Impose an Amendment stating that a natural born citizen of the United States can only be born to a citizen of the United States (thus eliminating anchor babies), an Amendment Reaffirming the 10th Amendment, An Amendment requiring Congress to actually write the bills rather than assistants or other bureaucrats, an Amendment requiring a bill have no more than one subject and no other subjects can be amended to it, An Amendment that requires a full vote for each earmark/amendment placed on any bill, and An Amendment that requires any bill to be read before the Legislature before they may vote upon it.

Next an amendment reaffirming the sovereignty of the United States and the explicit outlawing of any treaty that impinges upon that sovereignty through the delegation of any authority over the land, sea, air or people of the United States to any foreign entity.

This would in many ways restore the power to the people and the states where it was intended to be rather than in a strong central government that is increasingly even more overbearing than King George III was.

[CountryGirl]

The number 1 thing I would like to see is lobbiest booted out of Washington. If you have the money, you can buy a politician and his "character". It just makes me sick that unless you are in someones pockets you will most likely NOT success in politics. I know there are probably some really honest individuals who have made it but they are so out numbered by a laundry list of companies pumping big money into the pockets of their peers.

I would have to think if this could ever happen, that would make one heck of a playing field for some honest people to get in some real discussion on the things that are important to us as opposed to big corporate money.

[Cali]

JR,

You have actually seen the financials of our gov't and where all the money goes or doesn't go?

[JRScott]

Yes I have Cali, have you?

2008 Budget Spending:

608 billion Social Security
386 billion Medicare
209 billion Medicaid
324 billion Unemployment, Welfare, Other Entitlements
261 billion Interest on the National Debt
481.4 billion Military
145.2 billion War on Terror
69.3 billion Dept. of Human Services
56.0 billion Dept. of Education
39.4 billion Dept. of Veterans Affairs
35.2 billion Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
35 billion Dept. of State and Foreign Aid
34.3 billion Dept of Homeland Security
24.3 billion Dept of Energy
20.2 billion Dept of Justice
20.2 billion Dept of Agriculture
17.3 billion NASA
12.1 billion Dept of Transportation
12.1 billion Dept of Treasury
10.6 billion Dept of the Interior
10.6 billion Dept of Labor
51.8 billion On Budget Discretionary Spending
39.0 billion Off Budget Discretionary Spending


Not actually part of the budget:

232 billion Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (through 2 appropriations bills, one in Dec 2007 and one in June 2008)

So as I said we do not spend more money overseas than we do domestically. That is a falsehood spread by several left leaning sites. I do not believe we should be in Iraq and Afghanistan as I believe our meddling is unconstitutional, but at the same time I do recognize we spend far less on it than we do on many domestic programs.

[magyar123]

You all know what happened 7 years ago today.
BUT
Border control is still a joke. No comprehensive immigration laws. Outfits here still hire illegals.
Both McCain and Obama are ignoring the issue.

[Scott50]

Yes I have Cali, have you?

2008 Budget Spending:

608 billion Social Security
386 billion Medicare
209 billion Medicaid
324 billion Unemployment, Welfare, Other Entitlements
261 billion Interest on the National Debt
481.4 billion Military
145.2 billion War on Terror
69.3 billion Dept. of Human Services
56.0 billion Dept. of Education
39.4 billion Dept. of Veterans Affairs
35.2 billion Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
35 billion Dept. of State and Foreign Aid
34.3 billion Dept of Homeland Security
24.3 billion Dept of Energy
20.2 billion Dept of Justice
20.2 billion Dept of Agriculture
17.3 billion NASA
12.1 billion Dept of Transportation
12.1 billion Dept of Treasury
10.6 billion Dept of the Interior
10.6 billion Dept of Labor
51.8 billion On Budget Discretionary Spending
39.0 billion Off Budget Discretionary Spending


Not actually part of the budget:

232 billion Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (through 2 appropriations bills, one in Dec 2007 and one in June 2008)

So as I said we do not spend more money overseas than we do domestically. That is a falsehood spread by several left leaning sites. I do not believe we should be in Iraq and Afghanistan as I believe our meddling is unconstitutional, but at the same time I do recognize we spend far less on it than we do on many domestic programs.

Thanks for posting this.. I can imagine as more baby boomers retire that the money spent for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will skyrocket.. I'm not counting on Social Security to be around when I retire in 2040..

[JRScott]

You think Medicare/Medicaid/Social Secuirty is bad, think National Health Care and Look at those figures.

Keep in mind that only 12.6% of the population is over 65. So your talking about 8-9 times the cost of Medicare/Medicaid for a national health care system that works as good as it does. Roughly between 3.75 and 4.25 trillion dollars. That's why I keep telling people we can't afford it.

But yes within 40 years Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to at least triple (by the low estimates).

You are welcome though