What do you think the winner on Tuesday should focus on in the first 2 years?

[Ms Liberty]

Keeping the USA in one piece! ! !

[STRIKE3]

Say the stock companies don't want to do that? Are you suggesting the gov't force them to?

My suggestion, is for the next President-elect, to sit down the with CEO's and Wall Street, to have discussions to eliminate the greed in many companies.

 

Too many factories are closing, too many million dollar compensations is occurring, too many business are leaving but yet, we have middle class taxpayers, which have no sympathy for the the current glutony....Including myself but some companies, are worth saving.

 

It's painfully obvious, they are going to initial self-regulation. Perhaps the next President and his economic advisers, can help this next rescue system and it actually help those, worthy of rescuing.

[rockmom]

1) See my welfare thread.

 

2) Invest in technology that will eliminate duplicate agencies, or reduce the need for more than one agency to administer programs.

 

3) Invest in upgrading technology in schools. Don't just give money to schools to spend as they deem fit, but designate that money to technology, have a minimum tech requirement, and schools are given an amount of money to spend to meet that requirement. Some will get more, some less.

 

4) Invest in public transportation in all 2nd tier cities first, then begin the committment to smaller communities nearby.

 

5) Re-structure the drug program. Require drug companies to negotiate drug prices

 

6) Reduce corporate taxes for companies who keep jobs in the US.

 

 

 

Those are some off the top of my head.

[ladiesbballcoach]

1) See my welfare thread.

 

2) Invest in technology that will eliminate duplicate agencies, or reduce the need for more than one agency to administer programs.

 

3) Invest in upgrading technology in schools. Don't just give money to schools to spend as they deem fit, but designate that money to technology, have a minimum tech requirement, and schools are given an amount of money to spend to meet that requirement. Some will get more, some less.

 

4) Invest in public transportation in all 2nd tier cities first, then begin the committment to smaller communities nearby.

 

5) Re-structure the drug program. Require drug companies to negotiate drug prices

 

6) Reduce corporate taxes for companies who keep jobs in the US.

 

 

 

Those are some off the top of my head.

 

#3 is done RM. We have funds that are specifically student technology. I got 5 new computers this year and they are not allowed to even sit on my desk for the student's to use. They have to have their own table away from my desk for the computer to sit on.

[rockmom]

#3 is done RM. We have funds that are specifically student technology. I got 5 new computers this year and they are not allowed to even sit on my desk for the student's to use. They have to have their own table away from my desk for the computer to sit on.

 

 

Is every public school in America receiving funds relative to their need? Or is every school in America receiving the same sum to invest?

[ladiesbballcoach]

Is every public school in America receiving funds relative to their need? Or is every school in America receiving the same sum to invest?

 

That I do not know.

Those that are aggressive in writing grants, which we are, I would assume get more funds than those who are not.

I would assume that so-called "richer" districts would not receive the same grant monies that "poorer" districts do. BUT, "richer" districts are usually much better and more aggressive at writing grants than the "poorer" districts.

 

How is that for a long non-answer?

 

I do not know if private schools are available for the grant monies. I would assume if they don't participate in NCLB, they would not be available for federal grant monies.

[rockmom]

That I do not know.

Those that are aggressive in writing grants, which we are, I would assume get more funds than those who are not.

I would assume that so-called "richer" districts would not receive the same grant monies that "poorer" districts do. BUT, "richer" districts are usually much better and more aggressive at writing grants than the "poorer" districts.

 

How is that for a long non-answer?

 

I do not know if private schools are available for the grant monies. I would assume if they don't participate in NCLB, they would not be available for federal grant monies.

 

 

I doubt the private schools get the federal monies, and that is fine.

 

But, I wonder, for example, if Manual and Iroquois have equitable technology resources. IMO, if not, and Manual has the minimum or greater technology investment already, they recieve nothing, but Iroquois receives the dollars needed to get them to the minimum requirement.

[Hoot Gibson]

How much is slashing? Do they get a free slash with no ties to reinvestment where they can simply take the money and go vacationing in the Bahamas on weekends?

Why would businesses not put money to work if the opportunity to make profits in the USA was unmatched? I would slash the rate to make it competitive - probably a few points above Ireland's current rate.

 

#2, too vague same as with hounds, you ready to cut the number of federal prisons and federal court systems? What do you mean by that?

I would legalize all drug use by adults and toughen sentences for violent criminals and for adults who sell drugs to minors. I would also build a border fence, enforce immigration laws, especially on employers. I would revamp our legal immigration system and give preference to Mexicans and Canadians applying for visas and put those who are fluent in English and who have taken advantage of our educational opportunities on a fast track to citizenship.

 

In short, I would reduce the prison population by allowing addicts to thin their own herd. Treatment programs would be available for addicts but taxpayers would only subsidize one round of treatment.

 

What are the unfunded mandates that has a spur in your saddle?

I would eliminate the Department of Education and all other agencies that duplicate state agencies along with those that are simply unconstitutional. I would work to eliminate all federal hate crime laws. In most cases, states should write and enforce criminal laws.

 

I would also work to to ensure that federal death penalty cases got top priority and that defendants in those cases were given the best available defense. However, death penalty cases should be tried, including all appeals within two years and if appeals fail, the sentence should be carried out immediately. The current system in which some sentences are not carried out for a decade or more undermines the value of capital punishment as a deterrent to crime. The criminal associates of those on death row should not have time to forget the names and faces of their friends who are executed.

 

What needs to be done to recreate a world class business climate?

Reduce taxes, as discussed above. Require all new federal regulations to be written in plain English and order existing regulations to be revised in the same way. (Reagan made this one of his priorities.) I would also phase out agencies such as MSHA and OSHA by turning over those responsibilities to the states. Shared responsibility leads to reduced accountability, IMO.

 

I ask because I think many of us hear all of this all the time and don't really understand what it entails.

Of course, when I say that I would do these things, I mean that I would work with Congress to get laws changed. Unlike one of the current presidential candidates, I have no desire to expand any part of the federal government, including executive power.

[The Scribe]

#1 - Unite the country. The partisan division in this country is sickening and it's why we can get nothing accomplished. Obama keeping Gates as defense secretary is a good start.

 

#2 - Continue current diplomacy with other countries and not mess up the bridges that have already been built.

[True blue (and gold)]

I would also build a border fence, enforce immigration laws, especially on employers. I would revamp our legal immigration system and give preference to Mexicans and Canadians applying for visas and put those who are fluent in English and who have taken advantage of our educational opportunities on a fast track to citizenship.

 

I find this VERY interesting (in a positive way). Can you describe it more? Does this mean for children of illegals that are, themselves, illegal, but have grown up in our educational system and are fluent in English, are good students, etc?

[Hoot Gibson]

I find this VERY interesting (in a positive way). Can you describe it more? Does this mean for children of illegals that are, themselves, illegal, but have grown up in our educational system and are fluent in English, are good students, etc?

Children of illegal immigrants who have learned to speak our language, and English is our primary language, and who have excelled academically should be given special consideration for citizenship. Their parents made the decision to break our laws and if they have proven their potential to become productive citizens, then there is no reason to deny them that opportunity. Those who have resisted assimilation should be sent to the back of the line to rethink their strategy.

[True blue (and gold)]

Children of illegal immigrants who have learned to speak our language, and English is our primary language, and who have excelled academically should be given special consideration for citizenship. Their parents made the decision to break our laws and if they have proven their potential to become productive citizens, then there is no reason to deny them that opportunity. Those who have resisted assimilation should be sent to the back of the line to rethink their strategy.

 

As a teacher for thirteen years, I agree entirely. I have seen many fine students walk through my doors and soak up every bit of knowledge that I have been able to provide for them. These young men and women, IMO, should certainly be considered for citizenship.

 

Hoot...I think we just bonded.

 

:lol: Don't laugh too much.

[Hoot Gibson]

As a teacher for thirteen years, I agree entirely. I have seen many fine students walk through my doors and soak up every bit of knowledge that I have been able to provide for them. These young men and women, IMO, should certainly be considered for citizenship.

 

Hoot...I think we just bonded.

 

:lol: Don't laugh too much.

:lol: I have always said that we need to secure our borders, enforce existing immigration laws, and ramp up our system of processing legal immigrants. The baby boomers need plenty of young workers to pay for their social security and American companies would face a severe labor shortage without immigrants of some sort.

 

However, it is an outrage that our politicians of both parties have refused to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into this country or to enforce laws against employing people who are here illegally. It is also an insult to Hispanic-Americans for politicians to act as if they want unrestricted immigrations. Many of them immigrated to escape the poverty and corruption of Mexico. Few Hispanics desire to remake this country in the image of Mexico.

[strike-3]

Probably just do what they always seem to do. Don't try to pass any thing that will upset anyone, so they can focus on re-election from day 1.

[commoncat]

With all the money spent on this election (over 1 billion dollors), the Pac's 527's, Union's, Corporations, bundlers...I would really like to see someone tackle meaningful campaign finance reform. I think this country is for sale to the highest bidder and has been for some time. If you want to see how much the candidates are alike, or why your congress votes the way it does, check out http://opensecrets.org