I guess my questions are really more specific to taxes:
Is your grievance with taxes more related to whether they are at the state vs federal level or is it more with how much we pay in taxes?
If you think less taxes should be paid, then what should be cut and/or where else should funding come from?
I think the Cajun Navy is a good example of the role that non-governmental groups can do to assist, although I don't think it's scale-able to work beyond being a supplemental group to federal aid.
The suggestions for congress are very reasonable, although there are some advantages of having less turnover in congress. In particular, the direction of the country can be really radical with short term limits, making the U.S. an unstable place where programs are created and then cut as are alliances and aid to other countries. At some point, having some stability, even if it is with a crappy situation can be better than a system where we are hot/cold/hot/cold constantly from power changing hands all the time.
Maybe giving congress term limits, but allowing them to be longer than presidential limits would be a good compromise.
I also think the Supreme Court could use some limits, particularly since they don't deal with elections at all.
Okay, here goes. Abolish the IRS (largest renter of office space in the US) immediately. Implement a flat tax (lets just arbitrarily say 20% here) with no deductions and no low income cutoff. If you make 1 dollar this year, you owe 20 cents. In addition, those that work on W2 can have that money deducted from payroll and need not file at the end of the year.
Abolish the Department of Education - Need I really describe the level of failure here? This should be handled by individual states and be monitored for federal funds if need be, but possibly offer an incentive not for hitting some arbitrary "line in the sand" but for progress across the board. Immediately allow charter schools to open where parents can choose to send their children to their school of choice. Bussing within districts will be provided by the state so that all can attend and schools with exceptional scores that fill up will be subject to immediate funds for expansion to accommodate additional students. Poorly run schools wil close and the property can be used for one of the better run schools to expand and accommodate additional students. We also need more money in our vocational schools.
Ban all college student loans for non traditional degrees (traditional= engineering, medical, law etc) If you want a degree in women's studies or native american dance interpretation, that's cool. GET A JOB AND PAY FOR IT!
Ban additional assistance in the form of welfare and food stamps to families that are already receiving it for the first child and decide to have another child that they cannot afford. In addition, make all welfare money given to able body working age adults temporary. In other words, it runs out at some point so GET YO ASS TO WORK! And if you are already living below the poverty limit, use contraception and don't have another child. Here in La, if you get pregnant and are not married, you get a WIC check even if you are a millionaire. Sure sounds like promoting children to grow up in a single family to me.
Abolish the EPA and federal parks system. Give ownership of those lands to the citizens of the state. There are reasons why middle class neighborhoods are nicer than the projects. When people have ownership of something they are more likely to protect and preserve that asset. Who possibly could be more disinterested in property value than a government bureaucrat (except for tax purposes.) Allow the citizens and the state to prosecute those that litter or pollute these lands, If your state is too lax, you have the choice to relocate, if the state is too tough, business has the right to relocate.
Except in emergencies, congress is in session for two 3 month sessions. If you cant agree and get it done in that time, the voters will elect someone who will. 2 term limit on congressional seats and no lobbyists. Congress pays to get to and from these sessions and all business associated trips will be taken coach class. or preferrably by bus.
Go back to congress voting to send soldiers to war. In an emergency, the president can send troops to other countries, but that time is limited and if congress cannot decide, the troops get pulled back. None of this firing 25 tomahawk missiles crap. We do the damn thing or we stay the hell out of it.
When more power is given to the states (like with legalizing weed) one can choose either not to live in a state or move to a state that more fits your lifestyle.
That's about all I have for now. Please feel free to dissect, but I think I just cut billions from the budget.
