Vote for me

It's that time again. The presidential campaign season. Actually, it always seems as if someone's running for office. If a candidate wants my vote, here's what they need to espouse: my 2007 platform.

Energy

• Gradually increase mandatory fuel economy standards.
• Tax credits for more fuel efficient vehicles.
• Luxury tax on gas-guzzling personal vehicles (use taxes to fund energy research).
• Stop subsidizing ethanol production; it's not the answer. Besides, it makes it more expensive to feed my sheep. :)
• More four day work weeks, tele-commuting, and flex time to reduce commuting and the energy it uses.
• More natural landscapes -- less grass cutting, more grazing.
• Drill responsibly in Alaska.

Education

• No home schooling after the 8th grade.
• Physical education five days a week, K-12.
• Not all children should go to college. Emphasize vocational education more.
• Sex education to include include abstinence AND birth control.
• Free college education for students who perform public service (2 year commitment) in at risk areas.
• Restore mission of land grant universities.
• School uniforms.

Foreign Affairs

• Reduce troop strength, but maintain commitment to Iraq.
• Stay tough with Iran, North Korea, and other rogue nations.
• Sleeper agents and more human intelligence.
• Work for change in Saudi Arabia.
• Make the establishment of a Palestinian state a priority in foreign policy.

Social programs

• Drug testing for welfare recipients. Rehab for those who test positive.
• Incentives for social workers who get people off welfare.
• Free day care instead of welfare.
• Mandatory job training and placement for welfare recipients.
• No social programs for illegal aliens except for emergency health care.
• Tie welfare payments to behavior: more money if kids stay in school, more money if the kids don't get pregnant.
• Peace Corps volunteers in inner cities and other depressed areas.

Health care

• No universal health care.
• More health care professionals.
• Incentives for preventative health care practices.
• Tort reform.
• Insurance reform, e.g. no restrictions on pre-existing conditions.
• Insurance buying pools for the self-employed.

Legal

• No same sex marriage, but no amendment.
• Legal abortion, but no 2nd or 3rd trimester abortions, partial birth abortions, and notification of parents and spouse required.
• Less restrictions on stem cell research and cloning.
• Tort reform.
• Supreme court justices that uphold the constitution, not legislate from the bench.

Immigration

• No amnesty for illegal aliens.
• Expand guest worker program.
• Penalties for businesses that hire illegal aliens.
• A wall may be an important short-term solution.

Agriculture

• Gradually phase-out farm subsidies, 10 years.
• Use green payments to encourage conservation practices.
• Manage public lands with prescribed grazing.
• More public funding of agriculture research and education.
• Eliminate plans for National Animal Identification System. Let the market, i.e. private industry, take care of it.

Fiscal

• Balanced budget amendment. in 10 years.
• Line item veto.
• Reduce grants as a method of funding.
• No taxes when you buy from the Internet.

Political reform

• Term limits.
• Public financing of campaigns (albiet short ones) -- free air time.
• No pensions for elected officials, just contributions to 401 K programs for the time they are in office and away from their primary careers.

Miscellaneous

• Make English the official language of the U.S.
• Keep God in the Pledge of Allegience.
• Don't restrict display of the ten commandments (freedom of speech).