Ideal GOP Political Platform Simplified...

Why is it so hard for seemingly intelligent people tell it like it is?  I'll give a few examples:

Illegal immigration:

The problems are huge but only in volume, not complexity.  40% of illegal immigrants came here legally and have over stayed their visas.  Why would be so hard to track them down and deport them?

14th amendment should be readdressed to reverse the anchor baby issue, which isn't a huge issue by volume, but is also not correct.  Trump is correct that the USA is one of a handful of countries in the world that allow this inane act.  It was originally targeted to native American's and ex-slaves, not women who come to the USA illegally to give birth in order to receive the plethora of government entitlements.

Finally, do we really not have enough immigration laws?  How would we know, when we haven't bothered to enforce many of them for decades.  How about we start enforcing them?

Fully implement E-Verify so that every employer cannot legally employ them.  Prosecute the employers, both companies and individuals who may employ housekeepers or landscapers.  Many will head back across the border on their own if they cannot find a job.

For the people who are left, I'd offer a 1 time chance for the following:

• To register as an illegal immigrant.  You'd get a card and a court date.
• On the court date, if you can provide proof of employment (which would be unlikely given the above restrictions on employment), proof you are legitimately paying taxes and not receiving government benefits, your ID card will become a illegal immigrant green card. 
• The illegal immigrant green card will provide them with a place in line behind all the immigrants legally applying.
• As long as the illegal immigrant maintains steady employment and pays taxes they can stay in the U.S.   
• If for any reason the illegal immigrant cannot, they will be returned to their country of origin
• If the illegal immigrant doesn't show up for their court date, a warrant for arrest would be issued and they'd be permanently denied legal citizenship and once discovered they'd be deported.
• Any illegal immigrant with a criminal record (beyond being here illegally) will be denied citizenship.
• Once an illegal immigrant green card is received, they will not be allowed to receive government benefits or to vote.
• If they came here illegally and went through all this, then they can stay, but you will not be allowed to vote - ever.  The legal children of illegal immigrants would be allowed to vote (i.e., 2nd generation) 
• Finally, what is so difficult about building a wall where it makes sense and installing electronic monitoring everywhere else to tighten up the border?  Just because it'd be a long wall?  Who cares?  If for no other reason, it should be built to keep out terrorists who aren't here already.

Middle East:

The U.S.A. has to be more engaged.  The damage has been done by Obama's leading from behind.  The evidence is everywhere.  ISIS must be defeated and that will likely require troops be returned to the dessert again.  I hate it, but anyone who says differently is naive, ignorant, lying, or some combination.

Israel:

It should be made blatantly clear to the entire world that any attack on Israel is an attack on the US and it's NATO partners.  Mess with them and you'll pay a heavy price.

Russia:

Install missile defense systems in Poland (which Obama reneged on), provide weapons and training to Ukraine and engage in NATO military exercises in the Baltic Sea and the plains of the Baltic States to show Putin the USA is back and we're in charge.

China:

This is really handled through economic policy by allowing companies to repatriate their income if they return manufacturing to the US.  China is not the low cost producer it was in the 80's & 90's.  Once their manufacturing base begins to crumble, they'll be much more amenable to fair trade policies.  Once there is a little chink in the armor we can turn the heat up on human rights issues, their support of N. Korea, and their environmental policy.  We should also fight back (if we haven't already) on cyber terrorism.  We need to rebuild our navy to ensure the free flow of goods & services all over the world, especially the Pacific Rim.

Foreign Aid:

Eliminate all cash foreign aid to countries unless they have signed a treaty of non-aggression to the USA. No government shall receive any foreign unless there are free elections allowed.  This would be particularity applicable to African nations where the dictators receive aid in either cash, which they keep, or food which they promptly repackage so that it looks as if their own country is providing the aid to their population. In the case of the West African nations, we should encourage them to trade oil for food and insist the food be distributed through our own NGO's.  Remaining countries who would like the protection of the USA, should be providing us with payment for such services (i.e., Japan, Philippines, Korea, et al.).

Entitlements:

Welfare state - Reinstate the requirement to be working to receive benefits that Obama suspended. You must also pass drug screening.  Block grant states their benefits based on population with bonuses to those who put more people back to work in real careers.  Provide childcare credits so parents can work and children can grow up seeing their parent go to work everyday in order to make a livelihood. Provide greater benefits to two parent households.

Social Security: Adjust the retirement age up.  60% benefits for those who retire between 62-65.  75% benefits for those who retire between 65-70.  90% for those who retire between 71-73.  100% for those who retire at 74 and over.  Same goes for income.  Anyone receiving retirement income, including union pensions, and tax-free income from muni's, annuities, trusts, etc.. would have their benefits reduced accordingly.  Benefits reduced by 25% for those whose income exceeds 200% of median household income, 50% over 300%, 75% over 400% and 100% over 500%.

The young should be able to opt out with proof of personal retirement investments equal to at least 10% of their pretax income annually.  This would be phases in over the 15-20 years.

Tax Simplification:

Phase 1 (1st term): Simple tax.  Eliminate all deductions, including those for home mortgages.  0% tax on first $50,000, 15% from $50,001 to $100,000, 20% from $100,001 to $300,000, $25% from $300,000-$500,000 and 30% on anything over $500,000.  All investment income taxed at this rate (i.e., eliminate capital gains tax, death tax, etc...)  The income in this example could be adjust to some percent of median income from previous tax year.

Eliminate income tax on repatriated profits of U.S. companies.

Eliminate all subsidies to industries (i.e. "corporate welfare') including all farm subsidies.

Allow companies instant depreciation on capital expenditures.

No special carve-outs for any company, industry or person.

Phase 2 (2nd term): Replace the simple tax with a consumption tax.  See: Fair Tax .

Abortion:

Abortion was made legal in all 50 states 1973 by 12 men in black robes.  Period.  All that is left for discussion are two things:

1. What is the proper age in which a child may be murdered by their mother?
2. Who is responsible to pay for said murders?

End of discussion.

Healthcare Reform:

Repeal Obamacare.  Replace with simple reforms:

• Allow insurance companies to sell benefits across state lines.
• Remove bundling of insurance (i.e., if you are a single man you should not be forced to pay for maternity coverage.)
• Create a safety net pool for those with pre-existing conditions and for the unemployable.
• Increase HSA usage - require it for all newborns and partially fund some HSA's for younger workers.  This money must be portable.  Some portion of you the HSA investment should be inheritable, with the balance going to fund the safety net for the indigent.  For example, if you've been contributing your entire life and you suddenly pass away at age 65 with a balance of $750,000 in your HSA, 75% is inheritable, while 25% goes into a fund (i.e., "lock-box) to fund healthcare for the indigent.  
• No deductions for healthcare expenses, but would provide for lifetime cap, probably based on a multiple of your income.
• This system would eventually phase out Medicare.
• Every attempt should be made to encourage patients to directly pay the doctor, especially for routine visits such as check-ups and simple items to dispense prescriptions for cold,etc..
• Allow drug companies to off-set future earnings by supplying prescriptions to the indigent for free or at a greatly reduced rate.

What's left...?

Cabinet/Department Consolidations:

Combine Departments of Labor, Commerce, Transportation and Agriculture, putting them under the Department of the Interior.  Department of Energy would be put under Defense.

Eliminate Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development

So the Departments would be as follows:

• Department of Defense
• Department of State
• Department of Justice
• Department of Interior
• Department of Health and Human Services (I'd rename it: Department of Social Welfare - so no one would lose sight of it's real purpose.)
• Department of Veterans Affairs (renamed: Department of Veterans Recovery)
• Department of Homeland Security

The federal government should institute a hiring freeze for every department except for the recruiting of soldiers for the Department of Defense and Federal Air Traffic Controllers.  Open positions would be filled by current under-utilized employees from other departments.  Every department would have their REAL budget cut (not the 'Base-line-budget number) by 10% annually for 4 years, then 5% for 4 years.  This would put us back to pre-Obama budgets.

Term-limits:

Every politician seems to run on term limits only to drop the subject once elected.  The POTUS should use his/her bully pulpit to urge the GOP controlled congress to pass the following term limits and reduction of pensions for congressmen & senators:

Congressmen: 3 terms.  Unless you complete all 3 terms no pension.  If you do, your pension would consist of $25,000 for life and be subject to a phase out similar to the Social Security means testing described above.

Senators: 2 terms, unless you served for any amount of time as a congressman, then 1 term and out. Same pension as Congressmen.

Congress should also eliminate all of the sweet benefits they receive, like free haircuts, free gym, etc...

Congress should be subject to Obamacare until it is repealed.

Veterans Healthcare:

Much like education, the money should follow the soldier, regardless of the provider.  If a vet needs common healthcare they should be allowed to go to any provider.  Vets with special needs such as PTSD therapy should be provided that care quickly and completely at Veterans Hospitals nationwide.  In the rare case where the care isn't quickly and easily available, they should be allowed to seek care where they can and have the costs covered.  

Election 2014 Post Mortem for the GOP

I do not want to bask in the wave election wins for the GOP for too long.  Instead, I want to focus on some of the take-aways from this election:

1. I'm begging the GOP: Please do not believe the results of this election mean that everyone loves the GOP.  As Republicans you must understand that the media in all it's forms: news outlets, TV shows, movies, and music are all still mocking you and as such will require diligence to keep from it getting out of control if you try something stupid (e.g: impeaching the first black president). 
2. The American voter is far more sophisticated than the Republican [or Democrat, for that matter] consultants would have you believe.  It is not simply about telling people what they want to hear, but telling them the things they must come to grips with:
• Onerous government intrusion into your life cannot not make things better
• Government cannot and should not promise to supply all of your needs
•  We, out here in the hinterland, understand our country needs to do a 180 and we are desperately seeking REAL STRONG LEADERSHIP.  
3. Both Tea Party Conservatives AND establishment candidates CAN win.  

Now for the hard part:  Actually governing.  This is where the rubber hits the road.  Obama is not likely to bend on many issues (likely none).  So, you must be prepared to make not only symbolic votes, but also realistic votes to advance the ball.  For example:

1. Keystone pipeline.  Obama is not likely to veto the requirement allowing the Keystone pipeline to begin construction.  He and the Dems have been sitting on this in order to get money from Tom Steyer.  Tom Steyer is out $74 million in this election cycle and he will have received very little from his investment.  Make it about Steyer not Obama.  Obama is such a narcissist that if you try to pin the lack of movement on him, he may continue to sit on it pretending he is still waiting for some agency to clear the project.   
2. Grant Obama Trade Promotion Authority.  Everyone is for it, so what do you have to lose?
3. Repatriate foreign profits of U.S. companies.  Again, allowing U.S. corporations to bring profits back to the U.S. with little or no tax consequences puts that money to work  here.  Better here than overseas.
4. Immigration.  DO NOT PASS "COMPREHENSIVE" IMMIGRATION REFORM.  Give it to the president in bite size pieces.  Force him to go on the record about specific immigration issues.
• Border security.  Provide the border with more resources to secure the border immediately.  Build fences where practical, use technology (ground sensors, drones, thermal imagining, etc..) where fences won't work and provide enough manpower to get those illegals who still try to get across deported back to Mexico fast.
• Streamline the visa processing procedures to make it easier to get here for specific groups of workers: those with high-tech skills, doctors, and other professionals; manual laborers who already have an employer willing to sponsor them in the U.S.
• Round up the children for central America who came here illegally in 2014 and get them reunited with their parents in their home country.  Pronto.
• Require English competency for citizenship.
• Change the anchor baby law.  If you are born to illegal immigrants, you are an illegal immigrant.
• Once all of these are in place being enforced (this depends on who BHO appoints to AG) THEN you can begin a conversation on how to get those who are already here illegally out of the shadows, get them documented, get them paying taxes, deport the violent criminals, the rest will be issued a green-card, but would NOT be allowed to vote.  Only those who came here legally and the children of those who came here illegally would [eventually] be allowed to vote.
5. Oversight.  Establish invasive oversight of the IRS, EPA, OSHA, NSA and every other alphabet soup agency as required by law.  Find out what went on at the IRS, Justice (fast & Furious), State (Benghazi), etc...  Do it fast and publicly.  Prosecute where necessary.  
6. Obamacare.  Begin by repealing the entire bill let BHO veto.  Then start sending him fixes. He'd veto some, sign some, but he'd own it ALL and so would the next democrat candidate. 
• Repeal the tax on medical devises
• Repeal the 30 hour work week requirement
• Allow insurance companies to sell across state lines
• Eliminate the so-called federal "exchange"
• Raise the threshold for subsidies
• Tort reform - institute loser pays.
7. Repeal Dodd-Frank.  'nuff said.
8. Make it illegal for government agencies to confiscate assets without due process.  Make repayment of 3x the amount confiscated (plus legal fees) if agencies are found to have wrongly confiscated assets
9. Eliminate all foreign aid to countries that are antagonistic to American interests.

This could all be done (aside from the on-going oversight) within the first 100 days or so.  This would be a HUGE embarrassment to Harry Reid and the Democrat Party.  If the GOP could get all this done in 100 or so days it would be a complete repudiation of the last 6 years of Harry Reid's Senate leadership.  They need to pick things BHO will sign quickly to create action in order to give the American electorate reason to vote for the GOP in the next election cycle.  The Obamacare items would take longer and be more advantageous for the GOP to be drawn out over time, well into the next election cycle in 2015.

Speaking of the 2016 election cycle, the GOP MUST do the following:

1. Expand it's outreach into disaffected minority  neighborhoods.  Plenty of blacks are feeling taken advantage of by the Democrat Party and when conservative values are explained in an articulate manner they tick nearly every box that African-Americans vote on:
• Economic recovery - not welfare.  Jobs, jobs, jobs.   I like Rand Paul's Economic Freedom Zones.
• School choice.  Most parents that are paying attention want the child to have opportunities they did not have, including a better education.   Public school teacher's unions must be beat back in favor of the student and the taxpayer.  
• Patriotism.  I believe every person who is a legal U.S. citizen is (or should be) proud of the U.S.  The USA was the first country in the history of the world founded by and for its citizens.  Was slavery legal?  Yes.  Was it horrible?  Yes.  Did we correct that disgrace? Yes (and 600,000 people died in the process).  Did we continue to discriminate based on the color of a person's skin?  Yes.  Did we correct that disgrace?  I believe we have.  A long time ago now.  I doubt many middle to upper class black kids have ever been discriminated against.  I'll admit they probably have been called bad names as a child, what child hasn't (I could tell you stories of what my name rhymes with)?  We need to move on.  We are not hyphened Americans.  We are Americans.  We need to come together to solve our problems.
• Violence in the inner city.  Many inner cities are largely made up of minority populations.  Black on black crime takes a huge toll on.
• Use the minorities we currently have elected to build on this momentum!  These people are craving leadership even more than the general population at large and being able to send elected-Republican minorities into those communities to explain our conservative values would give the GOP huge credibility.  We simply have to make sure the face of the GOP is not always a crust old white guy (a la Pat Roberts-Kansas) and is more like Mia Love-Utah, Tim Scott-SC, Nikki Haley-SC, Bobby Jindal-LA, Susana Martinez-NM, etc..)  
2. De-emphasize social issues.  I am not saying to give up our stands on abortion, gay marriage, and legalization of pot, but they are simply not the biggest issues facing the country.  Both are legal and I would expect them to stay that way for some time.  Technology is lowering people's support of abortion and I suspect over time people will come to understand the long-term consequences of both same-sex marriage and recreational pot use.
3. The GOP must begin to reach out to our allies around the world and let them know that the last 6 years (and next 2) are an aberration.  They must understand that the U.S. will stand beside our allies in Eastern Europe: Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Czech Republic, etc... We will stand with you against Russian aggression.  If that means installing missile bases in those countries and selling them tanks & planes, them that's what we should do.  The same goes for our ally in the Middle East - namely, Israel.  The rest (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, UAE, etc.. are faux allies and should be treated as such.
4. Find a handful of articulate conservatives to be the new face of the GOP.  Cruz, Robio, Paul, Love, Jindal, Walker, Kasich, Haley, etc.. Get them to go into the inner cities and make sure they articulate the conservative message at least monthly where it doesn't normally get heard.  At some point the GOP HAS to make inroads into these communities.  they will not convince everyone, but they only need to convince enough or even begin to plant the seed of doubt into the minds of people who have never even heard the GOP message.  This HAS to be done and it has to be done THIS election cycle in order to hold the house, the senate AND gain the presidency in 2016.  

On immigration...

As the GOP in the U.S. House of Representatives prepare to cave on immigration it's good to be informed. Here is the best presentation I've ever seen on immigration (try not to be distracted by the girl in the Green Bay Packers shirt in the audience):

So, you're a Republican and you still believe that immigrants, especially Hispanics, are largely conservative and will vote for the likes of Marco Rubio or Nikki Haley?

As if on cue, we are about to get a (another, actually) report that refutes this myth.  Read about it before the report comes out:

GOP CRAFTS PLAN TO WRECK THE COUNTRY, LOSE VOTERS

January 29, 2014

Here are some snippets:

According to a Harris poll, 81 percent of native-born citizens think the schools should teach students to be proud of being American. Only 50 percent of naturalized U.S. citizens do. 

While 67 percent of native-born Americans believe our Constitution is a higher legal authority than international law, only 37 percent of naturalized citizens agree. 

Pew also found that only 27 percent of Hispanics support gun rights, compared to 57 percent of non-Hispanic whites. According to Latino Decisions, large majorities of Hispanics favor a national database of gun owners, limiting the capacity of magazines and a ban on semiautomatic weapons. 

While 47 percent of self-described "liberal Democrats" hold a negative view of capitalism, 55 percent of Hispanics do.