What I Would Do If I Were President

(I realize very few of these would ever be passed.)

1. Create a special council to decide America's role in tackling global poverty, the AIDS epidemic, preventable diseases, and unjust trade systems resulting in a widening economic gap between first and third world countries.

2. Create a 9/11 style commission to address American's energy future, providing both short-term and long-term strategies for energy independence and reforming the energy grid, and advising which alternative fuels are most viable to explore and research and have the most production potential.

3. Address the drunken-driving epidemic (to be discussed in the future).

4. Reform the prison system.

5. Reform the welfare system, transitioning to a more streamlined, organized workfare-based system with more mandates and time-based requirements. (Include healthcare coverage.)

6. Outlaw all abortions, except in cases where their is a threat to materal health (which is rare), expanding adoption and foster care systems, making them more accessible and creating more financial incentives, while simultaneously shutting down all abortion providers.  (Without prosecuting  women trying to obtain abortions.)

7. Create a comprehensive immigration reform package, securing the border, creating a guest worker program, prosecuting businesses and companies employing illegal aliens, and making legal immigration easier.  (to be discussed in the future.)

8. Legalize drugs to all 18 and over (with the possible exception of some hallucinogens and methamphetamines), drop the legal alcohol consumption and purchasing age to 18, legalize prostitution and gambling for all 18 and over, or at least give this power to each state.  Create better anti-drug education systems.

9. Through incrementalist methodologies (such as merit pay for teachers, expansion of voucher programs, more school choice through open enrollment, and greater accountability for schools, leading to budget cuts or closure of failing schools) privatize schooling and shrink the Department of Education to an independent oversight  agency (similar to the Securities and Exchange Commission).  

10. Reform the tax system, creating a less graduated, flatter code with lower tax rates.

11. Create a new military branch of peacekeepers, trained to assist countries in transition after a war (such as Iraq or Afghanistan).  

12. Create better congressional accountability, cutting the August Recess in half, mandating term limits for all Congresspersons and  Senators, and require those office-holders running for

a higher office to designate someone to serve in their place for the duration of the campaign.