RoR: Forum

There are a few issues people are passionate about that aren't listed here:

Going to war with more countries
Bringing the troops home
Privatizing education

Anything else?

I myself voted for Privatize Social Security. I think its one of the simplest and best ways to reduce taxes and increase people's freedom in choosing how they want to live their own lives. Replacing the IRS is also up there, but would be a lot more work. : ) And I'd like to see the legalization of competing currencies and deregulation of banking and investments, get rid of FDIC.

Post 1

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 9:46am

I voted the same way, because this issue offers the best joint product of real benefit and right-now political feasability. Everyone knows where Social Security is headed, and exponential tax increases for the next several decades are the only alternative.

(Remember high-school civics when Social Security was the paradigm of what private initiative couldn't do and only government could?)

Post 2

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 10:33am

I also chose Social Security privatization.

Post 3

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 12:15pm

"Going to war with more countries" is not a traditional campaign initiative, and is a straw-man description of the position of those who believe that the Constitution and Objectivism are consistant with prosecuting declared wars of self-defense. So, of course I did not list this as an initiative. I had hoped that other reasonable reforms might be suggested such as supporting a line-item veto or a balanced-budget amendment.

Ted Keer

Post 4

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 3:45pm

Regarding the word 'best' in this poll, is the question asking about which idea would please each individual responder the most, or which idea would be the most politically viable with the electorate and thus stand a realistic chance of getting implemented?

Post 5

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 8:42pm

Given that the question was "for the 2008 candidate" I thought it would be clear that "best" meant for his campaign, and given that I posted the question on this site, I assumed that it would be taken as given that "best" also meant in accord with general Objectivist principles.

For example, one could argue for the federal decriminalization of marijuana as having three major benefits. The monetary and human cost of prosecuting and jailing marijuana users - which is tremendous - would go away.

Being the largest cash crop in the US, legalization could provide a great source of tax revenue, at least for those who can stomach the idea of taxes in this day and age.

Legalization would have the effect of weakening criminal syndicates and (I suspect) would make the transition to hard drugs less likely given that one would not deal with coke pushers to get one's pot at the local pharmacy or liquor emporium.

It would be interesting to see people make other suggestions for such "initiatives."

Ted Keer

PS Pete's question was not unreasonable, but I do want to know what the person who sanctioned him for it was smoking.

Post 6

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 9:35pm

All of the ideas listed in this poll are good ones. Given that Bush tried partial privatization of Social Security and it proved to be unpopular politically (didn't the proposal fail even with a Republican congress?), I don't know how likely any future effort in that direction will be. I think the idea, if implemented, would have tremendous potential to be politically popular among the masses.

I would also like to see the elimination of one or two useless federal agencies. Not "reform", elimination. I think the ATF would be among the least controversial for a starting point.

Post 7

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 9:53pm

I chose the return to the gold standard, only because from what I'm hearing from my friends in the EU, the euro and the pound are showing signs of weakening along with us. Great Depression part 2? Who knows, but I suspect that if we don't get that inflation under control the rest of the other policies won't matter.

Post 8

Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 10:05am

I voted for 9. Other.

The Initiative I'd like to see a 2008 Candidate address is a foreign policy overhaul. Specifically, outline and begin implementation of a rational foreign policy based on US self interest (I say "begin" because as I see it the blunders of the current and previous administrations will take at least a generation to work through). It must address three key areas: 1) Continued access to oil, 2) Eradicate terrorism, 3) Increase volume and percentage of US trade on world markets.

Kevin

Post 9

Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 2:11pm

When an SUV owner fills up, who pays for it?

Kevin, I like your proposals, and think they should be a matter of course. Bush has unfortunately failed miserably at even being able to enunciate such goals, so the fact that we have not moved toward them is not surprising.

I sincerely hope that whoever wins the Republican nomination takes a lesson from Gingrich and espouses as set of clear and achievable goals which can be both easily expressed in slogans e.g., "Peace through Strength" or "Dismantle the IRS" as well as defended at length and in depth by the candidate and the party platform.

Your mention of access to oil is the sort of issue which has become an albatross about the GOP's neck. "No Blood for Oil" is a mindless mantra that not even the most eloquent of pundits (except perhaps Hitchens) has had the guts to refute.

I'd suggest the slogan "Energy Independence" with the sub-goals of maintaining open world oil markets, deregulating drilling and refining at home, and fast-tracking the development of nuclear energy. Undoubtedly the Democrat will support stronger regulations against SUV's and targeted tax incentives to ethanol-from-pig-manure boondoggles.

I'm afraid that if Hillary is the Democrat nominee, the Republican will run against her, rather than for any positive program. For what exactly did Bush stand in 2000, other than not being Al Gore? I'm keeping all my digits crossed.

Ted Keer

Post 10

Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 2:13pm