Here’s what I’d like to see happen:
1) we cut our spending. There are lots of programs we could do without, or simply don’t fund themselves, they need to go. While I understand the need for Foreign aid in better times, right now we need to take care of our own first.
2) we increase our incoming tax revenue. Before we raise taxes on citizens, we need to eliminate corporate tax breaks with the exception of tax breaks for job creation. Even with the corps taking the majority of the hit, the average person is still going to feel it on some level.
3) the whole process for tax breaks for job creation needs to be over hauled. If you lay off 500 people making 75k each, but then create 600 jobs that pay 45k each, you don’t get a break anymore. Currently they get a break for net creation of 100 jobs. Yes more jobs are created, more people are employed, but the quality of jobs is greatly reduced. Try raising a family on 45k in NJ, you can’t. The quality of jobs created has to be equal to or greater then the jobs lost for it to be consider positive job creation.
4)No more borrowing from Social Security to pay for other programs. The only reason Social Security is in trouble is that Congress used the fund as an ATM to pay for other programs.
5) Term limits for all Federal elected positions. No more Strom Thrumans or Ted Kennedys. You can go from the House to the Senate, but no more then 2 terms in each position.
This should make it harder for special interests to really dig in with a few key players who wield an obscene amount of power in the House and Senate. The constant change in public officials hopefully will also mean new ideas and attitudes are introduced constantly.