Presidential term duration

This post is just bringing up my personal belief that the term for the president of the United States should be different.

Here is my opinion:  I think the president's term should be extended to 10 years from 4 years; however, at that time the president cannot be reelected.  Why?  Because the president wastes half of his first term trying to get reelected for his second term.  If he was elected for the full duration (with no hope of reelection) then he can focus all of his time on running the nation efficiently.  He doesn't have to 'save' any special programs until an election year to make him look good.  He can just do his damn job without having to worry about getting enough money to run again.  This could be the first change help loosen the strangle hold that Big Business has over the government.

But with this I think that laws should be passed to allow THE PEOPLE a way to push an impeachment on the president with this plan.  Maybe that during every 4 years (so two times during his term) there is a "impeachment vote" where the people can vote and if the vote is more than 75% (just throwing out numbers) the president is impeached.  This keeps the president focused on doing his job and keeping the public aware of how well he is doing his job.

Foreign Affairs

This post is a relatively short post, because the message is simple.

Focus on America and less on the rest of the world.

Notice I said "less" I didn't say stop focusing or listening to the rest of the world, but focus all this attention fighting terrorism abroad to fighting hunger, illiteracy, homelessness, joblessness, and more of our country's problems.

We need to help ourselves before trying to help the rest of the world.  Also there needs to be even bigger punishments for companies that are outsourcing American jobs overseas.  Nothing like having your job be pulled out from under you to have it sent overseas.  Nothing like trying to get tech help for an American product when the tech person's accent is so thick you can't understand what they are saying.  If people from outside America want to have American jobs, let them come here and become an American citizen and then get chosen over me in an interview.  At least then I'll know my job will be going to an American.

Guest Post: Mike Ervin on Separation between Church and State

Okay, so here is the thing about the separation of church and state. Ready?

 It is not up for debate. There is no question about it. The separation of church and state is not only part or our constitution and government; it is, in fact, uniquely American.

“But Mike,” You say, “The words separation of church and state don’t appear in the constitution, so therefore the founding fathers never intended the constitution to create a wall between the church and the state.”

Well, first of all, I don’t like your tone, Mister. Secondly, while it is true that the words “separation of church and state” do not appear in the constitution, that doesn't mean anything. Let me explain.

As I am sure many of you know, the phrase “separation of church and state” comes from Thomas Jefferson. It was in a letter to a church who wrote him because they were concerned about the First Amendment. TJ used the phrase (Yes, TJ. I call Thomas Jefferson TJ. Is that going to be a problem? Okay, fine. Thomas Jefferson).

Thomas Jefferson used the phrase “separation of church and state” in a letter to the church to defend the first amendment. He said it was there to create a wall between the church and the state.  But, that still doesn't mean anything and doesn’t matter, right? So what? You say. Thomas Jefferson’s opinion, while held high, doesn't necessarily close the books on the debate. It’s still not in the constitution.

Well Thomas Jefferson’s opinion should close the books, but that’s not the point.

Here is the point.

Separation of church and state is not in the constitution. It is the constitution.

Okay hold on, I’ll explain myself.

If you boil down the constitution to one idea-if you take out all the procedure-you are left with a fairly simple concept. This concept is what made the United States “the Great Experiment”. We did not invent Democracy. What made us different than every other society that came before us was this very simple concept: WE THE PEOPLE.

We the people grant the power to the government.
We the people create the government.
We the people choose who creates laws.
The Power of the government-the authority it has to govern-is granted by the people.

Not God.

That is at the heart of what the constitution means. Every king that came before us, every Queen, every dictator, all claimed their authority to rule as a God-given right and only God could remove it.

But in the US of A, the people choose.

The constitution establishes that with first three words. That’s why, when President George W. Bush said that he was chosen to be president by God, my stomach turned. I’m sure his parties’ base loved it, but it goes against everything this country has built. It goes against the very idea that made our government different... better.... stronger.

It’s important that our government never forget that they get their authority from the people and not from God. They answer to us and we can hold them accountable

Another Pay topic

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/22/1019164/-Ahhhso-THIS-is-why-they-dont-want-to-tax-millionaires?via=siderec

Related to Taxes and Pay

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/09/19/322405/gop-rep-whines-400k/

Taxes

What's that saying..."'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

Well I say there is one tax that can go away.  Income tax.  It's not effective anymore.  The rich find ways around paying and there are a ton of ways to be "exempt" which is silly.  I say get rid of Income tax and raise sales tax.  Yes, you heard me, I'm in favor of raising taxes.  Well just sales tax if we can get rid of income tax.  Also remove tax exemption there is absolutely no need for it.  It doesn't matter if you are a school, church, or a nonprofit organization you don't need to be tax exempt.
 

Here's my reasoning.  With the removal of income tax and tax exemption and moving the collection of 'income' taxes to the sales tax everyone is equal.  It doesn't matter if you make 5,000, 50,000 or 500,000 a year you are still paying that 10% (number is arbitrary as I do not have enough data to make an accurate guess on what the new sales tax should be) on a new car.  It doesn't matter if you are an illegal alien, tourist, US citizen, or congressman you are paying the tax.  Everyone is going to buy the necessities and they are going to pay taxes on it.

I further say that people who make over $250,000 a year also get hit with a small tax.  The money from this tax is split in half.  Half goes to the state to help fund schools in which might not be getting enough funding and the other half goes towards national debt (Once the debt is paid off, if it ever happens, then all of the tax will go towards a national schooling fund that helps improve our schools that can't get enough funds).
 

I also say that one final tax be implemented.  This is called an entertainment tax.  Any profession that falls under entertainment (actors, sports athletes, musicians, TV personalities, etc...) and makes over $250,000 a year gets another hefty tax.  If the professional is not a US citizen then payer is responsible for paying this tax for his employees.  The money received from this tax will go towards three things and three things only: Updating the National Infrastructure (electric, data, voice), National School funding, and Transportation/Roads.  Why these things? Because we need them badly.  Fixing the National infrastructure will not only create jobs, but it will help get our infrastructure updated and a little more structurally sound.  Our nation's education level is sorely lacking compared to the rest of the world and the extra money would help schools that need additional funding to improve their ability to educate our children.  Finally our country's dependence on oil is absurd.  This money could go towards electric public transportation, roadways, or R&D into finding a better way to build a car without oil (see telsamotors.com for a great example).
 

Yes, it's a big change to the tax system and yes people who make a lot of money do have to pay more taxes.  But, if you don't make over $250,000 a year then you are paying the same as everyone else.  Everyone will be paying the sales tax: Churches, Government Officials, Illegal Aliens, and hell even the President will be paying the sales tax.

Lobbyists...The bane of the working man

Lobbyists represent one of the biggest problems with our government today:  corruption.  Lobbyists manipulate, bribe ("legally" of course), and strong arm the politicians into getting what their sponsor wants.  To make matters worse the lobbyist with the biggest budgets are the ones from the big businesses (like Big Oil).  To make more money they screw over us, the working men and women of the US.  That is a tangent for another day, though.

Lobbyists need to be removed from Washington D.C.  It should be illegal in the capital.  Now some people may say, "Eric, there are Lobbyists for the general public and if you remove them then you remove their voice as well."  To that I say GOOD.  Remove all the lobbyists from the capital and you don't have 50 business lobbyists yelling one thing and 1 general public lobbyists yelling the other.  Let the government officials work to find out the public's interest by showing what they are doing in the public's eye.  Don't let some lobbyists say what "general public" are thinking.  Go and ask them.  Have rallies, have polls, meet the people understand the people that put you in office and REPRESENT THEM LIKE YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO!

Pay

All this talk about how in debt we are got me to start thinking.

Did you know: (data from 2005)

Executive Branch

• President: $400,000; $50,000 expense account; $100,000 nontaxable for travel; $19,000 official entertainment account; free housing
• Retired president: $150,000 pension; plus $150,000 to maintain staff
• Former first lady: $20,000
• Vice president: $208,100; $10,000 expense account; free housing
• Presidential Cabinet member (i.e. secretary of defense, attorney general, etc.): $157,000 

Legislative Branch

• Speaker of the House of Representatives: $208,100
• Senate president pro tempore: $180,100
• Senate and House majority and minority leaders: $180,100
• Other senators and representatives: $162,100

Judicial Branch

• Supreme Court chief justice: $208,100
• Supreme Court associate justices: $199,200
• Circuit judges: $171,800
• District judges: $162,100

 The household median income is $49,777. (according to 2009 census)

THIS IS ABSURD!

Here's a little article that will put things a little in perspective: http://articles.cnn.com/2003-06-13/politics/senators.finances_1_financial-disclosure-financial-holdings-ranges?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS

These people (AT THE MINIMUM) make over three times as much as the average US household.  Why are we paying these people so much?  It's not like they can't get their jobs afterwards.  Nothing like having US Congressman on your resume to get a job.  Nothing is preventing their spouse to have a job either.  Yes, yes, you'll argue that being part of congress is stressful and you put a lot of hours in doing it.  You know what?  I know people that work two jobs have kids and put in over 60 hours a week to help keep their family afloat, and personally I think that's pretty stressful.

Here's my suggestion: 

Executive Branch

• President: $200,000; $25,000 expense account; $50,000 nontaxable for travel; $19,000 official entertainment account; free housing
• Retired president: $100,000 pension
• Vice president: $150,000; $10,000 expense account; free housing
• Presidential Cabinet member (i.e. secretary of defense, attorney general, etc.): $100,000

Legislative Branch

• Speaker of the House of Representatives: $150,000
• Senate president pro tempore: $110,000
• Senate and House majority and minority leaders: $110,000
• Other senators and representatives: $100,000

Judicial Branch

• Supreme Court chief justice: $150,000
• Supreme Court associate justices: $125,000
• Circuit judges: $100,000
• District judges: $100,000 

Average savings per year (that could be used towards something else): $33,925,500

With the changes I suggested it would still give the elected government officials a bump over the average US household (double instead of three times) but wouldn't put them so drastically above the average citizen that they might not see his woes.  I heard a statement last week, if congress was making minimum wage watch how quick the minimum wage would change.  Seriously, there is no reason that we should be paying these people this much to go to war with each other because they are different party instead of fixing things that are wrong with the country.  Don't get me wrong, I love my country, but it has a long way to go from being perfect.

Political Parties

Ok, this one is a double post (since I missed last Friday to being out of town).

First, let’s talk about the political parties.  Political parties are a big problem in this country and in our government.  The problem with these parties is that they are “right wing” or “left wing”.  I’m not even discussing the independents that pop up now again.  I’m talking about Democrat and Republican parties.  The problem is that they forget that they are Americans first and a Republican or Democrat second.  Governments have a very hard time passing anything when one party has the majority of the government and when there are conflicting parties controlling different parts of the government forget about getting anything accomplished.

The conflicts between the parties make it seem like our government is at war with itself.  Issues aren’t discussed they are battled.  Each party is opposing the other just because it doesn’t fit with their parties’ structure.  Really?  What the hell?  Most people aren’t so cut and dry on the issues.  Their opinions vary depending on the topic.  What do you do?  Do you take the key issues and whatever you favor most is that what party you belong too?  “I favor 5 out of 9 parties’ key issues with Democrats; therefore, I must be a Democrat.”  WRONG.  It makes you human.

Do away with the 2 party system.  Hell, do away with full party system in general.  Independents can never get the funding, power, or marketing to ever put up a fight for president.  Luckily we have a small few independents throughout congress.  The party system made sense at first.  It prevented 100 people running for president and the public to be focused on the "best people for the job."  Now it just forces people to choose from the lesser of two evils.

There needs to be a third, fourth, fifth, and maybe even a sixth option.  The problem isn't just for the president.  It needs to be for all the levels of government.  Otherwise, we'll have a president that can't pass anything because the congress discriminates against him because of his party.

Either way, my point is this.  The political parties need to go away.  Let's focus on the issues to get someone elected not what party they belong to.

Introduction

Introduction Post.

It seems many people have opinions today and I just happen to have some myself.  I love my country, but I feel there are some things that our wonderful government is doing wrong.  Each Saturday I'll go into detail about one or more topics that I feel strongly about and hopefully you'll read them with an open mind.

Remember these are my opinions and I'm entitled to them.  That doesn't make them right or wrong and hopefully you'll take away some useful knowledge along the way.

Note: I'm not a professional politician. I work a day job just like most of America.  My opinions have been boiling for over for a while and I'm pretty sure my wife is sick of them, so I put them up on the net for everyone to get sick of them. :)