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May 31, 2011/ 27 Iyar, 5771
If I Were President
By Arnold Ahlert
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | There's an episode of the old cartoon
Popeye where girlfriend Olive Oyl sings a song entitled, "If I Were
President." In keeping with that spirit, a very short list, in no particular
order, of what I would attempt to achieve with four years in the Oval
Office:
* With respect to Israel: I would make it clear we're tired of the
international tap dance and its anti-Semitic overtones. Israel is our BFF
and those Arab nations who refuse to recognize its existence will be weaned
off the foreign aid teat ASAP. As for the "peace" flotilla headed towards
Gaza in June, it wouldn't be the Israeli Navy boarding and inspecting the
ships. It would be the U.S. Navy.
* With respect to Islamic terror in general: we would no longer
interested in winning hearts and minds, or nation building, or engaging in
politically correct warfare. Anything considered a threat to America's
national security would be met will lethal and devastating force. Once the
threat was eliminated, the troops would come home. The threat re-appears? So
would we.
* Energy: as a result of the above reality, an historically
unprecedented and massive push for energy independence would be undertaken -
via executive order by the Commander-in-Chief responding to one of the
primary threats to our national security. Why an executive order? To
eliminate enviro lawsuits, like the one that just stopped Shell oil from
drilling in Alaska. This nation is quite capable of being both
environmentally responsible and energy intensive, without being held hostage
by people who think driving a Prius makes them morally superior. Those who
want to live like a cavemen would be free to do so. Those who wish to live
in the 21st century would be equally free to do so.
* Our borders: same executive order, same reason. Heaven help the
first sitting president who has to tell the American public that the
terrorist who just killed thousands of our fellow citizens, snuck into the
country across our unsecured southern border. There would be no "vested
interests" in either party who would be allowed to compromise our nation's
sovereignty for any reason.
* The budget: my administration would begin with the very simple
premise that the most effective government is one that works from the local
level outward, not the federal, command-and-control level inward. In keeping
with that premise, some Cabinet-level Departments, such as Education and
Energy, would be axed. My administration would get rid of the practice,
wherever feasible, of states sending money to Washington, D.C., only to have
federal bureaucrats siphon their"vig" off the top before sending it back.
That's nothing more than a federal power grab, and it's inefficient to the
max. I would convene a national conference of both small and big business
owners, aka the people who actually work for a living, and have them tell
the politicians what it takes to get the economy moving again - not the
other way around as is currently occurring. I would televise the entire
thing.
Next, my administration would lower tax rates across the board. Can't figure
out why companies "outsource" jobs? So would you, if the government was
making it next to impossible to stay here. I would de-regulate for the same
reason, with one caveat: no more wrist-slap, he's suffered enough sentences
for those who game the system. If you do the crime under my administration,
you would do the time - big time.
Next, I would dig the Grace Commission Report out of mothballs and start
working on its recommendations for cutting spending. I would really go
through the budget line by line, item by item, and once again televise the
ongoing procedures. I'm betting it would be one of the more compelling
"reality shows" ever broadcast. My administration would also make sure the
public is well aware of who sponsored what "pet program" that lives on like
a vampire, sucking the lifeblood out of the American taxpayer.
Speaking of taxpayers, I would institute another national conversation
regarding tax reform, one vested with an energy and determination required
by a country on the brink of bankruptcy. Whatever reforms are adopted, one
principle would be part of the equation: everyone would pay income,
consumption or "fair" taxes, even if the lowest bracket is one percent. The
days of nearly half the country subsidizing the other half, aka the "free
lunch" fiasco - which is the best way to insure that government spending
never gets under control - would be over.
. States' rights: it's been a long time since Americans understood why this
country is called the United Statesof America. Fifty separate constituencies
would be given maximum freedom to innovate, to compete, and do anything else
to improve the lives of their citizens without the heavy hand of Washington,
D.C. interfering. Government works best when it satisfies the greatest
number of people as often as possible. Americans understood that for most of
their history. Re-teaching that lesson would be a priority under my
administration.
. Overall leadership: two things come to mind. First, I would give new life
to the idea that America is the greatest nation on earth. Just as
importantly, I would communicate that message in no uncertain terms to the
American public. No one did it better than Ronald Reagan, and my
administration would strive to get that "shining city on a hill" message to
resonate once again. The contemptuous notion endorsed by progressives and
the current president that American exceptionalism is the same as every
other country's exceptionalism is utter crap, best expressed by a comedian
who once remarked, "30 million illegals can't be wrong." Every aspect of our
greatness is still intact, save one: we're no longer communicating the
wonders of America and the greatness of our Constitution to our children.
That's a national embarrassment. I would do everything in my power as
president to change that equation.
Second, under my administration, the notion that government must cater to
the lowest common denominator of human behavior would be deader than the
proverbial door nail. The "no-expectations" approach to governance has been
an unmitigated disaster. Good government shouldn't dictate behavior, but it
can sure as hell raise the bar regarding what's acceptable and what's not.
When Bill Clinton signed on to welfare reform in 1995 we were told people
would never adjust and there would be mayhem. They adjusted. The bet here is
the overwhelming majority of Americans would also adjust to other
expectations regarding decent behavior as well. Why is this important?
Because we're currently learning a painful lesson: no country can survive if
most of its citizens are corrupt. My administration would confront such
corruption head-on.
That's about it - for now. A rant? To be sure, but one that gives me a bit
of a cathartic feeling. I'm sure Olive Oyl felt the same way.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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