Although a properly crafted optional code and other policies might attract some additional votes in Congress, we need to craft the Congress by identifying the right candidates. The system is often top-down. The 3,000 or so primary candidates position themselves and the voters are often unaware of the intentions. Voters need honest, complete, concise information on policy options, then establish their own preferences and compare candidates to this sort of template. This could also entice better candidates to jump in.
Polls consistently show the typical voter as conservative/moderate on fiscal issues and moderate on social issues, in general. Although some campaign $$ is critical, the vote is still the deciding factor, but there's little or no coverage of many important fiscal issues, so many voters aren't educated enough to know which candidates are serious about necessary reform. A pro freedom, compassionate, tri-partisan or non-partisan plan might include:
- ranked choice voting
- 28% spending and taxation on income within 3 years, including defense at 3.5-4%
- 15% manufacturing tax cut until another round of tax reform
- tax reform
- optional, needs tested, locally run supplemental loans for direct care and/or high deductible insurance, also covering dental and psychological, untethered from businesses
- freedom of practitioner choice- reduce licensing, scope of practice,
certificate of need rules limiting naturopaths, advanced nurses, physician assistants, DIFM dieticians, etc. Will lower defensive medicine and legal
costs, too.
- interstate insurance choice- 76% support in Rasmussen poll,
could save 50% on price (Galen Institute, Council Affordable Health
Insurance) or coverage mandate lite plans within each state
- district control, charters, homeschooling, $8k average annual tax
credit/voucher with up to $600 broadband for K-12, up to $10k needs tested college loans
- revenue-neutral tax on oil (preferred conservation method by most economists), exempt the poorest by starting payroll taxes after $8k of income
- drill on the flat, treeless, frozen Alaska coastal plain and other federal lands where safe.
- legal reform- simplified, faster, at least preliminary decisions
- supplemental housing loans for renters or owners instead of taxpayer backed mortgages, rent "control", etc.
- private accounts option for Social Security
- private insurance option for Medicare
- block grant Medicaid and all needs tested program to states
lower the top C corporate rate to 27% and replace most preferences so the usual 2% of GDP is raised, same progressivity, or lower to 30% on over $1 billion, 25% on over $100 million and 20% down to $1 million (S corporate, partnership, sole owner and personal income are taxed only once.)
- limits on Federal Reserve powers
- consider value added tax for int'l trade which has advantages under the WTO agreement (Paul Ryan) to balance China's higher border tax
- calculate value of China's intellectual property theft, inadequate environmental and worker safety and 30% subsidies (Usha Haley), etc.
- let states decide on cannabis, low potency coca, abortion
- recall ability after 2 years, based on ranked choice polling or
- amendment for 3 year Senate, 2 year presidential terms
- Federal Elections Commission reform/repeal
- increase direct issue voting in the states
- increase spending on world hunger
There are many interest group ratings of officeholder's positions on various issues, but some important details aren't covered, there's less overall info on new challengers and even less at the primary and then statehouse levels. We're still significantly in the dark ages. No wonder why voter turnout for non presidential primaries, statehouse generals and primaries range from 50% down to 20%. Once the primaries are over you could have 2 general election contenders who don't fully understand which reforms are actually needed.
