A voluntary civilian defense corps made up of primarily school drop-outs, and high school students not college-bound and senior citizens for nominal stipend; this corps would be organized and supervised by local enforcement agencies and paid for by Homeland Security.
We cannot continue to police the world at the expense of our own borders. The new recruitment initiative for the national guard should be laced with an agreement that by signing up it will be only for tour of duty for the protection of US borders and these recruits will not be used for any other purpose. The effect of more boots on the borders, particularly on the southern tier will not only insure tighter defense but dramatically reduce illegal immigration. Incidentally it might not be a bad idea for Mexico to petition for statehood.
This is the time to challenge insurance companies for their obscene increase on physician’s malpractice insurance rates that have been overblown by lawsuits, which in fact has little to do for raising the rates. The logical approach, however dramatic, is to end such insurance altogether and forcing health care costs downward. A board of trustees should be devised to investigate the validity of malpractice cases and take appropriate measures to rectify tragic findings. There should be no argument that this violates free enterprise since medical insurance should not be for unseemly profit; nor should citizens expect undue gain from tragedy. There are far too many negligible events resulting in tragedy that do not result in compensation.
The prescription drug law for seniors should be repealed and replaced by a governmental agency to purchase prescriptions by bulk — if Canada is extended this privilege why not our own government? — and the savings passed on to seniors requiring long term medicine under Medicare.
Price-controls must be enacted on the entire medical industry, including insurance premiums, for a period of three years until sanity is returned. Wall Street savvy investors know the best place to put their money: anything to do with medicine and its research. To profiteer on the nation’s illness is unconscionable.
Price controls also on tuition of all universities. Profiteering in higher education, such as campus presidents receiving outrageous salaries, the textbook robber barons, the registrars’ untiring demand for higher tuition, is a disgrace in an egalitarian society that proclaims education as the primacy of its spirit.
Changes to the current tax structure incrementally by increasing the marginal rate each year for nine years at 1% for those with income of 500K and more; and ½ % for income of 200K and ¾ % for 300- 499K. For twenty years the wealthy in the nation have experienced the most sustained windfall of huge tax give-away and "trickle down" nonsense not seen since the end of the Hoover era. It is time for these people to begin to pay back the billions pocketed that forged an obscene plutocracy.
When the cost per capita for imprisonment is three times that of educating a student, it is clear that something has to be done about the inordinate imprisonment of drug-addicts and non-violent felons because of addiction and other causes. Together with rehabilitative measures, work camps should be set up for community repairs, beautification and general clean up.
LOL
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: September 28, 2004.
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