Welfare Reform

Welfare.

A mixed bag in our day and age. Since the inception of our nation, we have had programs in place with the goal of assisting the poor. From the British Poor Laws imported by the colonies to the Social Security Act passed by Franklin Roosevelt, we have constantly and consistently sought ways to help those a little less fortunate than ourselves. Almost as old as the idea of welfare, however, is the idea of welfare reform. The belief that what we do with the money we allot is not the best way to spend it. That by giving out money to the poor, we perhaps encourage them to remain so. President Reagan cautioned against the creation of a welfare state. President Clinton signed into effect vast reform, which had both positive and negative results. However in this new age of personal and fiscal responsibility, a way to redesign our welfare system to positively benefit all those in our country is within our reach.

The major problem with our welfare system today is the lack of incentive to get a job and off of welfare. This is not, however, due to what most would have you believe. The prevailing criticism of the program is that those who receive welfare in some form become opposed to actually working in favor of simply being given money for nothing. What most don't realize is that this could not be further from the truth. The hardworking nature which prevails through the American spirit is not diminished by welfare, nor is it lacking in those who benefit from it. The problem is that welfare benefits end when a person finds stable employment under the current system. As I'm sure many of us know, finding a job does not necessarily mean you are making enough money to put food on the table or gas in the car. Yet with the present standard in place, if you cannot, that's too bad. Well, I say enough. We can no longer push those on welfare to seek employment and then penalize them when they do. This is a more compassionate America, an America far more in touch with the plight of the poor. So here is what we'll do.

Welfare needs to remain active for a period of 6 months after a person obtains gainful employment. Upon reaching that six months, they will then be able to apply for a one-time 6-month extension. The benefits they receive during the extension, should they request it, will be reduced from their normal amount. The goal is to make sure people are making enough money that they don't have to quit their jobs and go back to welfare, yet wean them off relying on the system by giving them ample time to build up a savings and figure out what their budgetting plan needs to be. By the time their 6 months or 1 year is over, they will no longer be a drain on society, but rather a contributing member ready to put back into that which they benefitted from so that others may use it in turn. The unemployment benefits, food stamps, and other government-funded programs which care for the downtrodden need to stop running out just when a person is ready to get on their feet again. This is America, and we care for our citizens.

With that in mind, welfare benefits which include health coverage through medicare or medicaid should also be extended. Many people go to work only to immediately lose their health care. Under my program, their existing health coverage would remain active until they were able to receive benefits from their employer. Now, the second part of this equation is making sure people are able to find the kinds of jobs which will have health care as an option. To that end, I propose that we put our welfare dollars towards the education of those willing to take it. If they are willing to learn a vocation through many of the 2-year programs available, such as nursing, hospitality, or technical trades, the government will cover the cost of school so that they may emerge a more well-rounded citizen with a host of job prospects.

If you work for America, America will work for you. That is my pledge, and I promise each and every one of the unfortunate souls in this great country that your suffering will be eased. If you are willing, as I know you are, to seek out work and earn an honest living, then the government will make sure that you are given the foundation you need to build upon while getting your life together. You will no longer be a part of a country whose system encourages people to remain poor, but rather one that provides you the tools you need to improve your life and that of your loved ones. That is part of the promise of America, and reforming welfare to ensure it is but one of the many steps we must take to better ourselves morally, strengthen our workforce and our economy, and achieve true progress in our time.

Thank you, and God bless.

Immigration

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

- Inscription on the Statue of Liberty

The comparison between the situation of the immigrants of our country's past and today would be inappropriate. When the country was founded by immigrants, there was no nation already in place (save for the nations of the Native Americans, which I will address in the future). When immigrants began pouring into the country during the late 19th and early 20th century, the demand for their labor to help build a developing nation offset concerns about their numbers or legality. Now, the stage is set very differently. We have an economy in crisis. American citizens are struggling to retain jobs as they are consistently shipped overseas. In the midst of this, companies are cutting corners by hiring illegal immigrants who work for well below minimum wage.

Illegal immigrants are only a small part of the overall cause of our economic woes. In order to untie the larger snarls, however, it is necessary to work out the tiny knots first. The issue with the illegals living in our country, or coming in across the border to work, is, from an economic standpoint, the fault more of the businesses which employ them. I don't believe America should turn its back on the poor and hungry of other nations who come here seeking work. When we talk about building a wall to keep them out, we're talking about spending millions, if not billions, of taxpayer dollars to prevent people from being able to feed their families. That is not what America stands for. There is a better way.

Addressing the symptoms of a problem will only mask the disease itself. In this case, there are two causes we must treat if we are to find a cure.

The first is the problem of businesses run by Americans that knowingly and willingly hire illegal aliens, pay them pennies an hour, and in doing so prevent American citizens from getting a job. In my eyes, this is the same as if the company were simply shipping the jobs overseas. They deserve no understanding or benefit of the doubt. If their business model is structured such that they cannot turn a profit without abusing workers rights and harming the overall welfare of their community and country, then they are not a business I want operating in the first place. Yet at the same time, another dilemma presents itself. As mentioned before, illegal aliens often work these jobs because there is nothing better in their own country. They send their money back home so that their family can afford to survive. I would no sooner turn my back on them than I would anyone else coming to America in order to seek out our boundless opportunity.

Therefore, our goal needs to be making it fair for everyone. Rather than send INS agents to conduct raids of factories, we need to raid their payroll. If an employer is found to be hiring illegal aliens, interview them and find out how much they're being paid. Subpoena any records the company has regarding wages. If they are making less than the minimum wage legally allowed in America, then the employer will be made to increase their pay to the acceptable hourly rate, or else face fines equal to the amount of money he would save by not doing so. The first step in making sure illegal aliens aren't taking jobs away from Americans is to ensure that employers have no benefit to hiring them over a taxpaying citizen. Given this, now American citizens and those coming here seeking to help themselves will compete on a level playing field.

I will be honest, however. I'm not after a level playing field. I want the advantage to be with Americans. Therefore, we move on to step two.

The reason illegal immigrants cross over our borders in the first place is that there is little to no comparable economic opportunity to be had in their own countries. Currently, the largest number of immigrants come from Latin American countries. Again, the dilemma is that we want to make sure Americans are not being forced into economic turmoil because illegal aliens are receiving our jobs, but at the same time we would be rebuking the entire American way were we to simply turn them out on their ear. So we must help them to help themselves. As President, I will work to pass legislation which will increase trade with these countries. I will work with their governments to root out corruption in their systems. I will provide them with access to the economists and technology they need to build up their own industry. I will, in essence, teach a man to fish. When people are able to find jobs that pay their bills in their own country, they will lose their incentive to come to America. At the same time, we will be building strong new trading partners, increasing goodwill towards the country, and improving our own economy.

So we have addressed the economic aspects of illegal immigration. I would be remiss not to discuss the obvious issue of security.

Much of our attention is focused the immigrant population that comes here seeking work. So much, in fact, that I believe we have lost sight of the greater issue. There are an unknown amount of people living in this country, having come here from places all over the world. Some got in with student visas and simply stayed after they expired. Some were brought over by relatives or family. Others managed to just sneak in. It will be one of my goals as President to end this problem once and for all. We need to know who is here and why. If someone enters this country without the goal of becoming an American citizen, we have a right to know what their intentions are. INS will be given the task of tracking down each and every foreigner living illegally in our borders and discovering why they are here. Depending on the reasoning, they may be deported.

It is a matter of national security. As we all know, there are those who would do us harm. The first and best step of prevention is making sure they never get here in the first place.

Finally, as brought up, there are those who want to come here and stay. They want to enjoy the bounty America has so long offered all those whom have immigrated here. I say, let them. To that end, I will make sure under my administration we increase the availability immigrants wishing to become naturalized citizens have to citizenship tests and and study aides to prepare them. I will lower the cost of taking the test so as to not discourage those with only meager funds available to them. The test will be no easier, and in fact may have the difficulty level raised, but I feel it is our responsibility as Americans to make sure everyone who wants to be a part of our country has the opportunity to do so. That is part of the American promise, and working together, we can see it fulfilled.

Thank you, and God bless.

Our Economy and Debt

There is no issue facing our nation today that is more prevalent in our minds than the failing economy. As our major corporations circle the drain and millions of American jobs stand poised at the brink, the question of what to do has brought in a dizzying array of speculation. With the stock market tumbling and billions of dollars being lost, most people seem more interested in pointing the finger than assuming blame; or, even more importantly, seeking solutions. We need to come together now, today, and address the issues we can change immediately to progress past an economic downturn that imperils all of our futures.

First and foremost, there is the precedent set by government. Contrary to popular belief, there is little a President can do to actually affect the economy. The President can draft policy and propose it to Congress. From there, it must pass both Houses, including whatever amendments or addendums are added to it. When that comes to be, the rest is in the hands of the American people and their reaction to it. Following the economic woes of the Carter years, Ronald Reagan came into office with sweeping reform of tax breaks for corporations and major deregulation. News of his economic stimulus plan hit in 1981. By 1982, America was in the worst recession it had seen since the 1930s. Even with the best of intentions, no one can really know how the market will react. Therefore, it should be up to the government, and the President, to focus on policy regarding their own spending that sets a positive example for the rest of the nation.

It is time for the American people to take serious interest in the spending habits of our government. The last administration has crippled our ability to fund many of the programs vital to this nation. With hundreds of billions spent on war, lost in tax breaks, and doled out to banks, we now face nearly unprecedented budgetary crises in the coming years. Reducing government spending is not enough. We need to make sure that the money we do spend is only that which will most benefit the American public. Not only that, but we need to overhaul our tax system entirely. The government needs to responsibly manage its own assets in a way that will set a precedent of fiscal responsibility for all Americans. Part of that responsibility means making sure that we can fund ourselves as a country rather than being forced to borrow from others. The America I envision is not beholden to any foreign power, and has no outrageous debt hanging over it. The America of our future is a financial superpower, one that will not have to beg for scraps from a more successful international community. To make this a reality, we need to start making the changes today.

Where our tax system is concerned, the fixes are simple, yet with profound impact. It is our responsibility to ensure fair taxation for the entire population. Those who have the least should not be asked to give the most. Those who have the most should not be affronted when made to give a little more. Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, this is not socialism or redistribution of wealth. The only place the wealth will be going is to the government, so it can be used to improve the quality of life in America. The President is not Robin Hood. The President is the person who knows how to take what needs to be taken with as little possible impact to the economic well-being of all American citizens to ensure that all of them have access to the basic needs they are entitled to.

Besides the individual, corporate taxation must be re-examined. The enormous tax breaks afforded business giants that may not even necessarily provide work for American citizens will come to an end. If an industry is greatly profitting from outsourcing jobs out of the country, then it will be made clear they are not welcome here, and room will be made for the companies that do. I believe in free trade and capitalism, but a line needs to be drawn when it becomes bad for the entire country. The President must safeguard the economic well-being of the population as best as possible, and continuing to grant tax breaks to those who do the least in return for the country is irresponsible at best. Turning the tables to allow greater incentive for those businesses which do put money in the pockets of Americans will also help small companies thrive, creating new and competitive jobs.

On a related note, let us examine the government bailout now being asked for by the Big 3 automakers. They would have us believe that millions of American jobs are on the line should they fall into bankruptcy, and they are most likely correct. The situation leading up to this, however, could have been easily avoided had greater competition been allowed in the first place. Part of the business plan of the Big 3 automakers, however, has been to crush any potential rivals for nearly a century. In a world where they had not grown so top-heavy as to topple over, there would be healthy competition stimulating the economy, more jobs to be had in the industry, and significantly reduced danger in the event of a crisis such as this. The government should not try to stifle the entrepreneur, but nor should it allow him or her to deny others the same chance to excel.

In future discussions, I will unveil plans for the other critical pat of my agenda. Besides simply curbing our spending and reassessing the ways in which the government obtains money, we have to look at how we can change things which cost the nation billions every year and turn them into money-making industries. For now, I leave the topic in your hands. We must pay off our national debt. We must redesign our system of taxation. We must make the playing field level for all small and new businesses. We must protect our most vital asset, the American worker. Our country can be so much more than the fragile system of imaginary money and transferring debt rather than real wealth. We can and we will reinvent what our economic system is, and we will see change in our time.

Thank you, and God bless.

Legalization of Gay Marriage

Even as Barack Obama rode a wave of hope and a message of change into the White House, our country added a giant leap back to what had been a visible step forward. Today we will speak about an affront to the Constitution and the American way of life. An issue that should not even be an issue; something outlined clearly and explicitly in the Constitution and our Declaration of Independance. The passing of Proposition 8, a measure which rescinded the right of gay couples to marry, is both a slap in the face to the ideals our country was built on and a social injustice which has no place in this nation.

This is a country built on equality.  American citizens who felt the sting of unjust treatment fought long and hard to make sure they were seen as equal under the law.  Just as women and African-Americans struggled to overcome the hurdles our system put in their path, so to now do same-sex couples try to prove the Constitution knows no limitation for sexual orientation.  I will be there with them, every step of the way.

Let us speak frankly.  The argument that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman is a complete fallacy.  Marriage is an arrangement of love.  When two consenting adults love one another, they have the right to spend their lives together and have that commitment recognized as marriage by the law regardless of them being a heterosexual or homosexual couple.  The idea of marital rights being constrained to a man and a woman is a strictly religious ideal, and I do not intend to preside over a theocracy.  This is a Democracy, and one in which all people are created equal.  Not "equal in most cases" or "separate but equal," simply equal.  If even one American whom has done nothing to harm anyone else is denied their rights, we are poorer as a nation for allowing it.  I will not tolerate such government-sanctioned discrimination to carry on any longer.

If a religious body refuses to recognize gay marriage, that is entirely their prerogative.  I would no sooner tell someone what they should believe than I would let religious believes dictate how I run the country.  It is not the right for the government to determine what people believe, but likewise those beliefs cannot determine national policy.  No one will be required to acknowledge on any sort of spiritual level that a same-sex marriage is sanctioned by their religion.

As far as the law goes, and the rights and privileges of married couples, the federal government will recognize the unions of same-sex couples as marriage, and grant them the full extent of what a heterosexual couple is entitled to.  

This is not about beliefs.  This is about ending a wave of bigotry which has been accepted in this country for far too long.  American citizens are guaranteed equal rights, and we have denied them to homosexuals.  I will not allow it as President, and I sincerely hope the matter is long resolved before I ever step foot in office.  Should this intolerable discrimination still continue, however, rest assured I will end it.  We will progress past this inequality, and we will see change in our time.

Thank you, and God bless.

Tackling the Issues

Good morning, America. In my last entry, I spoke of ensuring lasting change and continuing progress in our country. This means moving forward on all levels; social, economic, moral, and technological. To see change in our time, we must work together to make sure we never again fall prey to the axiom "one step forward, two steps back." Hand-in-hand, we must walk forward without stumbling into the future of this great nation.

In the entries following this post, I will begin addressing my own plans to enact continuing and lasting reform across the nation and bring America into the 21st century. These will run the gamut of the most pressing issues across the country today. I will get to the root of each argument and outline my plan to work with America to cut through the problem. We will discuss each course of action together and iron out the issues in each plan of attack. We will determine how best to leave the arguments of the past behind and face down the problems of tomorrow.

We will discuss same-sex marriage. We will discuss our economy. We will discuss gun control, abortion, immigration, foreign policy, free speech, national security, the military, and many more. We will discuss how each issue affects our nation, how it affects us personally, and what we must do to move forward as one. On each of these issues I will not simply present and defend my stance. I will detail my own plan, and working together we shall discover the flaws and eliminate them. I welcome your criticism, and while your approval is welcome, it is your criticism I seek, so that I might hear the voice of America, and understand clearly what the nation wants.

Tomorrow begins another day in the long march towards change in our time. The goal being to do the most amount of good for the greatest number of people over the longest period of time must be achieved. We must never do what is easy, or what is best, but always what is right. We must never back down from a challenge because it seems insurmountable. Instead we must seek not to climb over it, but cut through it. We must act with forethought and planning, and respect those who disagree with our opinions. We must better our system of government, and simultaneously better ourselves.

Thank you, and God bless.

Launching a Campaign

Good morning, America. As I write this, it has been 24 hours since America issued a clear mandate demanding change, a new direction, and hope for our future. Whether or not Barack Obama will be able to deliver on this as President remains to be seen. The very fact he was elected, however, speaks to the growing surge in our nation demanding a change of course.

I will speak plainly and openly. I intend to ensure that the progress of America runs unimpeded from this point on. I intend to ensure this by seeking the office of President of the United States of America.

As Senator Obama became President-Elect, gay marriage bans were simultaneously passed in three states. The stock market dipped another 500 points. Our nation continues to fight a war on two fronts. Progress is coming, but it is slow, and the setbacks and obstacles are many.

In the months and years ahead, I will outline my ever-evolving plan for change in our time. I will follow the flow and ebb of our politics and provide my reactions. I will keep my readers updated on the situation around at home and around the globe. I will read your comments and react. I will establish a rapport with the American voter like none other in our history. The internet will be the foundation of a new era in politics, one where the politician can directly access and address American citizens at unprecedented levels. This is the groundwork laid by the Obama campaign, and I do not intend to let its' lessons be lost.

Moreover, as I outline my plans for reform and progress in the days to come, we will be able to work as one to make our voice heard as it was in this past election. Working together, we can persuade the government to make the vision we share a reality long before 2020. We stand now as a country clearly united behind the cause of visible change and clear progression into the 21st century. We speak with one voice for a strong America, a unified America, and an America dedicated to the promises guaranteed us by the Constitution. Together, we can make the rest of the world sit up and take notice.

Our journey begins here. It will be long, and it will not be easy. However I promise it will be worth the end result. For our country, for ourselves, and for the future, we cannot let ourselves become complacent with what we have won in the past 24 hours. Now more than ever, we must fight to make progress a reality, not just one shining moment in our history. Let us continue to work together, that we may truly bring about change in our time.

Thank you, and God bless.