TEN FOR '10: Winning Washington By Empowering Americans

Laura Ingraham has a very interesting column on her website today. It is called "TEN FOR '10: WINNING WASHINGTON BY EMPOWERING AMERICANS". It's goal is to form a cohesive platform for Republicans for the 2010 elections.

Now, you may disagree with helping Republicans to get elected to office. And you may not agree with all 10 points she outlines. I myself agree with 9 of them.

But I think it is a good start for re-stating what many Americans believe can help us to turn this country around. There is a lot of common sense in these 10 points.

Here they are:

1) Taxpayers' Bill of Rights (TABOR). Limit federal spending growth to the percentage in population growth plus the rate of inflation; provide taxpayers the option of filing a post-card sized return using a low, flat tax rate of 25%

2) End Tax-funded abortions. Stop federal payments to Planned Parenthood and prohibit any taxpayer-subsidized health insurance plan from covering abortion

3) Defend American Borders. Complete America's border-protection initiatives using remaining funds from the so-called stimulus bill

4) King Dollar. Preserve a strong dollar so that Americans' savings aren't wiped out by inflation and the U.S. dollar remains the world's reserve currency

5) Empower American Business. Immediately slash corporate tax rates to 15% and scrap the corporate capital-gains tax altogether

6) Defend America. Strengthen America to defend our homeland and fully fund an operational, layered missile-defense system

7) Statism Exit Plan. De-fund czars; immediately cease bailout payments to failed companies; ban future bailouts

8) End Generational Theft. As few believe America's entitlement programs will be able to pay benefits to future generations, provide younger workers the choice of diverting payroll/Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts

9) Restore America's System of Justice. Introduce British-style penalties for frivolous lawsuits, where those who launch unsuccessful lawsuits are liable for the defendants' legal bills

10) American Energy Independence. All-of-the-Above strategy that embraces alternatives, expands and accelerates exploration and production of oil and natural gas, and jumpstarts dramatic increases in nuclear power

www.lauraingraham.com...

I think the best thing we can do is deep 6 both politcal parties. I and
many others believe that they have sold us (the people) out to the
highest bidder.

I can't really go for most of their points, corporations would be the
primary beneficiaries of most of these policies. It looks like an
attempt to consolidate the party and maybe bring over some
conservative democrats.

Point by point then here we go:
(1) - what is LOW about a 25% tax rate? How about not taxing the first
$25,000 of any personal income since that is a bare minimum to
survive on.

(2) - I can't disagree however I would not outlaw abortions which
most republicans want to do.

(3) - Defend the border? How about enforcing the laws we already have
about illegal immigrant labor? Or better yet sending them back to their
country of origin? Sounds harsh, I know but Americans need jobs too, even poor jobs.

(4) - Unless we can bolster the GDP by means of export the dollar will
continue to spiral downward. What do they propose?

(5) - Corporations have enough tax breaks. A sound energy policy would
be of greater benefit to them.

(6) - Missles? to protect us from who or what? We alreadyhave overkill
with our nuclear deterrent. This another corporate welfare scam.

(7) - OK, I can live with that.

(8) - Here we go with more privatization. Raise the top earning limit on
Social security payments.

(9) - Put caps on damage payments instead. The system works fine, it's
just bloated with greedy peopple and lawyers. Make it less profitable for them.

(10) - Im good with raising domestic energy resources. Forget biofuels
and hydrogen, concentrate on non-renewables and decentralize the
power grid. Make home-generated renewables a priority while
strengthening tax breaks for energy efficient appliances and home improvements.

That took me all of 15 minutes and I'm not even a talk radio host.

This new 10 point system sounds like a no-go to me. Sorry Laura!

[edit on 16-9-2009 by Asktheanimals]

Sorry, I just don't buy it. IMO, these are just talking points to get elected.

When it comes down to it, what are the chances of these getting passed?

I put the odds at zero to none. The reason being is because they will still be at odds with Democrats over many of these issues. It will still be a Dem versus Rep fight.

What good is promising things that you can't fulfill?

Winning Washington? Wining Washington for who exactly? The same people that got us into this debacle to begin with? As I see it, this is just the right/GOP's attempt to get things back to the way they had it. So they can loot the treasury and pilage the country. There's nothing in those ten points that does much of anything for us.

Bush Co. had the biggest run-up in government expasnion, spending and deficit in history which was a huge boon for all their friends and allies. Increase military spending? Again? Proetect our borders? Maybe they should have thought of that 8yrs ago.

Sorry, this is all political BS. I agree enthusiastically with Asktheanimals... if people STILL can't see that it's time to completely abandon both of the major parties they are all truly deaf, dumb and blind. How much clearer do things have to get?

reply to post by jam321


He, he, you nailed the issue to the spot, as we are heading for mid term election politicians are now "remembering" that they need to show how much the work for the people to get their votes.

The next day is back to be what they are best, the whores of private interest in Washington.

I'm not a Republican, so I don't entirely agree with some of those points, but there are some that even as a non-Republican I agree with.

1) Taxpayers' Bill of Rights (TABOR). Limit federal spending growth to the percentage in population growth plus the rate of inflation; provide taxpayers the option of filing a post-card sized return using a low, flat tax rate of 25%.

I don't know anyone other than Millionaires+Billionaires who would cry foul about this one. A Flat Tax gets rid of Tax Shelters and Loopholes that the Rich use to avoid Income Tax, but if the Rich get taxed just like the Low and Middle Classes, then it's definitely going to help the Economy. Besides, what under-educated person at the Poverty Level is going to complain about not having to pay someone to do their 1040EZ every year?

4) King Dollar. Preserve a strong dollar so that Americans' savings aren't wiped out by inflation and the U.S. dollar remains the world's reserve currency

Again, what Democrat, Republican, Independent or Libertarian in their right mind wouldn't agree with this. Of course, each of those may disagree how to achieve and maintain a Surplus Budget, but I can't imagine anyone being against this in principle.

5) Empower American Business. Immediately slash corporate tax rates to 15% and scrap the corporate capital-gains tax altogether

If this were given a 10-year Time Limit to better help promote the American Economy you would be able to easier sell this to all parties. It's certainly a better alternative to Bail-Outs.

7) Statism Exit Plan. De-fund czars; immediately cease bailout payments to failed companies; ban future bailouts

It's not like Czars are any more expensive than any other Staff. The Executive Cabinet has been need of being redesigned and modernized any way. However, that is something that falls under the purview of the Senate to decide.

As far as ceasing Bail-Out payments to companies that have not used that money wisely and are still failing or looking for yet another hand out, I think cutting the Life-Support is a good idea (but aren't Republicans against Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide?).

Certainly we shouldn't entertain the idea of any more Bail-Outs. Other than the Fed and Treasury Departments, you're not going to find anyone disagreeing with that, no matter what their party affiliation may be.

8) End Generational Theft. As few believe America's entitlement programs will be able to pay benefits to future generations, provide younger workers the choice of diverting payroll/Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts

Nationalized 401K Plans is what SS should have been in the first place. Allowing individuals to choose a Government managed 401K Market Fund or rolling their balance over to another 401K Market Fund of their choosing shouldn't offend anyone. If you can roll your 401K from one Employer to another Employer's 401K, then why shouldn't you be able to roll it over from Government to Private Fund?

9) Restore America's System of Justice. Introduce British-style penalties for frivolous lawsuits, where those who launch unsuccessful lawsuits are liable for the defendants' legal bills

Again, I don't know anyone who would disagree with this. Personally, I would say take it a step further and require those who launch unsuccessful lawsuits to be liable even when settled out of Court. Do you know how much it costs to defend against a frivolous IP lawsuit that never even makes it to Trial? A minimum of $5 million! Most people can't afford to defend themselves and are willing to be victims of Highway Robbery at the Out-of-Court Bargaining Table.

10) American Energy Independence. All-of-the-Above strategy that embraces alternatives, expands and accelerates exploration and production of oil and natural gas, and jumpstarts dramatic increases in nuclear power

The only opposition this would meet is how it is to be implemented. All sides agree that America needs to gain Energy Independence. However, not all agree that Oil, Natural Gas and Nuclear Power are viable options to do such. Switching our dependence on Foreign Non-Renewable Resources to Domestic Non-Renewable Resources makes little sense. The Left and the Middle will oppose this wanting to gain Energy Independence through Renewable Resources such as Solar, Wind and Hydro Power. If the Right is willing to meet everyone else half-way on this, then no one is going to oppose it.

Items 2, 3 and 6 will not feasibly happen as they are exclusively Partisan Issues. Only those on the far Right would agree to those and the rest will remain diametrically opposed to such changes.

However, for the rest outlined above, there isn't much there that Democrats, Independents, Libertarians and others couldn't get behind, in at least principle.

reply to post by fraterormus


Exactly 2,3 and 4 are just score points when politicians are targeting certain groups within demographic targets, just for extra points nothing more.