Here's what I hope for the future in the US (and everywhere else on Earth, for that matter):
1.
Health Care -- This is one of the few arenas in life where I don't mind a government presence (such as the military, public projects like
highways and parks, etc.), as long as it isn't suffocating. Have everyone pay into a national health insurance plan, based on income, with the
government chipping in some tax money as well; this will provide health insurance for everyone, but maintain supply and demand to determine the
salaries of doctors and nurses. That way, the doctors and nurses can be rewarded for their years of hard work in college and even harder work on the
job (Ever see a doctor's work schedule and college transcript? They've earned the big money, no doubt about it!
), and have all hospitals &
clinics owned privately whenever possible (but publicly when there's a need for it and no private organization available), but have government
regulate it for safety and ethics. (But, as always, be careful not to
overregulate, either.)
2.
Taxes -- Abolish the insanely complex progressive income tax system in the US and the 41 States that have them. Have a flat 10% federal
sales tax on all items purchased, with exemptions for items such as food, hygiene products (that aren't luxury items), and simple clothing (that
aren't luxury items). States would have their own sales taxes, since they'd no longer have income taxes either. A sales tax is simple and fair (the
exemptions help poor people, and if you're rich, the more you buy, the higher taxes you'll pay), and is easy to collect (the US Dept. of The
Treasury can collect the federal sales taxes; no need for the IRS anymore!)
I also hate having lots of taxes come from lots of different places. I get taxes taken out of my paycheck, added to any license or title I purchase a
copy of, as well as those I pay from my income in April every year. I'd rather have one large sales tax than a bunch of little hidden taxes
everywhere, personally.
3.
'Middle class Americans' & 4.
'Upper class & Lower class Americans' -- Middle class Americans? I don't know, let them live their
lives in peace, I suppose? Whether you're rich, middle class, or poor, government should be as simple, transparent, fair, and straightforward as
possible (it's none of the these right now!
)
5.
Social spending -- Keep it to a bare minimum, but don't eliminate it altogether. The US & State governments should encourage all industries
to be as private as possible, with the government only being there to pick up the slack when there is a public demand that the private sector can't
handle in specific areas. I have no problem with welfare for those in need, but those who abuse the system (and there are too many!)
must be
discovered somehow and kicked out of the welfare system. Those who abuse the system are committing fraud against those who work hard and pay taxes
into the system.
6.
War -- The need for self-defense is a reality for any nation-state in the modern world (or any era of human history, for that matter!
)
Therefore, I support the US military and the 'war on terrorism'. However, the US should not stretch its military too thin, and it should consolidate
its forces into as few bases as possible, in as few countries as possible, and bring home as much of the US military as possible when it can be done.
Self-defense is not as simple as it was back in the days of swords, horses, and boats; the fact that the US had to go to Afghanistan to attack the
group that was the ringleader of the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the US illustrates this. I also think that Bush and any future US President should
choose our battles carefully -- we can't eliminate all the bad guys and rougue countries at once, but we can take them out one at a time...
7.
The Economy -- The US should make education -- especially in techonology -- top priority, so that the US can rebuild its manufacturing
sector, in case countries like China and India collapse on us. Plants will always be automated and computer-run from now on, so at least we can have
Engineers and technicians build and maintain these plants, and even work on improving the technology at the same time. The government's main purposes
should be to encourage private sector growth whenever possible, while regulating for safety and the envrionment (again, being careful not to
overregulate either).
That's my $0.02, anyway.