Jess for President, 2014!
I was reminded the other day in my poli sci class that I'm old enough to run for the House of Representatives. Can you imagine my campaign? I'm an atheistic woman (either of those things being enough to disqualify me before I even get started.) I'm also childfree, unmarried, served in the military and I'm pursuing a career in the "evil liberal media." I was thinking about my campaign, should I run for President in 8 years. Screw Hillary (freaking carpetbagger) and vote for Jess!
I would immediately gather the smartest war strategists together and form an exit plan for Iraq. I would repeal all the legislation taking rights and money away from our vets and veteran's hospitals. I would send this entire administration over there to apologise and help clean up. When they're assassinated I would send flowers to their funerals.
I believe in global warming, and would immediately resign and ratify the Kyoto Treaty. (Cause, let's admit it, if I was ever elected I think the entire Congress would be democrat) I would support legislation to raise milage requirements on all cars bought or sold in the U.S., and I would take away many of the subsidies that support the oil industry. I would scale down the funding given to the defense department and funnel some of that money into research on alternative transportation, including hybrid and electric cars. I would propose tax breaks be given to people to use alternative energy sources to heat and cool their homes. I would propose regulations be written to require a certain amount of insulation in newly built homes.
I believe in women's right to control their own bodies. I would bitch slap the reps from South Dakota until they repealed that law (I realize that was a state law, but I don't care. It pissed me off.) I would require that insurance companies who fund erectile disfunction medication to also fund birth control. I would immediately support the dismantling of the so-called "abstinence education" programs across the U.S. and replace them with real education, appropriate to grade level. I would funnel more of the money from the defense budget to organizations like planned parenthood. (You guys know that we spend more on defense than the next 12 countries COMBINED, right?)
I would remind various states about the full faith and credit clause and threaten to take away the right to divorce until they allow gays to marriage, because if anything ruins the "sanctity of marriage" it's paper towel divorce proceedings.
I would support affirmative action campaigns toward all those who are disadvantaged, including women in the sciences and minorities.
I would rebuild the wall between church and state, repeal funding to faith-based organizations, and support education campaigns to explain to the American public what a deist is, and why the majority of our founding fathers could be defined as such.
I would kick out every single lobbyist from both the House and the Senate, and remind the reps that they are beholden to their constiguents, not to business interests. I would support term limits and penalize reps and senators who spend more time campaigning than doing their jobs. I would require that every pay raise the Senate gives themselves be matched with a raise in the minimum wage and military salary, retroactive 10 years.
While I'm at it, I would start a campaign to ratify the Constitution. I would get rid of the Electoral College, change the government from a plurality to proportional. More third parties!
More of that bloated defense budget would go toward public school reform. I liked the idea that they had in Vermont-instead of property taxes going to support schools in particular districts, it goes into a pot and every school in the state receives the same amount. It is absurd that we have schools like Lake Forest High School and North Chicago High School. They're less than 10 miles from each other and aeons apart in quality of education. Every child deserves the same opportunities in education. I would also refund financial aid for colleges like the Pell grant and freeze university tuition hikes. There is no reason someone should spend $40,000 on a single year at college, I don't care what your diploma says.
So, there's a lot more, but those are the major points. You think I should give Ralph Nader a call? I don't think the DNC would touch me with a long stick.
I would immediately gather the smartest war strategists together and form an exit plan for Iraq. I would repeal all the legislation taking rights and money away from our vets and veteran's hospitals. I would send this entire administration over there to apologise and help clean up. When they're assassinated I would send flowers to their funerals.
I believe in global warming, and would immediately resign and ratify the Kyoto Treaty. (Cause, let's admit it, if I was ever elected I think the entire Congress would be democrat) I would support legislation to raise milage requirements on all cars bought or sold in the U.S., and I would take away many of the subsidies that support the oil industry. I would scale down the funding given to the defense department and funnel some of that money into research on alternative transportation, including hybrid and electric cars. I would propose tax breaks be given to people to use alternative energy sources to heat and cool their homes. I would propose regulations be written to require a certain amount of insulation in newly built homes.
I believe in women's right to control their own bodies. I would bitch slap the reps from South Dakota until they repealed that law (I realize that was a state law, but I don't care. It pissed me off.) I would require that insurance companies who fund erectile disfunction medication to also fund birth control. I would immediately support the dismantling of the so-called "abstinence education" programs across the U.S. and replace them with real education, appropriate to grade level. I would funnel more of the money from the defense budget to organizations like planned parenthood. (You guys know that we spend more on defense than the next 12 countries COMBINED, right?)
I would remind various states about the full faith and credit clause and threaten to take away the right to divorce until they allow gays to marriage, because if anything ruins the "sanctity of marriage" it's paper towel divorce proceedings.
I would support affirmative action campaigns toward all those who are disadvantaged, including women in the sciences and minorities.
I would rebuild the wall between church and state, repeal funding to faith-based organizations, and support education campaigns to explain to the American public what a deist is, and why the majority of our founding fathers could be defined as such.
I would kick out every single lobbyist from both the House and the Senate, and remind the reps that they are beholden to their constiguents, not to business interests. I would support term limits and penalize reps and senators who spend more time campaigning than doing their jobs. I would require that every pay raise the Senate gives themselves be matched with a raise in the minimum wage and military salary, retroactive 10 years.
While I'm at it, I would start a campaign to ratify the Constitution. I would get rid of the Electoral College, change the government from a plurality to proportional. More third parties!
More of that bloated defense budget would go toward public school reform. I liked the idea that they had in Vermont-instead of property taxes going to support schools in particular districts, it goes into a pot and every school in the state receives the same amount. It is absurd that we have schools like Lake Forest High School and North Chicago High School. They're less than 10 miles from each other and aeons apart in quality of education. Every child deserves the same opportunities in education. I would also refund financial aid for colleges like the Pell grant and freeze university tuition hikes. There is no reason someone should spend $40,000 on a single year at college, I don't care what your diploma says.
So, there's a lot more, but those are the major points. You think I should give Ralph Nader a call? I don't think the DNC would touch me with a long stick.