BitaTruble
Posts: 9779
Joined: 1/12/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: NeedToUseYou
Personal:
Intellect Very much so,
Wisdom Most important. Huge, enormous, gigantic DITTO!
Credit Rating/wealth I care more about what they do and how they did it, rather than how much money they have. So, it's can be very important or a complete non-factor. This is probably a little more important to me. Not the wealth part, but the credit rating part. I don't want someone who fucks up their own budget trying to control the federal budget.
Education They should be educated, and continuing to educate themselves. I agree but I'm giving a lot more credence to someone with an MBA than an AA in Art History.
General Health I wouldn't vote for a 90 year old, or someone that has six months to live, but I'd vote for someone that was paralyzed, or in their 70's or who was suffering a long term disease, that didn't effect their brain function.
Charisma/diplomacy I like good speeches and a pretty face as much as the next person, but I really don't care, if their are only moving words, and no substance.Agreed with the additional requirement from me that the president have a keen understanding of diplomacy. Without it, I don't think there can truly be compromise with other nations and as Fairer wrote, building colitions is an important attribute and especially timely now.
Character Definitely, undeniably essential. Which would mean a history of doing the right thing even when it's against the grain. 100% agreement. Honesty, personal responsibility and accountability all required. I want a president who's not afraid of telling the truth to the rest of us even when we don't think we want to hear it.
Military Service Not very important.Agreed - sort of - but I would like to see the 2nd in command have this attribute if not the president. The prez is still the Commander-in-Chief but I admit to a bias because so many of my family members have/still serve in the armed forces.
Sexual Orientation I don't think I vote for a gay or bi person as president, simply because that would severely hamper their ability to function in certain parts of the world. Agreed because my OP specifically pointed to our current nation. I hope for something much different in the future and that our children's children will makes leaps foward on this issue as we make the small, beginning, baby steps.
Relationship Status Don't care. I'd actually prefer a single president then no one will care if he/she gives/gets a blow job in the White House. ::chuckles::
Prior occupations/employment Yes, if they were a lawyer, that counts against them unless they have a very good record(guilty until proven innocent), I'd never vote for a banker, or anyone related to wall street. I think I'm actually the equivalent of racist against bankers. I don't trust them. They can't be human. Fair enough. I lean towards someone who has pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps in a business which they owned and operated. The little guy who has his shit together and surrounds himself with amazing people.
Associations/affiliations To a vary minor degree unless it's really out there. I'd like to see a president who has spent some time in volunteer service unrelated to anything military.
Religion Not so much unless they make it part of their platform, then it's a complete negative.
Ethnicity Don't care.
Criminal record Don't care about minor offenses, I do care if they were caught embezzling, or had substantial dealing with more than a few that did get convicted of felony level crimes. I don't mind traffic violations, but I'd like to see full and complete disclosure even for minor offenses. I have a pet peeve about accountability.
Popularity I don't care.
National/Global:
Health Care Open it up to more competition, The federal government should get completely out of it(serving medical care), and if the states want to enact their own policies in that regard so be it.
Defense Enough to protect our borders. And a little bit extra from me but not too much. Enough to give our men and women what they need to max their survival potential in times of crisis without it costing 800 damn dollars for a hammer.
Education Federal government should get out of it, it's up to the Families->Towns->County->State in that order.
Free Speech Near complete except for intentionally inciting a event that will cause "PHYSICAL" harm.
Taxes Much lower, especially at the federal level, and would ban property taxes in favor of a system that would allow land ownership again.
Stem Cell/abortion rights Stem Cells are fine,Abortion a state issue. Our first real disagreement. Stem cells yes.. abortion though, an issue which is decided between a woman and her doctor and the government can stay out of my bedroom and my womb and my president will feel the same way.
Death Penalty Undecided, depending on criteria enacted that would allow it. Though, I would support it if it were possible to ensure the government wouldn't abuse it eventually and only in cases that were completely open and shut, such as videotaped killings that clearly show the attacker and the motive was clear. But in a practical sense I'd say no on this point now. As people can't be trusted with such power. So, president against the death penalty.
Homeland Security In it's present form, I'm 100% against it, if it meant protecting the borders, increasing port security, and not spying on us citizens. Then I would support it. Thus I'm for a president that will protect the country and not spy on it's citizens.
Gun control Very little barring chemical weapons and Nukes.
Economy The government needs to destroy it's alliance with big business, starting with the Federal Reserve, then IRS, then non bid contracts, etc... etc... Most of the tax revenue should be collected by the states, counties, and towns. I see no reason the federal government needs to run as much as they do. I require this characteristic in a president I'd want elected. Yes! Just say no pork, quit kowtowing to special interest and stop the earmarking. Have some balls (man or woman) and be the fucking president! This whole bank business has me scared, too. How close are we to a 1939 level depression?
Outsourcing it is a companies right to do so, but I'd be in favor of a standardized package display system that would be required, and indicate which countries took part. in the manufacturing, then assembly, then design of the product. So a president that watch nuetral to business, but promoted information on businesses. I hadn't thought of that. Might be good idea but is it going to raise prices at a time when we can't afford to spend the money, as consumers? Maybe something to consider during the second term in office. We've got a lot of big fish to fry and packaging is a shiny that can wait. I don't want to pay for or see any incentives go to businesses to keep them here, I'd rather see penalities for taking the business out of here. You want to ship all the jobs to another country, it's going to cost you heavy to ship your products back in. Make it too expensive for the companies, build the shit we need ourselves and fuck the rest. We have to get back to a manufacturing. Build products instead of buy products. Pay those employees a livable wage and make it painful for companies not to keep their business here. We have too many service jobs and not enough manufacturing ones and Americans are too willing to forego quality for a price cut. With a livable wage, they won't have to.
Border/immigration Lock them down now, though make it easier for legal immigration, increase and ENFORCE the penalties for businesses that hire illegals.
Trade agreements I'd be in favor of free trade, with the condition that all conditions they impose will be met with a like condition. Obviously, by what I wrote above, you can guess where I stand on this issue! ::laughs::
Foreign aid None, except in times of war to long-term allies in distress. I need a different president for this one. We could cut what we spend on foreign aid now by 99% and still have have a president who is a clear supporter and advocate of Peace Corp expansion and take that wee 1% of the 3 billion we currently spend and put it to some real use. Double the pay for service from $6000 to $12000 to help with transistion when returning home and expanded the student loan cancellation policy by upping the % in addition to expanding it beyond Perkins loans. While I don't really want to see mandatory service, I can't help but believe it would build strength of character in our youth so strong incentives are needed to get our kids to enlist in this form of foreign aid and have a way to get an education when they come home. A little hard work and dirt under your nails never hurt anyone. In addition, it's a way to expand one's global view and I just can't think of that as a bad thing. My ideal president is going to pave the way for future ideal presidents. Education and exposure to global thinking is a good start in that direction. Right now there are less than 10,000 Peace Corp volunteers .. how many Xbox's do we have? To me, that's a sad comparison. Right now, Americans are paying about $10 a month per person in foreign aid. Cut that down to $1 a month and put it into incentive packages for the Peace corp. Hell, think of how much parents will save not having to feed teenagers for a couple of years! It's win-win! Hmm.. maybe I would like to see it be mandatory. ::chuckles:: We spend a pittance of our budget in foreign aid right now. At least make what we spend do some good for our kids, our future and the future of our global neighbors as well.
Infrastructure Very important, and this is one area that the Federal government actually has a role in terms of interstates and should be a much larger percentage of the federal budget.
Global warming I went from not believing, to fully believing, and now just confused. LOL. So, my belief is we should do things that make sense regardless of that reality, such as weaning off fossil fuels, trying to reduce pollution, etc... It doesn't matter really if one believes in global warming or not, IMO. As there are just as many other reasons to do things that would offset it anyway. So, I guess I want an agnostic in Global warming but environmentally concerned. I recycle damn near everything. I pay the exact same fees as my neighbors who don't recycle at all. While it wouldn't be the president's job to get my city to lower my recycle rates, I'd at least like to see a president who recycles the way I do. Hey, it's my ideal, damn it! ::laughs::
Adding thought crime to the list: As it's my view, hate crime legislation, and pre-emptive arrests for probable activity fall under that classification. I against it 100% Good add! Thanks. I'd like to see a president who wants to toss about 90% of Nanny Laws to boot. (It may be 100% of Nanny laws, but there are so many, I'm not sure I know them all!)
Thanks for the great post!
As I read back through to edit for grammar etc, I realized there is much I listed that is not the true responsibility of the president .. so, I'm going to have to install my ideal congress as well. That should just about cover things. ::grins::
Celeste
_____________________________
"Oh, so it's just like Rock, paper, scissors." He laughed. "You are the wisest woman I know."
|
Build a Prez - 
Profile
So there you go. 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread