Making America Great Again By T.S. Khanna, May 18,2016

Foundation for Better Government

(www.bettergovt.blogspot.com)

Making America Great Again

By T.S. Khanna, May 18, 2016

America (USA) is the greatest country world has ever known.  However, during the last few decades it has suffered some self-inflicted set backs from which it must recover.  While we are making unprecedented technological progress, we are experiencing a political decline.  From technical perspective, we have a solution to every problem, and, from political perspective, we have a problem to every solution (Apple v/s FBI).   Democracy, with over emphasis on equality without distinction between right and wrong, and on individual rights, without requiring attendant obligations, has become the epicenter of discontent causing political disorder.

  Here lies the test of democracy: Can democracy solve the problems created by democracy?

As a starter, here is a tall order to make America greater: 

• Establish national goals (internal/external), develop plans, policies, and programs in pursuit of the goals; evaluate annual progress; update goals every six years.
• Require political parties to compete in achieving the national goals, instead of splitting the nation into two fanatic cultures.
• The existing system of the Congress/President has become dysfunctional.  Make changes: (a) Establish a 15-member non-partisan Supreme Council, elected on a 6-year term, with the powers and responsibilities of the President, the Senate, and the House of Reps.
• Abolish the Senate and transfer the President/VP offices to the President/VP of the Supreme Council elected on a 2-year term.
• House of Reps members may be elected on a 6-year term, which may elect the Supreme Council and act as advisory body to the Supreme Council.
• Improve the quality of voters and public officials by adopting adequate requisites.
• Prevent silent cultural invasions by restricting voting privilege and public offices only to the US born citizens.
• Adopt English as the national language and require all immigrants to learn the language.
• Improve the election process by adopting/enforcing a strict code of conduct and etiquettes for candidates and media.  Misleading false advertisement or personal attacks may disqualify candidates.
• Phase out welfare into workfare system by bringing back the jobs lost to other countries.  Government should act as facilitator, not as provider.  Government is not a charity institution.  Involve religious institutions for welfare programs.
• Disallow the practice of political economy.  Abolish unions, associations, minimum wage laws, and all other obstructions that inhibit economic competition and open market forces.
• Restrict availability of arms to only responsible citizens over 21.  Confiscate arms from the gangs, criminals, and irresponsible citizens. 
• Adopt a flat tax rate for all income groups.  Allow first $100,000 as tax free income for all, 20% federal tax and 5% state tax on additional income.  Individual tax returns may be required and payment of the preceding year tax may be a precondition to vote.
• Secure borders making them leak proof and deport illegal immigrants as quickly as possible.
• Stop accepting any immigrants until enough jobs have been created to employ the unemployed.  Then re-evaluate the type of immigrants needed in light of prospective economy.
• Do not allow automatic citizenship to the children born to non-citizens in America.