Vote Mark D in 2012

[MarkD]

OK, I've decided to annouce my candidacy for the office of President of the United States for the 2012 election. I offer my platform for your consideration.

I believe that America is the greatest nation in the world not because of our government, but because of our people. I believe that the government exists to serve the people (and not, I may add, in the same manner as a bull serves a cow). I believe that the function of government is to protect the rights of the citizens, those rights including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that our Constitution creates a government that can do just that, but that the government has trangressed that Constitution and needs to be corrected.

Therefore, if elected, my first order of business will be to reform the executive branch, of which I will be the head. Each department head in the executive branch will provide me with the following: 1) a brief description of the duties and responsibilities of that department, and 2) a copy of the pertinent sections of the Constitution authorizing that department to perform those tasks. Mass resignations will be accepted in place of either of these items, failure to provide both to my satisfaction shall result in mass firings and (if I can manage it) public floggings. Any department heads who reference the "commerce clause" had BETTER be dealing with interstate highways or something similar. Don't test me on that.

Next, we will work on reforming the Legislative branch. I can't do this directly, but I can do so using two tools, the veto and public opinion. My first order of business will be elimination of expenditures added to bills which have nothing to do with the bill, we know this as pork barrel spending or simply as pork. I will veto any bill containing pork, regardless of the merit of the bill. This will be totally non-partisan. For example if the original bill is for tax reform that I would otherwise sign, but there's pork included, I'll veto it whether the pork provides for a wind farm to be built in Wisconsin (which I would disapprove of) or if it provides for a wall across our southern border to keep out illegal aliens (which I would approve of). Give me the expenditures as seperate bills which I can judge on their own merits. Finally, should Congress override my veto of a pork containing bill I'll call a press conference the very next day and explain to the American people that their Congress approved these expenses, apparently believing that their pet projects are more important than letting the taxpayers keep the money they work for. I will then name each and every member of Congress who voted to override the veto. I suspect a great many promising legislative careers will come to an abrupt end at the next election cycle.

I want America to take a page from her own Marine Corps, I want her to be no better friend and no worse enemy. First, America will no longer be part of the United Nations, an organization which serves only to undermine American sovereignty and give comfort to our enemies. If the UN wishes to maintain its offices in New York City they may do so, by paying fair market value for the property in question. Otherwise, they may leave, the choice is theirs. Next, I will re-evaluate our international alliances. These will be modified as appropriate, our allies should enhance American interests, not detract from them. Our remaining allies will find America a worthwhile friend, quick to assist them militarily, economically, or with humanitarian aid. Everyone else can pound sand. Oh, an earthquake just flattened your capital city and you need food, medical supplies and facilities, power and water? Well, we'll be happy to send a carrier group there to provide all those things, the fee will be one billion dollars per day, plus expenses.

Lastly, I want hostile nations or groups to think twice before they mess with us. I mean that. Much of the trouble we have today with terrorism is because we lacked the intestinal fortitude to flatten Tehran when they took Americans hostage under the Carter administration. You take Americans hostage? You have 48 hours to set them free unharmed or there will be a large hole where your capital used to be. This is non-negotiable, there will be no extensions, this will be your only warning.

So vote for me, we'll make America what it's intended to be.

I'm Mark D and I approve this message.

[First Shirt]

Got my vote!

[rightisright]

Ahh, to dream...

[Jennifer]

Sign me up on that campaign. When do you need me to start making phone calls? I have experience. I was the voice of a local bank's automated line. That voice that says "Your available balance is..." Yeah, that was me.

[Lokidude]

Sounding good so far. You've made one of the three campaign promises of my ideal candidate, and having previously heard your opinions on matters, I would be willing to wager that you would make the other two, and follow through with all three. Those promises, in no particular order, are:

1. Lower taxes. The government needs to keep it's grubby mitts out of my wallet, at least until they learn how to balance their books.

2. Refuse to allow America to be abused, mocked, and pushed around on the world stage.

3. Leave me, and the rest of the American citizenry the hell alone in our personal lives.

[Weetabix]

May I suggest two additions to your foreign policy?

1. Foreign nations: if you endanger or harm your neighbors or your own people, we will flatten your government buildings and kill as many of your top officials as we can in two weeks. You have two years to rebuild a government that does not endanger or harm your neighbors or your own people. If you do, all is well. If you do not, we will flatten your government buildings and kill as many of your top officials as we can in two weeks, and you will have another two years. Lather, rinse, repeat.

2. If you take Americans hostage, and don't release them in 48 hours unharmed and take them to your capital to prevent our making a large hole there, we will still make a large hole there. Americans are pragmatists and patriots. They'll understand. Then we'll go crater the shit out of your 10 most important highway intersections, your 10 most important railheads, and your 10 most important energy depots.

[MarkD]

Loki,
Trimmed government and elimination of pork will result in lower taxes. Likewise, a return to Constitutional principles will gett the government out of private business. I guess I should have been more explicit. This is a work in progress.

Jennifer,
You know, when I was 14 used to....well, nevermind

Weetabix,
I agree with #2, but #1 only if the affected people are Americans or American allies, although I'd give consideration for enemies of our enemies.

[Weetabix]

Weetabix,
I agree with #2, but #1 only if the affected people are Americans or American allies, although I'd give consideration for enemies of our enemies.

On #1, I figure that keeping the international bad guys in line is a) good for business and general world safety, and thus, good for America as a whole, b) gives our military valuable live fire experience, and c) makes more people fear us. I figure "fear us" is good.

ETA: but you're the candidate, so your platform is your platform.

[MarkD]

Weetabix,
Hmmmm, good point. I guess that's why candidates have advisors.

I'd like us to stay out of places where we have no interests, but like you said, the grunts gotta learn to function in the real world somewhere. Maybe we could fit it into the training schedules, let's see, the Nth Division is due for live-fire training, who's causing trouble?

[randy]

As to strikes on those that do us wrong, add that we reserve the right to hit you at a time and place of our choosing, we have long memories, and there is no statute of limitations on military action.

So, if it is inoconvienent to hit country Y because we're knocking the stuffing out of countries W and Z, we reserve the right to hit Y 6 months, a year, or 5 years from now whenever we get around to it, and/or the appropriate military units come up for a training rotation that fits your climate/terrain etc.