If YOU Were Running For President...

[VRM]

1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendments:
No 'free speech zones'. Any public place is fair game, but you will be arrested if you block traffic. Private property is exempted.
Religion in public life: If you want religious stuff in government, fine, but if the Hare Krishnas ask for space to put up a celebration of George Harrison next to your manger scene you will be sharing the space. Devil worshippers count, too.

There will be a national weapons permit. You will pay for the background check, but once you have the permit you will be allowed to purchase/carry any type of weapon you want. You will need to renew every 10 years. Felons need not apply.

Wiretaps will only be issued with probable cause, and will only last for 1 month. Re-upping the tap will require that some new evidence was found during the first tap.

Any person held will be listed as either a POW or a criminal. Any criminal will be charged with the crime. Congress makes the rules regarding captures, they can change this if they want.

Torture is a crime under the Constitution and treaties signed by the US. Congress can change it if they want, but until they do it will remain a crime.

Fed
No Earmarks, all bills will cover a single topic only.

Budget will be balanced - no deficit spending. Military, infrastructure, energy development, and SS will take priority.

Taxes
Personal tax – everybody pays this or you get locked up doing labour until your debt is paid off. This pays for basic government operation. Military service will reduce your rate. Death whilst serving will reduce the rate for your immediate family (wife. kids OR parents/siblings).
National Sales tax - you pay for what you buy (including imports). Big ticket non-consumables (houses, cars, aircraft) will be taxed annually. Taxes on stocks, and investments will be due upos the sale. This rate will also be reduced by military service, but will go back up gradually once you leave the military
War tax – If Congress declares war everybody will be assessed a 5% additional tax on everything until the war is paid for. Anybody serving during the time of conflict will not be required to pay this tax.

Social
Sex-ed will be taught in schools. Parents can opt their child out, but doing so will eliminate them from any public assistance programme.
Welfare will be phased out over 4 years. The money removed from the welfare system will be used for education.
Public assistance will be available for the unemployed for 6 months after the birth of your first child. After that you will be on your own. Having a second child without any means of support will result in sterilisation for both parents, and the second child will be put up for adoption.

Social Security will give every worker enough income to live at the poverty level only. You want more you will have to earn it. Every worker will be taxed on this. Sorry, but I think that the only other alternative would be a big increase in crime when people are stealing so that they can eat.

Abortion will be legal, but only for the 1st 3-4 months of pregnancy. After that the only abortions allowed will be in the case of the mothers life being threatened. And the choice will be hers.

Marriage is between two consenting adults of legal age. This does not mean that a church is obligated to marry two people that it does not think should be married. Churches are private entities and can discriminate within their own walls (see the exemption for free speech). This only means that for purposes of state and fed that everybody gets the same rights and responsibilities.

Justice:
You can kill or wound anybody breaking into your house.
The death penalty is on the table.
Pot will be legal, but will have the same penalties and restrictions as liquor.
No drinking/pot age, but penalties for abuse will be significantly harsher, and will include the death penalty in the case of any murder.
No luxury prisons for CEOs or celebrities.
Rapists will be neutered using the hammer and chair method, thieves will lose body parts (and they will not be eligible for any sort of disability).
Illegal immigrants will be deported when found, companies knowingly employing illegals will be fined heavily.

Did I cover everything? When can I be declared dictator?

Steve