Redstate

You spelled "official" wrong in the statement about making English the official language. Perhaps we should have taken that step sooner to avoid such things?

absentee

What about winning the Iraq war and allowing Iraqi democracy to succeed? Another option on there should be Bringing Freedom and democracy to a Post-castro Cuba. I'd want to vote for both.

Secure the border.

Balance the budget, reform entitlements, abolish federal departments and consolidate the government, reform the State Department, get out of the UN, restore the currency.

There sure have been some pretty goofy things added to the list.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

I just hope, all of us understand, our entire way life, enjoying the things we have at our disposal to have full and productive lives in our communities, is often at the mercy of those sitting our our state and federal benches. That is where the idealogical war is being fought, and too often we lose by their legislating from the bench. We cannot allow that to be the way it is. If we believe the courts have the influence they do, then we must ensure we participate in this election and vote Republican, regardless of who our candidate of choice is. We must fight to have strong conservative minded justices appointed at every level. If you don't think this is important, I merely ask you to research the MA Supreme Court's decision to recognize gay marriage and how that became law; it's enough to drive you nuts.

Erick, you didnt list protecting the second ammendment - that is very, very important for some people.

thanks.

although #30 looks promising :>)

I tried to vote on the first one (judges) and the poll blew up and will not let me in again. What's up with that???

You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.

Talk about annoying and aggravating.

You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.

I'd like to see you cajole the candidates into explaining the specific approaches they will take given their presidential office to reduce taxes and reduce spending at the federal level at the same time.

I'd like to see you get each candidiate to bid on the percentage they believe that their efforts will lower taxes, and the percentage that they think their efforts will lower spending, year over year through their first term.

I guess this needs to be prefaced with extracting a committment from the candidates to actually try to reduce spending and lower taxes at the same time. I'm hoping that for a field of Republicans, that wont be problematic.

I can only say what's important to me:
1) Fighting the war on terrorism, and doing it correctly.
2)a. Policing illegal immigration, primarily penalizing employers of illegals to remove any incentive for being here.
2)b. No privileges (education, medical, etc.) if you are here illegally.
2)c. I'm not as worried about boarder security as that's mostly symbolic, no wall will stop them; you need to take away their incentive for coming.
3) Fiscal responsibility. Cut programs where the cost exceeds the benefit and stop spending money we don't have.

I think this is a state issue, not a presidential issue, but I think we also need to make it more attractive for businesses to work from American states, preferably California because I’m selfish, rather then exporting to India, Costa Rica, etc. Cheaper goods and services do little good if we aren’t making any money to spend.

Abortion, gun control, gay marriage, etc., aren’t even on my radar. I’m not saying they aren’t important, but they are dwarfed by the other issues. It makes little difference if we overturn RvW if our country goes bankrupt and falls behind other nations economically and militarily.
(/Start Sarcasm)
On the bright side, if we surrender to AQ, they will likely prohibit abortions…
(/end sarcasm).

However, my top issue is illegal immigration and the order that we address its various aspects.

Border security first.

Reduction or elimination of any foreign aid to Mexico second. (I don't know if any exists.)

Penalties against non-cooperating cities and states third.

Employer sanctions against "new hires" fourth.

Removal (incarceration followed by deportation after sentence is served) of illegal immigrants who have committed other felonies fifth.

Figure out what to do with otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants last. It can't be just amnesty, or the faux-punishment equivalent either.

Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist."

taking border enforcement off the list is like take the angel off the Christmas tree, or at least that's what most of us in Texas would probably say.

Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net

International Editor of

Exempting overtime pay and the zero interest student loans? It also seems like the GWOT didn't make the list.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

How the hell could you leave out foreign policy/terrorism/Iraq-Afghanistan, etc.

Because that's easily #1.

John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"

for whoever the Repub nominee is: "What's wrong with the Democrats and the progressive agenda."

Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.

The war on terror is dropped - added by a troll? What is with the overtime thing and freebies for students.

which isn't on your list.

o Give employers 30 days to clear their records or be fined big time.

o Secure the border

o Check all known social secruity numbers that are registered with three or more names on them.

o Give illegals special drivers licenses and have ICE agents hand deliver them :-)

Oz

Read my most recent story, "Immigration may be Hillary's undoing" on First Cut Politics

I'm for everything except exempting overtime pay (because I'm for the flat tax with no deductions, exemptions, credits - no exceptions) and zero interest student loans (let the free market decide what field they they go into.)

I'm for everything else.

... isn't a specific proposal, but it certainly should be the top priority of the POTUS.

I expect the president - to fight to win, to appoint Judges up and down the system that can read, to put America’s people and interests above the world’s (and their own), to use the tools available to prepare for problems ahead of us. Therefore of the topics available I want tax cuts, adding a much-reduced federal government would be a bonus.

Because however much I expect these basic things I know that I am going to be disappointed

Small minds discuss people
Average minds discuss events
Great minds discuss the Fair Tax

My top choices (could only vote for 1 sadly so I am listing them here)

WOT (all parts basicly), Taxes (lower them and/or Fair Tax, Judges, Shrink the size of the government, and Illegal Immigration (punish companies, build fence, ect)

"Suppose you were a congressman, and suppose you were an idiot. But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain

No "life issues", or "prolife issues"...

...obviously EVERYBODY will say in trying to get the GOP nomination that they're for "strict constructionist" judges...

...subsuming all life issues under 'strict constructionist' means on life issues and all social issues (since you left gay marriage out), there's no difference b/w Huckabee and Guiliani based on your list...

...also, your 'tax' comment is merely 'expand Bush tax cuts', no "comprehensive tax reform/flat tax" options where, again, Huckabee would blow away the competition as being more fiscally conservative, and no room for any difference on those who have taken Grover Norquist's "no new taxes pledge" (Thompson, McCain, and Guiliani have all refused to sign it).

Besides expanding on the tax cuts, I'd just like to see more emphasis being put on the financial side of the government. It's been neglected for some time (outside of the tax cuts) and I think could use some focus. Whether it's just out of control spending or earmarks, our politicians are spending our money as if it was growing on trees outside their office. I'd also like more tax cuts including getting rid of the AMT.

Boy, sometimes it seems that the party has moved on and left me behind. Where is 'Balancing the Budget' - that used to be one of the top priorities for the GOP. It's what caused me to support Perot in 92 (something I do NOT regret, either). Have we really forgotten how much this mattered to the party not long ago?

My list of reasonable policy choices for candidates.

1) Conservative - In deeds, not in words (Christian conservative desired).
2) Terrorism - including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Middle East...
3) "Illegal" Immigration - continues to degrade the U.S. security.
4) Corruption - Think Pork chops!
5) Judges - Really tired of liberal judicial activism.
6) Economy - Just keep the taxes low - receipts high.
7) Remove First Amendment restrictions - Thanks Kennedy and Mr McCain.
8) Energy dependence - Come on, there must be other options.
9) Smaller Federal government - Always hopeful.
10) Additional requirements as changes occur...heh.

No wonder this post is not getting many responses, what a convoluted list!

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

Enforcing the 10th Amendment will go a long way in solving a number of problems which have been caused by the expansion of the Federal government.

All of those are wonderful things that i would love to see happen in our country. I support all of those. However I am thinking big picture here. Remember that after February 5th the nominee is pretty much going to be decided. Instead in other years where you had to wait until March or April, there is 8 months between Super duper Tuesday and Election Day in November. This unique fact gives the GOP a shot at a sweep on Election Day. It's a long shot but there actually is one because of this unique presidential election cycle where the primaries are frontloaded. The idea of scrapping the IRS and enacting the FairTax is definitely an idea that will pique the imagination of the American citizen (regardless of political stripe). If the nominee supports it and the GOP unites on the issue it will be 1994 all over again, except that the White House is in play this time. None of those other issues will energize the American voter (not to mention the conservative base) as much as the FairTax would.