Nearly all of these problems have been caused by laws passed by the fedral government between 1912 and present, most of which have been blatently unconstitutional.

All of these, and most all other problems facing the country could be solved overnight by doing one thing: Abolish all laws passed since 1912.

But, to address these issues specifically:
1. I would NOT continue it. It is a socialist tax which seizes money mostly from the working poor tomorrow, and gives a small portion to the rich elderly today. This and all other socialist entitlement programs must end immediately. Give all the money taken from anyone in the name of ss tax, and give it all back. Stop collecting this evil tax immediately. It is a pyramid scheme, and it can't be fixed.

2. Stop spending money. Real simple. Most federal programs are illegal anyway. All legitimate functions could easily be paid for with a 1 or 2% flat tax. Most useful functions of government are done by the states, anyway. As for existing debt, the federal government has a mind-boglingly large list of assets. Land could be sold back to the people. I'm sure they could spare a few armored limos and marble/cherrywood desks, etc.

3. The poverty is largely caused by the damage to the economy caused by excessive taxation/regulation, etc. With a flat 2% tax, for example, the poorest people would live better than most "wealthy" do now.

4. The federal government never had any authority to regulate medicine. Therefore, this is a states issue. The president doesn't have to do a thing, other than abolish criminal organizations like the BATF, etc. This can and should be handled at the state level.

5. Tragedies such as this have many causes, but two big ones come to mind. First, is that thanks to government meddling, the school system has been utterly decimated. It's high time to completely privatize the system. Public schools are a terrible place for any child to be. Secondly, these criminals were not stopped quickly because the victims were all disarmed, thanks to unconstitutional and fascist gun laws. If most people carried concealed weapons, this sort of thing would not be possible.

In short, all of these things and more all call for a return to the constitutional republic this great country once was.

The following opinions are not necessarily 100% what I believe (hell, who am i kidding? 10% at the outside). most is just crazy whacked out stuff I put together for fun.

1) social security
Private accounts are a way to keep Social Security under control. America has a lower number of younger workers to support an expanding number of retirees and we can't just keep raising payroll taxes. We need to give people more control over money that’s theirs to begin with. Private investment is the best way: the money is put to good use rather than just lining a government employee’s pockets or given out as largesse. We can gradually phase it in to ease the transition period and see if the people like it.

Another way to shole up Social Security: we increase the number of working Americans. Now, typically it takes about 20 years to grow one American and you can’t even be sure he’s going to be a good one. But immigration solves that problem: open the borders and I can round up five thousand hard working people here every five minutes. Get more of the best people from everywhere and we get massive Social Security receipts. Plus, since they grew up in foreign countries, the bill for raising them up from childhood is already paid up in full.

Finally, stop confusing the public by saying Social Security money is somehow saved in some lockbox or bank account. We may as well say it’s stuffed in the Presidential mattress. Social Security money is “saved” by using it to buy T-bills. And what does the government do with money that comes from T-bills? It spends it. A T-bill is basically an IOU from the government, and the government buying them just means it promises to pay itself back in a few years. The best thing to do with any Social Security surplus is to lower taxes, especially the poor and middle class that paid for it.

5) gun control
We need more guns not less. With even 15% of students and teachers properly trained and armed, no sane gunman stupid enough exists to start trouble. If insane, superior numbers and evolution will handle the problem. I am not suggesting we give guns away willy nilly to anyone. But I propose that those who want a gun get one but be required to pass mental and physical tests so that they know the safety rules of guns and are stable enough to own a weapon.

Allowances can be made with respect to population density, location, etc. Obviously a lone hunter with no one around him is not going to need as extensive testing as someone who is surrounded by thousands of people everyday.

Gun advocates will say this is more trouble but advantages to win them over to my position would include:
O ability to carry a concealed weapon anywhere or alternatively, carry it openly
O right to possess any type of man portable firearm
O right to sell or trade guns anytime

So, my answers are posted on my blog.
[http://dunkelzahn.org/blogger.aspx]

1) The expected dependence on Social Security is of course going to be a critical issue within the next 10 years. We cannot simply ignore the needs of this population, but the Federal Government cannot be a crutch. I would create programs that would assists states in meeting the needs. I believe it up to the smaller communities (states, towns, neighborhoods) to more closely care for our seniour citizens.

2)The national debt is an easy thing to be afraid of. Its a big number that seems obvious. However the National Debt is not as much an issue as people think. Its almost a rather meaningless number. The economy flows like water, sometimes going up, then down. It will get better with smart fiscal actions.

3)I feel bad for those in poverty like conditions, I do. But I do not believe that throwing more money into welfare programs is the answer. I believe that more emphasis needs to be given to job training and life skills. Individual responsibility is the key to this country's greatness.

4) If your asking me to choose one of those options I would have to say stricter punishments. The lure of drugs will always be there, but once again we as a nation need to act responsibly. We cannot just legalize it and assume the resulting problems will vanish. Especially those convicted of drug trafficking need to be harshly punished. It is however a several fold answer as punishment will not be the answer. We need to get in our schools, and stay in our communities to ensure knowledge of the horror of these narcotic is seen.

5) We cannot limit guns, in fact we should lessen control. I use the great state of Minnesota as an example. Recently their bright young governor Tim Pawlenty approved legislation on a "conceal and carry" law which effectively allowed anyone with a liscence to carry a gun anywhere. Crime has dropped, as the fear of reciprocation increases.

Thank You.

1) Since the number of tax earners is reducing and the number of retirees is increasing the system needs changing so people have to begin planning their own retirement. The government will only supply a minimal amount of money to cover the basic costs of living. This is only for those without the means to support themselves. If the retiree owns an asset such as a home then the government is entitled to recover money given by selling the asses after the retiree has died (or both if a couple).

2) Governments will in future not be permitted to go into debt. The current earnings must be balanced and a temporary tax be levied that is purely for debt reduction. As the debt is reduced the money saved on interest payments will be added to this tax to pay off the debt as soon as possible. Once the debt is payed then the tax must be removed.

3) We need to look at the amount of money that has been spent over the years and who to. The system needs to be made as efficient as possible, if necessary the government gives to the state a block of money for the express purpose of reducing poverty and then the state spends that money in the most efficient manner for that state in order to reduce poverty. With states targetting the specific needs of their people the money should be more efficiently used.

4) Locking users up should be a last resort unless they are violent or repeatedly committing other offences. Dealers however should be subject to much more stringent punishment. Users will be made to have counselling instead of a prison sentence to aid in recovery. The government recognises there will never be a simple solution to the problem of drugs but will do what it can to minimise the impact.

5) Given the historical right to own a gun removing that right would be unfair to a large number of people. However just as if you want to use a car you must prove you can handle it safely you will not be permitted to own a gun unless you can demonstrate the abiltity to use it safely and hit a target from a reasonable distance. Rifles being more powerful would require the ability to hit a target at a longer range. The most powerful weapons such as assault rifles however will be banned as you still have the right to own a gun. If you need an assault rifle for personal protection then it says the military is needed in that area since its more like a war-zone. Criminals will have the right to a gun removed for a number of years depending upon the crime.

disclaimer - I'm not American so my policies should be considered in such light
disclaimer no 2 - I haven't read any of the policies above so as not to affect my views.

1) I ask the American people to think on this; What is social security and why do we have it? I believe that social security should be a safety net which catches those members of our society who have for some reason failed to prepare for their retirement. This may be due to lack of jobs due to poor education or due to the collaspe of their pension fund. If too many people are falling into that net then we have problems with our society that need fixing. For most people the question should be how do I save for my retirement not how much will the government pay me. I would revamp the system and turn it into an investment fund. Every working American would pay into an investment fund which invested that money to ensure that upon retirement that American would be able to live in the lifestyle they were accustomed to. There would be a fixed minimum investment related to the size of your salary. The fund would in turn guarentee the end income. People would be encouraged to invest more than the basic amount through tax incentives. They would then have more available to them at retirement. The money remains their money not the governments. The fund will charge a small administration fee in line with private funds. The government would pay a basic allowance for those who are unemployed while they are unemployed thus ensuring that every citizen is taken care of with their own money when they retire. The fund would be used for the greater good of the American people investing in those projects which benefit society. It will run independant of the government but will invest in those sectors industries and civil tasks which the government identifies.

2) I believe that every American has a responsibility to the future genertions of America. This responsibility means that we must ensure that our kids will not be beggars due to the money we spend today. I would introduce a policy of fiscal responsibility. Each president would be responsible for balaning the budget over the presendential cycle. Deficits and surpluses can vary year to year but by the end of each 4 year cycle there would be no extra debt. This still leaves us with a mountain of debt to clear. To achieve this I would add a clause in fiscal responsibility legislation requirying the next five presidents to each reduce the current debt by 20%. This policy will bring an end to irresponsible governments. No more spend spend spend for future generations to suffer for. Lets put an end to the threat hanging over the heads of our children. Lets leave them with a bright future. Lets leave them free.

3) I think the important issue here is what is poverty? What is a poverty rate? I believe in social responsibility. I believe it is the responsibility of the haves to give the have-nots a chance. A chance I say, not a hand-out. A chance for them to help themselves. A chance for them to show personal responsibility. We need to redefine poverty. Poverty is not about having less than your neighbour, poverty is about not having that chance to acquire what you need. I propose to focus on giving the chance. Education is the first step. I propose to increase funding in state schools. We need to identify those schoold who are failing and give them more resources. Tax credits will be given to companies who invest in identified local schools and colleges. We need to encourage further training or education beyond high school. Tax credits will therefore also be given for sponsoring individuals from a poor background through university or to learn a trade. As well as giving the youth a chance we need to focus on giving their parents a chance. I believe the secret to combatting poverty is community. Community centers will focus on identifying individuals living in poverty and finding them the chances they need. They will provide sponsorship for training and education, employment centers, business start-up facilities, social and recreational facilities. Tax incentives will again be used to encourage investment in the community. Communities need to work together to combat poverty. It is the government's job to provide the framework and encourage the sense of social responsibility to enable this to happen.

4) It's time for the American people to face the truth. We are not winning the war on drugs. That's because we are fighting the wrong war. We should be fighting a war on addiction. We have failed the addicts in our country by criminalising them. By forcing them to turn to crime to fund their addiction. We have a responsibility to these people and as president I would focus on that responsibility. I would open up government run and funded addiction centres where addicts can get drugs at cost. To avail of these services all an addict needs to do is sign up and use the drug within the centre. These centers would attempt to wean drug users off the serious drugs and support their habits in protective environments. They will also be responsible for liasing with the social security services and ensuring that others are not suffering due to the addiction. The second part of my plan would be to legalise genetically altered non addictive versions of drugs for the general population to use, if they so wish. If an American citizen desires a chemically enhanced state then it should be their right. It is the governments job to ensure that the drug them use will not cause addiction, long term effects or death. These drugs should be freely available in pharmacies. Funding into new research for addiction free drugs will come from the pharmacutical companies who will be granted licences like any other drug. People will still get addicted to drugs, but it will be an internal mental addiction and not a chemical within the product. The side effect of this policy will also be to remove the market for illegal drugs and to drastically cut crime. It's time we stop failing out citizens, stop telling them what they can or cannot do in the privacy of their own homes, and focus instead on protecting them from the real dangers.

5) I would like to encourage the American people to allow some change. I believe every American citizen has the right to use a gun, but this needs to be moderated with the right of other citizens to safety. I would like to create a society where guns in the home are not required. This involves educating the American people into what our country would be like without guns in every home. I would undertake a two year consultation period where national debates on the pros and cons would occur. Detailed studies of countries without guns in the home would be made. During this period the fight on reducing crime would continue and the removal of drug related crime though changes to the drug system would occur. At the end of this period a one year would be spent consultating and drawing up a final referendum document. Finally the issue would be put to the American people. I would envisage a system where legalised use of firearms can take place in gun clubs around the country. Hunting would be permitted in registered game reserves. Gun sales outside of gun clubs would be banned and all new firearms would be stored within the gun clubs where they would be periodically checked. Current guns within circulation could be stored in a gun club or sold back to the government at a good price. Over a ten year period gun possession outside a gun club or hunting reserve would become illegal. Too many American are killed every day by guns in our society. Too many innocents die accidental deaths. Too many are severly injured. You are more likely to die on our streets than an American soldier is likely to die in a war. This must stop.