If I Were President Forum Game: Redux

[WVProgressive]

Inspired by the forum game ran by @Rodjaon the 270soft forum. I know we did this recently, but I think enough new people have joined/ old people have rejoined that I think its acceptable to do this again.

Party:

State:

Domestic Issues:

Healthcare:

Education:

Immigration:

Taxes:

Jobs:

Environment:

Energy:

Military:

Abortion:

SCOTUS:

Policing:

Welfare:

Economy:

Crime&Drugs:

Electoral Reform:

Women's Rights:

LGBTQ+ Rights:

Science:

Gun Control:

Spending&Debt:

Infrastructure:

Minimum Wage:

Obesity:

Religious Liberty:

Social Security:

Privacy:

 

Foreign Issues:

Russia:

ISIS:

China:

EU:

NATO/Allies:

North Korea:

Iran:

UN:

Israel:

Trade: 

Foreign Aid:

Military Spending:

Military Intervention:

War In Terror:

Cyber Warfare:

Nuclear Arsenal:

[MrPotatoTed]

Party:  In this post-Trump world, Democrat.  (I was a moderate independent before the Republican Party evaporated, circa 2016.)

State:  Technically Ohio, though I'll always think of Pennsylvania as home.
 

Domestic Issues:

Healthcare:  I generally support Obamacare.  It's not perfect, but as someone who had a medical emergency with no insurance, it's a hell of a lot better than what it replaced.  I'm happy to replace it with something better, but I don't have a detailed plan for what that would look like, and we're keeping it in place until that detailed plan is in place.  

I'd also move for transparent pricing for all aspects of healthcare.  Almost every other business has a transparent pricing model, there is little reason that healthcare can't do the same.

Education:  I'm a strong supporter of education.  Using my military benefits to get a free college education completely changed my life.  We do need to figure out a better funding model, because going to college shouldn't set you back financially for decades.  Community College should absolutely be free, we'll take a look at what can be done for the other schools.

I also strongly support universal preschool.  Many people who are on welfare programs are only there because they can't afford to work -- childcare is too expensive.  We must rectify this immediately.

Immigration:  We need to have security, but not at the expense of our souls.  Make legal immigration easier and cheaper.  Make a pathway for those who are already here.  Those who try to cross illegally will be sent back -- but we are not stealing children from their parents.  That ends today, and I'd seek what kind of criminal charges can be placed against those responsible for the perpetrators of that policy.  Not just the separation, but the insane levels of child neglect that followed.  Investigating this and bringing charges against those responsible will be one of my top priorities.  Never again.

Taxes:  Soak the rich.  We don't need billionaires.

Jobs:  These are good!  We should have more of these -- not just jobs for jobs' sake, but jobs that create economic stability.  Getting a meaningful job where I could actually provide for my family for the forseeable future didn't just change my life, it changed me as a person.  Everybody should get to experience that.

Environment:  Environments are good too!  We should have more environments.

Energy:  I don't have strong opinions on this, I'll appoint a smart Secretary of Energy and let them do their job.

Military:  Militaries are good!  We should have more militaries.  

Abortion:  Abortions are good!  We should have more abor...whoops.  Abortions are sad but sometimes necessary.  They should be legal and rare.  Support free birth control in low income communities, support safe sex education, support families making smart, informed decisions.  I have been extremely fortunate in my life, and of my greatest fortunes was in becoming a dad -- but I would not have had most of the opportunities I've had if I'd had a child before I was ready for one.

SCOTUS:  Appoint moderate left justices.

Policing:  Body cams protect police officers and civilians alike -- they should be mandatory for all departments, and all good police officers should be relieved that they'll have the evidence to defend them from any false allegations as a result.  Most police departments need fewer tanks and more personal relationships with their community.

Welfare:  Welfare should be given without judgment to anyone who needs it -- but it should not be a permanent arrangement for those who are able minded and able bodied.  Welfare is a lifeline.  Part of the welfare service should be developing an exit strategy -- what do you need to get back on your feet permanently, and how can we help you achieve that?  It may be more expensive up front, but the long term savings will be huge.

Economy:  Economies are good!  We should have more economies.

I don't know if this fits here, but I am extremely skeptical of bitcoin and the like.  This seems like a massive scam to me, ripe for fraud, and needs to be investigated and regulated.

Crime&Drugs:  Crime and drugs are bad!  We should have less crime and drugs.  I do not support legalizing marijuana or any other drug.  

Electoral Reform:  Automatic voter registration, require ID to vote, make getting an ID free.  

Women's Rights:  Women's rights are good!  We should have more women's rights.

LGBTQ+ Rights:  I fully support LGBTQ+ rights.  I'd look at how to use access to federal funds to pressure states to recognize all LGBTQ+ rights.

Science:  I do not understand science.  Science is scary.  But I will hire smart science people to handle the science and make sure no science reaches my desk.

Gun Control:  We have a right to protect our families, but the most certain way to protect our families is to at LEAST ban insane weapons.  How am I defining insane weapons?  If I can kill ten people without reloading, that's an insane weapon.  If you are at home with your family, and you suddenly have the need to kill ten people without reloading to protect them...I don't know what to tell you, buddy.  I think maybe you made some bad life choices.  Sorry to hear about that.  But no, I'm not going to let you do that anymore.

Spending&Debt:  Much like personal finances, spending and debt can be good -- as long as it's smart spending and smart debt.  What are we getting for our money?

Infrastructure:  Would it surprise you to learn much of our infrastructure is outdated?  Allow me to make a bold recommendation:  Update it?

Minimum Wage:  I'm receptive to the idea that $15 might be the number.  But I also see that a lot of businesses that used to pay minimum wage are voluntarily moving to $15 an hour.  I might wait and see how that plays out.  My gut says the best employees will naturally gravitate to companies that pay them more, and then the best employees will make that company even more profitable, and the only way the other lower paying companies will be able to compete will be to raise their wages so they too can compete for the best employees, and the minimum wage may continue to rise on its own without federal mandate.  I could be wrong, and if I'm wrong, we'll force it to happen.  But for now, let's see where this goes.

Obesity:  I'm not going to get into the business of regulating people's bodies.  This is none of my concern.

Religious Liberty:  As stated, I prioritize LGBTQ+ rights.  Can you fire someone for being LGBTQ+?  Hell no.  Do you have to bake them a wedding cake?  I'd prefer if you did, but I'm also okay with seeing your bakery go out of business from the public backlash if you refuse.  

This is a lot longer than I realized when I started.  I'll have to come back to this later.

[Rezi]

Party: Independent/Democrat

State: New York

Domestic Issues:

Healthcare: Universal Healthcare is necessary. I would prefer a single-payer system, but am open to compromise for a different system, as long as everyone has coverage and no one is going bankrupt to stay healthy anymore.

Education: Mostly keep Education in the hands of the states, but provide additional funding for public schools, irrelevant of tax money coming from them, on the condition that states adhere to new federal regulations that would be carefully worded to not overpower states' rights completely, but still prevent them from teaching things like "The War of Northern Aggression" or ignoring certain, ugly parts of American history. Also, do what we can to end Common Core. Support pilot programs for tuition-free Public University at the state level, while supporting Universal Preschool and Free Community College.

Immigration: Stop wall construction and return land taken by eminent domain during the Trump Administration. Support a pathway to citizenship for taxpaying illegal immigrants. No more detaining people when they cross the border, simply bring them back. Also provide the Countries that these immigrants are coming from with foreign aid what could be called a 21st century version of the Marshall Plan.

Taxes: Increase top-bracket taxes and get rid of loopholes. Generally just make sure that the millionaire class pays more in taxes.

Jobs: More jobs. Potentially some public works projects? Start research into a way that the Government could more efficiently do minimum wage, which would take into account the disparity in cost of living from State to State and County to County

Environment: Carbon Tax for corporations. More regulations aimed not at destroying profits, but at protecting the environment from unnecessary destruction and pollution. We need to be world leaders on curbing climate change.

Energy: Tax breaks for renewable energy companies!

Military: Cut the waste! Our military does not need to be the size that it is, and stop with the mass recruitment efforts.

Abortion: Roe vs Wade is the law, and abortions are constitutionally protected. 

SCOTUS: Appoint mostly liberal judges to the court, with an emphasis on civil liberties.

Policing: This is mostly a local issue, but provide more funding for training and such nationwide, and encourage localities to make higher standards. Encourage experimentation with new community policing.

Welfare: Perhaps some UBI experiments are in order?

Economy: Don't really know what to say here that isn't covered somewhere else.

Crime&Drugs: Remove cannabis, MDMA, LSD, and peyote from Schedule I, push for federal decriminalization of all drugs, as well as prostitution.

Electoral Reform: Abolish the Electoral College, encourage states to implement Ranked Choice Voting.

Women's Rights: Equality!

LGBTQ+ Rights: Trans Rights!  The Government stands with the LGBT Community.

Science: Fund Science!

Gun Control: Make no additional changes to gun laws, appoint a libertarian to head the ATF.

Spending&Debt: Debt isn't very important, but do try to lower the deficit/keep a surplus, but not at the expense of the people.

Infrastructure: INVEST INVEST INVEST

Minimum Wage: See Jobs

Religious Liberty: Appointed Judges will be quick to protect the establishment clause and free exercise clause.

Social Security: Increase Social Security Age to 70, and also increase benefits.

Privacy: Pardon Snowden and Assange, stop spying on our citizens, put in legislation to limit facial recognition, appoint judges who will broadly interpret the 4th Amendment

 

Foreign Policy: Generally stay out of other nations' affairs. Have a pragmatic, yet protectionist view to trade, putting tariffs on items that we actually produce in the United States, as not to turn protectionism to an extra tax on the people.