Ideas on Stuff That's Important

Having a really hard time this election season.... and it's only just begun. Once again I am reminded that I do not fit into any party neatly. Once again I am reminded that we are picking the lesser of evils.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were so many good candidates that the decision was difficult for that reason? Instead it is just difficult because in every situation I see our great nation spiraling down the shitter.

If I made the rules, we'd start with 100 candidates, or however many foolish idiots there are that want to be in control, and every two to four weeks there would be a series of 2-3 debates, followed by elections. Pick 10. Then as we get to less, pick 7. Pick 5. Pick 3. Pick 2. Pick 1.  There would be NO ADVERTISING. If you don't say it in a debate, it isn't said. It isn't up for discussion. As with court hearings, you get opening remarks and closing remarks, and the middle would be filled by questions. That everyone answers in a sound proof booth, unable to hear their opponents. At least in the beginning. The sound proof booths could eventually be done away with once the candidates have proven they have a mind of their own. In the end, we might have two socialists. We might have two stoner hippies. We might have Donald Trump and Donald Duck. But the nation would decide.

Naturally the argument is that no one would show up. But that's no argument for not trying.

I guess I just want representation. I want someone to say, Kayla, I hear you. And I stand for [at least some of] the things you stand for.

I want a flat tax.
I want people to be able to marry whomever they love and still be able to own guns.
I want schools to teach gun safety and religious tolerance.
I want small businesses to be promoted.
I want businesses to retain the right to decide how to do business, so long as it doesn't hurt individuals.
I want mothers to be allowed to raise their babies with pay (for even a few months).
I want anyone and everyone who receives public assistance to be held accountable for how they spend those dollars, but if they fail a drug test let's not kick them to the curb either.
I want a flat tax.
I want homeless people to be given an opportunity to start over.
I want capitalism, but I want environmentally conscious capitalism.
I want capitalism, but I want the human condition safe-guarded against greedy bastards.
I want healthcare to be affordable but I don't want to be forced into any program.
I want more funding for mental health.
I want less funding for wars. Especially wars that we have no right fighting.
I want religion out of the public sector but respected within the private sector.
I want our leaders to support students of all ages by eliminating interest rates on student loans in exchange for volunteer activities.
I want schools to offer incentives to study abroad so Americans learn there is more to our world.
I want marijuana legalized, not just decriminalized and I want hemp to become our next cotton.
I want a flat tax, and a complete overhaul of how our tax dollars are spent.
I want our veterans to actually be cared for when they finish serving our nation.
I want term limits on Congress, but possibly an extension of the presidential allotment (if we got someone really good, shouldn't they get 12 years?).
I want an overhaul of how bills are passed so that we can consider every item individually and make Congress actually work for their pay.
I want a flat tax.
I want to cut Congress's pay to that of teachers so that what we end up with are only those who really want to make a difference running for office.
I want serious criminals punished and minor offenders to be offered a chance at redemption.
I want the government to take a step back and protect our rights without infringing our liberties.
I want cops to serve us and not hide, waiting to catch us.
I want caring for and protecting our environment to be on the top of everyone's list.
I want a flat tax. ;)

I think that everyone has their list, and I would love that each one of us be able to find a candidate who at least meets most of our requirements. She/he who leads the nation would be the person who does that for the most amount of people. If I were forced at gun point I could pick 5 from the above list, I suppose. But I shouldn't have to compromise so many things just for one or two items on my list to be promised but inevitably never delivered.