Agenda for America: 5 Point Presidential Platform 2016

By Hap Cluff | FallacyReports.com| March 18, 2016

Jobs – Energy – Infrastructure – Law Reform – Borders

1	Jobs	Add 62 Million Jobs & Up LFP from 63% to 73% – in 10yrs Enact FairTax & Repeal the Income Tax -16th Amendment
2	Energy	U.S. 100% Energy Self-Sufficient, Secure 100 Year Reserve, & U.S. is #1 Exporter of Refined Energy
3	Infrastructure	U.S. Ranked #1 in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) 1Gb Fiber Optic to Every Home, Business, & Organization
4	Law Reform	Loser Pays Lawsuits & Liability Limits Curtail Regulatory Burden, & Term Limits for all Elected Officials & Judges
5	Borders	Zero Illegal Entry, Boost Legal “Guest Workers” by 400% Limit Legal Resident Immigration to 250,000 per year Visa holders get Tamper Proof ID’s with electronic tracking Refugees: provide safe, liveable refuge in their country

Summary

1. Jobs. Over $2 trillion are held outside our borders by U.S. companies. Why? Income Taxes. Imagine if businesses within the borders of the U.S. paid zero taxes?  That $2 trillion would pour back into the U.S. generating over 20 million new jobs for Americans.  We must repeal all “income” based taxes and replace with the FairTax, a 100% revenue neutral tax, based on consumption.  Ten (10) year jobs goal: increase labor force participation (LFP) from 63% to 73% and create 62 million new jobs (517,000 every month).

 

2. Energy. Economic prosperity and worldwide security are directly related to the U.S. being 100% energy independent and self-sufficient. By controlling our own energy resources we make our friends strong and our enemies beholden.  Carbon fuels are here to stay for at least the next 200 years.  We must invent, not tax or subsidize, our way out of using carbon.  Nuclear power is the cleanest, most cost effective, non-carbon source for electricity production.  Wind and solar farms scar our countryside, kill endangered bats and birds, and are not cost effective –and will never exceed 6%-9% of total capacity.

 

3. Infrastructure. U.S. must become, and remain, number one in technology. Currently (2013) the information and communication technologies (ICT) “Environment Subindex,” which measures the “friendliness of a country’s regulatory framework in supporting high levels of ICT uptake” ranks U.S.#34 in the world.  There is no excuse for not being #1.  Ten (10) year goal: deploy 1Gb (one gigabit) internet fiber optic connectivity to every home, business, and organization (FTTH).  The savings in service delivery efficiencies and revenues generated by an ubiquitous 1Gb internet, will not only cover the support and upgrade costs of the FTTH system, but will be sufficient to pay for all ongoing maintenance and new construction of federal, state, and local physical infrastructure (roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, et.al.).

 

4. Law Reform. Lawsuit abuse is one of the biggest costs to consumers in U.S. Two reforms: one, “loser pays” if you file a lawsuit and lose you pay all costs (court and defendants); two, limited liability with no-fault payouts (does not apply for criminal neglect). If you think you deserve greater compensation for your injuries or damages than are allowed by the no-fault limits, guess what; get your own insurance.  Over $1.5 trillion sits inside the U.S. in “cash” accounts of U.S. businesses.  Why?  Because costs of government regulations are unknown.  This is equivalent to 15 million jobs and higher wages for current workers.

 

5. Borders. Nothing matters unless we control our borders. Demonstrate zero illegal entry for at least 2 years.  Follow that with a streamlined and automated legal immigration process.  Next a states’ (not federal) controlled and issued tamper proof identification and electronic tracking system.  Over 40% of current illegal aliens came in legally, but we have lost track of them.  With the above in place and proven to work then and only then create a guest worker program for seasonal employment which is electronically tracked.  Finally, up the qualifications and reduce legal permanent resident immigration quotas to 250,000 per year from the current 990,000 annual rate.

Executive Briefing Outline

1. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, in fact More Jobs than Workers – More Skilled Jobs than Trained Workers; Goal: 73% Labor Force Participation (LFP) Rate by 2026.  Vision: Create and maintain more “private sector” skilled jobs within the borders and territories of the U.S. than trained workers to fill those jobs.  To achieve this goal means one, make locating a business within the borders of the U.S. more attractive and lucrative than in any other country; and second, make sure businesses know this will always be the case.  Fact: of all job eligible workers, 59% are either unemployed, on government assistance, or want to work full time, but are not.  This is a national disgrace. On top of all that are 1.8 million new first-time job seekers entering the workforce every year.  We must create 62,000,000 new jobs over the next 10 years –6.2 million per year, 517,000 per month (nearly 300,000 more than in any month of the last two presidents).  Here is how to create a lot of jobs:
   1. FairTax – Zero (0.00%) income based taxation, zero corporate taxes. Americans pay an estimated $1 trillion annually in hidden tax-compliance costs, which is equivalent to over 10 million jobs. Individuals and businesses waste 3 billion hours every year preparing tax returns. The Treasury forgoes approximately $450 billion per year in unreported taxes.  The single biggest barrier to the economy, especially jobs, is the “income tax,” with its 72,954 pages of codes and rules, and the  97,000 IRS tax enforcers.  All other ”tax fixes” pale by comparison, like “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”  The FairTax would repatriate U.S. companies offshore $2 trillion which is equivalent to 20 million jobs.  With the FairTax we could attracted international companies to keep their money in the U.S.; just 1% of the world’s $50 trillion GDP is equivalent to 5 million more jobs.
      • Repeal 16^th Amendment/Income Tax -House Joint Resolution 104 (HJ Res 104).
      • Pass the Fair Tax Act of 2013 -House Resolution 25 (R. 25).
   2. Implement a Balanced Budget Amendment to include Presidential line item veto. Until budget is balanced government is shut down. NO BUDGET-NO SPENDING.
      • Elected officials 10% reduced pay. No retroactive pay or adjustments for members of Congress or Executive (White House) or their staffs (these guys caused the problem, they should suffer consequences).
      • Federal employees get zero cost of living adjustments (unless it is a reduction), no bonuses, no merit increases, and no time-in-grade raises.
      • Military (not DoD) and their support contractors continue with full compensation.
      • Federal employees and contractors may be eligible for retroactive partial or full compensation. After budget is balanced and approved.
   3. Accountability of Unemployment -Use BLM U-6 –NOT just U-3 (see Table) as measure for unemployment rates and percentages.
      • Create U-7 through U-12 (see Table) track: new job seekers, ratio of internships to jobs, ratio of government vs. private sector jobs.
      • Private sector jobs grow economy; government jobs detract. Adopt a “net jobs” policy by subtracting out government jobs from private sector jobs.
   4. Job Training. Schools should focus on preparing skilled workers, ready to work.
      • Colleges refund tuition to graduates who go jobless in their field of study. Fact: 30% of job seekers have college degrees only 20% of jobs require degrees.
      • Secondary, higher, and vocational education must provide paid internships with school credit for every student; working in coordinate with local employers.
      • Homeschoolers granted full academic status. May participate in all of their local public school extracurricular programs.
   5. School Choice -Issue vouchers so parents can determine their school of choice. Once there are more jobs than workers the competition from outside the U.S. for those jobs will become intense. The way to counter this is with school competition.

2. Self Sufficiency, 100 Years Reserve, and #1 Worldwide Exporter. Vision: Achieve Worldwide Social, Political, and Economic Stability.  Energy Goal: Produce and deliver, without subsidizes, U.S. energy and related technology at a lower cost than any other country.  With U.S. energy self sufficiency, we could actually enforce economic sanctions on any rogue state or terrorist organization.  Because the U.S. could supply our allies with all the energy they need any time.  This would allow our friends to never be forced to negotiate with, or be threatened by, the likes of ISIS, Iran, North Korea, Hamas, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, et. al.  By all estimates there are at least 1,000 years of affordable and accessible clean carbon based energy.  We could use this to first, build a solid economy for the U.S. and our allies, and then, offer these less costly energy resources to non-allies based on condition of human rights and anti-terrorism efforts. Fact: Russia is #1 supplier of energy to China; nothing can go wrong with that, right?
   1. Energy Program -Three (3) Components to a secure and pollution free future via affordable efficient raw and refined resources and exports.
      • S. 100% self reliant energy: production, supply, refinement, and delivery.
        • Drill offshore inside 25 mile barrier. This relieves natural oil seepage which threatens environmentally sensitive areas. States own this resource and may, or may not, choose to share with federal government.
        • Expand nuclear energy to maximum, same for fracking and clean coal.
      • Sustainability -100 year plan to achieve sustainability. Americans will invent our way out of carbon use; no need to “penalty” tax our way out.
        • High priority: non-carbon propulsion and power production technology;
        • Low priority: “green” energy resources or conservation -new or renewable.
      • Export energy technology (and energy) to the world. Friends first, next 3^rd world, and then biggest polluters.
        • Bring our democratic allies to energy independence and self sufficiency;
        • Next offer to non-democratic allies, neutral non-allies, and lastly “enemies” –least cost energy resources (e.g., less than Russia can produce it for).
        • Encourage development of low cost means for clean coal conversion. This includes fracking and other energy efficiencies.  Provide incentives to inventors to sell technology to China and India by offering expedited processing.
        • Fact: 2 billion people live without electricity or running water.
          • Fuel alcohol (clean burning) for cooking produced on individual family farms; foliage regeneration for water filtration and sewage treatment.
          • Technology: e.g., PowerPot™ boils water to make electricity for lights and charging batteries.

1. Declare a moratorium on funding, subsidies, and tax benefits for all carbon dioxide (CO2) “green house” related anthropogenic (human caused) global warming (AGW) initiatives until proven to be scientifically validated with actual data, not faux science using only computer models, i.e., wind, solar, electric cars, et.al.

3. U.S. #1 in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) -At all levels of government federal, state, local, and tribal.  Vison: Achieve and maintain U.S. as the #1 ICT country by 2026.  Create Cabinet level Department of ICT with governance structure, funding, and technology savvy leadership to achieve and maintain #1 ICT status in perpetuity.  Assure unfettered internet and outernet access worldwide.  Critical communications needs: speed at 1Gb (1 gigabit), security of connectivity, and safety of users.  ICT includes transportation which addresses pollution and physical distribution of people, goods, and services.
   2026. FTTH -Fiber Optic cable to every premise (home, business, and public facility) by 2026. Estimated cost, over 10 years, $2 trillion (2 million jobs), 5 year return on investment (ROI) including funding to sustain a state-of-the-art system and ongoing maintenance.
         • Much like streets, sewers, and water system the ownership of FTTH is with city, county, regional, or tribal council (not states, not private sector, not feds).
           • States develop fiber backbone; like state highway system.
           • “Loan-to-Own” program federal and state governments to back state and locally issued revenue bonds.
         • Schools first (public and private, charter, and homeschoolers).
         • Priority for use of newly generated revenues; by local government:
           • Maintain the FTTH system, delivery, and security;
           • Repay loan (est. 20 years) to bond holders and/or state or federal;
           • Build or upgrade local infrastructure: streets, bridges, levees, dams, etc. (capital projects only);
           • Provide technological upgrades for local emergency services and improved municipal services delivery.

1. Key Components of an FTTH System Include:
   • Wireless access point (WAP) at every endpoint for public access WiFi;
   • Accommodate communities of interest: to block undesirable content and protect from: predators, criminals, hackers, et.al.
   • Underground all aerial communications and power lines to homes, businesses, other buildings (cost included in FTTH estimate above);
   • Loan repayments 100% dedicated to federal and/or state government’s internal technological infrastructure and process automation.
2. EMP (electro magnetic pulse) protection of power grid -cost less than $1 billion (estimates $500 million). Renovate all existing facilities to protect against physical attacks i.e, by environmental protestors or home grown terrorists.
3. Support Outernet’s toaster sized low orbiting satellite free WiFi worldwide
4. Human Colony on Mars established and sustainable by 2046; Moon 2036.
5. Build coast to coast vacuum tube transport system by 2036. Evacuated Tube Transport Technologies (ET3, Inc.) claims it can be done for 1/10th the cost of High Speed Rail and 1/4th the cost of a freeway. Travel coast to coast in 45 minutes.

4. Law Reform. Limits on: Liability, Lawsuits, Insurance, Terms, and Government Regulation – Vision: Legal system that rewards and protects those who do the right thing.  One Goal: No one ever has to go to court to get reimbursed for injury or property damage expenses.
   1. Limits on Liability, “no fault” payouts, and unlimited personal/private insurance.
      • “Accidental” injury: e.g., life $1 million, eye $100,000 — If you believe your life or body parts, or skills are worth more, then purchase your own insurance.
        • No fault payouts within 30 days. If a person is injured or property is destroyed, regardless of fault, immediate payout for treatment or repairs.
        • Liability limits are CPI adjusted, no legal fees, no taxes, and paid in 90 days.
        • Auto or highway related should be funded from gasoline consumption tax or electric car mileage fees.
      • No liability limit on “criminal” activity or neglect; or “willful” malpractice.
      • Unlimited Personal/Private Insurance. Individuals buy all the insurance they want.
   2. Limits on Lawsuits, “loser pays” legal system. You file a lawsuit and lose, then you pay all court costs and both yours and the defendant’s legal fees. Current system creates distrust among us to the point that we refrain from saying or doing even the right things for fear of being sued. End out-of-court settlements based on that being the least costly alternative than a trail, even though you know you are in the right.
      • Professional Jurors to expedite trial times and taxpayer costs. Only if agreed to by both parties and one or both pay all costs. Example: jurors with expertise in DNA, medical procedures, finances, corporate law, patents, etc.
      • Medicalize (NOT legalize) all drugs. Mandatory electronic tracking all prescription and “recreational” dispensing. Felony to not track. End doctor shopping.
   3. Limits on Health Insurance (NOT health care), Fact: over of 33% of health care costs are for unneeded procedures –no need for government to regulate because loser pays and liability limits/no fault systems will self regulate –see a). and b). above.
      • Catastrophic coverage for all, addresses costs and programs for 5% separate and apart from the 95%. Issue: 50% of health care costs are consumed by 5% chronically ill people.
      • Provide government assistance only for people who are “means tested” qualified.
      • Personally Owned Insurance, maintain health insurance in the name of the individual or family; not their employer. Employers may reimburse premiums.
        • Policy cannot be revoked for any health care reason.
        • Purchase insurance policy from anywhere even across state borders.
      • Health savings account (HSA). Keep what you don’t spend. If you uncover overcharges or fraud you get 10% as reward.
   4. Curtail Burdensome Regulations, 13% increase in regulatory burden ($70 billion cost) from 2008 to 2012 -Pres. Obama’s 1st term. Noted earlier U.S. businesses are holding over $1.5 trillion in the U.S. in “cash” accounts. As insurance against unknown costs of government regulations. This is equivalent of 15 million jobs and much higher wages for American workers.
      • Legislators shall be required to review and disclose regulatory consequences of laws prior to voting.
      • Require all federal agencies to get Congressional approval before putting any major regulations into effect.
      • All regulations must have expiration dates (sunset provisions) to prevent out-of-date rules from remaining in force and to compel bureaucrats to ask for renewal of regulations they wish to preserve.
   5. Term limits for all elected offices, including both appointed and elected judges. Any judge or politician knowing they will have to go back into their community to make a living will cause them, and especially their financial supporters, to be more consciences of the impact their decisions will have on their respective communities.  America is not the place for professional politicians or judges.

5. Borders: Secure Borders, Language, and Culture. Vison: World Advisory-U.S. Foreign Policy: our borders are sovereign, English is our official language, and our culture is to be respected.  This applies within our borders and anywhere U.S. citizens are legally abiding in the world.  The United States is the world’s police.  We are the parents, the adults, of the world and we must assume and assert our role as responsible loving parents.  Goal: Eliminate Illegal Immigration and Enhance Legal Immigration – Border control is more about security, safety (i.e., disease -ebola), and interdiction of all and any type of “terrorist” -drug cartels, radical Islamists, anti-Christian, anti-free enterprise, indigenous terrorist, i.e., gangs (drug cartels hire enforcers from indigenous gangs, like MS-13, many are U.S. citizens).  Fact: there are over 100,000 illegal immigrant gang members living just in Texas right now.
   1. #1 Secure the Border –And Prove it for at Least 2 Years. Zero illegal entry. The real border issue is not about passing laws, building fences, or hiring more border patrol agents. It is trusting that current and future administrations, congresses, and even Supreme Court Justices, will faithfully enforce the laws as written, build and maintain the fences, and allow ICE and border patrol agents to do their jobs.
      • Prevent anyone from crossing any illegal entry point.
      • Make first time illegal entry a felony (currently first time is civil misdemeanor and second is felony and rarely enforced).
   2. Second, efficient electronic automated legal immigration process. S. Immigration Policy: regardless of anyone’s current plight, so long as they are ‘’…yearning to be free…” come on in to America.  We are here for you.  All we ask is just get a job, learn the language, obey our laws, and respect our culture –this is American exceptionalism.
      • Every immigration applicant knows exactly where they are in the process 24/7.
      • Reduce current 1 million permanent immigrants a year back to 250,000 per year.
      • Raise current 120,000 H-2 (A&B) guest workers to 500,000, provide legal protection, allow for choice of employers, and include visas for family members.
   3. Tamper Proof State’s Issued Identification (ID). NO federal I.D. system.         Contract with American Express or Visa to make, manage, and issue.
      • Establish a uniform electronic tracking system with an all 50 states, and territories, consortium (federal government may access only with state permission).
      • Not mandated for those choosing non-access to the “grid” and not engaging in civil disobedience or criminal activity.
   4. End birthright citizenship (a.k.a. “anchor baby”) by illegal birth mother; mother must be legally in the U.S. (not a tourist or H-2 AorB visa holder) for a baby born here to be U.S. Citizen.
   5. S. “National Interest” based on Declaration of Independence i.e., unalienable rights. U.S. Constitution is for U.S. citizens.  The Declaration is for all mankind.  If there is any individual, group, or country being denied life, liberty, of the pursuit of happiness (a.k.a. right to own property) they must know that the people and government of the United States will be there for them.
   6. Refugee Policy – first and foremost protect and defend all refugees in place, where they are. They must be there to retake control and see to it that this never happens again.
      • Leave all refugees in their own country. Provide safe and liveable refuge. Protect and defend security from enemies.  This is the only possible hope of immediate resolution and long term stability.  To relocate refugees to another country is cruel and unusual punishment. Not to mention the potential disruption to the country in which they would be relocated.  Crime, disease, terrorism…
      • No direct government subsidies in U.S. or outside. Any and all direct assistance shall be afforded via charities. U.S. government may engage in infrastructure, transportation, or security but shall not provide direct assistance to individuals, families, or groups.

JOBS TABLE

December 2013

 

Current (U-1 to U-6) Jobless Assessment Measure

Approved by United Nations (U.N.) International Labour Organization (ILO)

Used by U.S. Bureau of Labor Management (BLM)

U-1	Percentage of labor force unemployed 15 weeks or longer.	2.8
U-2	Percentage of labor force who lost jobs or completed temporary work.	2.8
U-3	Official unemployment rate per ILO definition. Looked for work in last 4 weeks.	5.8
U-4	U-3 + “discouraged workers“, or those who have stopped looking for work because current economic conditions make them believe that no work is available for them.	6.2
U-5	U-4 + other “marginally attached workers“, or “loosely attached workers”, or those who “would like” and are able to work, but have not looked for work recently. Looked for work in last 12 months but not last 4 weeks.	7.1
U-6	U-5 + “part time workers” want to work full time, but cannot due to economic reasons.	11.5

 

 

Proposed (U-7 to U-12) Jobless Assessment Measure

Do NOT Need (or want) U.N. Approval

U-7	U-6 + “new-job seekers”, those who enter job market for first time. New entrants minus those leaving workforce (by choice: retire, death, health, homemaker, other (not fired, laid-off)). Fact: 3.2 million graduate High School and 1.2 million dropout HS every year for total of 4.4 million new-job seekers a year.  Workers 65+ who retire, or die, are less than 1.9 million per year.  4.4 minus 1.9 = 2.5 x 73% LFP = 1.8 million net new-job seekers a year (150,000 a month) added to unemployment.	Full disclosure actual % of LFP who need jobs.   24.1% Dec 2013
U-8	“self employed” & LLC, LLP, INC need to be part of LFP %	Track as % of LFP
U-9	“government jobs” by federal, state, local, tribal (e.g., special districts, schools, regional agencies). Breakout by direct government employee, indirect, or contract employee. Fact: Administration tells us there are fewer federal “employees” intimating that government has shrunk. While there may be fewer direct government employees government is still growing by using contract employees and outsourcing. This measure counts all people working directly and/or indirectly for all government agencies.	Track  government jobs as % of total workforce
U-10	“training”, track: vocation, trades, interns, apprentices, student teachers, residency, et. al., number of “seats” needed vs. available slots.	Track ratio of need
U-11	“university graduates”, job placement alignment with major field of study. Refund of tuition for graduates not getting jobs in alignment with major field of study or degree. Fact: Less than 20% U.S. jobs require 4 year college degree; universities are graduating 30%.   A student may sign a waiver and give up the option for tuition reimbursement and  take courses not recommended for jobs needed in real world.	Hold universities accountable for educational relevance
U-12	“obsolete jobs”, jobs in decline. Knowing this is essential to assist future-job seekers in selecting jobs that will be there when they graduate. Facts: 1 in 3 jobs replaced with robots by 2025; in the prior 30 year period 9 of 10 telephone operators have been replaced by computers.	Track decline in occupational types