My plan to help fix [some of] America

[Ronin13]

I was talking with a friend of mine last night about how to fix this great country of ours, and help eliminate some of the more stupid things in our government. So I wanted your guys' (and gals) take on this plan if it would even be viable...

-First, fix the EPA. Some of their regulatory measures are just ridiculous and excessive beyond need. I'd create an oversight committee to oversee their actual doings and give them stricter management capabilities.
-Second, eliminate the TSA. I would transfer all responsibility of airport security to the private sector with a set of guidelines outlined by the FAA and an independent panel of experts (not bureaucrats) for keeping security logical yet safe.
-Third, this one is a biggie- Somehow, and I'm not sure how, create a way so that Congress is not in charge of deciding their salary, fate, and retirement/pension (I might need help on this one). Create a separate entity to decide congressional salary and benefits, make them have to follow the same rules as ordinary citizens, and change their pension rules to that of the military and other government employees- 20 years of service nets 50%, 30 nets 75%, and 40 years nets 100% retirement. This would include other government/public service included with serving in congress.
-Finally, I would create, using many of the employees that were former TSA employees (but not screeners) a "Welfare Oversight and Investigations Service" (WOIS) to oversee and discover cases or fraud, abuse, misuse of funds, and drug testing for individuals on Welfare and Foodstamps. This service would help to eliminate, punish, and regulate the uses of welfare, while also encouraging those on welfare to work. I would not institute time limits to welfare, even if they are needed, especially in a slow economy. I would however create punishment for abuse, fraud and misuse of welfare to include punishment "fees" that would reduce for 60 days the amount of welfare received by the perpetrating individual, and upon 3 or more blatant infractions where more than 50% of welfare funds are either abused or misused (meaning not going directly to life support- food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, etc- or bills) the person would be cut off from welfare. Harsh I know, but the punishment would dissuade people from abusing the program.

Thoughts?

[Teufelhund]

I was talking with a friend of mine last night about how to fix this great country of ours, and help eliminate some of the more stupid things in our government. So I wanted your guys' (and gals) take on this plan if it would even be viable...

-First, fix the EPA. Some of their regulatory measures are just ridiculous and excessive beyond need. I'd create an oversight committee to oversee their actual doings and give them stricter management capabilities.
So you want more government then; make the dept. bigger? How about we just dissolve this one instead?

-Second, eliminate the TSA. I would transfer all responsibility of airport security to the private sector with a set of guidelines outlined by the FAA and an independent panel of experts (not bureaucrats) for keeping security logical yet safe.
Now you've got your thinking cap on. Agreed.

-Third, this one is a biggie- Somehow, and I'm not sure how, create a way so that Congress is not in charge of deciding their salary, fate, and retirement/pension (I might need help on this one). Create a separate entity to decide congressional salary and benefits, make them have to follow the same rules as ordinary citizens, and change their pension rules to that of the military and other government employees- 20 years of service nets 50%, 30 nets 75%, and 40 years nets 100% retirement. This would include other government/public service included with serving in congress.
No more creation of government entities. That line of thinking increases spending and the deficit more than their efforts could reduce it. Career politicians are a big part of the problem, and requiring them to serve 20-40 years for a pension would exacerbate the issue. If we first impose term limits and they can get their 20 years of service in some other government position, great; otherwise, no, they can serve their time and get a real job and invest in a private retirement plan like the rest of us.

-Finally, I would create, using many of the employees that were former TSA employees (but not screeners) a "Welfare Oversight and Investigations Service" (WOIS) to oversee and discover cases or fraud, abuse, misuse of funds, and drug testing for individuals on Welfare and Foodstamps. This service would help to eliminate, punish, and regulate the uses of welfare, while also encouraging those on welfare to work. I would not institute time limits to welfare, even if they are needed, especially in a slow economy. I would however create punishment for abuse, fraud and misuse of welfare to include punishment "fees" that would reduce for 60 days the amount of welfare received by the perpetrating individual, and upon 3 or more blatant infractions where more than 50% of welfare funds are either abused or misused (meaning not going directly to life support- food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, etc- or bills) the person would be cut off from welfare. Harsh I know, but the punishment would dissuade people from abusing the program.
Again, less government is better than more. I agree with implementing tight restrictions on welfare programs to reduce instances of abuse. I think it could be as simple as requiring welfare recipients provide weekly proof that they are looking for work or going to school to better their chances (cf. unemployment benefits requirements) for as long as they are receiving benefits. Tax breaks for having more dependents when already on the dole should be turned into penalties and a reduction in benefits.

Thoughts?

[Ronin13]

Originally Posted by Ronin13
I was talking with a friend of mine last night about how to fix this great country of ours, and help eliminate some of the more stupid things in our government. So I wanted your guys' (and gals) take on this plan if it would even be viable...

-First, fix the EPA. Some of their regulatory measures are just ridiculous and excessive beyond need. I'd create an oversight committee to oversee their actual doings and give them stricter management capabilities.
So you want more government then; make the dept. bigger? How about we just dissolve this one instead?

-Second, eliminate the TSA. I would transfer all responsibility of airport security to the private sector with a set of guidelines outlined by the FAA and an independent panel of experts (not bureaucrats) for keeping security logical yet safe.
Now you've got your thinking cap on. Agreed.

-Third, this one is a biggie- Somehow, and I'm not sure how, create a way so that Congress is not in charge of deciding their salary, fate, and retirement/pension (I might need help on this one). Create a separate entity to decide congressional salary and benefits, make them have to follow the same rules as ordinary citizens, and change their pension rules to that of the military and other government employees- 20 years of service nets 50%, 30 nets 75%, and 40 years nets 100% retirement. This would include other government/public service included with serving in congress.
No more creation of government entities. That line of thinking increases spending and the deficit more than their efforts could reduce it. Career politicians are a big part of the problem, and requiring them to serve 20-40 years for a pension would exacerbate the issue. If we first impose term limits and they can get their 20 years of service in some other government position, great; otherwise, no, they can serve their time and get a real job and invest in a private retirement plan like the rest of us.

-Finally, I would create, using many of the employees that were former TSA employees (but not screeners) a "Welfare Oversight and Investigations Service" (WOIS) to oversee and discover cases or fraud, abuse, misuse of funds, and drug testing for individuals on Welfare and Foodstamps. This service would help to eliminate, punish, and regulate the uses of welfare, while also encouraging those on welfare to work. I would not institute time limits to welfare, even if they are needed, especially in a slow economy. I would however create punishment for abuse, fraud and misuse of welfare to include punishment "fees" that would reduce for 60 days the amount of welfare received by the perpetrating individual, and upon 3 or more blatant infractions where more than 50% of welfare funds are either abused or misused (meaning not going directly to life support- food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, etc- or bills) the person would be cut off from welfare. Harsh I know, but the punishment would dissuade people from abusing the program.
Again, less government is better than more. I agree with implementing tight restrictions on welfare programs to reduce instances of abuse. I think it could be as simple as requiring welfare recipients provide weekly proof that they are looking for work or going to school to better their chances (cf. unemployment benefits requirements) for as long as they are receiving benefits. Tax breaks for having more dependents when already on the dole should be turned into penalties and a reduction in benefits.

Thoughts?

Well said... Ok, eliminate the EPA- but that would put more out of work, and in tough times would be looked at as evil... The TSA reassignment would keep those who's jobs are eliminated in a job (well except for the screeners). I agree with having proof of looking for work or school, but I'm trying address the real issue, abuse and misuse, there is currently no one that can do that as the department of welfare lacks the man power, so setting up something to monitor the use or abuse of welfare funds is needed... granted this could be improved beyond my idea, but it is something I feel we need to do. Instituting harsh penalties for abuse would help to reduce- You wouldn't use your paycheck inappropriately if it would potentially cost you your job, so if the threat of losing their welfare checks was there they wouldn't misuse it. Plus setting up drug screening to receive welfare and food stamps would help big time!

[Teufelhund]

Well said... Ok, eliminate the EPA- but that would put more out of work, and in tough times would be looked at as evil... The TSA reassignment would keep those who's jobs are eliminated in a job (well except for the screeners). I agree with having proof of looking for work or school, but I'm trying address the real issue, abuse and misuse, there is currently no one that can do that as the department of welfare lacks the man power, so setting up something to monitor the use or abuse of welfare funds is needed... granted this could be improved beyond my idea, but it is something I feel we need to do. Instituting harsh penalties for abuse would help to reduce- You wouldn't use your paycheck inappropriately if it would potentially cost you your job, so if the threat of losing their welfare checks was there they wouldn't misuse it. Plus setting up drug screening to receive welfare and food stamps would help big time!

If the federal government wasn't regulating the environment, the private industry (first) and State and local governments (secondarily) would have to. That would mean more jobs for this specific skill set being created for those experienced folks from the former-EPA to compete for.

The tighter restrictions on welfare recipients would reduce the program by such a large margin, in such a short amount of time, it could afford to reallocate current employees to do the jobs of managing the restrictions. Sure, there would be some growing pain to begin with, but it would sort itself out in short order. I'm not a fan of drug screening; I think that is an unconstitutional invasion of individual liberty, regardless of the circumstances. The private sector retains the right to drug test employees; if welfare recipients are adhering to the tighter restrictions of actively seeking gainful employment, the private sector's right to drug test will squash most of the drug use by those on the dole.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

I blame the unions. Dissolve those and that'll fix the nations problems, except the NFL. We saw how that went. Oh wait never mind that was the replacement refs fault trying to back door the NFL to get the contract for the regular officials.

P.S. that last statement was the dumbest shit I've read and heard in a while.

[roberth]

If the federal government wasn't regulating the environment, the private industry (first) and State and local governments (secondarily) would have to. That would mean more jobs for this specific skill set being created for those experienced folks from the former-EPA to compete for.

That is how it should be. People would be free to pick a state that best fits their business. The national EPA should be eliminated completely.

The tighter restrictions on welfare recipients would reduce the program by such a large margin, in such a short amount of time, it could afford to reallocate current employees to do the jobs of managing the restrictions. Sure, there would be some growing pain to begin with, but it would sort itself out in short order. I'm not a fan of drug screening; I think that is an unconstitutional invasion of individual liberty, regardless of the circumstances. The private sector retains the right to drug test employees; if welfare recipients are adhering to the tighter restrictions of actively seeking gainful employment, the private sector's right to drug test will squash most of the drug use by those on the dole.

But how many life-long welfare maggots will private enterprise want to hire. I'm sure some would work out but most would starve to death in the gutter...and rightly so.

[roberth]

One more thing. If we start closing Federal departments those people are going to need someplace else to work, we can't have them going on unemployment for 99 weeks.

Private enterprise will have to be up and running prior to any cuts in the Federal government.

[Irving]

Is the EPA currently such a hinderance to the country that it deserves a place on this short of a list?

[ChunkyMonkey]

Is the EPA currently such a hinderance to the country that it deserves a place on this short of a list?

Yes.. few samples..

The Clean Air Act: The EPA puts the first-year cost of each Title V permit at $46,500 and the pre-construction permitting program at $84,500 if you have more than 25 cows.

Remember the dust pollution? If your farm's equipment produces dust, you may be in trouble with EPA

Shit license.. if you are selling your farm animal manure for fertilizer, you must fill out a few hundred pages of permit app per truckload. There is a claim that each truck load of manure costs 15 of man hour in EPA paper work.

Don't get me started on coal power plant, muffler shop regulation, and so on.

It's CRAZY how they can get away with these w/o congress' approval.

[xring]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzwacZZe5yk