TE="Dwight Ward, post: 583450, member: 1767"]...cats have staff ? Yes, Barney does have people working for him. Is that what you mean?[/QUOTE] Yes
I agree. Someone once said that the only way you can teach a cat to do tricks is if the cat thinks of it first.
I disagree with #2. We cannot staff the manufacturing jobs we already have. And the market for manufactured goods is global. We do not have a "comparative advantage" compared to other nations, and the thought of making quantities solely for domestic consumption means costs will skyrocket, lowering the quality of life for many citizens, mostly those on the low end of the income scale. Some part of me also believes there is an advantage to giving hope to the workers of other nations such that they may improve their governments. I've often thought that the interdependence of commerce provides a measure of security, as I've generally assumed that nations are unlikely to go to war with a needed supplier or customer...but these days I'm not so confident in my theory of The Rational Government. We need to fix (stop breaking) our education system--which must happen at the state level--or none of your other stuff matters. This relates to our inability to fill existing manufacturing jobs (much less expand that sector), because applicants who are high school grads can neither read nor do math. In order to allow the states to properly manage their schools, the Fed needs to get back to its enumerated powers, which needs to be close to the top of your list. This overlaps your #5, since the Fed, some states, and a handful of cities are giving out free crack pipes and needles...the death penalty really sounds like a good idea in this light. Regarding #4, I am on the fence. I don't believe in nation-building, but I'd much rather fight off potential invaders on their turf than on ours. Besides, the Democrats are fixing this issue as they pussyfy our military, so you can just take #4 off of your list. I don't see welfare reform on your list. It plays a role in incentivizing employment, and helps to "uncorrupt" elections where more and more voters merely support the most reliable welfare check writers.