Top 10 things I want the new congress to pass or work on.

[Renew Deal]

These are the things I want the new Congress to pass or work on. This is the approximate order. I put this together just after the election, but it was pandemonium here. What do you think? What would you add, expand, etc.?

1. Pass the full slate of 9/11 commission recommendations.

2. Right to Keep and Bear Arms resolution which would symbolically show the support of the House for the second amendment. Of course it should be the item second symbolically.

3. Increase the minimum wage to 7.25. Increases should be scheduled for votes for the following 3 years as well. This is a neglected issue so it should be given the proper treatment.

4. Repeal all of the judicial handcuffs the pukes put on the courts. Let the courts do their jobs.

5. Adjust the AMT. It's killing working people.

6. Fund anti-crime programs. Bring back the cops program.

7. Begin a review and overhaul of the tax code. This should include multiple public forums in every congressional district. Get the people involved and let's fix the tax system. Aim to have a new tax code ready for vote by 9/08.

8. Overhaul the management of our borders. Get rid of the fence idea. Properly fund and support border control. An ambitious Congress can try to de-incentivize border jumpers.

9. Fully fund veteran's administration. Our veterans have given us so much. There should unlimited free health care for veterans. Do whatever it takes to repay our veterans.

10. Increase funding for NASA. This is a fun one that we all benefit from. This is a deep investment in science and education that I think has always paid off.

Other items of high importance is Energy Independence R&D and Healthcare.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. Agree With Just About All Of Them. No Idea Of The Relevance To Number 2 Though.

Other than that one, which I couldn't care less about if they ever had on their agenda, the rest of the list looks pretty good to me.

[SoFlaJet]

2. My top priority?

ELECTION REFORM so we never again have to suffer the theft of an election anywhere in the United States Of America and the likes of this administration

[YOY]

3. Bingo

That and the non-renewal of the so called 'patriot act'...

[The Count]

4. here are mine:

1. Recall the troops from Iraq.
2. Election reform
3.investigate high crimes/misdemeanors & impeach
4. repeal Patriot Act
5. repeal wiretaping EOs - or whatever authorithy
5 repeal the Torture Act
6. Sign treaties, follow up on Global warming, environment
7. Increase minimum wage
8. Repeal the media provisions from Omnibus Act - limit monopolies, restore the fairness docrtrine
9.cancel tax cuts - fund education & research
10. Enact lobby reform, criminalize war profiteering

[jgraz]

5. Fuck NASA -- nobody has fun until we rebuild New Orleans

You also missed PAPER BALLOTS! I agree in principle on #2, but we need to show people there are higher priorities than the fight over gun rights.

[The Count]

6. Without elections, no rights, guns or otherwise. No voice. Period.

And damn right about NOLA - can't believe I left it out.

[benEzra]

8. I think the idea is to get the gun issue off the table,

by saying "we are pro-choice on guns, end of gun discussion."

[mandyky]

7. Investigations, Oversight and Ethics

1. Everything has to be investigated from 9-11 to response to Katrina to the real numbers as opposed to what comes out of this administration. No more phony numbers from NCLB.

2. No more non-related amendments to bills, including earmarks. No more book length bills like the Patriot Act. Also, publicize when GW makes one of his "signing statements".

3. AMT - Noone making less than one million dollars a year should have to pay this.

4. Examine how well faith-based services are doing. Make sure they are doing their "jobs" without indoctrinating their "clients".

5. Make rules on ethics for the Mark Foley's in Congress, whether they have an R or a D after their name. Same with money laundering, bribes and other transgressions Congress folk maybe be doing wrong.

6. Fund VA and find out just how many of our soldiers have been seriously wounded. (lost sight, lost limbs, disfiguration, brain injuries, etc)

7. Do an accounting of the US economy. I am afraid Iraq is doing to the US what Afghanistan did to the USSR.

8. Fix No Child Left Behind and the Medicare Drug Benefit. Don't forget the Patriot Act.

9. Put tarifs on any company that moves jobs or headquarters in other countries for tax reasons. American companies, whether international or not, need to do their fair share.

10. When Congress does something that can be spun as looney left, send spokespeople in the know out to do TV, radio, and press interviews. Keep framing issues instead of being on the defensive.

Also, John Dean's idea is interesting...