My Presidential Platform..

Wow, been a busy few months and I haven't blogged much at all.

Since my last post I spent a week in Japan and got to do some incredible training with some fellow Karate-do practitioners, taken golf back up, my youngest graduated from high school and I got serious about writing that next Ronan Marino book.

Meanwhile, someone recently asked me what my platform would be if I was running for president and I thought it would be kind of fun to lay it out. Hmmm, President Corricelli...no chance of that ever happening, though I would like a shot at a House or Senate seat one day (probably only a slightly better chance of ever happening).

So if I was running for president, here's some some of my platform:

Personal Taxes - the entire tax code would be abolished and replaced with a graduated tax. You pay according to what your income is and the entire thing is done on a postcard. If you make X amount, you pay X amount; no deductions, no loopholes nothing.

I'd also consider a temporary valued added tax (VAT) on luxury items (boats, aircraft, cars over $50K, diamond jewelry...those type of things) that would be locked into paying down the national debt. The law would be written so this money could not be used for more than the debt and would sunset after five years. 

I would not allow Congress to increase spending because this VAT money was coming in.

Corporate Taxes - I'd lower them to a rate comparable to other western nations but all subsidies to energy, etc. would be taken away.

"Not for Profit" universities and churches would no longer be exempt from paying taxes either. 

The Economy - My first day in office I will call in all the Fortune 500 CEOs of American based companies and ask them what they need from me to bring manufacturing back to our country. If I found their responses reasonable, I would work with Congress to make it happen.  

I would work with Congress to ensure trade protections for American goods. I would look to enact higher tariffs on foreign goods that compete 

Foreign aid - most of it would end and instead be used to improve our roads, bridges, etc. Sorry, rest of the world, but we cannot send billions overseas and not take care of our own nation. It would be on a case by case basis.

The Military - I support a strong military. That said, we don't need to be in over two hundred countries. We are not an empire. I would withdraw troops from hot spots like the Middle East and demand that the rich nations over there that we sell billions in weapons to take care of ISIS.

I would continue to work with our close allies to keep China, Russia, Iran and North Korean contained. I would ensure that freedom of movement over the high seas is maintained worldwide. 

I'd also cut down on the number of generals and admirals. There are too many and we need to go back to a better balance of senior officers vs. rank and file troops. 

Immigration - It's unrealistic to think we can deport 20M people. I would allow them to stay (unless they were violent criminals) but they must pay a fine, pay taxes, and are not eligible for so-called federal entitlements of any kind for five years from the time they come out into the light. They must all submit to a health inspection to ensure they don't have diseases we once thought eradicated in America. If found to be infected, they can either leave the country or be treated.

They must also be encouraged to learn English and integrate themselves into our society.  By Executive Order, I would make all road signs, etc. mandated to be in English only. It is the language of success and we will not get immigrants to integrate if they don't learn it.

I would also deploy the military to the southern border to protect it from further illegal incursions. That is their primary job to defend our borders. Time to put them to the use they were intended for.

Guns - I would push for all existing laws to be enforced before we come up with new laws. I would also order that mental hospitals be reopened and violent and dangerous individuals be committed, much as we did for decades.

If there are so-called loopholes, then they will be closed. 

Drugs - Marijuana would be legalized, controlled and taxed. I did a paper a few years ago for my Masters Degree and found we spend about $8 Billion a year on enforcement. It's also estimated that the federal government can reap an additional $8 Billion a year in taxes from marijuana.That's a delta of $16B in our federal coffers.

Other drugs that are highly addictive would remain illegal.

Abortion- No change to existing laws. Roe vs. Wade would remain in effect at the federal level.

No federal funding would ever be used for an abortion except in the case of rape or incest. 

Gay Rights - all Americans have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Bible, the Koran, etc. are not the rule of law in this country and shall not impede the rights our Constitution has provided. Marriage, etc. would all be legalized at the federal level.

Prisons - I would release all non-violent drug offenders who were caught up in federal mandatory minimums; meaning that if you're in prison for selling small amounts of MJ, but were in a school zone, I'm letting you out. You can apply for a pardon based on the severity of the crime. Each case will be reviewed and a pardon recommended to me on a case by case basis.

We cannot continue to incarcerate the high percentage of Americans that we do. For many non-violent criminals, there are other ways to punish including community service and fines.

Healthcare - I would attack the causes of the high cost of healthcare. There would be tort reform limiting damages against doctors, which should in turn lower the cost of malpractice insurance. 

I would make big pharma explain why drugs cost so much in America and if they refuse to lower the cost to the rate they sell them overseas for, enact laws to tax to ensure it's better for them to lower the prices than pay high export fees. 

The Environment - I know many will skewer me over this, but I am not convinced that climate change is due to man. The evidence on both sides has been so politicized, it's hard for me to believe where we stand. I do however think the climate is changing, as it has many times long before man ever stood erect. I also believe we need to move away from fossil fuels in a smart way so I would kick start an effort to build more solar plants, use more water and wind power, etc. We have to take care of our air, earth and water and polluters would be punished. 

Sure, some of this is fairly simplistic, and the details would have to be worked out as I moved forward but it's certainly better in my mind that the two individuals being pushed by the major parties.

Did I mentioned I'm voting for Gary Johnson?