I'm running for President!

Hello again, blogfans!

Since me, my wife, and Casper are the only people who read here, I thought I'd take this opportunity to announce my candidacy for President of the United States.

It'll be a write-in campaign - I don't think I'll actually find my way onto any of the official ballots out there.

I EXPECT Casper to vote for me in every state - he finds a way to vote in Illinois every four years.

Here's my platform - stop whining and get to work! Stop looking to the government to solve all of your problems all the time. Constitutionally, the government is responsible for the national defense, promotion (NOT provision) of the general welfare, and assurance of our individual rights as citizens. I don't think it said anything in there about provision of services or rights for non-citizens, so I think we should issue a thumb-print identification card for every legal citizen and require it for any service of the government. No ID card; no services. THAT would stop all of this ridiculous drain on our resources by persons who have no business being here and enable us to redirect resources to those who really need them. Second, I'd send out a directive to every department head in the government and REQUIRE them to justify every nickel they spend. If they don't have a good reason for their current budget, it'd be cut. Oh, and I don't mean a "Washington-speak" cut, either. You know, a reduction in the amount of increase they get - a true reduction in total dollars. When government is run like a business (and I DO mean like a business - profit centers are taken care of; drains in revenue are reduced or elliminated), it will be more efficient and more able to provide services that are truly necessary. Oh, and people who work for the government will have to justify their existence just like people who work for private industry. Now, I KNOW that most of the people who work for the government are necessary and productive. However, I don't think it should require an act of Congress to fire someone in government as it does (practically) now and I don't think that a government job should be an automatic guarantee of lifetime employment like it is now.

So, when government is properly aligned with what people who are employed by the private-sector have to deal with, what comes next? Well, first off, there are some really stupid laws on the books that need to be revisited and I think I'm just the one to lead that agenda. Second, I think that some of the "untouchable" departments in government need a little outside scrutiny just like every other department (Defense; State; Justice; etc.). Finally, I think that Congressman and Senators ought to have mandatory term limits just like the President. When Congress was envisioned by the Founders, they never invisioned Congressman living there full time and turning their gig in Congress into a career; I think we should return to their version and can the modern rendition.

Vote Dan! He's the man with the plan!