Hey, Republican and Democratic Candidates

1.  I want the infrastructure rebuilt.

2.  I'm tired of stupid wars from Korea to the present.

3.  Let's stop subsidizing agri-businesses that are making fortunes.

4.  Let's remake Unions to counterbalance CEOs.

5.  Let's let the minor drug prisoners go home to their families.

6.  Let's stop the police from shooting every black male who "looks threatening".

7.  Let's stop insane people from buying guns.

8.  Let's stop letting people from buying assault rifles.  Period.

9.  Let's fix our schools.  We can't survive raising uneducated children.

10.  Let's raise the social security retirement age.  70 is what 65 used to be.

11.  Why do rich people get to avoid social security taxes above a certain amount?  Flat that tax!

12.  Raise the minimum wage.  I'm tired of supporting the low Walmart wages with tax subsidies to keep those workers fed and sheltered beyond what Walmart and McDonalds pays.  Let THEM pay for their workers' needs.

13.  End restaurant tipping.  Pay waiters, etc, regular wages!

14.  Let the Middle East fight their own wars.  It's a religious battle and I don't really care who wins.

15.  Stop subsidizing fossil fuels.  Let us grow into renewable energy sources.

16.  Stop illegal immigration.  Really.  Mexico could do it from their side.  And we give them money.

16A.  Encourage talented and educated immigrants to come here from EVERYWHERE!  We thrive on diversity.

17.  End billionaire control over elections.  Its one person, one vote; not one dollar, one vote.

18.  Start "if you are too big to fail, you are too big to exist" trustbusting.

19.  Begin aggressive anti-foreign hacking attacks.  Consider blowing up a Chinese ship in exchange for a hack-attack by the Chinese govt.  Focus their attention on consequences.

20.  Support our friends who fight our battles.  Kurds.  Syrian rebels.

When the US attacked Iraq in 2003, I and my friends ASSUMED that we would have political experts following closely behind to support local communities in constructing democracy.  We were shocked when we did not but not surprised at the insanity that followed.   If ever there was a lost opportunity, that was it.  The Bush/Cheney Administration failed at so many levels there.  And too many Republicans want to repeat those errors.

Let's not let that happen again.  Let's stop being all "Dick Cheney" about international events.  Let's start being smarter.