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For "Neoconservatives" and "New Democrats"

 
 
Reply Mon 9 May, 2005 12:44 pm
I have read this book. I found it to have some very interesting ideas. I would ask that we PLEASE have a good discussion on the merits of these ideas. No doubt a troll or two will pop in. So I ask you PLEASE do not respond to their attempts to derail what could be some interesting ideas from this online community...



http://www.newt.org/index.php?src=news&prid=950&category=Winning%20the%20Future



Quote:
In a rapidly changing world with new threats and new competitors, we must implement policies that will ensure America's leadership, safety, and prosperity. And we must reinvigorate the core values that have made America an exceptional civilization.

We do not believe the traditional instruments of government will reform themselves fast enough and thoroughly enough for the twenty-first century.

The entrenched lobbyists and entrenched bureaucracies will do all they can to minimize the changes no matter how vital those changes are to America's future. Self interest will dominate national interest if the normal political system operates with business as usual. The pressure of daily events will keep both the news media and most politicians focused on the immediate and the trivial rather than the long-term and the profoundly important.

Only a grassroots citizens' movement can insist on the level of change that is needed for our children and grandchildren to have a successful future.

Such a citizens' movement would have to be focused on goals rather than on interest groups. The goals define the America we want our children and grandchildren to have.

To achieve this future we will:

I

Defend America and our allies from those who would destroy us. To achieve security,we will develop the intelligence, diplomatic, information, defense, and homeland security systems and resources for success.

II

Transform the Social Security system into personal savings accounts that will enable every worker to have higher retirement incomes from their own work and avoid the need for financial support from their children.

III

Recenter America on the Creator from Whom all our liberties come. We will insist on a judiciary that understands the centrality of God in American history and reasserts the legitimacy of recognizing the Creator in public life.

IV

Establish patriotic education for our children and patriotic immigration for new Americans. To achieve this,we will renew our commitment to education about American citizenship based on American history and an understanding of the Founding Fathers and the core values of American civilization.We will insist that both our children
and immigrants learn the key values and key facts of American history as the foundation of their growth as citizens.

V

Meet the triple economic challenges of an explosion in scientific and technological knowledge, an increasingly competitive world market, and the rise of China and India by implementing:

A new system of civil justice to reduce the burden of lawsuits and to incentivize young people to go into professions other than the law.

A dramatically simplified tax code that favors savings, entrepreneurship, investment, and constant modernization of equipment and technology.

Math and science learning equal or greater to any in the world and educating enough young Americans to both discover the science of the future and to compete successfully in national security and the economy with other well-educated societies.

Investing in the scientific revolutions Transforming health care into a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that improves our health while lowering costs dramatically. In the process, American health care will become our highest value export and foreign exchange earning sector.

VI

Work to include every American in a system of patriotic stewardship so every person has a real opportunity to pursue happiness as their Creator endowed. Prepare for the aging of the baby boomers and their children so we can have active healthy aging with the best quality of life, the longest period of independent living, and the greatest prosperity. We will:

Develop a system in which those who wish to stay economically active are encouraged and incentivized to do so because active people live longer and healthier, have a greater opportunity to pursue happiness, and are less of a burden on their fellow citizens;
Develop a system of independent living and assisted living that increases the years in which people can be on their own and in most cases enables people to live their entire lives with freedom and dignity;
Develop a new model of quality long-term care in which both the care and the quality of life are compatible with a twenty-first century American expectation of progress and innovation.
Use the new technologies and new scientific knowledge to turn disabilities into capabilities and change government regulations and programs to help every American achieve the fullest possible ability to pursue happiness.

VII

Change the mindset of big government in Washington by replacing bureaucratic public administration with Entrepreneurial Public Management so government can operate with the speed, effectiveness, and efficiency of the information age.

VIII

Balance the federal budget and insist on a lean government, low tax, low interest rate economy to maximize growth in a competitive world.

IX

Insist on congressional reform to make the legislative branch responsive to the needs of the 21st century.

X

Ensure an election process that is honest, accountable, accurate, and free from the threat of illegal votes or subsequent litigation.

If we insist on these goals and insist on electing leaders at all levels dedicated to these goals, we will be able to leave our children and grandchildren an America of safety, health, prosperity, and freedom that would make our parents and grandparents proud.We too will have done our duty to our country and our achievements as citizens will be worthy of the America we inherited.
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 861 • Replies: 12
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Bi-Polar Bear
 
  1  
Reply Mon 9 May, 2005 12:49 pm
Sounds like a thinly disguised bid for a theocratic society and no change from the path the current administration is leading us down to me.
0 Replies
 
Dartagnan
 
  1  
Reply Mon 9 May, 2005 12:52 pm
It's the Contract with America II! Remember the item about term limits? Some of those frauds are still in office...
0 Replies
 
old europe
 
  1  
Reply Mon 9 May, 2005 02:43 pm
What bvt said. The layout for a nationalistic theocracy.
0 Replies
 
goodfielder
 
  1  
Reply Mon 9 May, 2005 11:12 pm
If I were you I'd leave now, while you still can.....or buy shares in tinfoil hat manufacturers.
0 Replies
 
Trupolitik
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 12:10 am
I guess none of you are capable of discussing the issues... Troll on...
0 Replies
 
Instigate
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 12:25 am
At least they didnt mention "spreading freedom and democracy in the third world" Scrap number 3 and this "Creator" business and I might buy it.
0 Replies
 
DontTreadOnMe
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 12:30 am
we already have the road map to the promise of america.

the declaration of independence.

the constitution.

seems pretty clear to me.

worked pretty good till folks started trying to drag "faith" in to it.


troll on, yer own derned self. Laughing
0 Replies
 
Instigate
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 12:37 am
DontTreadOnMe wrote:


worked pretty good till folks started trying to drag "faith" in to it.




The Constitution has been under assault by both sides for quite a while. To cast aspersion soley upon the religious right seems quite selective and dishonest to me.
0 Replies
 
Bi-Polar Bear
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 02:10 am
Trupolitik wrote:
I guess none of you are capable of discussing the issues... Troll on...


I guess if I express my opinion and it's diametrically opposed to yours then it's trolling...move along folks, nothing to see here....
0 Replies
 
DontTreadOnMe
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 02:19 am
Instigate wrote:
DontTreadOnMe wrote:


worked pretty good till folks started trying to drag "faith" in to it.




The Constitution has been under assault by both sides for quite a while. To cast aspersion soley upon the religious right seems quite selective and dishonest to me.


okay. i'll listen. other than "faith" being interjected...?
0 Replies
 
goodfielder
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 02:54 am
I...am...not....a....troll! *John Hurt/Elephant Man voice*

However I was being a bit rude. Okay I'll read it all again.
0 Replies
 
Cycloptichorn
 
  1  
Reply Tue 10 May, 2005 10:51 am
Re: For "Neoconservatives" and "New Democrats
Trupolitik wrote:
I have read this book. I found it to have some very interesting ideas. I would ask that we PLEASE have a good discussion on the merits of these ideas. No doubt a troll or two will pop in. So I ask you PLEASE do not respond to their attempts to derail what could be some interesting ideas from this online community...


In an effort to 'not troll,' I'll actually discuss the issues one by one. But I have to tell you up front that I believe that Newt is a sack of crap and pretty much everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie. So you really should be looking for the REAL intentions behind this list of 'goals.'


http://www.newt.org/index.php?src=news&prid=950&category=Winning%20the%20Future



Quote:
In a rapidly changing world with new threats and new competitors, we must implement policies that will ensure America's leadership, safety, and prosperity. And we must reinvigorate the core values that have made America an exceptional civilization.


Agreed though I doubt we agree how to go about doing so.

Quote:
We do not believe the traditional instruments of government will reform themselves fast enough and thoroughly enough for the twenty-first century.


Agreed

Quote:
The entrenched lobbyists and entrenched bureaucracies will do all they can to minimize the changes no matter how vital those changes are to America's future. Self interest will dominate national interest if the normal political system operates with business as usual. The pressure of daily events will keep both the news media and most politicians focused on the immediate and the trivial rather than the long-term and the profoundly important.


I believe there are far different reasons the media and politicians focus on the immediate and trivial than 'the pressure of daily events.' There has been a massive shift in the composition of the Fourth Estate in the last 5-8 years and we are just now seeing the effects of it; I can go into detail about this more if ya like.

Quote:
Only a grassroots citizens' movement can insist on the level of change that is needed for our children and grandchildren to have a successful future.


Agreed

Quote:
Such a citizens' movement would have to be focused on goals rather than on interest groups. The goals define the America we want our children and grandchildren to have.


Well, don't you see that this is somewhat problematic, as people disagree about what America should be like?

To achieve this future we will:

Quote:
I

Defend America and our allies from those who would destroy us. To achieve security,we will develop the intelligence, diplomatic, etc...


It would be nice to see this actually being done. We haven't done ANYTHING to make this happen over the last five years.


Quote:
II

Transform the Social Security system into personal savings accounts that will enable every worker to have higher retirement incomes from their own work and avoid the need for financial support from their children.


Vehemently disagree. SS works just fine the way it is. The best way to shore up SS would be to balance our current budgets and stop stealing from the trust fund.

This is a code word for doing away with Social Security, which I don't want to happen and Americans don't want to happen. So you've hit a major problem on only the second item.

Quote:
III

Recenter America on the Creator from Whom all our liberties come. We will insist on a judiciary that understands the centrality of God in American history and reasserts the legitimacy of recognizing the Creator in public life.


Vehemently disagree! You can keep your American Taliban, thanks; we are a Secular country who supports all Religions, and therefore this is unworkable at best and insulting and Theocratic at worse. Ol' Newt's track record isn't so good after three points.

Quote:
IV

Establish patriotic education for our children and patriotic immigration for new Americans. To achieve this,we will renew our commitment to education about American citizenship based on American history and an understanding of the Founding Fathers and the core values of American civilization.We will insist that both our children
and immigrants learn the key values and key facts of American history as the foundation of their growth as citizens.


Disagree. I have no desire to heighten 'patriotism' as I believe that what Republicans call Patriotism, the rest of the World calls Nationalism. We should teach the truth about America; that we have done good and evil, that we DO good and evil, that we have been successfull but that doesn't give us a moral mandate. 1/4 so far.

Quote:
V

Meet the triple economic challenges of an explosion in scientific and technological knowledge, an increasingly competitive world market, and the rise of China and India by implementing:


This point is long so I'll take it one at a time:

Quote:
A new system of civil justice to reduce the burden of lawsuits and to incentivize young people to go into professions other than the law.


Incentivize? I couldn't find a dictionary definition for that one. But okay, that's not a big problem with this. The big problem is that this little bullet point is discussing sweeping changes in our legal system, changes in the way that 'civil justice' is done in America, reducing the need for Lawyers... how? After reading about the 'God-recognizing judiciary' that Newt advocates, this is somewhat scary to me; is he proposing Religious law w/o lawyers? How would we reduce the need for Lawyers? This fails under lack of evidence for how the plan would be carried out.

Quote:
A dramatically simplified tax code that favors savings, entrepreneurship, investment, and constant modernization of equipment and technology.


I agree, though a flat tax isn't the answer, and tax cuts for businesses aren't the answer either.

Quote:
Math and science learning equal or greater to any in the world and educating enough young Americans to both discover the science of the future and to compete successfully in national security and the economy with other well-educated societies.


I agree, though it is odd that the same party who wants this also seems to never want to spend a dime on it. Not only do Republicans traditionally oppose spending money on education from a National level, they also traditionally oppose property taxes on a local level. How do you reconcile this with the fact that it takes a lot of money to properly educate a child? And why is 'National Security' a goal for the Child's development?

Quote:
Investing in the scientific revolutions


Agreed

Quote:
Transforming health care into a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that improves our health while lowering costs dramatically. In the process, American health care will become our highest value export and foreign exchange earning sector.


Lofty goal. We can't possibly hope to achieve this goal without nationalizing part of our health care costs; which I doubt 'ol newt wants to do....

All in all I find these goals to be good-natured but extremely thin on detail, and I just don't agree with all of them; though I do think there are some good ideas there I would have to see a LOT more before I would agree that this is more than speculation on wild ideas. 1/5 so far.


Quote:
VI

Work to include every American in a system of patriotic stewardship so every person has a real opportunity to pursue happiness as their Creator endowed. Prepare for the aging of the baby boomers and their children so we can have active healthy aging with the best quality of life, the longest period of independent living, and the greatest prosperity. We will:

Develop a system in which those who wish to stay economically active are encouraged and incentivized to do so because active people live longer and healthier, have a greater opportunity to pursue happiness, and are less of a burden on their fellow citizens;
Develop a system of independent living and assisted living that increases the years in which people can be on their own and in most cases enables people to live their entire lives with freedom and dignity;
Develop a new model of quality long-term care in which both the care and the quality of life are compatible with a twenty-first century American expectation of progress and innovation.
Use the new technologies and new scientific knowledge to turn disabilities into capabilities and change government regulations and programs to help every American achieve the fullest possible ability to pursue happiness.


Once again, sounds great, but no ideas on how any of this is actually going to happen at all. Fluff. And in some ways, code; the 'incentivizing people to work longer' means raising the retirement age and lowering pensions. 1/6

Quote:
VII

Change the mindset of big government in Washington by replacing bureaucratic public administration with Entrepreneurial Public Management so government can operate with the speed, effectiveness, and efficiency of the information age.


Is this code for privatizing aspects of the gov't? Vehemently disagree! 1/7

Quote:
VIII

Balance the federal budget and insist on a lean government, low tax, low interest rate economy to maximize growth in a competitive world.


Are you sh!tting me? The REPUBLICANS want to bring back pay-as-you-go spending? This is in direct contradiction to the wishes and actions of the current leaders of our country, yaknow. I doubt this will happen unless a democrat is elected. 1/8.

Quote:
IX

Insist on congressional reform to make the legislative branch responsive to the needs of the 21st century.


Agreed. 2/9

Quote:
X

Ensure an election process that is honest, accountable, accurate, and free from the threat of illegal votes or subsequent litigation.


Free from the threat of 'subsequent litigation?' What does that mean? I agree with half of this. 2.5/10

Quote:
If we insist on these goals and insist on electing leaders at all levels dedicated to these goals, we will be able to leave our children and grandchildren an America of safety, health, prosperity, and freedom that would make our parents and grandparents proud.We too will have done our duty to our country and our achievements as citizens will be worthy of the America we inherited.


All in all, 2.5 out of 10 for good ideas. THere's a lot of code in there for long-time Republican goals, such as blurring the lines between church and state, instituting tax codes that are pro-business and anti-citizen, and repealing Social Security. I don't put too much stock in any of this happening anytime soon, as I and many others will fight to the death to keep this 'vision' of America from ever coming true.

Cheers

Cycloptichorn
0 Replies
 
 

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