What Policies and specifics on those policies should a "dream" candidate have?

[papau]

I start with my own short list:

I want:

1. "Medicare for all" in some form,

2. electric and bio-diesel transport,

3. pro-union end of Taft-Hartley,

4. return to Cllinton tax rates, including surcharges, at the high end,

5. algae development for bio-fuel,

6. stem cell research funding without restriction, abortion treated as a medical decision only

7. enforcement of affirmative action laws but changing them to be based on income rather than color where it makes sense as in college admission,

8. either an asset based tax for assets above $10 million, or the end of not taxing fully the 90% of the income of the rich that is investment income including dividends and capital gains,

9. "payroll" tax with no wage cap and no longer just on wages bit also on investment income (with the large million dollar benefit checks that would go to billionaires being praised as proof that we all in this together and that Social Security is an entitlement and not a means tested welfare benefit),

10. global trade agreements with minimum wage, human rights, environmental and work place laws being required in the treaty provisions with our ending WTO participation if corporate power makes a big deal out of putting those requirements in,

11. Pentagon toys for boys budget cut 90% while money for troop welfare doubled

12. It will take a year to physically get our troops and equipment out of Iraq, so start doing so 60 days from now.

13. A special 5% Federal income tax on income over $200,000 that would directly fund any and all "block grants" to the states, the size of the "grant" being automatic based the income tax collected in that state under this provision - no other "block grants" would be allowed.

14. Genetic mutated crops put on hold until we know the effect on other life on earth.

So those are mine - what are yours?

[ms liberty]

1. Industrial hemp...

Rescheduling industrial hemp so it can be grown in America.

Legalization of medicinal marijuana; rescheduling of all marijuana from Schedule I to whatever the least controlled schedule is on the list.

Kucinich and Richardson are the only ones who I think would do it.

[papau]

2. I think your addition to the list -Industrial hemp- has passed some state test for legalization- but

my memory fails as to what that test was and in what state it passed.

But Hemp was grown by George Washington (it was sold to the government to make the Navy's ship ropes and calking, plus private sector clothing) - and that is good enough for me.

[ms liberty]

3. Yes, here in NC...

an industrial hemp bill was passed in our state legislature last year - but I'm not sure if it actually has gone into effect, because I haven't found any of our farmers growing it yet. There are several states that have been interested in growing hemp though. I remember an article in Time several years ago (I had a subscription til they jumped the shark with the Ann Coulter cover!) about Kentucky trying to get the federal government to allow them to grow it.

Your points about Washington are excellent - many of the founding fathers did grow hemp. Did you know that Ford's original prototype automobile was made from pressed hempboard fiber and ran on hemp oil?

[papau]

4. Thanks for the info Ford auto made of Hemp by Ford - running on hemp - I didn't know ! :-) n/t

n/t