William Dameron says:
June 20, 2013 at 6:58 PM
As a life-long conservative, I recently joined the Conservative Party. When I look at the platform, I find little to disagree with. I do have some comments on several planks.
“America should adopt measures to help revive and sustain economic vitality.”
“A. Tax Credits, Incentives and Penalties. Congress should: enact Payroll Tax credits for small businesses to spur growth; provide U.S. multi-national corporations with tax credits for hiring U.S. citizens to work in America; impose tax penalties for every American job sent off-shore.”
This section is very weak. We need comprehensive tax reform, with lower rates for businesses. We need to stop the infinite proliferation of tax credits with ever-increasing complexity of the tax regulations. I believe we should at least push for the Flat Tax, if not the Fair Tax (much more difficult to pass, but potentially much better.)
“B. Stop Off-Shoring Jobs. We encourage American multi-national corporations to stop sending jobs offshore. We should also encourage Shareholders and Boards of Directors to help sustain the U.S. economy by halting this short-sighted practice by building more manufacturing plants and Call Centers in America.”
Encouraging doesn’t do much. We need incentives and strategies which make using American workers more profitable, and the use of off-shore workers less profitable.
“Enact Reciprocal Trade Laws
International Free Trade is only good if it is Fair Trade when all countries conduct such trade by the same rules. The U.S. trade deficit sends much of America’s wealth to foreign countries since many of them engage in unfair unilateral trade practices that include adding numerous Tariffs, Port of Entry Taxes and Import Duties on American products. Congress should enact laws that Reciprocates (Copies) those fees on products from each country that exports to the U.S. This will level the playing field since countries will then pay the same fees imposed on U.S. products.”
This is OK as far as it goes, but (in my opinion) the real problem with foreign trade is labor cost differential. China has worker costs which are at least ten times lower than ours. We should adopt a strategy which at least equalizes this cost.
“Write Bills in Plain, Common Sense English
Important legislation can be written in comprehensive language, as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights clearly demonstrate. All Bills enacted by Congress must be written in plain, common-sense English prose that is comprehensive and understandable by citizens.”
I sincerely doubt that congressional bills will ever be written in plain, common-sense English prose, because they constantly link to other laws and definitions. We could require a comprehensive executive summary in understandable English, however. I also suggest that any senator or representative who votes on a bill without having read that summary be subject to automatic impeachment, and the same should apply to a vote on any bill which has not been available to the public on line for at least one week prior to the vote, and has not been amended or revised in that time.
General critique:
The platform should emphasize that we support Capitalism over government managed economics.
I understand there will be a web-based Convention in 2014 which will enable members to revise the Conservative Party platform. I look forward to it.