Here's a few:
Take the government out of the hands of the Special Interests/lobbyists, Big Businesses/Big Oil/etc and the Evangelical ultra-moralist whack-jobs. This is meant to be a government of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE, for the PEOPLE, NOT one to promote any one group's agenda. No more tax breaks and incentives to Big Business for their support. I would refuse to cater to the lobbyists and promise to push for their pet causes to go into law just for THEIR support. Granted this is a cliché, but I would push for research into alternative fuels to curb reliance on oil, and as with Big Businesses, say buh-bye to tax breaks and incentives to the oil companies. Additionally, I would push for more funding for clean public mass transit such as electric rail lines to provide alternative forms of transportation.
I would push for Congress to enact legislation that would protect the Constitution from being used as so much toilet paper. Warrantless communications taps on American residents must go (in fact, I'm pretty damn sure one of the Amendments on the Bill of Rights already covers this...). I would make it my central platform that civil security MUST NOT be achieved at the expense of civil LIBERTY. I would push for a restructure, or if necessary outright REPEAL, of the overly reactionary Post-9/11 legislature that infringes on the Constitution and Bill of Rights. I will push for Congress to seek alternatives that can strengthen internal security WITHOUT stripping away the rights and liberty of American citizens.
I will strengthen the concept that America is a land of OPPORTUNITY, NOT of free hand-outs. While I wouldn't outright dismantle social welfare programs, I would push for restructuring to prevent mismanagement and abuse (Illegals on Social Security, etc). Rather than being given as a handout, this money will instead be put into a variety of programs that would reward poverty-level residents who WORK to improve their situation:
1. Job training and adult education -- Recipients would be required to attend classes and maintain a given GPA.
1a. While in training, cost of education could be furnished by the government. The possibility exists of an allowance for personal expenses (food, housing, transportation, etc) based on performance in these classes. This assistance would no longer apply once regular employment is secured.
2. Job placement. Improved government assistance with job placement.
3. Tax breaks for low-income residents and citizens who maintain consistent employment, or comply with 1 and 2.
4. Improved incentives, grants and loans for higher education among students from low-income and poverty-level families based on the student's performance.
Increase standards of education for K-12 in public schools. Nationally standardized minimum level of performance, and consistent grading.
Push for the repeal of legislation that has strengthened the "Nanny State." It's time that Americans learn to use their own common sense, and for parents raise their OWN damn kids. The government can't do the job FOR them.
Work with both Congress and the Courts to develop legislation aimed at curbing frivolous lawsuits (I'm looking at YOU, you morons who burn yourselves on a cup of hot coffee and sue the poor kid at McDonald's who served it) and other abuses of the justice system.
I would take a compromise approach to the contentious immigration issue.
1. Push for legislation aimed at stiffening penalties of employers who hire illegal residents.
2. The above restructures to social welfare programs would include provisions to prevent their abuse by undocumented or illegal residents (background checks, push to improve state and national identification to make them harder to counterfeit, etc). Additionally, since funds would instead be going into education, job training and placement rather than directly into the recipient's pocket, this may help remove the "free money" attraction.
2a. If structured correctly to prevent their use by illegals, the above would also be an incentive for immigrants to declare themselves legally.
3. Find a balance between current immigration laws aimed at keeping families together that would minimize abuse of the system.
4. Ease the process of gaining legal residency.
4a. Immigrants would be required to attend a course on US residency, perhaps something similar to the process followed by migrants undergoing Naturalization. Must show an understanding and comprehension of collective American culture, government, etc.
Well, that already took awhile to write, so I'll stop there for right now.
