It is time to form the next administration...

I am not sure who our next president will be.  I can’t say that I am thrilled about any of the leading contenders.  That doesn’t mean that we can’t start getting the new government organized sans whoever emerges as victor.

What?

Hear me out on this…

President—Usually by now I have a fair picture of whom I will likely support.  This year is surely an exception.  George H.W. Bush is only 91, gets around on a scooter, but is eligible for another term.  I wonder if he would give it a go one more time.  He was also the last commander in chief with any active duty military experience.

I am not sure who will get the chief executive position, but we could start forming up the teams for taking care of business at the end of this election mess.  Here is what I propose.  If you throw your hat in the ring for president, you also accept these terms and conditions:  I will serve in any capacity that my country needs for the next 4-6 years.  If you can’t handle that, your basic enlistment oath or oath of office as a military officer will surely scare you out of commanding men and women who commit to so much more.

None of the top contenders have any military experience.  It is not a requirement but it sure does help.  When I hear Cruz talk about carpet bombing or Trump try to act like he has any military acumen every bone in my body aches.  Clinton is probably the most disrespectful and patronizing of all the candidates when it comes to the military.  Sanders thinks we can balance the budget by cutting the Department of Defense.  I would really like to see him live as a soldier or Marine for one year, improvising when the materials you need are not provided, and believing that you can do anything with nothing because you have done so much with so little for so long.  These folks—as well as some others—probably don’t have much going for them as far as being commander in chief, but they might offer something of value to the country in another capacity.

We have some standing positions and some positions associated with special tasks that need to be accomplished quickly.  I don’t like the term Czar so I will use quarterback instead.  It’s more American.

VP – General Jim Mattis.  Just because.  We want him a heartbeat away from being president.  Our enemies do not.  Let’s run him for VP on both tickets.  Every asset that we have will be engaged.  This man will do great things in that environment.

Chairman, Joint Chiefs – General Joe Dunford keeps his job through the first term of the new president.

National Security Team – Dr. Ben Carson.  We need some out of the box thinking in this area.  I don’t think he has the gonads to stand toe-to-toe with Putin and tell him “that dog don’t hunt,” but he can give our next president more viable options in dealing with legitimate world leaders as well as the thugs masquerading as one.

Budget Quarterback—Colin Powell.  He doesn’t cut his own party any slack when they are full of it and won’t let the Democrats spend us into oblivion.  Here’s how this will work.  For every $700 million worth of budget cuts, you may add $1 of tax somewhere.  Put it all on the table until there is a plan to get rid of the deficit and do the things that are truly important.  National defense is exempt from cuts for the first four years.  Once we have knocked the terrorists down to size, then even this can go on the table.  Position is terminated after 6 years.

 Budget Running Backs—Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders.  Let’s hear both extremes and everything in between, but there is no gridlock.    Position terminated after 2 years.

Chief Trade Negotiator—Donald Trump.  OK, he said he was good at this.  Let him prove it.  Press release and press conferencing authority withheld.

Representatives and 1/3 of the Senators—elect anyone but the incumbent.  You had your chance and chose gridlock and acrimony.  Go home.  We need to do this for the next 12 years.  Let’s get into true representative government and out of the professional politician business.  If you are elected, you know that you have 2 or 6 years respectively to serve your country before some fresh blood and fresh thinking shows up to take the torch.

Health Care Quarterback—Joe Biden.  With two Governor appointed representatives from each state and territory and 50 at large experts selected from a group of volunteers by the Quarterback, these people will put together healthcare  legislation that replaces all previous legislation and sits well with at least 75% of Americans.  This needs to begin in May 2016 so it can be enacted in May 2017.

National Goals

·         ISIS defeated in 2 Years.  Every other terrorist threat by the 3^rd year.

·         Develop a Health Care System that is good for American and can be afforded by any American willing to work.  Time limit:  3 months.  That’s right, we have debated this for too long.  Let’s find what is right for these United States of America.  This team can begin before the election.

·         Budget balanced in 6 months to include a 5 year debt free plan.  Budget quarterback to stay in place for 6 years to deal with audibles that must be called from time to time.

·         We will take care of our veterans with special attention to those who served in harm’s way.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way.  We have had more than enough grandstanding to last multiple lifetimes.  You are either getting us to the solutions that we need or you can get out of the way and watch others do what you said couldn’t be done.

Is there more to be done than this short list?  Yes, but this is our focus from 1 February 2017 until America is right side up again.

Remember, if you threw your hat in the ring to be the chief executive then you should be willing to take any assignment that your country deems necessary.   If you served in the military, you might just get called up one more time.  If you have skills that can get us out of this mess that is 21^st century America, then you should be compelled as a patriot to take on whatever is needed.

It’s time to American Up!  Let’s get organized now and start doing the things that we need to do.