Iu2019d restore the functioning of democracy in America and implement egalitarian policies to level the playing field for everyone. I would bring about radical reforms unlikely to be produced by our gridlocked Congress.Order the Supreme Court to reverse their ruling on Citizens United v. FEC. Sure, this may be heavy-handed, but this needs to be done immediately. The Supreme Courtu2019s ruling on Citizens United v. FEC allows businesses to spend unlimited sums of money on political campaigns and encourages unethical and corrupt behavior among politicians.Make slavery illegal, for real this time. Right now, the first article of the 13th Amendment reads u201cNeither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.u201d This means that slavery and involuntary servitude are still legal in the United States as punishment for a crime, allowing private prisons to profit from free or nearly free labor. This is unethical, immoral, and distresses me greatly. I would unilaterally amend the constitution to remove this stain on the Constitution.Make private prisons illegal. The idea that a corporation can profit from locking people up is not only morally repugnant, but encourages private prison corporations to lobby in favor of unjust laws such as mandatory minimums since their business depends on obtaining more prisoners to lock up.Decriminalize the use of all drugs and alcohol. Illegal drug possession/use and underage alcohol possession/use are victimless crimes on their own, and should not be prosecutable crimes. People should not be sent to jail for years for having health problems. Instead they should get what they need, which is healthcare treatment. However, it is important to note that this proposal is not the same as legalization! While drugs and underage alcohol use will be decriminalized, drug dealers, drug sales, and alcohol sales to a minor will absolutely remain illegal. However, locking people up for a health problem, no matter how severe the drug, doesn't make sense. Addicts need treatment instead of a prison record! Because of this, all minors found in possession of drugs or alcohol will be sent to state-sponsored health centers instead of a prisons (see below).Create state-sponsored health centers for drug and alcohol abusers. These centers will prhealth treatment, rehab, and drug education for drug and alcohol abusers.Make sure that veterans that are sent to war are taken care of when they come home. Since the Department of Defense has a colossal budget that is often mismanaged, I would mandate that for every soldier sent to a combat zone, the DOD must allocate enough money for the VA to properly take care of that veteranu2019s needs when they come home based on a Congressional Budget Office calculation of the average veteranu2019s healthcare expenditures.Lower the voting age to 16. If you are old enough to drive in many states, and old enough to consider enlisting in the army one year later, you are old enough to vote. There are plenty of well-informed 16 year olds who can't vote and plenty of misinformed adults who can vote. Maturity doesnu2019t come at a fixed age. The voting age needs lowered.Instruct the FEC to enforce a personal campaign donation limit of $1,000. This would discourage corruption in politics and encourage ethical behavior by our elected representatives.Greatly increase funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. NPR, PBS, and countless other networks bring the American people incredibly high quality content and public broadcasting that isnu2019t influenced by advertising revenue from corporations which is incredibly important since it helps to decrease bias.Mandate that all news networks that receive funding from the CPB cover issues fairly. All news networks that receive funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will be mandated to cover issues with as little bias as possible and with fact-checking. If they donu2019t comply with this mandate, they will risk losing funding.Pardon all prison inmates convicted for victimless crimes. If you didn't hurt anyone, you don't belong in jail. It's that simple. Also, almost all financial crimes ARE NOT victimless crimes and financial criminals who have hurt people would not receive pardons under this proposal.Voter districts would be drawn and voted on by the Supreme Court instead of State Legislatures. Gerrymandering is a colossal problem, and as such, the Justices of the Supreme Court, who are well-in the Constitution, would be far better equipped to draw constitutional voter districts than State Legislatures.Eliminate the electoral college. America needs to be more democratic. The electoral college is flawed and in 2023 was proven to be ineffective in keeping unqualified and potentially dangerous candidates from assuming the role of President. America needs direct democracy when electing its President. Over 60 countries around the world directly elect their leader, and it's time for America to join them.Prgreater assistance to small business owners. Starting a small business is a huge risk, but small businesses invigorate our economy and prjobs. They need assistance so that they donu2019t fail in their first 5 years, as most businesses do. Small businesses and small business owners need huge tax breaks, not billionaires.Mandate public colleges and universities to either be tuition-free or have tuition under $5,000. Public Colleges and Universities can princredible educations without exorbitant tuition fees of $20,000 or more. Public Colleges and Universities that claim this would lower the quality of the education they prshould re-evaluate the amount of money they spend on their sports teams. Colleges and Universities are educational institutions, after all. If education is supposed to be the great equalizer, it shouldnu2019t put people in thousands of dollars of debt. Additionally, Iu2019m sure far more Alumni would be more generous if so many weren't still paying off their student debt. Any and all tuition over $5,000 dollars at public universities and colleges would be covered by the government and would be paid for by the u201cRobin Hood Taxu201d proposed by Bernie SandersMandate the Federal Government to run a public awareness campaign advertising voter rights every Presidential election. Just as Police Officers are mandated to read criminals their Miranda Rights, voters should know their voting rights to decrease voter suppression.Substantially raise income tax rates, capital gains tax rates, and estate tax rates for millionaires and billionaires. This, along with other tax revenue, will pay for infrastructure investments and universal healthcare.Close all tax loopholes - sorry Andrew Weill! Closed tax loopholes would help the government pay for some of my more ambitious programs.Pruniversal healthcare. The UK provides it along with well over a dozen other European nations. So should we. Medical insurance often requires expensive co-payments and doesn't cover everything. People should not sit at home ill because they canu2019t afford a doctoru2019s bill. Healthcare should be a guaranteed right of all Americans, not just those who can pay.Invest in massive infrastructure projects. This will invigorate the economy, create millions of long-term and short-term jobs, and repair Americau2019s worst roads and bridges. Along with road improvements, Amtrak will be revitalized with bullet trains, a greater reach, and more stations.
