Here is a list of ten topics I want to discuss on this blog over the next few weeks/months.  Contrary to what it did for Bo Derek’s career, there is nothing sacred about the number “10”.  Feel free to suggest other topics.  The plan is to do a post about once a week to start the discussion of each topic.  As always, your comments will make it worthwhile.

1.  Social Security – The plan which was started as a 1% tax to provide a retirement safety net is now a 15% tax to give a pension to virtually everyone.  How can this work and what needs to be fixed?

2. Tax policy – We currently have government activities funded through a group of taxes that become more complicated and more confiscatory each day.  How can we change this to ensure the tax collection is done in the most efficient and least complex manner?  Should we be using tax policy for social engineering?

3.  Earmarks/Pork – What will it take to create an honest system of lawmaking where each law is passed without the need to use pork to bribe the fence-sitting Members of Congress to vote for each new law?

4.  Health Insurance/Health Care Delivery – Is the new “Health Care Law” really about health, or insurance, or health care delivery or government control of a large industry?  Does the new law solve more problems than it creates?

5.  Energy – What will it take to create a real energy policy for our country?  Is one needed or should we simply deregulate and let the markets control supply and demand and prices?

6.  Monetary Policy – The Gold Standard vs. The Fed Printing Money –  When will we stop debasing the currency by inflating it?  Is Fed money-printing the ultimate tax that allows our governments to spend at will?

7.  Infrastructure – Are we committing enough of our resources to the maintenance and expansion of our basic infrastructure?  Are we administering the resources effectively?

8.  Public Education/Higher Education –  Does the fact that Higher Education costs have inflated at a rate even greater than health care mean there is a problem in higher education?  Is tenure a relic of the past?  Is the 1st Amendment under attack in our schools?  Are teachers and professors professionals or since many or most are now members of unions are they non-professional staff/wage-earners?

9.  Government by Agency Regulation – Are the majority of our laws now made by unelected bureaucrats rather than by elected representatives?  How do we control Agencies and prevent government interference in markets by regulators?  Are all of our current regulatory agencies actually needed?

10.  Your Favorite Issue Goes Here – What is your hot button?  What do you think needs to be fixed most?

You have probably noted a few glaring voids in the list.  The items below are ones about which posts have appeared at this blog.  Unless I get feedback to the contrary, I will let these 10 stand for now, but, if you feel there are much more important topics, comment to that effect and we will get your topic on the list.

Job creation? ( see post at – https://ttoes.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/20-40-issue-2-job-creation/  )

Our legal system ( see steven’s post at – https://ttoes.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/crime-and-punishment-our-legal-system/ )

Illegal Drug Use/Abuse ( see post at https://ttoes.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/20-40-extra-issue-legalize-drugs/ )

Global climate change ( see post at https://ttoes.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/20-40-issue-8-the-environment/)