GOP Voters’ Top 20 19 Recycled Ideas For 2011 (VIDEO)

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)
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Republicans know they could retake the House of Representatives. But, they say, they’re reluctant to adopt a complete legislative agenda until they complete a nationwide listening session — part of their new America Speaking Out initiative, which included a listening session with the nation’s top corporate lobbyists.

They’ve tipped their hand just a bit recently, however. America Speaking Out allowed voters to suggest, in brief, some policy prescriptions they hope the GOP will back. In a recent web video, House Republicans picked 20 of their favorites. Many of them will be familiar to anyone who paid attention to the GOP agenda for the last decade. Some of them Republicans liked so much they picked them twice… verbatim.

“The Government needs to enact a balance [sic] budget amendment so that the government can finally learn to live and need speed [sic] more than what we have,” writes Republican1988. (This would, of course, make extending the Bush tax cuts nearly impossible.)

Photophast says “Eliminate the new 1099 requirements that were hidden in the recent healthcare bill. As a small business owner who does business with many companies, this will put a huge paperwork burden on me. I cannot afford to hire someone to do it for me. This will reduce my productivity and prosperity. Get rid of it!!” That’s actually an idea with bipartisan support, which may be why they included it twice: First at 1:08, then at 1:38.

Two people suggested that Republicans repeal the health care law; one to allow people to opt out of Social Security and into private investment; one to voucherize the education system; and four users — TeaParty, photophast, bikeiron, and 25yr USAF vet — made such appealing suggestions that each of them got two suggestions out of the 19.

“After months of ‘listening,’ Republicans can’t even muster 20 ideas from 20 different Americans?” said a DNC spokeswoman.” It looks like we can officially add ‘America Speaking Out’ to the growing list of failed GOP rebranding efforts. And, since Republicans are short on ideas for a ‘contract’ of their own, they’re welcome to adopt the one we released last week – many of their members and candidates across the country already have.”

You can see the video and read all 20 ideas below:

Michael Hobbs: Initiate 5 year moritorium [sic] on earmarks

citizen48: Simplify the tax code. While realistically taxes are a necessity, their complexity is not. In fact, it creates an enormous burden to businesses and individuals in time and money, distorts decision-making, feeds an entire industry of tax professionals (which contributes nothing to American prosperity) and discourages new enterprise. And it affects every person in America.

cathyspeaksout: We need to take a stand for traditional American ideals in the U.N. We must support Israel. We must condemn countries which are corrup [sic] and dictatorial and not deal with them on an equal footing. The day of the U.N. may be long gone.

Tea Party: REJECT CAP & TRADE: Stop costly new regulations that would increase unemployment, raise consumer prices, and weaken the nation’s global competitiveness with virtually no impact on global temperatures.

DMc: Just get out of the way! Businesses do fine on its own [sic] if you don’t saddle them with taxes and regulations.

25yr USAF Vet: Allow private education to directly compete with public schools and receive the same per-student funding that the public schools receive. Competition will improve the quality of education provided by all schools and providing equal per-student funding to ALL schools will enable parents to send their children to the highest performing schools. Poorly performing schools would either need to improve or would find themselves with no students. Another benefit of competition would be that bad teachers would become a liability. More of them would become unemployed, while high quality teachers would become very much in demand. Plus, per-student funding to all schools would allow parents to send their children to the best performing schools in their area no matter their income level. No longer would a high quality education be available only to those who could afford private school tuition. Let the government set the standards (reading comprehension, math proficiency, etc), provide equal per-student funding to ALL schools, allow parents to choose their school, and then stay out of the way!

Republican1988: The Government needs to enact a balance [sic] budget amendment so that the government can finally learn to live and need speed [sic] more than what we have

craigd: This is an idea which has been circulating for some time. How about a constitutional amendment that would require that any laws passed by Congress and signed by the President shall be equally applied to all members of the legislative and executive branches

bikerjon: Crack down on irresponsible Congressmen. They should be role models – crack down hard on corruption Republicans who have affairs should be publicly condemned by the party and never receive any more support of any kind.

bikerjon: Work with Democrats to be truly Pro-Life: reduce the number of abortions in ways that are proven to work.

TeaParty: PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION: Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does.

photophast: Eliminate the new 1099 requirements that were hidden in the recent healthcare bill. As a small business owner who does business with many companies, this will put a huge paperwork burden on me. I cannot afford to hire someone to do it for me. This will reduce my productivity and prosperity. Get rid of it!!

25yr USAF Vet: Allow citizens the option to choose to contribute either to Social Security or to a plan they manage themselves. The plan could be similar to the Thrift Savings Plan or a 401(k). The same amount would be withdrawn from the employer and employee regardless of which option they chose. If they chose to manage their own account, they would forfeit all rights to collect Social Security, and vice-versa. In addition, pass a Constitutional amendment that makes it illegal for Congress to raid the Social Security Trust Fund for ANY reason.

iduesler: We need to give the President a Line Item Veto so he will be able to cut out any/all the earmarks hidden in legislation.

david3: Members of Congress should no longer be able to vote themselves pay raises. Congressional pay raises should be approved at the ballot box by the general electorate.

arleopold: Tort reform has to be part of the discussion. It is one of the largest components of the high cost of the US medical [sic] and is not “on the table”. Increased prices are buried at every level from material suppliers to hospitals to help cover the potential costs of liability.

bswanson: Repeal Obamacare and replace with a real free market approach. Create a pre-tax HSA account for every citizen. Money can only be used for medical products and services. Rolls over year over year. Can be willed to family member. Can be invested in low risk funds (like a CD) People on government programs (medicare/aid, SCHIP, etc) would get a yearly payment into account. Business could contribute to employees HSA pre-tax. Patience [sic] bill of rights that include portability and pre-existing protection. Introduce tort reform bill the [sic] provides a framework for States to reform. Allow for sales of insurance across state lines as well as ease rules on private co-ops. Get the government out of the role of insurer and into the role of oversight. Over time cost should come down allowing for government program cost to slow or reduce.

photophast: Eliminate the new 1099 requirements that were hidden in the recent healthcare bill. As a small business owner who does business with many companies, this will put a huge paperwork burden on me. I cannot afford to hire someone to do it for me. This will reduce my productivity and prosperity. Get rid of it!!

patches: One of the major problems in the US healthcare system is that the normal price system does not exist. Without price system pressure to lower prices and to find more efficient ways of doing things, it’s no wonder that costs have spiraled out of control. Currently, everyone gets charged a different amount for the same procedure, and few people know what that amount is up front. In some cases, the doctors don’t even know how much what they’re doing costs! For example, a patient getting an X-ray will have one rate charged to medicare, another if they’re in private insurance, and a third if they’re paying out of pocket! As a step in the right direction, why not require that medical facilities post prices for standard procedures, like physicals, x-rays, cholesterol tests, and so on? Of course, many medical services can’t be standardized, and so can’t be posted. But many can, and that portion can shine some sunshine into the system. Allowing people to compare costs is one of the key steps to good health care reform.

JStoneham: Repeal the Health Care law passed by Congress, open up competition across state lines, enact TORT reform, eliminate sweetheart deal for Congress/government workers, subsidize health insurance for those who cannot afford it.

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