The Qualities I Want In A President.

The first thing is courage; face head on the inbred Congress and veto any bill that is not Constitutional and to work to reverse laws that are not. Insist on a declaration of constitutionality defining the particular article for every bill submitted. Veto any bill with riders unrelated to the bill. Make Congress abide by its oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

The second is justice; insist on seeing that those in congress guilty of intentionally trampling the constitution, lying, stealing or committing acts of malfeasance and misfeasance in office are swiftly brought to justice. This includes ANY public servant. For too long have the guilty laughed at the people because they happen to be the majority.

The third is steadfast fierceness and determination in war and the preparation for war; be willing to do what is necessary to defend this country and our allies. Our country is being weakened by defense cuts and a second best defense is not acceptable to the American people. Reducing the production of a fighter proven to be far superior to any and buying a cheaper, less capable aircraft is not in America's best interest, nor is gutting missile defense systems. All military programs are not toys for the generals and admirals. We face a potential enemy that can muster a standing army larger than our entire population. We survive now on technology and the fear of our technology, not manpower.

The fourth is loyalty; be loyal to the people and to our allies and friends. Above all, loyal to our fighting men and women who risk their lives daily to ensure our freedom.

The fifth is honesty; call a terrorist a terrorist and dispense with politically correct pussy-footing around serious religious issues that threaten this country. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you are wrong, say so. We are not perfect either and Congress hasn't a leg to stand on.

The sixth is diplomacy; act on what a country does and not what it says and treat them accordingly, no exceptions Now, we spit in the faces of our friends and kiss the feet of our enemies.

The seventh is character; maintain a moral integrity that is above reproach and unshakable. Too many in congress are morally bankrupt and many more are becoming overdrawn. Answer challenges to your integrity swiftly and decisively.

The eighth is transparency in actions; keep the people informed. Get into the face of the media when they misrepresent, invent or out right lie to the public. Let nothing slide. A free press is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, but, along with that, comes a responsibility to be accurate and unbiased, especially the broadcast media that uses public airwaves. They must be held accountable. Newspapers lie and die on their own.

The ninth is a willingness to exploit America's vast natural resources; tap the Bakken and other potential energy reserves in the near term. Support realistic and safer energy alternatives like water to hydrogen conversion on the fly instead of a massive infrastructure to dispense hydrogen just so it can be metered and taxed making every automobile a rolling bomb needlessly. Solar and wind cannot meet more than a tiny fraction of America's energy need. Demand alternatives compete on their own without government subsidies. Nuclear power is a proven alternative.

The tenth is selectivity; select only those qualified morally and by experience for positions in the administration. Being a tax cheat, a convicted criminal, a person of scandalous reputation or a Marxist disqualifies anyone for a high position in government.

The eleventh is to reduce government: eliminate useless government bureaucracies. How many gallons of oil has the Energy Department produced since its inception? How far has the education level in this country dropped since the Department of Education was created? How well has the Housing Department done? Has the Welfare Department lifted people from poverty or has it kept them there? There are many more such instances of government meddling and ensuing disaster.

The eleventh is term limits; push for an amendment to the Twenty-second Amendment to the Constitution to include both the House and Senate as well as the President. Too much power has been accumulated by many and they have misused it, actually, misuse is rampant. Two terms in the House and two terms in the Senate will eliminate this. Congressional pay and benefits should be decided by the people as part of the national elections, not by those that benefit from it.

The twelfth is to communicate; use your bully pulpit to enlighten the electorate. An enlightened electorate will deal with pernicious congressional problems over time. Face time is important and don't permit any talking head to explain what you say.

The thirteenth is patriotism; love this country like no other and support its founding tenets of personal freedom, personal responsibility and free enterprise unfettered by over regulation. Never apologize for America. Had it not been for America, the world would be an uglier place. We use more because we produce more.

The fourteenth is demand accountability; demand that all government agencies account for tax dollars. Right now, some cannot account for 20% or more of what they were allotted year by year. Insist on a balanced budget without destroying the Department of Defense. The question of guns or butter is moot. Without guns there will be no butter and the worst case scenario is government by a foreign entity not of our choosing.

The fifteenth is to fight globalism; globalism is just another form of fascism, only on a grander scale. We are Americans, we like being Americans and the thought of being a cog in some master wheel governed by some nebulous bureaucracy even more remote than our present government is repulsive. Invite the UN to move to another country and break association with it. That once proud organization has become a den of thieves and a powerless drain on this country. Its only actions seem to be denouncing Israel and issuing useless resolutions and warnings that are universally ignored by terrorist states.

---William Fortner 2009---