Many of these have multiple layers. Of such questions are political careers made.

Also, I'm going to try to forget what I have read here so far and answer for myself. Here goes:

1. Should photo ID cards be required in order to vote?

Sure, if they're free.

The next question is, how reliable is that? Ever since I became an official passport application acceptance agent, I have become more appreciative of the process of proving you are who you say you are. I can accept a state driver's license as proof of identity, according to the US Dept of State, but not the same state's picture ID card. So, if it's not secure enough to issue a passport, why would it be secure enough to allow someone to vote? I'd suggest we all get passports, but they cost $55.00 each every 10 years, and I doubt that State would be happy about issuing them for free.

2. What will you do to secure our borders from illegal immigrants and/or terrorists?

Either nothing much more than we're doing now, or get serious about tightening up the borders. We can do it if we try, and without being brutal about it.

Any border-tightening needs to be accompanied by serious reform of the immigration laws. America is already accommodating more people than we claim we can. Making it difficult for immigrants to acquire legal status makes for illegals, especially for people with nowhere else to go, or nowhere they'd rather be. Streamline the process of getting legal "guest worker" status, calibrate any national quotas to the number of applicants we get from each nation rather than to the number we would like to have from each nation, increase the number of citizenship classes offered in foreign languages, and ESL classes for adults (free if possible), and give everyone who’s in the country now 6 months to sign up with Immigration or get out. If they're caught after the grace period, they will be expelled -- forever. I know that there's opposition to clemency, but I consider it the only just response to what has been a bad pattern of lawmaking and law enforcement.

3. Is there a better solution to Middle East turmoil, than the establishment or promotion of freely elected democratic republics? Why or why not?

No. Understanding, of course, that the only ones who can establish freely elected democratic republics are the people who live there. Self-governing is done by one's self, not by one's bigger neighbor who "knows better".

Concerning promotion of same: the key is consistency. We cannot promote democracy in a region where we don't like the despot and fail to promote it in a region where the despot is our pal. Democracy is more than a form of government: it's a political philosophy. It's not subject to discretionary application if it's to maintain its philosophical validity: the "minds" part of "hearts and minds".

4. What are your intentions regarding Tort Reform?

Not to turn the only legal remedy available to the injured over to the injurers. That way lies violence.

Actual compensatory damages should have no cap. Punitive damages probably should, but high enough to make them more than an annoyance.

And can we please get serious about a national board that takes medical licenses away from incompetent doctors?

Also, the medical community needs to adopt a course of study I have heard about in some medical schools: Apology 101. We all know accidents happen that are real accidents. Often, all the patient wants is an acknowledgment of his or her pain. But of course, that's compassion, and therefore beyond the ability of government to compel.

5. If you could write an Amendment to the Constitution and know it would pass and be ratified, what would that Amendment be?

That April Fool's Day be made a national holiday so we can regain/retain our senses of humor.

6. What specific measures would you recommend to protect Social Security for coming generations?

Index the age at which one may receive benefits to the average age of death in the country. Make the “benefits receivable” age 5 years before the average age of death. This would return Social Security to something closer to its original intent: a secure old age for those who are too old to work. Now it’s becoming part of the cruise budget for some seniors.

This provision would have to go hand-in-glove with a ferocious legislative and judicial initiative to stop age discrimination in employment right away. It’s probably better for us to work longer anyway. Keeps the brain from turning to mush.

7. Where do you stand on eliminating the income tax and SSI tax and replacing them with a national consumption tax?

No. I’m not crazy. Anyone who thinks the income tax is complicated needs to think about the list of non-taxable items we would have to come up with so the poor could afford basic necessities.

8. What will you do to ensure the integrity of the voting system?

Standardize the voting method throughout the country, provide independent oversight at all polling places, and keep a physical record of votes cast until the election results are certified. I’m still thinking about instant registration, and motor-voter. It seems to me that one ought to make a deliberate effort to register to vote, but one ought not to be prohibited from voting if one has to move between the deadline for registration and election day.

9. What are the limits to judicial authority?

As defined by the US Constitution and confirmed by the voters of the nation, in their choices for elected judges and for officials who appoint non-elected judges.

10. Given that many states give equal treatment U.S. citizens, legal aliens and illegal aliens, just what does it mean to be a U.S. citizen (besides not being hassled by INS) ?

“Mean” as in “benefits accrued”, or “mean” as in “give value to”?

The supreme benefit is obvious: we can vote. We can run for office. We can steer the course of the nation. We can choose to participate. We can choose not to participate.

The value given to the life of a US citizen is equally obvious: we are the intellectual and emotional heirs to a great tradition of revolution and the spirit (if not always the essence) of liberty. The US has yet to be a finished nation; in fact, it may never have a set identity, because we are constantly striving to become that which our greatest documents and highest ideals direct us to be. In this constant movement toward the prize we discover our humanity and the dignity of others. That’s value enough for me.

11. Should undocumented aliens have the ability to get legal drivers licenses?

Yes. Hear me out.

I have already, in Q1, above, stated that driver’s licenses are not recognized as citizenship documents by the US Dept of State: a fact. A license to drive is a license to drive. It doubles as an identity card in some circumstances. One presumes that even an undocumented person still has an identity. The driver’s license will be attractive because it has other uses when one needs to establish one’s identity.

That said, would the lack of a driver’s license prevent an undocumented resident from driving? No. It’s not like you have to plug it into the car to start the thing. But issuing licenses to all drivers who apply will at least allow for the recipients to be somewhat familiar with the traffic laws (as they must pass the permit test) and have their skills at piloting several tons of machinery capable of high speeds assessed by examiners. And, not to put too fine a point on it, the DMV of the state will have a record of each driver -- the undocumented alien will still be illegal, but will be undocumented no longer.

12. What is your first proposal to balance the Federal Budget?

Oh, for heavens’ sake: cut spending and raise taxes. Look closely at corporate subsidies. Make sure the pain is spread around so everyone has something to complain about.

13. What is your proposal for lowering the National Debt?

Isn’t this Q12? Apply some of that money to debt service. I don’t know enough about bonds to know what to suggest regarding the issue of those.

14. Confidence in the validity of elections has fallen sharply in some places. What would you recommend to repair and rebuild that confidence?

See Q8. Recruit -- by public invitation -- people who complain about the validity of elections to take part in the regulation and supervision thereof in their local precincts. We need watchmen, and watchers for the watchmen. Besides, once people understand how tedious poll-watching is -- I speak from experience -- they will either quit and go home, or they will become hooked on the minutiae. Many local Judges of Elections got their starts as poll-watchers.

15. What are the limits to the authority of the Federal Government?

As defined by the US Constitution and confirmed by the voters of the nation.

16. Do you believe the continued existence of a central bank (the Federal Reserve) that issues fiat money is in the best interests of the U.S.?

Yes. I thought we settled the national bank question during the Jackson Administration. There isn’t enough silver and gold in the whole world to guarantee a nation’s economy anymore, unless maybe it’s Lichtenstein.

17. What actions do you support for education reform?

The institution of national standards for architectural soundness, equipment availability and student/teacher ratios for schools, to be funded equitably.

The assurance that any school, regardless of its religious affiliation or lack thereof, receives government money only if it is open to all students, regardless of ability. This prevents cherry-picking of students who have no diagnosed disabilities by private schools, thereby throwing them to the public schools who must accept everyone, and unevenly distributing the economic burden of the greater needs of these students.

The end of teacher tenure, along with competitive pay for teachers. Competitive with other professionals of equal education, not a lowest-bidder competition (as we often have now).

Access to materials for research and recreational reading to all citizens, urban and rural, at a time and place where they can get at them. If this means the public libraries, I’d be thrilled, but I’d be happy with keeping school libraries open in the evenings, on weekends and in the summer, if that’s the source available.

Greater support for community colleges, to provide adults with poor educational backgrounds with a dignified place to go for remediation and additional education, including classes in parent skills and early childhood literacy. If we can help parents fix their own educational deficits, they can help their children have fewer problems.

The end to vouchers, but the option to write a portion of private school tuition off of income taxes, because sometimes the public schools just can’t do the job. In the case of very low income families, this may amount to a rebate. But if the government wants to give parents “a choice”, it shouldn’t punish the public schools who have enough of a burden as it is. Let the government take the hit. Schools will receive sufficient incentive to improve by the loss of per capita funds paid by the state if enough students leave; they shouldn’t have to pay tuition to other institutions on top of that.

Educational achievement standards that are not dependent upon a group of standardized tests, but on students being able to demonstrate, through portfolios and other individualized records, their educational progress toward a group of benchmark skills. Each student’s progress is to be measured according to his or her own Individualized Education Plan (IEP), to be managed by the student’s teacher and teaching team leader. Fully manageable if the student/teacher ratio is kept to a reasonable number.

18. Should judicial nominees be guaranteed a “yes or no” vote in Committee? Why or why not?

I’m not sure of the meaning of the question. If it means, should a yes in Committee be an automatic confirmation by the Senate as a whole, then no. The Senate as a committee of the whole has confirmation obligations according to the Constitution. The purpose of the Judiciary Committee is for Senators with expertise in the area of judicial appointments, and sufficient seniority (read: political clout) to research the candidates so that not every Senator has to do that, and to make recommendations based on their research. If all Senators had to do original research on everything they vote on, nothing would ever get done.

19. What should our short and long term strategies be in Iraq?

Short: If the elections are successful (may Allah be pleased to make it so), to serve humbly at the pleasure of the elected representatives of the Iraqi people until such time as we are told to pack up and get out. To make genuine contrition for the acts of brutality committed against Iraqis in our name. To get the rest of the West involved in the recovery process, our dignity be damned. To let Iraq decide its own course, whether it makes us happy or not.

Long: Go home. Try to be a friend, not a keeper. It will take practice and self-control, but we can do it if we try.

20. What should the United States’ relationship be with the United Nations?

To remember our role as a senior, founding member.
To live up to the ideals of human dignity that have been voiced in many UN documents, even if it seems like the UN itself is not doing so.
To quit the role of international scold, withdrawing from UN actions of which we don’t approve with grace.
To set the example we want others to follow.
To work closely and publicly with UN agencies whose work we admire, and to voice our admiration.
To acknowledge often that we know we are not the only culture on this rock.
To remember that the UN has no armed forces except as its members provide, and that their quality and mission is for its active members to determine. That would include us, if we choose to be active.
To put not only an American flag on all of our spacecraft, but a UN flag as well, to remind everyone (ourselves included) that we’re all in this together. Everyone will still know who paid for it. Besides, it’s not all about the money.