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

Yes. At the very least. Voting badly needs to be tightened up. I hear a lot of grumbling about people who "can't afford them." This is a bit silly. A California ID non-drivers card is $21, free for seniors. The equivalent of a few packs of cigarettes. However, I would not be averse to subsidizing such cards for the poor.

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

Somebody has to get serious about cutting off the flow at the borders.

I sure as hell ain't seeing any seriousness on this from the Bush Administration, and it would only be worse under a Democrat. Some congressmen are fighting a lonely battle on this out there. It's a lie that we "need" illegals to get our work done. There are many states with few illegals in residence, and somehow the motels still get their sheets changed and the lawns get mowed. They just pay a bit more.

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

In the long run, no. In fact, this is true around the world. Democracies, as a rule, don't make war on other democracies.

But as others here have pointed out, it's getting the democracy in place that's the bitch. While I think there is a good chance of success in Iraq and Afghanistan, even the most enthusiastic neocon is not going to support rolling the Marines into every thugocracy on the planet. I know I don't. The hope is that changing a major parameter in the area will encourage home-grown change. Jury is still out on this, but there's some hopeful signs in places like Iran.

4. What are your intentions regarding Tort Reform?

Legal stuff is not my strong suit, but some consequences for bringing unsuccessful suits wouldn't suck. As it is now, bringing a lawsuit against a large company is almost painless, regardless of the outcome. Maybe a "loser pays costs" kind of thing?

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

Can't think of any off-hand. Oh, I could think of some fantasy amendments--separation of economic activity and state would be one--but nothing that would work now in the real world. Too bad they didn't think of it back then. Would be nice if the original intent of the Constitution--limited government--was still being observed. Good God, look what they did with the commerce clause.

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

Options for private investment, with the key word being "options." There should be no direct investment in the private sector by the government, and no "chosen" funds that citizens must invest in. Both would be recipes for corruption.

I would accept raising the cap on payroll taxes. A real solution would be means testing benefits, but good frigging luck trying to sell that one to the middle class.

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

If the income tax amendment were repealed, I could go with a national sales tax. Otherwise, we'll end up with both. The appetite of the government for taxes is infinite.

Good frigging luck on this one, too. A great deal of political power resides in the power to tax and to remove taxes on targeted constituents, and politicians are not going to give that up lightly.

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

The ID, and some real work on keeping only legal voters in the system, would help.

Computerized voting machines should have a paper printout that is stored in official ballot boxes like any other paper ballot and stored like ballots are stored. Pull them out if a recount is necessary.

NO internet voting. I get the willies just thinking about it. If you can't get off your ass to vote, or even bother to arrange for an absentee ballot, then the electorate is probably better off without your input.

9. What are the limits to judicial authority?

Right now, apparently none. I don't have a simple fix for this, but it's obvious that some parties in America see elections as an archaic and annoying process, and would like to just cut out the middleman. If you can just neutralize any voter input by calling on a pet judge, what's the point?

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) ?

Not much. Would like to see this changed. Politicians like the idea of anyone with a notochord being able to vote. To them, the ideal voter is someone who will vote for you if you give them a cookie. Here in California, the Democrats are working very hard to bring illegals into the political system.

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

No.

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

Cut spending. Would like to see a veto pen attached to Bush's wrist that delivers an electric shock if it isn't used at least once a month. Maybe once a week.

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

Ditto.

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

Pretty much covered this already. But if confidence in the validity of elections has fallen, some of it is due to a specific attack on the process.

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

According to the Constitution, or in real life? Right now, there is absolutely no aspect of our existence that the Federal Government does not think it has a legitimate say in. This is not what the founders intended. Would like to see a move back toward the idea of Federalism.

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.?

This sounds like one of the pet causes of some radical right-wingers. Don't think a Federal Reserve should ever have been created, but like the income tax, there ain't much that's going to be done about it now.

17. What actions do you support for education reform?

Decentralize, decentralize, decentralize. As much as possible should be controlled at the state and local levels. Then you'll see what works, and what doesn't. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing any move in this direction from either party. A Federal department of education should never have been created. We did just fine without one until the 1970s.

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

Nobody ever intended a two-thirds majority to be required for approval, or it would have been written that way. This will settle itself out, eventually as the behavior of Ted Kennedy and crew becomes even more blatant. Apparently Daschle's loss didn't get the point across. I fully expect Republicans to pick up even more Senate seats in 2006.

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

Short term: kill and capture insurgents, while training Iraqis to kill and capture insurgents. Long term? Keep some forces in the area to help keep things stable. We did this for decades in democratic nations during the Cold War and it was never seen as an "occupation."

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

The U.N. has long outlived its usefulness in its present form, and if they decided to move the whole mess to Brussels, I'd be waving goodbye at the dock. Politically, though, both parties have to support it. It's worshipped in too many places.