United States of America — American Independent PartyCandidate for President

America's infrastructure problem is largely confined to local and state roads and bridges. Interstate highways could be the responsibility of a partnership between the federal government and each individual state, and the proportion paid by each for construction and maintenance should be uniform across all 50 states.  However, the issue of "internal improvements" has been a political football since 1789.  America can find a better way.

Ideally, the federal government would have little or no involvement in America's roads, bridges, and airports, except for those located with federal lands.  The states, the local communities, and the airport administrators should bear full responsibility for construction and maintenance.  High speed rail and other ail services should be provided by the railroad as a private corporation.  Where service is unprofitable, it should be discontinued.

The electrical grid should always be the responsibility of private corporations.  They may be governed to a limited extent by local Public Utilities Commissions, but their responsibility is to their customers, not to the federal government.

Comprehensive health care is not within the power of Congress or the President. Nothing resembling health care or welfare is found in the enumerated powers of Congress.

What we currently have in the Medicare/Medicaid/Affordable Care system is a Byzantine maze of an enormous, wasteful, inefficient bureaucracy.  Easily a third of all medical expenditures, and perhaps much more, go to needless paperwork and administration.

The United States would be best served by providing care at the state level, if it chooses to provide it at all.  Better still, allowing health insurance companies to work across state lines would significantly reduce costs.

Americans pay far too much in medical premiums and receive far too little in return. Under the Affordable Care Act tens of thousands of American families have filed for bankruptcy because the premiums are too high and the deductibles make care unaffordable.  We need to rethink the entire concept of health care in the United States, and we need to shift the emphasis away from pharmaceuticals and toward wellness and prevention.

Those persons wishing to enter the United States from other countries would make application.  Those with important training and skills would be given a higher priority than those without them. Quotas can be applied and enforced by federal immigration authorities.

Each applicant would need a sponsor, which could be an individual, a church or charitable organization, or an employer.  That entity would guarantee that the immigrant would never apply for or receive unearned welfare benefits of any kind while living in the United States.  This was the policy in the 1970s; we need to get back to it.

Refugees would be permitted to apply for residency, but like all applicants they would be carefully vetted for illnesses, criminal records, possible links to terrorist organizations, and more.  Refugees would likewise require a sponsor to be granted entry into the United States.

All legal immigrants would become eligible for citizenship on a schedule mandated by law.  None would have voting rights until they were awarded full citizenship.

Illegal immigrants would be immediately deported.  America must have secure borders and our immigration laws must be enforced.