The United States is like a massive supertanker; changing its course takes time.

While reducing our reliance on fossil fuels will be a long process, there are sensible strategies we can implement right now.

**Solution to Problem #1: Energy Dependency**
We need a comprehensive plan akin to the Marshall Plan for our energy sector. Key components include:

– **Nuclear Power:** Build at least 200 nuclear power plants across the country. If France can derive 75% of its energy from nuclear, we should also embrace this reliable and clean energy source.

– **Hydrogen Fuel Stations:** Invest $3-4 billion in hydrogen fueling stations nationwide. Hydrogen-powered vehicles emit only water, addressing several environmental challenges at once.

– **Desalination Plants:** Establish desalination plants along our coasts to utilize our abundant seawater resources.

– **Natural Gas Conversion:** Convert all federal vehicles to natural gas and encourage state governments and private service stations to follow suit.

– **Clean Coal and Fracking:** Invest in clean coal technologies and responsible hydraulic fracturing to tap into our domestic energy resources while minimizing environmental impact.

**Problem #2: Drugs and Gangs**
Gangs flourish due to fractured family structures, drug availability, and limited job prospects for unskilled youth.

**Solution to Problem #2:**
Legalize, regulate, and tax drugs. This approach would diminish the profit-driven motives of gangs and drug cartels, much like how the failure of Prohibition highlighted the benefits of regulated alcohol.

**Problem #3: Education**
Despite high spending per student, American schools are failing many children, particularly in inner cities.

**Solution to Problem #3:**
– **Vouchers for School Choice:** Allocate education funds to follow the student, empowering parents to choose the best educational setting for their children.
– **Teacher Accountability:** Implement routine competency testing for teachers, rewarding effective educators and dismissing those who are not.
– **Uniform Policies:** Require uniforms through middle school to lessen peer pressure and enhance the educational focus.
– **Ethics and Basics Emphasis:** Teach ethics annually and maintain a strong emphasis on math and reading skills.
– **Vocational Training:** Reintroduce shop classes and vocational training in high schools to prepare students for diverse career paths, not just college.

**Problem #4: Illegal Immigration**
Illegal immigration presents economic and social challenges, with undocumented workers filling jobs and putting a strain on services.

**Solution to Problem #4:**
– **Employer Fines:**

Impose substantial fines on employers who hire illegal workers.
– **Biometric Social Security Cards:**

Implement a biometric SSN card system to differentiate between citizens, legal immigrants, and undocumented individuals.
– **Temporary Worker Status:** Provide six-month temporary worker statuses to undocumented individuals, requiring renewal with proof of employment.
– **Path to Legal Status:**

Allow undocumented individuals to apply for legal status after five years, provided they maintain a clean record and steady employment.
– **Secure Borders:**

Strengthen border security using military support and complete the border wall with modern surveillance and manpower.

**Problem #5: Trade Deficits**
Trade deficits arise when we import more than we export, often due to unfair trade practices by other countries.

**Solution to Problem #5:**
Adopt a “Mirror Policy,” reciprocating the trade regulations other countries apply to our products. This ensures fair trade and helps reduce deficits.

**Problem #6: Healthcare**
Every American should have access to affordable healthcare, and the current system requires refinement.

**Solution to Problem #6:**
– **Tort Reform:**

Implement “loser pays” laws to curtail frivolous malpractice lawsuits and lessen legal cost burdens.
– **Insurance Competition:**

Allow the purchase of health insurance across state and even international lines to boost competition and lower prices.
– **Nurse-Led Procedures:**

Enable certified nurses to perform more medical procedures to cut costs while maintaining quality care.

**Problem #7: Illegal Firearms**
The issue lies with guns in the hands of criminals, not the presence of firearms themselves.

**Solution to Problem #7:**
– **Mandatory Sentences:**

Enforce mandatory federal sentences for crimes involving firearms and for possession of illegal weapons.
– **Regulate Private Sales:**

Apply the same regulations to private gun sales as those for store sales.
– **Theft Reporting:**

Require gun owners to report stolen firearms within 24 hours.

By addressing these issues with practical and balanced solutions, we can work towards a more secure, equitable, and prosperous America.
— Earl J. Foster Jr.