Editor, The Herald:

What the real priorities of our government should be…

1. A declaration of war against all enclaves and training sites of Al Qaeda and Taliban worldwide: All counties should be forewarned, wherever these combatants congregate or deploy within their borders, they are a target. We should use whatever firepower is necessary to erase/eradicate this scourge. The same applies to arms shipments to these cells. If foreign aid is currently being furnished to these counties, it will be immediately terminated until such cells no longer exist.

The attack on our world trade center building was an horrific tragedy. With Karzai releasing 65 terrorists, Syria being used to train same and cells popping up all, over the globe, it is only a matter of time until something even worse happens, maybe so lethal that no response would be possible. The best defense, coupled with homeland security, is a shift to the offensive, and it should be now.

Churchill, Eisenhower, Marshall and Schwarzkopf, all when called upon, owned the mantle of responsibility in the past, like the cream in milk, our leaders will emerge as our strategy is formulated to accomplish the mission.

2. The resurgence of Congress and the Cabinet: even before House or Senate elections are over, the Beltway Seduction Process is in high gear; the tentacles have already begun to entangle. The “trappings” of the federal bureaucracy, in the form of unions, lobbyists, campaign donors, state dinners, foreign country trips, all, slowly close in to blur the charge these honorable men and women were elected to shape and mound.

If too many state dinners prevail, then someone is not concentrating on what he or she was hired to do, unions, lobbyists, etc. were not elected to Congress nor appointed to the Cabinet, nor should they have voice therein. Our destiny, the protection of our democracy, must be devoid of such influence, Congress must brush aside these leaches of true government on the day they are sworn in. Congress is put there to lead, not follow; moreover congressional leadership is not for sale to anyone or any entity.

Congress must check their party affiliation at the door. These “cloaks” only serve to defy logical, frugal honest intellect. Party affiliation, rather, is a political process used in our electoral system, nothing more, and certainly not the unbiased scrutiny so necessary to allow viable congressional decisions on a bi-partisan, consensus basis.

The vanity of cabinet members must also be shelved, after their appointment celebrations, to prevent becoming rubber stamps to policies that lead to a fiscal train wreck. No secretary of state should allow any ambassador to be lain bare with that country’s employees being the only protection available. If that country wants to become our partner in peace and economic security, we will provide our own security personnel, period. Otherwise they will cast their lot elsewhere. These fiscal and state department examples illustrate tenets of diligence embodied in a self-imposed job description, maintaining continuity and safety.

3. The transfer of all administration of entitlements, veteran’s affairs, healthcare and regulatory functions directly to the 50 states. The vantage point of states, as opposed to the remoteness of federal control, can only yield enhanced, more personal service/results to all recipients. The logjam in veterans’ claims is a prime example, accountability, if in each state, would certainly be more visible. Being much closer to their constituents, state legislators and administrators would be able to effectuate quicker responses to their needs, and certainly more personalized. The cost effective result would probably be astounding.

These priorities, which I believe represent the beliefs of a majority of Americans, are not suggested for the next electoral process. The Cabinet and Congress would be well advised to lead, follow or get of the way, forthwith.

Matt Robertson

Farmville