Dear NRI Pulse Reader,

Now that you have voted, the real work of policy making is only beginning. The newly elected representatives must know what issues are important in our community as they set the Legislative Agenda for the coming years. So take a minute and please respond to the following questions with your US Senate, US Representatives, and US President in mind. Think of all these issues in relation to your own values.

1. What is your opinion of the United State's role in relation to the rest of the world, now? What does this imply for U.S. trade policies, including sanctions, the War in Iraq, humanitarian actions such as for Sudan and HIV/AIDS that is exploding in India?
2. Is healthcare an issue that the Federal Government should help individuals and small businesses with? What type of health care coverage would fit best with your life? 
3. What type of actions should the Federal Government take to both protect our borders and enforce immigration laws? What fears, if any, do you have about your civil liberties as a South Asian? 
4. What is your opinion of the Federal Government's success in controlling or stimulating the economy and jobs?
5. What is your opinion of the current Federal regulations to protect our environment and keep our air and water clean? 
6. What programs should the Federal Government encourage and support the States regarding primary, secondary, and college education?

Please send in your responses to editor@nripulse.com. Selected responses will be published in the current and forthcoming issues of NRIPulse.

US Trade Policies Will Depend On Economy

US and the World: US has very little credibility as a world leader, considering the arrogance reflected by George Bush. The US trade policies will depend much on the US economy. If it continues to decline and the US $ continues to decline, import duties will have to be levied, especially against agriculture goods that we can still produce in the country. USA can no longer spend unlimited funds on military budget or humanitarian aid without finding the money to pay for these expenses. If the tax breaks continue to go to the wealthiest, this money will never come back into the economy and the situation will move closer to a massive recession as layoffs will increase at alarming levels. If the wealthy want to enjoy the life style that they have grown accustomed to, and not have to deal with the slums and decaying government services that they are used to seeing in 3rd world countries, they should be paying higher taxes. Part of the wealth that has been accumulated has been due to the government policies that are now creating the economic turbulence. If one believes that they have the skills to create wealth in other countries, many 3rd world countries have no personal income tax and they can try and see if they can produce the same wealth there.

Federal Government and Healthcare: The Federal Government should either implement a free market system, like what we have in India, or they should implement the public health care system like they have in Scandinavia. By trying to protect the drug companies, the personal liability lawyers and the insurance companies, the system allows for exploitation by physicians, lawyers and institutions at the expense of those who cannot afford it.

South Asians issues: As long as there are job and business opportunities, people will find a way to sneak in. The South Asians face the same fear as any other minority group when the majority perceives that their jobs are being taken away from them and their tax dollars are going to support those who do not contribute.

Federal Government's success in stimulating the economy and jobs: 
Some of the major items that the Federal Government can control are a) regulate money supply, b) control the budget deficit and c) impose tariffs on import. The current government has done a pathetic job of doing any of these items that can affect capital investment.

Environment issues: I don't believe that the current government is really interested in these issues as much of their support comes from corporations who are not interested in being burdened with these expenses.

Federal Government’s role in education: The primary and secondary school regulations should be left entirely up to individual schools. Interference from DOE (Federal and State) has deteriorated the quality of education and increased its cost outrageously. The No Child Left Behind policy is ludicrous as it keeps good students from attaining excellence since exorbitant funds are spent on trying to help a few reach minimum acceptable levels.

-Hunaid Qadir,  Atlanta, GA