1. No pardons or commutations of sentences by the President – A vast majority of Americans want this change!  President Trump has abused this power to pardon law-breaker participants in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots, along with pardoning crooks and cronies, making a mockery of our justice system.  President Biden also used this power for personal reasons to pardon his son, along with a number of other friends, flaunting a black eye for the Rule of Law, in favor of the Rule of (one) Man. 

 

2. No Electoral College – A vast majority of Americans want this change!  Its purpose has long-since passed, as the popular vote for President is the best measure of the will of the American people.  (Based on all USA eligible voters in the 2024 election, Donald Trump received only 34% of that vote, as 66% either voted against him or did not vote all – hardly a mandate!)

 

3. Term Limits for US Supreme Court Justices – Require the Justices to retire after 18 years of service.  

 

This forced retirement means every two years a new Justice would be appointed by the current President to replace a Justice stepping down.  Studies have consistently shown that life tenure is not necessary for a fully functional Court that rules independently of the government.  This proposed change would not be fatal to Court integrity and independence – and would reduce the public perception that the Court is increasingly ideologically imbalanced.  As the most powerful Supreme Court in the world, they face strikingly little accountability.  The Court stands alone in the world of constitutional democracies in terms of no mandatory retirement age or even term limits. Almost all states in the US have some form of term limits for high court judges, while 31 states have some form of mandatory retirement.  Studies have consistently shown that life tenure is not necessary for a fully functional Court that rules independently of the government.  

 

Amending the US Constitution is not easy (only 27 approved since 1788), but using a Constitutional Convention demanded by State legislatures, with ratification by ¾ of the States is doable, given the public support for these changes.

 

4. Complete revision of ICE – The harsh reality of masked law enforcement roaming our streets, schools, and workplaces is a nightmare of the worst order.  ICE agents should not be allowed to work without showing their name badge, full face without a mask, yet showing only judge-signed warrants to arrest citizens and invade our privacy.  Legislation will be passed, similar to 42 USC 1983, whereby any civil rights violation by a member of ICE will result in a minimum fine of $100,000 with NO DISCHARGE IN BANKRUPTCY.  I will advocate for a Congressional investigation and hearings on how ICE agents were trained or not trained, and who exactly was responsible for their dangerous, unscrupulous, and flawed preparation for this job. Recognizing that ICE agents are not evil people but have been poorly trained in a type of terror-causing behavior, we need to fully understand why this occurred...and to prevent it from ever happening again.  DHS needs a complete top-to-bottom revision as well, but the starting point should be ICE issues.)

 

No ICE representatives on any Indian reservation without the prior permission of the Tribe; Native Americans hold a special place in the Constitution as they are considered Sovereigns. Such individuals who violate their Sovereignty shall be subject to civil and criminal penalties, administered by the Tribe.

 

5. Health care reform – America’s health care is the most expensive in the world, and arguably the most derided by its citizens.  Health care is in crisis in our country.  One benefit of my experience and life in foreign countries is that I have experienced different levels of health care.  I hear quite a few politicians bemoaning our health care system, but very few actually come up with potential solutions – here’s one that could be a model for addressing needed change.  I would advocate that Congress takes a good look at the health care system in Australia, which works very well for one of our longest allies and a country that is very close culturally, including the work world, to America.  Australia has developed a two-tier health care system, whereby the first tier is a single payer/government model – all citizen citizens are covered for major medical health problems. Private insurance is available, as well, but not required for non-major medical ailments.  I recognize that the USA’s economic outlays and medical programs are different when comparing a country of 26 million citizens to one of 340 million people, but the success of Australia’s program since its creation in 1973 should be examined closely and, of course, modified to fit our health care needs.  

 

6. Social Security stabilization – Unless Congress acts to shore up the increasing gap between monies taken in for Social Security vs. monies going out to Senior Citizens as benefits, the whole system could suffer a partial collapse by 2032; mandatory benefit cuts would result in retirees receiving only 78% of their scheduled payments.  (Many young people believe they will never see ANY of the money they pay into Social Security from income from their jobs when it comes time for them to retire.)  A simple, albeit contested, solution would be to eliminate the limit on earnings subject to Social Security taxes.  Currently, the 2026 limit is $184,500 whereby earnings above that amount are not subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax, set to rise to approximately $188,700 for 2027.  It’s estimated that eliminating that tax cap altogether would improve the solvency of the program’s trust funds for another 30 years, at least.  Fundamental fairness requires that all Social Security recipients, no matter their income level, should be subject to the Social Security tax, particularly when faced with a disaster if nothing changes.

 

7.  AI regulation – Regulation of this amazing tool is necessary at both the federal and at state levels (states can also regulate AI), to protect against abuse of vulnerable populations --  seniors and minors.  While AI provides increasing levels of productivity and efficiency, along with quick knowledge about many topics, and new insights and syntheses of ideas and strategies in business, it can be very harmful when it defrauds people, their businesses, and government officials…and provides personal advice without any moral basis.  Leaving AI to be regulated by the market or by President Trump (or five multi-billionaires) is lethal.  AI is more than the legitimate worries about unwanted and dangerous data centers.  AI must have some huge firewalls and regulations to prevent unscrupulous wars, massive layoffs of employees, and destruction of historic American value systems -- all resulting from AI implementation without the judgment and wisdom of human factors in decision-making. (The Pope’s recent encyclical on humanization of AI is revelatory).  Moreover, AI is challenging the very nature of Copyright, requiring us to act now to preserve intellectual property protection for artists and authors.

 

8. “States Rights” Powers Expansion under Tenth Amendment – The federal government is one of limited powers, while the States should have legislative prerogatives over many other areas of concern.  Specifically, in contrast to what President Trump has said, States are not “agents” of the Federal government, having all powers not granted by the Constitution to the federal government. That means the States are the final firewall against the growing illegal powers of the Executive Branch. States do have ‘police power’ over not just local law enforcement, but even abortion/right-to-life matters, for example, as well as alliances for best practices and innovative approaches to public health and Medicaid. A League of States, such as Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado for coordinated action (i.e. Common Foreign Direct Investment policy to attract new jobs at home).  (The major way States are linked together now is through lawsuits against Trump filed by their attorneys general.) Those eight states as a group would constitute the third largest economy in the world; some of that combined economic power should be leveraged to create a new type of balance of powers in our Constitutional republic.  AI may be able to help us envision the full panoply of State powers together.  See article by Usrey, “A League of States: The Ultimate Antidote to Tyranny!”

 

9.  Independence of US Attorney General - The AG should be the PEOPLE’S LAWYER, not taking orders and directions from the President.  President Trump’s use of the  Attorney General as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government has frequently been used to exact revenge upon his perceived enemies.  That is a bastardization of justice at the federal level, resulting in a diminishment of the AG’s long-standing reputation as impartial, but also the loss of dozens of skilled attorneys serving the people, not one man.  

 

10. Claw-back of ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ – I advocate the Re-funding of USAID and the CFPB, via reversal of tax breaks for millionaires in ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’  The use of those refunded extra monies would save lives through United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as provide guardrails against nefarious financial institutions under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The impact on lives saved and finances regained outweighs the cost of their effective operations.  Moreover, the lies of too much foreign aid going out to undeserving peoples is laid bare by noting the actual cost to Americans for foreign aid is just $10 billion (about $30 per citizen), while the annual cost for the CFPB is about $800 million – yet the financial benefits to Americans from the work of the CFPB amounts to almost $20 billion.  Compare that to the tax cuts in one year for the Big Beautiful Bill for Billionaires amount to $300 billion, and the reality is that the impact on lives saved globally and consumer financial benefits from over-reaching financial institutions means the math just doesn’t add up, unless you are a Trump crony – those cuts must be clawed back.

 

11. New job creation and bright economic future for Gen Z and Millennials – While a new law was recently passed (over President Trump’s objection) to help provide affordable housing for young people, it is outrageous that the average age of a home buyer in the US is over 40-years old.  That type of unattended market failure for decades is what concerns many Gen Z and Millennials as to their futures, of underemployment and job instability.  Many job seekers are finding that their future is clouded by layoffs and the relatively small number of jobs created by AI. While in decades past, economic opportunities in one’s early twenties would provide for needs and a vision of multiple ways for human flourishing through work, that dream is vanishing now for many young adults.  That needs to be corrected by government intervention.  

 

A push to provide jobs in the trades sectors tracks the historic vocational model of education of young people, whereby not everyone needs a college education, but can find profitable work in other sectors of the economy.  As a bookend to trades and vocational education, I would advocate for Focused Federal Grants for entrepreneurship education up through college and even graduate school.  We need to encourage more entrepreneurs with tax credits for their new creations, and for new jobs created in the short term, since small businesses and entrepreneurs provide more new jobs than large corporations.  In past years, SIRTI (Spokane Intercollegiate Research Technology Institute) and its progeny in the University District have provided an opportunity for young people to incubate new ideas for new products and services locally and globally. (Usrey was on the Board of Directors at SIRTI and several Whitworth students used that business incubator for successfully launching new inventions, while serving as a catalyst for others.)  Entrepreneurism can and should be fostered at even the primary grade levels.  

 

12. NCAA NIL modification – Currently, a federal court has indicated university athletes should be paid, splitting up a $20 million pot of monies annually.  The Trump administration has presented a plan that would allow only one transfer by an athlete to another university over a five-year period, unlike the present rule allowing four or even five transfers during a collegiate career.  I would advocate the modification of these provisions by placing all NIL monies for each athlete into an irrevocable trust (with some special stipend for athletes until the athlete turns 21 years of age).  Stories of wasted income and wealth by young male and female athletes are rampant, so protecting those funds would obviate unwise decisions, while also encouraging completion of a university degree to fall back on in case a professional career goes bust.  After all, athletes attending and completing college education remains a hallmark of intellectual development, while providing opportunities success amongst young people.

 

13.  Repair International Relations With Our Allies -- Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand have been bullied by President Trump to succumb to his will on various geopolitical issues, including tariffs that cost consumers.  Farmers are particularly at risk when tariffs are assessed, and the fact that Trump’s tariffs were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court under the International Emergency Powers Act does not eliminate its effects.  Even though the tariffs are to be refunded sometime in the future, the impact has created hardship for many farmers and producers in terms of cash flow…not to mention greater inflation across all business sectors.  As your representative, I would advocate no more bullying and no more whipsawing, empty threats to our allies, which harms our economy, particularly our farmers...and results in weakening of our ties to historic partners…not to mention the upheaval internationally.  Is it any wonder that Prime Minister Carney of Canada has sought out extensive new relationships with China, costing America the loss of opportunities to partner with a number of foreign governments?! I will advocate for a renewed version of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) immediately and the restoration of WTO judges to settle disputes in trade and stop the madness of using tariffs as leverage points for other agendas by certain nations and their leaders. 

 

14. Environmental Protection.  As your advocate, I would support the goal of stewardship rather than the exploitation or domination of our ecology.  For all intents and purposes, I am in full and complete agreement with the policies, legislation, and program statements of Washington US Senators Patty Murray and Marie Cantwell in their protection and preservation of our environment.  In the Inland Northwest, we cherish our environment.  One area of possible improvement in the management of our public lands is to place all public lands agencies (National Forests, BLM, National Wildlife Refuges, National Parks, etc.) under one oversight, umbrella organization for better coordination of usage, conservation, and the prevention of fires.  As a result of President Trump’s budget cuts, National Forests will not be provided with seasonal workers this year, potentially leading to more fires that cannot be contained during this most recent dry winter, summer and fall.

 

15. IRS tax code simplification and Flat Tax – The IRS is one of the most reviled of all federal agencies and institutions.  Millions of dollars and tens of thousands of people who work in the field of IRS law, including attorneys and accountants who find ways to circumvent IRS rules and regulations.  I advocate a flat tax of 15% on every person and corporation in the USA.  Many schemes exist in order to claim no taxable income, whatsoever, for the rich.  That’s wrong, and legislation needs to be passed to stop that immediately.  The industry of tax dodging from the IRS must end, by including all income anywhere of any type, no matter the source, for funding the USA’s operations.  The 15% flat tax would be consistent with the 15% capital gains rate for individuals.  The flat tax would not apply to those who live under the US poverty line. The only individual deduction would be that all Social Security income would be tax-exempt. Thus, the Adjusted Gross Income would likely fall for many people, resulting in fewer tax obligations.  

 

I will advocate for a review of the impacts of a one-time only wealth tax of 15% for individuals with more than $200 billion in assets, leading potentially to over $300 billion in new revenue for the IRS. Individuals who leave the USA to set up residence in a foreign country to avoid this tax will need to obtain a special, limited visa to come to the USA.

 

 

--Kyle Usrey, July 19, 2026