If You Were President of the U.S., What Would You Start or Stop?

Imagine yourself sitting in the Oval Office with the power of the presidency at your command. How would you handle the responsibility and pressure?

With Presidents’ Day this Monday, Hot Topics wonders: “If you could be the President of the United States, what one policy would come into effect or what one policy would be done away with? Why?”

“Make high school optional. Then, teachers wouldn’t have to spend all their time with people who don’t care.”

Kim Fausett, 16, sophomore, El Toro

“I would raise the education level, put all murderers in the electric chair to save the prison space, and minimize the freedom of buying guns and selling drugs. I would also lower car interest rates for people who have very good records.”

Tiffene Lynn Ta, 17, senior, Western

“Force industry to be responsible for its actions and make those who make money by damaging the environment reconstruct or replenish what they have destroyed.”

Cesar Montufar, 18, senior, Santiago

“Enforce the I-don’t-take-crap-from-any-country policy, because defense comes first.”

Tim Snowden, 17, junior, Mission Viejo

“Make abortion and the death penalty illegal because I don’t believe in taking another person’s life.”

Erika Imhof, 17, junior, Santa Margarita

“Increase spending on welfare, Social Security, Medicare, child care, schooling and education; basic things to improve life in America. I would also put money into environmental causes and definitely cut the defense budget.”

Rita Mercado, 16, junior, Connelly

“Pass a law on gangs, banning them, because there’s no such law existing.”

Amy Roldan, 16, junior, Costa Mesa

“The one policy I would change would be legalizing drugs. I believe we, the United States, shouldn’t spend our time stopping drug users and putting them in jail. Just legalize it and they might not do it.”

Darin Dabalack, 18, junior, Bolsa Grande

“Restoring the judicial system. Murderers and other offenders of the law get off scot-free because of technicalities, and that just isn’t right.”

Bridget Davel, 17, junior, Santa Ana Valley

“Introduce housing that the poor would pay rent for, not buy, as very few of them can afford to buy even cheap houses. They could live in the homes until they got their lives back together.”

Katherine Davies, 17, senior, Brea-Olinda

“Enforce Ronald Reagan’s policy of prayer in schools.”

Aaron Stephenson, 17, junior, Mission Viejo

“Cut off economic and military aid to El Salvador and enact a policy of nonintervention in the politics of Latin America to allow self-determination.”

Kristin Reeg, 17, senior, Connelly

“Lower the new 6 1/4% sales tax, because the state doesn’t need any more money.”

Toby Adachi, 16, sophomore, Santa Margarita

“Make abortion completely legal because I think it’s a woman’s right to choose, and nobody else should have the right to decide.”

Christine Vanderwarker, 18, senior, Costa Mesa

“Change abortions because I don’t like them killing babies that aren’t born yet.”

George Gonzalez, 17, junior, Bolsa Grande

“The environment. People proclaim that they want to save the environment, but they are just saying that so that they could fit in and be like everyone else. If you don’t take care of the world, then who will?”

Yvonne Coronado, 16, senior, Santa Ana Valley

“Abolish the drug wars and focus on crimes of greater importance like rape, homicide and suicide.”

Diana Davidson, 18, senior, Mission Viejo

“Tighten border restrictions because the inflow of immigrants is getting out of hand.”

Aaron Brookman, 17, senior, El Toro

“Yes on women’s rights; less interference with business.”

Tung Truong, 17, junior, Santiago

“Government agencies like welfare would be gone. The government shouldn’t be paying for the citizens; private industries should decide whether or not they want to.”

Derrick Walker, 16, junior, Costa Mesa

“Outlaw smoking in public places, such as restaurants, hotel lobbies and all public transportation.”

Lauri Seamark, 18, senior, El Toro

“More money would be put into AIDS research.”

Jennifer Mroz, 16, junior, Costa Mesa

“Change the rule that states high school newspapers may be censored. Whether we are 18 or not, we deserve basic rights.”

Geneva Hoang, 16, junior, Western

“Cut defense spending and use the money toward the national debt and helping the homeless.”

Matt Brummel, 17, junior, Mission Viejo

“Year-round schools would not be started any more because during the summer it’s too hot to concentrate, and summer vacation gives kids something to look forward to.”

Adriana Lopez, 14, freshman, El Toro

“Taxes in proportion, a certain percentage from every citizen.”

Alejandro Catalan, 17, senior, Santiago

“Concentrate more on elimination of poverty in the United States before that in foreign countries. Spend less on the defense budget, because we already have enough to destroy the world.”

Nancy Yum, 17, senior, Connelly

“Make an amendment to the Constitution so a President could serve more than two terms.”

Larry Angon, 16, junior, Western

“Death sentence--make it legal to kill hard criminals, so we have room (in prisons) for other minor criminals.”

Tung Lien, 16, junior, Bolsa Grande

“Taxes wouldn’t be raised because they’re high enough already. Other programs can be cut.”

Tue Nguyen, 18, senior, Costa Mesa

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

How do your parents discipline you?

Hot Topic responses gathered by Brandi Winemiller (Bolsa Grande), Jooyoung Lee (Brea-Olinda), Jennifer Chen (Connelly), Cindy Nguyen (Costa Mesa), Dawn Stone (El Toro), Janet Stouder (Mission Viejo), Hang Nguyen (Santa Ana Valley), Suzanne Zamoyski (Santa Margarita), Tam Vuong (Santiago) and Heather Orey (Western)