What do you get when a conservative marries a liberal? Ideas.

For all my friends, who agree that President Obama and his administration did not cause the current economic situation, yet feel he has not done enough to fix it. And we all agree our system of government is having a hard time working together. So I have an idea on how the President of the United States could get around the political barriers of congress.

First, he could follow in the steps of President Eisenhower, who used his role as commander and chief of the US military to refocus the military into a job creating machine. Eisenhower is the reason we have an interstate highway system.

All across this nation there are rural and tribal communities that need clinics, hospitals and medevac air facilities. In all those places we can find the need to build new roads and find a few existing roads that need to be repaired. I bet we can find a few bridges and tunnels as well. We have all seen schools that need to be repaired or replaced. Hell, there are still parts of the gulf coast that need to be rebuilt. There is need every where we look.

When I served, there were massive construction units in the Army and Navy, which should still be under the presidents command; and I believe all of the armed forces have supply and logistics units. So, don’t send those soldiers home when the war is over. First transfer FEMA into the military and then take all those soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen we want to let go and transfer them to a new unit for new skills. The kind of skills and experience that make a difference at home and can help them find a civilian job.

If I remember correctly, all of the armed forces have medical facilities that could be opened to elderly and poor American citizens who need care but can’t afford it. Don’t have enough facilities? Build some new ones. Not enough workers? Hire some veterans. Open the military colleges and universities up to anyone who has served their country. Don’t have enough space? Build some new ones. Not enough teachers? Hire some veterans.

When you think about this, it is a win-win bi-partisan solution - the Republicans want to double the size of the armed forces and the Democrats want a new and improved social safety net. Everybody wins.