OSKALOOSA — If Democrat Bill Richardson is elected president, he will have a busy first six days in office.

Richardson told a crowd of about 80 people in Smokey Row Friday afternoon his plans for the top six priorities of his first days in office. Richardson stopped in Oskaloosa as part of a campaign swing through the state before the Democratic debate in Des Moines Sunday.

“I represent change and I have the most experience,” Richardson said. He said the country needs a candidate with a proven record on foreign policy and who has managerial experience as a governor of a state.

Richardson said on his first day in office, he would get all U.S. troops out of Iraq.

“No residual forces,” he said. He said it would take about six to eight months to achieve a full withdrawal.

He discounted that a full withdrawal would leave open the possibility of an Iraqi civil war.

“There is a civil war already,” Richardson said. He also said an Iraqi opinion poll recently revealed that 62 percent of Iraqis believe it’s OK to shoot at American soldiers.

Richardson advocated withdrawal and diplomacy in the region. Richardson said that as UN ambassador, he has dealt with the major powers in the region.

On Day 2, Richardson said he would revitalize American education.

He wants to emphasize teachers as important to building a new society. Richardson wants to mandate a federal minimum wage for teachers at $40,000 a year.

Richardson also wants to get rid of the No Child Left Behind Act. Also, he wants to emphasize math and science education. He’d also like to establish a federal Arts in the School program. He would like to have preschool in every community and full-day kindergarten.

For college students, Richardson wants to establish a program where students can do one year of national service to pay off student loans.

For the third day, Richardson would deal with national health care.

“We need universal health care,” he said. “It’s a human right.”

Richardson would like to give people access to the Congressional health care plan. He’d also like to lower Medicare eligibility to 55 years old.

For Day 4, Richardson would like to revitalize the American economy.

One of the ways to do that is to emphasize renewable fuels such as wind, solar, ethanol and biodiesel.

That dovetails into Day 5 — energy.

Richardson, a former Department of Energy secretary wants to have a plan to make the nation energy independent. Richardson said the nation imports 65 percent of the oil it uses — most of it controlled by countries such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

“We have the technology for 50 miles per gallon,” he said of vehicle fuel efficiency standards.

On Day 6, Richardson said he would reflect on who we used to be as a nation.

“I will follow the Constitution of the United States,” he said. He would not go to war without the consent of Congress. He would shut down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He would take torture out of foreign policy. He would follow the Kyoto Treaty on greenhouse gases. He would ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

In a question-and-answer session, Richardson said he favors funding stem cell research.

“I am for stem cell research,” he said. “Stem cell research will save lives. … It’s a pro-life issue.”

On the topic of immigration, Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, would secure the borders with more men and high-technology surveillance systems. However, he would not build a wall.

“The wall doesn’t work,” he said. As proof, Richardson cited the Berlin Wall and the Great Wall of China as failures.

He also would punish employers who hire illegal immigrants. Also, he would talk to Mexico about creating more jobs for its citizens.

Richardson also wants to give illegal immigrants a “path to earned legalization.” That entails speaking English, paying back taxes, paying a fine, passing a background check and embracing American values. Also, the illegals would have to wait behind people who are coming to American legally.

Audience members had a favorable reaction to Richardson’s speech.

“I agree with a lot of the things Bill says,” said Bruce Bobrtje, of Pella. He said this is the second time that he has seen Richardson speak.

The big thing for Bobrtje is that Richardson is the only Democrat to advocate a complete troop withdrawal from Iraq.

“It was enjoyable,” said Judy Finkle, of Fairfield. She thought Richardson’s campaign stop was “a chance to learn.”

Herald Editor Duane Nollen can be reached by email at oskynews@oskyherald.com