King of USA - what would you do.

[StageLeft]

top of my head, eliminate all constitutional rights for corporations, particularly those which allow them a role to influence politics against the citizens. They're not people.

agree

 

[shira]

I would enact the following:

Two term lifetime limit for all elected officials, regardless of term length.

Campaign contributions limited to $1000 per citizen, $1000 per organization.

Get rid of the electoral college. A straight-up popular vote would be counted instead.

All laws must be seperate and distinct. One law may not modify another law. If "modification" is needed to another law, that law must be seperately repealed and re-enacted with the modifications. Require a publicly available "Version Control" (think CVS / Subversion / VSS) of all laws.

All laws passed must have a five year (or less) duration of action, after which the law loses effect. To stay in effect the law must be reviewed and re-enacted.

All laws passed must have a detailed description (in english not legalese) of what the law is trying to accomplish (why it was passed in the first place). This way we can keep track of why things are the way they are, and whether they are working or not.

Amend the constitution to make personal privacy an explicitly stated right of citizens.

Abolish all overtime exemptions.

Repeal DMCA and reduce copyright back to it's original 20 year period, retroactive to the beginning of time.

Repeal PATRIOT act.

Prevent banks from charging any fees related to accessing your money in your account (ATM Fees, Teller Fees, etc..) Also, require balance transfer fees (between credit lines) to be a fixed dollar figure (no percentages), that is no more than twice the bank's actual cost of creating a new account and transferring the debt.

Nullify all contracts that allow the contract to be modified in any way. Need a contract modified? Draft a new one with the modifications, sign it, destroy old contract.

Require a declaration of war before any hostile military action is taken.

Require that the USPS provide an option to opt-out of recieving any mail not addressed directly to an individual. Also make a "Do-Not-Mail" list similar to "Do-Not-Call".

Make the civil courts a "loser pays both" system.

...

And these from sully:

Legalization of marijuana, decriminalization of the rest.

Vastly simplified tax system. Can't cheat the system if it's dead simple to calculate.

Those facing charges in the criminal justice system do not have their names published in the national media. If they're truly innocent before being found guilty, let their names remain relatively unsullied until a judgement goes against them.

Repeal the can't vote if you're a felon law. You serve your time, then you're done. The right to vote shouldn't be revoked for good.

...

And this from JoshGuru:

Benefit/cost calculations published for ALL government spending.

I like all of sully's changes. Of yours, the ones I bolded seem reasonable, except that "loser pays" for civil suits should instead be a sliding-scale option built into the jury's verdict. I also sympathize with the "spirit" of many of your other changes, but the wholesale changes you advocate seem too extreme.

 

[Moonbeam]

My huge issue with being king is having to decide what is good for everyone. I only know what is good for me, what kind of king can I be?

Wish that you no longer know what is good for you because you haven't got the faintest idea anyway and you are a tremendous danger to yourself as long as you think you do.

 

[hal2kilo]

Manhattan project for fusion power.

Deport all mean people.

 

[BoberFett]

The girlfriend peeked over my shoulder (we're too lazy to go out tonight in this humidity) and added two more: Teaching mandatory nutrition classes in high school complete with cooking stuff up, and deportment (personal conduct, behavior) classes. I'd add mandatory debate class.

Don't forget basic money management classes.

 

[Linflas]

Repeal 17th Amendment then abdicate as a Republic has no need for a monarch.

 

[JohnnyGage]

Maybe end some subsities like sugar and corn.

Oh and February 15th is blow job day.

 

[CanOWorms]

invade Europe

 

[Moonbeam]

invade Europe

Too late, Europe has taken up residence in your ass and completely owns you. Everything you touch turns to Europe. You live inside of a European psychosis.

 

[CanOWorms]

Too late, Europe has taken up residence in your ass and completely owns you. Everything you touch turns to Europe. You live inside of a European psychosis.

A sculpture is more than just a piece of rock. It's more about the rest of the world than Europe.

But you're welcome to inspect my anal cavity to see. :wub:

 

[gingermeggs]

Drop all foreign aid to nations that don't at least aspire to democratic values.

Legalization of marijuana, decriminalization of the rest.

Vastly simplified tax system. Can't cheat the system if it's dead simple to calculate.

New rule: All laws that impose a criminal sentence if broken must be renewed by majority vote every X years (maybe twenty), else they expire.

New rule: All laws that require new spending must be renewed by majority vote every X years (maybe ten), else they expire.

New rule: Those facing charges in the criminal justice system do not have their names published in the national media. If they're truly innocent before being found guilty, let their names remain relatively unsullied until a judgement goes against them.

Repeal the can't vote if you're a felon law. You serve your time, then you're done. The right to vote shouldn't be revoked for good.

Repeal affirmative action in government.

The girlfriend peeked over my shoulder (we're too lazy to go out tonight in this humidity) and added two more: Teaching mandatory nutrition classes in high school complete with cooking stuff up, and deportment (personal conduct, behavior) classes. I'd add mandatory debate class.

Put Jamie Oliver in charge of public school food.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution

 

[gingermeggs]

Remove Corporate influence and money from politics.

 

[jackschmittusa]

Zebo

Why bother to get married? You never get done paying for that either. Guess you could say you are renting a p.......oh, never mind.

 

[shortylickens]

Enforce the constitution.
And if theres any discrepancies, I'd make the Supreme Court interpret it, whether they fucking want to or not.
Abortion, public health care, illegal aliens, all that shit. I'd make them decide once and for all. I dont even care which way they go, just so long as they make a decision finally.

 

[jackschmittusa]

Zebo

On a more serious note, perhaps you could argue that if you agreed to forgo all services even partially funded by property taxes you be allowed to skip paying them. Funds dispersed from property taxes vary by local and state law, but may include such things as: police, fire, emergency services, 911 services, schools, libraries, etc..

 

[DrPizza]

King? You'd make me king??!

1. Drinking age lowered to 14. It'd take a generation or so, but teach responsible drinking, not binge and puke drinking of college students.

2. Raise the driving age to 21. And tighten demands to get a driver's license. It's a privilege, not a right. Mandatory driving tests every 3 years starting at age 65. Sorry AARP. Not all teens suck at driving, but enough to make the roads a lot nicer if we wait til they're 21. Ditto you senior citizens. I'll happily volunteer to be checked myself.

3. Marijuana legalization? Since it's federal law, I'll leave it up to the public whether they are ready to accept it or not. But, it comes in a big package - they're voting for alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana as one package. It's all or none. I'm pretty sure "all" is going to win.

4. Mandatory military service for 1 to 3 years after high school. The better your grades in school, the better the job you get in the military. The shittier your grades, and shittier your attendance, the worse the job.

5. Stronger welfare to work program. And, more money spent on enforcement within the program. It'd cost more money at first, but in the long run, it'd probably save a fortune. "Sorry, we saw you carrying around your 4 year old child on your shoulders. Bullshit to the 'I can't work, I have a bad back' excuse." Screw that excuse anyway. There are people in wheelchairs holding down full time jobs. Stephen Hawking is employed. 99% of the people not working simply don't want to work (or can't find a job - we'll fix that. We'll find jobs for them, even if it's something as simple as cleaning litter alongside the highway.)


Sorry, I can't count to 1 either.

 

[JS80]

Nuke ATPN

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I'd choose an arbitrary maximum population limit, cull off the bottom 5% of the population annually (primarily based on level government dependency, but executed felons would fall under the umbrella as well), and allow a constant influx of immigrants, preferably engineers and scientists from Asia.

 

[manimal]

I'd choose an arbitrary maximum population limit, cull off the bottom 5% of the population annually (primarily based on level government dependency, but executed felons would fall under the umbrella as well), and allow a constant influx of immigrants, preferably engineers and scientists from Asia.

Isnt that a Philip K Dick novel?

 

[Zebo]

And how would local governments raise revenues to pay for schools, police, roads, government services . . . .? It doesn't matter if you don't like "big government;" there's SOME level of government that's necessary, and that level has to be paid for.

Sales taxes. Use taxes. Utility taxes. name it. USA and Western European is only places you never own anything. White man fucked up admit it.

 

[Zebo]

Zebo

Why bother to get married? You never get done paying for that either. Guess you could say you are renting a p.......oh, never mind.

No comment.

 

[Bateluer]

4. Mandatory military service for 1 to 3 years after high school. The better your grades in school, the better the job you get in the military. The shittier your grades, and shittier your attendance, the worse the job.

Sounds good at first glance, but falls apart under scrutiny. Since you said 1 to 3 years out of high school, I assume it'd be enlisted service as none would have the bachelor's degree to be an officer. The US has a very large 'pool' of people to pull from, so the military would be massive. All those people need to get a paycheck for their respective pay grades, meaning the cost to maintain JUST personnel would go through the roof. More paychecks, more dorms, more base services, medical, etc. As other old military members can attest, when you have mandatory military service, it drags the morale of the entire service down. Since an individual who isn't 'book smart' under your conditions would likely be a grunt in the Marines or Army, they're probably not going to be too happy. That outlook will be taken out on everyone around them and no one is going to want that individual watching their back in Kabul.

Then there's the work. Having millions of soldiers sitting around doing nothing is a very bad thing. Since you probably don't want them invading other nations or starting wars/police actions just too keep them occupied, what are they going to do? The Romans used their legions for a lot of construction work, for example, but an individual who was 'book smart' probably isn't going to be very happy hauling material to build a building.

I do think most high school students would do well to serve a stint in the military though, would definitely cut down on the sense of entitlement that so many seem to have, but its simply not practical.

 

[sandorski]

Sounds good at first glance, but falls apart under scrutiny. Since you said 1 to 3 years out of high school, I assume it'd be enlisted service as none would have the bachelor's degree to be an officer. The US has a very large 'pool' of people to pull from, so the military would be massive. All those people need to get a paycheck for their respective pay grades, meaning the cost to maintain JUST personnel would go through the roof. More paychecks, more dorms, more base services, medical, etc. As other old military members can attest, when you have mandatory military service, it drags the morale of the entire service down. Since an individual who isn't 'book smart' under your conditions would likely be a grunt in the Marines or Army, they're probably not going to be too happy. That outlook will be taken out on everyone around them and no one is going to want that individual watching their back in Kabul.

Then there's the work. Having millions of soldiers sitting around doing nothing is a very bad thing. Since you probably don't want them invading other nations or starting wars/police actions just too keep them occupied, what are they going to do? The Romans used their legions for a lot of construction work, for example, but an individual who was 'book smart' probably isn't going to be very happy hauling material to build a building.

I do think most high school students would do well to serve a stint in the military though, would definitely cut down on the sense of entitlement that so many seem to have, but its simply not practical.

You could put them into a Reserve force, but even then it would be costly. Considering the size of the US Military in comparison with others, it would seem unnecessary and wasteful, IMO.

 

[gingermeggs]

King? You'd make me king??!

1. Drinking age lowered to 14. It'd take a generation or so, but teach responsible drinking, not binge and puke drinking of college students.

2. Raise the driving age to 21. And tighten demands to get a driver's license. It's a privilege, not a right. Mandatory driving tests every 3 years starting at age 65. Sorry AARP. Not all teens suck at driving, but enough to make the roads a lot nicer if we wait til they're 21. Ditto you senior citizens. I'll happily volunteer to be checked myself.

3. Marijuana legalization? Since it's federal law, I'll leave it up to the public whether they are ready to accept it or not. But, it comes in a big package - they're voting for alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana as one package. It's all or none. I'm pretty sure "all" is going to win.

4. Mandatory military service for 1 to 3 years after high school. The better your grades in school, the better the job you get in the military. The shittier your grades, and shittier your attendance, the worse the job.

5. Stronger welfare to work program. And, more money spent on enforcement within the program. It'd cost more money at first, but in the long run, it'd probably save a fortune. "Sorry, we saw you carrying around your 4 year old child on your shoulders. Bullshit to the 'I can't work, I have a bad back' excuse." Screw that excuse anyway. There are people in wheelchairs holding down full time jobs. Stephen Hawking is employed. 99% of the people not working simply don't want to work (or can't find a job - we'll fix that. We'll find jobs for them, even if it's something as simple as cleaning litter alongside the highway.)


Sorry, I can't count to 1 either.

Your name isn't Roman by any chance?

 

[gingermeggs]

Sounds good at first glance, but falls apart under scrutiny. Since you said 1 to 3 years out of high school, I assume it'd be enlisted service as none would have the bachelor's degree to be an officer. The US has a very large 'pool' of people to pull from, so the military would be massive. All those people need to get a paycheck for their respective pay grades, meaning the cost to maintain JUST personnel would go through the roof. More paychecks, more dorms, more base services, medical, etc. As other old military members can attest, when you have mandatory military service, it drags the morale of the entire service down. Since an individual who isn't 'book smart' under your conditions would likely be a grunt in the Marines or Army, they're probably not going to be too happy. That outlook will be taken out on everyone around them and no one is going to want that individual watching their back in Kabul.

Then there's the work. Having millions of soldiers sitting around doing nothing is a very bad thing. Since you probably don't want them invading other nations or starting wars/police actions just too keep them occupied, what are they going to do? The Romans used their legions for a lot of construction work, for example, but an individual who was 'book smart' probably isn't going to be very happy hauling material to build a building.

I do think most high school students would do well to serve a stint in the military though, would definitely cut down on the sense of entitlement that so many seem to have, but its simply not practical.

Yes a "youth force"....where have we seen that before?
A bit of physical work would be good for a book worm, teach him/her some appreciation for those people in industries which put a roof over his head and feed him.