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Ooooh! So many wishes, so little time...
1. The current tax system be abolished and then we adopt a Fair Tax, ala Neil Boortz's proposal. It's really cool, since rich people buy more stuff, they automatically pay more taxes. People with less money, not so much...
2. The Electoral College becomes history. With today's technology, one person-one vote. Each registered taxpayer recieves a one-time-good use PIN and must provide positive ID at a certified polling place where appropriate technology is made available.
3. The way people campaign for office changes. First, no more can be spent than the value of that office, i.e. if the salary per year is $100,000 and the term of service is four years, the candidate is limited to $400,000 to run. Second, campaign contributions can only be taken from verifiable residents of the district/area that will be represented while in office. Third, no one holding a law degree may campaign for any office that is not directly related to the judiciary system, i.e. a lawyer can run for country judge. Finally, any and all laws will apply to everyone. That would mean that if Congress decides to inflict Social Security taxes as a retirement program, they cannot exempt themselves. If the "common" man has no choice, neither do they.
Lots of other wishes, but I think these would be pretty close to the top of my list to turn this country around.
I like a lot of those proposals. I disagree that since the "rich buy more stuff" they pay more. They often buy better stuff so they pay a one time tax where as that Ford Focus I buy will have to be replaced in 30 days with another car whereas that Bentley that Daddy Moneybags buys will last a few decades. (LOL)
Your post is a bit lengthy, so I will parse in order to best address each point. Begging your pardon...
[1.]A constitutional mandate that a Constitutional convention would be held every 36 to 50 years whereby the technology that has revolutionized the world would be adopted into the document and the arcane, the obsolete, and the frankly impractical would be written out or amended. The first re-writing would include:
- An amendment that banned most types of firearms. Nobody needs an MP9. This is just common sense
The fact that we are a well-armed constituency is probably the biggest single reason we have not be completely converted to the type of government system that has repeatedly failed. It's the reason why attacks on us, in our territory, have been few and far between. I suspect that it will be the only thing that ultimately stands between a free country and complete anarchy.
I disagree; nobody needs an a MP9. I think its wrong that the Rooskies were worried about the Denver or Charleston gun clubs and they didn't attack because they were afraid of their firepower.
- An amendment that sets out totally non-geographic congressional districts decided by either zip codes or area codes within a state. If you have 10 representatives in Congress and your state has 80 zip codes, each representative gets assigned 8 zip codes at random with each election that he or she wins. So what group of Ohioans you represent from 2012 to 2014 is different than the group of Ohioans you represent from 2014-2016 (you may have a few repeat zip codes but you won't get all ten that you had again).
I think we should leave how the states apportion their voting districts to the states themselves. For state and local elections, each state should be in control. For national-level elections, there should be one designated date allocated to vote for that office.
In a vacuum your plan works great. In reality, the national committees basically author the redistricting maps.
- An amendment by where Presidential elections are totally paid for by the government. If speical interests wish to air political ads and stations choose to run them, they then must offer, free of charge, the same exact time to opposition viewpoints. If Planned Parenthood wants to fund a 3 minute ad attacking the GOP and runs it on MSNBC, then MSNBC must run an opposing 3 minute ad the same time slot on a following day. Absolutely no advertisements would be held the Monday prior to the day of the election.
This is a bit tricky. I don't believe that government should be involved in funding elections. I did mention earlier a way that would address the amount of funds used to campaign for any office. I'd like to add that any monies contributed to a candidate revert to a fund held in trust for the district/area represented. Such funds could be spent according the wishes of the electorate represented. Mandating that providers of advertising venues must provide "free equal" time to all comers is also tricky. That's basically undercutting a private business' ability to earn money. I would like limitations on advertising prior to voting, too.
Its the only way to get the money out of the elections.
As for the equal time, we're taking (I didn't include this) but from Labor Day to Election Day, every 4 years. Hardly a serious injury to the television and radio platforms. And again, the candidates would get their monies spend the way they want. I was talking about issue ads or the famous Soft Money contributors.
- Quadrinneal elections would be held from Midnight of the first Tuesday after April 15 to the Midnight of the following Tuesday. In other words, a one week quadrinneal election. This would allow time to address any instances of voter fraud, intimidation, and allow for any technicalities.
I like the idea of providing a longer period or a week to accomodate all the various needs of voters.
Glad we can agree
- Constitutional amendments dictating the terms for all Presidential debates to include all persons who have legitimate shots at winning the election. No fewer than 6 debates where the first part is moderated, the 2nd part is Lincoln Douglas style
I really don't see what a Constitutional amendment would do to improve debates? Could you further elaborate?
Well, I would say that there are 6 debates to be held, one per week leading up to the start of elections. Lets say every Saturday night starting in September.
Each debate would have a topic such as budgeting, immediate threats such as deficit reduction or trade imbalances, foreign policy, military concerns, domestic polices etc... They can change but the Presidential Job Description should carry the day. Foreign Policy, National Defense, trade, domestic policies, will have to be subjects if not debates in and among themselves.
Anyway, after the first 90 minutes of moderation, then they have a "halftime" to where they can use the john, catch a smoke, talk to their advisers, etc...
After 15 minutes, they then re-take the stage the same night and then one questions the other(s) on what was said in the first half. "Mr. Obama, you said 90 percent of Americans would get a tax break if you're elected. How will you pay for that?" Or, "Mr. Obama, the deficit is now $15 trillion dollars and is climbing each year. If you're elected in 2012, what will the deficit be in 2016?" No holds barred, gloves are off. Let it fly.
- Total revamp of the Electoral College by where the winner must win BOTH the popular and electoral votes.
I'm with you on this one. Let's just totally eliminate the Electoral College. Either that, or break up the all-or-none version of casting the electoral votes. Originally, the representative sent to the Electoral Convention cast his vote as his constituents had cast theirs. Somewhere we lost our way and now every electoral vote is cast as the majority in the state have been cast. If you look at the electoral maps from previous elections, you will see a very clear distinction between the blue-red districts. Blue tends to be urban, red, rural.
Hence my idea about using zip codes instead of State drawn lines. If you let politicians choose who they represent than the other way around, you're getting a "Wag the Dog" scenario. The elections are not rigged but the deck is so stacked against true off party insurgencies that you'll never see it save for a few outlyers.
[2.]Political primaries for President that are held in blocks of states. This would allow true national competition. That Iowa and New Hampshire have such a disproportional say in the elections of our President is absurd on every level. I would divide it up by the twelve Federal Reserve geographical districts so that you have 6-8 election days over a few month's time so candidates can focus on those states; not a single state.
Let's just have primary elections all at the same time? State elections can be any time the states want to have them, but federal elections will be decided by the fed. Like you, I am sick of seeing candidates pandering to some electorates while totally ignoring others.
The money isn't there at the primary level. Only the most affluent of politicians could field a national staff. If you think there is too much money in politics now....
As with all things, the middle of the road holds the solution. A few states where few live have unreasonable power and the panderence is storied.
[3.]Total penal code reform. Standardized punishments for the same crimes throughout the nation. Automatic review of any proceeding that ends in prison time regardless of the condemn's ability to pay for it. An audit of every prison in every state to make sure that minimum standards are kept. Total removal of all prison skill/work programs (I saw a stat that it costs more to send a person to prison than it costs to send a student to most colleges). Total removal of restricted visits to all but those prisoners who may endanger national security. If someone gets a visitor every day, they should get to see their visitor every day. Who the hell does this hurt? I think we all agree that prisons are a good idea but unnecessary hazing of inmates is simply a devaluation of our collective humanity.
I haven't given much recent consideration to this issue, so will remain mute at this time.
[4.] That Les Miles is written in for President by 300,000,000 people.
I would have one wish for Americans.
That you stop believing the bullshit you're fed. These people - the ones y'all keep electing....they do not give a shit about you. They care only about power and money. Face that fact and stop electing corrupt bastards. Fucking sheep electing fucking wolves.
That is the closest I've ever seen you come to sounding like an OWS protester.
Congrats, keep going, thinking for yourself is a great thing. Turn off FOX news, stop reading the Wall Street Journal, give it a few days and you wqon't believe how much better you feel.
The part where you said, "they do not give a shit about you. They care only about power and money. Face that fact and stop electing corrupt bastards." is spot on. Just keep following the logic and you;ll be just fine. Again, good for you.
Again, for the terminally stupid kid (that's you):
1. I do not even get Fox News so watching it is a tad tricky. Idiot.
2. I rarely read the WSJ - unless they are publishing something that impacts on my job - in which case I do read it.... along with the Washington Post and a variety of other 'left leaning' outlets.
3. I don't 'sound like OWS', they sound like me... because I've been saying it for fucking years.
4. You are a fucking idiot. Please don't 'thank' me. I don't need thanks from fucking sheep.
And...
5. I have always thought for myself. I was raised that way. Pity that more Americans are not.
Thanks for the neg rep. That time of the month is it. I pos rep you and you neg rep me.
A pretty universal wish, it appears, is to get the money out of politics. Nobody likes bought legislators. If it is something we all want, why is it that We the People don't seem to have the power to stop it?
We don't and we get the government we deserve.
Can you say "Back fire".
Can you say "Back fire".
That is the closest I've ever seen you come to sounding like an OWS protester.
Congrats, keep going, thinking for yourself is a great thing. Turn off FOX news, stop reading the Wall Street Journal, give it a few days and you wqon't believe how much better you feel.
The part where you said, "they do not give a shit about you. They care only about power and money. Face that fact and stop electing corrupt bastards." is spot on. Just keep following the logic and you;ll be just fine. Again, good for you.
Again, for the terminally stupid kid (that's you):
1. I do not even get Fox News so watching it is a tad tricky. Idiot.
2. I rarely read the WSJ - unless they are publishing something that impacts on my job - in which case I do read it.... along with the Washington Post and a variety of other 'left leaning' outlets.
3. I don't 'sound like OWS', they sound like me... because I've been saying it for fucking years.
4. You are a fucking idiot. Please don't 'thank' me. I don't need thanks from fucking sheep.
And...
5. I have always thought for myself. I was raised that way. Pity that more Americans are not.
Can you say "Back fire".
Some people have no sense of humor, and take themselves too seriously. I kind of expected it though, it's how she is.
A pretty universal wish, it appears, is to get the money out of politics. Nobody likes bought legislators. If it is something we all want, why is it that We the People don't seem to have the power to stop it?
We don't and we get the government we deserve.
Only stupid people like you get the government you deserve. I didn't vote for Obama or any Democrat, so why do I deserve to be pillaged and looted?
Again, for the terminally stupid kid (that's you):
1. I do not even get Fox News so watching it is a tad tricky. Idiot.
2. I rarely read the WSJ - unless they are publishing something that impacts on my job - in which case I do read it.... along with the Washington Post and a variety of other 'left leaning' outlets.
3. I don't 'sound like OWS', they sound like me... because I've been saying it for fucking years.
4. You are a fucking idiot. Please don't 'thank' me. I don't need thanks from fucking sheep.
And...
5. I have always thought for myself. I was raised that way. Pity that more Americans are not.
Very damn lame. she kicks your ass in debate and all you can come up with is PMS????
her pms bothering you too?
Very damn lame. she kicks your ass in debate and all you can come up with is PMS????
You guys must be close huh. real close
Can you say "Back fire".
Some people have no sense of humor, and take themselves too seriously. I kind of expected it though, it's how she is.
She only negs me when I whine and snivel about rep.
Some people have no sense of humor, and take themselves too seriously. I kind of expected it though, it's how she is.
She only negs me when I whine and snivel about rep.
She usually neg reps me for existing.
That is the closest I've ever seen you come to sounding like an OWS protester.
Congrats, keep going, thinking for yourself is a great thing. Turn off FOX news, stop reading the Wall Street Journal, give it a few days and you wqon't believe how much better you feel.
The part where you said, "they do not give a shit about you. They care only about power and money. Face that fact and stop electing corrupt bastards." is spot on. Just keep following the logic and you;ll be just fine. Again, good for you.
Again, for the terminally stupid kid (that's you):
1. I do not even get Fox News so watching it is a tad tricky. Idiot.
2. I rarely read the WSJ - unless they are publishing something that impacts on my job - in which case I do read it.... along with the Washington Post and a variety of other 'left leaning' outlets.
3. I don't 'sound like OWS', they sound like me... because I've been saying it for fucking years.
4. You are a fucking idiot. Please don't 'thank' me. I don't need thanks from fucking sheep.
And...
5. I have always thought for myself. I was raised that way. Pity that more Americans are not.
She only negs me when I whine and snivel about rep.
She usually neg reps me for existing.
well deserved too. for ewe.
Thanks anyway, try the old folks home you might get lucky. Knowing you though probably not.Some people have no sense of humor, and take themselves too seriously. I kind of expected it though, it's how she is.
She only negs me when I whine and snivel about rep.
She usually neg reps me for existing.
