If you were in charge...
POSTED BY: SoupCatcher
UPDATED: Tuesday, May 3, 2005 08:30
VIEWED: 14890
PAGE 2 of 8
No worries, Kirikoli. I jumped the gun anyways by misinterpreting your request for clarification.
To riff off some things and add others.
1. This is on a similar line to lie detectors. One idea I've been rolling around in my head for a while (it's kind of turned into a fantasy pet project of mine - right up there with building a unisex Norplant implanting device for when I'm feeling particularly irritated with people - but that's another topic 
) is a political talking heads show that would help cut through the bullshit. I think I've typed about it before on the board. Half of the show would be devoted to two guests presenting their competing points of view. Headset microphones. Real time calculation of how long a speaker has talked. Microphone cuts out when you've used up your allotted time (so if you try to talk over the other person, it only works for so long). The second half of the show would be a dissection of the two arguments (logic, rhetoric, factual accuracy) using big whiteboards and identifying fallacies, etc. Each person is then graded at the end. Every time someone goes on a show their composite grade is updated and available to anyone interested.
2. Going along with the theme of getting citizens more engaged. Something like a conservation corps (as has already been mentioned). And maybe having a requirement of high school seniors that they sit in on jury deliberations. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with that one. Something along the lines of: taxes, jury duty, and obeying the laws as the main things we ask of citizens (with voting being a hoped for behavior).
3. A strong national science and engineering research component (Of course, my first priority is to make sure there are plenty of jobs for engineers 
). Nuclear power generation. Water desalination projects. Wind power generation (maybe more vertical axis turbines). Tidal power generation (salt water turbines). Stuff like that.
4. The stock options that CEOs (and other high level executives) receive as part of their benefits packages could not be cashed in for 10-15 years. This is just to prevent executives from making decisions that have short term positive changes in stock prices but hamstring the company in the long term.
5. Some kind of increased mileage tax for freight transporters who are based out of the country. This stems from the huge increase in truck traffic that I've seen since NAFTA (at least on the 5 in California) and the subsequent deterioration to the highway. It seems like they just finish a section and they have to start patching it again.
6. Political districting is carried out using finite element analysis mesh construction techniques.
I'll think of some more things that bug me later but I'm really enjoying what you all are coming up with.
* editted to add: Oh. I forgot one of my favorites. I've always joked that if I ran for President my slogan would be, "Nobody sleeps alone."
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Next up: Early "Nutcrusher" Jubal and the Firebuggers
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Here's one I've been thinking of for a few months;
Whenever a citizen registers to vote, he gets a small remote control with one red button on it. Then about 20 minutes after a president's inauguration he is taken in for a minor surgery to implant a small explosive device in the base of his skull. When, I’d say, 85% of all the red buttons are being pushed at the same time, the president’s skull-bomb goes off and we get a new president.
I think the president’s vocabulary and pronunciation would improve overnight. I made the number 85% because I'm sure about 40% would have their button taped down all the time.
edit:
Also, "The Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord"
http://omega.med.yale.edu/~pcy5/misc/overlord1.htm
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Quote:
Originally posted by sgtgump:
Here's one I've been thinking of for a few months;
Whenever a citizen registers to vote, he gets a small remote control with one red button on it. Then about 20 minutes after a president's inauguration he is taken in for a minor surgery to implant a small explosive device in the base of his skull. When, I’d say, 85% of all the red buttons are being pushed at the same time, the president’s skull-bomb goes off and we get a new president.
ok, so far this has all been american, but hey, us aussies(pronounced oz-zees not uh-cees) are just as creativly flatulent
...and yes i did mean that!!
i love the idea about the skull bombs, but can we expand that to include the heads of state, political party leaders,religious leaders and anyone else who wields obscene ammounts of power e.g. ronald mcdonald.??? now THAT would make the world a far better place!
i too would do great things for education but in contrast i would supplythe 'behind the scenes' workers(cleaners, maintenance personelle, grounds keepers etc.)a pay rise too. here in australia these people get one pay rise for every three or four+ that the teachers get...not very fair huh?
aged care, mental health and chilcare would get immediate injections of funds, closely followed by a huge push for regional and rural health and then an extra bit for all health... this would be accumulative so a rural aged care facility would recieve all three(do you think i have a health care thing happening??)
wages would be set at a 'universal benchmark' so a teacher/doctor/scientist/whatever would get the same rate of pay in nicuragua as he/she would in england or elsewhere in the world. benchmarks would be set for each individual occupation...
i also have a theory about national service and unemployment, here goes... stick with me on this one folks i think it has a great twist on both situations.
say ms. w has been unemployed for twelve months after completing the minimum requirement of education(in aus you can leave at 16)at this point ms. w would have an assessment to see what would be the best way of making her employable... be it more education or training, becoming a volunteer, starting an apprenticeship or traineeship, or...here it comes... national service.
after a minimum of six months of 'bootcamp'style basic training another shot would be given at the 'real world'...or they may choose to go into full time millitary service.
the same thing would apply to someone retrenched or unemployed for other reasons (other than genuine disability or age related issues)
i would advocate stay-at-home-parents for the first five years of a childs life(or until the youngest child is five)and no differentiation would be made between mothers or fathers.
extra support would be given to relatives (other than biological or adoptive parents)who have the custody/care of children up to the age of 18.
wow... i realy let this go didnt i?
my total pie in the sky, all time favorite wish would to be seeing ALL people, regardless of age, race, colour, creed, religion or geographical location living well above the poverty line.
yay me!!
Quote:
"glowyrm has finished now"
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1. I forgot my personal agenda! Come on, everyone in charge has one...which is part of the problem...but at least mine will benefit people who are not me.
I would tear NASA down and build it back up from scratch, putting in place extremely strict rules that prevent all forms of political gain that can be had by messing with NASA's mission and/or funds.
NASA's new mission: every single move they make, every dollar they spend would be for the purpose of scientific gain ONLY. There would be no instances of things like Hubble being wasted for a political move by CERTAIN UNNAMED PRESIDENTS to say stupid things like it would be either SAFE, COST-EFFECTIVE, or WORTH IT IN ANY WAY to go back to the moon or *laughs* Mars.
Trust me people, it's not going to happen any time soon and to divert not only funds, but practically all of NASA's resources and attention to something like that just so, if they do pull off some haphazard mission in the future, that unnamed president can claim credit...it makes me want to punch things oh so very hard.
2. Anyone is allowed to marry anyone (but not anything) and in any number, however, marriage licenses are subject to review when a) people under the age of 20 want to get married and b) anyone wants to marry more than one person. This review will not include denying anyone on the basis of race, religion, gender, etc, but in the case of young people, they must present a form of fiscal responsibility and not spur of the moment mentality and in the case of marriages of groups, it must be ascertained that one individual is not coercing the others and doing some sort of perverse collecting of wives or husbands. All parties must be free to agree to the marriage without intimindation.
3. Abortions are open to anyone; partial-birth abortions are banned in all cases.
Edit: Open to anyone until the third trimester and partial-birth abortions may have one exception: when it is clear that both mother and baby will die and a partial could save the mother. I dunno if that happens, but just in case...
4. Pregnant teenagers who did not first file an intent to become pregnant, give birth to and raise their children up to five years in a specialized clinic where they are judged to be fit for parenthood, as well as forced to do community service in exchange for an environment in which to raise their children. Having accidental children as a teen is severely frowned upon.
5. The proper use of contraceptives is taught in schools.
6. Religion is further removed from schools and politics. Schools are allowed to have religious decorations during holidays and sing religious songs only if students are allowed to refuse participation and if a student of a minority religion wishes to put up decorations or sing songs or other such activities that do not require the direct participation in any one religion, the teacher must make an equal opportunity for them to do so even if it is just one student. If there is not enough time for these activities, all religions must lose equal time. And of course, these activities in general should be kept to a minimum.
The words "under God" must be removed from the pledge, "In God We Trust" removed from currancy, and the president (I can't stress this enough) must be sworn into office on the Constitution, not the Bible.
Legislation suspected of having a religious backing will come under review.
7. Schools will not teach Intelligent Design, nor place stickers saying that evolution as just a theory. It *is* just a theory and students will be made to understand that distinction not just with regards to evolution, but to all sciences and they will understand that being a theory does not at all negate its validity, nor does having gaps in said theory make the entire science invalid. However, they will be free to place their faith within those gaps if they so choose and even discuss this in school, as long as the teacher condones both sides of any debate.
8. Loopholes in everything (taxes, bankruptcy laws, environmental regul
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Mine is simple. It all begins and ends with money.
Make the most hazardous or important jobs pay the best.
Teachers, firemen, soldiers make 100,000/yr
CEO's, stock brokers, civil employees make 50,000/yr
McDonald's workers make 25,000/yr
Lawyers make minimum wage.
100% tax on luxury items, NO OTHER TAX
And no politician may, under penalty of death, recieve ANY money besides his PAYCHECK!!!
The closet dictator Chrisisall
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Quote:
7. It is not cheaper to buy American-made drugs (or any other product) in a foreign country than it is to purchase them in the US.
I don't know if you'll know the answer to this or not, but maybe you could point me in the rigt direction. Why are drugs so much more exspensive in the US? Are they taxed?
I've probably just shown the world my ignorace, but if you don't ask questions you don't get answers.
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It's because the drug companies know the insurance companies will pay almost anything the drug companies will charge. I don't even want to begin the part about kickbacks to the insurance companies or the FDA...
Cospiracy Theorist Chrisisall
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Go sign my Guest Book,
http://www.geocities.com/thisbrownhouse
Then download Serenity,
http://homepage.mac.com/rocketplane/FileSharing8.html
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Hey! All the lawyers in the world were at a meeting in Alaska when you did that!!
Lucky for us. Chrisisall
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If I were in Charge:
1) All Network and Cable News Media would be dissolved. All news would be generated via word of mouth, (at least this way we would get some truth somewhere).
2) It would be illegal to walk up to someone and take their picture without asking. If you are Papparazzi..you would be shot on sight. Right to Privacy isn't just for the non-celebrity.
3) If you are a magazine and you run stories on Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan or Michael Jackson, you will be fined a Bajillion dollars for giving anymore glory to these people then they already have.
5) No politician shall be a millionaire. All current politician's assets seized to feed the hungry and destitute. Halfway houses will be opened appropriately to meet the Said politician's and politician's family's needs.
6) Ted Kennedy would be forced to lose 1000 lbs.
7) George Carlin would be made President of the United States.
8) John Cleese would be Prime Minister of England.
9) California would be given back to Mexico along with Texas.
10) Marijuana would be legalized along with all hardcore drugs. Anyone who wants them will be provided with them free of charge. It will be filmed as a documentary and titled "Natural Selection at it's best".
11) Anyone who holds any stock in an Oil company or refinery or owns a Gas station, will have all their assets seized and be forced to work at McDonalds for the remainder of their time on this planet. Gas shall be distributed free of charge until it is gone. After that, all vehicles will be melted down and made into bicycles. The bicycles will be given to all licensed drivers. If you can't ride a bike..then you are SOL.
Thats all for now..
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