- 04 Jun 2017 19:07
#14811285
This is mostly for my self-edification. This is a list of some of my general thoughts and ideas without any particular mind to their political feasibility. I'll break it down into sections so feel free to skip around or not read it at all.
Political Structures:In general I favor a sort of technocratic republic. I think it makes sense for lawyers to write legislation and I think that democracy is necessary to create a dynamic society that does not stagnate and die. I also think there are limits to democracy namely in the specifics of any issue. Supporting energy independence is a fine general goal, but the details of what some people think that means can be anything from ridiculous to self-defeating.
So I favor a system whereby the legislature votes to do some general thing, say an infrastructure project or environmental regulations, and then a panel of experts semi-randomly selected from the top of their fields (for example on environmental regulations it would be environmental scientists, environmental economists, etc.) where they work out what specifics should be done. Then it's sent to another group of lawyers who write that into practical legalistic form, and then it's either voted yes or no by the legislature again.
I would also require provisions in every bill that test it's effectiviness and allows changes to be made to address deficiencies and unforeseen consequences.
Religion:All religious institutions must pay taxes. All religious schools and homeschooling should be banned. Strict enforcement of the separation between church and state. In school religious history will be taught from a secular point of view (i.e. this is what we know, this is what these groups believe, this is the historical origins of each group.)
Education:I touched on this above a bit. The education system needs to be completely remade. Flexible grade levels that aren't based on age but ability. Much higher teacher salaries with higher requirements to become a teacher. Incentives for experts to spend a few years teaching the subject they are experts in. Stronger arts, PE, and music programs. More focus on critical thinking more than rote memorization (though that is still important). Get rid of school zones and untie school funding from property taxes and those ridiculous tests.
Higher education should definitely be free or at least cheap enough that everyone has access. As well as programs to catch people up if they were undeserved by the lower educational system.
Welfare:Negative income tax that provides for the basic needs of the american population that varies by the cost of living in various areas. With that you can eliminate pretty much all other welfare programs except for those involving healthcare.
Also universal healthcare.
Taxes:Beyond the negative income tax rates the taxation rate should go up steeply after about $10,000,000 and should be 100% past $1 billion.
Tax capital gains as regular income, tax corporate bonuses at double the going tax rate, and eliminate corporate income tax.
Surrendering US citizenship will require large chunks of your assets and wealth frozen and seized. If the American system saw you gain your riches then you don't get to run away from the system when the bill comes due.
Criminal Justice:Massive refocus to rehabilitation. End the stigma against ex-cons being able to get jobs and educate them. Require them to work some reasonable amount to help pay off the cost to society of their incarceration.
End the death penalty and replace it with life in prison, where they will work.
Lots of race issues fall into this category and I can go into endless detail on police force reform but basically demilitarize, refocus police forces, educate them properly, body cams, etc. etc.
Science:Massive increases in science funding across the board. Increase NASA spending substantially. Especially focus on materials science, automation, etc.
Take some funding out of the military to go towards NASA but also explore military options for space. Work on making resource procurement from space feasible. Definitely put a lot of money into energy research.
Social Issues:Compete support for LGBT rights. Commitment to the social revolutions we've seen so far and probably some that are coming. Reactionary elements against social change are not only archaic but actively dangerous to the dynamic social changes that must come to a changing world. Fighting social change is a good way to make your society brittle and make it collapse.
Diplomacy:Maintain and expand NATO. Strengthen our European relationships. Russia is not our friend and we should not try and disrupt our geopolitical interests just to try and become their friend. The current international structure is working for us, make sure it keeps working for us, and don't abandon it out of some misguided desire to be friends with Russia.
Strengthen American Propaganda outfits. Find and hire some liberal hippy Imams and organize them to create a new narrative about Islam (this would apply generally to other religious groups) and broadcast it widely at home and abroad. Undermine the religious values of conservative third world groups.
Return to the "melting pot" where cultural identity is not something that should be maintained absolutely but should partially assimilate to the cultural values that allow the US to exist. Head scarfs, food, etc. are great and add value to american society. The ridiculous views on women rights, Gays, theocracy, etc. need to die.
If we happen to get into another damned middle eastern war we need to change the way we approach the reconstruction. We need to take political control and massively build up infrastructure, educate the entire populace, and indoctrinate them all into our way of thinking. Resistance to this agenda needs to be eliminated. Anything less and we are just wasting our time on another pointless conflict for no reason. By the time we are done they should be thanking us, let us keep a military base, and maintain extremely strong ties to the west.
If I think of any other general stuff I'll add it later.
Political Structures:In general I favor a sort of technocratic republic. I think it makes sense for lawyers to write legislation and I think that democracy is necessary to create a dynamic society that does not stagnate and die. I also think there are limits to democracy namely in the specifics of any issue. Supporting energy independence is a fine general goal, but the details of what some people think that means can be anything from ridiculous to self-defeating.
So I favor a system whereby the legislature votes to do some general thing, say an infrastructure project or environmental regulations, and then a panel of experts semi-randomly selected from the top of their fields (for example on environmental regulations it would be environmental scientists, environmental economists, etc.) where they work out what specifics should be done. Then it's sent to another group of lawyers who write that into practical legalistic form, and then it's either voted yes or no by the legislature again.
I would also require provisions in every bill that test it's effectiviness and allows changes to be made to address deficiencies and unforeseen consequences.
Religion:All religious institutions must pay taxes. All religious schools and homeschooling should be banned. Strict enforcement of the separation between church and state. In school religious history will be taught from a secular point of view (i.e. this is what we know, this is what these groups believe, this is the historical origins of each group.)
Education:I touched on this above a bit. The education system needs to be completely remade. Flexible grade levels that aren't based on age but ability. Much higher teacher salaries with higher requirements to become a teacher. Incentives for experts to spend a few years teaching the subject they are experts in. Stronger arts, PE, and music programs. More focus on critical thinking more than rote memorization (though that is still important). Get rid of school zones and untie school funding from property taxes and those ridiculous tests.
Higher education should definitely be free or at least cheap enough that everyone has access. As well as programs to catch people up if they were undeserved by the lower educational system.
Welfare:Negative income tax that provides for the basic needs of the american population that varies by the cost of living in various areas. With that you can eliminate pretty much all other welfare programs except for those involving healthcare.
Also universal healthcare.
Taxes:Beyond the negative income tax rates the taxation rate should go up steeply after about $10,000,000 and should be 100% past $1 billion.
Tax capital gains as regular income, tax corporate bonuses at double the going tax rate, and eliminate corporate income tax.
Surrendering US citizenship will require large chunks of your assets and wealth frozen and seized. If the American system saw you gain your riches then you don't get to run away from the system when the bill comes due.
Criminal Justice:Massive refocus to rehabilitation. End the stigma against ex-cons being able to get jobs and educate them. Require them to work some reasonable amount to help pay off the cost to society of their incarceration.
End the death penalty and replace it with life in prison, where they will work.
Lots of race issues fall into this category and I can go into endless detail on police force reform but basically demilitarize, refocus police forces, educate them properly, body cams, etc. etc.
Science:Massive increases in science funding across the board. Increase NASA spending substantially. Especially focus on materials science, automation, etc.
Take some funding out of the military to go towards NASA but also explore military options for space. Work on making resource procurement from space feasible. Definitely put a lot of money into energy research.
Social Issues:Compete support for LGBT rights. Commitment to the social revolutions we've seen so far and probably some that are coming. Reactionary elements against social change are not only archaic but actively dangerous to the dynamic social changes that must come to a changing world. Fighting social change is a good way to make your society brittle and make it collapse.
Diplomacy:Maintain and expand NATO. Strengthen our European relationships. Russia is not our friend and we should not try and disrupt our geopolitical interests just to try and become their friend. The current international structure is working for us, make sure it keeps working for us, and don't abandon it out of some misguided desire to be friends with Russia.
Strengthen American Propaganda outfits. Find and hire some liberal hippy Imams and organize them to create a new narrative about Islam (this would apply generally to other religious groups) and broadcast it widely at home and abroad. Undermine the religious values of conservative third world groups.
Return to the "melting pot" where cultural identity is not something that should be maintained absolutely but should partially assimilate to the cultural values that allow the US to exist. Head scarfs, food, etc. are great and add value to american society. The ridiculous views on women rights, Gays, theocracy, etc. need to die.
If we happen to get into another damned middle eastern war we need to change the way we approach the reconstruction. We need to take political control and massively build up infrastructure, educate the entire populace, and indoctrinate them all into our way of thinking. Resistance to this agenda needs to be eliminated. Anything less and we are just wasting our time on another pointless conflict for no reason. By the time we are done they should be thanking us, let us keep a military base, and maintain extremely strong ties to the west.
If I think of any other general stuff I'll add it later.
My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders.