As all-powerful monarch/dictator of the United States, what is your platform?

[Moiraine]

Let's say there's an election, and the winner gets their way with the country. Let's assume any/all of us would get corrupted by this power, so 20% of all the $ goes to gold-plated mansions in every major city. Or whatever you want. That out of the way, what are your policies that would make the U.S. a better place and help its people on the whole? I'm gonna post mine. I'd like to see others but if not I guess this is just my blog post.

 

• NUMBER ONE (with a bullet) One of the following (a or b):

 

a) I would make it illegal for corporations and their employees to be involved in writing policy. This is something that goes on a lot right now, and it's wrong. I would make extremely harsh punishments for people who are caught paying politicians to pass laws that help only corporations and hurt the public. (Or paying them to pass any type of law, really).

 

Former employees of industries with laws potentially being passed about would be allowed on panels so they can give their two cents, but they can't currently be getting paid by any companies in those industries. - The last idea has to do with oil company employees or pollutant causing industries being involved in environmental policy. Soda/candy companies being involved in making health policy, etc. It's everywhere. It's wrong.

 

b) If not option a, raise taxes on the rich/and or corporations who abuse the system by doing what I want to shut down in option a. What we need option a for is why I think taxes on the rich should be raised. It isn't an even playing field out there. They are paying for United States policy. They are paying our politicians. They are trying to buy elections. If they can get laws passed that help them get richer and hurt everyone else, they should be paying more taxes to make up for the damage they've done.

 

The above is one of the biggest reasons I'm not a Democrat and never will be. I agree with a lot of what they claim they're for, but they haven't stopped the erosion of laws that kept these things from happening and I doubt they really plan to. I'm guessing they make a crapton of money from corporations and are bought off at the same rate as Republicans. I'm no expert on all of the laws that have changed but I know FECA started getting eroded in the 1970s and it's just kept getting worse from then. This is my number one issue. If money can buy policy, it doesn't matter if something harms the general public. If it makes someone a lot of money, it will be allowed. That's not right.

One topical example of the above is that Hillary Clinton got a lot of money from drug companies as far back as the 1990s to shut down her fight for health care. My problem with the coverage on her now is that so many of the people up in arms about her various controversies are guilty of doing the same exact sh#t and acting like they're above it all. If she's guilty I want her in jail - but we need a complete overhaul of how things work. Lots more belong in jail if she does.

 

 

2. Scientists should be on science panels.

 

If 1 out of 100 scientists think that humans don't breathe oxygen, and you're a politician who sides with that 1 scientist, you should not oversee the senate subcommittee on human lung research. I'm looking at you Ted Cruz.

 

 

3. I would undo this:

 

H.R.1422 - EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2014

 

Directs the Board to ensure that:
persons with substantial and relevant expertise are not excluded from the Board because of affiliation with or representation of entities that might have a potential interest in the Board's advisory activities, and
members do not participate in advisory activities that involve review or application of their own work.

 

What this is saying is that people with corporate interests can be on the board and advise the EPA - for instance companies that pollute can help the EPA to make decisions about pollution laws, and researchers cannot advise the EPA on issues that are related to what they research. wtf? - I'm sure there are many other gems like this that I don't know about.

 

 

4. Funding for public schools would not be based on how much money people in the area make. If you have enough money and want to send your child to private school, you still have that choice.

 

This is part of the reason the poor and especially minorities are kept down. They're not starting at the same place.

 

 

5. I would eliminate farm subsidies the way they currently are. Most farm subsidies go to huge, wealthy farmers who are making big profits. We're currently subsidizing corn. Corn mostly goes to ethanol, which I believe I heard still uses 80% of the oil to make as regular fuel, or corn syrup, or feed for McDonald's food.

I'm not against government support for farmers because I know how unpredictable it is, so I would replace the current subsidies with disaster funding. The farmers who are just families doing it need something in place so if there's a drought or a hail storm they aren't just out of luck, because most farms get passed down families. If they don't have something like that, I'm not sure who's going to replace them.

 

 

6a. Food stamps could not be used for non-essentials, such as soda or potato chips. This would be really hard to put in place without a tax, because I believe most grocery stores differentiate between eligible items based on whether there's a tax on them or not.

I know this idea is unpopular but I would also tax non-essentials. I would limit it to the obvious ones - those with 0 nutritional value whatsoever. So potato chips would not be taxed but soda would be. The taxes would go to health care.

 

 

6b. Food stamp income eligibility would remain the same but any places where work/charity are not required, it would now be required. In Nebraska it's required. I know this because I was on them for 1 year. They checked my eligibility at the start, after 6 months, and after 12 months (I was no longer eligible after 12 months 'cause I wasn't poor enough). I had to include all paystubs from all jobs to prove I had 20 hours and they usually only gave 5 days after mailing to submit my information. It was annoying to get all of the info together, which is a good thing. I don't think it's as easy to cheat the system, or as prevalent, as a lot of people think.

 

 

8. I don't think the Bible mentions anything about marriage certificates being handed out/overseen by the government. Since getting married gives you some benefits from the government, homosexuals should be allowed to marry.

 

Oh wait, already solved.

 

 

9. Marijuana legalized nationwide - same rules for driving/etc. as alcohol. Age 21 because I believe it damages kids' brains. Taxes go mostly to healthcare and a little to researching the benefits of marijuana.

 

 

10. I would look into doing something, not sure what, about college education costs. College is not worth what it once was but it costs way more. Many jobs that once only required a high school degree, and which people with only high school degrees can still perform, now only look at applicants who have a college degree (see - administrative assistant). You almost have to have one now. This is why I don't think it's so crazy to at the very least talk about lowering the price somehow. I don't have a solid idea here but I don't agree with people who think it's batsh#t crazy to talk about it being free. High School is free. College is the new High School. There should at least be a dialogue here.

[Red Dead Redemption]

Lower the price of epi-pens and other life-saving drugs

[zoogs]

1. Get rid of the monarchy.

[darkhorse85]

• Be excellent to each other.

Party on, dudes!

[knapplc]

I would fix the VA. Ruthlessly. It is shameful what we're doing to people who have given portions - sometimes all - of their lives to defend this country.

 

I would form special prisons for those who obstruct the VA fixing process. Not sure exactly what kind of prisons, but they would be unpleasant.

[zoogs]

I would fix the VA. Ruthlessly. It is shameful what we're doing to people who have given portions - sometimes all - of their lives to defend this country.

 

I would form special prisons for those who obstruct the VA fixing process. Not sure exactly what kind of prisons, but they would be unpleasant.

I'm not very familiar with the VA debate beyond its brief appearances in the late night spotlight, but I remember coming across this article a few months(?) ago. It was, to say the least, fascinating:

 

http://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/maraprmay-2016/the-va-isnt-broken-yet/

 

Yet beneath the surface of events, a far different, deeper, and more consequential story is unfolding. The CVA, it turns out, is the creation of David and Charles Koch’s network. The Koch family has famously poured hundreds of millions of dollars into think tanks, candidates, and advocacy groups to advance their libertarian views about the virtues of free markets and the evils of governments and unions. Seldom, however, has one of their investments paid off so spectacularly well as it has on the issue of veterans’ health care. Working through the CVA, and in partnership with key Republicans and corporate medical interests, the Koch brothers’ web of affiliates has succeeded in manufacturing or vastly exaggerating “scandals” at the VA as part of a larger campaign to delegitimize publicly provided health care.

 

The Koch-inspired attacks, in turn, have provided the pretext for GOP candidates to rally behind the cause—only recently seen as fringe—of imposing free market “reforms” on the federal government’s second largest agency. The attacks have also damaged the reputation of the VA among the broader news-consuming public, and, not coincidently, undermined morale within the agency itself. And they succeeded in stampeding bipartisan majorities in Congress into passing legislation in 2014 that under the guise of offering veterans “choice” has instead created a deeply flawed and unworkable process of outsourcing VA care while also setting in motion a commission that seems intent on dismantling VA-provided health care altogether.

 

All this has been happening, ironically, even as most vets who use the system and all the major veterans’ service organizations (VSOs) applaud the quality of VA health care.

(Emphais mine). I'm not familiar with the source, but Alicia Mundy, formerly of the WSJ, appears to be a quite serious reporter of politics and in particular the medical industry.

[Dbqgolfer]

1)Balance the Budget.

2) Pay off debt.

 

Since this can only be done by both raising taxes on pretty much everyone and cutting government spending pretty much everywhere; I don't think we have to worry about me being elected anytime soon.

[Scratchtown]

Thank you moiraine for someone finally agreeing that Dem's and Rep's are working for the same kind of people.

[Scratchtown]

The food stamp comment reminded me of a fellow I saw the other day in a Casey's. He was buying like 4 or 5 dollars worth of stuff. His EBT didn't work because of the machine at Casey's was down. So, disgruntled and upset the guy pulled out his wallet, and to my amazement I see a heaping wad of cash in it.

 

I wasn't sure if that is normal or if I should be mad. But I leaned a little bit toward the upset side....

[Savage Husker]

No lifetime politicians or public sector decision makers.

 

Reinforce the 10th amendment.

[Moiraine]

The food stamp comment reminded me of a fellow I saw the other day in a Casey's. He was buying like 4 or 5 dollars worth of stuff. His EBT didn't work because of the machine at Casey's was down. So, disgruntled and upset the guy pulled out his wallet, and to my amazement I see a heaping wad of cash in it.

 

I wasn't sure if that is normal or if I should be mad. But I leaned a little bit toward the upset side....

.

 

I don't think you should be mad because you don't know what he needed the cash for. Could be it's for meth. Could be he doesn't have a credit card and uses cash a lot. I don't think the ebt balance carries over so you use it or lose it. I could be wrong.

[Red Dead Redemption]

The food stamp comment reminded me of a fellow I saw the other day in a Casey's. He was buying like 4 or 5 dollars worth of stuff. His EBT didn't work because of the machine at Casey's was down. So, disgruntled and upset the guy pulled out his wallet, and to my amazement I see a heaping wad of cash in it.

 

I wasn't sure if that is normal or if I should be mad. But I leaned a little bit toward the upset side....

Were they mostly ones?

Maybe he just planned on makin it rain at The Night Before.

[BigRedBuster]

 

a) I would make it illegal for corporations and their employees to be involved in writing policy. This is something that goes on a lot right now, and it's wrong. I would make extremely harsh punishments for people who are caught paying politicians to pass laws that help only corporations and hurt the public. (Or paying them to pass any type of law, really).

 

Former employees of industries with laws potentially being passed about would be allowed on panels so they can give their two cents, but they can't currently be getting paid by any companies in those industries. - The last idea has to do with oil company employees or pollutant causing industries being involved in environmental policy. Soda/candy companies being involved in making health policy, etc. It's everywhere. It's wrong.

 

 

Soooo.....people who work for corporations should have no say in laws passed in this country? Do you realize that is the vast majority of the work force? I guess you're not a big fan of free speech and their right to express their opinion on the governing of the country.

 

Many many times congress attempts to pass legislation that affects certain industries and they have absolutely no clue what they are doing because they are not experts in that industry. This isn't an indictment against congress. There is no way you can be an expert in every industry your laws might affect.

 

Industry leaders NEED to be involved in the process. Making it illegal for them to be involved is misguided and ignorant.

[Moiraine]

 

 

 

a) I would make it illegal for corporations and their employees to be involved in writing policy. This is something that goes on a lot right now, and it's wrong. I would make extremely harsh punishments for people who are caught paying politicians to pass laws that help only corporations and hurt the public. (Or paying them to pass any type of law, really).

 

Former employees of industries with laws potentially being passed about would be allowed on panels so they can give their two cents, but they can't currently be getting paid by any companies in those industries. - The last idea has to do with oil company employees or pollutant causing industries being involved in environmental policy. Soda/candy companies being involved in making health policy, etc. It's everywhere. It's wrong.

 

 

Soooo.....people who work for corporations should have no say in laws passed in this country? Do you realize that is the vast majority of the work force? I guess you're not a big fan of free speech and their right to express their opinion on the governing of the country.

 

Many many times congress attempts to pass legislation that affects certain industries and they have absolutely no clue what they are doing because they are not experts in that industry. This isn't an indictment against congress. There is no way you can be an expert in every industry your laws might affect.

 

Industry leaders NEED to be involved in the process. Making it illegal for them to be involved is misguided and ignorant.

I didn't say they should have no say. I said they shoudn't be involved in writing policy. Either by helping pen it or paying (which is of course illegal already but not punished). Politicians should be writing laws. They're lawmakers. It's what they're supposed to do. I was probably too general, so I'll be more specific about my intent:

 

Exxon and Cargill shouldn't be writing laws about the environment or pollution.

 

Coca Cola and McDonalds shouldn't be writing laws about health.

 

Meat packing companies should not be writing policy on how their health inspections occur. People employed by a meat packing plant should not be doing health inspections on their own damn plant. This is happening right now because they have money and helped write the laws. People's lives are at risk.

 

Scientists who've done research on those subjects should be the main people whose opinions the politicians seek.

 

And so on. People currently employed by those companies should not be helping write laws. It's a conflict of interest and laws have been passed that help those corporations and hurt everyone else.

 

 

I'd like an example of when someone in the industry should be making laws about said industry. Most laws are there to protect people from those industries so it should be health and safety experts and scientists that have the biggest say. Employees in corporations have expertise in making the companies more money and they want to stay healthy and safe like everyone else.

 

The only reason a facotry knows anything about pollution they're causing is due to scientists looking into how it affects the air and water. Now some of those scientists work for those companies now but that's because those laws exist in the first place.

[Whistlebritches]

The food stamp comment reminded me of a fellow I saw the other day in a Casey's. He was buying like 4 or 5 dollars worth of stuff. His EBT didn't work because of the machine at Casey's was down. So, disgruntled and upset the guy pulled out his wallet, and to my amazement I see a heaping wad of cash in it.

 

I wasn't sure if that is normal or if I should be mad. But I leaned a little bit toward the upset side....

Maybe the guy works for tips. Or gets paid cash under the table. Or just cashed his paycheck because he doesn't have or trust banks. Maybe it was rent money. Maybe he's a s**tbag scamming the government for that SNAP card.

 

There's no way we can know a strangers position in life from a 15 second interaction in Casey's.

 

Edit: I should include that I'm not trying to be an a-hole about this though it might read that way. I used to get upset about similar things until someone else pointed out these same possibilities to me.