Design Your Democracy: Crafting a Charter

[wolram]

Design your democracy, what laws would you pass, what would you include in
a, "charter".

 

[Townsend]

I would keep most of the US constitution that is currently in place...with the following changes..

1. There will be four candidates to run for president and each would receive equal funding, no more, no less. The candidates are to be selected by the House of representatives. What ever candidate receives the majority of the US vote wins.

2. I would extend the idea of equal protection under the law to mean equal rights for everyone. In other words, things like AA would be illegal.

3. I would I make federal income tax illegal. I would impose a consumption tax in its place.

4. I would privatize all education...

5. I would limit the powers of the federal government on issues like abortion. To do this I would make the bill of rights the federally protected rights...all other individual rights are at left to the states to control.

6. I would give congress a bigger say in our foreign policy.

7. I would make SUV's get federal registration and tax the hell out of it to the point that no one save for the very rich would own one.

8. I would make things like Social Security illegal.

9. I would establish the TCRER...the Townsend Center for Renewable Energy Resources and I would give them the means to make a difference.

10. I would fund stem cell research.

11. I would make frivolous law suits a federally a punishable offense. The details can be worked out by congress.

12. I would legalize medical marijuana.

13. I would work hard at making my countries Intelligence the best in the world.

14. I would offer tax breaks to companies that didn't out source.

I am sure there are more things to add...

 

[honestrosewater]

Heh, I don't have a list yet- will work on it. But for starters, I liked J.S. Mill's ideas in On Liberty. I think anarchy would be nice, but...

If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.

- http://www.house.gov/Ethics/ethicschap1.html

The things I've taken away from my readings on the subject are phrases like sovereignty of the individual, tyranny of the majority, and elective despotism. So first of all, my government would protect individual rights.

BTW, I guess I'm an independent (I usually score as a liberal on those tests), and I think affirmative action should go. As my mom used to tell me: Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[rachmaninoff]

1. There will be four candidates to run for president and each would receive equal funding, no more, no less. The candidates are to be selected by the House of representatives. What ever candidate receives the majority of the US vote wins.

Hence self-perpetuating government? What if all four candidates end up having the exact same policies and personae as each other, and unsuprsingly, as the majority of the Representatives?

4. I would privatize all education...

13. I would work hard at making my countries Intelligence the best in the world.

These two goals are blatantly contradictory. Education is by necessity expensive; look at private schools here and now, a majority of the country could not reasonably afford to pay ~10k per year for K-12. You'd have an illiterate country, with millions of kids never learning to read. Oh, and "countries" is a plural, not a possessive.

2. I would extend the idea of equal protection under the law to mean equal rights for everyone. In other words, things like AA would be illegal.

What's "AA"?

5. I would limit the powers of the federal government on issues like abortion. To do this I would make the bill of rights the federally protected rights...all other individual rights are at left to the states to control.

The Bill of Rights already is the list of untouchable, federally enforced rights, and powers not granted to congress are already given explicitly to the States.

7. I would make SUV's get federal registration and tax the hell out of it to the point that no one save for the very rich would own one.

Who'd reelect you?

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

Food is free. Exercise is mandatory.

Healthcare is free to Citizens only. Emergency situations will be free for visitors.

Expecting mothers will get head of the line priveledges EVERYWHERE.

The education of your choosing is mandatory and free to any level. If you cannot show mastery of a certain level of education you will remain at that level until you do. Period.

Every Citizen MUST own and be trained in the use of a longbarreled firearm barring physical restraints.

Every Citizen MUST vote even if it is a null vote.

Lawmakers and Lawyers salaries will be equal to the median national salary of a schoolteacher and absolutely MUST pay for their own travel, transportation, food, and office supplies.

To apply for the position of President of the US you must run your own campaign w/o the help of a handler (Rove). You must use only the money that has been equally allotted to you and your competitors and no other assistance. Each state will choose their own candidate from internal elections. States can choose to recall their candidate at any time during the election or after the office is won.

Those that willfully harm others are to be publicly caned by a person of the victims choosing while the parents of the condemned do the restraining. If no parents are available the most significant other will sub.

Parents are allowed to spank their children.

Corporal punishment will be mandatory in schools.

If you are convicted of murder BEYOND THE REASON OF A DOUBT and there is absolutely no evidence that can prove your innocence you will get one appeal. If you lose the appeal you will be immediately sent to a location to be stored until a panel of citizens decides your fate. (I'm teetering between cryo-something and soilent-something here)

Religious organizations will get no tax break.

Birth control will be mandatory for both sexes until after a two year resident internship at a daycare/kindergarten is accomplished.

New parents are required to visit homes of the elderly with their baby weekly.

Dang this is fun...I could go on but the Chinese Buffet is calling my name.

 

[Gale]

doesn't having one person designing a democracy rather defeat the purpose of the democracy itself...

 

[wolram]

doesn't having one person designing a democracy rather defeat the purpose of the democracy itself...

The people would vote for the candidate with, "in their view", the best charter

 

[rachmaninoff]

Echo 6 - you're hardly describing a "democracy" - sounds more like facism to me.

 

[Gale]

so, you're talking about a democratic republic then. in a true democracy, everyone would vote on everything, and there really wouldn't be a leader at all.

 

[wolram]

so, you're talking about a democratic republic then. in a true democracy, everyone would vote on everything, and there really wouldn't be a leader at all.

I am saying that the person with the most popular charter, would be voted
into office, it would be up to the people how ansewerable the, "leader", is.

 

[Smurf]

Echo 6 - you're hardly describing a "democracy" - sounds more like facism to me.

Well it certainly doesn't seem liberal, I wouldn't want to live in a country where Firearm use and ownership is mandatory.

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

Echo 6 - you're hardly describing a "democracy" - sounds more like facism to me.

Meh.

-Well it certainly doesn't seem liberal, I wouldn't want to live in a country where Firearm use and ownership is mandatory.

You wouldn't have to use it unless attacked or you knew someone was being attacked. You'll be missed.

 

[Smurf]

Meh.


You wouldn't have to use it unless attacked or you knew someone was being attacked. You'll be missed.

Heh, yeah. This war hero is moving to smurfonia (details following)

 

[kaos]

Heh, yeah. This war hero is moving to smurfonia (details following)

hehe let me guess?

in smurfonia everyone has to be blue and small and males have to wear skirts?

 

[wolram]

It would be a bit awkward totting a rifle every where.

 

[cronxeh]

Yeah.. umm.. Echo 6's "laws" give headway to overpopulation, civil wars, and a huge gap between the really rich and the really poor.

Now if there is one thing I'd like to see in a 'real' democracy it is this:

-A patent may be offered to anyone, free of charge, but the license to manufacture a certain product from a patent may not exceed 5% of company's revenue (for a total of $1million dollars total)
-Malpractice insurance claims to be reviewed by an independent panel of medical doctors in order to be certified as a valid claim for courts. The review process is not to exceed 1 month from the time of the claim being filed. If there is no evidence of foul play by the sued doctor then the person who filed the suit is to pay for the fees of the review commitee.

The list can go on and on, with some serious limitations to corporations and some refinement of law enforcement structure

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

Yeah.. umm.. Echo 6's "laws" give headway to overpopulation, civil wars, and a huge gap between the really rich and the really poor.

So I guess things wouldn't be that much different than now. Gale17 has enlightened us.

 

[Townsend]

Hence self-perpetuating government? What if all four candidates end up having the exact same policies and personae as each other, and unsuprsingly, as the majority of the Representatives?

I had no idea I had to defend my laws...
The reason for having 4 candidates is the fact that 2 parties does not do enough to represent everyone. The fact that the candidates are selected by the House means that if people don't like who the House picks, they can be replaced in 2 years.

These two goals are blatantly contradictory. Education is by necessity expensive; look at private schools here and now, a majority of the country could not reasonably afford to pay ~10k per year for K-12. You'd have an illiterate country, with millions of kids never learning to read. Oh, and "countries" is a plural, not a possessive.

I never said it would not be compulsory to have education and I never said was cheap. I said I would privatize it. And, I would establish a system where everyone, even the poorest, could get an education. But it would not be free.

What's "AA"?

Affirmative action...

The Bill of Rights already is the list of untouchable, federally enforced rights, and powers not granted to congress are already given explicitly to the States.

Yeah right...most of the rights on the bill of rights have been infrigined upon. I would make it so that this could not be done and I would leave all other rights not listed in the bill of rights up to the states. Such as abortion, drinking age, drugs, what have you...

 

[Townsend]

So I guess things wouldn't be that much different than now. Gale17 has enlightened us.

Mine would...I would take the best things about the US and fix everything else.

 

[Bladibla]

1. ANY form of protest is banned

2. Bunking school is a death sentence

3. Goths wannabes are apprporiate reason for execution

4. Hippies are wanted as criminals

5. All religion is banned.

6. 'National' parties will be burned down

7. Vegetarians will be made to farm their own food, and are banned from any mechanical influences

8. R+B music, Rock music, and goth music is BANNED. Penalty:death.

9. There will be more violas players encouraged

10. Womens right to vote taken away.

 

[Smurf]

1. ANY form of protest is banned

2. Bunking school is a death sentence

3. Goths wannabes are apprporiate reason for execution

4. Hippies are wanted as criminals

5. All religion is banned.

6. 'National' parties will be burned down

7. Vegetarians will be made to farm their own food, and are banned from any mechanical influences

8. R+B music, Rock music, and goth music is BANNED. Penalty:death.

9. There will be more violas players encouraged

10. Womens right to vote taken away.

1 through 10: Why?

 

[Bladibla]

1 through 10: Why?

Dunno. First thing that came outta my mind were those 10.

 

[Smurf]

Dunno. First thing that came outta my mind were those 10.

I love to live in your democracy.

 

[honestrosewater]

Well, the future sure looks bright. I'm going to try that 'one man is an island' thing... please don't blow me up in the meantime.

 

[hitssquad]

13. I would work hard at making my countries Intelligence the best in the world.

Intelligence as in evaluated information concerning an enemy or possible enemy or a possible theater of operations?

 

[Townsend]

Intelligence as in evaluated information concerning an enemy or possible enemy or a possible theater of operations?

yes..that kind...

 

[matthyaouw]

1. ANY form of protest is banned

2. Bunking school is a death sentence

3. Goths wannabes are apprporiate reason for execution

4. Hippies are wanted as criminals

5. All religion is banned.

6. 'National' parties will be burned down

7. Vegetarians will be made to farm their own food, and are banned from any mechanical influences

8. R+B music, Rock music, and goth music is BANNED. Penalty:death.

9. There will be more violas players encouraged

10. Womens right to vote taken away.

Read the original post again. It says democracy, not dictatorship you know.

 

[Astronuc]

The US Constitution is a high level document. Consitutions cannot be too prescriptive. For example, the government has the right to raise taxes, but the Constitution does not state how that is accomplished or how the taxes are spent; rather it allows for legislative bodies to determine such matters.

The major purposes of a constitution are:

1). Define a structure of government which will provide as just and fair a form of social regulation as possible, and this is achieved through laws.

2). Ensure basic human rights, rather than restrict rights.

 

[Bladibla]

Read the original post again. It says democracy, not dictatorship you know.

dictatorship would be to ban all parties except my corresponding one. Read more carefully.

 

[rachmaninoff]

Hmm, "totalitarianism" fits pretty well, don't you think?