Father Heathen
Veteran Member
You've more faith than I in the human race.
We're barely better than our **** flinging cousins.
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
What are the top 10 things you want the government to do?
- Thread starter justbehappy
- Start date
You've more faith than I in the human race.
We're barely better than our **** flinging cousins.
Wordcobbler
New Member
1. Sort out Mexico bilaterally instead of trying to shore it up.
2. Sort out the oil.
3. Turn 20% of the barren territories into a vast windfarm.
4. Abandon the Pledge of Allegiance altogether and allow children to develop their own slogans.
5. Turn over 10 million acres ( and some $ ) to well planned small communites that don't use fossil fuels. At all.
6. Develop small-scale credit unions for the poor who have ideas, but no means ($ and support ) to realize these plans.
7. Remove all the guns, except for those who have legitimate use for them, viz. culling and pest-control.
2. Sort out the oil.
3. Turn 20% of the barren territories into a vast windfarm.
4. Abandon the Pledge of Allegiance altogether and allow children to develop their own slogans.
5. Turn over 10 million acres ( and some $ ) to well planned small communites that don't use fossil fuels. At all.
6. Develop small-scale credit unions for the poor who have ideas, but no means ($ and support ) to realize these plans.
7. Remove all the guns, except for those who have legitimate use for them, viz. culling and pest-control.
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
Law enforcement, self defense, hunting and recreational marksmanship are not legitimate uses?
And thread digression in 3... 2... 1...
Mercy Not Sacrifice
Well-Known Member
I think that's a stretch of what I'm getting at, but in your defense I think it's only fair that I clarify. (See the remainder of this post.)
Hate speech should be defined as any written or spoken words designed to silence, ostracize, or support the injuring or killing of minority groups. However, it should only punished if there is clear intent of hate speech. I.e., if someone slips by saying, "That is so gay," that's unlikely to be acceptable in court. But if someone yells at another person, "You bunch of *****s!", that's an overt attempt to ostracize them and should be punished. Lest anyone think that it is beyond the courts' ability to judge intent, they do that all the time.
And yes, this means that hate groups such as the KKK and the White Knights should be forbidden by law. IMO they are nothing short of terrorist organizations and should be treated as such.
Oh, and yes I know that maybe 5% of Americans share my views on this issue, and it isn't going to become law any time soon. C'est la vie.
Smoke
Done here.
1) An end to the War on Drugs.
2) Development of alternative (non-petroleum) energy sources, funded by higher taxes on petroleum and a federal sales tax on new petroleum-fueled vehicles.
3) A nationwide high-speed rail system connecting major cities, with light rail connecting outlying areas. Low-cost public transportation should be encouraged by tying federal aid to the adequacy of public transportation in any given state or city.
3) Nationwide non-discrimination against LGBT people in all areas including marriage, adoption, employment, housing, military service, and immigration.
4) A national single-payer healthcare system to be funded by payroll and corporate taxes.
5) A national education policy to include:
6) Separation of church and state, including an end to government funding of faith-based programs, abolition of government-funded and government-sponsored chaplaincies, deletion of religious slogans from our money, and stricter requirements for tax exemptions for religious groups. The Pledge of Allegiance should be required only of military servicemembers at the time of enlistment and of naturalized citizens at the time of naturalization and should not include any reference to God.
7) Military spending, including military debt, military-related contracts, and military-related entitlement programs, to be capped at 15% of the national budget, with no additional appropriations, except in case of a declaration of war by both houses of Congress.
8) Reform of the House of Representatives to include:
9) Greater cooperation with other countries in the Americas, including normalization of relations with Cuba, an attempt to establish a hemispheric environmental policy, attempts to establish hemispheric diplomatic and economic goals, an international public service organization similar to the Peace Corps, international exchange programs for students and teachers, and simplified immigration procedures.
10) Expedited immigration for East Asian and Indian nationals who are qualified in important fields like science, medicine, nursing, and computer science.
11) (Sorry) Establishment of a free government website with streaming broadcasts of all presidential press conferences and all proceedings of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court, with archived videos available.
2) Development of alternative (non-petroleum) energy sources, funded by higher taxes on petroleum and a federal sales tax on new petroleum-fueled vehicles.
3) A nationwide high-speed rail system connecting major cities, with light rail connecting outlying areas. Low-cost public transportation should be encouraged by tying federal aid to the adequacy of public transportation in any given state or city.
3) Nationwide non-discrimination against LGBT people in all areas including marriage, adoption, employment, housing, military service, and immigration.
4) A national single-payer healthcare system to be funded by payroll and corporate taxes.
5) A national education policy to include:
a) A nationwide K-12 curriculum to include mathematics, science, computer science, logic, rhetoric, physical education, American history, world history, state and local history, geography, English language and literature, American literature, foreign languages and literatures (with Spanish language plus at least two elective languages mandatory), plastic arts (such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and woodworking), performing arts (such as music, dance, and drama), social sciences (economics, psychology, sociology, anthropology), health and hygiene (including comprehensive sex education), and elective vocational training (beginning at age 14).
b) Mandatory public education through twelfth grade, with an exception for students aged 16 or older who have successfully completed a course in vocational training. Private schools might continue to operate, but their curricula would be supplementary to the public curriculum.
c) National standards for university and graduate education.
d) A national university system with campuses in or near New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Denver, and Seattle, providing free university and graduate education (but not free housing and meals) to any qualified citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
e) An end to federal aid for private colleges and universities, including grants and student loans for students at private colleges and universities.
f) An end to federal aid for public colleges and universities that spend more than 15% of their income on sports programs.
b) Mandatory public education through twelfth grade, with an exception for students aged 16 or older who have successfully completed a course in vocational training. Private schools might continue to operate, but their curricula would be supplementary to the public curriculum.
c) National standards for university and graduate education.
d) A national university system with campuses in or near New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Denver, and Seattle, providing free university and graduate education (but not free housing and meals) to any qualified citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
e) An end to federal aid for private colleges and universities, including grants and student loans for students at private colleges and universities.
f) An end to federal aid for public colleges and universities that spend more than 15% of their income on sports programs.
6) Separation of church and state, including an end to government funding of faith-based programs, abolition of government-funded and government-sponsored chaplaincies, deletion of religious slogans from our money, and stricter requirements for tax exemptions for religious groups. The Pledge of Allegiance should be required only of military servicemembers at the time of enlistment and of naturalized citizens at the time of naturalization and should not include any reference to God.
7) Military spending, including military debt, military-related contracts, and military-related entitlement programs, to be capped at 15% of the national budget, with no additional appropriations, except in case of a declaration of war by both houses of Congress.
8) Reform of the House of Representatives to include:
a) Voting reform to allow for some kind of proportional representation and less of a built-in advantage for the two major parties.
b) Expansion of the House of Representatives to provide for one Representative for every 250,000 members of the population. For purposes of comparison, the UK House of Commons has about one Member per 95,000 members of the population, and the Canadian House of Commons has about one member per 111,000 members of the population. The US House of Representatives, by contrast, has about one member for every 712,000 members of the population. Providing one member per 250,000 members of the population would make Representatives more responsive to their constituents and would also reduce the power of individual representatives.
c) To reduce public expense and limit opportunities for corruption, compensation of Representatives should be strictly limited to:
b) Expansion of the House of Representatives to provide for one Representative for every 250,000 members of the population. For purposes of comparison, the UK House of Commons has about one Member per 95,000 members of the population, and the Canadian House of Commons has about one member per 111,000 members of the population. The US House of Representatives, by contrast, has about one member for every 712,000 members of the population. Providing one member per 250,000 members of the population would make Representatives more responsive to their constituents and would also reduce the power of individual representatives.
c) To reduce public expense and limit opportunities for corruption, compensation of Representatives should be strictly limited to:
a) Provision of government housing in a modest two bedroom government-owned apartment of 1000 square feet or less, with a small home office, utilities and internet connection included, and laundry facilities located on site.
b) Free travel from the Representative's home district to and from Washington twice a year, limited to coach transportation via air or rail, for the Representative and spouse. Additional travel and dependent travel to be paid for by the Representative or by his or her home state (if the state elects to pay for it).
c) Free medical care under the national health plan for the Representative, spouse, and dependents.
d) A salary not to exceed 40 x 52 x 2 x the federal minimum hourly wage.
e) Government-funded trips abroad to be limited to official government delegations, not to exceed one trip per one hundred Representatives per Congress.
f) Franking privileges limited to two mailings per year, with no franked mailings of election materials or within 90 days before an election allowed.
g) No entity that lobbies Congress or does business with the United States government, or that did lobby Congress or do business with the US government during the Representative's term, may provide any gift including travel, housing, entertainment, or any other gift to a sitting or former Representative. No entity that provides any gift to a sitting Representative may lobby Congress or do business with the US government for 10 years from the date of the last gift.
h) No staff or staff offices shall be provided for Representatives at government expense; however, Representatives shall have use of the services of research librarians at the Library of Congress and a Congressional administrative assistants' pool.
i) No Representative may make compensated endorsements, receive compensation for speaking engagements or be employed by any government contractor or government lobbyist during his term of office.
j) A former Representative may not be employed as a lobbyist to Congress, or be employed by any entity that employs lobbyists to Congress or by any entity of which a subsidiary, parent corporation or other subsidiary of the same parent corporation employs lobbyists to Congress, for fifteen years after his or her last date of service as Representative.
k) Neither a former Representative nor his or her spouse or former spouse (unless divorced before the Representative's term of office) may be employed by, own stock in, be a member or officer of, or serve on any board of any entity which was a government contractor during his term of office for fifteen years after the Representative's last date of service as a Representative.
l) Abolition of all government pensions and retirement benefits for former Representatives, with the exception of Social Security and other programs that are available to the general public.
b) Free travel from the Representative's home district to and from Washington twice a year, limited to coach transportation via air or rail, for the Representative and spouse. Additional travel and dependent travel to be paid for by the Representative or by his or her home state (if the state elects to pay for it).
c) Free medical care under the national health plan for the Representative, spouse, and dependents.
d) A salary not to exceed 40 x 52 x 2 x the federal minimum hourly wage.
e) Government-funded trips abroad to be limited to official government delegations, not to exceed one trip per one hundred Representatives per Congress.
f) Franking privileges limited to two mailings per year, with no franked mailings of election materials or within 90 days before an election allowed.
g) No entity that lobbies Congress or does business with the United States government, or that did lobby Congress or do business with the US government during the Representative's term, may provide any gift including travel, housing, entertainment, or any other gift to a sitting or former Representative. No entity that provides any gift to a sitting Representative may lobby Congress or do business with the US government for 10 years from the date of the last gift.
h) No staff or staff offices shall be provided for Representatives at government expense; however, Representatives shall have use of the services of research librarians at the Library of Congress and a Congressional administrative assistants' pool.
i) No Representative may make compensated endorsements, receive compensation for speaking engagements or be employed by any government contractor or government lobbyist during his term of office.
j) A former Representative may not be employed as a lobbyist to Congress, or be employed by any entity that employs lobbyists to Congress or by any entity of which a subsidiary, parent corporation or other subsidiary of the same parent corporation employs lobbyists to Congress, for fifteen years after his or her last date of service as Representative.
k) Neither a former Representative nor his or her spouse or former spouse (unless divorced before the Representative's term of office) may be employed by, own stock in, be a member or officer of, or serve on any board of any entity which was a government contractor during his term of office for fifteen years after the Representative's last date of service as a Representative.
l) Abolition of all government pensions and retirement benefits for former Representatives, with the exception of Social Security and other programs that are available to the general public.
9) Greater cooperation with other countries in the Americas, including normalization of relations with Cuba, an attempt to establish a hemispheric environmental policy, attempts to establish hemispheric diplomatic and economic goals, an international public service organization similar to the Peace Corps, international exchange programs for students and teachers, and simplified immigration procedures.
10) Expedited immigration for East Asian and Indian nationals who are qualified in important fields like science, medicine, nursing, and computer science.
11) (Sorry) Establishment of a free government website with streaming broadcasts of all presidential press conferences and all proceedings of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court, with archived videos available.
Smoke
Done here.
Smoke
Done here.
OH! I said petroleum. I should have said fossil fuels.
Smoke
Done here.
I don't have a problem with that.
Don't feel bad. That applies to most of my views.
Mercy Not Sacrifice
Well-Known Member
Can I just say, right here and right now...
SMOKE FOR PRESIDENT!! :yes:
SMOKE FOR PRESIDENT!! :yes:
Neo-Logic
Reality Checker
Only one person is with my idea to expand 2nd amendment to cover nukes?
Think of how cool and safe and crimeless our world would be when mutually assured destruction and 2nd strike capabilities applied to petty crimes. We all really will have to love our neighbors and treat others the way we'd want to be treated.
Get with the future old timers.
Think of how cool and safe and crimeless our world would be when mutually assured destruction and 2nd strike capabilities applied to petty crimes. We all really will have to love our neighbors and treat others the way we'd want to be treated.
Get with the future old timers.
Mercy Not Sacrifice
Well-Known Member
Hmm. Ever played Final Fantasy X?
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
All it would take is one suicidal, nuclear armed misanthrope.
dust1n
Zindīq
You've more faith than I in the human race.
Hehe, I don't know if I have faith in the human race. I just see potential.
dust1n
Zindīq
The premise does not necessarily imply the conclusion.
Either way. I would be near perfectly content with your list, and I think it would be a phenomenol advancement for civilization in general.
- Inform a perfect dominion.
- Ensure domestic tranquility.
- Provide for the common defense.
- Promote the general welfare.
- Secure the blessings of liberty.
- Reduce the national deficit.
- Stay out of people's hair.
- Stay out of the province's hair.
- Stay out of other nation's hair.
- Give me a winning lotto ticket.
Smoke
Done here.
What we need for president is somebody who can sell good ideas to the public; that is, somebody vastly more patient than I am.
Mercy Not Sacrifice
Well-Known Member
What we need for president is somebody who can sell good ideas to the public; that is, somebody vastly more patient than I am.
Maybe you could be policy writer, then?
Internecivus Raptus
Xenomorph
1- Implement a National Health Care system
2- Withdraw from Iraq
3- Withdraw from Afghanistan
4- Stop all funding to Israel
5- Cut military budget in half (for starters) and use funds for education
6- Make frakking illegal (the natural gas drilling process, not the slang word on the SyFy show "Caprica" - I'm all for that kind of frakking)
7- Impose crippling fines on companies that employ illegal immigrants
8- Make a public statement at the UN that we are no longer the world's police force - countries will have to spend their own money on defending themselves
9- Ban firearms and impose stiff prison terms for violators
10- Repeal all tax benefits to oil corporations and use funds for development of solar, wind and ethanol
2- Withdraw from Iraq
3- Withdraw from Afghanistan
4- Stop all funding to Israel
5- Cut military budget in half (for starters) and use funds for education
6- Make frakking illegal (the natural gas drilling process, not the slang word on the SyFy show "Caprica" - I'm all for that kind of frakking)
7- Impose crippling fines on companies that employ illegal immigrants
8- Make a public statement at the UN that we are no longer the world's police force - countries will have to spend their own money on defending themselves
9- Ban firearms and impose stiff prison terms for violators
10- Repeal all tax benefits to oil corporations and use funds for development of solar, wind and ethanol
1. End abortion
2. Cut spending and taxes across the board
3. Relax gun laws
4. Protect the borders
5. Incentives for better and less expensive "green" technology(solar, thermal, wind, hydro)
2. Cut spending and taxes across the board
3. Relax gun laws
4. Protect the borders
5. Incentives for better and less expensive "green" technology(solar, thermal, wind, hydro)
Rainbow Mage
Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
1. Legalize gay marriage
2. Pull out of Iraq/Afghanistan
3. Cut funding to Israel
4. More gun control
5. More Socialism
6. Regulate the Corporations more
7. Allow the people's vote to determine elections and not electorial
8. Bring jobs overseas back to the US
9. Make more laws against hate crimes and hate speech
10. Allow third parties in government
2. Pull out of Iraq/Afghanistan
3. Cut funding to Israel
4. More gun control
5. More Socialism
6. Regulate the Corporations more
7. Allow the people's vote to determine elections and not electorial
8. Bring jobs overseas back to the US
9. Make more laws against hate crimes and hate speech
10. Allow third parties in government