The America I Would Govern, Pt 1
It’s one thing to sit and complain about what is going on in Washington, but it’s another to try and fix it. I am at a loss for what can be done. My representatives have stopped answering my questions and returning my emails, so I am left with my fanciful thoughts of what America might be like. I see no easy solution to the current problems we’re facing, though I do see long term answers. These answers would involve an uprooting of what we’ve come to expect as our government’s role in our lives and working backward from there. CS Lewis, though not referring to government in his original context, sums up America’s situation nicely:
If I am a field that contains nothing but grass seed, I cannot produce wheat. Cutting the grass may keep it short, but I will still produce grass and no wheat. If I want to produce wheat the change must go deeper than the surface. I must be plowed up and resown.
So how would I begin this process of plowing up what is bad to produce what is good? I thought about this for a while on my lunch break today and these are a few of the quick ideas that came to mind… things I would make happen, if I governed America:
In the America I govern, government will be restored to it’s original purpose. It’s purpose will be to keep it’s citizens safe, keep them from killing each other, uphold it’s laws, and prosecute individuals/companies/organizations when they break the way. Outside of that, the only role government will have will be to stay out of the individual’s way.
In the America I govern, the Justice Department would be turned back on. There would be no favoritism. No back-hand deals. No time off for good behavior. If you’re caught breaking a law, regardless of your standing in life, you’ll pay the appropriate penalty for breaking the law. When you’ve paid your debt, you’ll be released.
In the America I govern, there will be no lobbyists. If it’s bad for the people, it’s bad. If it’s good for the people, it’s good. No amount of ‘talking’ will ever change those facts.
In the America I govern, Judges and politicians will be held to a higher of standard of ethics than the rest of us. There will be no tax cheats, criminals, or individuals of questionable ethical character in government. If you are going to create the laws for the rest of us, you’ll be held that much more accountable when you break them.
In the America I govern, when Senators fail to pass budgets on time, their pay will be confiscated throughout whatever duration of time is needed to get the budget passed. The confiscated pay will be put directly against deficits, beginning with their constituents local debt. Once that is paid off it will be used to pay off any state level, and then nation, deficit.
In the America I govern, frivolously income taxes will be eliminated and the sales tax will be increased. This is the only fair way to ensure that everybody form the working man, to the drug dealer, to the illegal alien, will pay their appropriate share.
In the America I govern, there will be no “hate crimes”. All individuals regardless of religion, sexual orientation, nationality, and creed are entitled to the equal rights and protection of the government.
In the America I govern, Marijuana will be legalized and medically exploited to it’s full potential. If you want to use it for recreation, be my guest… but the same laws that apply from drinking will apply with it’s use as well.
In the America I govern, the people will be left to decide on perceived moral topics. Topics such as abortion, gay marriage, polygamy, dubious religious practices, etc. will be put to a vote. If the vote passes the item passes. If the vote fails, so does the item. It will be the responsibility of the supporters of such items to convince the general population otherwise… there will be no ramming of laws through the government to force something on the people that they have said (through their vote) they don’t support. Even I don’t necessarily agree with this method, but can’t think of a more fair way.
In the America I govern, when you sue someone, or some company, and you loose, you’ll have to pay for the defendants legal expenses and compensate them for their time. This should rule out much of the frivolous lawsuits out there.
In the America I govern, people will have the right to say something other people might not like. People will not longer have the right not to be offended. political correctness will no longer exists. You’ll have the right to try and convince people why they shouldn’t believe/support what they say they do, but after that you have the right to not listen to them anymore… and that’s it.
In the America I govern, the government will not exists to babysit it’s people. You can either get along or not. If you can’t behave civilly within the laws that are set forth, we’ll lock you up. If you feel the laws are unjust, you can petition the courts and the matter will be put up to a vote of the people. If the people vote ‘no’ and you still have a problem with the law, you have the right to move to another country.
In the America I govern, if you need social assistance… you’ll get it. If you’re a mother of three whose husband/boyfriend has walk out and you’re claiming you need $500 dollars a week for you and your kids… you’ll get every penny. The stipulation will be that you’ll be required to provide receipts for everything purchased with the tax payer’s money. If you find you’re not spending it all, it will be scaled back. If you find that it isn’t enough to sustain a basic lifestyle, it will be increased. If we find that you’re spending it on luxury items, it will stop completely. If you don’t submit your receipts, it will stop completely.
In the America I govern, people will have to lead by example. When some politician or Hollywood elite thinks it’s a great idea to increase taxes to pay for some social program they will have to begin by handing over percentages of their own money to make it work. If the program works on a small scale with this start up capital, taxes on the rest of the populous will be issued accordingly. This way, if the program doesn’t work, the general population is spared paying for someone’s stupid idea.
In the America I govern people would be allowed to keep the money they make honestly. If you break your back starting a company form the ground up that takes off and you earn billions in the process. Good for you! This means that America is working. If it’s found out that this money has been made illegally, the government will take it all and use it to help rebuild the lives of the people you’ve hurt in your illegal dealings.
I’m sure I’ll think of more…
A lot of this just seems like good common sense. Mail this to Obama, he reads letters every week (day?), right? Oh, wait, his minions probably “pick out” which letters they want him to read…well, I don’t know for sure.
I don’t think my letter would ever make it to the man. As it is now, I can’t even get my local representatives to return my mail. Common sense is sorely lacking in Washington these days…