How would you fix America?

#31
#31
In all seriousness, there are several intriguing ideas here in the institutional and legislative space. One major problem is the people divide, and I'm not certain how to repair it. I believe much of it is driven by less direct interaction in this increasing digital age.

Yes, our media and politicians are drivers, but I think people not being with other people is the major issue. It's why I'm intrigued by the idea of a domestic service corp providing services like caring for our elderly and children. Providing such services would help a lot of families financially and help with earlier home ownership and having children. I would love to see more thinking around this issue.
 
#33
#33
gcbvol said:
In all seriousness, there are several intriguing ideas here in the institutional and legislative space. One major problem is the people divide, and I'm not certain how to repair it. I believe much of it is driven by less direct interaction in this increasing digital age.

Yes, our media and politicians are drivers, but I think people not being with other people is the major issue. It's why I'm intrigued by the idea of a domestic service corp providing services like caring for our elderly and children. Providing such services would help a lot of families financially and help with earlier home ownership and having children. I would love to see more thinking around this issue.
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Sure, if individual states want to set up such a program I’m all for it. The federal government has no business being involved.

When you ask yourself “should the federal government do xyz” and it’s not shrink the answer is always no.
 
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#34
#34
hog88 said:
Sure, if individual states want to set up such a program I’m all for it. The federal government has no business being involved.

When you ask yourself “should the federal government do xyz” and it’s not shrink the answer is always no.
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I'm cool with state run programs. If effective, I think states could collaborate and have folks work across.
 
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#36
#36
OrangeTsar said:
Because Senators should be the voices of the state legislatures under a federal system, not yet another popular vote contest. The country is the United STATES, a compact between 50 sovereign states. The states are the actual components that make up the nation, not merely administrative districts of the federal government. It is the same principle that girds the electoral college
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I’ve seen this position put forward a good bit. My understanding is there was a clamoring for change to popular election due to some pretty valid reasons. Namely corruption in the state legislatures’ election process, deadlocks in legislatures preventing the seating of senators, and an eventual feeling of disconnect of the people with how their senators were representing them. I agree with the theory of how the original setup was supposed to work, but it evidently didn’t work as intended seeing as it was changed through the proper amendment process.
 
#37
#37
Repeal the 17th Amendment
Repeal the Wagner Act
End gerrymandering, which would probably require a constitutional amendment
Pass a balanced budget amendment
 
#38
#38
marcusluvsvols said:
Would like to hear why yall think this is a good or bad idea. I know 1 thing thats objectively true: trillion dollar, 3000 page omnibus spending bills and "you have to pass it to read it, because the finished product was just given to legislators 24hrs before the vote" is complete 100% BS and people should have been publicly caned or had old-school duels for ever trying this BS right at the deadline the very 1st time it happened. The Dems want to make this the new norm every time they have a majority. Reagan Republican traitors vote right along with them, too.

I am not saying "line item veto" is definitely a good idea, thats why I asked for opinions. I think we should all be able to agree that needless "pork" smuggled into these bills...that have nothing whatsoever to do with the name, nor intent of the bill...are complete garbage. They are a big part of why we are trillions in debt. If the L.I.V. process is not the best way to get rid of this bullcrap, then what is? There are hundreds of billions of dollars in US taxpayers money wasted on absolute bullcrap in each of the last 2 spending bills passed by Congress. How do we stop it? A simple Google search regarding what kind of ridiculous nonsense was funded in Bidens "Inflation Reduction Act" will and should absolutely piss you off. Something has got to change.
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It would be a club for a president with an agenda. If he could strike out things he didn't like, what's the point of having congress submit anything. the president might just as well write it and sign it himself. It's a horrible idea that short circuits the protection of the division of powers.
 
#39
#39
OrangeTsar said:
What we need is a rule or amendment that does away with omnibus spending bills. I very program or department needs to be voted on separately
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I would like for congress to remain in session until they pass a budget. If it takes all year, so be it. No vacations. No going home to their districts. Nada. do their damned jobs.
 
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#40
#40
Even if we don't get rid of the 16th amendment and they did away with withholding from peoples paychecks, there would be a revolution if everybody had to sit down and write that tax check to Uncle Sam every quarter. Most people don't realize how much tax they pay.
 
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#41
#41
I have a partial thought to OP's question.

One issue in America is people getting wealth, power, or success by doing horrible things or by being horrible people. They then make live miserable for everyone around them. Think Potter from It's a Wonderful Life as an example. Now not all rich people are bad, I have met many that are good and frankly more that are good than bad.

I am talking about bad people and our laws often defend or aid them.

Not sure how you get around all of this but one thought is to have 20% of GPA determined by character and to also make it an aspect in the hiring process. Good character is often a trait that helps companies and nations prosper. Perhaps also putting every child threw some form of military training and service like Switzerland or Israel would help.

This is one step to help things among many.
 
#42
#42
distrovol said:
I’ve seen this position put forward a good bit. My understanding is there was a clamoring for change to popular election due to some pretty valid reasons. Namely corruption in the state legislatures’ election process, deadlocks in legislatures preventing the seating of senators, and an eventual feeling of disconnect of the people with how their senators were representing them. I agree with the theory of how the original setup was supposed to work, but it evidently didn’t work as intended seeing as it was changed through the proper amendment process.
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The Senate being selected by state legislatures was supposed to counter the populism movements in the house. Since the senate was elected by individual state legislatures and had longer terms they were supposed to be insulated from national special interests. We should go back to that system.
 
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#43
#43
hog88 said:
The Senate being selected by state legislatures was supposed to counter the populism movements in the house. Since the senate was elected by individual state legislatures and had longer terms they were supposed to be insulated from national special interests. We should go back to that system.
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The purpose of the original intent of electing senators is well known. Evidently it wasn't working since there was an attempt to reform it for almost 100 years prior. How would you solve the problems I mentioned that caused the nation to amend the constitution to electing by popular vote? Amending the constitution isn't easy. The senators elected by the state legislatures voted to send the amendment to the states for ratification. They gave up the power voluntarily.
 
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#45
#45
Legalize the Devil's Lettuce. Take the tax proceeds to care for our veterans.

Simplify the tax code. Both parties put in loop holes 🕳️.

Make politicians wear NASCAR style uniforms with their lobbyists patches.

Term limits and take all benefits from congress.

Strict no stock trading for politicians.

Separate politics from the military.

Teach reading , writing, and arithmetic. Everything else should be an elective.

Mandatory boot camp after highschool. Wash and fold your own clothes,make your bed, wash your nasty azz, basically learn to take care of yourself without mommy or daddy.

Learn to change a tire, check your oil, care for your car. They are not disposable.

Teach gun safety. The more you know about a weapon the more you will respect what damage it can do.

Escort all celebrities out of the country that have threatened to leave. Supply them with the forms to renounce their citizenship. Wait until they are cozy in their foreign utopia and seize their bank accounts. Don't worry I am sure they have offloaded plenty of money to avoid paying taxes.

Outlaw Row Tide, Go gator, and whatever noises the gassy fat dawg fans make south of Tennessee.
 
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#46
#46
SpaceCoastVol said:
It would be a club for a president with an agenda. If he could strike out things he didn't like, what's the point of having congress submit anything. the president might just as well write it and sign it himself. It's a horrible idea that short circuits the protection of the division of powers.
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Congress would still have the chance to override the presidential veto with line item voting. I don't see it being any different than it is now.

Is it really preferable to have congress write a 800 page "Inflation Reduction Act" with 780 pages of poison pills but the president can't do anything because there are 20 pages of good?

if there was a cap on the size of bills I could see your point of view. but right now every bill has more pork and special interest bs in it than actual substance, where it needs to be open to line item vetoes.
 
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#47
#47
volbound1700 said:
I have a partial thought to OP's question.

One issue in America is people getting wealth, power, or success by doing horrible things or by being horrible people. They then make live miserable for everyone around them. Think Potter from It's a Wonderful Life as an example. Now not all rich people are bad, I have met many that are good and frankly more that are good than bad.

I am talking about bad people and our laws often defend or aid them.

Not sure how you get around all of this but one thought is to have 20% of GPA determined by character and to also make it an aspect in the hiring process. Good character is often a trait that helps companies and nations prosper. Perhaps also putting every child threw some form of military training and service like Switzerland or Israel would help.

This is one step to help things among many.
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I wouldn't make it part of the GPA or any type of social score nonsense. but to your point one option we have talked about in the past was mandatory time in a service industry. like a coop in high school, you have to go be a cashier or waiter. see how people treat others "below" them, see what its like on the other side of that power structure. hopefully teach people some humility and help them see workers as people.

I have thought that government bureaucrats should also come with some mandatory service time, and not in a managerial role.
 
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#49
#49
gcbvol said:
In all seriousness, there are several intriguing ideas here in the institutional and legislative space. One major problem is the people divide, and I'm not certain how to repair it. I believe much of it is driven by less direct interaction in this increasing digital age.

Yes, our media and politicians are drivers, but I think people not being with other people is the major issue. It's why I'm intrigued by the idea of a domestic service corp providing services like caring for our elderly and children. Providing such services would help a lot of families financially and help with earlier home ownership and having children. I would love to see more thinking around this issue.
Click to expand...
I think that is a real good point about interactions. I think where social media fails and causes division is because its not real.

you aren't arguing with another person, seeing their honest reactions, not having to look them in the eye, or having to meet their eyes. that break in human connection makes it as if we are interacting with a computer. and its something you can just put down and walk away. its not like arguing with a family member, coworker, or classmate where you are going to see them multiple times a day, share a space with them, have other interactions. online the only interactions are through digital means. and in most cases its only about divisive subjects.

The PF is a good example. the political topics get pretty heated, but you dip into the OT thread and its just a bunch of people hanging out. we don't allow the malice and the topics to influence us there. it takes some policing at times, but usually it doesn't take the mods getting involved, just some friendly reminders of where they are. Even some of the "hated" posters are treated equally in the OT. Luther was posting about his kids and no one gives him real crap in the OT.

There almost needs to be online silent book clubs. places where you have controlled interactions before the main event where you are separated out. like you are required to post X number of times in the "OT thread", before you unlock posting privileges in the normal topics. you have to build the connections before you can just jump in on someone. or maybe its a timer on some of these various manners, where you are stuck in a "lobby" unable to talk about whatever the pending subject matter is, and you just have to ask how people's day is going.

like before the presidential debates, there is a ten minute warm up where the candidates just talk to each other about family, friends, or shared interests. show that common ground. yeah it would still be fake, but I think people need to be reminded of how to act. that these interactions aren't a full time job for most people. that the online interactions only represent a portion of who they are talking to.
 
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