What Would You Do?

Name your top 10 ideas to get the United States working like a well-oiled machine again.

And you gotta put up 10. Anyone who can't get to 10 is full of fail.

Which maybe is another problem in itself.

MINE:

1. Total healthcare for anyone. Whatever it takes. We're at the point where we need to do it. Especially when corporations are taking your benefits away.

2. Less politics about politics, more concern for the people's needs. Politicians are corrupt, people get screwed. Life is not fair, etc.

3. Share the wealth. I'm glad you're rich, but help the rest of us out. Five percent of your dough would go a long way to the impoverished. Every year.

4. Find a cure once in a while. As Chris Rock said, the money's in the medicine. That ain't right. We haven't cured anything since your great-grandma's polio. And she was a little girl then. Pharmaceutical companies suck.

5. Quit making war. It's just better when you're a country trying to make peace.

6. People first, government second, corporations third. Keeps things honest, or at least it's a start. And people should always come first.

7. Never use your cellphone while driving. Those people are idiots on the way to a car wreck. If someone dies, I hope it's not the one with two hands on the wheel.

8. Make stuff in this country again. Steel mills are gone. Textile mills are gone. Farms are going away. Cars, clothes, food. What the hell are we doing buying this stuff from Pakistan, China and Korea?

9. Education. It shouldn't be No. 9 on this list, but everyone else buries it when the budgets come up. Something inherently wrong in that. But it's always down there at No. 9 or so. No wonder your neighbors are morons.

10. Never be No. 10. Always try to be the best. If you can't be No. 1, No. 2 ain't that bad either. But never accept being No. 10. That's what is killing GM and Chrysler.

 

Oops, someone please move this to Anything Goes, please.

 

I vote to delete the thread and pretend it never happened.

 

Yeah, pretty much. Let's all put out our pie in the sky ideas with no idea how they would be implemented and who would pay.

Also, I would like to get some kittens, and propose a free beer provision.

 

Please keep those wishes separate.

 

I have one idea, and one idea only but it would do more for the country than 10 other ideas:

Return to allowing only property owners to vote.

 

I'm with Old Tony. One idea and enjoy the ten things that would come from it. If I get laid off, I'll be back here with 10 ideas. Maybe even 100.

1. The Government Needs to Quit Picking Winners and Losers. Especially when it smacks of political bias. Let's see... the UAW leadership and members carry the water for the Democratic Party. Let's do everything we can to try and keep them in business. As for the Chrysler dealerships -- one of the most Republican-laded industries (you get paid for results when selling cars), let's let them float out to sea.

Workers who tighten bolts when not on union breaks = GOOD. Workers who try to sell you that very same car = BAD.

Of course, from a PR standpoint, it's very easy to hose the car dealers. We've all had bad experiences with dealerships, right? Yet... it's often those same family dealerships who are the first in line to sponsor the LL baseball teams, to buy the ads in your fledging newspaper, hold raffles for sick kids, etc.

As for the "let's get back to making stuff". Sure, I'd love to see it but we - as Americans - are often "price first" consumers. If we "make stuff" here in the U.S., how many $31 t-shirts are we going to be able to sell in this economy?

 

And then only white males with a minimum net worth of $2 million.

 

1. Ensure social security to people who paid into it.
2. Future penalties for companies who have to request bailout money or tarp funds - for example, if you get a taxpayer bailout, when your company becomes profitable again a certain percentage say 10 percent goes back to the taxpayers for an extended period of time. This would ease the burden and also help the taxpayers that helped you.
3. No government involvement in the decision making process for the auto industry. I don't care what they say, people don't want green cars, they want SUV's that's why SUV'S were sell like crazy whenever gas is reasonable.
4. Crack down on oil companies that charge ungodly amounts for gas and turn record profits. It is bad for the general public to be shelling out $4 per gallon, only to see Exxon Mobil make billions (any suggestions on what penalties could be).
5. Make more strict rules for new homes that are being built. I noticed this a few years ago. Only McMansions were being built. How is the average Joe supposed to by a normal house, like a ranch, without living in the ghetto. Build some big ones, some small ones, some medium sized ones.
6. No more casinos. Seriously, and this one applies to state's like Michigan where our biggest industry is gambling. Unless they are going to manufacture slot machines in the U.S. this is not good for us to have casinos on every street corner.
7. Way more transparency in gov't. This will help newspapers crack down on government that spends too much.
8. Less taxing more cutting. Things get rough, cut programs, salaries, staff, don't tax the citizens who are already losing their jobs and paychecks.
9. No more fucking gas taxes. Enough already. Find better ways to get income, tax criminals - make prisoners eat bread and water. I don't care. Taxes are getting out of control.
10. No more lavish spending on city/state/federal government. Local police does not need 10 SUV's. Drive a car like everyone else. Government employees don't need SUV's either.

 

Your post is full of fail. ALL BRANDS of car dealerships are mostly owned by republicans.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/05/on-moon-landings-michelle-malkin-p.html

Secondly, the democratic party was doing no favors for the UAW in December - even though "they carry the water."
The impacts of GM's bankruptcy is going to be far worse for this country than the impact of a few Chrysler dealerships closing. This county is going to lose about 21,000 direct and about 100,000 more indirect jobs because of GM's Bankruptcy. Chrysler's mess, isn't as bad. And while I agree we shouldn't be picking winners and losers, America doesn't need all those Chrysler dealerships. No body buy's their damn cars anyway.

 

Yeah, I'll agree with the homeowners bit -- that is a bit too divisive for the electorate.

That would really stack the deck as I've always believed homeowners/property owners probably vote 60/40 Republican and those who rent probably vote 66/33 or 75/25 Democratic anyway... becoming a property owner instead of a renter instantly makes you, at the very least, a touch more fiscally conservative.

Although, if the Democrats have Super Delegrates -- whose influence counts more because of their experience -- why not a Power Vote? If, on your ballot, you can answer 3 advanced questions on civics or political science -- then your vote counts double. Why not? After each presidential election, regardless of who wins, we always hear about how "stupid people elected this bozo". At least let the "smart" people have a bit more push.

If we're looking to change government, let's go down to 1 senator per state. If government really wants to get smaller, go from 100 to 50. Make it Showdown 2010 in each state where the two senators go up against each other in an open field. One election. One night. Winner reps the state.

 

3. Share the wealth. I'm glad you're rich, but help the rest of us out. Five percent of your dough would go a long way to the impoverished. Every year.

what a dope. Ya know who is "rich", anyone that makes more money than you! Guess what.....the wealthy are already helping out, by paying taxes.