01-09-2002 13:52									#61
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Why wasn't this thread just titled "Place All Trolls Here"? It would have saved some quantum uncertainty.

	01-09-2002 16:42									#62
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Ah, it gives up some interesting phase-space waveforms to collapse

	01-09-2002 16:50									#63
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Courtesy to you, so that you can create this thread.

	01-09-2002 16:54									#64
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simple: cut off its balls

	01-09-2002 17:21									#65
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I would withdraw from the UN - or better yet, take over the HQ in New York and kick the UN out. I would then replace it with an Alliance of nations that either support the US or are at least not hostile. The Alliance would declare membership in the UN to be a hostile act, justifying economic sanctions, etc.

I can imagine that the UN would soon be empty of members. But if it continues, they could still hold meetings, like the one now taking place in SA, and declare the US the greatest threat to world peace, etc., just as they do now, but without our money or our support.

	01-09-2002 17:27									#66
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quote: Originally posted by Ned I would then replace it with an Alliance of nations that either support the US or are at least not hostile. The Alliance would declare membership in the UN to be a hostile act, justifying economic sanctions, etc.

So the US would become a pariah and place sanctions on the rest of the world.

Interesting.

	01-09-2002 17:43									#67
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I have no specific advice to offer America Sneak. I just know that if they listened to me more they'd be doing a lot better

	01-09-2002 17:44									#68
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*Begin a process of de-arming the citizens.

*Begin a process of explaining to the public that property rights are not absolute.

*Begin a process of explaining to the public that there are no such things as "Natural Rights"


I pretty much think that everything would fall into place after that

	01-09-2002 18:21									#69
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All I'm going to say is that this thread is a perfect illistration of why pure democracy is a really dumb idea...

Wraith
Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups

	01-09-2002 18:47									#70
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Wraith, that is very true... some of the ideas here are incredibly outrageous.

	01-09-2002 19:12									#71
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quote: Originally posted by David Floyd Improving America... Foreign Policy: -Close all foreign military bases immediately, beginning with those in the Middle East. Deploy no military forces outside of the Western Hemisphere (and in the Pacific, no naval forces past Midway Island or so). -Complete, unrestricted free trade with every country, no matter who it is, from Communist China to the UK -Withdrawal from all foreign military alliances, especially NATO -Establish a policy of no more conventional wars or interventions, but let it be known that any direct attacks on America will be met with nuclear weapons S.

No, you wouldn't like your own policies at all. The minutr that some tin-horn ME dictator cuts off your oil supply you'd be at the forefront demanding intervention.

	01-09-2002 19:19									#72
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I love how alot of these "fixes" involve shreading various parts of the Constitution.

	01-09-2002 21:12									#73
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quote: Originally posted by David Floyd Improving America... Domestic Policy: -Begin to follow the Constitution EXACTLY as it is written. This means to end gun control, for instance -Elimination of federal social programs, especially Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, federal housing, federal welfare, etc. -Elimination of the income tax -Reduce the military across the board by at least 95% in every area except for ICBMs -Scrap Echelon and any other federal law enforcement programs used for monitoring citizens without a warrant -Immediate release of all citizens held without trial I think that'll do for starters, although I can think of plenty more ways to improve the US.

I take it that you have no close relatives who are elderly or genuinely disabled?

	01-09-2002 21:16									#74
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quote: I would withdraw from the UN - or better yet, take over the HQ in New York and kick the UN out. I would then replace it with an Alliance of nations that either support the US or are at least not hostile. The Alliance would declare membership in the UN to be a hostile act, justifying economic sanctions, etc.

Replace the UN with the UN, huh? Brilliant!

	01-09-2002 21:57									#75
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quote: No, you wouldn't like your own policies at all. The minutr that some tin-horn ME dictator cuts off your oil supply you'd be at the forefront demanding intervention.

No, I actually wouldn't - but this probably wouldn't happen because there is no reason for fundamentalists in the MidEast to hate us anymore.
Further, if we had to, we could buy from Western Hemisphere sources. Yes, the cost would go up, but we'd be OK.

quote: I take it that you have no close relatives who are elderly or genuinely disabled?

Well, my grandparents of course (elderly, not disabled), but I don't see what that has to do with anything. I don't mind helping them out if they needed it, I just have a problem with the government forcing me to help out other people.

	01-09-2002 21:58									#76
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quote: I love how alot of these "fixes" involve shreading various parts of the Constitution.

That wasn't directed at my posts was it?

If not, I certainly agree with you...

	01-09-2002 22:21									#77
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quote: Originally posted by David Floyd That wasn't directed at my posts was it?

Not in particular. I just didn't agree with yours.

	01-09-2002 22:22									#78
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That's what I figured.

	01-09-2002 22:28									#79
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Foreign Policy:

- Make the Army Divisions lighter (but do not eliminate them)
-Expand the USN and USAF's power projection capabilities substantially. (Bring the number of Carrier groups to 15, purchase another 100 B-2 bombers)
-"Take Back" the Panama Canal.
- Annex Cuba
- Remove US from NATO alliance. Sign new one with Great Britain.
- Demand the Maine-Canada border be moved up to it's true border (which was ceded by the US in the 1830's)

or.

-Propose a single US-Canadian currency.


Domestic Policy:

-Expand Prision system. Crack down on all crimes, including "victemless crimes" because, well, there is no such thing.
-Increase pay and benefits for Federal employees(including servicemen)
-Revitilize NASA's space program. Put a man on Mars within ten years of activation of the program. The technology used to put a man on Mars would help drive the Domestic High-tech sector.
-Put Welfare solely in the hands of the States.
-Pass laws increasing the milege of cars substantially. This is more for political reasons than enviromental; don't want to be dependant on foreign oil.
-Increase funding to the National Lab system.
-Increase funding to the Smithsonian.
-Increase funding for the Department of the Interior.
-Make Puerto Rico a full member of the Union.
-Pass laws that would close Income tax loopholes.



So far, everything's legal. Woot!

	01-09-2002 22:31									#80
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quote: -Expand Prision system. Crack down on all crimes, including "victemless crimes" because, well, there is no such thing.

Yeah! Death penalty for attempted suicide!

	01-09-2002 22:38									#81
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quote: Originally posted by Adalbertus Yeah! Death penalty for attempted suicide!

\

Okay, okay, suicide is the one.

That and Masturbation.

But c'mon, saying Drug use is a victemless crime is just false. The money goes to somewhere...somewhere we wouldn't want it to go.

Prostitution? What about all those prostitutes who are forced into "The service" by pimps?

	01-09-2002 22:39									#82
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quote: including "victemless crimes" because, well, there is no such thing.

Explain that to me, please - how does me smoking weed in my house victimize anyone?

	01-09-2002 22:40									#83
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The only thing I can think of doing would be to reform education. Simply throwing more money at the school's isn't going to do it. We've been doing it for years now. I don't have any solutions, but what we are doing now obviously isn't working.

	01-09-2002 22:48									#84
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quote: Originally posted by David Floyd Explain that to me, please - how does me smoking weed in my house victimize anyone?

Is that the only one you would legalise?

I think he was refering to harder drugs that cause social and personal problems.

	01-09-2002 22:48									#85
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quote: Originally posted by David Floyd Explain that to me, please - how does me smoking weed in my house victimize anyone?

Besides you spending the $$ that trickles done to various groups "South of the Border" who anjoy inflicting misery on the locals?

Not a thing.

Besides you deciding to drive your car while smoking a blunt, getting in a car accident, and killing someone?

Not a thing.

What you are displaying with those comments, David, is a self-centered view of world. You'd rather get high, and go off and do something STUPID that might result in getting someone hurt, then relise "hey! There's a reason Drugs are illegal! And it isn't because the DuPont company tried to get hemp banned!"

Or it could be you just don't give a rats ass about your fellow human beings, in which case, you fall under my "Tar and Feather" clause.


EDIT: But yes, while I would still be going after Weed, I'm more concerned about Harder drugs.

	01-09-2002 22:52									#86
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quote: Explain that to me, please - how does me smoking weed in my house victimize anyone?

There seems to be a slight confusion with the term "crime". Are crimes those things that are declared as such by some law, or is do you talk about the common-sense crimes which are (roughly) understood as actions which victimize? Ideally, both agree, but as Cicero once said: We don't live in Plato's Politeia but in the p!ss of Romulus.

	01-09-2002 22:52									#87
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Lonestar, are you pro-prohibition of alcohol?

If not, on what principal?

	01-09-2002 23:02									#88
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quote: Besides you spending the $$ that trickles done to various groups "South of the Border" who anjoy inflicting misery on the locals? Not a thing.

You mean Colombian drug lords? Well so what, why should we care if they get money? They're simply providing a service to people who want to **** their lives up. If we decriminalize drugs, also, remember that most of that black market goes away, same as alcohol - you don't see speakeasys anymore, right?

quote: Besides you deciding to drive your car while smoking a blunt, getting in a car accident, and killing someone? Not a thing.

Right, but I can do the same thing with alcohol, and I don't see you advocating a ban on that. The fact is, being high wasn't the problem. It didn't hurt anyone. Deciding to drive while impaired DID, and that's where the crime should be.

quote: What you are displaying with those comments, David, is a self-centered view of world. You'd rather get high, and go off and do something STUPID that might result in getting someone hurt, then relise "hey! There's a reason Drugs are illegal! And it isn't because the DuPont company tried to get hemp banned!"

No, in point of fact I DON'T want to get high. I don't do drugs, and I don't smoke. The only reason people get hurt is, same as anything else, I committed a crime that hurt someone. Owning a gun doesn't hurt anyone, doing cocaine doesn't hurt anyone (else), and drinking beer doesn't hurt anyone - committing crimes with a gun or under the influence is what hurts people.

quote: Prostitution? What about all those prostitutes who are forced into "The service" by pimps?

If prostitutes are kept against their will, that's kidnapping - but kidnapping and prostitution are not related. Kidnapping victimizes people, but the act of paying for sex hurts no one.

	01-09-2002 23:05									#89
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quote: Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin Lonestar, are you pro-prohibition of alcohol? If not, on what principal?

I think Alcohol is a problem, and will continue to be a problem. If I thought there were a feasible way to completely Ban alcohol (The USN and the other Armed Services are drifting in this direction, I've noticed) I would be all for it. Alcohol causes far to much heartache and pain for it to be completely unregulated. We took a step in the right direction increasing the legal drinking age limit, now I think places that serve alcohol need to be more concientious about letting a patron hop in a car and drive off.

That having been said, Most people(in the states) get their alcohol from Faceless Godless Corporations(tm).

Where do people in the States get their drugs? Well, *some* grow it(mostly "soft" drugs like the Mary Jane). But *most* buy it. And where does that money go? Kooky DEA commercials aside, they go to not-very nice groups in various parts of the world, mostly south of the border for the USA market.

Drugs are also one of the big drivers of crime in the United States. Possibly the Biggest driver of criminal activity. Cracking down on drugs, at the source (which would be the people who use the drugs, not the growers) would help society alot.

	01-09-2002 23:06									#90
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quote: Originally posted by David Floyd Explain that to me, please - how does me smoking weed in my house victimize anyone?

Here's some statistics about crimes where people were under the influence of drugs:

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov...dex.html#table1

24.5 and 29.0 % of state and federal violent crimes were committed by people who were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 39% of motor vehicle thefts were by people on drugs as well. So tell me why we should legalize drugs?