Fixing America

[Ivytalk]

After thinking about this for a day my answer is we need to fix ourselves. Government ain’t gonna fix us no matter how many bandaids we apply.

Mods: Please move this post to the “Kalm’s Soul is Up for Grabs” thread.

[Ibanez]

Abolishing public employee unions (state and federal) makes abundant sense to me. Who needs collective bargaining when job security in the public sector is already stronger, employee performance measures are not geared to the market, and public employee health, insurance, and other benefits are greater than or equal to those of the private sector? Conversely, as witnessed by the shameful recent acts of teachers unions, public employee unions disregard the interests of the constituencies that their members are supposed to serve.

I agree with this. That's an excellent point about the job security.

[AZGrizFan]

Yes, I realize many of these are considered “States Rights”, but the mish-mash of laws that people have to try and navigate when traveling across this country have become unwieldy and unmanageable. A woman can get an abortion in one state, and be thrown in prison in another state. I can buy a joint in Nevada, and get sent to prison for bringing it back to Texas. Some things need to be federally mandated (like drinking age is).

And no, I’m not including military bases (except those owned in other countries…or do we lease them???)…but there are also many former military bases that are abandoned but not sold, so THOSE could be liquidated.

I don’t know of any state where just having ‘a joint’ will get you thrown in prison (more than a year). Just looked up TX. According to FindLaw under .25 oz is a Class B misdemeanor pubishable by up to 180 days in jail (not prison). How many people have actually gotten 180 days for ‘a joint’ (sans having a lengthy record). If the majority of Texans don’t agree with the pot laws, they can get the law(s) changed. I believe in general its easier to get a state law changed, than a national one.

I think the drinking age should be left up to the states. There’s nothing in the constitution about it.

I take a contructionist view. Article 1/Sec 8 lays out the 18 sets of enumerated powers of Congress. Abortion, drugs, drinking age, etc aren’t in there. And the 10th basically says if if not there, its up to the states..

You wanna split hairs about "jail" or "prison" fine. Still think it should be a national law, which eliminates the issues when moving between states.

[AZGrizFan]

After thinking about this for a day my answer is we need to fix ourselves. Government ain’t gonna fix us no matter how many bandaids we apply.

For someone (you) who has fully supported all the government's efforts over the past two years to "fix" the pandemic, this is an interesting take.

[SDHornet]

After thinking about this for a day my answer is we need to fix ourselves. Government ain’t gonna fix us no matter how many bandaids we apply.

As someone (you) who has fully supported all the government's efforts over the past two years to "fix" the pandemic, this is an interesting take.

Boomers gonna boomer.

[kalm]

After thinking about this for a day my answer is we need to fix ourselves. Government ain’t gonna fix us no matter how many bandaids we apply.

As someone (you) who has fully supported all the government's efforts over the past two years to "fix" the pandemic, this is an interesting take.

I wanted medicine to fix the pandemic. When I get sick, I don’t call up my elected officials.

I had hoped we had better leadership because I thought around 40% of the population were too stupid to protect themselves and their community….

Welp….I was wrong. It’s more like double that amount. It’s a hope in one hand, shit in the other situation.

Lesson learned….

[AZGrizFan]

As someone (you) who has fully supported all the government's efforts over the past two years to "fix" the pandemic, this is an interesting take.

I wanted medicine to fix the pandemic. When I get sick, I don’t call up my elected officials.

I had hoped we had better leadership because I thought around 40% of the population were too stupid to protect themselves and their community….

Welp….I was wrong. It’s more like double that amount. It’s a hope in one hand, shit in the other situation.

Lesson learned….

Hope is not a strategy. Nor is depending on the government.

[kalm]

I wanted medicine to fix the pandemic. When I get sick, I don’t call up my elected officials.

I had hoped we had better leadership because I thought around 40% of the population were too stupid to protect themselves and their community….

Welp….I was wrong. It’s more like double that amount. It’s a hope in one hand, shit in the other situation.

Lesson learned….

Hope is not a strategy. Nor is depending on the government.

Clearly.

Although it would have been nice if people weren’t quite so selfish.

Oh well…

[89Hen]

TL;DR

I'd rather just complain.

[Ivytalk]

TL;DR

I'd rather just complain.

Ah, another idea for fixing my siggy! You’re gold, 89!

[89Hen]

TL;DR

I'd rather just complain.

Ah, another idea for fixing my siggy! You’re gold, 89!

Doesn't have quite the same cache though. This is more of a water is wet comment.

[Ivytalk]

Ah, another idea for fixing my siggy! You’re gold, 89!

Doesn't have quite the same cache though. This is more of a water is wet comment.

That’s what they said about Faulkner.

[AZGrizFan]

Hope is not a strategy. Nor is depending on the government.

Clearly.

Although it would have been nice if people weren’t quite so selfish.

Oh well…

You mean selfish like the Karens who a) think that THEIR health depends on something I do or is somehow MY responsibility despite the proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines in general and that b) are willing to publicly mock and ridicule anyone who doesn't agree with their freedom-sucking take on vaccine mandates?

And by the way, when the selfishness is an expression of personal freedom (we do still have that, right? This is still America?) it's not considered selfishness, we prefer "rugged individualism"...

[AZGrizFan]

By the way, I'm taking some of the best ideas from this thread and incorporating them into my actual manifesto.

[UNI88]

By the way, I'm taking some of the best ideas from this thread and incorporating them into my actual manifesto.

PSA - Do not accept any packages from AZ Kaczynski.

[UNI88]

Clearly.

Although it would have been nice if people weren’t quite so selfish.

Oh well…

You mean selfish like the Karens who a) think that THEIR health depends on something I do or is somehow MY responsibility despite the proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines in general and that b) are willing to publicly mock and ridicule anyone who doesn't agree with their freedom-sucking take on vaccine mandates?

And by the way, when the selfishness is an expression of personal freedom (we do still have that, right? This is still America?) it's not considered selfishness, we prefer "rugged individualism"...

And let's not forget the rude, selfish Karens who take it upon themselves to berate and sometimes physically attack store employees, restaurant servers, flight attendants, etc. who are just doing their job when asking customers to wear a mask as required by stated policy.

If you don't like the policy then don't shop in the store, eat at the restaurant or fly commercially.

[BDKJMU]

I don’t know of any state where just having ‘a joint’ will get you thrown in prison (more than a year). Just looked up TX. According to FindLaw under .25 oz is a Class B misdemeanor pubishable by up to 180 days in jail (not prison). How many people have actually gotten 180 days for ‘a joint’ (sans having a lengthy record). If the majority of Texans don’t agree with the pot laws, they can get the law(s) changed. I believe in general its easier to get a state law changed, than a national one.

I think the drinking age should be left up to the states. There’s nothing in the constitution about it.

I take a contructionist view. Article 1/Sec 8 lays out the 18 sets of enumerated powers of Congress. Abortion, drugs, drinking age, etc aren’t in there. And the 10th basically says if if not there, its up to the states..

You wanna split hairs about "jail" or "prison" fine. Still think it should be a national law, which eliminates the issues when moving between states.

Ok, you’re not as much for federalism then..

Edit: Again, I agree with everything else you have (90+%) outside the states’ rights/federalism stuff.

[JohnStOnge]

Get rid of ALL closed primaries.
Require rotation of primary dates (i.e. Iowa and New Hampshire don't always go first)
12 year term MAX for senators and house members

$2500 vouchers for lower-income individuals to get out of crowded, expensive cities
break up any bank that's too big to fail
bar Social Media companies from censoring information
cancel $250 billion of China debt over Covid

I strongly disagree with abolishing closed primaries on freedom of association grounds. Why should an unaffiliated voter have a right to select a major party candidate if he has no skin in the game? Many states let you change your registration before a primary and later change back. Leave it to the states, but don’t force open primaries on all of them. Of course, crossover primaries (where Donks can vote in GOP primaries and vice versa) are the absolute worst.

I agree completely. By that I mean that I don't think we should abolish closed primaries. I think we should abolish open primaries. If you are going to vote on who the Republican candidate should be, you should have to be a Republican. That's the point. A PARTY is choosing its candidate. Only members of that party should be allowed to vote for who the candidate of the party should be.

And the thing about Dems voting in Republican primaries and vice versa is obvious. We shouldn't want a system wherein Republicans can go out and vote for the Democratic candidate they think is most likely to lose the general election or the other way around.

If you want to vote in a Party primary, flipping become a member of that Party.

[JohnStOnge]

You mean selfish like the Karens who a) think that THEIR health depends on something I do or is somehow MY responsibility despite the proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines in general

You are not dealing with reality. There is no "proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines."

And that's the problem. We have so many people in the United States who are just totally divorced from reality.

[UNI88]

You mean selfish like the Karens who a) think that THEIR health depends on something I do or is somehow MY responsibility despite the proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines in general

You are not dealing with reality. There is no "proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines."

And that's the problem. We have so many people in the United States who are just totally divorced from reality.

Does the efficacy of the vaccine erode over time? Is it possible that it's worse (i.e. you're more vulnerable to COVID) to have been vaccinated than not, say 180-240+ days from your last dose?

The vaccines have bought us time but I'm not sure they're the long term solution.

[BDKJMU]

You mean selfish like the Karens who a) think that THEIR health depends on something I do or is somehow MY responsibility despite the proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines in general

You are not dealing with reality. There is no "proven lack of effectiveness of vaccines."

And that's the problem. We have so many people in the United States who are just totally divorced from reality.

The so called vaccine ie Covid shots have been proven effective in lessening symtoms, hospitalizations, deaths for a rather short period of time (6 month ls mas or menos). And its not really a vaccine if you’re going to need a booster every 6 months.

They have not been problvem effective in preventing the spread. Ex we’ve got 3-4x the cases that we had a year ago when hardly anyone had gotten shots..

[AZGrizFan]

Take that shit to the COVID thread or I’ll add “Revoke 1st Amendment” to my list.

[AZGrizFan]

By the way, I'm taking some of the best ideas from this thread and incorporating them into my actual manifesto.

PSA - Do not accept any packages from AZ Kaczynski.

Nah. I’m a lover not a fighter.

[Ivytalk]

Take that shit to the COVID thread or I’ll add “Revoke 1st Amendment” to my list.

Amen!

Now, back to revoking birthright citizenship and fortifying the border.

[AZGrizFan]

Take that shit to the COVID thread or I’ll add “Revoke 1st Amendment” to my list.

Amen!

Now, back to revoking birthright citizenship and fortifying the border.

Exactly.