Things To Do

[SEVERUSMAX]

1. Abolish income taxes for those making under 100 k.
2. Rebuild infrastructure. Highways, airports, etc.
3. Reform Social Security and Medicare.
4. Legalize pot and collect revenue from excises to pay for the expenses of 1 and 2.
5. Privatize AMTRAK and the nationalized bank shares.
6. Impose a land tax on corporate farmland. A 10 to 20% surcharge, to collect back payment for the corporate welfare that has enriched certain agribusinesses at the public's expense.
7. Balance the budget.
8. Impose economic sanctions on aggressors and human rights violators (Russia, China), such as higher tariffs.

At the state level, institute public health care, if the voters don't ban it.

 

[Liar]

That's a helluva lot of pot.

 

[rgraham666]

I think you should move #1 to the end of the list. It makes #2 and 3 impossible to accomplish.

 

[Guest]

Oh, it's a little early to start complaining, isn't it?

He won't be in charge for 77 days.

I'm sure you'll find lots of things to bitch about then.

 

[AchtungNight]

1. Fix the economy.

2. Restore the good reputation of the US Presidential office.

These are my only expectations of Obama. Yes, I know they cover a lot.

 

[oggbashan]

My list:

1. Abolish waterboarding and apologise for it.
2. Abolish extraordinary rendition and apologise for it.
3. Close Gitmo and apologise for it.
4. Make security on entry to the US as polite and friendly as possible while deterring terrorists but welcoming genuine visitors.
5. Work with the people of Afghanistan to create a genuinely popular government that isn't corrupt AND let Afghan farmers grow and sell opium for medical uses.
6. Work with other major governments to make the United Nations a real power for peace throughout the world, with enforceable penalties for rogue states.

Og

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

I think you should move #1 to the end of the list. It makes #2 and 3 impossible to accomplish.

Not if we also do 4,5,6, and 8.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

Oh, it's a little early to start complaining, isn't it?

He won't be in charge for 77 days.

I'm sure you'll find lots of things to bitch about then.

Not complaining. Just posting my own personal preferences.

If even 2 of those are achieved, I'll be a little happier.

 

[epiphany65]

1. Abolish income taxes for those making under 100 k.
2. Rebuild infrastructure. Highways, airports, etc.
3. Reform Social Security and Medicare.
4. Legalize pot and collect revenue from excises to pay for the expenses of 1 and 2.
5. Privatize AMTRAK and the nationalized bank shares.
6. Impose a land tax on corporate farmland. A 10 to 20% surcharge, to collect back payment for the corporate welfare that has enriched certain agribusinesses at the public's expense.
7. Balance the budget.
8. Impose economic sanctions on aggressors and human rights violators (Russia, China), such as higher tariffs.

At the state level, institute public health care, if the voters don't ban it.

I heard a reporter comment on #2 last night. He said that the nation's bridges and power grid are in severe need of repair, or outright replacement. With hundreds of thousands of people now unemployed (and more daily) this just might be the shot in the arm that the economy needs. Plus, it's badly needed. Where the money will come from is the obvious question, but I think that now is the time to begin bringing the troops home and getting Iraq to start paying The US back the money they're owed -- that would certainly help.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

No one has said it so I'll take a shot...

Our new President, while probably a nice guy, is a politician. Get it. It will be business as usual in Washington, nothing getting done except the lining of their pockets with lobbyists money and backroom deals.

Politicians, their all the same. After as much power as they can get. None of them care about us, only in the power and money they can get before they get thrown out of office. Yet the population of the country, in it's infinite stupidity, keeps putting the same jerks in office over and over again. While some of the jerks may be new to Washington, they are the same as the old jerks.

Oh and I include myself one of the infinitely stupid.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

No one has said it so I'll take a shot...

Our new President, while probably a nice guy, is a politician. Get it. It will be business as usual in Washington, nothing getting done except the lining of their pockets with lobbyists money and backroom deals.

Politicians, their all the same. After as much power as they can get. None of them care about us, only in the power and money they can get before they get thrown out of office. Yet the population of the country, in it's infinite stupidity, keeps putting the same jerks in office over and over again. While some of the jerks may be new to Washington, they are the same as the old jerks.

Oh and I include myself one of the infinitely stupid.

We'll see. What else can we do but wait and see?

 

[epiphany65]

No one has said it so I'll take a shot...

Our new President, while probably a nice guy, is a politician. Get it. It will be business as usual in Washington, nothing getting done except the lining of their pockets with lobbyists money and backroom deals.

Politicians, their all the same. After as much power as they can get. None of them care about us, only in the power and money they can get before they get thrown out of office. Yet the population of the country, in it's infinite stupidity, keeps putting the same jerks in office over and over again. While some of the jerks may be new to Washington, they are the same as the old jerks.

Oh and I include myself one of the infinitely stupid.

You're disenfranchising yourself with your cynicism and that's a shame.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Politicians horse trade. They wont vote for their own pay raise unless someone gives them money to do it.

Besides, they already gave 2 trillion bucks to the bankers, there's no more left to spend.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

You're disenfranchising yourself with your cynicism and that's a shame.

But if I'm cynical then I won't be disappointed when it comes true and surprised if it does.

 

[sr71plt]

Our new President, while probably a nice guy, is a politician. Get it. It will be business as usual in Washington, nothing getting done except the lining of their pockets with lobbyists money and backroom deals.

Politicians, their all the same. After as much power as they can get. None of them care about us, only in the power and money they can get before they get thrown out of office. Yet the population of the country, in it's infinite stupidity, keeps putting the same jerks in office over and over again. While some of the jerks may be new to Washington, they are the same as the old jerks.

Oh and I include myself one of the infinitely stupid.

Actually quite a lot gets done from Washington. I think you'd be shocked if Washington just stopped getting you all of the services and protections you receive without being able to grasp all that is involved in keeping a country ticking.

But, you are almost right in one respect--the new president will only be able to make changes on the margin, and, if he's smart, mostly gradually. Where you miscue, though, is that this isn't because of what politicians do/don't do--it's because most of the business of the government is in the hands of the professional bureaucracy working with established laws/regulations/customs/powers. Politicians can only effect change on the margin too.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Actually quite a lot gets done from Washington. I think you'd be shocked if Washington just stopped getting you all of the services and protections you receive without being able to grasp all that is involved in keeping a country ticking.

But, you are almost right in one respect--the new president will only be able to make changes on the margin, and, if he's smart, mostly gradually. Where you miscue, though, is that this isn't because of what politicians do/don't do--it's because most of the business of the government is in the hands of the professional bureaucracy working with established laws/regulations/customs/powers. Politicians can only effect change on the margin too.

Which are/were put in place by said politicians. So what's your point? If they want it to change they have the power, now don't they?

 

[sr71plt]

Which are/were put in place by said politicians. So what's your point? If they want it to change they have the power, now don't they?

"Said politicians," like in starting with George Washington?

My point is that I find such sweeping generalizations and scapegoating of "politicians" and what happens in Washington uninformed, and, frankly, a little dimwitted. Also tiresome.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

"Said politicians," like in starting with George Washington?

My point is that I find such sweeping generalizations and scapegoating of "politicians" and what happens in Washington uninformed, and, frankly, a little dimwitted. Also tiresome.

I just realized that you find all kind of things tiresome, you must be one tired individual.

Nothing happens in Washington without the approval of congress and the president. And I find such uniformed meandering tiresome and misinformed.

 

[sr71plt]

I just realized that you find all kind of things tiresome, you must be one tired individual.

Nothing happens in Washington without the approval of congress and the president. And I find such uniformed meandering tiresome and misinformed.

I find all sorts of things exciting. Lame scapegoating and sweeping uninformed assumptions from the hinterland? Not so much.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I find all sorts of things exciting. Lame scapegoating and sweeping uninformed assumptions from the hinterland? Not so much.

And you're a well informed unassuming person not from the hinterland?

I'm glad you think so much of yourself.

 

[fifty5]

My list:

1. Abolish waterboarding and apologise for it.
2. Abolish extraordinary rendition and apologise for it.
3. Close Gitmo and apologise for it.
4. Make security on entry to the US as polite and friendly as possible while deterring terrorists but welcoming genuine visitors.
5. Work with the people of Afghanistan to create a genuinely popular government that isn't corrupt AND let Afghan farmers grow and sell opium for medical uses.
6. Work with other major governments to make the United Nations a real power for peace throughout the world, with enforceable penalties for rogue states.

Og

Fuck it Og, why do you keep posting what I think before I even think it?

 

[sr71plt]

And you're a well informed unassuming person not from the hinterland?

I'm glad you think so much of yourself.

Well on this particular issue, I'm pretty well informed--and well experienced--yes. Talk to me about the feeding habits of yaks, and I'm at a total loss. (But then I don't making sweeping statements about that either.)

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

Excises on newly legalized things like pot could pay for a lot. Not to mention save money wasted on the war on drugs. We could scrap the DEA, for instance.

But I don't see that happening, so I favor a repeal of GATT, drastic changes to NAFTA, and economic sanctions on certain rogue nations. And that's not counting despicable regimes like those in Russia and China. High tariffs are the key to offset the revenue loss.

Of course, we could end the embargo on Cuba and impose a tobacco tariff, but not yet. Wait for Raul to make serious reforms first.

 

[oggbashan]

Fuck it Og, why do you keep posting what I think before I even think it?

Probably because I'm here more frequently than you are.

Og

 

[starrkers]

My list:

1. Abolish waterboarding and apologise for it.
2. Abolish extraordinary rendition and apologise for it.
3. Close Gitmo and apologise for it.
4. Make security on entry to the US as polite and friendly as possible while deterring terrorists but welcoming genuine visitors.
5. Work with the people of Afghanistan to create a genuinely popular government that isn't corrupt AND let Afghan farmers grow and sell opium for medical uses.
6. Work with other major governments to make the United Nations a real power for peace throughout the world, with enforceable penalties for rogue states.

Og

I like this list. It is a good list.