That kind of fatalism is exactly why I wanted to make this thread. If the majority of citizens think we are on some kind of path to facism or some other undesirable form of governmet, why don't we have the power to change that? The majority can and should be a powerful thing.
The form of government is fine, not perfect but okay. How could anybody be completely satisfied when big money (corporate interests, unions, lawyers, etc, etc) lobbyists have so much power in congress. Term limits would certainly help return power to the people, or at least make us think that is the case.
ok, what's this thread about? oh . . . satisfied? definitely unsatisfied what can i do? not much, i'm very small what am i doing? getting the hell out of the way meaning, i live as correctly as i know how, living small . . .
Where are we to get the money to pay fpr all the additional staff, not to mention office space, etc.?
President Obama was elected by a very clear majority based on the changes that he clearly outlined in his campaign, yet the minority on the other side of the isle stifled those changes and turned his health care bill into a piece of shit that benefits the health care industry instead of the citizens. The power lies in money and the ignorance it controls. .
I just realized I haven't answered my own questions. I'm completely dissatisfied. I'm not doing shit. I don't think there's anything I can really do unless I can find an unusually large number of people who also want to do the same things. I also am very small. I thought about becoming an activist for a while until I realized that only about 5 people generally show at protests, so whats the point? I usually just turn my back on things and live happily in my little bubble. But, if it were up to me to restructure the entire government, I would eliminate states and split the country up into territories..Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest. I think people from these different territories tend to share some of the same idealogies. Each territory would have a Governor, with all governors acting together in a cohesive unite to form the Presidency of the US. All laws would be left entirely up to each individual territory except anything concerning the military and defense. Defense would be the only federally funded program, so that all territories would have to be in concordance with each other before declaring war. All other programs would work only where a majority of people in each territory wanted them to work. I think that would solve a lot of disagreements in this country. Universal healthcare, for example. If the majority of the Northwest wanted universal healthcare and a majority of the southeast did not, that wouldn't really cause months of delayed legislation. Just something I thought up on a rainy day. It really has no relevancy because it will never happen except in my head. But if I did have the power to change things, that is what I would do. Complete restructuring.
Here's why that will never happen: http://www.cracked.com/article_18777_5-scientific-reasons-powerful-people-will-always-suck.html .
what about foreign relations and treaties? taxes? and currency? post? patents? the courts?naturalization?interterritory commerce?
so its not a very well thought-out plan. There was a whole gang of our founding fathers hanging around to iron out the kinks in the Constitution. Thus far I'm the only founding mother of my imaginary United Territories of America. anything concerning foreign relations and treaties will be exercised at a federal level. Because defense will really be the only federal program, I think a flat federal sales tax would be the best way to go as far as federal taxes. Each territory would be able to decide on their own which form of taxation would be best for them. Currency would be issued by the federal government. I don't like the idea of a private bank such as the federal reserve controlling finance and inflation but I'm not really sure what a good alternative would be. I think each territory should be left to their own devices concerning the economy, with the federal government only serving to make laws which protect consumers, workers, and the environment. Patents i'm not sure about. I dont know enough about the patent system in place right now. I think the court system should stay basically the same. A federal supreme court, a Territorial court, and then each territory could be split into districts to have a district court, then municipal courts. naturalization should be processed at a federal level and once someone becomes a citizen they are free to move anywhere in the territories they wish. free and open trade as far as inter territory commerce goes. its rather fun planning your own country. everyone should try it.
I think there needs to be a good deal of federal regulation over trade, infrastructure, benefit programs, ect otherwise what you wind up with is 50 different countries of varying levels of development as well as varying and conflicting laws that happen to have a common defense and citizenship policy.
