Dictator of the Free World

[Wild Cobra]

If you could be dictator for a short time on the USA, what changes would you make before turning it back over to our form of representative government?

A few things I can think of, and they would be written in stone, as good as cons utional law.

Government spending:

The US military will have the highest of spending priorities.

Social programs will be cut dramatically except those affecting the elderly, disabled, short term needy, and children.

The national debt will be paid down every year except in times of recession or unexpected expenditures or ongoing military wartime spending.

The concept of a republic and states rights will be returned. No more government handouts to states except for large projects individually authorized buy congress and the president as deemed necessary.

Tax changes:

I would require all employers to give their employees a 7.65% pay raise and require all employee to pay 15% social taxes, replacing the 6.2% SS and 1.45% Medicare deductions, moving the employer match to the employee. This way the employee see the full impact of their paid taxes. Most other taxes would be eliminated and replaced by a consumption tax. This 15% tax can be changed by congress, but will always remain with no deductions and affect all wage classes by the same percentage and paid on all income.

Consumption taxes would be paid on all non essential items with each class having its own rate and/or method. Things like basic food items, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. would have no tax. Prepared food would be taxed.

Corporate and business taxes would be eliminated. Compe ion would reduce prices, and help be more compe ive in the world markets when taxes are not part of the cost of doing business.

Tariffs would be applied to all items imported that are like items we make here, or have historically made here. Rates will be set such that imports do not undercut USA manufactured items, and are still compe ive. Items that are unique to other countries could be exempted from tariffs, on a case by case basis.

[sabar]

Abolish death penalty
Increase jail time and fines for most crimes (wtf @ $1000 fine for torturing animals, lock up these weirdos)
Re-establish building new nuclear plants
Increase tax burden on wealthy people and business
Legalize weed
Reduce nuclear stockpile to non-world destroying amounts
Get SDI system in all friendly nations
Keep space weaponry banned
Dismantle N.Korean gov't, by force if needed
Leave border alone
Outlaw abortion unless for health of mother
Outlaw political parties
Remove boutons' and Yoni's internet service
Other stuff I haven't thought of

[fyatuk]

Restrict death penalty to repeat offenders only. Focus prison terms on psychiatric rehabilitation and job training (aka pretty much slave labor so the prisons pay for themselves).

Turn over control of welfare programs to the states and encourage progressive scale on payroll taxes.

Cons utional amendment restricting conscription to weapon owners only, and only to fill domestic positions when troops are moved overseas.

Reduce military spending, shifting those funds to anti-crime and intelligence.

Enforce the 10th amendment by reducing spending on non-core functions (core functions being military, intelligence, highway system, things like that) and decrease federal income taxes to a more acceptable level (goal would be highest tax bracket at 10%). All federal drug laws erased from the books, and all prisoners locked up solely on drug based charges fully pardoned (on the federal charges, if there are state laws involved, that's not my concern).

Completely ignore Israel and Palestine and let them figure it out for themselves. They both suffer from sleazy and disgusting governments anyway.

That's the big stuff anyway...

[xrayzebra]

[QUOTE=Wild Cobra]If you could be dictator for a short time on the USA, what changes would you make before turning it back over to our form of representative government?

A few things I can think of, and they would be written in stone, as good as cons utional law.

Government spending:

The US military will have the highest of spending priorities.

I would also get back to other basics of government.
Infracture, roads and sanitation projects. Encourage
private industry to invest in power, electric and oil
and other resources.

Social programs will be cut dramatically except those affecting the elderly, disabled, short term needy, and children.

Short term needy would be strictly limited and would have
to perform some sort of work to get help from the
government. Also no private organizations would
receive money or grants to do "education" or "re-training".
All education and re-training would be performed by
the ins utions already in existence.

The national debt will be paid down every year except in times of recession or unexpected expenditures or ongoing military wartime spending.

I would agree with the concept of a balanced budget, I am
not sure what you are trying to say here. I think maybe
you are talking about "reducing" the national debt.

The concept of a republic and states rights will be returned. No more government handouts to states except for large projects individually authorized buy congress and the president as deemed necessary.

In concert with the above idea I would appoint
strict cons utional types as Supreme Court Justices.
And any Justice that interjected his own "ideas" into
a ruling would be thrown off the court. If the
cons utions doesn't say it, it cant happen. He would
have to be ready to defend his opinion and show where
it says it in the language of the Cons ution.

Tax changes:

I would require all employers to give their employees a 7.65% pay raise and require all employee to pay 15% social taxes, replacing the 6.2% SS and 1.45% Medicare deductions, moving the employer match to the employee. This way the employee see the full impact of their paid taxes. Most other taxes would be eliminated and replaced by a consumption tax. This 15% tax can be changed by congress, but will always remain with no deductions and affect all wage classes by the same percentage and paid on all income.

Consumption taxes would be paid on all non essential items with each class having its own rate and/or method. Things like basic food items, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. would have no tax. Prepared food would be taxed.

Corporate and business taxes would be eliminated. Compe ion would reduce prices, and help be more compe ive in the world markets when taxes are not part of the cost of doing business.

Tariffs would be applied to all items imported that are like items we make here, or have historically made here. Rates will be set such that imports do not undercut USA manufactured items, and are still compe ive. Items that are unique to other countries could be exempted from tariffs, on a case by case basis.

A whole thread could be started on taxes alone. But I
would want everyone to pay their taxes only once a year
so they would know exactly what the government is
taking and feel the pinch, or bite.

The one item you left out which I would ins ute is
term limits and place it in the Cons ution. No
politician in Federal government could stay more than
two terms, period. No politician would ever be
en led to a pension after serving.

boutons would be appointed as a special advisor to
government, so they would be reminded of what
a real socialist liberal is like and what would happen
if they ever came into power. You know kinda like
a nagging wife.
[

[Oh, Gee!!]

put every repug in club gitmo for life

[Mr. Peabody]

I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man. And I think if I were the U.S. dictator I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with power.

[Yonivore]

1) Abolish the federal income tax and ins ute the Fair Tax.

2) I'd defund every federal program that didn't have explicit cons utional authority, fire all the employees, and sell the assets to the highest bidder.

3) I'd form a shadow government, comprised of those federal agencies that do have cons utional authority, so I could be selective in populating them with political appointees and career bureaucrats that hold the same strict cons utional view of government I have.

4) I'd defund those agencies that remained, fire all the employees that haven't alredy been moved to the shadow government, and ins ute the new government.

5) I would get the federal government out of state business and strictly adhere to the principle underlying the 10th amendment that whatever the federal government is not authorized to do, by the cons ution, is left to the states and the people to decide.

6) I'd pack the Supreme Court with like-minded individuals dedicated to a strict adherence to the Cons ution, individual rights, and preservation of innocent human life through a ruling that adheres to the principle of our founders that all humans, from the moment of conception, are endowed with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property.

7) I'd repeal the 17th amendment and return the States' representation to the federal government.

8) I'd fortify the Electoral College and make sure voters understood they are participating in a state election and not a federal election when they vote for President.

9) I would vacate all Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. and allow them access only to the Chambers in which they deliberate and vote. All Representative and Senators will have to meet with cons uents and lobbyists back in their home district office.

10) Before handing the reigns back over to the electorate, I'd amend the cons ution in such as way as it would require every piece of legislation introduced to contain the actual language, from the Cons ution, that would mandate or necessitate the contemplated legislation.

That's be for starters.

I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man. And I think if I were the U.S. dictator I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with power.

Welcome to the forum Mr. Clinton.

put every repug in club gitmo for life

You have issues.

[FromWayDowntown]

I'd immediately resign, because nobody wants a dictator and I wouldn't want to be a dictator anyway.

[FromWayDowntown]

6) I'd pack the Supreme Court with like-minded individuals dedicated to a strict adherence to the Cons ution, individual rights, and preservation of innocent human life through a ruling that adheres to the principle of our founders that all humans, from the moment of conception, are endowed with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property.

So you're a strict constructionist except when it suits you to dig into the intent of the founding Fathers? After years of extensive study, I've not seen the notion of conception anywhere in the text of the Cons ution.

In light of your other desires, I would think that your argument on that issue would be a 10th Amendment argument -- that it's a states rights issue.

[Yonivore]

So you're a strict constructionist except when it suits you to dig into the intent of the founding Fathers? After years of extensive study, I've not seen the notion of conception anywhere in the text of the Cons ution.

Hey, it's my dictatorial edict and it stays.

In light of your other desires, I would think that your argument on that issue would be a 10th Amendment argument -- that it's a states rights issue.

You'd be right except you're forgetting that, as dictator, I've included it in my strict cons utional interpretation.

[Spurminator]

I'd get rid of the Designated Hitter.

[FromWayDowntown]

You'd be right except you're forgetting that, as dictator, I've included it in my strict cons utional interpretation.

So, as a dictator, you're willing to be a strict cons utionalist unless doing so would preclude you from achieving the ends you wish to achieve -- and in those instances, you're willing to say the Cons ution means whatever the you think it should?

I guess a dictator who is a strict constructionist can actually re-write the Cons ution to suit his own purposes.

Just want to be clear about that.

[Oh, Gee!!]

In light of your other desires, I would think that your argument on that issue would be a 10th Amendment argument -- that it's a states rights issue.

states rights? whatevzz, that's soooooo paleocon.

[DarkReign]

1) Abolish the federal income tax and ins ute the Fair Tax.

2) I'd defund every federal program that didn't have explicit cons utional authority, fire all the employees, and sell the assets to the highest bidder.

3) I'd form a shadow government, comprised of those federal agencies that do have cons utional authority, so I could be selective in populating them with political appointees and career bureaucrats that hold the same strict cons utional view of government I have.

4) I'd defund those agencies that remained, fire all the employees that haven't alredy been moved to the shadow government, and ins ute the new government.

5) I would get the federal government out of state business and strictly adhere to the principle underlying the 10th amendment that whatever the federal government is not authorized to do, by the cons ution, is left to the states and the people to decide.

6) I'd pack the Supreme Court with like-minded individuals dedicated to a strict adherence to the Cons ution, individual rights, and preservation of innocent human life through a ruling that adheres to the principle of our founders that all humans, from the moment of conception, are endowed with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property.

7) I'd repeal the 17th amendment and return the States' representation to the federal government.

8) I'd fortify the Electoral College and make sure voters understood they are participating in a state election and not a federal election when they vote for President.

9) I would vacate all Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. and allow them access only to the Chambers in which they deliberate and vote. All Representative and Senators will have to meet with cons uents and lobbyists back in their home district office.

10) Before handing the reigns back over to the electorate, I'd amend the cons ution in such as way as it would require every piece of legislation introduced to contain the actual language, from the Cons ution, that would mandate or necessitate the contemplated legislation.

That's be for starters.

You forgot the part where the people would rise up, hunt you down, kill you in some horrible fashion, then go on to burn Washington DC to the ground, rape and kill anyone even remotely associated with you and your "Shadow Goverment", and install a Democracy with all its flaws.

I have read many of your posts. This one has told me everything I have ever wanted to know about you.

[George Gervin's Afro]

First order of business would be to declare that conservatism is a mental disorder.

[Yonivore]

You forgot the part where the people would rise up, hunt you down, kill you in some horrible fashion, then go on to burn Washington DC to the ground, rape and kill anyone even remotely associated with you and your "Shadow Goverment", and install a Democracy with all its flaws.

I have read many of your posts. This one has told me everything I have ever wanted to know about you.

Glad I could help.

[Extra Stout]

If I were dictator, I would have all sorts of idealistic yearnings for a short time, until I realized that the investor elite still really controlled everything. Then I would get discouraged and sell out.

I would wear a military uniform with a big red, white, and blue sash across my chest and a bunch of medals.

I would use a whole bunch of populist rhetoric, while in the meantime getting into bed with big business and the elites for my own personal enrichment and screwing over pretty much the whole country.

I would have an elaborate patronage system.

I would kill off just enough of my vocal political opponents to intimidate the rest into silence. This would be done quietly -- they would simply "disappear."

I would make the country appear superficially cleaner and wealthier by forcibly removing the poor to remote camps and demolishing their blighted neighborhoods. These I would replace with tacky-looking overdesigned edifices as monuments to my own greatness. Cost would be no object -- I would rack up extravagant debt, knowing full well that the middle class would bear the brunt of the inevitable collapse, not my new rich friends.

My picture would be on signs and billboards everywhere reminding the populace of my kind, wise, paternalistic care for them.

I would become quite expert at vague biblical pla udes to make the public think I was on their side.

I would engage in token oppression against unpopular minority groups that the majority doesn't like.

The military would have an expanded presence in everyday life. They would be used both to intimdate the population, yet simultaneously make them feel safe. I would trump up all sorts of vague threats from foreign lands, from which I would be certain to protect my people. Any dip in my popularity would be taken care of by a patriotism-inspiring military action.

When a violent popular uprising forced me from power at some indeterminate point in the future, my rich friends would whisk me away into "exile" in some isolated European villa, where I would live comfortably until I was extradited at an age where I would be too old to care.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

1) Abolish the death penalty

2) Repeal the second amendment

3) cut military spending by 70%, focus remaining spending on intelligence services and special forces

4) cut down the 10,000 nuclear weapons in this country by 95%

5) create an entrenched right to abortion without casey restrictions in all states

6) take 70% of the money taken from the military and put it into education, health care, and research and development

7) the other 30% of the military spending should go to the national debt

8) rewrite the tax code so that the wealthiest americans lose all tax loopholes and specifically repeal all the tax cuts bush created for them

9) ins ute radical reforms in environmental standards, (the majority of the R&D the government does will now be in the energy field)

10) get some ass (i would think that as dictator i would have a few options--- you ever see a world leader without good looking chicks?)

[RobinsontoDuncan]

If I were dictator, I would have all sorts of idealistic yearnings for a short time, until I realized that the investor elite still really controlled everything. Then I would get discouraged and sell out.

I would wear a military uniform with a big red, white, and blue sash across my chest and a bunch of medals.

I would use a whole bunch of populist rhetoric, while in the meantime getting into bed with big business and the elites for my own personal enrichment and screwing over pretty much the whole country.

I would have an elaborate patronage system.

I would kill off just enough of my vocal political opponents to intimidate the rest into silence. This would be done quietly -- they would simply "disappear."

I would make the country appear superficially cleaner and wealthier by forcibly removing the poor to remote camps and demolishing their blighted neighborhoods. These I would replace with tacky-looking overdesigned edifices as monuments to my own greatness. Cost would be no object -- I would rack up extravagant debt, knowing full well that the middle class would bear the brunt of the inevitable collapse, not my new rich friends.

My picture would be on signs and billboards everywhere reminding the populace of my kind, wise, paternalistic care for them.

I would become quite expert at vague biblical pla udes to make the public think I was on their side.

I would engage in token oppression against unpopular minority groups that the majority doesn't like.

The military would have an expanded presence in everyday life. They would be used both to intimdate the population, yet simultaneously make them feel safe. I would trump up all sorts of vague threats from foreign lands, from which I would be certain to protect my people. Any dip in my popularity would be taken care of by a patriotism-inspiring military action.

When a violent popular uprising forced me from power at some indeterminate point in the future, my rich friends would whisk me away into "exile" in some isolated European villa, where I would live comfortably until I was extradited at an age where I would be too old to care.

an excellent job rehashing a century of latin american history--especially if the rich friends are americans

[Yonivore]

I'd get rid of the Designated Hitter.

Amen to that!

[Extra Stout]

an excellent job rehashing a century of latin american history--especially if the rich friends are americans

20th-century LatAm history/USA future 20-30 years down the road, same thing.

[samikeyp]

Season tickets....everywhere.

[clambake]

1) Abolish the federal income tax and ins ute the Fair Tax.

2) I'd defund every federal program that didn't have explicit cons utional authority, fire all the employees, and sell the assets to the highest bidder.

3) I'd form a shadow government, comprised of those federal agencies that do have cons utional authority, so I could be selective in populating them with political appointees and career bureaucrats that hold the same strict cons utional view of government I have.

4) I'd defund those agencies that remained, fire all the employees that haven't alredy been moved to the shadow government, and ins ute the new government.

5) I would get the federal government out of state business and strictly adhere to the principle underlying the 10th amendment that whatever the federal government is not authorized to do, by the cons ution, is left to the states and the people to decide.

6) I'd pack the Supreme Court with like-minded individuals dedicated to a strict adherence to the Cons ution, individual rights, and preservation of innocent human life through a ruling that adheres to the principle of our founders that all humans, from the moment of conception, are endowed with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property.

7) I'd repeal the 17th amendment and return the States' representation to the federal government.

8) I'd fortify the Electoral College and make sure voters understood they are participating in a state election and not a federal election when they vote for President.

9) I would vacate all Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. and allow them access only to the Chambers in which they deliberate and vote. All Representative and Senators will have to meet with cons uents and lobbyists back in their home district office.

10) Before handing the reigns back over to the electorate, I'd amend the cons ution in such as way as it would require every piece of legislation introduced to contain the actual language, from the Cons ution, that would mandate or necessitate the contemplated legislation.

I think you left out the noticable absense of dark colored skin.

[PixelPusher]

So, as a dictator, you're willing to be a strict cons utionalist unless doing so would preclude you from achieving the ends you wish to achieve -- and in those instances, you're willing to say the Cons ution means whatever the you think it should?

I guess a dictator who is a strict constructionist can actually re-write the Cons ution to suit his own purposes.

Just want to be clear about that.

Did you really need this thread to peg Yoni as a nit-picking, strict-only-on-the-precedents-I-like Cons utionalist?

[PixelPusher]

The US military will have the highest of spending priorities.

In other words, turn us into a military state like Israel.

It's amazing how Republicans who rail against big government bureaucracy and social spending programs are all for dramatically increasing the budget of the largest federal bureaucracy already in existence. You don't think the military is capable of waste or bureaucratic red tape? You don't think no-bid contracts and outright favoritism shown to certain military contractors over others (in exchange for lucrative jobs from those same contrators after those officers retire) hinders the free market? There's nothing "free market" about a massive military industrial complex.

Food, housing, medical care, tax deferrments...not so de able to Republicans when it's the military doing it for some reason.