If you founded a country...

[Ivy Mike]

If I were to add anything to our current constitution, I'd add that all legislation to be introduced must cite the section of the constitution that allows such legislation to be passed.

 

[DRZinn]

I hope you don't mind that I lifted it from you.

Natch.

Work in progress attached.

Equal slots of time will be alotted to all candidates who wish to state their positions publicly.

Really? Who will be forced to use their resources to provide the candidates' time? And what happens when ten thousand kooks declare themselves candidates?

 

[ctdonath]

Wolves have lived in harmony with the world for eons.

Not sure I'd call eat-or-be-eaten, be-strong-or-die "harmony".

We are the only animals weak enough to need a "country".

Yup. Unmistakably pale (for many here), no useful hair, crummy teeth & claws, relatively weak. ...yet somehow we ended up at the top of the food chain. Perhaps that "country" thing had something to do with it.

 

[Riktoven]

Really? Who will be forced to use their resources to provide the candidates' time? And what happens when ten thousand kooks declare themselves candidates?

Well, it would be the only legal opportunity for the candidates to voice their political views on television, outside of any television interviews the privately owned television feel like running. So I would think networks would be all over it, and they'd all be welcome. No one says you can't have commercials.

No more spending billions of dollars on campaign ads ala Bush tactical doctrine of just saying the same thing over and over enough in the hopes that you brainwash people into believing you. Wow...that looks a lot harsher than I meant it in print, but seriously I had to endure campaign ads watching my kids' shows on Nickelodeon; I find it hard to belive that much of the $3.9 billion spent on campaign ads this last go-around came from proactive individuals wanting to support thier candidate. The vast majority of that is paid for by a number of industries for political influence. Buying votes.

Also, Lobbyists <how the heck do you spell that word?> paying money or goods directly to senators is shady. Politicians get a salary, and that should be the extent that they are allowed to profit financially from thier position.


Edit: And as for the 10,000 kook thing: obviously ther would be a number of smaller local elections held in similar fashion. These smaller elections would be sudden death elections in brackets professional footbal style (has to be pro ball, I can't make heads or tails of the college ranking) leading up to the final two, four, eight...somthing reasonable.

 

[iapetus]

Why are so many people wanting to discriminate against non-home owners?

Many people (at least here in the UK) are unable to own their own homes, either due to financial considerations (land to build on is limited, therefore houses are expensive), or for practical reasons. I, for example, have had to move around quite a lot in the past few years, due to working/studying in different parts of the country, and so renting has been much more convenient for me that buying my own place would be.

Why would that make me insufficiently competent or trustworthy to have a say in how the laws that govern me are made?


And seeing that one of the rallying cries the founders of America was "no taxation without representation", would you be willing to exempt non-property owners from all taxation?

 

[tellner]

ctdonath, what do you mean we're "at the top of the food chain". By any measure the ants are much more successful than we are. And we could make a similar case for the rats. Size isn't everything, you know...

 

[XDKingslayer]

My county would be easy.

There would be a large mound of dirt in the center of the capitol. He who is on top of the mound, rules. He who is on top of the mound must remember that his subjects are armed, within shooting distance, and outnumber him many to 1.

That ensures that he will be a good little ruler.

It also ensures that sooner or later people will start to realize that as a ruler, you can't please all the people all the time and nobody will want to be ruler. This will force them to get along nice with each other.

Civil disturbances will be handled just as easy. By duels. Winner of the duel, wins the disturbance. This will cause people to realize that petty crap aint worth dying for and will realize that suing people for little things now carries a more serious consequence.

Criminals will be handled just as easy.

Petty crime: 2 years minimum on prison island.
Misdemeanor: 5 years minumum on prison island.
Felony: Death. You aren't a productive member of society. You aren't needed and you are screwing up the gene pool of my wonderful country. Goodbye. You're fired. You've been Xed.

Appeal? Um...no.

Any repeat offender is automatically promoted to the next level of punishment.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I would immediately and instantly abolish all rule and law, and then dissolve my country. 100% rule of nature.

Wolves have lived in harmony with the world for eons. We are the only animals weak enough to need a "country".

You'd already be dead in that case. From your other post a few months ago regarding wanting to join the military: I am not real athletic or strong, and I'd never pass the tests for physical posts (bad scoliosis, flat feet, horrible vision, among other things).

Weak members of the pack don't last long. You should be glad humans are so "weak" as to let you live and eat. Wolves wouldn't be so kind.