"...and hopefully wank-free discussion" Your naïveté is cute. ;-)
My ideal government would start with the one currently in place in the United States (three-branch Executive-Judicial-Legislative with a bicameral Legislature and a robust network of checks and balances). I would prefer that the Executive be directly elected, all positions be elected via range voting (http://rangevoting.org/), and that referendums, initiatives, ballot initiatives, and recall elections be implemented nationally. I would also like to see districting taken out of the hands of humans altogether, via the shortest splitline algorithm (http://rangevoting.org/GerryExamples.html) (or any algorithm that can be shown to work better). Maximum government transparency.
Economic policies
Government as referee through antifraud, antitrust, and safety regulation. Government as shepherd of essential national resources (national parks and the like). Government as manager of public pools of money (unemployment insurance, health insurance, pensions, and the like) to ensure everybody has the basics covered, but with a parallel private sector for those that want to supplement the public coverage. Heavy government investment in infrastructure, education, and primary research. Little (if any) nationalized industry — the government can't make an effective ref if it's also one of the players.
Social policies
Only things harming another person would be illegal or given lower legal status. This would include complete legalization of drugs, but with the caveat that breaking a law while under the influence would carry stiffer penalties and mandatory rehab. Homosexual and even group marriages would have equal status as heterosexual marriages. Cruelty to animals would be illegal, but not harm (e.g. killing for food).
Credits & Style Info
Talk Politics. A place to discuss politics without egomaniacal mods
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2/7/11 23:02 (UTC)"...and hopefully wank-free discussion" Your naïveté is cute. ;-)
My ideal government would start with the one currently in place in the United States (three-branch Executive-Judicial-Legislative with a bicameral Legislature and a robust network of checks and balances). I would prefer that the Executive be directly elected, all positions be elected via range voting (http://rangevoting.org/), and that referendums, initiatives, ballot initiatives, and recall elections be implemented nationally. I would also like to see districting taken out of the hands of humans altogether, via the shortest splitline algorithm (http://rangevoting.org/GerryExamples.html) (or any algorithm that can be shown to work better). Maximum government transparency.
Economic policies
Government as referee through antifraud, antitrust, and safety regulation. Government as shepherd of essential national resources (national parks and the like). Government as manager of public pools of money (unemployment insurance, health insurance, pensions, and the like) to ensure everybody has the basics covered, but with a parallel private sector for those that want to supplement the public coverage. Heavy government investment in infrastructure, education, and primary research. Little (if any) nationalized industry — the government can't make an effective ref if it's also one of the players.
Social policies
Only things harming another person would be illegal or given lower legal status. This would include complete legalization of drugs, but with the caveat that breaking a law while under the influence would carry stiffer penalties and mandatory rehab. Homosexual and even group marriages would have equal status as heterosexual marriages. Cruelty to animals would be illegal, but not harm (e.g. killing for food).