FWIW

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

So perhaps we can put aside the question of whether OWSers are so clueless that they deserve to get pepper-sprayed and/or whether Tea Partiers are heartless proto-fascists to consider the more fundamental policy questions facing the good ol’ US of A.

Clearly, we are not advancing any closer to a solution by either insisting that Wall Street embrace ethical capitalism or that deficit reductions be achieved without a single penny of additional revenue.
 
Therefore, being the BSD that I am, I am offering to solve the problems of the nation.
 
Here is my proposal: 

1. Temporarily revoke the so-called “Bush tax cuts.”  Just as the cuts themselves were given a fixed date of expiration, we can do the same with their revocation.  That way, a return to previous rates will be framed as a short-term measure to address the immediate issue of debt reduction.
2. Reduce the military budget by 15%.  We are pulling out of Iraq and Afghanistan.  Libya demonstrated an alternative model for regime change.  At some point, we are going to draw down our position in South Korea as well.  The Pentagon is going to have to figure out how to keep us and our people on the ground safe on a tighter budget.  There is little doubt that this can be done—no matter what Panetta says.
3. Raise the age at which Social Security starts paying benefits.  This can be done somewhat gradually.  People are living longer.  The government can’t afford to pay benefits for 35 years.  So we all have to come to terms with the fact that we have to either work longer or get through the first few years of retirement without government assistance.  Yes, I know we paid into the system.  Oh well.  This move perhaps more than any other will send the right message to the purchasers of Federal debt.
4. Vote against every single incumbent in Congress.  It’s time to stop playing games with these guys.  Republicans and Democrats alike need to hold their noses and just vote out whoever is in there now.  They have not just failed individually.  They have failed collectively.  Our legislators need to know that their failures will result in an immediate end to their political careers.  If they can’t do the job they were hired for, let them find another one.
5. Ban anyone who has ever held public office from ever accepting a single dollar from any company that does any business with the government.  Period.  If you want to be a public servant, be one.  If you want to parlay your connections into a lucrative career, stay in the private sector.  We don’t need you in our government.
6. Pass campaign finance reform.  It is really not that hard to come up with a formula to cap spending based on parameters such as number of voters and media costs in a given geography.  Fundraising should not be the differentiating factor for our public servants.  A good jawline and the ability to maintain the loyalty of anyone you’ve paid for sex are more important.  Also maybe having a brain.
7. Make me Pope.  Seriously.  It’s the only way to get the Jesuits under control.

We are still a year away from the Presidential election.  I’m sure that with your support we can turn the ship of state around.  You’ll find the duty-free shop there on your left.

Comments

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Fat chance. The OWS crowd will just vote for the same Democrats they've always voted for. At least the Tea Party voted for different R's. Liberals are just far too morally comfortable with their political identity to feel like they have to change anything. All the activism in the world means nothing in a democracy if you're just going to vote for the same-old-D-bags anyways.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Don't be so defeatist. Together, we can win the hearts and minds of the American people.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

I always vote against incumbents.

Always.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I actually thought it was interesting, but OK. :(

[ghoststrider.livejournal.com]

I see what you did there.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I can't believe anyone is still using DOS.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

Sadly I would agree with most of your proposals.

I say "sadly" because someone saying "I agree" isn't exactly conducive to a long or interesting discussion.

In regards to specifics...

1: I like the expiration date idea. In fact I would like to see it applied more often. There are a lot of crap laws on the books and it'd be nice if they had exiration dates.

2: I think you could get 10% simply by re-structuring the way contracts and procurements are handled. A lot of man-hours both military and civillian get wasted on things that have nothing to do with accomplishing the mission.

3,4, and 5: This has been my position for some time now.

6: with 4 and 5 would this really be needed? that said, I agree on the "real qualifications" part.

7: Sure why not. Its not like I give a crap who gets to be king of the catholics.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR POSITION ON WHAT IS OR IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO A LONG OR INTERESTING DISCUSSION!

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

If I might add one more:

8. Stop gerrymandering by both parties. Let the League of Women Voters draw the Congressional Districts - and none of them can be six times longer than they are wide.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

The League of Women Voters is just another front for the Jesuits. Don't be a sap.

[malakh-abaddon.livejournal.com]

1. Yeah I agree with that, I would go back to pre-Reagan rates. Just saying. Would also go back to pre-Reagan banking regulation. I would also axe these free trade agreements, so we can enact tariffs and make it cheaper to build it here.

2. I can agree with this as well. Reduce the budget by 15%, make our military leaner and more cost effective.

3. On this I disagree. We have been steadily raising the age that the elderly can collect their social security, without penalty, and that has not helped the situation. We need to limit the payouts, but remove the pay in limit. I would also like to point out, that many people pay in and never collect, as they "expire" before they can retire. As it stands, I will be in my early seventies before I will be able to collect "my" social security benefits, and lets be clear on this matter, I might not make it to that golden age. Not even today is a given in this existence, and I really do not like the prospects of having to work till I die just to live, they are called the golden years for a reason.

4. If we say our elected officials get nothing done now, this will really screw the pooch. While I agree that we should hold our officials responsible for their actions, this opens the door for much worse. We must remember that there are good officials within our government, these people really do try. Term limits would be better in the short term.

5. I agree with this, but would alter it to state that if one has ever been in the employe of a company that works for or with a state, or the federal government cannot hold public office. I would also say that after the term of their office has ended, they cannot work in any capacity for these companies. No calling in favors before or after your time as a public official.

6. I agree with this. It could potentially open up the field for new faces, fresh ideas, and the like, if only everyone had a level playing field.

7. Good luck with that. I have a better chance of becoming pope as a secular Jew, who tends to hang with Pagans and Wiccans.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I might amend 3 to raise the pay-in limit -- and also introduce some kind of means testing. If Social Security is meant as a safety net, we can probably devise a reasonable formula to minimize the withdrawals from those who wind up not needing a full payout.

Oh, and thanks for pissing all over my single motivating ambition. What am I supposed to live for now? You can't just take a man's dream from him like that without offering him something in its stead. Sheesh.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Sold!

I especially like #7.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I will need a little muscle to help make that happen. How capable are you with a canister of pepper spray?

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Number 5 is the most important and the most hopeless factor for making this country so much better than it is.

And I think the pope should either be openly gay , female or have a family life with kids, so if you're either of these things, I'll vote for you. Of course my vote won't count, as I'm not a shrunken old man with a wrinkly atrophied penis.

[onefatmusicnerd.livejournal.com]

Or a kid and a divorce and a string of torrid affairs... I nominate me and every one in Louisiana over the age 16.

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

Vote against every single incumbent in Congress. It’s time to stop playing games with these guys. Republicans and Democrats alike need to hold their noses and just vote out whoever is in there now. They have not just failed individually. They have failed collectively. Our legislators need to know that their failures will result in an immediate end to their political careers. If they can’t do the job they were hired for, let them find another one.

We already do that every few years. The problem is that once we throw the bums out, we vote new bums in. Then you get guys like Scott Brown who can't find his way to his own office for the first six months.

Apply. Rinse. Repeat.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is the case. Incumbents are actually pretty secure.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

IAWTC

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

You forgot No 1:

Term Limits. Solves a whole lot of issues.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not totally convinced about that yet. I think there are good legislators who we don't want to replace. And I kinda like the notion of merit-based seniority.

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

1. Sounds good, so long as the extra tax revenue isn't laundered back into new spending. Once the immediate debt crisis is dealt with, it would be great to see more accountability, so that if the country heads in this direction again, this sort of temporary measure could be implemented proactively.
2. I would go further than 15%. The basic requirement for the US military is to defend American borders, and this can easily be done for less than 85% of the current budget.
3. Yes, raise the age, but more importantly, adjust what comes out of social security so that over time it does not exceed what people are collectively willing to put into it. Something like a balanced budget rule could be used for this.
4. Good luck getting people to collectively influence Congress. Term limits might be more effective.
5. On the one hand, I like it, but for some people, those who actually had real jobs before boarding the taxpayer gravy train, it might prevent them from going back to their old employment, so it could be a deterrent to good people from running for office. Also, don't forget to ban old politicians from accepting plum government appointments.
6. Yes.
7. Sure, but remember that after your term of office as Pope expires, you won't be allowed to accept a single dollar from any company that does business with the Catholic Church. Sauce for goose, old boy.

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

I'd like to subscribe to your cult eeeh, newsletter.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Do you have PayPal?

[eracerhead.livejournal.com]

If all that can be accomplished is to force the implementation of #5 I'd be happy, but it doesn't go far enough.

I'd go so far as to say that political contributions of all kinds should be banned with the exception of those from individual US citizens.

[ghoststrider.livejournal.com]

#1: I think every law should come with a sunset provision. Every law must be re-passed every 5 or 6 years. That would clean up the majority of the crap within our government.

#2: Not enough. We have to shut down all overseas bases and probably cut military spending by around 40% if we're going to make any appreciable dent. And the real problem isn't with military spending, although that's huge, it's entitlements.

#3: Also, put in an opt-out provision for younger people who don't want to go through this rigamarole, and put in place means testing.

#4: Term limits. Term limits, term limits, term limits. This is what we so desperately need. I would also add that we require redistricting by either an independent, nonpartisan commission, or done by a computer (ala splitline algorithm (http://rangevoting.org/GerryExamples.html)), and a switch from plurality voting to approval voting (http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/8845-real-reform-begins-in-the-ballot-box).

#5: I'm mixed on this. On the one hand, I definitely think we need to cut down on government-business collusion. On the other, I don't think it's fair to ban people after they've already left government, and moreover, since EVERYBODY does business with the government nowadays, that would pretty much block out the entirety of public service after they've left.

#6: I just can't sign on to this. I'm part of that group who believes that money is free speech, and I can't see capping it at all. If you donate to Candidate A, you're showing your support. I do believe in full transparency, though, which means that PACs have to disclose the donors and whatnot.

#7: The who?

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Yes, but what most ppl don't get is that if #1 is going to work it takes (oh no! The dirty word!) intelligent and efficient bureaucracy. Unfortunately these dots don't connect with dismantling a bunch of government branches with a single thought of saving money in mind - this is what created the flawed bureaucracy in the first place. See, this is the problem, many ppl don't really get what makes a civic society great, one part if it is intelligent bureaucracy, which craves order, money and planning(still a piss in the sea compared to costs in many other fields, which is what is so damning in cutting just any bureaucratic chains, they really weren't the things costing most in the first place).

#1 is good, I wonder how many ppl have an idea what it *practically* takes to make it work. It takes a smart and backed up bureaucratic system, otherwise it's going to be undoable or a complete mess, as so many things already are in the cradle here in the US.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

but what about Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Keith Ellison?
Those two can keep their seats. other incumbents MUST GO!

Re: On point 3

[il-mio-gufo.livejournal.com]

yeah, i sort of got hung up on #3 also :/

The working poor are in fact barely living much longer

& if they are, who will hire them at such an age? who won't find a reason to lay them off, or let them go? not many companies i will say

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Having 5 means you don't need 6. Other than that, I don't see a problem here.