5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
If you had the powers of persuasion (heaven help us if you really did, but this is idle fancy here) to rally America to tackle 5 core reforms, what reforms would you choose? In the conservative spirit, let's keep them to reforms that the government could legitimately make, not of the silly "I'd outlaw war" or "I'm going to nationalize healthcare" types. You've only got 5, then you'll either retire or, well...
To kick off my own list (in no particular order):
1. Remove professional trade associations from the process of accreditations. Get the teachers out of deciding who becomes teachers, get the ABA out of law schools, get AMA out of medicine, etc. These medieval guild relics have so gamed the system that they wield policy power disproportionate to their numbers.
2. End the War on Drugs. This has been the camel's nose regarding civil liberties and has introduced a corruption and rot into our entire legal and police systems. I'm not saying to legalize drugs (that's a separate debate), but our methods of combatting them have led to every podunk police department and obscure federal agency thinking they need a SWAT team. It has militarized our police beyond all necessity or control.
3. Take 5 years to phase out ALL subsidies, ALL price supports, and ALL foreign aid programs. Let industries fend for themselves. Congress has piled on many many layers of transfer payments, tax abatements, credits, and Lord knows what else over the decades to the point where many markets are distorted, and resources mis-allocated. I would include in here a wide assortment of personal tax breaks too.
4. Force federal agencies to clear ALL regulations through Congress. Executive branch agencies should never have been allowed the level of autonomy they enjoy. If regulators have to explain themselves in public, it reduces their incentive to write laws whenever they get bored.
5. Take 50 years to phase out and abolish Social Security. This program (as was predicted many decades ago) absolutely prevents people from saving for themselves, discourages people from marrying during their youth, discourages childbirth, pits the old against the young, encourages a neglect and abuse of the elderly, and breeds a total dependency on the government.
Pipe dreams all I'm sure.
- Comment (51)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (4)
Comments:
Mar '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
Fred Cole
skipsul
Gary Who?
Just kidding, he's that guy in the wookie suit right?
It will be a long time before Libertarians gain real power in the Republican party. My sister is VERY involved there (free state project, Porcfest), and it's like herding cats. It's kind of like trying to organized a convention for procrastinators. · 51 minutes ago
So, instead we get Mitt Romney. · 2 hours ago
Yes, well. I'm digging out my "McCain - Hold your nose and vote" nose plugs there. It's like trying to swall sawdust. "Better than Obama" just ain't a motivating rallying cry.
Nov '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
skipsul
Yes, well. I'm digging out my "McCain - Hold your nose and vote" nose plugs there. It's like trying to swall sawdust. "Better than Obama" just ain't a motivating rallying cry. · 58 minutes ago
No. It's a marketing scheme, and you've bought into it.
I'm sorry, but I don't see Obama-light as an acceptable choice.
Dec '10
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
@Fred Cole:
Here we have consuming flames. Over there we have smoke, dry tinder, and an open path towards a fire escape.
Is there an acceptable choice between the two, absent inserting a hypothetical third alternative?
Nov '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
While we're at it, can we do something about the Designated Hitter Rule? I'm not kidding: It's a travesty. Oh, and, yeah, tort reform. Absolutely.BTW, reading this thread has made be feel better than I have in weeks.Great post.
Mar '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
So are you for or againt the DH rule? Or do you just want consistency between the leagues?
May '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
Jumping in late, but I don't care much for the idea of congress over ruling executive regulations but I would relish a law that all laws and all regulations have to be written with no more words than the constitution. I don't know how many words there are in the constitution, but I know great ideas are often expressed in less than 200 words.
Edited on April 1, 2012 at 4:40amNov '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
skipsul
So are you for or againt the DH rule? Or do you just want consistency between the leagues? · 1 hour ago
Totally against. Changes the game completely, George Will's infamous cave-in on this issue notwithstanding. Consistency would be good, too, but I'll settle for tort reform- or any of the other great ideas in this thread. Can't we just do 'em all?
Mar '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
Great list. I'd like to add (maybe instead of #1 if we have to restrict the list to 5 proposals) an idea to combat the metastasizing of the Federal government by eliminating Washington, DC. Have the US capitol rotate through State capitols, at each locale for two years or so.
Mar '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
Actually I think solving number one would take care of itself if States were always forced to take another states professional accreditation. If you pass the Bar in Florida you are allowed to practice in any state and the state can't stop you. Yes that includes contractor licenses.
I really have no idea how it is constitutional that states can not except other states professional accreditation?
It is true with every single other contract legal document yet certifications are different? Anyone have any idea at the legal cases which allowed this?
I would add congress could make a law were no state can penalize a professional just because they have a license from another state.
The main argument I always here is you need know that states laws that is why we require are own certification. Any person knows when you work in a state you have to follow there laws certification just limits competition and increases cost and does little if nothing to educate firms about a states law that they would not get in the course of doing business.
Edited on April 1, 2012 at 6:17amMar '12
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
1. Repeal the 14th Amendment
2. Repeal the union exemption to anti trust laws.
3. Implement a five year freeze on all federal civilian hiring.
4. Repeal McCain Feingold.
5. Repeal Dodd frank and Obamacare.
Nov '11
Re: 5 Fundamental Reforms - Your Picks
CJRun: @Fred Cole:
Here we have consuming flames. Over there we have smoke, dry tinder, and an open path towards a fire escape.
Is there an acceptable choice between the two, absent inserting a hypothetical third alternative? · Mar 31 at 2:53pm
You assume that Romney is the open path of escape.