What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
In another thread, Ricochet member Central Scrutinizer asked an interesting question of Ricochet member Joseph Eagar:
Were you granted the Sword Of Power, and you could implement whatever you wanted, what would you choose to do[?]
It was specific to the context of the conversation at that point, but if there was ever a question that deserved its own conversation, it is that one.
Limiting ourselves to public policy,
Assuming that at your command, your public policy ideas would be put into place, what would you put into place?
Joseph, to his credit, had a list that he put forward and observed that the difficulty isn't in coming up with ideas, but enacting them.
What about you? What would you do with the magic Sword of Power?
Image of Magic Sword of Power via Shutterstock.
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Comments:
Aug '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Change the constitution so that:
If a law can't get 2/3 majority, it's probably not worth implementing, and if it can't survive a 1/3 vote, it probably isn't worth keeping.
I can't take credit for this idea Its one of Heinlein's.
May '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
I would make it a felony for taxes to be taken out of employee's paychecks automatically. I would make it impossible for anyone to pay taxes any other way than by sitting down and writing a check to "U.S. Department of Treasury" every month. I would make it so everyone watched their earnings hit their bank account and then by their own will have to give it away to the government.
A whole lot of [expletive] would change pretty fast...
Edited on January 25, 2013 at 4:24amJul '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Without money - no one will be interested in politics, and power.
Sep '12
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Restore freedom of association. Not having to hire, do business with, or rent to anyone one finds unacceptable would take the edge off of a lot of social conflicts.
We should be free to structure our lives as best we can so that we do not have to tolerate lifestyles, attitudes, or behaviors that offend us in close proximity to us.
May '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Purplestrife: Restore freedom of association. Not having to hire, do business with, or rent to anyone one finds unacceptable would take the edge off of a lot of social conflicts.
We should be free to structure our lives as best we can so that we do not have to tolerate lifestyles, attitudes, or behaviors that offend us in close proximity to us.
Oh man, they'd run me out of town here in Ann Arbor!
Sep '12
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
I feel ya. I live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. People who believe what I believe are like an alien species here.
Mr. Bildo
Oh man, they'd run me out of town here in Ann Arbor! · 4 minutes ago
Sep '12
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
By the way, very good idea for a post, Fred.
Aug '12
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
I would cast a geas on politicians and public figures to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And to be civil.
Jul '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
I would get every one of my dumb posts to the main feed. Then of course there are the wood chippers for political crooks, always the wood chippers.
Nov '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Overturn Roe v. Wade.
Edited on January 25, 2013 at 6:26amMay '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Mandate a legal revolution every hundred years.
That means it's back to the beginning once per century. All laws are reneged and reconsidered to be either left in the dust or clarified by experience for re-proposal.
It is in the nature of all governments to expand and centralize. Revolutions are inevitable. An anticipated legal revolution might be better than the alternatives.
May '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Get every young adult in a Health Savings Account. Within a generation, 90+% of the very real problems in our healthcare system would be solved.
Nov '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Sentence every Obamacare supporter to 24 hours in a NHS hospital.
Apr '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
If I were wise I would toss the thing away into the deepest part of the ocean.
The simple answer is I would probably just use it to place people I thought were good in charge. That isn't policy I guess but darn it. Who wants to think up real policy.
I guess what I would want most of all policy wise is a full accounting of US financial liabilities state and federal using common best practice accounting rules.
I would also demand that all government revenue be pooled into one sum and all expenses paid from this. No gimicky accounting tricks. Also when discussing a government department and its cuts or increases everyone must first state that departments current budget in current dollars and then their intended budget for that department in the future. No more being able to claim a slow down of growth as a cut.
If you budget goes from 50 billion to 60 billion that is not a cut even if you had been promised 80 billion.
I would also block grant all government expenditures.
May '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
The link.
Oct '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
One should never ask such a question, for the Sword of Power, self serving as it will always become, will rend simple public policy to shreds.
There is no Benign Sword of Power in the hands of any being. Such is the way of things.
Then again, most here have the hubris, if given the role of a self appointed God or Supreme Being, would fail.
Edited on January 25, 2013 at 6:59amJul '11
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Scott, I use it feet first and the politician still living with a public viewing. I'm channeling my inner Marat.
Oct '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
I would cast it not the fires of Mordor to save middle America.
Jul '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
Starting with regulations, every one of them would be subject to review (where it would be hoped that common sense would dictate sunsetting many of them), the rest subjected to a majority vote in every local and state jurisdiction, and at the federal level for renewal. Next would be tackling laws in a similar manner.
Impossible, granted. But I can dream, can't I?
Sep '10
Re: What Would You Do With The Magic Sword of Power?
with a hundred years that would give a disincentive to make intrusive laws to those living on the short side of the hundred years, knowing they might have that government the rest of their lives. however those nearer the coming change could do whatever they want for their immediate gain.
Aaron Miller: Mandate a legal revolution every hundred years.
That means it's back to the beginning once per century. All laws are reneged and reconsidered to be either left in the dust or clarified by experience for re-proposal.
It is in the nature of all governments to expand and centralize. Revolutions are inevitable. An anticipated legal revolution might be better than the alternatives. · 19 minutes ago