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There’s nothing wrong with the original Ten that a little updating can’t fix. (Photo by George Bannister/Flickr)
People keep saying, “Why are you so negative all the time, why don’t you help fix things?” Oh, all right. Here are ten laws (or amendments to laws) that will fix everything. Now leave me alone.
- Any and all legislative proposals that limit what welfare recipients can do, such as go to movies or swimming pools (Kansas) or buy steak or seafood (Missouri), must apply equally to all elected representatives of the jurisdiction.
- Similarly, any and all tests and requirements placed on receiving welfare or voting must also apply to politicians, in order for them to get paid, and must be met by them in publicly administered tests. (Okay, not the generation of the urine sample, but the announcement of the results, please. And the literacy test. On TV.)
- Any and all legislation seeking to ease restrictions on owning and carrying guns must apply equally to the capitols, legislative chambers, and offices of the legislators. Thus in West Virginia, if the governor had not vetoed the bill passed by the legislature removing all restrictions from concealed carry (no more need for a permit) we could have gone to their offices to discuss amendments, with guns.
- Anyone who votes to send this country into war triggers the automatic enlistment of the legislator, the legislator’s spouse and all their adult children in the infantry. No exceptions, no waivers.
- No person, committee, corporation or other entity may contribute any money or thing of value to any political candidate other than a human being who lives in the jurisdiction the candidate seeks to represent. Period.
- The age one must attain to be covered by Medicare is one day.
- The income level at which you no longer need to contribute to social security is infinity.
- No person or entity may enter into a contract to buy any commodity without taking delivery of the commodity. If you want to bet on the future price of oil, go to a real casino. Or buy a tank farm.
- No food item, chemical, drug or process may be introduced to the American market unless it has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, before a tribunal of competent authority, to be safe.
- Any conspiracy by members of any branch of government to interfere with the functioning of any other branch, for political reasons or advantage, shall be treated as a breach of the oath of office and prosecuted as a felony.
So there you have it. We already had ten commandments to save our souls. Now we have ten commandments to save our asses. You’re welcome.
Reminds me of Michael Moore’s platform for president: http://www.thenation.com/article/201169/michael-moore-president
[Glad to see you’re server is fixed.]
Good points Mr. Lewis. i don’t know how we’ve gone so far in the wrong direction here on Earth [slowly and carefully?], but everything should begin and end with taking care of the planet, cleaning up our mess, limiting our population [don’t worry, it’s coming] and getting off industrial civilization. No more cars, no more phones, no more computers, no more electricity, grow and raise your own food (that’ll keep people out of trouble and get them to cooperate) and community.
Hey as long as we’re fantasizing, i’m aiming high.
Here’s another one–the inheritance tax for all assets above $1 million shall be 100%, and the IRS is fully empowered to track down and confiscate all assets transferred in an effort to evade the tax.
How about all legislator’s pay is tied to the minimum wage? If they want a raise they have to raise the minimum wage. Oh, most of their income comes from corporate corruption? Never mind.
When our government was first established, congressmen were paid per diem–only when the legislature was in session, and only if they were present.
Leapin Lizards. Who knew. Per Diam. Imagine that. They actually had to show to work to get paid instead of taking all that time off and getting paid.
And they didn’t get the best Health Care that OUR money could buy FOR them from the moment they take office until the day they die. Wonder if that benefit applies to their wives and families as well. I’d sure love to see an accounting of what this amount of money comes to person by person.
Philip says… “I’d sure love to see an accounting of what this amount of money comes to person by person.”
1. I am fairly certain that you would NOT “like” what you see.
2. Then what?!?!? I mean, even if you and everyone you know or encounter over the course of a year in your activities KNEW, beyond any reasonable doubt, how much they have been and are continually being “cheated,” by their “representatives,” their employers, the merchants from whom they buy provisions and “luxuries,” what would you or anyone else DO about it? What would constitute appropriate and reasonable actions? Do you really think “enough” people would actually give a crap… or would they just keep on texting?
Colinc,
My comment was supposed to be ironic and humorous.
Dark humor like eating babies and telling people their elders and offspring would be more useful to the future if they were put in the compost pile and turned everyday for 10 days for a hot pile and a rapid decomposing of the material. Actually meat helps make a pile heat up very fast, and constant taking of temperature is necessary to ensure that it doesn’t become too hot or all the good bacteria and creatures will burn up and it will be a sterile pile of dirt.
Tom,
Your ideas make way too much sense; they’ll never happen. But I have two more anyway:
(1) Anyone who declares his or her candidacy for the Presidency is automatically forbidden to run. They’re obviously nuts! Our Presidential campaign system is the world’s most ridiculous and most grueling job interview process.
(2) More seriously, the federal income tax rate should be indexed to increments of the federal poverty rate. As an example, if the poverty level for a family of 4 is $24,000 (which I think is not far off from the truth), a family of four making less than that would owe no taxes at all; in fact, they would receive supplements from the government to bring them up to $24,000. A family of four making somewhere between $24,000 and $48,000 would be taxed at, say, 2%; $48,000 to $72,000 would pay 4%; and so on up the income scale until the government had enough $$$ to pay for itself and maybe a little bit extra to start paying down the debt. In addition, there would be NO deductions of any sort for anyone–not for mortgage interest, charitable giving, tax writeoffs, nothing. My guess is that, given the stipulation in the previous sentence, the highest tax rate wouldn’t have to be all that high to pay for government. I think something like this would be progressive, simple, and fair. I sent this idea to one of my senators a year or two ago, and never got a response.
Tim – exactly! It’ll never happen. Your tax rate idea has merit, but some adjustment would be needed. At increments of $24,000 indicating a 2% tax jump, by the time we get to the .01%ers income – they’d owe more than they make (just extend it out to a billion)!
Interesting blend of conservatist and liberalist themes for said laws….however, the commonality I get from the various folks (Ann Barnhardt, Tom Lewis, John Xenaxis, etc.) who have spent the last “X” years warning the rabid populace about the horror of what is coming down the pike is one of depressed exhaustion. So here’s another thought, folks: Get off YOUR own butts and “do something about it.”
I’m unclear here.
Isn’t talking about the situation “doing something” about it as most don’t even seem to have a clue what is going on? Just ask the person next to you in the subway or while waiting in line someplace what they think of the drought in CA or Sao Paulo. Ask if they even know where Sao Paulo is. Don’t bother asking if they understand “Peak Oil” as is utterly ridiculous with oil and gasoline prices “so low”.
Can you provide concrete examples of what you mean by “do something about it”?
Did you think marching in the “Great Climate March” is doing something? I didn’t.
Are you part of Deep Green Resistance? Are you part of the underground or above ground efforts of the group? Are you part of a sleeper cell?
If you are part of DGR you’ll know not to answer any of those questions I put to you in the previous paragraph.
Although I considered it, in the end the NYC chapter did not impress me. I’m probably already on enough “watch lists” as it is.
Also, let’s be clear the book DGR was the work of Aric McBay for the most part as Jensen is on record as stating this. Jensen is not and has never been the strategist McBay is.
Am I wrong in thinking you believe that any one who posts here has done nothing about it? Speaking for myself I don’t do anything anymore except speak with people and push their buttons. I think the massive amount I did was for naught and a complete waste of my time. Every one of my efforts was completely useless once the woman next door to me (a Polish immigrant) pops out another child and the old neighbor of mine is “saved” to live a less than quality life by the recent visit to the emergency room.
If you want to know some miniscule things I’ve done in the past you can obtain a copy of “Escape from Suburbia” to see some of us actually did more than most of the people out there.
Although I don’t agree 100% with what Tom Lewis writes about he’s certainly “doing something” by writing about current issues in a clear and understandable manner so that even those with a fifth grade reading level could understand. Or perhaps I’m being too hopeful. I’m a fan of John Taylor Gatto’s and ought to know better about the level of thinking in America.
possible good news:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-13/shale-oil-boom-seen-ending-in-may-after-price-collapse?cmpid=yhoo
Shale Oil Boom Could End in May After Price Collapse
THAT’S your revised Ten Commandments? How pathetic. How useless. How incredibly un-insightful. You missed nearly everything that actually matters.