Actually, GeronL, you're idea is ...
[seriesly]
Unfortunately, given the current system (incumbent protectionism), it may even get ...
Posted on 12/09/2003 6:11:26 PM PST by GeronL
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I have it! I guess a yell of 'Eureka!' is in order as I pat myself on the back, or at least the shoulder because I wouldn't be likely to break my arm. I have deduced and formulated the perfect government to replace the bitter and divisive system of bad government that we have today. No more partisan attempts to take complete control of your life, although it won't end the need for political parties. What is this grand new vision? This scrap of genius and enlightenment that was bestowed upon my humble brow? I call it Dual Government. Let us take a local city, lets just call it UrCity because it could be any of them really. Instead of the City Council that is split between factions and this or that happens depending who has won the majority of seats in the last election, there would be 2 councils elected one by Liberals and one by Conservatives. Every citizen would have to register with their state as one or the other, Libertarians and Greens are out of luck but they can infiltrate and have some fun with that, but I'll get to them later. The local Liberal Council decides their citizens will pay local sales taxes to fund police, jail, court, fire, streets, sanitation, parks, library, local public hospital, bus service, recycling community centers for seniors, kids, hispanics, blacks, asians, gays and such. So local liberals would show their cards when they purchases and they will pay, for example 9% in sales tax to support these things. The local Conservative Council decides they will collect taxes only for police, jail, court, fire, streets and parks and the local conservatives will pay a 4.25% sales tax. Their members would then be denied services of the local library, trash collector, bus service, recycling and community centers. Conservatives would have to pay for their trash to be hauled and for their own books and medical care. The Conservatives won't mind all of the liberal programs because they ain't paying for them. Liberals will be happy to be able to start as many social programs as they want. Now, the liberals and conservatives will live in the same city, they will not be segregated. Businesses and service providers would have to get used to the 2-rate system. They will have the same police department and fire department, but if one chooses not to participate they will just be left out. Its almost like a dream come true for both sides of the political spectrum. Obviously there will be some complexity. There may have to be a tax on switching to keep those who decided to become Conservatives but then want to get into the free library or the local public hospital from becoming a flood and breaking down the system. Of course there might be some Liberals deciding to go Conservative because they notice the lower tax rates, or because they want a school voucher so their child may escape the public schools No. We will need to have a short period of time for people to change their registrations, say for 90 days before a local election, during the time of voter registration. That way all of the new citizens can have their say on the new Liberal or Conservative Councils during the elections. Isn't that a perfect time? Probably should tax those switchers too, at least a small sum. UrCity will be paradise on Earth for both liberals and conservatives alike. All of the programs the liberals want and conservatives won't have to pay for them. So now you are telling yourselves that this is the perfect form of government. Why can't this apply to more than just taxes and spending? Why not expand it to the poor Greens and Libertarians? So now you want to complicate my beautiful, perfect form of government? OK, let us go through this. Concealed Carry laws only apply to Conservatives while Liberals are banned from having a gun? and maybe those Libertarians are allowed to carry them around with the gun in a holster on their hip? (Sounds like Arizona in a way). Drugs are only legal for the Libertarians, while the Liberals won't actually enforce their laws? Helmet laws, speed limits and seat belts are optional for libertarians and conservatives but strictly enforced for the left? If this applied at all levels of government, we might have Conservatives not elgible for welfare while the Liberals could end up unprotected by foreign invaders.... wait, that one might not be optional. That one needs further study. That could get pretty weird. I suppose some of you readers will enjoy reading about Dual Governments so much that you will keep finding new examples for your amusement. This is a serious scholarly proposal here. How about it?? So find your mayor, your state legislator and your Congressman and propose this idea! Maybe some city or county or even a state will get the ball rolling. Just one successful test of this system and I am confident it can and will spread like wildfire all across the country and even around the world. Imagine Israeli's and Palestinians.... ok, thats a bad example again. Think about it! Seriously!
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Actually, GeronL, you're idea is ...
[seriesly]
Unfortunately, given the current system (incumbent protectionism), it may even get ...
I've got an even better idea. Let's just not elect liberals and make them all live in California. :)
No you're not. I'm the genius. I know because I have been testing my new improved form of government on friends and acquaintances for years and it freaks them out.
Every time. Shoot, some even stop talking to me and cross the street to avoid contact.
It is devilishly simpler too. To wit: nothing changes except for the UCTC (Ultimate Citizenship Trump Card). It is the result of the new method of voting. Anyone can vote at any time. Taxes can be raised without limit. The "progressives" can pass minimum wage laws of $50 an hour it wouldn't matter; they can pass "progressive" tax rates of 200%. Ditto.
The secret is the (SLUPD) (Spending List Under Penalty of Death). Here is where it gets interesting.
There is an official list of items that tax revenue can be spent on. It can be 10 items or 1000, doesn't matter. What does matter is this: Each individual taxpayer has the absolute right to choose which items on that list his taxes may be spent on. He can choose all of it to go to defense spending or to house indigent orphaned Spotted Owls. Or he can choose 10 items to support, or all 1000.
There is no limit to the amount of taxation, that makes the liberals happy.
There is no obligation to spend on items that violate individual conscience or common sense. That makes the conservatives happy.
What's that you say? What happens if, say, highways get 5 times the funding they need? Or the EPA gets 0.0001% of what "it" needs? Tough noogies.
It's a Democracy Baby!
Judges drift into megalomania? Ha. Let's see how long they are willing to work for free. Or for just what the liberals are willing to pay.
Not enough money for schools cranking out felons 24/7? So sad. Guess they'll just have to close.
Not enough open space? Let's see how much is available to buy it at market price and the lost taxes in perpetuity (a scam never really examined).
Must items on my list: four categories of welfare. 1) Orphaned children and indigent elderly. 2)The seriously ill and infirm. 3) Bums and druggies. 4) Able-bodied "others".
I've been wanting to develop this idea for years.
I'll be back!
Thats Uber perfect! and of course... liberals would never go for it.
Yours can be called Subscription Government??
Probably not. But we can dream!
Sorry to break it to you, but this is not a very good idea.
This idea is based on the fact that Conservatives don’t want to pay taxes for the things that Liberals pay taxes for. So what happens when some Conservatives don’t want to pay taxes for what other Conservatives want to pay taxes for? The same thing will happen and Conservatives will be divided into 2 more groups. This will keep going on and on until you have hundreds of groups with their own unique viewpoints.
You can’t generalize people into groups like Republican and Democrat. Each individual has their own specific needs and their own specific views, so no two Republicans or Democrats are the same. This means the best type of government is either an anarchy or a libertarian, in which people have the absolute freedom to make their own decisions and pay only for the things that they need.
I know that. I lean toward libertarian myself on many things, economics. this was just to show that liberals always want things paid for by other people. Sure some “Republicans” do too.
also see an abortive blog http://unitedcitizen.blogspot.com not that I gave up totally on it
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