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Originally posted by SignyM:
I would make gun ownership contingent on reading comprehension!

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Originally posted by SignyM:
I would REQUIRE that every member of Congress read- by themselves- every single word of every bill that they vote on.

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Originally posted by SignyM:
Just a bit of musing here....

Perhaps good law-making could be like good software- everything is modularized, and the interfaces between modules all have to meet some technical specification.

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Originally posted by Connorflynn:

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Originally posted by piratejenny:

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Just out of curiosity what would that "Basic Standard of Living" mean exactly?

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a basic standard of living would simply be that even the poorest would have decent housing, food, and healthcare

the standard wouldn't be homelessnes or third world living conditions..everyone would be gauranteed at least a decent safe clean place to live, food, and healthcare!!


the quality of a persons life, would actually mean something!!!

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Okies..sounds good:) A few questions first:

1) What constitutes Decent housing and food though? After all each person has their own definition of decent food and housing. If Bill Gates or Bill Clinton had to eat the food I eat and Live in the House I live in..they would both commit suicide. If I had to eat the food and live in the House that Richard Simmons lives in, I would probably commit suicide.

2) How much space will EACH housing unit take up? Will we have to clear forests to build these decent houses? Who exactly gets to build these houses? Will there be grass? Do we get to have pets too? Can we say no to having pets?

3) Does each person get their own room AND bathroom in this decent housing? What do we get in these rooms?

4) What amenities are we all entitled to? Big Screen TV WITH Digital Cable? Surround Sound?

5) Washer and Dryer? Big or economy?

6) Computers in each room? Dell, Gateway or Alienware?

7) Dish Washer? Human washed or electronic?

8) Do we also each get a Decent vehicle to drive? My 2005 Grand Prix GTP is pretty decent , Though I could really really get into one of those new Ford GT's

9) What do I have to do and how often, to get this decent Housing and Food? The less the better my Papa always says..

10) What can I have that noone else is entitled to? What do I have to pay to have this entitlement?

PS.. Nachos with Beef and peppers hopefully shows up on your list of decent food?! *begs and pleads

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Originally posted by piratejenny:

where do people live now, No you wouldn't necessarily have to clear any forest new housing could easily be built, or taken over....not everyone would have to live in basic housing units or in a basic housing unit program...its simply that as a country we would have a standard of what is exceptable living and everyone would at the least be garunteed that standard!!

Germany has a simular program!!!

as for space, I believe we already have a standard for how much space is exceptable per person, that same standard would apply.for example 4 people are allowed to a two bed room dwelling!!!

amenities would not necessarily be included,computers, washers and dryers things like that..no not included!!

I didn't say anything about getting vehicles!!

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I didn't say it would be free, I said it would be garunteed, and payment would be based upon income.

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for those who earned good money, they wouldn't even have to give the program a thought, but if they ever found themselves in hard times they would know that there was a basic standard of living that they could count on...

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and that it would be safe clean decent housing, food , and healthcare, certainly not homelessness or thirdworld living conditions!!

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Also as long as we are doing if I were in charge

I would build the 1rst modern futuristic city in the united states it would be a cross between something out of the LOTR, like Rivendale and an alliance city in Fifefly

I think America is ugly...not the natural beauty of America..but our buildings and such there just isn't anything breath taking or inspiring, we don't have any castles or cathedrals or manors ..mostly everything is just boring and ugly..so I would definetly do something like that if I were in charge!!

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Originally posted by SignyM:
The only way to fairly eliminate benefits is to be able to guarantee a decent-paying full-time job for everyone who is able to work. When we were an agrarian society, finding work was as easy as grabbing a pitchfork. Now, we are dependent on multinational corporations- which crow LOUDLY about creating jobs and quietly take every step possible to create unemployment and reduce wages. Until our corporations can guarantee that, then the government will be forced to step in and protect the corporations *ass by cleaning up the mess.

Even in the situation of "100% employment" there will be people who are UNABLE to work (through temporary illness, disability, or care of family member) or those who are temporarily between jobs. If I were in charge, I would make sure that we have have a good disability insurance as well as temporary unemployment insurance that would not wllow people to fall below a minimum living standard (lower than being employed, so as not to induce people to be unemployed).

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Originally posted by SoupCatcher:
3. One White House Press Conference a week will be conducted through the art of mime.

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Originally posted by montanagirl:
Or charades. Now that would be fun, having the press corps having to yell out what they think the word or phrase is.

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Originally posted by Connorflynn:

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Originally posted by piratejenny:

where do people live now, No you wouldn't necessarily have to clear any forest new housing could easily be built, or taken over....not everyone would have to live in basic housing units or in a basic housing unit program...its simply that as a country we would have a standard of what is exceptable living and everyone would at the least be garunteed that standard!!

Germany has a simular program!!!

as for space, I believe we already have a standard for how much space is exceptable per person, that same standard would apply.for example 4 people are allowed to a two bed room dwelling!!!

amenities would not necessarily be included,computers, washers and dryers things like that..no not included!!

I didn't say anything about getting vehicles!!

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It wouldn't be fair if everyone didn't have a decent vehicle.

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I didn't say it would be free, I said it would be garunteed, and payment would be based upon income.

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So If I choose not to work, because the pay doesn't meet my personal minimum requirements $250,000 a year, I'm GUARANTEED free "Decent" housing and board?! Sweet!! Sign me up!

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for those who earned good money, they wouldn't even have to give the program a thought, but if they ever found themselves in hard times they would know that there was a basic standard of living that they could count on...

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But what if my house isn't as nice as somebody who doesn't work for a living but has that GUARANTEED housing? I want nice living conditions too!

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and that it would be safe clean decent housing, food , and healthcare, certainly not homelessness or thirdworld living conditions!!

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Who will do this cleaning? Who will be the doctors who give out this healthcare and will they be paid well or will they be required to work for free?

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Also as long as we are doing if I were in charge

I would build the 1rst modern futuristic city in the united states it would be a cross between something out of the LOTR, like Rivendale and an alliance city in Fifefly

I think America is ugly...not the natural beauty of America..but our buildings and such there just isn't anything breath taking or inspiring, we don't have any castles or cathedrals or manors ..mostly everything is just boring and ugly..so I would definetly do something like that if I were in charge!!

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There's nothing like living in a rural community. The people are grounded and much friendlier. There are things like animals,trees, grass, flowers and water bodies free of pollution (except for the occasional cow poo).

I've lived in big cities and hated it. The level of consumerism and angst is unsettling. Not to mention the filth LOL. The cost of housing in big cities is downright ridiculous as well. $1000/month for a 600 sq ft studio apartment in a big city. For $1000/month you can get a house in a rural community.

At any rate PJ, it's a good thought and an honorable one, but completely unrealistic.

SOMEONE will have to pay for these things and someone will ALWAYS be unhappy and declare that living conditions are horrific, whether they are or not. Our welfare system has been abused horrifically and those who could and should benefit from it, don't. I live in NY a.k.a. The Welfare Capital of the world. We have people collecting welfare, that are millionaires. Ever heard of O.D.B.? He collected welfare for months while he was collecting payroll checks, until he got caught. He's just one example.

Then we have those who are referred to as generational Welfare cases.

I come from a Welfare background, born and raised on welfare. My step father was a generational welfare case. We lived for the 1st and 16th of every month, when foodstamps and a small monetary stipend would come. I got my first job when I was 16 and had to turn my paycheck over to my parents, because our welfare checks were pro-rated to account for my income. I had to quit my job because the deductions for working were more then what I made. It is a system that keeps people down and there is really no way to fix it, without education and job creation. Raising the stipend or giving more doesn't change the fact that people AREN'T working and AREN'T required to work.

When you give something to someone that they don't have to earn..it has no value. When you take MORE away from someone when they are earning it..earning it has no value, why bother.

I spent my gradeschool years and highschool years ridiculed because I got "Lunch Tickets" and paid for my food at the grocery store with Food Stamps. I got into fist fights because I didn't dress in the latest fad clothing or couldn't afford to go on trips or participate in sports, because it "cost" money to get the required clothing and gear. My self worth was at an all time low, until I consciously made a choice to break the cycle and moved out of my house and got a real job and worked my ass off to move up. Nothing ever comes for free..ever.

Just as a side note. I spent 12 years working in over 40 different factories because my town had 4 temporary employment companies. I couldn't find a job that would hire permanently. It ended up working out, because I eventually landed an Engineering Position (I'm not a Stoopid person;) ) and worked my way up. I'm no longer with taht company and am in a completely different field, but I got the taste of what it is like to EARN a living wage and found I liked it.

IMHO, rather then GIVING everyone a free income and living, we should make them earn it. To get access to the "DECENT" housing and life, they need to work for it. Let them move in and then put them to work in fields that are appropriate to their intellect and skill level. Educate those who can be educated so that they can fulfill a function in the real world, rather then wasting away waiting for that welfare check to come.

We also need to determine pay scales and set a limit on "Profit Margins". Too many people feel that menial labor is beneath them and OBVIOUSLY the pay isn't good enough. It's against the law to force someone to work a job they don't want to work. Personally, I think the dirtier, less desirable the job, the more pay. The cushier, more desirable the job, the less pay. And work from there.

I'll think of more later LOL.

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