Looking for an honest assessment here (Simfanland/New American/the Great Reform)

[Simfan34]

What would the United States look like if I were placed in a position of power? Not just the clothes, but seriously, what policies to you think I would pursue and what would their results be? Particularly looking forwards to responses from opebo, Xahar, BRTD, Lief, Al, etc, etc.

Day One of the Simfan Adminstration....



Okay that's like year 10. Day one...

[Lief]

What kind of position of power? President? Supreme Court Justice? Dictator?

[Simfan34]

What kind of position of power? President? Supreme Court Justice? Dictator?

President lean dictator.

Executive order 1: Cabinet replaced with a Presidency Council, composed of:

Vice President

Directory of Defense
Directory of State
Directory of Welfare
Directory of Transportation
Directory of Intelligence
Directory of Domestic Affairs

Regional Commissioners (NE, SE, NW, SW)

Joint Chiefs of Staff

Governing committees, which currently have no real authority, are organised by CBSAs, with members of the committees ranging from 5 to 20 odd. Members are elected independently on one list by eligible citizens, those with a net worth of over $750,000. Members must have a net worth of $2,000,000 or higher and and who hold a bachelors degree or equivalent or higher.

This would mean just under 25 million Americans would be eligible to vote in elections to the governing committees while about 10 million Americans would be able to hold seats in them.

While for the time being the present system would co-exist, one should remember.

[opebo]

I would greatly anticipate and enjoy your evolution from business-suited neophyte to ostentatious potentate emeritus.  I've read two enjoyable novels that I think provide a wonderful literary framework for such a fantasy.

But before I paint a picture of this faery-land, I've somehow never gotten around to ascertaining your views on the legality of prostitution, drugs, etc. 

[Simfan34]

I would greatly anticipate and enjoy your evolution from business-suited neophyte to ostentatious potentate emeritus.  I've read two enjoyable novels that I think provide a wonderful literary framework for such a fantasy.

But before I paint a picture of this faery-land, I've somehow never gotten around to ascertaining your views on the legality of prostitution, drugs, etc. 

You know that the country in Scoop was meant to allude to Ethiopia. Coincidence, hey?

Of course, you should know I strongly oppose that things and would support strong penalties for them.

[opebo]

You know that the country in Scoop was meant to allude to Ethiopia. Coincidence, hey?

Of course, you should know I strongly oppose that things and would support strong penalties for them.

Yeah I forgot that about Scoop.  Too bad about your prudery, I guess that makes your Land of Simfan a very boring place.  Think Gaddafi's Libya.

[Simfan34]

You know that the country in Scoop was meant to allude to Ethiopia. Coincidence, hey?

Of course, you should know I strongly oppose that things and would support strong penalties for them.

Yeah I forgot that about Scoop.  Too bad about your prudery, I guess that makes your Land of Simfan a very boring place.  Think Gaddafi's Libya.

But there's classical music. Lots and lots of classical music. And museums. And parks. And education. And good alcohol. And entertaining television.

More takes?

[asexual trans victimologist]

It would be a country with a great culture and a horrible government, and those facts would not be nearly as unrelated as human-rights and democracy activists would want them to be. For some reason I'm imagining a sort of updated, much larger version of Imperial Germany or Taisho Japan.

[Simfan34]

It would be a country with a great culture and a horrible government, and those facts would not be nearly as unrelated as human-rights and democracy activists would want them to be. For some reason I'm imagining a sort of updated, much larger version of Imperial Germany or Taisho Japan.

Yes, certainly a profusion of pomp and circumstance would be present, and a good deal like Nazi Germany in that everyone who might have a uniform would be wearing one, but certainly I think the economy would be strong. Of course there will eventually have to be censorship, not because I necessarily want to silence criticism but because... it's just something you do, you know? Education standards would also be high. So it would be a lot like China today except with bourgeois trappings.

28th Amendment: the 17th Amendment is repealed, the Senators will now be elected by "electors"- those 25 million hitherto eligible to vote for members of the governing committees for one six year term, only those eligible to serve in the governing committees can run for the Senate. 50 new senate seats are added and distributed proportionally.

29th Amendment: The voting and membership requirements for the governing committees (net worth of over $750,000 to vote, over $2,000,000 and bachelors degree to serve) will now apply for all federal elections and offices. All members of the Supreme Court are dismissed

30th Amendment: The House of Representatives will henceforth be composed of the congress of the governing committees. Plenary power is now invested additionally in the Presidency Council, but Congress retains the right to override a veto. (This will probably neccesitate the construction of a new Capitol Building)

31st Amendment: The Senate is dissolved. Congress loses the right to approve cabinet nominations, and the right to declare war, make treaties, etc, is transferred to the Presidency Council. Congress shall convene twice a year.

32nd Amendment: The President's term is extended to an unlimited amount of eight-year terms.

33rd Amendment: The President is now elected by Congress. Political parties are also prohibited, however the selective National Union is enshrined as a "coordinating organization for political dialogue and participation". General Conferences of the National Union shall be held yearly, and the idea of "consensus government" is also endorsed.

34th Amendment: Regional Commissioners are constitutionally enshrined. Governors shall be appointed by them, and confirmed by the electors.

35th Amendment: The Presidency Council has the right to annually give waivers to 100000 and 100 people to be electors and eligible for office, respectively. The amount of total waivers shall not exceed 10% of the electorate.

36th Amendment: Supreme Court Justices are limited to 10 years on the bench.

more to come, this is probably one term's worth...

[Simfan34]

A new presidential residence- the "Meridian Palace", built in the Meridan Hill Park.





In front of the new Capitol.



This is all extant after 6 years. What has happened/will happen?

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

I imagine that it would quickly degenerate into something like this:

[dead0man]

Indeed, the assault on your palace would be fun.  Not as much fun as dragging your corpse through the streets mind you, but still fun!

[Simfan34]

We would work against such an eventuality. Here's how.

Universal National Service Act of 2013: All able-bodied Americans under the age of 22 are required to contribute one year of service to the nation before the age of 25, including one month of military training. In order to maintain a "sense of order and to maximize the service rendered", all participants will be required to submit to surveillance.

Armed Forces Reform Act of 2013: A hierarchy of political commissaries affiliated with the National Union will be established to ensure order in the armed forces and to guarantee the harmonization of their efforts with that of the government.

General Defense Act of 2014: The Posse Comitatus Act is repealed. The Espionage Act of 1917 is reinstated in its entirety. The Sedition Act of 1798 is reinstated in its entirety. The right to habeas corpus is suspended indefinitely.

37th Amendment: Any decree of the Presidency Council shall be deemed legally inviolable by any court or document, including the United States Constitution.

38th Amendment: All rights granted by the Constitution to the States of the Union are hereby granted to the Executive in duplicate. In the exercise of these rights by the Executive in conflict with that of the States or any other body, the acts of the Executive shall be held to be valid.

39th Amendment: The right of judicial review is removed from the SCOTUS and transferred to the PCOTUS.

Some where in there there's also giving heaps of powers to the military, too. Loosening of civilian control in exchange for co-opting and support for the new system of government.

I've got to say, this is a good deal more draconian than I expected it to be. I'm going to go listen to some Vaughan Williams or something now.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

[Simfan34]

That's not making NewsHour on PBS. And if you get past the Iron Firewall, expected to be lambasted by the Dime Divisions.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

That's not making NewsHour on PBS.

Which presumably now airs 24/7 and can never be turned off.

[dead0man]

We would work against such an eventuality. Here's how.

Universal National Service Act of 2013:

blah blah...giving a few generals a bit more power isn't going to be enough to get your average Private Joe Sixpack to shoot at his brothers and fathers.  You'll need a doomsday device of some sort or your corpse is going to be a pinata.

[Simfan34]

That's not making NewsHour on PBS.

Which presumably now airs 24/7 and can never be turned off.

Of course not! PBS probably has very little changes, there's little subversive about British Crime Dramas, Rick Steves, or Antiques Roadshow, much less opera broadcasts or science documentaries- the likes of which you'll be seeing on NBC or CBS! Look, I want a strong state, not 1984.



40th "Mikado" Amendment: Acts of of the Presidency Council may be altered, abolished, or otherwise changed by subsequent Acts of the Presidency Council.

We would work against such an eventuality. Here's how.

Universal National Service Act of 2013:

blah blah...giving a few generals a bit more power isn't going to be enough to get your average Private Joe Sixpack to shoot at his brothers and fathers.  You'll need a doomsday device of some sort or your corpse is going to be a pinata.

We're brainwashing them. But we're not doing anything particularly egregious, indeed the living standard is likely rising. We'll throw "in some useless placeholder councils that everyone can vote for".

A Day in the New America

I, a graduate from Ohio State University, arise at 7:00 every morning to do the recommended exercise regimen, both the Indiana State Health Directorate and Bethlehem Steel suggest a half-our workout daily, and I comply lest I show up to work one morning flabby and winded and arousing suspicion. The children are picked up by the bus (it really is great they’ve extended education to pre-school), and I take the train into the city, where I manage a steel plant. I really thought that these kinds of jobs were gone, I really did. Some people complain we don’t get a say in the new system, but what good did it do choosing between rotten politicians? It’s much better having people in charge who care about this country and not just themselves. But things are a lot better now. Apparently I’m needed at regional HQ in Detroit, so I hop on the new bullet trains from Indy to Detroit, I’m there in 45 minutes, and the meeting is just over two hours long- I can be home before six. By then my wife has ordered dinner from the takeaway place- it’s good knowing that kind of stuff is banned from being processed fattening garbage- and I get to sit down with the kids after school and talk. I watch the evening news, as we all do, and the news is good as always, the economy is growing, more things are being built, we’re getting along better with the other nations, of course there’re some ingrates protesting, stories of human compassion, and the sport results. Afterwards there’s a really good drama about political life before the Great Reform, called House of Cards, and it really goes to show how corrupt things were.  Afterwards I do some reading, watch a bit of a play, and  drink some beer, before going to sleep. This weekend we might go and see a play with the kids, and some of the guys are going to go out to a bar. Things are good in America.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

I didn't realize that you fetishize manufacturing, Simfan. Interesting parallel between you and opebo there.

[Emperor SJoyce]

Probably something like this.

[asexual trans victimologist]

Probably something like this.

I don't think Simfan's inclined to demonize minorities, for obvious reasons.

Simfan, would it be at all possible to convince you to replace the wealth requirements with educational attainment ones? I might find that aspect of it at least a little easier to stomach then.

[Emperor SJoyce]

Probably something like this.

I don't think Simfan's inclined to demonize minorities, for obvious reasons.

Not racial minorities, economic minorities. Anywho, here's why its all illegal:

Step 1: Create plutocracy (fails due to 24th Amendment/Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections).
Step 2: Execute prostitutes and drug dealers (fails; Coker v. Georgia).
Step 3: Lots and lots of censorship (fails; Zenger case, Brandenburg v. Ohio, Gitlow v. New York, Near v. Minnesota, NY Times v. United States, Bernstein v. United States)
Step 4/5/6: 28th/29th Amendments (see step 1).
Step 7: 31st Amendment (fails; see Constitution).
Step 8: 32nd (that Constitution thing again).
Step 9: 33rd (fails; 1st Amendment)
Step 10: National Service Act (fails; 13th Amendment)
Step 11: General Defense Act (probably illegal)
Step 12: 37th (unconstitutional)
Step 13: 39th (Marbury v. Madison)

Disappointingly, I won't be around to explain all of this. As the news ticker at the bottom of the 24/7 PBS says, "Terrorist killed in shootout with bodyguards after attempting to bomb the motorcade of President Simfan". That, or I flee to Iqaluit.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Simfan: What, if anything, would you do to protect social mobility?

[Yelnoc]

Ridiculous, Simfan, absolutely ridiculous.  In this day and age the only way you could seize power like that is to be the leader of a Movement.  Stop imagining yourself as a modern Lenin and become your own Marx.

[Simfan34]

Probably something like this.

I don't think Simfan's inclined to demonize minorities, for obvious reasons.

Not racial minorities, economic minorities. Anywho, here's why its all illegal:

Step 1: Create plutocracy (fails due to 24th Amendment/Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections).
Said councils are initially advisory and not subject to formal supervision.

Step 2: Execute prostitutes and drug dealers (fails; Coker v. Georgia).
Who said anything about execution?

Step 3: Lots and lots of censorship (fails; Zenger case, Brandenburg v. Ohio, Gitlow v. New York, Near v. Minnesota, NY Times v. United States, Bernstein v. United States)
This might be a problem, yes.

Step 4/5/6: 28th/29th Amendments (see step 1).
Step 7: 31st Amendment (fails; see Constitution).
Step 8: 32nd (that Constitution thing again).
Step 9: 33rd (fails; 1st Amendment)

Step 10: National Service Act (fails; 13th Amendment)
Draft isn't unconstitutional, see Selective Draft Law Cases.

Step 11: General Defense Act (probably illegal)
Nothing in it has ever been deemed illegal. And repealing things isn't illegal.
 
Step 12: 37th (unconstitutional)
Step 13: 39th (Marbury v. Madison)
The constitution can't be unconstitutional.

Disappointingly, I won't be around to explain all of this. As the news ticker at the bottom of the 24/7 PBS says, "Terrorist killed in shootout with bodyguards after attempting to bomb the motorcade of President Simfan". That, or I flee to Iqaluit.

Nathan: that is the eventual goal, yes.

Simfan: What, if anything, would you do to protect social mobility?

Quality education, employment laws, and estate taxes.