It’s like Reaganism, but without the cool.
If I ruled the world (the Canadian bit anyway), here’s ten things I’d get done in 2010, in no particular order. The list is for Canada, but I’m guessing most of my anglosphere readers can find something to like, or hate, here.
1. Make all lawyers ineligible to hold any elected office. Nothing personal, lawyers, but your role should be no more than hired policy advisors, you make lousy leaders.
2. Introduce term limits for every elected office, with a 10 year maximum at the trough. What’s not to like?
3. Candidates for leadership positions must not just be born in their country, but must also have lived in it. This isn’t getting a birther vibe from Obama, but of the latest two Liberal leaders, one was French and the other lived in the US for over 30 years before returning to Canada to try and run it.
4. Non-Governmental Organizations receive no tax-payer funds, ever. It’s the ‘Non’ part of being an NGO, see? If you don’t like it, go hug a tree.
5. No public funds for political parties. Raise cash or die, it’s what happens in the private sector.
6. Separatist parties declared illegal. If you’re in Quebec, you’re part of Canada. Live with it, because you lack the courage to actually secede and the rest of us are tired of the whining.
7. Free speech is a non-negotiable right, even if it offends you. Toughen up, buttercup.
8. Flat taxes. If you make under $20,000 a year, you pay no tax. If you’re under 21, you pay no tax. Everyone else pays 10% of gross income or net profit. There are no allowances, no loopholes, no wiggle-room. There’s your tax code, now we can worry about ‘repurposing’ all the accountants, lawyers and tax employees to do something useful.
9. No broadcaster receives public money, ever. Buh bye, CBC.
10. Voting becomes mandatory. Controversial, sure, but Australia makes it work and you can spoil your ballot if you don’t like the options. The current erosion of the voter base does no-one any good, and let’s face it, if Canadians can be forced to pay for shopping bags and forbidden to idle their vehicles more than 2 minutes in mid-winter, I figure they’re up for being told they have to vote, too.
There you have it. Now go and enjoy a safe New Year’s Eve and wake up tomorrow glad that I’m not in charge of anything.
Normal service resumes next week, including 2010′s first Round-Up.
There’s a movement to radically change California government, by getting rid of career politicians and chopping their salaries in half. A group known as Citizens for California Reform wants to make the California legislature a part time time job, just like it was until 1966.
http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Your suggestions numbered 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 are just so right on the money that it makes me wonder how we got to the point where we need to suggest these things! We need to restore some common sense and these would be an excellent start!
And what about those Human Rights Commissions, eh? First things first: restore Liberty by abolishing your Kafakaesque star chambers, and then work on your dreams. I’m not being nasty — every nation has messes it needs to clean up. It’s just that your HRCs are huge binjo ditches.
I was reading through your little list there, which I liked, and I’m going to add a bit of my own criticism to it.
1.Lawyers in the office is what gives the politician the image as sneaky liars in the first place. I would for once get somebody honest in office who is honest and thinks for himself. somebody like ralph klein.
2. when somebody has been in power for too long, they stop listening to the people mainly because they think nobody will vote them out. A prime example of this is Dalton mcguinty and now Ed stalmach, who only somewhat smartened up because he lost a seat they held for 30 years to the wild rose alliance. If term limits keeps that kind of politics out of parliament hill, then I am all for that.
3. This one I agree with 100%. there’s nothing more irritating than a leader trying to lead a people he never even grew up with.
4.Exactly my sentiments. why the hell should non-profit get our money just to impose their radical minority beliefs we may or may not believe in?
5. Exactly. why should we foot your party expenses while there are people starving on the streets that could use that money? that goes double for non-governmental.
6. Not only illegal, but ship them to mexico for a few months with no money. If you still think Canada is so shitty to be a part of, then I guess you can stay there.
7. Exactly. It’s something these special interest groups don’t understand and should be fined if they try to interfere with somebody else’s free speech. the fine multiply based on how many is in the group, which will be set at 10 grand per person for first time offenders and doubles to 20 grand and doubles for every single time you do it.
8. Something that would go over well with the wealthy in other provinces but the poor may bitch about it. However, if you were going to do that, then at least outlaw PST to compensate. bye bye Nazitario’s 8% ripoff and hello 5% income tax increase on personal taxes.
9. They don’t need it anyways.
10.that can actually work if you set up certain systems to ensure everybody is able to vote before the deadline. However, what I like about this idea, is that it makes sure the majority speaks and not just a few noisy minorities to gaurantee a rubber stamp for their favorite political puppet to push their ideas.
I agree with all of those except # 6, and that’s only because I might want to join a western separatist party some day. However, I do think that any separatist party should be barred from holding a seat in the federal government, whether House of Commons or the Senate.
Well…this didn’t take long.
http://tinyurl.com/ya4zx9g
Happy New Year bakatcha CB.
Pharynghoula, I know, I know… the idea was that I would be in charge ;)
I wish you were in charge of things!!!
term limits… like the folks in charge will ever vote for THAT
Hear, hear, particularly #8.
“4. Non-Governmental Organizations receive no tax-payer funds, ever. It’s the ‘Non’ part of being an NGO, see? If you don’t like it, go hug a tree.”
Abso-frik’n-utily. 100% bang on.
Cut the useless teat suckers off . . they are a useless waste of oxygen, space and time.
WHy limit those rules to the Great White North? We could use ‘em down here too.
Happy New Year, Englishman.