The Hyperion Chronicles

the Hyperion Chronicles
“Surmounting all that crosses our path”

#295 If I led {Round 2}

A few weeks ago, I wrote the first column on what I would do if I were in charge. This led to quite a few responses; charges that I was either a flaming liberal or fascist conservative. My rule is: if you’re pissing off both sides, you’re doing something right. So, with that in mind, let’s look at a few more odds and ends that I would adjust, or as my mother puts it, ways I can bother your life like I do hers.

Time to Grow Up

I wrote last time about people who can’t vote not having to pay taxes. That’s not my only thought on what it means to be an adult. First off, I don’t like this two-tiered age system of rights and responsibilities. At 18 you can die for your country, but you can’t drink a beer or rent a car (not that those two things should be done in conjunction, but you get the point).

But “adult” is more than just an age to me. I have met 16 year olds already with a level head on their shoulders and who saw the world for what it is. More commonly, I’ve seen countless 22 year olds who were still kids, and had no idea about anything in the world. I propose that being an adult should be earned. I’m not asking much, but I would like to give an Adult-Test to these kids and see if they have learned a modicum of knowledge and skills needed to navigate the big scary world. While I’m at it, I would like to test the existing “adults” out there too—no grandfather clauses here—as I am sure that there are more than a few out there who have no business being called adults. We can devise some kind of written test that would indicate if the kid has learned enough to be an adult.

Citizen’s of the world…

I guess what I’m really talking about is being a Citizen (to borrow from Heinlein). I would like to keep voting and other privileges (like having a permanent drivers’ license, owning property, getting H.B.O., etc.) restricted to these people. My goal is to begin to encourage the installation of skills and values that are sorely lacking in so many young people today. I realize that there would be problems to be worked out, like mentally retarded people and so forth. But those obstacles are not insurmountable. I also can see the criticism coming that this would create a two-tiered system in society, but don’t kid yourself: we’re already there. I just want to give the maximum incentive for as many people as possible to join that higher tier.

Juries

This new group of “Citizens” would form our jury pools. I would go even further, though. Every four years, every Citizen would have to at least be available for jury duty. Even big important businessmen; they could schedule their business around their time in advance. I would have tough laws that make sure it did not slide into massive bribery, and to ensure that no one loses a job or is otherwise hurt by this service. Right now we have a system where most of the people on jury duty are too stupid or misfortunate to get out of it. It disgusts me. It is an honor to serve jury duty, and I wish to return it so.

Everyone take turns

While we’re on this subject, I wish we could go to a more Athenian system of political governance. The way they did city politics then was for all the Citizens to get together and take turns running things. (Admittedly they excluded a lot of people, but the idea behind it is a good one.) This might be unrealistic, but I would love it if we did this at the municipal level. Every 10 years you had to do something for a year. It could be part-time, and we’ have to make sure to put in conflict of interest laws, but c’mon: it can’t get more corrupt than it is now.

Electoral College

I am not completely happy with the Electoral College. It was put in to control the people. However, after studying it, neither do I think going to a pure democracy (i.e., a straight popular vote) is the best way to pick a president either. There is something to be said for how an entire area feels, even if they aren’t as large as another area. More concretely, if we went to a pure democracy, political coverage would get even more skewed than it is right now, as only the major cities and urban areas would ever get to see the candidates.

The way it works currently is that (except in one state), the winner of each state in the general election gets that state’s entire allotment of electoral votes. The way each state gets the number of Electoral votes it has is to take their number of representatives, and add their two senators (so, the minimum a state would have is 3, all the way up to 55 that California has).

What I would do is this: following Nebraska’s plan, the winner of each district (how the state is divided up for representation in the House), would get that Electoral vote. Whoever won the whole state would get the two at large Electoral votes. So, for example, Georgia has 15 Electoral Votes. Candidate A wins the majority in 8 districts, and the overall state majority. In the old system, he would get all 15 votes, but under the new system he would get 10, and Candidate B would get the five districts he won.

The end result of this would be to get a better reflection of how people are voting, because often people within a state are sharply divided by area. Also, this would force the candidates to get out there to far more of the cities and towns, and not take states for granted because they always vote one way.

Presidential Terms

I’m of two minds on this. On the one hand, the two-term limit, made because of Roosevelt, seems unnecessary in today’s media age. If the public is tired of someone, they will get rid of him. Conversely, there may be more work to get done, and that person is the best to continue doing it. (And, yes, just to be honest, I’m thinking of my own reign, uh, term of service.) On the other hand, part of me abhors the reelection process. Two years into a presidential term, the president goes into reelection mode. Part of me would like to make the Presidential term six years, with no chance for reelection. That way, we have one man or woman, and he/she doesn’t have to worry about ever winning an election again, and can get on with governing. Something to think about.

Email

Every single man, woman and child is to have their own email address available. I would issue it with the birth certificate. I’m not sure what I would do with this, but I’m sure there will be occasions in the future where I’d be glad I’d thought of it. In the meantime, this would mean that wives couldn’t force their husbands to share the same email address. Yes, wives, I’m on to you.

Campaign Finance

You’ve heard about this a lot recently, and there have been laws passed that have done very little to help, and may have made it worse. One side says there is too much money dominating politics, and the other side says it’s free speech. They’re both right and both wrong. The answer is glaringly simple, which means both parties will ignore it. Luckily I am Hyperion, and will sweep the idea into office on the support of the people. First things first, though; here it is: I agree that giving money to a candidate is a form of free speech. I also agree that when Lobbying groups give money, they hide who it comes from, and often can give in such large amounts that they can put undue pressure on a candidate.

Therefore, this is what I say: any PERSON can give to a candidate, as much as he or she wants. However, they must give as an individual, and no giving the money to the butler and having him give in your place. All lobbying groups, corporations, and political action committees are done with money and woe to any of them if they try to circumvent the laws by passing out their money out.

Secondly, the moment the money is given, it must be posted clear as day on a website, for anyone to easily find, and once a week the candidates must publish their contributors and the amount given in the paper, like they do for arrests and weddings and so forth. (And yes, the candidates must pay for this.) That way there will be no more giving in secret, and more accountability. I think if a politician had to tell where all his money is coming from, he’ll be more likely not to take as much or be influenced by it, since everyone is watching. It’s been brought up to me that people have a right to give anonymously, and if they don’t they won’t give as much. Well, one, they don’t have that right (and if it’s important, have them give to a reputable church or charity, where it will do more good). Secondly, less money in the political system is what we’re after, so I say that’s a good thing.

Mmmm…cookies

Anyone who doesn’t get a tax return gets a box of Thin mints, as the government’s way of saying ‘Thank You’ for paying taxes. Because let’s face it, thin mints rule. (Or, if you’re offended by the Girl Scouts’ politics, you can get a package of Jelly Bellies.)

And, no, you can’t forgo the box and get a Girl Scout instead.

That’s all for now. Future columns of this sort will go into more specifics, for dealing with domestic violence, education, drunk driving, the military, scientific development, Medical Ethics, and the like. I hope you’re starting to believe in a Hyperion Administration.

And tell your friends.

Hyperion
April 18, 2004

Credits
Thanks to Aviendha and Ella for editing
Thanks to Koz for editing and formatting

Motto Explanation
One of my editors lectured me on the difference between what was solvable and what was surmountable