You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands.....

[RJDiogenes]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

The President doesn't have the authority to accomplish all this by command, but I would either command or strongly advocate that the following be accomplished:

Full-on space exploration and colonization initiative.

All-encompassing Equal Rights Amendment, carefully worded to prevent anyone from inventing any new discrimination class in the future.

Statehood for Puerto Rico.

Bringing back the original Motto and Pledge of Allegiance (or, better yet, a revised version where one may more properly pledge allegiance to the Constitution), and full enforcement of the "Separation" clause in the First Amendment.

Elimination of the Electoral College and institution of a Ranking system for Voting.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

full enforcement of the "Separation" clause in the First Amendment

I'm with you on everything you said except this one. I'm fully in favor of the "Separation" clause, but I prefer to allow people their tradition, too. My method for this would be to, first, enforce the clause against any new matters - new coinage designs, new stamps, new flags, no illegal displays of the Ten Commandments in government buildings, etc. Then, I would review any preexisting violations to see if they actually violate anyone's civil rights - and no, just having to see them does not do so. We can, for example, leave current currency with "In God We Trust" in circulation until it would normally be removed. If a state flag has had a cross on it for more than 33 years, leave it alone. People need to learn to get along better, on both sides.

We have a controversy in our state right now regarding organizational vanity plates. There's a new plate with a cross and stained glass windows, and "I Believe" across the bottom. I have no problem with this plate - other organizations, like colleges, bird watchers, Sons of Conderate Soldiers, and so on, have vanity plates, and I don't see how Christianity is any different in that regard. The problem I have is that the state didn't make them pay the 20 grand they make other groups pay to establish a vanity plate line. I still think they should. But some people here are trying to get the plate banned under the Separation clause. In my opinion, banning them would violate it, since it would discriminate against an organization based on religion.

Christians would probably like that I say that, until I point out that I also believe the Evil Athiest Conspiracy, the Church of Satan, and the Church of Scientology also have the same right to pay 20 grand and get a plate made.

 

[Jim Steele]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

.....Bring me a Skinny Latte and bomb Wales.......

(For US forumites - Wales is a country and not the stars of Star Trek IV)

Kill everyone who blanketly assumes nobody in the US is aware of Wales, or that "whale" contains an "h".

 

[Chimpy Chompy]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

Well, I'd set thousands of workers onto the decades-long project of building a huge stone tomb for me. It would be shaped like a giant Decepticon symbol and would be a monument to my glory, lasting throughout the ages. I'm sure the people would gladly dedicate themselves to a life of backbreaking labour in the name of their god-emperor. I mean president.

If there's any workforce left over, possible a colossal statue of me trampling peasants underfoot.

 

[Ghel]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

If I am President:

I would have a large construction project to redirect the Niagara River into the Erie Canal with a larger waterfall than Niagara Falls. That way, both sides of the falls will be in US territory and we can have the tourist rights for both sides. Of course, this would also dry up the original falls. Bwa, ha, ha, haah! Take that Canada.

I would let any illegal immigrant become a citizen . . . as soon as their two years of military service in Iraq and Afghanistan were concluded.

I would stop sending the military overseas and declare war on Mexico. They are just way closer and more convenient to attack.

Tragically, the war in Mexico and the international crisis with Canada would require me to take dramatic action and disband Congress and the Senate . . . Just days after the tragic car accidents involving all members of the Supreme Court. Henceforth, I would be known as Ubercommander Ghel.

Standard military uniforms will be replaced to look like those of Cobra Command.

The marijuana party will be given complete control over all lower government functions (because, hey, who is less likely to become ambitious and attempt a takeover than the pot lobby).

The Whitehouse will be painted black.

Newspeak will be implemented in all schools.

Waterfountains will only dispense Gatoraid and Fuddruckers will be legally required to change their names to Butt*uckers.

 

[Plumster]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

.....Bring me a Skinny Latte and bomb Wales.......

(For US forumites - Wales is a country and not the stars of Star Trek IV)

Kill everyone who blanketly assumes nobody in the US is aware of Wales, or that "whale" contains an "h".

I'd include that abscess on the English that is Scotland too. With friends like them - who needs enemies.

I mean come on - fancy giving us Brown.

So - I'd cut it lose and give it independence along with that powerhouse financial institution - the RBS.

 

[Pingfah]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

Scotland did give us the Proclaimers though. Oh, and Del Amitri, don't say they never do anything for us

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

I'd include that abscess on the English that is Scotland too. With friends like them - who needs enemies.

I mean come on - fancy giving us Brown.

Revenge for nearly 700 years of hurt.

 

[Kelso]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

* Prepare for a transition to the fairtax system to take place by January 1 2010
* Legalize the use of drugs
* Lower the drinking age to 18
* Abolish the Patriot Act or at least most of it
* Crack down on illegal immigration and secure our national borders

I would live in your country. Though, I would need more information about this "crack down" first.

I would definitely stay as far away from T'Baio's regime from hell as possible.

 

[Frontier]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

Investigate and Indict, arrest Bush, Cheney, Rove and so on and so forth on charges ranging from treason to election tampering to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

After that, who cares?

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

full enforcement of the "Separation" clause in the First Amendment

I'm with you on everything you said except this one. I'm fully in favor of the "Separation" clause, but I prefer to allow people their tradition, too. My method for this would be to, first, enforce the clause against any new matters - new coinage designs, new stamps, new flags, no illegal displays of the Ten Commandments in government buildings, etc. Then, I would review any preexisting violations to see if they actually violate anyone's civil rights - and no, just having to see them does not do so.

It's not just a question of violating anyone's Civil Rights; it's just the fact that they're contrary to our way of life. It's been over fifty years since the McCarthyist's rewrote the Pledge, replaced the Motto and instituted religious advertising on the currency; now Right Wing Fundamentalists are using these transgressions as precedent for furthering their agenda.

We can, for example, leave current currency with "In God We Trust" in circulation until it would normally be removed. If a state flag has had a cross on it for more than 33 years, leave it alone. People need to learn to get along better, on both sides.

I think your solution to the money problem is the only practical way to go; it would be way too problematic and expensive to remove all the current money from circulation. As for the state flags, I haven't thought about it; I'd have to actually look at them before I could comment.

We have a controversy in our state right now regarding organizational vanity plates. There's a new plate with a cross and stained glass windows, and "I Believe" across the bottom. I have no problem with this plate - other organizations, like colleges, bird watchers, Sons of Conderate Soldiers, and so on, have vanity plates, and I don't see how Christianity is any different in that regard. The problem I have is that the state didn't make them pay the 20 grand they make other groups pay to establish a vanity plate line. I still think they should. But some people here are trying to get the plate banned under the Separation clause. In my opinion, banning them would violate it, since it would discriminate against an organization based on religion.

You have it exactly right. They have the same Right to a vanity plate as any other group, but they do not merit a free ride (pun intended ).

Christians would probably like that I say that, until I point out that I also believe the Evil Athiest Conspiracy, the Church of Satan, and the Church of Scientology also have the same right to pay 20 grand and get a plate made.

And that's just the sort of thing that would be unequivocally protected under an Equal Rights Amendment.

 

[Red Ranger]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

I would declare Ann Coulter an enemy combatant and send her to one of those lovely CIA rendition prisons. During her stay, she can decide for herself whether waterboarding is torture. -- RR

 

[Delta Belle]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

Illegal immigrants absolutely will not be considered state residents for college nonresident tuition purposes.

 

[Mallory]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

They are allowed to have two children, then must submit themselves to be permanently sterilized. Anyone not submitting themselves will be hunted down like dogs and their children put up for adoption by naturally and irreversibly sterile parents who pass all licensing.

Carousel!

What happens if the wife has quintuplets?

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

I would definitely have to think of a system where there are incentives for not having children, yet where people who want to be parents do not lose tax advantages either....

 

[Jim Steele]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

I'd include that abscess on the English that is Scotland too

I hate biting my tongue. Why couldn't you have posted this in TNZ?

 

[stoneroses]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

As Prime Minister I first of all Send all of the royal family to America forever since you guys love them so much an I hate them.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

Offer Secretary of State to former President Bush.

 

[Aragorn]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

With the constant need to keep changing terminology in order to remove any meaning/significance to them... I'd want to know what people want done with the documentation-challenged pre-American citizens.

 

[Danoz]

Re: You are President/Prime Minister - what are your first commands...

This is a great idea for a thread.

Unfortunately, it's about being "President" or "Prime Minister" and not "Emperor of the World."

That's it, I'm trumping your thread with a new, improved, better one

edit:

http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=80872

There.