Electronic Democracy: If we have a pure electronic democracy with time locks of varying degrees, I think the key to moderation via time is basically allowing funds for established programs to raise or lower by up to 20% per year. This also encourages stability in budgets and helps popular programs get more funds.
And yes, exceeding income should, with all emergencies require a 2/3rd majority. If a war, disaster etc, can't get 2/3rd of a legislature, you probably don't need to be doing it. Whereas, as California has shown us, creating a budget only works if it is ONLY 51%. Anything else lets too much crazy in.
Tax rate adjustments up could be 60% but personally I like 55%...just past the whim of the mob, just short of allowing the crazy segment in most populations to totally block everything...
Legislatures: So...this might be read much later without all the historical context of what is going on right now in Congress. However, the brokenness of the American system is likely a legend that will live on a very very long time.
A bicameral legislature does stop some stupid stuff. But at the same time, in an emergency, when you NEED the budget to work, then having the government shut down is just plain stupid. In a parliament, you just hold new elections. England has two houses, but one holds the power of the purse. If you MUST have a legislature, have regulatory laws require both houses, but leave fiscal matters to just one.
For example, if for some entirely unknown reason you must retain something similar to our existing system, let the house control ONLY the purse. Crazy right, given the nuts running it? But if you make the other house simple veto only, it puts the responsibility clearly on one, and means if you can't come up with a budget, you just use the last one you had. Allowing any system to allow government to HALT just because you have opposing parties is just crazy.
Yes, that means the crazy can destroy a lot. That's why you don't elect them or vote them out.
Better yet....just don't have a legislature.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
An article worth reading
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/10/juan_linz_dies_yale_political_scientist_explains_why_government_by_crisis.html
Presidencies suck.
The constitution sucks.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
The National Punishment Act
Whereas, we of Congress recognize our failure to the American People to perform our congressional duties, we pass this legislation as penance for our failures, and further to allow future congresses to suffer if they fail in the same manner. We are not the first congress to fail, but we shall endevore to be the last.
1. Every year this act shall be law, an attempt shall be made to make its provisions an amendment to the constitution of the United States. This shall override all other parliamentary procedures and trump all considerations save a direct threat to the security of the United States.
2. Congress shall receive no pay of any kind when the government is shut down due to the failure to pass a budget.
3. Failure to raise the debt ceiling after passing a budget that exceeds the income of the United States shall be considered Treason against the United States of America and punishable by death. Legislatures may cut spending or raise taxes but they may not threaten the Full Faith and Credit of the United States.
4. While attempting to resolve a shut down, Congress may pass no legislation save a budget. The budget may not contain anything but funding procedures.
5. Any member of congress who fails to pass a budget is barred from seeking employment by any government contractor. This shall be enforced in that any private or public company hiring a budget failure member of congress shall have all funds within the jurisdiction of the United States immediately placed in escrow until they release the budget failure member of congress from their payroll.
Territorial Punishment
1. If, after failing to pass a budget, a district composed of the same geographic space reelects a congressman who failed to pass a budget; upon passage of a continuing resolution, all federal spending in the district of the reelected failure causing congressman shall be delayed an additional 30 days.
2. If, after voting to assault the full faith and credit of the United States, the members of the same district reelect the traitor or elect a second traitor within the span of 10 years, all federal funds shall be prohibited from being spent within that district saved for Earned Benefits such as Social Security, health care, etc.
Equality
1. Congress shall be forced to accept all benefits that it creates by legislation for the American populace. Any pensions, retirement benefits, salaries, perks, gifts or other paraphernalia of any kind that is regarded by the public at large as a benefit shall henceforth be forbidden if not available to the public at large as well.
2. All elected or appointed (ie confirmed by the senate) Federal officers in the legislative, judicial and executive branches shall maintain a public view of all financial assets and transactions at all times, updated, to the extent realistically possible in real time. All transactions must be posted within 60 days.
1. Every year this act shall be law, an attempt shall be made to make its provisions an amendment to the constitution of the United States. This shall override all other parliamentary procedures and trump all considerations save a direct threat to the security of the United States.
2. Congress shall receive no pay of any kind when the government is shut down due to the failure to pass a budget.
3. Failure to raise the debt ceiling after passing a budget that exceeds the income of the United States shall be considered Treason against the United States of America and punishable by death. Legislatures may cut spending or raise taxes but they may not threaten the Full Faith and Credit of the United States.
4. While attempting to resolve a shut down, Congress may pass no legislation save a budget. The budget may not contain anything but funding procedures.
5. Any member of congress who fails to pass a budget is barred from seeking employment by any government contractor. This shall be enforced in that any private or public company hiring a budget failure member of congress shall have all funds within the jurisdiction of the United States immediately placed in escrow until they release the budget failure member of congress from their payroll.
Territorial Punishment
1. If, after failing to pass a budget, a district composed of the same geographic space reelects a congressman who failed to pass a budget; upon passage of a continuing resolution, all federal spending in the district of the reelected failure causing congressman shall be delayed an additional 30 days.
2. If, after voting to assault the full faith and credit of the United States, the members of the same district reelect the traitor or elect a second traitor within the span of 10 years, all federal funds shall be prohibited from being spent within that district saved for Earned Benefits such as Social Security, health care, etc.
Equality
1. Congress shall be forced to accept all benefits that it creates by legislation for the American populace. Any pensions, retirement benefits, salaries, perks, gifts or other paraphernalia of any kind that is regarded by the public at large as a benefit shall henceforth be forbidden if not available to the public at large as well.
2. All elected or appointed (ie confirmed by the senate) Federal officers in the legislative, judicial and executive branches shall maintain a public view of all financial assets and transactions at all times, updated, to the extent realistically possible in real time. All transactions must be posted within 60 days.
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