Hey, Santa! You Missed Some Items on Our List – Part II

Here are Some More Things We REALLY Wanted to Find Under the Tree

Continuing our Shopping List with Santa

Last week we started a conversation about things we wished we had found under our nation’s political holiday tree. Most people agree on these items, although we may disagree on some specifics.

What follows is Part II of that list. At the end of this posting, I will include a short, summarized list of what was posted last week. Taken together these two lists would make our hearts sing – and our country better off – if they were brought to reality.

Judges, Especially Supreme Court Judges

No lifetime judges: Make tenure long enough to avoid near term political influence but set a timeline. I think time in office (15 years or so) is a better formula than age but would take to get away from the lifetime model. While we are at it, no judges should be elected. They should be appointed by an executive and approved by a legislature.

One Supreme Court nominee per election cycle: Every president gets to choose one Supreme Court nominee in her/his four-year term. Period. If this means the court occasionally has 11 members or 7, so what? There is nothing magic about the number 9 and knowing it is one judge per term and every president gets that one takes off a lot of the heat. Under the current system, a president could have no appointees and the next one has 3-4. That makes zero sense.

Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights as national policy.  National law, period. To say that this most important decision is the right of the individual woman or not at all, depending on which side of a state line she lives, is ludicrous. It makes a lot of sense for states to decide certain issues individually. Basic human rights is not on that list.

Speaking of national health care, there is a lot more in that area that we wish Santa had already brought us. But in the interest of keeping this blog post shorter than War and Peace, we will hold off for now.

 Social Security

Keep it secure and fully funded: A simple process. Up level of income taxable for social security. Make it include all income, or at least raise the ceiling substantially. Expand those payments beyond wages. Why not include investment income, etc.?

Do NOT raise the retirement age or reduce the money going to beneficiaries. Lastly, fence the money for its intended purpose. Do not allow the government to use these funds from taxpayers for purposes other than social security.

 Guns

Sensible gun policies:  The vast majority of the country agrees on what this means, including most responsible gun owners. Have much wider application of background checks, no semi-automatics, no large magazines, no registration exemptions for private sales, gun shows, or family transfers, all weapons registered, liability insurance mandated for selling/owning/using
guns.

Guns are now the number one cause of death for American children. Our national murder and suicide rate is worse than the rest of the developed world combined. What the hell is wrong with us that we do not face this cancer on our national life? We are better than this. Or can be.

 Social Media

Hold social media responsible: I get that this is really tricky, honoring the first amendment while treating the poison being injected into the national debate. I honestly do not know what the right combination civil/ and financial liability might be, not to mention legal liability for what is posted and the outcomes that result.

But we have to do better. Otherwise, the pernicious nature of hate and conspiracy falsehoods will be never ending, crippling our hopes for national dialogue.

 Infrastructure

Build in replacement costs: A remarkably simple, easy fix for our pitiful infrastructure. When a major project is authorized, that authorization includes a requirement to set aside funds every year in fenced accounts for maintenance and replacement.

This would save costs, avoid disruptions, boost the economy, and improve safety dramatically. The estimates for set asides may not be exactly right in terms of what is required, but they will be close enough to ensure we build intelligently.

 You Choose

 Once again, you pick one (or more). What is high on your list in any of these categories that is missing here?
 Share your thoughts with the rest of us.

Summation of the Part I List

A two state solution for Palestine
The new NATO law

Make It easier to call up a vote in Congress
No one person should be able to block anything beyond a few days
Minimize the super majority requirement
Vote on Nominees promptly
The Speaker of the House: Power and Succession Role
The election of Speaker by secret ballot
Eliminate the requirement to vote on paying our debts:
No budget passed before the fiscal year begins means no congressional pay

Outlaw gerrymandering
Rank order voting
All party primaries
Allow voter referendums


Instant and clear transparency in campaign finance contributions data
Reinstate McCain-Finegold and extend it

See You Next Week

It’s a new year, with much ahead of us. We have no shortage of both challenges and opportunities on our path.

I’m betting it will be scary, with some tough times, but we are up to it.

Next week – A review of a lot of good news that we sometimes overlook. There actually is a lot to celebrate this year. We will talk about some of that next time.

Bill Clontz (& Bonnie)

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