# Solve extremely complicated world and political issues with very simple solutions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 17, 2014, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357 "2014-07-17T13:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/41 "2014-07-18T21:08:24Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > Guys, are you having trouble getting a girlfriend? Just execute all the other dudes that are better looking, more athletic, or wealthier than you. You’ll be drowning in dates in no time! On the plus side, serial killers get all sorts of tail from prison groups so it really is a win-win plan! ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/42 "2014-07-18T23:23:54Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I’m picturing representatives gorging on food and water before heading into this thirst-and-starvation negotiation room. And of course, the media would have a party reporting on the buildup . . . “Reid seems to be slowing down after the 19th water bottle, wouldn’t you say? Oh dear, maybe he should have stopped there, that’s certainly going to be quite the mess to clean up. Now, Speaker Boehner has been on a strict meal plan in the past few months - ah, here he is being rolled into the staffroom now . . .” ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/43 "2014-07-18T23:31:29Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > How about selecting 5 representatives from each party, select an issue, and then lock them in a room without food or water. They can get out once they come up with a solution to which both sides will support. They can have access to phones and computers to research data and ask for information, but no media, no posturing to the boob-tube, no think tanks, no influencing from PACs. Force them to do their jobs, compromise, and develop solutions. Seems like a way to ensure the fat cats always win. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/44 "2014-07-19T00:06:33Z")
**Gay Marriage** Do away with marriage altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/45 "2014-07-19T00:43:08Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > **Gay Marriage** > > Do away with marriage altogether. I have proposed that one before very seriously as have a lot of other people. You can still have any spiritual marriage you want, it just won’t have any legal meaning. Work out your own contracts on the legal side to take care of anything else you care about and agree to with your partner(s). Issue solved. Most of these solutions are liberal in bent or tongue in cheek. Let’s try a hard-care free-market solution to a social problem for this one. Each person is given one childbearing credit at birth to be used freely to replace themselves minus a little statistically. That means that a couple can have two children with no penalty if they haven’t already used theirs somewhere else. If they want more than that, they have to buy it on the free market from someone that will not ever use theirs. I have no idea how much the additional credits would cost in general. It depends on market conditions but the penalty for having more than your allowance is severe at 25% of net remaining income FOR LIFE and is sent to the IRS as a tax penalty. This plan has a number of benefits: 1. It would gradually and gently lower the population to sustainable levels over a number of decades. We are well above that point even now and it is expected to grow by much more by 2050 (population replacement levels are roughly 2.3 per 2 people). 2. Environmental concerns would start to ease and technological solutions could catch up with fixing existing issues rather than dealing with new ones introduced by an ever-expanding population. 3. People that do not want children or cannot have them would get an economic benefit from those that really do and can truly afford to pay for it. A typical childbearing credit could easily be worth thousands of dollars once the market for them got rolling and that could really help college students that can’t have kids or never want them (you can always buy one from someone else if you change your mind and you have the money to afford it). 4. Vastly fewer children on the state welfare system. 5. It would help reverse the trend of more babies being born to less affluent homes that are ill equipped to care for children at all. 6. The number of foreign adoptions would decrease because the domestic supply would suddenly increase greatly and those children would go into better homes, schools and have better opportunities overall. 7. An increase in IRS revenues for people that violate the terms. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/46 "2014-07-19T03:25:24Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Then we trade Florida to the Mexicans in exchange for Baja California and then give that to the Indians. I mean, we could just give them Florida, but really, haven’t they suffered enough? Does that mean I have to move out of Florida? ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/47 "2014-07-19T03:52:36Z")
Take the money the US spends on wars and use it to provide proper health care and jobs for current servicemembers. Then gradually expand those perks to all US citizens as various bases and stuff are closed. Give Mexican immigrants a path to citizenship (hey I’m biased, my wife is Mexican 😃 ) through a work program allowing them to do the kinds of jobs they’re already willing to do here. But to be fair, make these jobs also available to US citizens. If US citizens want to make less than minimum wage picking tomates while huffing fertilizer fumes in some greenhouse, they can go right ahead. But if they don’t want to do that, let people who want to come here and actually pay taxes and eventually start businesses pick up the slack 😉 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/48 "2014-07-19T05:02:26Z")
1. Vladmir Putin must wrestle a bear. For real this time. If he survives, he can continue his course. 2. Forced busing of local politicians. Want to ban fluoride and _really_ concerned about those chemtrails? Please welcome Alderman Teaparty! Want to ban teaching evolution and persecute the gays? Here’s Councilwomyn Birkenstock! 3. Before you propose some law banning something or expanding something, you must present a book report to congress, using at least 5 credible sources (Wikipedia does not count!) and speaking to one expert from the “other side.” (Oh, who am I kidding, Wikipedia is a very credible source compared to what they’d use otherwise). 4. There are too many countries these days. Please eliminate thirty. I am not a crackpot! 5. Appoint me dictator for life. No, I’m totally cool. I promise. (The most serious one is number 2) > [@snowthx](#): > > How about selecting 5 representatives from each party, select an issue, and then lock them in a room without food or water. They can get out once they come up with a solution to which both sides will support. They can have access to phones and computers to research data and ask for information, but no media, no posturing to the boob-tube, no think tanks, no influencing from PACs. Force them to do their jobs, compromise, and develop solutions. Now you have me picturing picking teams for middle school dodgeball. Always pick the most powerful guys first. “I’ll take… Senator Skullcrusher.” > [@Shagnasty](#): > > I have proposed that one before very seriously as have a lot of other people. You can still have any spiritual marriage you want, it just won’t have any legal meaning. Work out your own contracts on the legal side to take care of anything else you care about and agree to with your partner(s). Issue solved. Providing you make some of the protections available to spouses now available to people in relationships. I guess you could extend common law marriages; I don’t know much about them except that they usually mean that you have to get legal if you split up and both want the trailer. > [@](#): > > Each person is given one childbearing credit at birth to be used freely to replace themselves minus a little statistically. That means that a couple can have two children with no penalty if they haven’t already used theirs somewhere else. If they want more than that, they have to buy it on the free market from someone that will not ever use theirs. I have no idea how much the additional credits would cost in general. It depends on market conditions but the penalty for having more than your allowance is severe at 25% of net remaining income FOR LIFE and is sent to the IRS as a tax penalty. What if you fix it ex post facto? This is sort of what China does (x2), minus that last part. Sure it’s “1 child,” but those with means can have more if they can afford it. What would you do about accidental pregnancies? Free tickets to a [drop tower](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_tower)? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/49 "2014-07-19T14:47:41Z")
Shamelessly borrowed from something written by Robert Heinlein. Various industrial companies and plants discharge waste water that the claim to have treated to remove contaminants. Let’s test that. Run a pipe from the outflow of these plants to the homes of the executives of the parent companies. Are they willing to bath in and drink the water that they’ve treated, and more importantly, to allow their children to do so? ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/50 "2014-07-20T11:07:28Z")
**Securitized, bundled loan products (and all the problems therein)**: Financial institutions are forbidden by law to sell loans. Period. If you make the loan, you have it until payoff. Any gain or loss belongs solely to the bank that made it. **Term Limits** : Any congressman’s third (or greater) term must be approved by a majority off _all_ US voters. If state X elects congresscritter Y for the 3rd time and the majority of the country disapproves, they are left without representation until the next election. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/51 "2014-07-20T17:01:36Z")
Israel/Palestine: A single SS-18, with ten MIRVs, fused for an even mix of airburst and ground-level detonation, aimed roughly at Gaza and the West Bank. Estimated casualties: Approximately 1.7 million dead, immediately, with about that many injured. Not counting fatalities from firestorms, loss of infrastructure, lack of medical care, or fallout, of course, the latter possibly being severe. But—depending on winds—much of far southern and far northern Israel would remain perfectly habitable, and many of the cities on the coast could be eventually re-occupied. The kilometer-wide, 30-storey deep crater centered on the remains of the Old City of Jerusalem could be far more rationally divided by subsequent political agreements—perhaps with a [system of movable barriers connected to fixed marker positions](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jTk0v53yUlw/TPQukzjvX8I/AAAAAAAAGPc/vzq0ncz6Ofo/s1600/DSCN3611.JPG)—and would provide a far superior base for placing new parking areas. Gay rights: Full extension and guaranteed universal recognition of civil rights—marriage, legal protection against discrimination, etc—with completion of six-year enlistment in the armed forces. Retroactive posthumous spousal-benefits for combat deaths and “_Américain par le sang versé_” rights included. Drugs: All recreational drugs are legalized—with the sole right of production and sale belonging to the Federal government, with a sales quota of at least $100 billion per annum. Plus, a guaranteed free narcotic ration for all Americans earning up to 500% of the Federal Poverty Level. Narcocracy. I has it. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/52 "2014-07-20T20:28:10Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > And of course, the media would have a party reporting on the buildup . . . > > “Reid seems to be slowing down after the 19th water bottle, wouldn’t you say? Oh dear, maybe he should have stopped there, that’s certainly going to be quite the mess to clean up. Now, Speaker Boehner has been on a strict meal plan in the past few months - ah, here he is being rolled into the staffroom now . . .” Roflololololol!! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/53 "2014-07-20T20:52:11Z")
More sensible: legislation must be drafted by a panel of about 25 citizens randomly drawn from the jury pool. If Congress wants to pass a law, they have obtain a panel, present their case, and accept without amendment what the panel decides they should consider. Legislators may not author legislation, they may only vote on bills that are presented to them. ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/54 "2014-07-20T21:35:36Z")
The big one for me would be financial compensation for organ donation. You can say all you want about putting a price on human dignity and blah blah blah, but the real affront to human dignity is letting people die who do not need to. One country in the world has a legal kidney trade, and that is Iran. And while Iran may not be an ideal role model in all respects, they get this right. There is no waiting list of people needing kidneys. Rather, there is a waiting list of people wanting to donate kidneys. Consequently, it is the healthiest people who are cleared to donate, which means both that the recipient gets the healthiest organ possible, and that the donor is going to handle being down a kidney well. It’s a win-win, and it really flabbergasts me that anyone opposes it, let alone that nearly everyone opposes it. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/55 "2014-07-21T20:33:57Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > \*\ ***Term Limits** : > Any congressman’s third (or greater) term must be approved by a majority off _all_ US voters. If state X elects congresscritter Y for the 3rd time and the majority of the country disapproves, they are left without representation until the next election. Simpler version: Incumbents must win by a 1% margin per term in office. So if there is a 10 term congressman they have to beat all other candidates by 10%. perhaps we do the same with senators but make it 2-3% since they serve longer terms. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/56 "2014-07-21T20:44:41Z")
**Airline terrorism** : Instead of serving inflight meals, airlines will now serve the meals in advance. The meal will be a ham sandwich, and if you refuse to eat it, you will not be allowed to board. **Abortion:** If any person is caught trying to have an abortion, an honor killing will be executed against their child. Serves the kid right, having such a stupid mom. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/57 "2014-07-21T21:27:41Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > **Airline terrorism** : > > Instead of serving inflight meals, airlines will now serve the meals in advance. The meal will be a ham sandwich, and if you refuse to eat it, you will not be allowed to board. What about people who can’t eat ham for non-religious reasons? (i.e., allergies) ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/58 "2014-07-21T21:33:08Z")
To make congress a real bi partisan institution that actually solves problems. Every Presidential election year the four majority /minority leaders of congress must also stand for an up or down yes no vote from all voters in all states. If they get a majority yes they can stay in office. If they receive a majority no they are out of office and can never occupied their majority / minority position again in their lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/59 "2014-07-21T22:23:33Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > What about people who can’t eat ham for non-religious reasons? (i.e., allergies) Life isn’t always fair :(. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357/60 "2014-07-21T22:37:01Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > If any person is caught trying to have an abortion, an honor killing will be executed against their child. Serves the kid right, having such a stupid mom. So your solution to problem of the evil of abortion–the wanton killing of an innocent child–is to kill another innocent child. Did you run your plan by Jesus first? Did he have any comments for you? I also note that this means that childless people can have all the abortions they want, it’s just those that already have children that can’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-extremely-complicated-world-and-political-issues-with-very-simple-solutions/693357.md?page=4)