# The USA After You've Been King For A Day?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usa-after-youve-been-king-for-a-day/533607>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 24, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usa-after-youve-been-king-for-a-day/533607 "2010-03-24T12:20:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usa-after-youve-been-king-for-a-day/533607/41 "2010-03-26T15:39:15Z")

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> [@Ranchoth](#):
>
> Well, order my commissars to make the remnants of nuclear-armed military forces in the region nuke said entire region. _Then_ gay marriage, _then_ the public executions.
> 
> See? Increased civil rights, _and_ horrifying reprisal slaughter. Who said bipartisanship is dead? 😃

Hehe, my apologies, I missed yours. Bipartisanship is definitely not dead (in this thread). 😃

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**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usa-after-youve-been-king-for-a-day/533607/42 "2010-03-26T18:23:21Z")

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Oooh. This is fun.

1. Abolish the electoral college and go to some form of popular vote system. I’d have to think about whether to do straight majority, runoff elections, or some other variant.

2. For the next ten years, every new law passed must cause a net decrease in the number of words of laws on the books. You want to pass a new law? Better repeal or simplify an old one!

3. Notwithstanding #2 above, any rider added to a bill _must_ be pertinent to the bill. No more of this, “You want me to vote for your solar energy bill? Then add a tariff on foreign-made Play-Doh.”

4. Let’s bring some dignity back to Congress. No more filibusters.

5. I’d take some opportunity to clarify a few things in the Constitution, like specifically defining taking one’s bodily fluids as unreasonable search and seizure and replacing the “well-regulated militia” line with a clear freedom to own firearms.

6. Universal health care.

7. Can I put in a death penalty for those scumbags who create computer viruses, Trojan horses, et al?

8. Replace the income tax with either a VAT-style tax. Completely flat, consistent, and fair across the board. Spend twice as much - pay twice as much.

9. Repeal all “luxury taxes.” If our VAT (or sales tax, or whatever we call it) is 20% on potted plants, then it’s 20% on gerbil food, cigars, wine, Playboy magazine, and gasoline, too. The government shall no longer attempt to use the tax system to influence people’s lifestyles.

10. Stop government-funded foreign aid until we get our own problems under control. When we get our own citizens healthy, fed, clothed, and housed; and our own national debt under control, THEN we go back to trying to support the rest of the world. This would NOT affect privately-funded programs.

11. I want a right to privacy, but I have no idea how to implement it. I’d have to call in some of those experts you offered.

I’m sure I’ll think of lots more, but that’s a start.

ETA: Speaking of thinking of more…

1. Any nonprofit organization that gets involved in politics (issuing voting guides to its members, hiring a lobbyist, contributing money to campaigns…) immediately loses its nonprofit status. This includes churches. You want to influence politics? That’s fine, but don’t use public money to do it.

2. Make age of consent, minimum marriage age, and gay marriage Federal, not State laws. And make gay marriage legal with all the advantages and disadvantages of any other marriage.

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**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usa-after-youve-been-king-for-a-day/533607/43 "2010-03-26T18:58:07Z")

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[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:42, topic:533607”]

1. Can I put in a death penalty for those scumbags who create computer viruses, Trojan horses, et al?  
[/QUOTE]

Mmmm, #7 is a great one that hasn’t been mentioned.

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**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usa-after-youve-been-king-for-a-day/533607/44 "2010-03-26T20:32:35Z")

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There would be absolutely no country music, with any violation punishable by death.

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