I’m a curmudgeon, and proud of it. Kids on the grass? No big deal — it’s mostly weeds any way. Cut the lawn? Why? I’m not landed as most of those with money are. Also, in the 16th Century Renaissance, lawns were deliberately cultivated by the wealthy in both France and England, though they were more likely planted with chamomile or thyme than with grass. Both of these ground covers make excellent alternatives to grass in modern lawns.
But to the reasons I am curmudgeon-ing . . .
It's time to change the rules on a LOT of things in Congress. The per diem given to congress critters, the free lunches at our tax payer cafeteria, where NONE of us who pay for it are allowed. That most people [meaning us peeons(sic)] who can't even walk into a Congressional building WE own.
NO MORE LOBBYISTS.
Ban ALL assault rifles, extended clips, armor piercing shells (yes you can buy such ammunition). No bazookas (I know someone personally who owns one) or any military hardware.
Let the NRA and its 3,000,000 advocates (one percent of the U.S. population?) go it’s merry self destructive ways — and I own firearms and quit the NRA (one time life member — one LaPierre became the mouth piece of the firearms industry — I was gone). Stricter controls on firearm sales (got that gun show loophole). No private sales (person to person) unless a licensed federal firearms dealer is involved
No "dark" money. I’m tired of people like the Mercers, or the Cock(sic) brothers buying the influence of those we choose.
Get rid of gerrymandering with a federal law.
NO PACS. All campaign money must be limited.
A shortened campaign season. Twelve weeks in total. Allow six weeks for primaries and another six weeks for the campaign, instead of the "who's going to be nominated" bull-crap starting as soon as one election ends. Otherwise, sit down and STFU.
NO PAID ADVERTISING. All political ads will be the equivalent of public service announcements. Free and limited to 30 seconds.
Full funding of Social Security. Universal health care (mental, physical, dental, vision and everything and anything needed) from cradle to grave. Bring back the marginal tax rate of the Eisenhower era, 90 percent. This would help fund these systems.
Remove the cap on social security contributions. As of now, after earning more than $128,400, your contribution ends. Doing such would fund the Social Security program ad infinitum, along with a hefty increase in all those who are collecting now.
A basic income per month for each individual, which would be paid for by the fat cats whose marginal rate would be that 90%.
Move jobs overseas? Nationalize that industry. Direct competition against those who move to achieve lower pay rates for their own gain. Easier formation of unions, ending employer scare tactics.
Bring back the “cop on the beat” and get to know the neighborhood more intimately. This would allow people to get to meet and know the cop on the street. It would also lessen cops killing innocent people (the poor, the mentally impaired), and people killing cops — although that is much, much more rare than cops killing people. It would also help dissolve the need for S.W.A.T. teams and the over-militarization of our police forces.
Start taxing certain vehicles both at purchase (I’m looking at you, person who buys a gas guzzling crew cab for the family — or an SUV) and at the pump. This helps pays for our national infrastructure and the building of local and national transport systems. It would help the railroads, and allow the rebuilding of the system and having long distance transportation at least as equal to those in Europe and Asia. It would also encourage light rail between cities. Invest in updating, improving and repairing. bus lines in the cities and surrounding areas. In fact, just nationalize the railroads.
Nationalize the damn airline industry. Nationalize the railroads. Bring back work programs, the Civilian Conservation Core (my father helped to build the Appalachian Trail), the Workers Progress of America (built the Hoover dam, along with others), and some of the most architecturally beautiful train stations.
Done for now.
Oh, I forgot (almost). If you think these goals are not achievable — go kiss ass with the damn G(ot) O(ther) P(aydays), because if you don’t even like the thought of such ideas — you and they should get along fine.
I’m out — for now.