OK would be revolutionaries....let's say you win. What do you do?

[dmallind]

We have a small but growing coterie of folks here talking about "manning the barricades" et al in reference to our economic/political system. Let's forget for a moment questions of why or how this may or may not be realistic. Let's pretend that not only is it realistic but it is successful. YOU are now in charge of rebuilding the economic system in the nation. I'll focus on economics because that seems to be the principal impetus for proto-revolutionary grumbling.

Now how sophisticated you get is up to you. In reality you would have to deal with things like global boycotts, an inability to extend debt, an immediate repayment call for the $2.5T that is in foreign hands (less than most people think but a sizeable chunk). Politically you would have to deal with insurgencies and factional infighting, etc. But you can also make it white-board simple. What kind of economic system SHOULD we have? Communism, socialism, highly regulated capitalism, some hybrid? What should we do with monetary and fiscal policy? A (literal) Utopia where there is no money at all but goods issued for work expected? The gold standard? A revalued dollar? Whom should we tax and how much, based on what? What should interest rates be based on? Should we be isolationist or seek to earn our way back into global commerce? What do we do with current debt and programs that would incur more?

Assume you have the current infrastructure, military power, and capital infrastructure (factories, farms etc) that we have now at your government's disposal. Again in any realistic scenario much of all three would be damaged or reduced, but I'm not looking for books here, just opinions.

[liberal N proud]

1. If Palin is charge, there would be more war

[dmallind]

2. Probably true. Not relevant. But true. NT

[Zoeisright]

3. 1. Tax the hell out of the rich.

2. Nationalize the banks and the oil companies.

3. Regulate the hell out of Wall Street.

4. Get rid of the 'corporations are people' crap and put tight restrictions on campaign donations.

There. That's a good start. Now reduce interest rates on credit cards and mortgages to 2% and increase the tax deduction per individual to $20,000 from the pitiful five grand or wherever it is these days.

Highly, HIGHLY regulated capitalism is the best way.

[dmallind]

5. OK - bit more detail though?

Presumably the revolution was largely against the rich. Are they still rich? What should we tax? Income? Wealth? How do we approach capital holdings (such as taxing ownership of the Yenkees or TBS?)

[BrotherLove]

29. Before you do number 4 ......

"4. Get rid of the 'corporations are people' crap and put tight restrictions on campaign donations."

Since people can't own slaves, all corporations would have to free every corporation they own and have ever bought. The former owner corporation would then have to pay reparations to the former slave corporations.

I'd add

5. The IRS would be ordered to collect all back taxes lost from any outsourced jobs from all corporate upper management personel that were part of the decision making process to outsouce the jobs outside the US.

6. New FCC regulation, any News organization that lies, distorts the truth or propaganda is fined 1 billion dollars. They would still be free to say what they want when they want. This would apply to any broadcast through the atmosphere, which would include broadcasting to/from a satellite in geo-sync orbit. Corporations are free to fund a giant private extension cord to the satellite to avoid the new regulation. Or fund Internet 2.0 to handle video streaming.

7. Government workers (including Politicians and their staff) may only receive money the government. They are paid to work for the American people and do not need other income to distract them from doing their job. In addition former government employees and staff are banned from lobbying for 100 years after they leave their government job. If they don’t like it, there are currently millions of unemployed Americans willing to take their paid job.

8 Per #7 above, any income from any other source would be considered a bribe and both parties fined 1 billion dollars. Campaign ad’s by third parties would be considered income for the politician. People are still free to donate what ever they want if they are willing to pay the fine.

9 Anyone placing a Campaign ad found to be misleading or a distortion of the truth would be fined 1 billion dollars. People are still free to place any ad they want if they are willing to pay the fine.

[proudohioan]

30. I like those punitive measures.

You are still free to choose what you do, however, be willing to take the consequences. It seems like huge fines would be more effective than an out and out ban. (Referring to items 5,6, 8 & 9).

IMHO

[Zoeisright]

35. Great suggestions!

And I thought of another one - any corporation that has ever killed a person must be tried for first degree murder. Especially health insurance companies. And the CEO at the time can stand in for the corporation, since it's hard to get a corporation into the witness box.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

4. Round up the repukes and put em in re-education camps

And send the Bushies to the Hague.

[proteus_lives]

14. Dupe.

[proteus_lives]

15. Camps. Always a good sign.

You're ready to bypass the revolution and go straight to the Reign of Terror.

[mudplanet]

25. Check out how many people were guillotined in the "reign of terror" and how many were marched

out of Paris and shot the day the Commune fell.

[proteus_lives]

32. Numbers?

Reign of Terror: 16-40 thousand killed, 250,000 imprisoned.

Paris Commune: 10-50 killed and around 15 thousand jailed or exiled.

And your point is?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

37. I assume that most folks here are familiar with sarcasim

Most, but apparently not all. Oh well. But, yeah, lets go straight to a reign of terror. That seems like a good idea! Hell, could we just impale the entire Bush crime faimily?

[H2O Man]

6. Communalism.

Dancing, laughter, agriculture, and an un-enforced dress code.

[sharesunited]

7. Honor private property, but license it.

Involve the U.S. Treasury in direct capital formation of new enterprise.

Shut down conservative talk radio. It is pernicious and destructive of the public good.

[proteus_lives]

13. No freedom of the press.

What other freedoms would you curtail?

[Taitertots]

19. Your plan is to abolish the first amendment? n/t

[Double T]

8. Steps to bring back America AFTER the revolution.

1.) Nationalize ALL the banks and financial institutions. Lend at reasonable interest rates to individuals and businesses that are credit worthy. The corporate banking culture of arrogance and extreme corruption would end. ETC.......
2.) Install term limits on all political and judicial offices; no more lifetime appointments or reelections for congress, the scotus or any other political office. Two terms maximum.
3.) Abolish the K Street bribery system and its influence on government decisions.
4.) Remanufacturatize and reindustrialize America; corporate traitors and slave masters will no longer be allowed to call the shots and sellout our nation and its workers.
5.) Nationalize all of health care with wage and price controls; one of wall street's biggest scams is over.
6.) Heavy Duty regulate, control and oversee all of wall street; America's economy and financial system will no longer be their casino.
7.) Free Market Capitalism does not work. Controlled Market Capitalism will work.
8.) Enact corporate and financial laws that will provide lifetime sentences for government, corporate or financial corruption or malfeasance.
9.) Have a 'Manhattan Style Project' to provide technology and products that maximize all sources of energy.
10.)Protect America by profiling the bad actors and NOT the American citizens.

These steps are only the beginning.

[Beer Snob-50]

20. a quick problem here,

term limits for scotus would mean that if they are up for election, they would tend to do what the general public wants and not what the law requires.

[stray cat]

9. They get rid of all corporations and businesses and then demand good paying jobs

and health care

[hunter]

10. Nationalized Single Payer Health Care, a thirty hour work week, expanded public education...

...and a general spin down of the economy to the point where we don't need coal or imported oil.

Let the dollar do what the dollar will do and create an economy where wealth isn't so important, where wealth has an inverse correlation with political power such that the wealthier you are the less political power you have.

I'd transform our military into a public works agency and rapid response disaster relief agency with worldwide reach.

Everyone would have a place to call home, a place to go to school, food, and medical care. This would be funded by steeply progressive income and property taxes such that 25% of the population pays no taxes at all, people making minimum wage pay no income taxes, and any income over ten times the minimum wage is taxed at rates approaching 90%.

Colleges, university, and vocational training would be open to anyone at any stage of their life. Shortages of skilled workers would be dealt with by paying people to go to school. Lose your job in the highway trade? Retrain as a high speed rail worker. Lose your job in the insurance industry? Retrain in another field.

I'm an aggressive free speech socialist and proud of that. If Big Money wants to flee my nation then let them. Good bye, good riddance, and slam the door on their tails. Maybe they can buy an island in Dubai and drink saltwater.

[Cid_B]

11. Gads...

I'd transform our military into a public works agency and rapid response disaster relief agency with worldwide reach.

Lordy... what happens when you actually need to go out and fight someone?

[hunter]

12. Who are we planning to fight? Hitler is dead and there's a city named Hồ Chí Minh.

The economic collapse of the United States is largely attributable to our absurd military spending.

[Taitertots]

22. The economic collapse was due to mortgage securitization

And the resulting housing bubble.

Idiotic monetary policy is more to blame than idiotic foreign policy

[Cid_B]

36. Yes yes....

I'm sure in the future DU utopia (and I use the word loosely from what I've seen here) everyone will love us and force will never be required anywhere in the world on a small or large scale.

Sheesh...

[Taitertots]

21. Spin down the economy to where we don't need coal or oil

How far is our standard of living going to go down?

[gatorboy]

16. I don't think it's really about doing anything.

Except getting Republicans back in power.

When they're back in power, it will be as if this "movement" never existed

[proteus_lives]

17. Don't hold your breath for serious answers.

People are about the idealism/romance of a revolution. Not the actual thing.

But you are seeing a lot of hidden authoritarianism from a lot of DUers.

[Taitertots]

18. 1.Vow of poverty required to run central bank

With the a fairly lavish lifestyle provided for them.

2.Require the assets of all people in congress to be placed in blind trust outside their control. With the trust overseeing the distribution of wealth for official work and leisure.

3.Increase the marginal tax rate for income over $1,000,000 to 95%.

4.End mortgage securitization. No new mortgage backed securities.

5.Pass a law banning floating interest rate debt. The interest on a debt must remain at the rate when the debt was issued.

6.A complex system to tax importation of luxury goods and unfairly manufactured goods.
a)Based on the value added before resale as a percentage of sale price. Raw materials imports will be taxed at a lower rate than completed consumer goods.
b)Also taken into consideration would be the total price. With tariffs increasing when the total price increases. A $200,000 ferrari might get a 400% tax, while consumer goods the public purchases will remain low.
c)Machinery and tools will be separate and receive very little taxation for importation.
d)Countries that subsidize industries will face a tariff equal to the estimated decrease in price caused by the subsidy

7.Universal single payer health care.

[AngryAmish]

23. Stamp out Republicanism root and branch

Every man, woman and child.

[Throd]

28. Let their corpses rot in the street as a warning.

Their lack of compassion must be exterminated at all costs.

[AllentownJake]

24. I don't know but your on the list now

You are asking way too many questions

:rofl:

[John Kerry VonErich]

26. Not a radical but

I call for a constitutional convention. There are so many outdated discrepencies that need to be cleared up and expanded. As well and the FDR new bill of rights.

[AllentownJake]

27. In all seriousness I'd rather have reform

Than the barricades being stormed. Here is how a french style revolution would play out.

People strike
People take over by force major Urban population center
Government sends in Military
Military joins people
Government goes away
Rich/political elite flee country for safe haven
Chaos
Revenge ruling body taking things out on rich/political elite too stupid to leave
Revenge ruling body taking things out on normal people
Evil leaders of revenge ruling body taken out by new revenge ruling body
Chaos
General or Colonel takes control of country
Civil War

After war there is either restoration or military dictatorship

I'd prefer a few real reforms than show trial executions, chaos, and war.

[1awake]

31. I would

1) Out law the party system.
2) Have all financial considerations for running for office be directed/funded and enforced by the government. No donations of any kind allowed.
3) Have the country turn into a Democracy instead of a Republic.
4) Military spending would be reduced by 50% with the direction of gearing our forces to more tactical instead of "Overwhelming".
5) The closure of 50% of Military bases located on foreign soil.
6) The institution of a 13% flat tax on all income between $50,000.00 - $500,000.00. Less than $50,000.00 no tax. $500,000.00 - 1,000,000.00 35%. 1,000,000.00 - 2,500,00.00 45%. 2,500,000.00 - above.. 60%.
7) The reorganization of the IRS.
8) Term limits of 10 years for Supreme Court Justices. Direct vote by the people.
9) Legalization of all semi-automatic weapons which would require a 30 day waiting period/background check along with a madatory training class. Possession of auto's would be a felony.
10) Legalization of Marriage to all people. The law would se no difference between same sex or otherwise. Religions would be allowed to practice according to their beliefs.
11) Taxation of any Church that makes ANY political endorsement.
12) Personhood and all the rights there of can only belong to.. people.
13) Single payer Health care which would include subsidies for individuals to attend Gym's, nutrition classes.
14) Outlaw opinion "new's" during the times news is being shown. All Networks must balance their lineups with programing from all sides.
15) The dismantling of the Dept. of Homeland Security.
16) The dismantaling of the ATF
17) The removal of the Patriot act.
18) Allow for flow of information between the FBI/CIA.

...this could go on and on.

[timeforpeace]

33. dmallind, I believe you've made your point. In spades.

[guitar man]

34. I'd round up the likes of Linbaugh, Hannity. O'Reilly et al

Put em on their knees in the middle of the street, put a .45 to the back of their heads and.....












I'd inform them that while their right of freedom of speech was still intact, their priveleges to broadcast on the public airwaves had been revoked. Also that all their wealth had been seized to pay off debt for the war they assisted with their lies. I'd also inform them that I had secured employment for them, scrubbing toilets at minumum wage, and that they were free to pull themselves up as far as their bootstraps could take them from there...

What did you think I was going to say? :evilgrin: