Hamtastic for President 2012!

[Mr. Hamtastic]

I've decided to begin the campaign now. Since I don't know what all the issues are, please ask and I'll form a position on it.

#1: Marijuana and Cocaine legalized, possession of other drugs decriminalized. Marijuana and Cocaine would be available to purchase at government owned shops. It would be a closed government loop, with much production going on in underground bunkers via hydroponics.

#2: Marriage would be made superfluous. A union could be entered into at any courthouse between any two objects. Marriage would be a ceremony for religious officials.

#3: Defense spending would be raised to 2008 levels, with more attention focused on space-based weaponry and robotic weapons.

#4: A hard line will be taken with regards to Foreign Policy. Mexico and Canada stand to be annexed, possibly followed by military action to take all of South America.

#5: Illegal Aliens would be allowed to be hunted for sport with an appropriate license.

#6: A law to govern all mass media would be emplaced, requiring disclaimers to be put on any story that has not been found to be accurate.

#7: Voting would be made compulsory, with an additional tax if you had no voting receipt.

What else should I develop my platform on?

I know this got cessed from politics, but I think this will do to get the word out. I'm planning a grass-roots campaign.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

#8: Universal Health Care will be available to citizens on a work-credit basis.

#9: Money will be changed over to credits and made electronic

#10: Scannable chips will be implanted into every citizen, without which, no commercial transaction can be made.

#11: Military service will be required for 2 years for everyone turning 18.

#12: The tax law will be simplified-10% flat tax on all income, no exceptions, no refunds.

[one_raven]

I can never tell how serious you are about anything.

I guess you like it that way, huh?

[superstring01]

I can never tell how serious you are about anything.

I guess you like it that way, huh?

THANK YOU!!!

I cesspooled the original thread, because I thought it was a joke. I didn't know it was going to be the impetus of a serious discussion.

But, that having been said, it can be thought provoking!

~String

[Mr. Hamtastic]

This is deadly serious. I could be your next president elect! I'll be 36 just in time!

[one_raven]

This is deadly serious. I could be your next president elect! I'll be 36 just in time!

Then I will address it as such.

Give me a few minutes to adress each point - and allow me to assure you that you will not be getting my vote.

[Asguard]

I've decided to begin the campaign now. Since I don't know what all the issues are, please ask and I'll form a position on it.

#1: Marijuana and Cocaine legalized, possession of other drugs decriminalized. Marijuana and Cocaine would be available to purchase at government owned shops. It would be a closed government loop, with much production going on in underground bunkers via hydroponics.

possably a good move with weed however the other drugs have a very high cost to sociaty. If we were to take achole as a base line of harm and cost to the community we are willing to accept for personal freedom drugs like ice symply dont cut it. They impose HUGE burdens on the health system comparitive to achole when the useage levels are taken into acount. I do however agree that drug use should be treated PURLY as a health issue rather than as a law and order one

#2: Marriage would be made superfluous. A union could be entered into at any courthouse between any two objects. Marriage would be a ceremony for religious officials.

the 2nd part of this is just silly, while i do agree that removing the word "marrage" from all legislation will have the desired effect of pulling the teeth of the religious right to suggest that anything can be concidered to be in a legally binding contract is stupid. No person under 18 can sign a contract currently (with only a couple of exceptions) and no animal, plant or inanimate object can sign one at all. There are oviously issues to concider about power and manipulation in insestuas relationships but i cant see an issue with applying these principles to homosexuals and poligamy though for poligamy i would stipulate that BOTH people in the existing arangement must agree

#3: Defense spending would be raised to 2008 levels, with more attention focused on space-based weaponry and robotic weapons.

There are treaties which provent the militrization of space for a start

#4: A hard line will be taken with regards to Foreign Policy. Mexico and Canada stand to be annexed, possibly followed by military action to take all of South America.

this would cause the anhialation of the US, the commonwealth is a more binding aliance than the UK, US one or ANZUS

#5: Illegal Aliens would be allowed to be hunted for sport with an appropriate license.

this breaches the international convention on civil and political rights and would cause a war aganist the US

#6: A law to govern all mass media would be emplaced, requiring disclaimers to be put on any story that has not been found to be accurate.

this is currently being concidered in fiji i think, and i will wait to see how their legislation pans out before commenting but i belive this would run a foul of the first ammendment

#7: Voting would be made compulsory, with an additional tax if you had no voting receipt.

got no problem with this, compulsery voting has been in effect in australia for along time though this needs to be coupled with good education in citzianship

#8: Universal Health Care will be available to citizens on a work-credit basis.

then its not universal is it?

#9: Money will be changed over to credits and made electronic

what sort of protection from the monetry system being hacked would you put in place?

#10: Scannable chips will be implanted into every citizen, without which, no commercial transaction can be made.

you do realise this is the US your talking about dont you?

#11: Military service will be required for 2 years for everyone turning 18.

what about the people like me who would jump ship to the other side if the millatry action was immoral?

#12: The tax law will be simplified-10% flat tax on all income, no exceptions, no refunds.

you do realise this would shift the tax benifit onto the poor to a greater percentage than the wealthy dont you?

[one_raven]

#1: Marijuana and Cocaine legalized, possession of other drugs decriminalized. Marijuana and Cocaine would be available to purchase at government owned shops. It would be a closed government loop, with much production going on in underground bunkers via hydroponics.

I agree with legalization of weed and other non-processed, non-chemical drugs. I don’t think they should be restricted to government manufacturing. Why underground? I should be able to grow my own weed, and it should also be sold in stores – though heavily taxed with the proceeds earmarked for healthcare costs. It should also be restricted to use in private homes and strict penalties shold be enforced for driving under the influence – with proceeds going to healthcare costs. There should also be a national tax on alcohol and other dangerous substances – again, earmarked for healcare.

#2: Marriage would be made superfluous. A union could be entered into at any courthouse between any two objects. Marriage would be a ceremony for religious officials.

Any two objects? That’s just ridiculous. Any two humans? I agree. All civil unions, regardless of sex, and lave “marriage” to the religions.

#3: Defense spending would be raised to 2008 levels, with more attention focused on space-based weaponry and robotic weapons.

Couldn’t disagree more. Take a step more towards (though not complete) isolationism. Protect our borders and only engage in defensive wars and UN approved and driven peace-keeping activities. Take that huge budget and make all education – up to an including a first PhD free. Support our troops by bringing them home and educating them.

#4: A hard line will be taken with regards to Foreign Policy. Mexico and Canada stand to be annexed, possibly followed by military action to take all of South America.

Nonsense. We should be a global citizen, not bully. Cooperation will bring an end to world problems, not warfare. Just like domestic policy – throwing offenders in jail is the easy way out and solves nothing. Understand the causes of the problems and address them.

#5: Illegal Aliens would be allowed to be hunted for sport with an appropriate license.

I am just going to assume – and hope – you are not serious about that.

#6: A law to govern all mass media would be emplaced, requiring disclaimers to be put on any story that has not been found to be accurate.

Do you really want the state to decide what information is disseminated? I don’t. Though I would like to see all “news” companies required to be not-for-profit, if there is a feasible way to do that.

#7: Voting would be made compulsory, with an additional tax if you had no voting receipt.

Why? Why would you want people who don’t care just pushing whatever button to not get fined? I think it should be encouraged, and I have pointed out how I think that can be done in the “Revamp the Electoral College” thread in politics.

#8: Universal Health Care will be available to citizens on a work-credit basis.

I’d need more details to make a determination.

#9: Money will be changed over to credits and made electronic

I would want to see just the opposite.

#10: Scannable chips will be implanted into every citizen, without which, no commercial transaction can be made.

Disgusting thought.

#11: Military service will be required for 2 years for everyone turning 18.

Why?

#12: The tax law will be simplified-10% flat tax on all income, no exceptions, no refunds.

I don’t know what the number should be, but I stand behind a flat tax, assuming corporate tax reform is included in the package. Abolish the IRS.

[one_raven]

you do realise this would shift the tax benifit onto the poor to a greater percentage than the wealthy dont you?

Not necessarily.
It depends on how it was implemented and what else was included in the tax plan.

[Asguard]

one raven no matter how it is structured a flat tax penelises the poor more than the ritch

say we aboslutly abolish all other taxes and go with hams statement that no concessions or anything else would be alowed

Now we have 2 people

1 earns $100 a week
the other $100,000 a week

the first would be left with $90 a week where as the second would be left with $90,000 a week

Now who do you think is going to notice the missing 10% more? who is going to find the 10% more of a burden?

[one_raven]

say we aboslutly abolish all other taxes and go with hams statement that no concessions or anything else would be alowed

This is why I said it depends on how it is structured.

Say we don't and we institute a tax plan that places a greater burden on the coprorations and institute a VAT system.
Say we institute a national sales tax in which food is not taxed at all and the more luxurious and suprfluous an item is the more taxes are paid on it.
Then you have the aspect of how the taxes are spent.
Say we institute tarriffs and use that money to address issues regarding infrastructure, education and housing?

In addition, states have their own tax systems - completely sepearate from the federal tax system, in which greater taxes can be exercised on the rich to balance the class divide in their own states.

What a lot of people from other countries don't realize is the level of independence of the states.
Think of each state as a country and the Federal Government as the EU.
Do you want your taxes going to address the social needs of Italy or your own country?
Sure, give Italy some aid in times of need, but your taxes should generally support your citizens.

IF, as you said, we abolished all other taxes and only had a flat income tax, THEN it may create a greater burden on the poor, but the worls is not that simple.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

I've decided to begin the campaign now. Since I don't know what all the issues are, please ask and I'll form a position on it.

#1: Marijuana and Cocaine legalized, possession of other drugs decriminalized. Marijuana and Cocaine would be available to purchase at government owned shops. It would be a closed government loop, with much production going on in underground bunkers via hydroponics.

The closed government loop is to prevent the production and sale of "homegrown" to people. Trafficking and illegal possession with intent to distribute would still be illegal. The actual cost to produce would be comparatively low, and all "profit" can be turned to whatever is needed. Cocaine, in small doses, would be a great energy booster, not to mention pain-killer.

#2: Marriage would be made superfluous. A union could be entered into at any courthouse between any two objects. Marriage would be a ceremony for religious officials.

When I decide to be open-minded, I will be open-minded. If it can sign a contract, it can be legally joined to any other object capable of signing a contract. This is somewhat forward looking, because it allows objects with strong general ai to be legally joined to humans or other objects with strong general ai.

#3: Defense spending would be raised to 2008 levels, with more attention focused on space-based weaponry and robotic weapons.

picture it, though. War breaks out. No artillery barrage, telephone poles of steel come slicing through the sky to desroy targets. No manned aircraft, thousands of drones controlled safely by technicians. No "boots on the ground" an army of bloodless robots controlled from afar. As for treaties? There are no standing treaties banning space based weaponry that didn't go out with the existence of the USSR.

#4: A hard line will be taken with regards to Foreign Policy. Mexico and Canada stand to be annexed, possibly followed by military action to take all of South America.

Ok. This is just NAFTA to it's ultimate conclusion. A unified north and south american continents would be able to produce almost anything needed "in-house" so to speak

#5: Illegal Aliens would be allowed to be hunted for sport with an appropriate license.

Certainly would cut down on the number of illegals, though.

#6: A law to govern all mass media would be emplaced, requiring disclaimers to be put on any story that has not been found to be accurate.

A simple rating system, so we knew if we were hearing normal bullshit, outrageous bullshit, or verified shit would be enough.

#7: Voting would be made compulsory, with an additional tax if you had no voting receipt.

somehow I think everyone would develop some kind of opinion.

#8: Universal Health Care will be available to citizens on a work-credit basis.

They give you a new spleen, that is worth a certain number of work-credits, which you will owe to the government. Volunteering at a library is work-credits, so long as it is a government library. Going to your daily job, you acquire living credits and work-credits. UHC is all work-credits, and being in the red for work credits just means that if we need you you can't say no.

#9: Money will be changed over to credits and made electronic

see above and what follows

#10: Scannable chips will be implanted into every citizen, without which, no commercial transaction can be made.

No ID theft! No more missing persons! No one can claim to be a citizen without the implant. It stores your vital info, your bank account, your employment history, your schooling. Tampering of any kind may leave it non-functional, which would leave you pretty screwed.

#11: Military service will be required for 2 years for everyone turning 18.

2 years of physical labor, mental toughening, discipline, and a commonality among people when their service is done.

#12: The tax law will be simplified-10% flat tax on all income, no exceptions, no refunds.

notice-the rich man lost 10,000 dollars and the poor man lost 10 dollars. besides, this would all apply to the living-credits, which would be far closer to equal in value.

[one_raven]

Sorry.
Not a chance of getting my vote.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Maybe you should run against me, then, one_raven.

[cosmictraveler]

Mr. Hamtastic just ask your kids if they would ever vote for you to be president.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

ct-they said yes. Why?

[one_raven]

Maybe you should run against me, then, one_raven.

Maybe I will.

[one_raven]

Set up a presidential debate in the Politics forum with a poll and we will take questions from the audience.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Shouldn't you make your position known so that they can form questions to appropriately harass us with?

[one_raven]

I am leaving work soon, and will have to log off.
I'll tell you what.

Start a presidential debate thread for the two of us in Politics with an opening statement and formal address outlining your campaign to the crowd.
Later today, when I wake up, I will post my opening statement and we will ask the audience for one question at a time.

We will ask string's assistance as the moderator and he will post a poll when he feels the debate is over.

No follow-up questions from the audience, but string can post follow-up questions if he sees fit.

How does that sound?