Imagine we are starting all over. How would we structure America?

[mopaul]

bushco has done it's level best to destroy what america once was, for good or bad. america was never perfect, but it had it's good points, along with the bad ones. but now, america has been made awful and ugly and filthy in the eyes of the world. once admired by many, we are now disgraced and shamed, all in 3 and 1/2 short years.

let's imagine that the bush years are the worst and lowest point in our history. it's easy if you try. and then imagine the point at which bush leaves us forever in disgrace. and then imagine how we have to repair the carnage and corruption and stain. to restore honor and dignity to the office of president, and to america's reputation in the world.

what changes would you like to see? i would like to see that there is no draft. and that we immediately pull out of iraq and afghanistan. and that we become a non aggressor nation, a neutral nation, who's military exists only to protect itself. i would like to see we the people decide who we go to war with, and when, and why.

i would like to see mexican migrant workers paid a decent wage for their slave labor. i would like to see the minimum wage raised to $15 an hour at least. i would like to see free healthcare and medicine for all, without killing us with taxes. i would like to see real jobs, for all, with all the work done within our own borders. no more outsourcing to slaves in poor countries.

i would like to see no more dependency on saudi oil, or any foreign source. begin the elimination of gas burning cars. it's easy to do, just do it. i'd like to see religious fanatics removed from our government, and church's being taxed. i'd like there to be no more poor people in america. it's completely possible.

i could go on and on, but i like to imagine that bushco will be a wake up call for all americans to search their souls and look inward to what we want america to be after he is but a bitter memory.

[H2O Man]

1. I've always favored the Constitution.

This administration has attacked it, and has done some damage to the concepts it represents. So I would hope that people would take the time to actually read it, discuss it, and even debate it. I'm also fond of the John Lennon/Yoko Ono song "Imagine." I'd like small children to sing that song at the beginning of their school days.

[sui generis]

4. my ten cents

1. Absolutely remove our dependence on non-renewable energy
2. Cut religion out of government completely and utterly
3. Tax religious institutions
4. Fund our schools -- make second language and civics mandatory
5. Flat tax? don't know enough about it but it sounds right
6. Prune the president's powers severely to remove recess judicial appointments, the ability to quash FOIA, and other republican unaccountability, among many other potential and frequent abuses
7. Retrain unemployed forest workers, fishermen, and Ohio basin wheat farmers rather than subsidizing their environmentally destructive professions.
8. Build a sense of pride and environmental conservatism that actually considers real scientific opinion.
9. Form a national effort to prioritize cleaning up our country and preserving natural habitat and ecosystems as a source of national pride, not just a barrier to profit for large corporations.
10. Teach our children pride. Teach our adults humility.

[H2O Man]

6. I like your list

especially #10. Onondaga Chief Paul Waterman used to say the goal is to teach children to think for themselves, and to act for others.

[Mika]

2. More give, less take

It takes dedication to volunteerism, dedication to our fellow citizens, dedication to our future, dedication to peace, dedication to hard sweat and toil for the betterment of our childrens world.

Do ya see that in America, overall?

To make such a big change will take a revolution in our education system. Who will kick-start such a thing? What segments of America's demographic would be willing to make the sacrifices neccessary?

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Whole different electoral process and government structure

as far as representation goes.

"Free" education from cradle to grave.

No military pork (and a lot less military)

Social democracy, basically, mindful of both individual rights and the collective good.

[demnan]

5. Here's my thought

Our country for a long time has been taken over by corporations. I would like to see control returned to the people. I would like to see the corporations actually taxed in this country for a change and I would like to see control of the monopolies formed. I'd like the media split out again with restrictions on how many newspapers and television stations one can own.

I'd like to see the CEOs of these corporations make a fair wage, rather than an outrageously high one. There would be much more money if we do this so we can pay every working person a living wage. I'd like to see reforms in agriculture so that a family could run a farm and live off their land again without being deeply in debt.

I'd also like to see some big measures for population control. Half our problems with pollution are due to our insistance on overpopulating the planet. I think those who have more than one or two children should be heavily fined. On the other hand, birth control, including abortion should be safe, free and legal.

[libcurious]

7. Here's my two cents

what changes would you like to see? i would like to see that there is no draft. and that we immediately pull out of iraq and afghanistan. and that we become a non aggressor nation, a neutral nation, who's military exists only to protect itself. i would like to see we the people decide who we go to war with, and when, and why.
Couldn't have said that better, totally agree with ya.
I would like to see the government leave us alone.
Leave churches alone to do their thing, don't take or GIVE them anything. Leave a woman's body to herself, her choice. Better the min. wage so we don't NEED migrant workers. Drastically cut our so called Representatives pay, so they are more in touch with the common American. How can a person making hundreds of thousands of dollars possibly know what its like to barely scrap by? Make big corporations pay their fair share, quit giving them huge tax loopholes to just turn around and give to a few exec's. Quit taxing us on everything just to gain favors for pork-belly projects. Leave our guns alone. Definitely give us alternative fuel options, that we DO have.
Everyone thinks the govt. will take care of them or others who need it, EVERYONE needs to take it upon themselves and care for themselves and those who need it.

[SarahB]

8. Democratic socialism

with the elimination of the corrupt influence of military/corporate interests.

(One can dream, right?)

[Salviati]

9. nationalize the "defense" industry

nationalize any industry vital to our national defense and the stablity of our civilization e.g. energy, health care, water, the food supply is probably ok once we bust up all the big agribuisnesses. For this sector of the economy, the focus should be redesigned not to shoot for efficiancy as a goal, but to shoot for robustness.

[forgethell]

10. Question?

i would like to see free healthcare and medicine for all, without killing us with taxes.

Me, too! Where's the money coming from?

[catzies]

11. This great thread from Friday 5/27 is archived already

worth re-reading

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1684980

[Delano]

12. Enshrine Church/State separation with no ambiguity.

Religio-nuts need to keep their religion to themselves.

Also, progressive taxation should be the condition upon which capitalism is allowed.