Work Week Reductions

Whatever the office I occupied, I would want to work towards reductions in the standard "work week" - at first, I'd aim for a 5% percent reduction, to 38 hours, and then another 5% percent, down to 36. I seem to recall that as I was growing up in the early 60s, the talk was all about the huge amounts of extra leisure time that developing technology would provide for everyone. Indeed, there was concern that we might find ourselves bored! But instead, it seems that we have been steadily increasing our workloads, at the expense of our families and our health. Take it easier, say I.

The Role of the President

Constitutionally, one of the President's main jobs is to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." He is also expected to "recommend to [Congress'] Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient"-- but it seems to me that this latter duty has taken such precedent over the other, that we now elect Presidents based in large part on what measures we think he/she will recommend. If I were a Presidential candidate, I would emphasize that executive role, carrying out the wishes of the people as expressed through their elected representatives, rather than trotting out a long list of potential programs that may or may not pass Congressional muster.

You get to watch

Were I elected to some post or other, I would have a staffer with me at all times with a video camera, recording all my interactions with other people. The people who elect politicians to positions of power and responsibility, it seems to me, would have a right to keep an eye on me, and know exactly what I was doing on their behalf.

Repurpose the Military

Certain folks are fond of saying that the purpose of an army is "to kill people and break things." If I were C-in-C, I would push for the elimination of that definition - and the outmoded, obsolete thinking behind it - and repurpose the military explicitly towards countering injustice, protecting innocent lives, and serving the people. In fulfilling these goals, the military may indeed have to "kill people and break things" occasionally - and they would need the capability to do so - but that would not be their purpose. I think that this is not a trivial shift, psychologically speaking.

Makeup of the Supreme Court

Oh, and re the Supreme Court... I think the Court should have the following composition:

• 3 solid, experienced, nonpartisan and thoughtful centrists
• 2 generally conservative justices
• 2 generally liberal justices
• 1 hardcore right-wing maniac
• 1 hardcore left-wing maniac

Of course, we now have at least 3 hardcore right-wing maniacs, so it's going to take a while to get to that ideal state...

Jerusalem

Following Obama's AIPAC speech and discussion re his position about Jerusalem, I thought I should mention mine:

Jerusalem, being a critical part of the heritage of so much of humanity, should not be the possession of any one country. I would call for the entire city to be placed under a separate UN mandate. Countries that wished to locate any executive offices there would be allowed to do so.