Tuesday, November 8, 2011

5 Things I Would Like to See Gone In My Lifetime

I'm feeling a bit ranty today so here goes...
There are a lot of things that we don't really need in the US, either because they are redundant, annoying, unnecessary, or all of the above.  Here are five things I would like to see done away with in my lifetime:
  1. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment which provides for birthright citizenship.  This is no longer necessary and, in all of the countries of the world, nearly unheard of. Children should receive citizenship through their parents. Period.
  2. The US Postal Service.  I'm as happy as anyone to be able to send a letter anywhere in the country for 44 cents yet when you veer away from the free market, you end up with something like the USPS.  Lousy customer service because there is no other option and a benefits and pension package for employees that makes no fiscal sense whatsoever.  Unlike regular businesses that have to actually be able to cover their expenses lest they cease to exist, the USPS just keeps asking congress for more money to cover their expenses which makes it....a charity?
  3. Nearly everything about the US immigration system.  What a disaster. I don't even know where to begin.  I do know that we are one of the few places on earth where illegal immigrants can come to our country and then demand their rights.  It is a frustrating and convoluted system overall that splits up families (if an American marries a foreigner and has kids with them and said foreigner through their own fault or no fault of their own is not allowed to immigrate to the US, the American basically has to self deport in order to be with their spouse), easily allows to people who are near elderly to immigrate thus allowing them to work a bit and receive full Social Security and Medicare benefits (parents of US citizens only take a year or so to get a visa to come here as opposed to siblings that can take up to 20 years to get a visa), and there is no process once an immigrant gets here to integrate into the US culture (ie: an immigrant can be a permanent resident for decades yet never speak the language, never apply for citizenship, never vote, never actually become a "card carrying American" yet still get to enjoy all of the free social services that come with being a resident of the US).  Somethings needs to change about this...and soon.
  4. Undeclared wars.  There is a process to declare a necessary war which congress is supposed to be a party to.  The only problem is that congress has been bypassed and wars have been "unofficially" declared in Vietnam, The Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and to a lesser extent Lybia.  Why even have rules for declaring war if they aren't used?  And please, get our guys out of Afghanistan...it's a no-win situation for no real purpose but to "fight terrorism" which isn't actually an enemy but a method of war.
  5. America being the policeman, social worker, and banker to the world.  We need to focus on our own problems.  America is called on (or maybe American powers that be volunteer themselves for whatever strategic purpose) to police countries that bother us or our friends, provide for social welfare (everything from food to vaccinations to medical care) for people in other countries, and provide financial bailouts for...basically which ever country that asks.  Meanwhile we have rampant crime in our country, Americans who can't even get food/vaccinations/medical care/etc in our own country, and we are currently teetering on the edge of economic collapse while congress appropriates billions of funds to send to foreign countries.  We need to help people in our country first and foremost.  And the corollary, when we do send aid to other countries, maybe a very meager amount will get to those who need it--most is siphoned off by government officials and others while the aid is on its way to those who really need it (how do you think third world politicians in Africa fund their lavish lifestyles?).
That's all. End of rant.

2 comments:

  1. Five more things I'd like to see gone in my lifetime:

    #6. The income tax. It costs people a lot of time, money, and energy just to comply with the tax code, favors special interests over the common good of the country, requires professional help to manage, and isn't a reliable source of revenue (more than half of people pay no income tax).

    #7. The Federal Reserve and Federal Reserve Notes. Since its creation in 1913, the Federal Reserve has devalued the dollar by 90%, mismanaged the economy by creating inflationary bubbles which end in recessions, and enabled Big Government by printing more and more Monopoly money.

    #8. Farm subsidies. They make food more expensive, promote unhealthy foods like high fructose corn syrup...and don't get me started on ethanol!

    #9. The UN. This organization is a bully pulpit for unsavory dictators and has proven impotent to stop war and genocide.

    #10. Affirmative action. Its very existence implies that women and minorities can't compete. It means that less competent people get hired and promoted, which leads to more medical errors, less reliable products, worse service, you name it. It also angers the more competent who were passed over and makes even competent women and minorities suspect.

    ReplyDelete