but that will never happen until we fix the money problem (money as speech, one dollar one vote, etc)

Fi...fi...FI

WERE DA KING, OF DA FOREEEEEEESSSST!"

"What makes a muskrat guard his musk?"

and thanks for the welcome

" problems really are "

And you put up a poll with only 3 options?

Rather limiting your sample, aren't ya?

I thought about that and considered splitting things out a lot more than I did, but I was concerned about diluting things into a "vote" on individual issues. Was hoping to get more of a feel for what folks see as root causes, but I don't know that this poll will succeed in that regard.

Your namesake Steve would have wanted it that way.

My DU name comes from my nickname having always been Butch and from being both a motorcycle rider and a Steve McQueen fan

Welcome to DU, Butch.

Glad to have ya!



My old scoot.....well...actually, the scoot belonged to the dog. He just let me ride it around for him.,

Life wouldn't be the same without them. I'm riding an 06 Victory these days, but I've got an old 81 Ironhead Sporty out in the garage awaiting an eventual restoration. Good to know I'm not the only Dem out there riding a big V-Twin. Most of the big V-Twin riders I run into anymore seem to be nice enough guys, but the majority of them are political neanderthals Thanks for the welcome!

The root of all evil.

Without money, government could actually represent the people and the rest could be resolved legislatively.

focus on #3 after getting the first two running well.

is the lack of suitable marinades for members of the 1%.

and appoint Ron Jeremy as adviser and regulatory authority.

So to speak..

Hedgehog in the house!

I'd be a dude which means, at the very least, I've been misusing tampons all these years.

And I agree it would be hard to separate them.

and feeling rightly chastised - sorry about that

Don't argue with me. My space fortress has more power then Star Trek's USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E. You won't be able to find it, and you won't be able to find me.

Let's see, right away I'll tax the uber-wealthy out of existence; poor things will have to settle for a very comfortable upper middle class lifestyle. If they complain I'll beam them away to newly built hospitals in third world places and put them to work scrubbing bedpans and changing linens.

Sex education and free birth control for everyone. Religious leaders who object will be whisked away to seek enlightenment on the holodecks. There they will confront their deepest fears. ("Amazon Women of the Martian Frontier is an effective program. It never plays out the way they expect it will.)

I'd establish a universal speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour, with the exception of emergency services vehicles. Fossil fuels would be banned. Don't worry, you'll still be able to see the world because I'll mandate 2 month yearly vacations, year long vacations every decade, and an early retirement age. Slow down. Enjoy the ride.

Economic "Productivity" be damned, that's what's destroying this planet.

I will demand complete transparency of all government business, no secrets of any kind, not military, not anything.

Leaders of nations fighting will be beamed without their clothing to desert islands and will not be returned home until they resolve their differences In the spirit of open government these meetings will be televised internationally with simultaneous translation. War will not be tolerated. I can make an entire aircraft carrier disappear while transporting the crew safely home to their loved ones.

And that's just the beginning...

In view of the many and awesome powers you possess I'm happy to be able say that I like the way you think! Especially when I consider that the alternative might involve my being beamed off to someplace unpleasant

Just in case.

Then I would think of those things in terms of not only the next generation but many to come.

Where might "education" fit in those groupings?

I think that educated people make better decisions. Yes, some people who "get an education" are still idiots, but the more people learn -- about different ideas, cultures, histories, etc.,--the better they are at making decisions. I think education stimulates evolution, and I hope our evolution's arc bends toward human compassion and excellence.

So, to get the ball rolling, I'd like to see more expenditure in this area, from pre-school to graduate school. Generous federal subsidies across the board. Where people live shouldn't be an impediment to an outstanding education, IMO.

On a side note, I'd especially like to see a few more non-profit medical schools in USA.

But if I were Queen, I'd have the wisdom to see their interdependence and treat them all as one issue.