Slashdot Mirror
Ask Slashdot: What Planks Would You Want In a Platform of a Political Party?
An anonymous reader writes "I am the Technology Manager of the Justice Party (sorry, no relationship to the Avengers). We are currently working on our Platform (version 2.0) and I would be interested to know what people in the science and technology field would like to see in a platform of a political party. For example, we are considering planks that relate to Open Government (data) access, science and maths promotion, space industries, promotion of open source, dealing with SOPA/ CISPA laws, improvement in user privacy and much more. Give us your comments so we can help build a more tech-savvy America."
Years ago, local industry where I lived had a problem getting qualified workers with the right skills. Folks said, "Like what skills?"
Industry said, "CNC Machinists."
So, the local tech schools, colleges, industry and governments got together and created CNC programs and solved the problem. Now industry has has a steady flow of qualified workers, people who may not have the talents or inclination to be a white collar cube worker have a career path to a middle class life, government has an ever increasing tax base and the local community is thriving. (CT, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky Aircraft, etc... to name some names.)
Contrast with the tech industry:
"Waaa! We can't get qualified workers with the right skills!! Waaaaaaa"
The rest of us, "Like what?"
Tech industry,"Waaaaa! We can't get qualified workers we need more H1-Bs! Waaaaaaaaaa!"
I think they won't mention the skills or qualifications they need because we will all see that the Emperor Has No Clothes. We would see that in fact, every college and university in the US is producing folks with the right qualifications and that the tech industry is full of shit and made up the "lack of skills and qualifications" as an excuse for H1-Bs - to state the obvious.
Or possibly a plank for election reform: (N-1)-round single elimination elections. Voters order their preference of candidates. Their vote rolls to their next choice upon elimination of their current choice.
education (ok to leave some children behind).
health (self care, health care, genetics, stem cells...)
energy (simply burning fossil fuels is stupid)
space (for starters, industry & mining would be better done off planet)
values: throw in a large dose of personal responsibility.
These are the things that matter, policy that improves them is a win.
Everything else is noise.
The article is submitted by "anonymous reader" claiming to be the technology manager for the Justice Party, yet links to a web site that identifies the National Technology Manager by name.
Just one of those little daily oddities I notice.
Number One Priority (and of most benefit to small parties like yours): Replace first past the post voting for selecting our representatives (because we are a representative republic) with something more effective in terms of game theory. I think instant run-off would work best for the American people given our history and what we are most likely to understand and adopt readily.
What's the impact on tech policy?
At the most fundamental level, tech policy should be data driven, and there is no more fundamental data than that provided by the voters. If we implement a voting system which will optimize the decisions made by members of the republic - instead of discounting a majority of the input - we have the framework to begin implementing data-driven policy in every other aspect. Otherwise - first past the post mathematically favors two opposing policies neither of which the majority of voters truly approve (rather we pick the lesser-of-evils). With a superior voting system, the constituents can indirectly favor their own tech policy (and you might get a good statistician to do some nice post-hock voting analysis to separate out the variables and tell you exactly what the people want for tech).
If you're asking for some direct policy advice - I'll post that elsewhere
It's all well and good to say you are for science and education.
But what does support for any of those things mean in terms of how you plan to help them?
Are you going to use government to prop up science through specific winner companies, or to promote private research with X-Prize like rewards that spur private research?
Are you going to support space by building government controlled space vehicles or attempt to reduce regulation around private space exploration to allow more risk for a greater range of discovery?
Basically, you as a party have to decide before anything else what role government has in our lives, as overseer or gardener.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Restore the vote by eliminating gerrymandering.
Restore the courts by eliminating plea bargains by prosecutors. (Defendants can still plead guilty and ask for mercy from the court, not from the prosecutors.)
Restore accountability in government by reducing government immunity from lawsuits. Those who enforce the law should not be immune from it. Police officers who lie under oath should be jailed. Destruction of evidence, including failure to collect exculpatory evidence, and the failure of prosecutors to reveal potentially exculpatory evidence as required by the Constitution, should also not be prevented by governmental immunity and should result in prison time for any detectives and prosecutors involved.
//TODO: Think of witty sig statement
Serious answer: you have it backwards. ... So God created man in his own image, ... ... So Man create God in his own image...
Our religious beliefs are derived from our intrinsic sense of morality and ethics.
That and a healthy side dish of hatred, prejudice and self aggrandizement.
Although Genesis proclaims
I rather prefer:
According to their web site, their "Vision" is more or less American communism, the left-wing "we're all in it together, so yours is mine" theme:
Social Justice: Every person's civil and human rights are protected; everyone has the opportunity to obtain an excellent education from early childhood through college or trade school; affordable and high-quality healthcare is available for everyone; government is not controlled by wealthy corporations and individuals, but is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Economic Justice: All people are provided with opportunities for prosperity; poverty is eliminated; the “middle class” is thriving; and our economy is appropriately regulated so that all members of society are treated fairly.
Environmental Justice: The earth's inhabitants are safe from catastrophic, human-caused climate disruption; nature is protected and preserved through sustainable practices; and our air, water, and food supplies are clean and healthy.
But their "Core Values" list includes:
Justice: Behave with fairness and compassion, and be accountable for one’s actions;
Respect: Treat all people, including those with different views, philosophies, and circumstances, with respect;
Rule of Law: Uphold the equal application of the rule of law.;
Rationality: Reach decisions consistent with facts and reason;
Farsightedness: Consider not only the immediate, but also the long term, consequences of our actions;
How do you provide "poverty is eliminated" when some people don't care to work? By robbing the people who do work, of course. So much for Justice, rule of law, and respect. ... high-quality healthcare is available for everyone". Again, if someone produces $18,000 / year and is going to get $20,000 worth of healthcare, and $20,00 for college, who are you taking that $40,000 from? Someone whom you're not treating with "justice", "respect", etc.
Vision: "college
Does that plan, which has been an utter failure anytime anyone has tried anything like that, sound like "Rationality" or "Farsightedness"?
Clearly they don't know what they believe, haven't thought that through. (I assume they're not lying about most of it, and just haven't thought enough to realize that pretty much all of their "Core Values" are the opposites of their "Vision".
Dude, you're totally right. Hell yeah, nobody bring touble here!!!
May I ask what percentage of your extreme anger you feel when the United States overthrows other country's democratically elected governments, exports death, commits acts of terrorism, and... did you read Confessions of an Economic Hitman? Does that anger you at all?