What would the Phantom change in this country to achieve his utopia?
1/ The first thing would be income redistribution:
When the CEO of a company makes in one hour what the average worker in his country takes 1 month to earn, that requires corrective action. We are talking about "publicly held" companies here, for the most part, so we should, theoretically all have an interest as stake holders. Actually, only 50% or less of Americans own any stock in any company, so the "public" which owns companies is actually already a rarefied part of our population. And a good share of this 50% may be poor, owning stock only because they have inherited it or it's part of a pension and they cannot touch it. But, in any case, the right to reduce what the CEO makes, what the 1% owns is clearly a right which belongs to the 99%
Below is a link which graphically illustrates the income maldistribution in the USA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
How would this be achieved? The old fashioned way: Taxing the rich, taxing their incomes, taxing their yachts and their holdings, forbidding them from hiding wealth and aggressively pursuing those Swiss bank accounts, the Cayman Island hideaways. Is this class warfare? You bet. That upper 1% has been winning that war. It's time for the meek masses to take back this country.
2/ Return control of the Supreme Court to the people: Right now, the court is owned by the rich, as a legacy from George W. Bush who appointed 4 justices who are the most reactionary we have had for a century. They have the power to block any progress designed by even the most progressive Congress and/or President. It would not take a Constitutional amendment to shove these 4 aside, to make sure the court changes regularly, no matter who is President and who controls Congress, but would change in line with the winner of the White House and Congress, albeit at a slower pace. Allow the President one appointment every other year of his tenure, only the 9 most recently appointed allowed to vote.
3/ Start reversing injustices which the Court and Congress have perpetrated, starting with strip searching unconvicted citizens who police have arrested rightly or wrongly, and continuing with outlawing arbitrary "Stop and Frisk" practices in New York and elsewhere as a violation of unreasonable search and seizure.
4/ Legalize marijuana, heroin, cocaine and empty the prisons of any prisoner sent there for mere position of for sales of small amounts, so the hoppers and corner boys of The Wire ilk would all be set free. Of course, inner city criminal enterprises would have to shift to some other line of work, and the Phantom is sure they will adapt, but at least dope fiends can be regarded and treated much as alcoholics--primarily a medical problem not a felon. Sell all these drugs in "package" stores, regulate the sale, tax it, require HIV testing, Hep C testing, provide clean needles and syringes, do outreach for detoxification.
5/ Legalize, unionize prostitution. Gain control of the health and practices of sex workers. Do mandatory HIV testing, encourage condom use.
6/ Legalize gay marriage. Make marriage a civil contract, available to any two consenting adults with defined privileges and responsibilities in a progressive licensing system much like progressive drivers' licenses--with more obligations as you go from living together to owning a house to having kids.
7/ Establish a Medicare for all option for all Americans from cradle to grave. Pay physicians salaries and remove from them all responsibility for billing patients.
8/ Tax gas to build railroads, subways, public transportation.
9/ Employ a workforce to repair bridges, highways, tunnels.
10/ Eliminate arbitrary "qualifications" in hiring and employment, e.g. requiring a college degree for jobs for which such degrees do not provide necessary background. There is no reason a welder in an airplane plant who has demonstrated his prowess on the job for 15 years should be denied a management position because he has no college diploma, while somebody with a degree in drinking or an online degree gets the job instead.
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