AMERICA SHOULD BE A LAND BEYOND KINGS
American American
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness." - The Declaration of Independence of the United States of
America:
These words called by historian Joseph Ellis "the most potent and
consequential words in American history" came to represent an ideal
for which the nation should strive, notably through the influence of
Abraham Lincoln, who popularized the now-standard view that the
Declaration's preamble is a statement of principles through which the
United States Constitution should be interpreted.
"For in a real sense, America is essentially a dream, a dream as yet
unfulfilled. It is a dream of a land where men of all races, of all
nationalities and of all creeds can live together as brothers." (From
Dr. King’s commencement address at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania,
June 6, 1961)
Note his inclusion of "all creeds."
.
_The Principles of Freedom_
America should seize this moment, to enshrine the principles of
righteousness and freedom - liberty and justice, into its laws.
Freedom is the foundation of the law. Without right there is no wrong,
without freedom there is no right. Our doctrine should be reason, not
ignorance, for we do not blindly follow writings without explanation.
The 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution, contains five
rights that should be recognized for all people all over the world:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances."
These 5 rights are merely reflective of liberty and justice.
1. Freedom of Religion - this should be interpreted as an individual
freedom to both organized religion, and personal spirituality. For
religion is ultimately between oneself and God alone.
2. Freedom of Speech. Freedom does not give you the right to endanger
others by yelling fire in a crowded movie theater. In other words in
respect to this right and others, a right to freedom of something does
not give one a right to violate or endanger others.
3. Freedom of the Press.
4. Freedom of Peaceable Association and Demonstration and Assembly
5. Freedom to criticize the government
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is also
incredibly important, it says:
"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free
State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be
infringed."
People have a right to possession of guns and other weapons. However,
as with free speech, a right to possession does not need to equate a
right to endanger. Possession of bombs that endanger those around you
would not be covered. Bombs must be safely stored and transported.
Those two rights also ensure the ultimate means of governmental
change. The first amendment along with a democratic process ensures
the means of peaceful government change through voting, free speech,
criticizing and lobbying the government, assembly, and even Civil
Disobedience - if numbers are large and penalties are light, and
suing.
In addition to democracy and a representative government, America
should also embrace the notion that the law should be applied to
everyone equally. There should be neither oppression, nor lawlessness
in a new America.
The following rights are also just and help to ensure the hope of
freedom and righteousness:
1. Freedom of action. An act is right if it does not create a wrong.
What is wrong? Violation of Property including Bodies. Thus you have
a right to freedom of action.
2. Freedom not to serve any government in peace or war. Forced
servitude is slavery and imprisonment and wrong.
3. Freedom of Possession (concealed and unconcealed) including right
to bear arms. (Though not freedom to endanger). [Thus not freedom to
possess all biological substances (that may be a danger)]
4. Freedom to purchase, and buy anything publicly for sale. This does
not equate to paying someone before the fact to commit a crime, which
would make one an accessory.
5. Freedom to produce (though not necessarily sell). Sale, at least
public sale should be regulated for unregulated sale is like
stealing. The government should regulate commerce with an attempt to
satisfy consumer demand so there is no black market as a black market
leads to other criminal activity, and people's demands should be
satisfied if they do not cause harm to another or the economic
prospects of the economy as a whole. (Intent to sell is the same as
actually selling, so production with intent to sell may not
necessarily be legal either) Regulation of commerce should include a
minimum wage and a nearly maximum income. Which, if high enough, and
low enough, go a long way towards answering the criticism of
socialists. Above a certain amount there should be 95%-100% tax.
6. Freedom to do on public property all the things one may do on
private property. (Though how do you know if it's public property or
government owned private property - that's the problem). But this
right does not include a right to destroy, endanger, or monopolize
public property. It's other people's property also.
7. Freedom to travel and leave.
8. A right to the sanctity of your own body. This includes a right to
abortion.
9, A right to Privacy. As the fourth amendment to the United States
Constitution says: "The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches
and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but
upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or
things to be seized."
10. The rights of the accused. America should ensure those accused
have rights, including,
1. Habeas Corpus: the right be brought before a judge.
2. Trial by Jury.
3. Right to a Speedy trial.
4. Right to not testify against oneself
5. Right to cross examine accusers.
6. Right to freedom from another trial when already exonerated by a
previous trial for the same offense.
7. No cruel and unusual punishment, including torture and mayhem.
8. Right to appeal the case to a higher court.
As well as other rights...
Wrong is the imposition of one will upon another. This is most
extremely exemplified by larceny of body. Thus larceny of body is the
greatest crime, and to a lesser extent, also, larceny of property.
People otherwise should generally be free to do what they want.
.
_No Condemnation in America_
'But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not
sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.' – Jesus
“Christ” - Matt 12:7
America, and all other would be free countries should adopt the
following amendment:
Section 1
Nothing shall be considered sin in America; and there shall be no
capital offenses nor designations of wrong or guilt; and there shall
be no arrest or imprisonment; and no felonies or misdemeanors, or
other labelings of concept; except for the crimes of larceny of body
or property, or for crimes against another's body, or negligence
causing death or permanent injury.
Citizens shall not be subject to fines or infractions of law except
for endangerment or capital offenses as noted above, or for the
monopolization, destruction, or endangerment of public property.
Private property used in endangerment however may be subject to
immediate arrest.
Violations of commerce regulations shall be civil infractions
attributable to a business or a concept of business activities, not an
individual, and punishable by no more than fines.
At no time, before, during, or after a trial, shall an individual who
does not commit a capital offense be subject to arrest or
imprisonment.
Nothing else shall be considered sin or guilt worthy in America, but
any accusation of such may be civilly liable as defamation or slander
and all citizens shall likewise have recourse to sue for insults and
condemnations, and interpretations of facts allegedly indicative of
personal error.
Section 2
Americans traveling or working or residing abroad shall not be subject
to arrest or imprisonment except for larceny of body or property, or
crimes against the body. Or negligence causing death or permanent
injury, or except for immediate deportation. Any arrest or detainment
of any American for any reasons not here specified above shall be
considered an act of war upon the country of America as a whole.
This clause shall be added to American Passports. With the notice, by
stamping this passport and allowing entrance you are consenting to the
above.
.
_More than a Majority to pass a condemnatory criminal law_
Maybe more than a majority should be required to pass a condemnatory
criminal law.
60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80-95%
In America, and in any other so called or future "Democracy," Tyranny
of the majority is the next greatest evil next to tyranny of the
minority. A Democracy does not make right. A majority can do evil.
America had slavery and segregation. America still is not free. 49% of
the people are always oppressed in one way or another by 51%. And that
is wrong. All it means is less people are oppressed than the 99%
oppressed by a dictator.
So it is less tragic than that tragedy, but tragedy all the same.
Reason makes right. Our doctrine should be reason.
A 51% majority could still be used for Elections, Regulation of
Commerce, and Taxing and Spending.
.
_Owed Rights_
Owed rights.
Owed rights justify taxation. What do the rich owe the poor.
The question is how much do the rich have and how high is the cost.
Ultimately if the rich were rich enough and costs were limited, the
rich would owe the poor every cost.
Owed rights are a socialist concept (made up by me) and thus harder to
institute because they require expenditure.
However, I would suggest that today reasonably the rich owe the poor:
Oxygen
Sunlight
Shade
Temperature
Water
Education
A job at a reasonable wage
Health and Dental Insurance at a reasonable cost or health and dental
insurance.
Sanitation
Maybe;
Food - All Fruit, Vegetable, raw carbs (potatoes/corn/rice/oats/maybe
bread), Chicken/Eggs/Milk as public property. It's only yours if
you're holding it or carrying it or it's in you.
Do the rich owe the poor the enforcement of their unalienable rights.
Are they obligated to fight a war when other's unalienable rights are
being violated. Do they owe others Justice and Liberty. Do they owe
others fire protection.
If it's a question of right and wrong, you're already not wrong to
fight for your unalienable rights. You would also not be wrong to
fight for your owed rights if you believed in owed rights.
This is within the context of the notion of public property.
For instance you can sit in a park instead of a mansion and if you
have the opportunity of an education and a job, and the other rights
mentioned above, you really have no point to fight for a mansion. But
if you are starving, or may in the future starve you have more of a
point.
Do the rich owe the poor justice? Are the poor right in attacking the
rich when justice is not enforced, or are they only right in attacking
their attackers.
Other costs assumed not owed:
Housing
Energy
Transportation
Communication
The real answer would be to solve the money problem entirely. This
could begin to be addressed in three degrees:
1. A 95% tax rate above a reasonable amount (I would suggest $250,000
in America), and 5% tax rate below this reasonable amount ($250,000 in
America). As the all taxes fall partially on the payer as well as the
payee, this will lower salaries but raise after tax incomes.
Businesses will have more money to hire more people. This should
stimulate the economy, and then raise salaries.
The next two are hypothetical:
2. One wage for everyone. For this to be, education must be free,
because otherwise there is no monetary incentive to spend on
education. Further, no one will do the menial labor, they will just
get an education, so perhaps a requirement for a free education would
be 1-2 years of menial labor.
3. (Extreme) No private property except what you are a carrying or
wearing. Everything is public property unless you are carrying or
wearing it. The questions would remain: How much property can you take
out of the country, attach to your own body, or destroy. Assault would
still be a crime. The question is, who would do the work, deliver the
food, or enforce the laws.
.
_Correct the tax code and equalize wealth_
Wealth is worthless without freedom, and freedom is worthless without
wealth. Thus freedom and socialism are both necessary aspects of a
prosperous society.
Regulation of commerce should include a minimum wage and a nearly
maximum income. Which, if high enough, and low enough, go a long way
towards answering the criticism of socialists. Above a certain amount
there should be 95%-100% tax.
Both the protections and the restrictions of the law should be applied
to everyone equally in all countries. There should likewise be less of
a disparity of wealth.
Property rights are not absolute. At a certain point, your money is
not just for you, but for everyone. This point should be
institutionalized by the government so that the rich know how much is
right to take. Public legislators work for less than $200,000 in
America, and are supposedly altruistic. Businessmen making more than
$250,000 should be altruistic also. The point remains, perhaps some
argue it should be set higher than $250,000, but no way is it higher
than $3,000,000 in America. Further, to those who argue the rich work
more hours.... then make it dependent on how many hours one works as
well. A maximum wage of $100 an hour could work, you could still earn
$400,000 if you work 80 hours per week. But I thought the 95% tax rate
better, as it keeps the money going to the government. If there is a
100% tax then all the money goes to the businesses, which is good if
it allows them to hire more, but the government needs tax revenues to
lower taxes below $250,000. If the money goes to the businesses to
increase corporate profits it will only be taxed at the corporate
rate.