Design a more Perfect form of Government

[Nitack]

The majority of Hypography members are rational, intelligent, and reasonable people. The US is arguably one of the most successful experiments in government in history. As we have reached a technological age where more information is available and people are more connected than ever before, glaring flaws in a system of government that was developed in the day of sailing ships and horse bound messengers are apparent. What is a more perfect form of Government? Do we try to fix flaws in a current system (US representative democracy model, parliamentary model, etc.) or do we start from the ground up? I will post some questions. Respond, debate, ponder, and maybe we can create a more perfect form of government. I will reserve the next post to create our document on government and things will be added when a question has been universally agreed upon or has reached consensus through debate and reason.

1. Should there be guaranteed rights to individuals?
2. Should there be guaranteed rights to business entities?
3. What rights should be guaranteed?
4. Should there be a legislative branch? What powers should be vested in them? What is the structure?
5. Do we require an executive branch or figure? What powers should be vested in them? What is the structure?
6. Do we require a judicial branch? What powers should be vested in them? What is the structure?
7. Do we require an administrative branch? What powers should be vested in them? What is the structure?
8. Is a military required?
9. What role does the military have in the government?
10. Is the military independent of the other branches or does it fall under another branch?
11. Is military service obligatory?
12. Is some form of service obligatory?
13. Do individuals have obligations to the government or collective population?
14. Do corporate entities have obligations to the government or collective population?
15. How should we finance this government?
16. How should public funds be used? Should guidelines be put in place or latitude be given to what ever government is established?
17. What is the goal and purpose of the government?
18. Should distinct geographical regions have guaranteed representation?
19. Should distinct ethnic groups have guaranteed representation?
20. Should Suffrage be universal? If not, what conditions should exist for gaining suffrage?
21. What obligation does the government have to individuals?
22. Does religion have a role in government? What role?
23. What other issues should be addressed in a founding document?

Debate, discuss, enjoy.

[Nitack]

*Reserved for our eventual document founding the more perfect government*

Constitution
(The actual framework of the government written out)


Bill of Rights
(The rights granted to individuals that the government can not change with out changing this very document)

Intent
(A companion document to our previous two that would fully explain the intent of each section while avoiding convolution the actual document with explinations)

[questor]

You have opened a thread which could involve years of discussion and thousands of posts depending on what one expects from a government. To my mind, the basic question is... What is the optimum state of man? If we could agree upon what conditions create the best opportunity for a person to become the best that he can be, then the answers to most of your posted
questions should be self evident. Most governments are not enabling, they are restrictive and spend the most energy and money helping those who have
not prepared properly for themselves.
http://www.parade.com/articles/editi...2005/featured_
If a government is to be successful long term, it needs to be run like the business that it is, rather than a giant welfare organization like we now have.
The current war and the process of procurement of materiel is an excellent example of the total inability of government to manage it's own affairs.

[Donk]

There is no such thing as a perfect form of government. Different societies require different solutions.

The agrarian societies of the middle ages were probably best served by the squirearchy/church system. The US Constitution was the right document for its time, but America's success over the last couple of centuries largely happened because of all that virgin land, those untouched mineral deposits. That phase may now be over.

Democracy is showing a lot of cracks right now. Politicians are driven by vested interests rather than the national good - directly, as a result of political contributions, and indirectly because those same vested interests also guide the electorate's opinion through the press and TV. And the big problem with any voting system: politicians are always gearing up for the next election. They aren't able to engage in necessary long-term planning.

My preference would be a system with virtually no government. No borders. No wars. Almost no taxes. It can't be done, I know. The stage of development we're at, humanity would immediately form armed enclaves, protecting what they have and trying to steal from others. Maybe in 500 years, if this tired old planet lets us have that long.

[Nitack]

Threat title: Design a more Perfect form of Government

didn't say it would be perfect, only better.

The goal of this thread is not to generally discuss the failings in the current system. The goal is to have discussion on various aspects that make up a government and discuss the merit of each proposed component. This is meant to be purely hypothetical. I figured the readers of Hypography, who are more analytical and logical as a collective group than the general population, might be able to actually have a good discussion on the theoretical drafting of a national government/charter.

Picture yourself as a delegate to a constitutional convention in 2008.

[freeztar]

I think this thread will have more success if the questions asked (and ideas given) are given in bite-sized chunks. The first post in this thread contains 23 questions, each of which could individually be an entire thread of discussion.

I'm not trying to discourage the idea (I like the idea). I'm just expressing why I personally (and perhaps others) have been hesitant to participate in the creation of this document.

[modest]

I think it's most necessary to have a reasonable system of amendment. Is that on the list?

~modest

[questor]

The first question to be settled about the form of government should be the role of government. Should it be to enable the citizen by providing services, information and opprtunities for him to better himself by his own efforts, or should it act as a nanny, to provide cradle to grave security by taking from those who produce and giving to those who do not. There should also be allowances made for aid for those who cannot help themselves. The current
election process shows that politicians can only win by promising to GIVE
the fruits of productive labor to those who have not earned it. This is not a win-win situation. I do not hear politicians saying ''I will help you become more productive, and successful'', I only hear them saying, ''I will punish the wealthy and share the booty with you''. This should not be the function of government.

[Nitack]

First question for Discussion (nice observation questor):

What is the role of government in relation to citizens? Does it exist to protect rights? Does it exist to provide services? Does it exist only to protect territorial boarders?

[Moontanman]

I think we should have three different parties, each party would elect a Representative and all three would be in power they would have to make decisions by agreeing among themselves. It would take at least two of them to agree to make big decisions. The rest of the government should be similar to what we have today with sever restrictions on influence lobbying. Line item veto power, less government is more, breaking the rules would mean immediate ouster instead of just a slap on the wrist like they have now. I'll think of some more later,