Here is the deal, I have special powers and I have just declared you the ruler of the world (if that is too much to handle, then just your present country).
You have been complaining to anyone that will listen that things are screwed up and need to be fixed. For example, too much reliance on fossil fuels, over population, excessive corporate power, racial or economic injustice.
Anyway you are now in charge. What are you going to do? There are only a few restrictions, you can’t propose something which is physically impossible, like reducing greenhouse gasses by 50% in the next year. You also can’t propose something which involves unrealistic changes to human nature. So if your plan requires that no one be greedy anymore it’s not valid. Finally, you can’t propose something that will benefit a select group at the expense of some other group, so no plans that insist that Saudi Arabia sell oil for $10 per barrel.
Over to you…
I’ll take just president of the US; that’s already too big a job for one person.
I’d start by implementing the energy plan proposed on this site by Jerome and Meteor Blades a while back, with some tweaks to add more solar and wind power.
We’re outta Iraq. Timeline set for withdrawal. Call a conference and tell the various parties that it’s their country, they can choose to live together in peace, carve the country up, kill each other, whatever they decide. They’re adults – we hope they choose wisely. Also outta Afghanistan with the same goodbye message.
I’d dissolve the Department of Homeland Security, having powers revert to the FBI, Coast Guard, FEMA, and governors / state national guards. With the money saved I’d direct more to the state national guards to rebuild their capacity after Iraq, with the stipulation that it’s for use in addressing disasters within the state. I’d require states to form mutual assistance compacts to aid each other in the event of hurricanes, massive earthquakes, forest fires, floods, etc. as a condition of getting the money. I’d propose a constitutional amendment stating that the National Guard units are under the command of the governors not the president unless the country is being invaded, at which time the president may redeploy the guard units for domestic defense.
I’d appoint two truth commissions – one for US transgressions abroad, the other for domestic abuses. I’d appoint Jimmy Carter head of the former. I’d appear before the UN and apologize for the foreign transgressions, and offer as reparation increased medical and educational aid to developing nation, forgiveness of foreign aid loans, etc. I’d appear before congress to put forward a package of reparations to the American people for the domestic transgressions.
I’d strengthen the freedom of information act.
I’d propose a constitutional amendment to remove corporate “personhood” (see Thom Hartmann).
I’d propose a constitutional amendment (as several other nations have) making a clean environment a right of all citizens. And I’d enforce the hell out of it.
I’d work big time to reign in old nuclear weapons from the Soviet Union, and offer big carrots to nations willing to join us in getting rid of existing nuclear weapons.
Serious downsizing of the military.
Constitutional amendment protecting right to privacy, worded in a way to protect gay rights and right to abortion as well.
Canadian-style healthcare system.
At this point I’d probably get assassinated, if I hadn’t previously.
What would you do about the economic dislocation that would occur with a “serious downsizing of the military”?
The (acknowledged) budget for the military is $450 billion this year. Any attempt to shrink this will cause large-scale job loss in the related sectors.
There are many tasks that need to be done that we’ve neglected because we’ve been too busy fighting wars and lining the pockets of the “military-industrial complex” for the last 65 years. Haven’t we had enough fun yet?
It’s time to grow up as a nation and do the things adults do – provide for your own; leave the world a better place. In the long run, everyone despises the town bully and drunk (oil addiction), even himself.
But, as I said, I’d probably get shot before I got much done…
Depending on successful trials of India’s Dr. Sujoy Guha’s Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance (RISUG) injection of male contraception. I would create a coming-of-age initiation ceremony for boys of 15 that included an injection that will supposedly last for ten years. It will become a test of machismo likle the painful Sun Dance. A special tattoo will identify initiates to women.
Tests in India have been successful. Canadians are looking at it, not much interest in the US.
As Supreme Commander I would decree this a requirement for a driver’s license, and certainly for posession of a firearm. We humans need to find some method other than war to reduce the expansion of our population. This doesn’t interfere with any rights, it’s reversible. Not sure a monarch could pull this off, I might need to become a deity.
Maybe you could start a new religion and make it a requirement/sacrament. People have done lots of crazier things for their god(s).