Glossophile
New Member
As a major American election fast approaches in these politically frustrating and worrying times, I thought it might be worthwhile sharing an old post of mine from the Atheist Discussion Forum (formerly the Thinking Atheist forum) with a new audience (though I would not be surprised to see some partial overlap). When there is so much that discourages us, this sort of fantasizing can at the very least help us cope, and it may even inspire us to take more positive action. If you like what you read, stay tuned, as I'll likely be expanding on my hypothetical platform with new developments in my thinking and focus (universal healthcare being one such point of renewed attention).
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While I would never seriously advocate for even a temporary dictatorship, I think it can sometimes be cathartic to fantasize about what you would do if you were suddenly given either official autocratic rule or magical influence over an ostensibly still democratic government. I call this a "Cincinnatan fantasy," after the legendary Roman citizen Cincinnatus, who assumed temporary rule over Rome in a time of crisis and stepped down peacefully after his term was up and his work was done. And yes, I'm pretty sure the city of Cincinnati was also named after this guy.
Anyway, here are a couple of the first things I would implement if I were suddenly thrust into the role of a modern-day Cincinnatus. If you need to vent about politics, you might try making up your own platform or policy recommendations. What would you do if it was you?
SECULAR GOVERNANCE REAFFIRMATION ACT
Be it enacted that, while the freedom of religious belief and affiliation guaranteed by the Constitution is hereby reaffirmed, so too is the separation of church and state which was the principal intent of the First Amendment. No religious belief or affiliation, however sincere, shall ever be construed as a granting an exemption from any secular law, either in an official or de facto capacity. Conversely, again as per the First Amendment, no legislature at any level shall make any law of which the primary intent or effect is to either privilege or penalize (a) certain religion(s) over any other(s).
I'm a bit torn between two possible versions of this next one.
SEPARATION OF PURSE AND STATE ACT
Be it enacted that all private financial contributions to any campaign for public office or trust at the federal, state, or local level are henceforth unlawful. In lieu of such participation, each candidate shall be allotted an equal amount of public funds to use as desired for their campaign. Personal support for a particular candidate or party may take any other hitherto legal form, mainly via the spoken or written exercise of the freedoms of speech and the press.
...or alternatively...
Be it enacted that a carefully calculated limit on private political donations shall take the form of a maximum percentage of personal income legally expendable on political contributions. Further, this maximum shall vary inversely with income bracket, so that overall, no socio-economic class has either more or less financial sway than any other.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE ABOLITION ACT
Be it enacted that all elections shall henceforth be decided by popular vote.
Heck, if I could do nothing else in my Cincinnatan fantasy, just these three things would likely be enough for me to feel like my work was done, and I would happily cede power right then and there spend the rest of my term ruling as democratically as possible.
---
While I would never seriously advocate for even a temporary dictatorship, I think it can sometimes be cathartic to fantasize about what you would do if you were suddenly given either official autocratic rule or magical influence over an ostensibly still democratic government. I call this a "Cincinnatan fantasy," after the legendary Roman citizen Cincinnatus, who assumed temporary rule over Rome in a time of crisis and stepped down peacefully after his term was up and his work was done. And yes, I'm pretty sure the city of Cincinnati was also named after this guy.
Anyway, here are a couple of the first things I would implement if I were suddenly thrust into the role of a modern-day Cincinnatus. If you need to vent about politics, you might try making up your own platform or policy recommendations. What would you do if it was you?
SECULAR GOVERNANCE REAFFIRMATION ACT
Be it enacted that, while the freedom of religious belief and affiliation guaranteed by the Constitution is hereby reaffirmed, so too is the separation of church and state which was the principal intent of the First Amendment. No religious belief or affiliation, however sincere, shall ever be construed as a granting an exemption from any secular law, either in an official or de facto capacity. Conversely, again as per the First Amendment, no legislature at any level shall make any law of which the primary intent or effect is to either privilege or penalize (a) certain religion(s) over any other(s).
I'm a bit torn between two possible versions of this next one.
SEPARATION OF PURSE AND STATE ACT
Be it enacted that all private financial contributions to any campaign for public office or trust at the federal, state, or local level are henceforth unlawful. In lieu of such participation, each candidate shall be allotted an equal amount of public funds to use as desired for their campaign. Personal support for a particular candidate or party may take any other hitherto legal form, mainly via the spoken or written exercise of the freedoms of speech and the press.
...or alternatively...
Be it enacted that a carefully calculated limit on private political donations shall take the form of a maximum percentage of personal income legally expendable on political contributions. Further, this maximum shall vary inversely with income bracket, so that overall, no socio-economic class has either more or less financial sway than any other.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE ABOLITION ACT
Be it enacted that all elections shall henceforth be decided by popular vote.
Heck, if I could do nothing else in my Cincinnatan fantasy, just these three things would likely be enough for me to feel like my work was done, and I would happily cede power right then and there spend the rest of my term ruling as democratically as possible.