[Daphne64]

What would you do?

After balling up and crying, of course.

The thought that comes to me is that with our manufacturing base half of what it was 30 years ago but population 50% greater, and with the fake banking industry exploded and home building played out, the GDP will probably revert to about 1975 levels, adjusted for inflation. That would be about a 63% drop, with the per capita GDP even worse.

The president should think about avoiding riots. So if I were president I would devote a fair amount of money to soup kitchens and homeless shelters (those empty high rise condos would work well, I'd think).

I'd also talk straight to the people about not expecting much more than food and shelter for the time being (of course in reality it will probably only get worse).

That would lead into what needs cutting - and the first item in my sights would be the more ridiculous medicare expenditures - heart bypasses for 90 year olds and limitless expenditures on cancer patients who have very little chance of going into remission. That would have to be just the start, of course, but the idea would be to get people used to thinking of health care having limits.

I'm not sure how far I would go in encouraging people to limit their childbearing. Since the carrying capacity of the earth is lilkely south of 2 billion, we'd certainly want to get people thinking about the ramifications of having too many kids, but I'm not sure what would be best.

[mos6507]

I'd like to think otherwise, but I think any president who talked as frankly as we do here about what the future has in store would be run out of office like the guys in Iceland. Nobody's ready for the truth until they can't deny it any longer, after which there isn't time left for much to be done at the macro level besides trying to keep people from ripping eachother to shreds.

Just the fact that we now have a president who is taking global warming seriously is a major shocker to me. There is only so much bad news the american public can accept about how seriously f*cked we are as a species.

That's why I tend to be more softball with Obama and his "morning in america" optimism because I just don't see any way to sell the idea of a peaceful and managed collapse/die-off to the public. The best we can hope for is a series of failed attempts to mitigate collapse, and at each inflection point, the public will continue to think it might work. Once the public gives up hope, then we're in for chaos.

[Daphne64]

That's a good question - what does the average person know and/or suspect is coming up?

I would think anyone who reads the news (admittedly a fairly select group nowadays, unfortunately) which lists 10,000 or more mass layoffs daily has got to be doubting if those jobs will ever return, or be replaced by other jobs.

The professional class is realizing that their jobs can be outsourced too - even more easily than the factory jobs since there is less physical infrastructure to move, and no shipping costs of moving information. Ditto customer service type people.

Do they stop and think about this when the economist shills talk about recovery in 12 months time?

Most everyone I talk to seems to realize we are hosed pretty bad - although I am sure they wish I would stop reminding them of that. I don't have a good handle on the working class crowd, though.

[kpeavey]

I would declare every Tuesday to be National Poultry Day, and give everyone a Goose.

[RdSnt]

I would immediately arrest a whole series of the Wall Street thieves and strip them of their assets, completely. Not only are some of them deserving but the public needs some visible and tangible evidence that "Change" is indeed occurring.

I would then enact laws to make it impossible for a company, any company, to become so big as to be "too big to fail". This is a national security matter as well as a need to return to the notion that diversity provides strength and flexibility. Remember when diversity was the big deal? It certainly is what is required in a truly capitalist system where poor businesses are allowed to fail.

I would also immediately start closing international military bases. Cancel a whole bunch of worthless equipment builds, the Joint Strike Fighter being a good example.
I would likely re-orient the military, so that it is more effective, and set a target of a reduction in their budgets to half current estimates within 4 years.
I would force that issue by immediately re-directing that money to research and development, particularly energy efficiency and space exploration; as well as education (particularly to drastically reduce tuitions and fund teachers).
Highway speeds would immediately be reduced to 50mph. This not only reduces fuel consumption but reduces highway maintenance costs. It also reduces costs due to accidents, wear and tear on vehicles, etc.
I would limit the horsepower that a vehicle could be supplied with.

I would cancel all access to retirement contributions from the general budget.

I would collaborate with Canada and Britain is creating a universal healthcare system and implement it in 2 years and cancel all other systems at the same time. No more for profit healthcare, it's too expensive.

I would declare that any sovereign country has the right to develop nuclear technology. If they wish to squander their resources on weapons they can't use, they can do so.
The United States though will provide no a dime of support of any kind to any country that is not a signator of the non-proliferation treaty.


How's that for starters

[biofuel13]

How's that for starters

Wow! You just got my vote in the next election. A bunch of awesome ideas in there!!

[AAA]

First thing I would do is set the maximum speed limit across the country at 55 mph.

Fines would be $500 for every 5 mph over the speed limit.

[Sixstrings]

This is a fun question to fantasize about.. probably every thinking person has tossed it around in his/her head at some point. But in reality, a President is not a King, or Dictator.

I've heard it said by the experts that new Presidents soon discover, to their surprise, that the Presidency isn't as powerful as they thought.

Firstly, the President is Chief Executive. The actual running of the government is broken into a multitude of departments and divisions. Their are large bureaucracies staffed with career types, with various agendas. Furthermore, department Secretaries expect a certain degree of autonomy, protect their turf, and don't like micromanagement.

Then there's Congress to deal with, the holder of the pursestrings. Not a whole lot can be done without Congress going along. And then you have the needs and demands of the special interests, donors, and lobbyists who helped you to get where they are.

Finally, there is the small matter of public opinion to consider.

It seems to me that perhaps the greatest skills a modern president can possess are those of consensus building -- but also having the ability to make quick solo decisions when the need arises.

To answer the post more directly, if I were President I would push a stimulus package that would be all about massive infrastructure improvements and government involvement in industry. Things like the old Works Progress Administration.

For a stimulus package, I'd push a fair infrastructure investment package divided among the states -- I'd split the money up according to electoral college votes of each state. The money would be used for big things, like high speed rail in the states that need it.

I'd found new nationalized industries, with the goal of selling these off to private enterprise in the future. I think a bill like this, with the largess spent on real things and spread evenly amongst the states would pass.

Oh I hate walls of text, but I'm on a roll. Some other stuff.. I'd support injecting capital into those companies "too big to fail," but I'd require the government get fair stock in exchange, which could be sold to the market when the economy recovers.

I'd mandate that every locality has a federal emergency planning committee. The goals of the committees would be to prepare the community to function in the advent of connections to the national commerce being interrupted. This means more localized energy independence, community food gardens, community education and encouragement of growing food at home.

I'd divert a lot of money from defense spending and put that into NASA, with big goals like a moonbase and landings on Mars and exploration of Jupiter's moons.

R&D money spent on truly bold space initiatives would boost our tech economy. It would also be a morale booster for the nation. The Federal government can't solve everyone's problems, but it can do big things (other than war) that can inspire people and make them proud to be an American.

[coyote]

I wouldn't take the job. Emperor, maybe. But not president.

If I were emperor with total power, I would direct a zeroth amendment to the constitution granting inalienable rights to both the natural world and to future generations of humans, an amendment superceding all other laws and directives in the land. Give it legal teeth, make it unbreakable, then abdicate and retire. All else that needs to be done would filter down from that one directive.

Well? It's not any more or less realistic than me being president...

[joewp]

I'd resign and let Biden try to handle it.

Obama is between a rock and a hard place. If he tells the truth that our country was sold out to the bankers almost 100 years ago and he wants to issue debt-free money in an attempt to correct that crime, he'd get a bullet in his head. If he tells us that contraction of the economy and population are inevitable due to peak oil, he'd probably be impeached.

Of course, he won't do either, he's going to try to continue BAU for as long as possible, to set his family up for the crash. If he's not doing that, he's wasting a golden opportunity.

[mos6507]

I think Obama knows that in the vague future we could wind up with a GW-induced die-off. That's the extent of his doomerism. I don't think he understands where fossil fuel depletion and population intersect. Like most greenies, they are so close to getting it they can taste it, but ultimately blinded by the illusion we can just technofix our way into a lasting utopia.

[Tanada]

Simple, every dollar earned below $40,000.00 is tax exempt and the maximum rate over $40,000.00 is 10% flat rate.

Picture your paycheck with no federal income tax deduction and what that would do for the economy. If you want Congress to go for it make the tax revert to current tax levels in December 2010. This plan would add about $5200.00 to my yearly disposable income, and I don't make that much money. Oh yeah, anyone below the threshold would not have to file tax forms so they would also save on preperation expenses and government processing costs.

[Duende]

Wow, I'm really impressed with some of the ideas here! Jeez, I don't know who I agree with most. I agree with the tax stuff, and especially the 0-eth amendment. Also, I agree that the Prez is in too deep to give Joe Blow the straight talk he needs.

Things are so messed up that I just wouldn't know where to start. I feel like there's too much inertia in the system to make any big necessary changes, and we're gonna jump this mf'er right off the cliff.

And since the OP title doesn't limit it to president now, I would choose to go back in time and be president in place of Tyler or Van Buren, or someone else who didn't do jack and really try some maverick maneuvers to set things up for a better system now. You know, nip things in the bud before they get too big and out of control.

Banking is a big one... imagine if the corporation was not granted legal status.
Resource use... imagine if you didn't allow auto-oriented development to sprout.
Climate change... imagine if a carbon tax was instituted from the start.

But now, things are pretty far along down the creek. It's disappointing. I'm 30 years old and I'm shocked - literally shocked - when I see old footage regarding the rights of minorities and women right up until a few decades ago in the professed 'most free' country in the world: the US of A. And we've now elected the first black Prez. GREAT. I mean it. But on a scale of 1 to Sustainability (with a capital 'S'), we moved from a 0.3 to a 0.4 out of 100.

The rights of humans are one thing. Obviously it's important, but how many fish is one human life worth - 1,000? 10,000? 1,000,000? Infiinity? Obviously not. At SOME POINT nature must be granted rights; that's not something that the electorate will want to hear.

There's a long way to go, and some of the things we talk about on here - to be taken seriously and discussed robustly - would flip people's sh!t. Resource depletion and climate change will pick us clean long before people's thoughts, let alone actions, will improve.

Sorry for the ramble. Good luck Mr. President. And peace, love, and Obama to you, fine reader.

[UltraViciousBudgie]

If things get real bad ensure civil order and provide a basic level of food aid so no one starves. Also I would support work programs. No free handouts for the able-bodied.

Agree with the flat tax. Also no more deductions, which would eliminate the corporate welfare and social engineering aspects of the tax system. The simple tax form would fit on a postcard. $60 billion+ would no longer be wasted on tax preparers and lawyers.

No corporate/banking/financial bailouts of any kind. These bailouts reward bad behavior.

Even if it starts, socialized medicine will be out along with Social Security and all the other unsustainable entitlements. I agree the middleman aspect of health care must go. Beyond that there really isn't a solution as far as having great, technically-advanced health care and paying a token amount for it. It will return to the days of where we pay out of pocket. Eat right, stay in shape, and hope for the best.

Tort reform. Lawsuits are out of hand and one of the reasons why health care is so expensive. Also it clogs the courts and delays criminal justice. Raise the threshold before a lawsuit can be filed and have loser pays all court and legal costs to discourage those silly lawsuits such as that clown that wanted millions from a drycleaner for losing his pants.

Get the government out of the mortgage business. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mixed with political pressure to issue mortgages to anybody with or without a pulse hasn't exactly been helpful to the current situation. Without backing from the FMs and the pressure, banks never would have departed from the tried and true 20% down, good credit, and verifiable income requirements for a mortgage. Can't meet these requirements? Rent!

End the pointless War on Drugs and put the cartels and dealers out of business by legalizing. If idiots want to do drugs let them, as long as they don't do it in public. Half the money spent on prisons could be used elsewhere. No more DEA or wasteful foreign aid for drug eradication. Also this would stop destructive pot grows in our forests.

Respect the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment.

[ReverseEngineer]

I would Declare Bankruptcy and Dissolve the USA Corporation, and facilitate the sale of all US assets to the States or they would be taken over by Eminent Domain. I would fire the entire US Goobermint, including myself. Each state could then issue its own currency or Barter with other States and nations, and form their own militias to protect their borders. States could then create new treaties with each other for Regional Protection and Trade. The Debt would be wiped off the face of the earth, the USA would be History. Each State could rewrite its own new set of Laws, from Scratch.

ABANDON SHIP! Load the Lifeboats! Best of luck to you all!

Reverse Engineer

[Thralen]

Install usury laws, maxing out at 8%

Find something to back the currency with, be it consumables, precious metals/stones, labor (imagine being able to cash in a $20 bill at a bank for two hours unskilled labor guaranteed, be a great employment booster for unskilled workers).

As mentioned prior, a flat tax. Tax starts after $10,000 per family member (immediate, such as spouse or children only) per year. Probably in the 10-15% range.

Abolish welfare or at least tighten it up and reduce benefits, tie this in with the backing of currency by unskilled labor. They complain they can't find work, give them some.

Loads and loads of other things that I consider common sense and that would rapidly have my approval level below the last president's when he was leaving office (22%). The problem being that the majority of the US population acts exactly like a spoiled child and throws tantrums or pouts when they can't do what they want. I know, since I have a 6 yr old that my wife has spoiled silly to compare it to. Because of this, any tough changes you make will immediately be responded to in a negative fashion.

I think Heinlein said it best in several of his books. The problem with Democracy is that eventually the people realize they can vote themselves bread and circuses. After they start doing so, things go downhill rapidly (see California for a prime example). Also to note he mentioned that its upside is that it is the best form of government yet invented, which doesn't really mean it is all that good, just the best of a bad lot.

Thralen

[BlueGhostNo2]

Make the argument that 'free markets' along with central control are both stupid and what is needed is 'efficient markets'.

As such announce that in one years time:

America will outlaw any market distortion. (Emotive advertising, product placement, buy one get one free deals where multiple buys do not reduce the cost of product, etc).

America will outlaw attempts to 'create demand'.

All public facing brands must be changed so that advantage of previous advertising is lost.

[RdSnt]

I think Heinlein said it best in several of his books. The problem with Democracy is that eventually the people realize they can vote themselves bread and circuses. After they start doing so, things go downhill rapidly (see California for a prime example). Also to note he mentioned that its upside is that it is the best form of government yet invented, which doesn't really mean it is all that good, just the best of a bad lot.

Thralen

I'm a big fan of Heinlien, but in this case he was paraphrasing Churchill:
"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." (from a House of Commons speech on Nov. 11, 1947)

[StormBringer]

A few things I would do are:

1) pass a flat 15% tax regardless of income.

2) Pass a flat 15% tax on all businesses net income

3) Pass a 20% tax on all imports

4) Create incentives for multi family homes to bolster multi generational homes like we had for most of our prosperous years. You know back when family and values actually meant something.

5) I would pass a 10% under balance budget law requiring 10% of all federal income to go to an emergency fund for national crisis. And actually making it illegal to create a deficit for any reason other than an act of national emergency.

6) I would create a open bid environment for all government equipment and supplies...(NO MORE $1000.00 hammers)

7) I would outlaw lobbyist and any contributions to any political member or party from any source other than private and limited to no more than $10,000.00

8 I would let the free market work and let any business that cant survive fail as it should be. Who ever survives will be the stronger and wiser for it.

9) I would give a 90 day open gate policy for all illegals currently in the country to register, after which I would order the military to catch and then deport any and all who failed to do so.

10) I would order the military to keep our boarders safe from illegal crossing by any means necessary.

11) I would withdraw all troops in foreign lands immediately and redirect them to internal security such as boarder patrol

12) I would order all foreign trade to be re-evaluated and those that are not advantageous to America to be halted immediately. FAIR OR NO TRADE would be the new U.S. policy

13) I would give grants to anyone who would match funds to install any green energy system to their home and some special programs for the elderly to cover the total expense.

14) I would mandate any cars sold in this country by 2010 to be 50% more efficient than 2007 standards.

15) I would also order domestic car manufacturers to come up with conversion kits to change any current vehicle to electric and possibly have a grant match funding for such conversion

16) order all us railways to be reopened and used for commercial transit of goods. I would order all townships above 1000 people or more than 20 miles from such a township have rail access.

17) I would stop any foreign investment from hostel nations in anything in or to do with this country.

18 I would stop any and all aide to any country that has a hostile government or harbors hostile forces within there country. This includes FOOD.

19) I WOULD LEAVE THE WORLD TO ITS OWN ENDS AND KEEP OUR NOSE OUT OF EVERYONE ELSES BUISNESS...................................

20) I would get rid of any and all BIG BROTHER LAWS way to many intrusive laws passed by special interest groups that are in my opinion unconstitutional and push the judgement and morality of the few upon the many.


AND that's just a start.................................

[Nickel]

How's that for starters

Pretty impressive. You thinking of running for PM...?