What no-cost symbolic changes can you think of that would set a new tone in government?

[Stinky The Clown]

A big one for me is to change the name of Homeland Security to almost ANYTHING else. I want it broken up, but a renaming is a good symbolic change.

What else can you think of along these lines?

[PDJane]

1. Start there.

Abolish torture.
Declar the signing statements invalid.

[dysfunctional press]

2. changing the name could actually cost a lot-

new forms, badges, uniforms, etc...

[BattyDem]

3. That's top of the list for me.

Also ... get rid of the phrase "War on Terror"

[terisan]

4. End the high society-gov't partying-it has no place in a people's democracy.

[Ghost in the Machine]

5. Marijuana legalization & releasing all non-violent drug offenders from jails/prisons..

That would be a good start and wouldn't cost anything. It would actually create revenue through legalization, regulation & taxation... and it would cut down on money being paid out to keep these people locked up.

[Donnachaidh]

6. How about NOT giving security contracts to mercenaries anymore?

I've lost track on how many documentaries that have segments with GI's saying THEY had to train Blackwater, etc. to do the same jobs these kids were trained to do. Then the kids are punted out of a job he was trained for, and replaced by contractors we paid ten times more to do the SAME damned job.

Forget no cost -- how about saving the US a shitload of money by getting RID of the privatized mercenaries?

[Booster]

7. Absolutely NO MORE no-bid government contracts.

[Idealism]

8. Normalize relations with Cuba?

[Deja Q]

22. Why? To free the consciences of Rush, Arnold, and Tom when smoking Cuban ciggies?

[Idealism]

27. No, not even close n/t

[bottomtheweaver]

9. Abolish that POS shithole "Department."

It's nothing but a huge money laundering and propaganda operation and it stinks. Turn those TSA clowns into skycaps or restroom attendants or something useful. Ditto the border vigilantes.

[cynatnite]

10. Bring back the WH tours n/t

[gratuitous]

12. Or make the White House visitor logs public again

Instead of hiding them behind some bogus "national security" curtain.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Does the Obama admnistration get to see the Bushie's visitor logs?

[gratuitous]

20. Don't know

They may be part of the administration's papers that Bushie wants to put behind a firewall, forever out of the reach of the common rabble, who can't possibly appreciate the epic genius of the man known as Commander Bunnypants.

[Retrograde]

21. Yes - Mr. Obama, re-open this house! (n/t)

[TahitiNut]

28. Obama is having an Open House at the White House on Wednesday -- TOURS!

He's making the People's House open to the People! :applause:

[Horse with no Name]

11. It would cost but I think a symbolic gesture would be

to put the solar panels back up on the White House and to turn the thermostats down and start setting the example to conserve.
I want this country rid of lavish excesses when so many of our fellow citizens are homeless, hungry and cold.

[HillbillyBob]

13. Fire EVERYONE hired by bushco..might lose one or two good employees

but we could be rid of thousands of corrupt traitors

[Lyric]

14. Yep. Rename it to the "Department of Emergency Services and Infrastructure"

Sounds a lot more sane and reasonable to me.

:hi:

[LWolf]

15. We could

change the name of the DOD to the Department of Peace.

:D

To be honest, a name change without a change of intent is nothing more than Orwellian spin. Substantive change has to accompany a change of label, or it's meaningless.

[DainBramaged]

16. Get rid of Homeland insecurity and give protecting our Nation back to the experts

not political appointees. That freaking agency was just another piggy bank for the Bushies.

[blm]

17. Open the books on BCCI to investigative reporters, historians, and Senate investigators.

That shouldn't cost much, at all. And think of all the good around the world that level of sunshine would bring.

[taterguy]

19. No more free parking for government employees

That would set a new tone but it will never happen

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

23. Bring back capital punishment. n/t

[NoPasaran]

24. No Pants Fridays!

[rvablue]

25. He's said that he doesn't to be in a bubble. So, my idea is a "monthly lottery"

that Americans who live nearby or who are going to be visiting D.C. can enter.

Each month (or two or three, whatev.), a group of 10 Americans would "win" a chance to visit with the President for an hour and ask him anything they wanted.

It would be even a further departure from the closed/protective bush years to televise it on C-SPAN.

[Stinky The Clown]

26. Wow

I LOVE that idea!!!!!!

[Telly Savalas]

29. Adopt a parliamentary style Question Period.

Once or twice a week, the president would visit the Senate for an hour and field questions from Senators from both parties.

[lonestarnot]

30. Staff to man phones and website for daily input from us! Ideas are everywhere!

[MsTryska]

31. lettign gays come back out of the closet?

that would be something i'd like to see.


it's been some somber times on the club circuit.

oh and can we start talking about sex again please?


i was checking out my "late night" selections on HBO (i have a thing for the taxicab confessions) and i started to realize all of the sex positive series they had are all circa 2001.

Made em think about the ways we've culturally changed since the Clinton Era. i suppose to some it was sodom and gomorrah, but HIV rates are up, Syphilis is back, and there are no Drag Queens on VH-1.