If you had your own country...

[nick_m100]

1) How big would it be?
2) What would your government be?
3) What geographic range would it be?
4) Would there be any restrictions?
5) Would you have randomly assorted taxes like America?

I want to know what you people would like in a country because I'm designing one. Thoughts would indeed be helpful.

 

[sparkchaser]

1) I'd annex Washington and Oregon and the Northernmost 100 miles of California.

2) Benevolent dictatorship

3) See #1

4) Two rules: Don't be an ass and do no harm. I'd offer financial incentives to people and companies that promoted sustainable lifestyles.

5) Randomly assorted taxes? I don't know what that means. I'd have a flat national sales tax as well as a property tax.

 

[nick_m100]

I mean taxes like land tax instead of just large costs in the beginning.
Or a tax that charges for something that is entirely unneeded like social security if you don't get back as much as you put in or you're paying people that just won't die.

 

[sparkchaser]

I mean taxes like land tax instead of just large costs in the beginning.
Or a tax that charges for something that is entirely unneeded like social security if you don't get back as much as you put in or you're paying people that just won't die.

Large costs in the beginning?

Paying people that just won't die?

Sure Social Security needs some reform but it was never intended to be a retirement fund.

Can I have some of what you're smoking son? It must be some primo green.

 

[AsherNZ]

1) How big would it be?
It would be a relatively small country, maximum 5 million people, although there would be a lot of land, perhaps one person for every 1/2-1 square kilometer? Because I come from a small country (New Zealand), I love the kinship felt between the people and I love living in a smaller country.

2) What would your government be?
Democratic liberal.

3) What geographic range would it be?
Some mountain ranges, not a lot of exceptionally flat ranges, mostly slight rolling hills.

4) Would there be any restrictions?
Other than the usual laws that would protect the citizen's basic rights, I would make laws to protect worker's rights and make certain subjects in school compulsory.

5) Would you have randomly assorted taxes like America?
No, taxes would be assigned in regards to income brackets.

 

[sparkchaser]

NYSE needs to chime in on this thread.

 

[nick_m100]

I'm not smoking anything

Spark, I don't smoke anything, I don't do any drugs I don't even smoke or drink but I believe that America needs some serious reform and I want to develop an actual country. Not that America is all bad, but it needs many changes and that won't happen.

 

[sparkchaser]

I don't smoke either but boy do I drink!

 

[Litany]

I don't think your questions fully cover all the aspects of my marvellous vision.

Firstly, my country shall be mostly purple. It's a nice colour and I think that green and blue are grossly over rated. It's time purple got a look in. I'm not saying that everything will be purple, that would be crazy.

My people will be pirates and they will dine on ham and parrots.

Every Thursday will be pick on a nun day. My people will journey out into the world and taunt nuns. No violence, just a bit of name calling and maybe a game of piggy in the middle with their wimples. They are called wimples aren't they? Or are wimples only those really pointy ones? I don't know if they're wimples when they're the ones with the big curly wings on. I think those ones are only worn by flying nuns. Let's just call them nun hats for now.

There will be strict laws regarding hat ownership. I don't know what they are yet, but I think hats are probably important and the legal system should reflect that.

There won't be any cabbages. I don't really see that would be any need.

People called Bob should probably get some sort of discount at the cinema.

 

[sparkchaser]

Pirates eating parrots? That is like an American eating a dog! Blasphemy!

Would hats denote class or job title or just mark the day of the week?

If you outlaw cabbage then only outlaws (and renegade Nazis) would eat sauerkraut.

 

[Litany]

Historical records prove that pirates kept parrots in case of hard times aboard ship.

Hats are important in and of themselves. I fear there may be some confusion because of the nuns, which is just one of the many reasons why they must be punished.

Outlaws will be outlawed. Are renegade Nazis the ones with long hair that ride motorbikes?

 

[sparkchaser]

Historical records prove that pirates kept parrots in case of hard times aboard ship.

In that case, I'll feed my parrot a steady diet of garlic croutons and rum.

Hats are important in and of themselves. I fear there may be some confusion because of the nuns, which is just one of the many reasons why they must be punished.

Can I wear my favorite hat?

Outlaws will be outlawed. Are renegade Nazis the ones with long hair that ride motorbikes?

If outlaws are outlawed then only outlaws will be outlaws.

 

[beer good]

If outlaws are outlawed then only outlaws will be outlaws.

Which is the reason why in my country, everyone will be outlawed. I expect this to have the following positive effects:
- Low social costs. Nobody pays taxes; people just rob each other a lot. Also, no one lives long enough to need a pension.
- Simple economy; since all paper money will be destroyed (either blown up by inexperienced safecrackers or drenched in blood) within approximately 2 weeks, we'll be down to silver dollars and lead bullets in no time. A fistful of either will get you just about anything.
- Main export? Kick-ass country music.
- According to the foremost philosopher of our time, to live outside the law you must be honest. There won't be a single hypocrite or passive-aggressive moaner left after the first week.
- National anthem by Ennio Morricone.
- Out: letters to the editor. In: showdowns in the cemetary at dawn.
- Being outlaws, everyone will be armed. However, being armed, they will be easily recognized as outlaws and publicly executed the second they set foot outside their door. The only solution to this will be for outlaws to be sneaky and unarmed. In other words, once natural selection has done its natural selecting, I will have a nation of NINJAS. Who sing Johnny Cash songs.

 

[sparkchaser]

Which is the reason why in my country, everyone will be outlawed. I expect this to have the following positive effects:
- Low social costs. Nobody pays taxes; people just rob each other a lot. Also, no one lives long enough to need a pension.
- Simple economy; since all paper money will be destroyed (either blown up by inexperienced safecrackers or drenched in blood) within approximately 2 weeks, we'll be down to silver dollars and lead bullets in no time. A fistful of either will get you just about anything.
- Main export? Kick-ass country music.
- According to the foremost philosopher of our time, to live outside the law you must be honest. There won't be a single hypocrite or passive-aggressive moaner left after the first week.
- National anthem by Ennio Morricone.
- Out: letters to the editor. In: showdowns in the cemetary at dawn.
- Being outlaws, everyone will be armed. However, being armed, they will be easily recognized as outlaws and publicly executed the second they set foot outside their door. The only solution to this will be for outlaws to be sneaky and unarmed. In other words, once natural selection has done its natural selecting, I will have a nation of NINJAS. Who sing Johnny Cash songs.

I like your idea for a society better than that other guy's.

 

[Litany]

It does sound like a pretty well thought out country. Will you have any nuns?

I think my national anthem is probably going to be (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty because of the deep emotions it stirs in my soul.

 

[sparkchaser]

It does sound like a pretty well thought out country. Will you have any nuns?

I think my national anthem is probably going to be (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty because of the deep emotions it stirs in my soul.

Will you be worshiped as a deity?

 

[beer good]

Will you have any nuns?

Only if they carry machine guns. And do drugs, like in that Almodovar movie. In fact, they are essential to organize the annual one ton hun shun gun nun pun fun sun run, in which fat Germans are made to run a gauntlet between two rows of armed nuns, ducking bullets while telling jokes. At high noon.

 

[Litany]

Will you be worshiped as a deity?

I can't risk being argued out of existence by a cunning atheist.

 

[sparkchaser]

I can't risk being argued out of existence by a cunning atheist.

You'd have to bar Richard Dawkins from entering your country. Of course the official reason would be 'unbecoming decorative noggin covering'.

 

[nick_m100]

wow

This sure got ridiculous rather quickly. Originally intended to be a serious discussion I suppose this will now become entirely idiotic but you will enjoy yourselves so whatever.