“D.C. is a cesspool of corruption. Abandon it as capital and start a new city in the exact middle of the country. Wall it off so no lobbyist can get to the politicians.”Lobbyists are allowed by the Constitution. Politicians become crooks because they need money to get reelected, and stay crooks because people are too stupid to vote them out.“You have it….Make D.C. a museum. Move Congress to the Dakotas in an old military base.”Living in the Dakotas should be declared cruel and unusual punishment.
That was a nicely written comment. Kabuki theater, perfect! Or Punch and Judy during election years. Sock puppets most of the time, though./
Many government buildings were constructed in Greco-Roman style to show the grandeur of the American system to Old World aristocrats and their monarchies – much to their amusement. Reminds me of the cultural inferiority complex portrayed in the writings of Henry James, and Sinclair Lewis in DODSWORTH. It lingered until the last few decades in architecture, although we still have it in most of the other arts. /
Such old, garish buildings are hard to maintain and hopelessly antiquated in many ways. Turn them over for use as craft shops and “junque” stores, or as outlets for foreign-made trinkets. /
Or — A suggestion to solve that problem and also drain the cesspool or corruption: Secretly outsource the administration of Washington, D.C. to Hollywood interests, make it a theme park, staff it with anatomically-correct androids that seem to be doing government business but really are not. (They would be bound by Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.) /
They wouldn’t do any good but wouldn’t do harm, either. Ordinary citizens in town might notice things run better, and everything looks better. I doubt the politicians would realize at all (especially if their staff were anatomically correct). Simulate false reality of an outside world with piped in feeds that are mostly computer generated images. Lots of opportunities for staged dramas to entertain and inspire tourists./
The real center of power would be an underground technology complex somewhere in South Dakota (a la “The Forbin Project), protected by cloaking technology, and run by Artificial Intelligence./
Only a few computer geeks in residence would know about it. If we bribed them with unlimited Twinkies, computer games, compliant super models, and other sybaritic delights they’ll never tell. /
What a great idea! We need a constitutional amendment that states that our government officials have to live by the same laws and with the same benefits as everyone else. Wouldn’t we see some action in Congress then!
The vast majority of Americans are happy with the performance of their representatives, and disgusted by the performance of everybody else’s representatives. Only two people in the entire country are elected by the entire country, and even they don’t actually represent a majority of voters all the time (see the election of 2000). Does no one see a problem with that? If we are going to continue to be ONE nation, we’d better start seeing our political opponents as friendly rivals and not enemies, and seek for the middle ground that none of us will like, but all of us can live with.
They could all take shelter below the Greenbriar in White Sulphur Springs West Virginia.Everything is set up complete with bomb shelter and “TV repair shop.”
Will Rogers said if he were ever to serve as president of the Senate he would pass a rule that when you had said all you knew you had to shut up. He went on to observe that “I’d have some of those birds just nodding.” The more things change…
You need to read Architects of America….and I forget who the author is. The book is about how DC came to be the center of the Country – physically as well as spiritually.
However, I agree about the Lobbyists, and that’s been tried as a law for the Country, not just the city. So far, every single bill to prevent them from coming in has been killed before it reaches the Floor of either part of Congress.
ScullyUFO almost 12 years ago
Honest question: Does the exact middle include Alaska and Hawaii? Or would you weight by some other metric: population, taxes paid, income, etc.?
Doughfoot almost 12 years ago
“Washington is a city of northern charm and southern efficiency.” — John F. Kennedy
Odon Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Which is more over the top the U.S. Capitol or the Vatican?
corzak almost 12 years ago
lol! Good idea!A U.S. Brasilia . . .
Jason Allen almost 12 years ago
“D.C. is a cesspool of corruption. Abandon it as capital and start a new city in the exact middle of the country. Wall it off so no lobbyist can get to the politicians.”Lobbyists are allowed by the Constitution. Politicians become crooks because they need money to get reelected, and stay crooks because people are too stupid to vote them out.“You have it….Make D.C. a museum. Move Congress to the Dakotas in an old military base.”Living in the Dakotas should be declared cruel and unusual punishment.
emptc12 almost 12 years ago
That was a nicely written comment. Kabuki theater, perfect! Or Punch and Judy during election years. Sock puppets most of the time, though./
Many government buildings were constructed in Greco-Roman style to show the grandeur of the American system to Old World aristocrats and their monarchies – much to their amusement. Reminds me of the cultural inferiority complex portrayed in the writings of Henry James, and Sinclair Lewis in DODSWORTH. It lingered until the last few decades in architecture, although we still have it in most of the other arts. /
Such old, garish buildings are hard to maintain and hopelessly antiquated in many ways. Turn them over for use as craft shops and “junque” stores, or as outlets for foreign-made trinkets. /Or — A suggestion to solve that problem and also drain the cesspool or corruption: Secretly outsource the administration of Washington, D.C. to Hollywood interests, make it a theme park, staff it with anatomically-correct androids that seem to be doing government business but really are not. (They would be bound by Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.) /
They wouldn’t do any good but wouldn’t do harm, either. Ordinary citizens in town might notice things run better, and everything looks better. I doubt the politicians would realize at all (especially if their staff were anatomically correct). Simulate false reality of an outside world with piped in feeds that are mostly computer generated images. Lots of opportunities for staged dramas to entertain and inspire tourists./
The real center of power would be an underground technology complex somewhere in South Dakota (a la “The Forbin Project), protected by cloaking technology, and run by Artificial Intelligence./
Only a few computer geeks in residence would know about it. If we bribed them with unlimited Twinkies, computer games, compliant super models, and other sybaritic delights they’ll never tell. /piobaire almost 12 years ago
Yes. It would be good for everyone to make Congress work for the good of America, not just for themselves and their friends.
piobaire almost 12 years ago
What a great idea! We need a constitutional amendment that states that our government officials have to live by the same laws and with the same benefits as everyone else. Wouldn’t we see some action in Congress then!
Doughfoot almost 12 years ago
Politics: The art of obtaining campaign funds from the rich and votes from the poor by promising to protect each from the other.
Doughfoot almost 12 years ago
The vast majority of Americans are happy with the performance of their representatives, and disgusted by the performance of everybody else’s representatives. Only two people in the entire country are elected by the entire country, and even they don’t actually represent a majority of voters all the time (see the election of 2000). Does no one see a problem with that? If we are going to continue to be ONE nation, we’d better start seeing our political opponents as friendly rivals and not enemies, and seek for the middle ground that none of us will like, but all of us can live with.
rockngolfer almost 12 years ago
They could all take shelter below the Greenbriar in White Sulphur Springs West Virginia.Everything is set up complete with bomb shelter and “TV repair shop.”
walruscarver2000 almost 12 years ago
IQ tests!
walruscarver2000 almost 12 years ago
Will Rogers said if he were ever to serve as president of the Senate he would pass a rule that when you had said all you knew you had to shut up. He went on to observe that “I’d have some of those birds just nodding.” The more things change…
lontooni almost 12 years ago
That gets my vote
lontooni almost 12 years ago
“No and thens” – sorry private joke
Ketira almost 12 years ago
You need to read Architects of America….and I forget who the author is. The book is about how DC came to be the center of the Country – physically as well as spiritually.
However, I agree about the Lobbyists, and that’s been tried as a law for the Country, not just the city. So far, every single bill to prevent them from coming in has been killed before it reaches the Floor of either part of Congress.