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The European Union is committed to a "free movement of goods and services".
What is a Government but a multipurpose service provider ?
So, why not have a system where towns, cities or even whole regions could democratically opt to be ruled by a different government ? For instance, if you thought
that you would get better healthcare and lower taxes under a French or Irish administartion,and enough people agreed, you could change. Everything in the area would be changed, including language, shops, school systems, health systems etc. Military bases in the area would be handed over to the new administration. Limerick could be come like Florence, or Aachen could make itself like Seville. If you were in Birmingheim and wanted some fresh croissant to go with your Leberwurst, you could just drive to Londres and by some from one of the hnudreds of patisseries. Oh, brave new world ....
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I'll opt-in to whichever government has the simplest tax system. |
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Baked, in the late 1700s. Many towns in New York and New Hampshire voted to leave the fledgling United States (and its huge debt) and join the Republic of Vermont. Giving those towns back was a condition of eventual statehood for Vermont. |
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As a resident of a city that would much prefer to be located in France, the Greek Isles, Brazil, Australia, the British Isles, Russia, or pretty much anywhere other than the US of A, I find this a provocative idea. Why, just today a Federal court in my fair city of San Francisco ruled that it is unconstitutional to force children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school (because it mentions "God"). |
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My fellow-citizens here at home consider themsleves more or less stateless. I don't blame them. When the mayor performs gay marriages at City Hall in spite of the anti-gay party in charge of the country, you know you're living in a place that's a little ... different. (Not quite as different as our wacky neighbor to the East, The People's Republic of Berkeley -- which is not only light-pollution-free and a Hate Free Zone, but also oddly aligned with Tinky Winky, in a few lines of the city code.) |
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I actually wouldn't mind if my home city suddenly went French. The coffee would still be good, the breakfast pastries would be better, we'd all get free healthcare, and we'd probably also get better-looking as the change settled in. But sooner or later I'd get homesick, and end up going to the Mission for le taco or to Village Chinois for potstickers dans le petit carry-box thingie. |
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Perhaps you could adjust your system, [8th], to apply to six city blocks at a time, rather than an entire area. But then you'd have pretty much the exact thing we have here at home. If we've baked it here, why reinvent the pie? |
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Don't get me wrong. I like your idea. In fact, I could really get into the installation of a Little New York in every American city of appropriate size ... but that's another idea altogether, n'est-ce pas? |
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More politicians? Excellent. |
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As a Christian, I support that decision yesterday. I'm very much in favo(u)r of total separation of church/state stuff. For the church's benefit. I hope this sticks. |
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Guys, isn't this going a tiny bit off topic ? Just asking. |
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Yes.
I was wondering whether Newdow also wants to repeal the Declaration of Independence, as it refers to "a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence" and "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God". |
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Angel: "The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there." |
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Documents of that nature should in my opinion be read, and their spirit and meaning interpreted, according to the social and historical context in which they were created. |
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"Society" is just what human beings make up as they go along. |
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By golly, gosh does sound dopey. |
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There's nothing to repeal in the Declaration. It's just a letter to George, not law. |
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Back on topic, if you want to see municipal authority taken to extremes, read the stuff on Burbclaves in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. |
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//The European Union is committed to a "free movement of goods and services//
Only within it's own jurisdiction. You'd never really get the government that you want (assuming that you want one at all) because it would ultimately have to conform to EU regulations.
I like the idea of Birmingheim though. The dark and desolate home of the trolls perhaps? |
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DrBob: What a wonderfully \wagnerian concept. Yes , I can believe that Birmingheim is the home of the Nibelungs ... what next, Brumhilda ? |
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The problem will be for the government to accept the new people, no? |
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jeez, how many wars would that caus? |
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Being ruled from a far sucks. Why would you want to give up power to a bunch of people who aren't affected by the same issues? Fish bones |
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