Thursday, June 19, 2014

In which we briefly respond to the proposed LD resolutions

I’ve managed to acquire some new responsibilities at the DJ, and my brain has been a little bit occupied learning what I need to learn from the folks who provide the money every week. Good timing, when you think about it. I’d hate this to be happening, say, the week of Bump. It’s all good, in any case, and removes from my mind the idea that they’re all behind closed doors plotting how to get rid of me before the end of the week. I won’t regress to that one for at least another month or two.

For those who didn’t see them, here’s a working list of the LD rezzes. These aren’t final; NSDA was soliciting opinions. They may have all the opinions they need at this point. I certainly know how I feel about these off the top of my head, but as I move into PF almost exclusively, my interest is academic at best. Still, a few brief comments.


In the United States, K-12 education ought to be compulsory for minors.
Hmmm. Should we argue that New Hampshire needs to provide kindergarten? Silly topic.

The United States federal government ought to define common K-12 educational standards.
Hot button in its way, although I wonder about its durability. Better in PF.

The United States federal government ought to defer to states’ marijuana laws.
States’ rights in 2014 is awfully inside baseball, if you ask me.

The “right to be forgotten” from internet searches ought to be a civil right.
Minor interest at best. PF might make a go of something like this.

The First Amendment’s protection of political speech ought to extend to financial contributions.
Probably okay.

Just governments ought to ensure food security for their citizens.
Either really interesting or totally deadly.

Nuclear power is a just means of energy production. Just? Not very exciting, in any case.

A just government ought to require that employers pay a living wage. I actually like this one, if it’s about the responsibilities of government past the old social contract ideas of rights.

Sin taxes are just. Probably okay, but term of art though sin tax may be, I’d prefer sumptuary.

In the United States patents ought not be granted for biological substances. Something tells me that the bad science being tossed around on this one will cause brains to explode. And aren’t some medications biological substances? Meaning removing patents on drugs? Way off the mark. I'm a big fan of discussing IP issues, but not this one.

Historic preservation is a legitimate constraint on property rights.
Too narrow.

United States foreign policy ought to value women’s rights over the pursuit of its economic interests when the two conflict.
Yeah, that’ll make for interesting arguments.

The United States criminal justice system’s exclusionary rule is just.
Pretty good.

In the United States, collective bargaining ought to be a civil right. I don’t like this one at all, on a gut level.

Corporations ought to value their responsibility to society over the conflicting responsibility to their shareholders.
Meh.

Justice requires reparations to African Americans.
Let fly the dogs of war. This is a great subject area, and we can argue important issues of discrimination that will actually be resolutional!

Inaction in the face of injustice makes an individual morally culpable. One of those perfect Nationals topics.

Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.
I don’t see it.

In the United States, Supreme Court justices should be subject to term limits. Interesting.

They will narrow this down, and maybe change some wording, and then there will be voting. Once again, a fine starting point. It will be up to the members at large to screw it up and vote for the wrong ones.

BREAKING NEWS: They did it.

1. The "right to be forgotten" from internet searches ought to be a civil right.
2. Just governments ought to ensure food security for their citizens.
3. Just governments ought to require that employers pay a living wage.
4. Sin taxes are just.
5. Historic preservation is a legitimate constraint on property rights.
6. United States foreign policy ought to value women’s rights over the pursuit of its economic interests when the two conflict.
7. Justice requires reparations to Black Americans.
8. Inaction in the face of injustice makes an individual morally culpable.
9. Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States should be subject to term limits.
10. Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.

Compared to my analysis, I'd say we got the usual lineup of a good group of interesting ones, a couple that could go either way, and one outright stinker (adolescent medical choices). I'll go into detail shortly (and for all I know, I might think differently about things after I've thought about them more in depth).

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