Identify the Unicorn !!!! New DU Game.

[Scuba]

I have posted the below, or version of it, many times previously on DU. Often I am told that this is a "rainbow and unicorn" fantasy list and I might just as well "wish for a pony".

So, in our new game, I'm challenging DU members to identify the Unicorn in the "planks" below. In your reponse, please identify which plank is the unicorn, and how you were able to identify it as such.

If enough people respond, we'll have an "Identify the Rainbow" contest next week.

Thanks,

Scuba


Scuba's Platform Proposal:

We will pass new tax laws that spread the tax burden fairly across the economic spectrum, with those benefiting most from our society contributing commensurately.

We will pass law to protect the right of workers to organize and have a voice in the operation of US businesses. This will include raising the minimum wage to $14.00 per hour to ensure a reasonable standard of living for all working families and to stimulate our sluggish economy.

We will pass law to provide Medicare for All so no American is denied care or has to suffer financial hardship because of health problems, and no American businesses are saddled with health costs that keep them from competing fairly with foreign competitors. This plan will include a “safety net” to guarantee every citizen is provided the food and shelter necessary to survive difficult challenges in their lives.


We will withdraw of all US military and contracted personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead of the hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives being wasted on these wars, we will instead provide aid to these countries, and to other depressed areas where atrocious conditions breed terrorists.

We will order the Department of Justice to investigate those who led us into these wars to determine if war crime charges are warranted. If so, they will be prosecuted with vigor and any ill-gained profits shall be returned to the people.

We will order the Commerce Department to present a holostic plan for maintaining and advancing the infrastructure of our great country.

We will order the Secretary of Education to present new plans to guarantee all Americans have access to our public schools, from pre-kindergarten through advanced degrees.

We will order Homeland Security to present a new plan for securing our borders from those who would do us harm while allowing appropriate travel and visitation to our many friends around the world. This plan is to include a path to citizenship for those who serve in the US military, or who came here as children and are now productive members of our society.

We will order the Department of Energy to begin another “Manhattan Project” to enable us to cease our dependence on fossil fuels. At the same time, I am announcing the nationalization of all US oil and gas reserves, as well as other reserves owned by the citizens of the US that are currently being extracted from our soil for private profit without regard for our environment.

We will order the Department of Justice to begin immediately to root out crimes of corruption within our government. In concert with this, I want Congress to pass laws to ensure elected officials are serving for the benefit of the American people as a whole, not to gain wealth or power for themselves or their friends.


And finally, we are asking you, the People, to help with the most critical problem facing our Democracy today. We’re asking you, the People, to pass a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting political spending by corporations or any other entity or individual not qualifying as a person with citizenship in this great country.


These and other policies we will put in place will cause a sea-change in how our country serves the citizens - We the People - rather than a tiny handful of super-wealthy who would subvert our democracy and plunder our wealth while denying even the most basic services for our citizens. Thank you for your support and thank you for standing up for the rights of all citizens.

[HopeHoops]

1. NARWHAL! FUCK YEAH!!!!!1!

[Shandris]

2. Assuming Unicorn as 'least likely to happen' -- education

With a proper education, the masses don't get owned by the elites anywhere near as badly. Especially once you start moving into advanced degrees.

That's the last thing that will be allowed to happen.

[gateley]

3. Professor Scuba! Professor Scuba! *waving hand madly*

Yes, gateley?

Professor, I don't know what the Rainbow represents nor what the Unicorn represents. Is the rainbow possible and the unicorn impossible? Am I missing the point entirely? Thank you in advance for your explanation as I'd really like to do well on this game this quarter. :hi:

[Skidmore]

4. Needs some affirmation of presenting it to our elected officials with

the expectation that they follow through or lose their freaking jobs.

[zeemike]

5. With all due respect none of that will happen.

Not because they are bad ideas at all...in fact they would solve so many problems...but because it would solve problems and the ruling class don't want that to happen...they are happy with things the way they are now.
Most of those things are common sense but the vast majority of the people will never hear of it because the media will never tell them about it.
Until we find some way to unify and take back these institutions of information we will continue to loose at this game.

[Scuba]

6. So they're ALL unicorns? None?

[zeemike]

15. Might as well be.

Unless things change.

[Skidmore]

7. There are more of us than there are of the ruling class.

[Shandris]

8. But the ruling class bolsters its numbers through those who are easily led...

...via propaganda and a lack of critical thinking knowledge on the part of the people. Once you bring that into account, the numbers aren't nearly as skewed.

[Skidmore]

10. So we can't rise to the challenge?

[Shandris]

14. We've been working on that for quite a while and continue to do so.

It's the reason we're HERE. Of course we can try to rise to the challenge. The statement I responded to was that we outnumber them though, as if that was all it would take. But our edge in numbers is very small because of education. In my mind, that's the key to victory.

[zeemike]

16. Absolutely true.

But they have far more money than we do...that is why they want to compete with them in amount we spend to elect officials....they know they can outspend us.
And they can buy all the media they want.

[Angry Dragon]

9. None of them will happen

The only thing I can figure out is that you have been spending way too much time reading the new political sci-fi book
by Isaac Asimov, 'When I woke the System was Fixed'

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. They are ALL unicorns.

As to how I know, I just followed the skittles trail, it led me right to the rainbow.

What do I win???????

[BobbyBoring]

12. They're all Unicorns

And try living on $14.00 an hr. today!

[Skidmore]

13. Actually, $14/hr is decent pay in this neck of the woods.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. If $14 is an immediate change, rather than a target over time, then it's a unicorn

You'd change too many businesses' costs by such a large amount, if you did that all at once, that they'd go bust before they figured out how to adjust to that level of minimum wage (such a large increase would leave some semi-skilled workers demanding that they should get a pay rise too, to differentiate them from unskilled workers; it'd be more than employers paying less than $14 an hour affected). So you'd induce huge unemployment and a depression, but probably with high inflation too. Change at a breakneck speed can be dangerous.

it's interesting that you imply that a minimum wage is about 'working families'. There is, of course, nothing that says a minimum wage applies just to families. It applies to single people too, and if you're saying that all single people must be paid, by employers, at a rate that they could support children with, but that they don't need to, then you're being unnecessarily inflationary. If your concern is about families having the income needed to bring up children, then direct government benefits or tax credits at children. Don't use a sledgehammer of someone else's money to hammer in a nail.

[Scuba]

18. Thanks for your thoughtful reply. The minimum wage figure...

...seems to be unworkable, at least by many accounts.

Would you have a recommendation regarding wages / benefits? Does Medicare for All ease the need for a minimum wage hike?

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. I'm no economist, but it seems to me a steady, predictable increase in the minimum wage

would be a good thing, that doesn't alter the expenses of businesses too much at a time, and allows them to plan for the future increases. $14 (or the equivalent of what is $14 now) might be eventually feasible, if the tax system meant that those without children to support were paying a significant part of it as income tax.

Medicare for all would also be good, but I haven't the faintest idea how to get there, beyond nationalisation of the health insurance companies, laying off many of their employees (and changing the jobs of the rest), and telling healthcare providers what the rates are going to be, with no negotiation. Which would probably be politically impossible, and would also probably get stopped by the courts, judging by the challenges to the modest reform that just went through.

[Patchuli]

20. Happy to be #5! K&R! nt

:kick: