With the midterm elections on the near horizon, it’s not too early to unveil our populist platform for the 2028 presidential election – Restore America to Sanity (RATS).
OK, maybe sloganeering isn’t our best thing, but we can work on that. Here’s the program.
The Mail Must Go Through: Restore the United States Postal Service to its former glory, with timely and reliable delivery six days a week and reasonable mailing rates. Hire enough people to do that job, and let the package delivery companies deliver packages. There’s absolutely no reason why a vital public service like USPS should be required, as it is now, to be self-supporting. Or why it should be forced to prioritize delivery of online purchases over first-class mail, documents, newspapers and magazines. If money’s an issue, maybe we could build a couple fewer F-35 fighter jets at $100 million a pop.
A Moonshot to Eradicate Ticks: Mobilize American scientific genius to stamp out an affliction that is rendering life outdoors a scary proposition during warm weather months in New England, the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic states. The diseases carried by ticks are so debilitating that they pose a public health emergency that must be treated as such.
An Indefinite Moratorium on Data Centers: To be in effect until a) such time as a full assessment is completed of their effects on the environment and electricity rates; b) public participation in their siting becomes mandatory; and c) companies developing Artificial Intelligence technology submit to thorough vetting of their systems by government experts to assess possible harms before they are deployed.
Transparency in Drug Advertising: Pharmaceutical companies to be required in all direct-to-consumer advertising to prominently display all possible horrible side effects of prescription drugs before touting their benefits. No more auctioneer-style rapid-fire listing of side effects at the end of these ubiquitous television promotions. Only a couple of countries in the world allow this kind of advertising, and it surely contributes to rising spending on prescription drugs. Besides that, doesn’t the average American deserve to watch a ball game or some other form of entertainment without being constantly reminded that some terrible disease they never heard of is lurking out there? Or worse yet, one that they already have and are trying to forget for a couple of hours.
Ban Advertising for Online Gambling: Gambling is every bit as addictive as tobacco and alcohol and should be treated as such. Sports betting is also undermining the integrity of professional and college sports, to the detriment of players and fans. The advertising for gambling companies is constant and in particular targets young men, who certainly don’t need yet another unhealthy obsession.
Tax the Well-Endowed: No, not that kind of endowed. Every gift of $1 million or more to an educational institution with a rich endowment will be subject to a 10% tax, with the proceeds distributed to support community colleges and vocational and technical education. Education being a public good, private donors of substantial means have to do their part to support it. This theme is applicable to other wealthy institutions.
Seating for the Many: Sports stadiums and large concert venues will be required to set aside 25 seats in luxury boxes to be distributed by lottery to fans who normally sit in the nose-bleed seats. Good for those fans, and also for the ultrawealthy inside their bubbles who will be forced to rub shoulders with ordinary folks. If this pilot program works out well, it can be expanded to airlines.
Put the Red Sox in Receivership: Until such time as the Fenway Sports Group sees fit to expend its untold riches to put a competitive team on the field again, a court-appointed master will be empowered to do so or require the team to be sold to someone with deep pockets who actually wants to win another World Series. Until then, NESN broadcasters will be temporarily enjoined from in-game interviews with former players recalling the now ancient history of the glory days of the franchise.