How I'd Fix Israel

[MicroBalrog]

People asked, I think, what I think about the country I actually live in.

Now, I realize that the full libertarian program will not be adopted by Israel, ever, because Israelis are insane and worship Marx.

As such, had I been PM, this would be my Fix The Country program:

1. Reform the real estate market.

a)90%+ of the land in Israel is state-owned. This BS must stop, preferably by privatizing at least 10% more of land.

b)Further, reform the construction system  pass a law that mandates that any application for a construction permit be approved or denied within, say, six months to a year. Right now, unless you're a wealthy real estate pimp with connections, any serious projects need decades to approve. People can live their entire lives and die without getting a permit. That's wrong, and it needs fixing.

c)Allow people to own whatever they find in their land  gold, natural resources, etc. The system today, where you are not allowed to drill or dig for valuables, is dumb.

2. Reform criminal law.

a)   Israel's judicial system considers burglary to be a minor crime  out of 32,000 burglars per year, only 2-4 get more than 2 years. That needs to change.
B)   Actually allow people to buy, without licensing or registration, shotguns and at least some basic rifles  not even like in the US, but like in Austria and France. See 2a for reason.
c)   Legalize gambling, and close the National lottery company. Not like anybody in the country really thinks gambling is immoral, and everybody from pensioners to young people does it.
d)   Legalize motor sports. Allow private motor sports organizations to stage races. I don't even need to explain this one.
e)   Introduce jury trials. And prohibit the government from appealing if you're found innocent.
f)   Change the criminal law so individuals are only penalized if they're convicted of crimes. People who have not been convicted are not guilty. Period. This shouldn't even be an issue.
g)   Legalize homeschooling.
h) See C and D, but with prostitution and weed. Make the place into a hyperNevada.
i) Legalize non-religious marriage. Why the hell am I not allowed to marry my fiancee? What kind of sense does it make?

3. Reform elections. Have a system with a bicameral legislature (to allow for a proper legislative process), and a separately-elected executive branch. Separation of branches for the win. Also, no Knesset members who oppose the existence of Israel should be allowed to serve. I dont'

4. Reform the economic system (at minimum).

a)   Use any budget surplus created by legalizing gambling and so forth to cut or abolish the VAT. A 15.5% VAT is deranged.
B)   Abolish the ministry of Religion (that's a 2 billion shekel budget cut right there). Let the synagogues be funded by donations or whatever. I really don't care.
c)   Abolish public TV.
d)   Allow foreign banks like Citibank and so on to provide retail banking services in the country.
e)   Cut taxes moar, n00b

5. Reform the military. Abolish the draft. Introduce the army to the existence of CAS aircraft, import SU-25's if we have to.

That's just the basic stuff.

I can list more if you're bored.

[WeedWhacker]

I'm not certain how much weight the Old Testament (or equivalent) carries with the modern state of Israel, but according to Deuteronomy, the way of life proscribed has many elements of a collectivist society. Some examples are: taxation (tithes) being used to support the poor, the Year of Jubilee, the entire method of supporting the priest caste...

Of course, evil behaviour back then was often awarded with death, rather than a short stay in the Greybar Hotel with three squares a day and a gym membership.

[MicroBalrog]

I'm not certain how much weight the Old Testament (or equivalent) carries with the modern state of Israel, but according to Deuteronomy, the way of life proscribed has many elements of a collectivist society. Some examples are: taxation (tithes) being used to support the poor, the Year of Jubilee, the entire method of supporting the priest caste...

Oh if only we had Biblical-era taxes.

Of course, evil behaviour back then was often awarded with death, rather than a short stay in the Greybar Hotel with three squares a day and a gym membership.

See my note on burglars.

[WeedWhacker]

Oh if only we had Biblical-era taxes.

Very good point. :|

[Manedwolf]

If recent stuff keeps up, I don't know how eager foreign banks will be to open branch offices in retail locations.

Hamas just managed to bullseye a shopping center full of people in Ashkelon with a rocket, "dozens" injured, trapped in rubble and such on first report.

I would think the first order of business is "Stop the damned rockets flying into the country, by any means necessary".

[WeedWhacker]

I would think the first order of business is "Stop the damned rockets flying into the country, by any means necessary".

"Oh, but those mean old Zionists keep picking on the poor, helpless, defenseless, innocent, homeless Palestinian people, who've lived there all their life, who only left their homes because the Islamic Arabs were going to 'drive the pigs into the sea' got their asses kicked out of their shiny tanks and were sent packing by old men with rusty revolvers and molotov cocktails, and the Palestinian state of Jordan wouldn't let the newly homeless Arabs in - unlike Israel who welcomed in all their folks who were kicked out of newly-formed Jordan - and, and, and, but, but, but..."

[SomeKid]

Is Israel really that crappy? 90% government owned land? No self defense even in the home? No homeschooling?

My concern for Israel just nose-dived.

[taurusowner]

The fact is, they run their country how they want.  It's not some Jewish dictator who seized power and plunged the county into an unwanted theocracy.  Israel wwant to have Judaism as part of their country and government.  That's up to them.  Not you.

[41magsnub]

The fact is, they run their country how they want.  It's not some Jewish dictator who seized power and plunged the county into an unwanted theocracy.  Israel wwant to have Judaism as part of their country and government.  That's up to them.  Not you.

Um..  the OP actually does live in Israel so it is his country too.

[SomeKid]

The theocracy isn't really that bad, it is Israel. What bugs me, is the socialistic theocracy that makes me go wtf? If they stayed biblical, I think Israel would be a a real force to be reckoned with over there.

[wmenorr67]

You know Micro actually lives there and should have a pretty good idea of what is going on.  It shouldn't be up to us Americans to tell Isreal or its citizens what is wrong with the country.  We don't like it when others tell us what we are doing wrong and what we should do.  We shouldn't do it now.

Thank you Micro for your insight on how you see things.

I had the privilage of spending one night in Tel Aviv back in 93 and enjoyed meeting the people and just wandering around.  Wish I had more than one night.

[De Selby]

The theocracy isn't really that bad, it is Israel. What bugs me, is the socialistic theocracy that makes me go wtf? If they stayed biblical, I think Israel would be a a real force to be reckoned with over there.

The communist Israel was the one that founded the country and fought all the wars through 73.

This is one thing many Americans have in common with the most extreme Islamic terrorist groups: you both share a deep, deep disdain for communism.  The Islamists consider communism to be a crime against God, even.

Micro, I salute you and your companions efforts to make Israel a free country. 

[MicroBalrog]

The fact is, they run their country how they want.  It's not some Jewish dictator who seized power and plunged the county into an unwanted theocracy.  Israel want to have Judaism as part of their country and government.  That's up to them.  Not you.

Eh, Taurus.

I am, for one, an Israeli citizen.

Besides, I for one believe people can decently comment on the affairs of other countries. It's called freedom of speech.

Just as there are non-American posters on this forum (Iain, me, the Norwegian fellow whose name I can't recollect) who give input on debates about Obama vs. McCain vs. Hillary, it's perfectly okay for other people to comment on Israeli politics.

It's not like SomeKid is invading Israel at the helm of an Army of Angry Online Posters, all the while while wearing Assault Wookie Suits [all Fumoffu-style]. He's expressing his legitimate opinion that socialist theocracy sucks.

Let us observe this statement, as separated in two:

Socialism sucks: Yes. This is generally borne out by history.

Theocracy sucks: Yes, very often.

Clearly a combination of the two is no recipe for success.

90% government owned land?

I was told this during a course by these guys. Haven't been able to verify it later. Could be off by a few percent.

No self defense even in the home?

I believe a bill has been passed recently introducing a form of limited castle doctrine, but 96% of the population can't have any guns to do it with, and no shotgun licenses or rifle licenses are issued, as I explained above, outside very rare exceptions.

No homeschooling?

There are 25 families who are allowed to homeschool.

Yes! 25 families! The government is kind, and wise, too!

[SomeKid]

If you are actually serious, it is sad to hear Israel is only marginally better than Nazi Germany.

I say marginally, in that its Muslim neighbors are just as bad, and therefore the only reason Israel deserves support at all.

[De Selby]

If you are actually serious, it is sad to hear Israel is only marginally better than Nazi Germany.

I say marginally, in that its Muslim neighbors are just as bad, and therefore the only reason Israel deserves support at all.

I'm going to say that there's no comparison to the state that should not be named.

If you ask me, Israel deserves support-but not the kind of "support" that it gets now, ie, gifts to a huge and corrupt military bureaucracy that does not seem terribly interested in either doing good things for its people or promoting an environment of freedom and equality.

I say support more people like MicroBalrog-help them in their movement to make Israel a free country, instead of giving handouts to the socialist military leadership.

[MicroBalrog]

What Shootinstudent said is perfectly right - though of course I personally am going to likely get out of here by fall 2009.

[De Selby]

What Shootinstudent said is perfectly right - though of course I personally am going to likely get out of here by fall 2009.

Israel's loss, from the looks of things.  Any particular destinations in mind?

[MicroBalrog]

What Shootinstudent said is perfectly right - though of course I personally am going to likely get out of here by fall 2009.

Israel's loss, from the looks of things.  Any particular destinations in mind?

The idea is to apply to several US colleges, and go to the one that takes me, and proceed to graduate studies in American History.

[SomeKid]

What Shootinstudent said is perfectly right - though of course I personally am going to likely get out of here by fall 2009.

Israel's loss, from the looks of things.  Any particular destinations in mind?

The idea is to apply to several US colleges, and go to the one that takes me, and proceed to graduate studies in American History.

Then pass the citizenship test easily, or what? Just keep in mind, most of our Universities are staffed by America hating traitors.

[MicroBalrog]

Then pass the citizenship test easily, or what? Just keep in mind, most of our Universities are staffed by America hating traitors.

Jesus, you don't understand how terrible professors down here are, do you?

[SomeKid]

Then pass the citizenship test easily, or what? Just keep in mind, most of our Universities are staffed by America hating traitors.

Jesus, you don't understand how terrible professors down here are, do you?

...don't see how they can be worse than the scum that are ours.

[MicroBalrog]

Jesus, you don't understand how terrible professors down here are, do you?

...don't see how they can be worse than the scum that are ours.
[/quote]

Well, there's a guy whose office is not ten yards from where I am typing this who is a card-carrying member of the Communist country, who claim this country is controled by a secret conspiracy of neo-liberals. There's a guy who claims the USSR's history was denoted by the Soviets becoming increasingly-more peaceloving. There's a guy who worships Mao and says the Zionists deceived his family in order to get them to leave Poland in the 1930's (POLAND!), and there's a guy who says WWII must be seen as "an environmental project to create habitat for the Germans and eliminate those who harm the environment." (I still tell myself he was trying to describe the Nazi perspective and not agree with it. I keep hoping). Oh and there's the guys who worship the "People's History of the United States."

[SomeKid]

Brief summary of "The People's History of the US" please.

[LadySmith]

America sucks, White people are evil and all wars were ultimately our fault.
Yes, I have a copy.

[SomeKid]

America sucks, White people are evil and all wars were ultimately our fault.
Yes, I have a copy.

Typical leftist dreck then.

Still waiting on something that is worse than American professors.