gdp's Comments

Change.gov : Inside the Transition: Technology, Innovation and Government Reform | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Tr

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:40:11 +0000

I like the idea of people using robots to do jobs that are either dangerous or far away. The robots respond to some stimuli on their own but require a human to make decisions. They used a robot like this on mars. If it were to come to a big hole it would stop on its own rather than crash. Then it would wait for the operator to tell it what to do next. In a radioactive area or when disarming military hardware such devices are also used. Now there seems to be some being designed to control a freight train, freight air craft, even a remote coffee shop. Rather than drive 20 miles out in the desert a coffee shop/gas station would have a remote operator who would work via a terminal and the internet. Most operations in the place would work by themselves but when something stopped working properly it could be rebooted remotely. and you wouldn't have that 40 mile commute each day either. I think a lot of jobs are going to have remote applications similar to this.

Change.gov : IJIS | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:09:12 +0000

All they are asking for is file sharing between agencies such as FBI, CIA, STATE POLICE and HOMELAND SECURITY. To prevent terrorism; public safety, justice and homeland security agencies at all levels of government are hampered today by lack of access to the information they need. The biggest problem with this document is the title giving the wrong impression and the writing of the document making what they are asking for obscure.

Change.gov : Domestic Violence Resource Network | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:32:14 +0000

This is a memorandum from The Domestic Violence Recourse Network asking Obama to study and assess the impact that the current economic crisis has had on; domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. Though it mentions violence against children and violence against women it doesn't mention violence against men by other family members. They also ask that he address the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on the above.

Change.gov : TNC Memo | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:39:05 +0000

I'm 57 and I still remember what it felt like to be 18. Not that
different except there aren't as many girls now. But my point was
that if you continue with your education you wouldn't go into the
service while many others have a PHD by 24 or so (my father had his
at 21). My father was drafted at the beginning of WWII when he was
32. He had turned down a commission because he didn't want to enlist
for 6 years. Ended up a staff sergeant in the European theater and
because he spoke Italian, French, German, Greek and a little russian
we imagine he was used to interrogate and translate (also a degree in
law). Being drafted after 30 is a bit unusual though I think.

Change.gov : TNC Memo | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:11:17 +0000

While you are in service your student loans will be paid for by the government. We need some way get people to continue to opt for advanced job training or education. By instituting a draft, while providing the choice as to service but an alternative is that if your in school you wont be drafted until your finished. Then at a certain age you no longer have to be drafted (maybe 24). If you want to provide the choice not to serve you should still use the motivation of the draft for more education. Got any ideas on this?

Change.gov : Inside the Transition: Technology, Innovation and Government Reform | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Tr

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:52:04 +0000

The word marriage actually predates most of the religions existing today and seems to refer more to some economic reality where one promises to provide for the other and the other promises to work for the one. Marriage was more prevalent in cold climates where game wasn't easily available. In warmer climates polygamy was much more common where a single hunter could provide for a larger family. The modern religions adopted marriage as their own and are continuing to try to refine it's meaning.

Change.gov : Inside the Transition: Technology, Innovation and Government Reform | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Tr

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 03:00:41 +0000

Show me a hundred people and I'll show you a hundred different moral philosophies. Every person in this country has a right to their own personal convictions and it isn't up to government to enforce one set of convictions over another. It is up to government to give us a framework of laws based on modern scientific knowledge, where we can live and work together while stomping on as few of those convictions as possible.

Change.gov : Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:01:10 +0000

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities are asking for an increase in the medicaid federal medical assistance percentage as part of the economic recovery plan to 40 billion dollars over two years. Medicaid is the largest funder of people with disabilities. 40 states are decreasing the funding of programs to the most vulnerable people due to the economic downturn.

Change.gov : TNC Memo | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:54:32 +0000

I think the gas tax should be used for subsidizing mass transit. Ethanol should only be supported from cellulotic sources (although I'm flexible on this). We should be subsidizing food production as well. There are two conflicting desires getting in the way of a profitable farming industry in this country. The need for inexpensive food vs the need for farmers to make a profit large enough to deal with the years you lose money from drought, market fluctuations, etc.

Change.gov : TNC Memo | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:49:13 +0000

I would like to implement a draft. Each drafted person gets a choice of services between Army, Navy, Air force, Coast Guard, Peace Corps, Medical Corps, Energy Corps, etc. The only way out is if your still in school but you have to make the choice again after graduation (potentially you could go on and get a PHD then make the choice.

Change.gov : TNC Memo | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:40:58 +0000

Why reduce their benefits to match ours? Shouldn't we be increasing our benefits to match theirs? My experience with pay raises is that if they give up their ability to give themselves a raise no one else will either. The best way is for the President to veto any pay raise until they deserve one. And I also don't believe in term limits for congress. You should always vote for the best person for the job. If you decide to vote for the incumbent there shouldn't be a law saying you can't.

Change.gov : Population Action International | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:20:07 +0000

200 million women in the poorest parts of the world want to delay childbearing but do not have access to modern contraceptives.

Change.gov : Coalition For A Prosperous America | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:41:09 +0000

I've deleted comments I made in response to TogetherinParis that I believe may have been off topic.

Change.gov : Coalition to Preseve Religious Freedom | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:09:24 +0000

This document cant be copied and pasted from. That makes it difficult to read. If I'd had the ability I could have copied and pasted it to a word document so that I could clear it up and enlarge the print making it easier to understand. In recent years we have been deluged by religion being allowed to involve itself in our government to the point where we respond unfavorably to any document such as this from the "Coalition to Preserve Religious Freedom" because they represent not so much protection of the freedom but the freedom for religion to be involved in government. They don't seem to be asking anything unreasonable as they themselves don't seem to represent any individual religion. But I'm distrustful of any such organization and wonder if they are being honest.

Change.gov : Coalition For A Prosperous America | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:40:04 +0000

No country should subsidize its farming and then export that subsidized food to other countries except to give to starving people (the idea is that responsible countries shouldn't try to damage each other).

Change.gov : Inside the Transition: Technology, Innovation and Government Reform | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Tr

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:53:27 +0000

If you can complain on a site like this it can help reduce the anxiety you feel when you aren't heard.

Change.gov : Inside the Transition: Technology, Innovation and Government Reform | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Tr

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:48:05 +0000

Its also important to remember that a number of individuals have admitted freely to using marijuana without worrying about prosecution. President Clinton of course among them.

Change.gov : Coalition For A Prosperous America | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:48:18 +0000

It all depends on who paid for the news. I bet you didn't see a news story like that on the Lehrer news hour, the BBC or 60 minutes. It's unfortunate but big business has bought up a huge amount of the news business in this country. It's one of the weaknesses of a capitalist society. So much is for sale. If every stimulus the American government creates also produces a reduction in prices caused by increased supply or reduced demand, increased revenue to the government through taxes, increased employment (meaning fewer people on unemployment) and increased money in peoples pockets (caused by savings) It will result in increased liquidity without incurring debt.

Change.gov : Coalition For A Prosperous America | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:40:22 +0000

Actually, short term loans to business have freed up quite a bit meaning its a success because that was the intent of Treasury. Not something the average taxpayer would benefit from immediately but it should mean that businesses that think they'll have sales can purchase inventory using short term loans. That way when you go to the store if you have any money to buy stuff at least the products will be on the shelves.

Change.gov : Coalition For A Prosperous America | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:35:38 +0000

Actually it should be set to the poverty line which is I believe an amount where 40% pays for food (so figure it out in your area using a 2,000 calorie diet. Probably somewhere around $20,000.