U.S. Transhumanist Party General Discussion Thread for May 2017
The purpose of this post is to facilitate member comments pertaining to transhumanism and the U.S. Transhumanist Party, which might not specifically fit the subjects of any other post or article on the U.S. Transhumanist Party website. This is the place for members to offer suggestions or converse about any areas of emerging technologies and their political, moral, societal, cultural, and esthetic implications.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party will endeavor to open one of these general comment threads per month. This comment thread pertains to the month of May 2017.
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9 thoughts on “U.S. Transhumanist Party General Discussion Thread for May 2017”
Should the Transhumanist Party take a stand whether anti-ageing cures will be subject to money and profit-making ?
This is an interesting question Istvan.
I think that for the time being profit is one of the drives for innovation, and as such it should be allowed.
Perhaps it will be more of a question whether profit will stand in the way of access and affordability for people.
I am transferring this comment by Martin van der Kroon from the April 2017 Discussion Thread, as I think it deserves some more member input. I may provide input of my own in the coming days.
Mr. van der Kroon wrote:
“On the U.S. Transhumanist Party Facebook Page someone asked how soon we would be able to be on the ballot of all 50 States, and if we could do it within 20 years like the Libertarian Party. In prior times this could have been a normal time frame, but I think now this would be way too long, given the increasing pace of change and innovation.
How can we increase awareness of our existence as a Party?
Is there a demographic that might be most interested like college students?
Are there prominent people such as; artists, musicians, politicians, or visionaries that would be willing to publicly support or endorse us? Of course this should come from their belief that we have good ideas and such.
Just as our ideas on policy look towards the future, so should we look towards the future on how to get the Party on every Ballot.
I’d love to hear ideas, comments, suggestions?”
I think that the following people might have an interest in what we do;
– Ray Kurzweil
– Steve Aoki
– Elon Musk
– Neil DeGrasse Tyson
– Bill Nye
– Stephen Hawking
– Larry Page/ Sergei Brin (Calico & Verily)
and perhaps the seemingly most odd in this, but I’ll explain my reasoning: Bernie Sanders
Although his ideas of how to get certain issues such as healthcare to more people, and make it affordable are different, we share that we do wish to improve these things. Furthermore, he, for what I know, has a strong sense of integrity, and consistency, and is, like us, very aware of many of the problems within Congress, such as Bills being passed to favor organizations, the bipartisanship over public interest, etc.
As he is an independent, he could show support to us if he thinks it is a just cause, and he has tremendous popularity, especially among the young adults which would help disseminate information about the U.S. Transhumanist Party and what it stands for and how we operate.
I’ve noticed an uptake on YouTube regarding the conversation on genetic modification, in particular CRISPR of course. Recently PBS Idea Channel made a video and Braincraft released a documentary about genetic modification. Vanessa from Braincraft also mentions that governments are caught by surprise and scrambling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrDM6Ic2xMM&t=25s
I think as a Party that recognizes the problem of reactive rather than proactive government functioning, we can meaningfully participate, and create awareness of our existence.
Personally, whenever I see an opportunity that fits the discussion or debate, I try take the chance to refer to the U.S. Transhumanist Party and its website.
Based on the premise that in the future most jobs will be automated, and perhaps most shopping will be done via the internet, which I think can be a wonderful development, I am wondering how this will affect people’s social lives.
A place of work is often also an equally important social environment. Likewise a shop, or supermarket often has a social component to it even if we don’t really consider it as such. On the other end of the spectrum, we may observe that people on welfare lack this social component more often.
I don’t think we, or a government should ‘create’ social environments, as that is doomed to fail. However, I believe it is important to think about these potential issues.
What are your thoughts?
Hello Reader,
Here are some proposals for Planks. Many are related to holding branches of government, including security agencies accountable, and limiting temptations of corruption.
While trying to find out how to become a donor, I found out there is no such thing as an international organ donor, which really surprised me.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to establish a cross-border, or international organ donation system so that organ donors who wish it is, may donate their organs in a foreign country. This could pertain to people working in foreign countries, or travellers, but also foreigners or travellers pass away within U.S. borders. This would be particularly useful to save lives with organs that have a very short preservation duration, and would take too long to be sent to the country of the donors nationality.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to increase the ability for public sousveillance on the functioning of government officials, in particular those who may propose laws, during negotiations, and deliberations on proposing Bills, national and international trade agreements, and laws. Furthermore, The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to make the current hosting of live-streams from U.S. Congress more user-friendly and accessible to the public, accompanied by links to proposed Bills where applicable.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to have a mandatory standard clause/affidavit affirming that the representative proposing a piece of legislation, a Bill for example, has no conflict of interest between serving public interest and other parties, such as special interest groups. The clause would have to be signed and dated by the representative before being allowed to be proposed.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports increasing broad accountability of government departments, agencies, and entities, especially those tasked with national security, and criminal investigations, to U.S. Congress. Currently some agencies may receive government funding without any accountability as to what the funding is used for, often based on the ‘classified’ or ‘may not reveal in the interest of national security’ arguments. This is irresponsible use of taxpayer money. The U.S. Transhumanist Party does acknowledge that such entities or agencies may have security concerns regarding the publication of details of their budget plans. As such, the U.S. Transhumanist Party supports setting up a special non-partisan security budget review committee where more details of budget plans would have to be provided before considering to provide funds to an agency or entity.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to consolidate reduce redundancies between agencies and entities tasked with national security, and law enforcement, as well as reduce the number of agencies and entities currently in operation.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to ensure that no U.S. representative may be obstructed in their ability to vote on any piece of legislature, be kept from the Senate or House of Representatives for intra- or extra curricular Party activities which interfere with their primary task as a representative of the people within government.
(To avoid representatives being forced by parties to do fundraising calls during a vote, for example)
Here are some more ideas for Planks, and I would very much appreciate feedback, and discussion. I understand that my view is limited just as that of any one other person.
My intention here was to further strive to restore faith in the public eye towards law enforcement, and Congress. I do understand that this might come across as an assault towards either of these. I’m quite sure most police officers labor hard, have an ethical mind set, and the best interest of the public at heart, and it is of course not directed towards them.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to restrict and limit civil asset forfeiture laws, and other laws that assist law enforcement agencies in circumventing the Fourth Amendment such as asset seizure, detainment or arrest longer than 72 hours (whatever the current limit is.. 24/48/72 ?).
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to investigate questionable, but currently legal actions by law enforcement agencies that have over time garnered critical attention by the public which could benefit from being revisited or revised to limit abuse, and close legal loopholes.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to prevent law enforcement agencies from internally investigating missteps within their own departments or precincts, and concluding their internal investigations. Instead investigations regarding police misconduct, criminal activity, felonies, and misdemeanors should be investigated by a different source. For example, a different police department, or a District Attorney for a different area assigned to lead the investigation. The intent is to limit the possibility of prejudice and bias towards a member of a law enforcement agency, and to restore faith in the public mind that an investigation into police misconduct is done as objective as possible
(this might need some rewording)
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to limit the possibility for police, district attorneys, and judges to favor one another. Perhaps more succinctly, to limit the possibilities or temptation to scratch each other’s backs.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to rid Congress from receiving special benefits, subsidies, and tax breaks that other citizens do not receive, and are not necessary to function as a member of Congress. This would pertain for example to health care subsidies.
Here are two more, these are related to human and child rights. Yes, the U.S. is one of only 3 countries in the world that have not ratified the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party supports efforts to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to uphold the Rights of the Child as prescribed. This would include abolishing the death penalty for minors federally.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party opposes those specific cultural, religious, and social practices that violate U.S. law, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Examples such as forced marriage including child marriage, male and female genital mutilation, and honor killings.