U.S. Transhumanist Party General Discussion Thread for 2021
The purpose of this post is to facilitate member comments pertaining to transhumanism and the U.S. Transhumanist Party (USTP), which might not specifically fit the subjects of any other post or article on the USTP 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 general discussion thread is also an ideal location to suggest or propose platform planks that may be considered for future platform voting, and/or bring our attention to emerging legislative and societal developments that may affect the course and impact of emerging technologies.
The USTP will endeavor to open one of these general comment threads per year. This comment thread pertains to the year of 2021.
Type in your comments below. Please note that, to protect against spambots, the first comment by any individual will be moderated. After passing moderation, a civil commenter should be able to post comments without future moderation – although we cannot guarantee that the technical aspect of this functionality will work as intended 100% of the time.
3 thoughts on “U.S. Transhumanist Party General Discussion Thread for 2021”
For the coming years I’d really like to see the USTP move from having ideas to lobbying for them. We have created a deep policy platform with many great ways to help Americans and humanity as a whole. Now I think we should start proactively working to enact those policies in local, state, and federal governments. This not only helps us advance our party’s agenda, but introduces our party and our goals to the broader political world more effectively than we have in the past. In doing so we can likely create a new stream of members and also help future candidates we seek to endorse get traction with voters and public policy makers. Action speaks louder than words, and Americans definitely want to see more than just good ideas.
To start with, I think the USTP should focus on our socioeconomic and government reform policies. Topics that impact the average American and speak to the concerns of a post COVID and post Trump world.
To accomplish this we likely need to create some new positions that would fall under our legislative director. I know there was an effort to find volunteers to help with legislative tracking, but I’m not sure how successful that’s been. But as tracking is more reactive, lobbying can be more proactive. A legislative action group might need to be a different sub branch under the legislative director. At least one lawyer may need to be included. I also remember back in 2017 we had joined with an associated PAC that seems to have become inactive. Perhaps it’s time to revitalize that in some form.
I think a our goal for this to be up and running should be the end of 2022. Perhaps using the mid term elections for a proof of concept experiment.
I also propose we modify our existing fiscal policy to address the widening wealth disparity in this country. The COVID pandemic has put into sharp relief the damage and exploitative nature of America’s capitalist system has had on the American work force. We must take all available steps, including new taxes and the denial of tax rebates or credits, to limit the obscene accumulation of wealth by the very few on the backs of an exploited work force.
I propose a direct modification of section XXXVI to limit our current policy to individuals and small business only, as it is already largely intended to be. This section also needs to define what the nationwide revenue threshold is set for VAT sales tax collection.
I also propose a new section be written for organizations and businesses making above a certain nation wide revenue threshold, proposing $100 million annually. This section should lay out expectations and responsibilities of ultra wealthy businesses and organizations to the public. This should include penalties for underpaying employees based on current cost of living and quality of life standards. It should also include penalties for other forms of financial abuse or neglect of its employees, customers, members, or the general public such as extortion, intentionally misleading or false promises, active or passive attempts to prevent unionization, market manipulation, etc.
R. Nicholas Starr, You are awesome! Sorry if this sounds a little weird since we haven’t met, ( i’m kinda surprised we haven’t yet actually lol ) but i love your line of thinking and ideas for the legislative director position. Your articulate vision for the position is a lot of the reason i wanted to do what i can to make it a reality. Another reason is because i think in the future there will be ways to use a simpler version of AGI Laboratory’s mediated A.I. to automate a lot of it and analyze the legislation better than just humans could. I would love it if you would consider advising me in an official capacity. I’m guessing you’re probably very busy like most of us, so i’m really only hoping we could connect on whatever social media you prefer and maybe just chat about it once in a while. If you wanted to take more of an active role in it though that would be awesome. I sent ya a friend request on Facebook, but i’m on most of the other platforms too so any of them is fine with me. I’m fully confident we can execute your vision and more. Hope to hear from you. Jason Geringer