15-Day Exposure Period for Platform Vote #9
Gennady Stolyarov II
The U.S. Transhumanist Party (USTP)Ā hereby opens a 15-day public exposure period on various Platform proposals intended to catch up on various developments that have occurred in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The USTPās most recent Platform vote occurred during March 25-28, 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, after which an ongoing cascade of the pandemicās consequences ā including secondary, tertiary, and long-term consequences which continue to manifest pervasively in American and global contexts ā prevented the organization of another Platform vote until the present time. However, during that time, various external developments, as well as the continuing course of the pandemic, have necessitated certain updates. The USTP is aware that a variety of other proposals have been submitted in the intervening 3.5 years as well, and it is intended that future Platform votes will be organized to address those proposals. The present Platform vote is structured so as to balance the need to make certain updates to keep provisions of the Platform current and relevant with the need to be reasonably concise in order to encourage widespread participation among the USTP Membership.
A vote will be scheduled on some or all of the items below once they have been exposed for at least 15 days. For each item, a 7-day voting period is expected to be opened at the earliest on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
During the exposure period, please post your comments on this thread. If you post comments intended to be considered in voting and/or amending any of these planks in any other electronic medium, please note that you thereby give your consent to have your comments reproduced with attribution or linked within this discussion thread, in order to direct membersā attention and consideration to them.
After the exposure period, a 7-day electronic voting period will occur. Instructions for electronic voting will be sent to members of the U.S. Transhumanist Party via e-mail at that time. All individuals who are members of the U.S. Transhumanist PartyĀ as of the end of the exposure periodĀ and who have expressed agreement with its threeĀ Core IdealsĀ will be eligible to vote thereafter. You can still vote if you become a member during the exposure period, so pleaseĀ apply hereĀ if you are interested. During the 7-day electronic voting period, you will still be able to become a member ā but you will only be able to vote in subsequent elections, since we seek for voting on any given issue to be done by those members who have had an opportunity to thoroughly consider that issue and be involved in deliberations regarding it.
Electronic voting will be conducted by a ranked-preference method if more than a single option is presented for the wording of a particular plank or segment of a plank. Members will be able to rank-order their preferred selectionsĀ on each individual Section. The originally proposed text of each Section will be available for selection, as well as any reasonable amendments proposed by any member. Leadership of the U.S. Transhumanist Party reserves the right to edit any proposed amendment for correctness of spelling and grammar. The status-quo option ā either āNo Section of this sortā or the previous Section wording will also be a choice, depending on whether the Section in question is new or proposed to be revised. Any Section where a majority of votes favors the status-quo option will be not be adopted. Members will also be able to abstain from voting on any given Section.
The ranked-preference method has the advantage of eliminating a āwinner-take-allā or āfirst-past-the-postā mentality and preventing people from being channeled into voting for sub-optimal choices (in their view) just because they fear an even less palatable alternative prevailing. Within the ranked-preference methodology, if no option obtains a clear majority as votersāĀ firstĀ choice, the option having theĀ fewestĀ first-choice votes is eliminated from consideration, and all those who voted for that option will have their votes assigned to theirĀ second-choiceĀ options. This process of elimination continues until one particular option has a clear majority of votes.
The U.S. Transhumanist Party encourages all members to participate in this process and for other transhumanists toĀ sign upĀ for membership during the exposure period.Ā
Section E9-A. Defeat of COVID as a Priority
Option E9-A-1. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world and will not end as long as immunity from vaccination or prior infection can be bypassed by subsequent mutated escape variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the United States Transhumanist Party supports concerted scientific and technological efforts to eliminate COVID-19 as a threat to public health. These efforts may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
Ancillary Provision E9-A-i.Ā Development of a universal vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that would work against all possible variants of the virus and would confer lasting immunity.
Ancillary Provision E9-A-ii. Development of harmless variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that would outcompete the existing variants without damaging any human or other animal host.
Ancillary Provision E9-A-iii. Development of antibodies that are capable of neutralizing any variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Ancillary Provision E9-A-iv. Development of reliable cures for all varieties of Long COVID or Post-COVID Syndrome.
The United States Transhumanist Party considers only scientific and technological solutions to be capable of eliminating COVID-19 as a threat to public health and does not support lockdowns, restrictions on individual liberty or medical choice, or demonization of individuals who make any personal health choices regarding their approach to COVID-19 precautions ā including individuals who take extensive, moderate, mild, or no precautions. The United States Transhumanist Party also holds that no individual should be compelled to undertake any behaviors that may expose that individual to greater risk of contracting COVID-19.
Section E9-B. Perception of Artificial Intelligence as an Opportunity
Option E9-B-1. The United States Transhumanist Party supports approaching technologies of artificial intelligence primarily as opportunities rather than as threats. The potential of artificial intelligence, including generative AI, to foster creativity, solve problems, cure diseases, create new opportunities, and facilitate radical abundance far outweighs the risks and dangers of AI. The United States Transhumanist Party recognizes that AI safety and AI alignment are important pursuits to maximize the probability of predominantly beneficial consequences from future AI systems. Furthermore, the United States Transhumanist Party supports restrictions on the ability to use AI systems for intentionally destructive purposes; such restrictions would include a ban on autonomous weapons. However, these efforts should be undertaken in a rational, proportionate, evidence-based manner, avoiding unsubstantiated speculation, alarmist hype, and doomsday pronouncements. Furthermore, the United States Transhumanist Party opposes any efforts to restrict individual liberty or initiate physically aggressive action against other individuals or countries in the name of stopping allegedly dangerous AI development.
Section E9-C. Reversible Cryopreservation Techniques
Option E9-C-1. [Based on Proposal by Vladimir Shakirov] Recognizing that the achievement of reversible cryopreservation techniques could enable the realization of individualsā right to life (brutally violated by so-called ānaturalā death) by waiting until future technologies could bring a cryopreserved patient out of the cryopreserved state and achieve cures for diseases and aging, the United States Transhumanist Party emphasizes the urgency of advancing reversible cryopreservation research. Therefore, the United States Transhumanist Party supports the allocation of an annual funding package of $10 billion for reversible cryopreservation research. This funding shall be expeditiously directed to esteemed research institutions with a proven track record of focusing on the development and implementation of reversible cryopreservation techniques.
Section E9-D. Public Money for Public Code
Option E9-D-1. [Based on Proposal by Martin van der Kroon] The United States Transhumanist Party supports the implementation of the āPublic Money for Public Codeā concept, which holds that public money should, where reasonably possible, come to benefit the public first and foremost, and secondarily might also benefit other parties as well.
Public code is understood as code that is publicly available and more commonly referred to as Open Source, for example code released under the GPLv3 (General Public License version 3). The reasoning of āPublic Money for Public Codeā is that public money should not be spent on proprietary software that benefits a select group of companies, but rather used to support Open-Source projects that are alternatives to proprietary software. As Open-Source software is available for free to the public, said stimulus of Open-Source software could benefit both the public as well as public institutions. An example here could be an alternative to Microsoft Office, such as LibreOffice.
Many Open-Source projects operate via volunteers contributing to the projectās efforts. Opening up the possibility to receive funding for a project could incentivize more people to contribute to a project, and perhaps even use contribution to Open-Source projects as a means of stable income. This incentivizes citizens to participate, as besides the admirable goal of doing good for the public, it also contributes to the participantsā livelihood, or helps them decide to split their worktime between the roles of an employee and a self-employed contributor.
Likewise, this might incentivize software companies to participate as well, as it can earn them revenue. It would, however, be important to observe that companies do not drown out individual contributors, as this could have a detrimental effect on incentivizing public participation.
The public participation would be an important element of the āPublic Money for Public Codeā implementation, as it would also be a public showcase to stimulate interest in programming in education and beyond.
Section E9-E. Privacy on Social Media
Option E9-E-1. [Based on Proposal by Martin van der Kroon] The United States Transhumanist Party supports efforts for social media to improve privacy settings, in granularity, usability, as well as awareness of such privacy features, for users. Better control of privacy can minimize the scraping of information, including information that can be used for identifying targets by malicious actors, from websites.
Section E9-F. Restraint of Government Agenciesā Efforts to Undermine Private Businessesā Security Measures
Option E9-F-1. [Based on Proposal by Martin van der Kroon] The United States Transhumanist Party supports efforts to restrain government agencies from efforts to limit, oppose, or undermine security initiatives by companies and businesses. Although their motives might be pure, to uncover criminal activity for example, such efforts can in the process undermine security on a much larger scale. If government agencies can have access, so can malicious actors.
Section E9-G. Security Whistleblower Program
Option E9-G-1. [Based on Proposal by Martin van der Kroon] The US Transhumanist Party supports efforts to create a security whistleblower initiative where a whistleblower can report known security issues that are not being addressed by a company or government institution. This could also aid the whistleblower in the event that they would suffer negative consequences by their employer for addressing security issues.
Proposed Amendments to Existing Sections
Members will be given the option to either retain existing language of a plank or to adopt any of the listed proposed amendments. Ranked-preference voting will be conducted for any Section for which more than one amendment has been proposed. Members will also be able to abstain from each vote.
New language in each amendment is stated in bold, italic blue text. Language proposed to be deleted is stated in red strikethrough text.
1. Amendment to Section XXVII to Align with U.S. Transhumanist Party Support for Ranked-Preference Voting
Current Version of Section XXVII. The United States Transhumanist Party advocates Constitutional reform to abolish the Electoral College in the United States Presidential elections and render the plurality of the popular vote the sole criterion for the election of President.
Amendment XXVII-1.Ā Ā The United States Transhumanist Party advocates Constitutional reform to abolish the Electoral College in the United States Presidential elections and render the plurality of the popular vote the sole criterion for the election of President the criterion for the election of President to be an outcome of the popular vote decided by ranked-preference voting or a similar mechanism that allows voters to select multiple options in a manner that more completely expresses their views.
2. Amendment to Section XXXVI to Provide Exceptions to Taxation for Basic Necessities
Current Version of Section XXXVI. The United States Transhumanist Party supports the elimination of graduated taxation and income taxation more generally. Instead, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates a flat percentage-of-sales tax applicable only to purchases from businesses whose combined nationwide revenues from all affiliates exceed a specified threshold. This tax should be built into the price of goods from such large businesses and should not impede transaction efficiency in any manner. Transactions pertaining to wages, salaries, gifts, donations, barter, employee benefits, and inheritances should remain completely untaxed, as should transactions involving solely individuals and/or small businesses, for whom the establishment of a tax-reporting infrastructure would be onerous. Furthermore, all taxes on land and property should be abolished.
Amendment XXXVI-1. The United States Transhumanist Party supports the elimination of graduated taxation and income taxation more generally. Instead, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates a flat percentage-of-sales tax applicable only to purchases from businesses whose combined nationwide revenues from all affiliates exceed a specified threshold. This tax should be built into the price of goods from such large businesses and should not impede transaction efficiency in any manner. This tax would not be imposed on life necessities, defined as goods that are consumable in the near term and whose primary purpose is to facilitate human survival. Transactions pertaining to wages, salaries, gifts, donations, barter, employee benefits, and inheritances should remain completely untaxed, as should transactions involving solely individuals and/or small businesses, for whom the establishment of a tax-reporting infrastructure would be onerous. Furthermore, all taxes on land and property should be abolished.
3. Amendment to Section LXXIX to Update the Discussion of the Status of Right-to-Try Legislation
Current Version of Section LXXIX: The United States Transhumanist Party supports repealing the current requirement in the United States that drugs or treatments may not be used, even on willing patients, unless approval for such drugs or treatments is received from the Food and Drug Administration. Such requirements are a profound violation of patient sovereignty; a person who is terminally ill is unable to choose to take a risk on an unapproved drug or treatment unless this person is fortunate enough to participate in a clinical trial. Even then, once the clinical trial ends, the treatment must be discontinued, even if it was actually successful at prolonging the personās life. This is not only profoundly tragic, but morally unconscionable as well. The most critical reform needed is to allow unapproved drugs and treatments to be marketed and consumed. If the FDA wishes to strongly differentiate between approved and unapproved treatments, then a strongly worded warning label could be required for unapproved treatments, and patients could even be required to sign a consent form stating that they have been informed of the risks of an unapproved treatment. This reform to directly extend many lives and to redress a moral travesty should be the top political priority of advocates of indefinite life extension. Over the coming decades, its effect will be to allow cutting-edge treatments to reach a market sooner and thus to enable data about those treatmentsā effects to be gathered more quickly and reliably. Because many treatments take 10-15 years to receive FDA approval, this reform could by itself speed up the real-world advent of indefinite life extension by over a decade.
Amendment LXXIX-1. The United States Transhumanist Party supports repealing the current requirement in the United States that, in most cases, drugs or treatments may not be used, even on willing patients, unless approval for such drugs or treatments is received from the Food and Drug Administration. Such requirements are a profound violation of patient sovereignty; a person who is terminally ill is often unable to choose to take a risk on an unapproved drug or treatment unless this person is fortunate enough to participate in a clinical trial. Even then, once the clinical trial ends, the treatment must be is often discontinued, even if it was actually successful at prolonging the personās life. Ā While the Federal Right-to-Try Act of 2017 and various State-level Right-to-Try Acts have been steps in the right direction, they have seldom been utilized, because of various other regulatory barriers, as well as drug manufacturersā reluctance to expose themselves to liability and regulatory risk. This is not only profoundly tragic, but morally unconscionable as well. The most critical reform needed is to allow unapproved drugs and treatments to be marketed and consumed. Every effort should be made to allow and encourage the manufacturers and providers of experimental medicines and medical treatments to make them available to willing patients with proper disclosure and informed consent, accompanied by protections against liability and adverse regulatory actions. Currently, most Right-to-Try Acts are limited to terminally ill patients, and should be expanded to model Montanaās Right-to-Try Act and the Best Choice Medicine concept to make the choice to pursue experimental drugs and treatments, including gene therapies, available to all patients. If the FDA wishes to strongly differentiate between approved and unapproved treatments, then a strongly worded warning label could be required for unapproved treatments, and patients could even be required to sign a consent form stating that they have been informed of the risks of an unapproved treatment. This reform to directly extend many lives and to redress a moral travesty should be the top political priority of advocates of indefinite life extension. Over the coming decades, its effect will be to allow cutting-edge treatments to reach a market sooner and thus to enable data about those treatmentsā effects to be gathered more quickly and reliably. Because many treatments take 10-15 years to receive FDA approval, this reform could by itself speed up the real-world advent of indefinite life extension by over a decade.
4. Amendment to Section XCIX to Revise Proposal for COVID Universal Basic Income to a Proposal to Indefinitely Cover all Costs of COVID Treatments and Vaccinations
Current Version of Section XCIX: The United States Transhumanist Party supports for an immediate, universal, unconditional basic income of at least $1000 per month to be provided to every United States citizen for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its immediate aftermath, without regard for individualsā means or other sources of income. The priority for this program should be to prevent massive and irreparable economic disruptions to the lives of Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Amendment XCIX-1: The United States Transhumanist Party supports for n immediate, universal, unconditional basic income of at least $1000 per month to be provided to every United States citizen for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its immediate aftermath, without regard for individualsā means or other sources of income. advocates for all American residents to continue to receive free health care for the disease of COVID-19, including free testing, vaccination, antiviral medications, and any other services involved in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. The priority for this program should be to prevent massive and irreparable economic and health disruptions to the lives of Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic. Requiring consumers and patients to pay for COVID-related care would increase the number of people who refuse to obtain vaccination or treatment for purely financial reasons, thus amplifying the difficulty of ever defeating COVID-19 ā an endeavor that is aided by maximizing the amount of immunity and available health care for the population.
5. Amendment to Section CI to Update the Discussion of Pandemic-Related Travel Delays
Current Version of Section CI:Ā In recognition that the recent screening bottlenecks at United States airports create situations of unacceptable crowding which further contribute to the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates for immediate admittance through security checkpoints of the vast majority of travelers currently waiting at airports in the United States. Such travelers may be required to subsequently undergo health screenings at other facilities within the United States within a certain period of time, as long as such screenings do not involuntarily place the individuals being screened in close physical proximity to one another.
Amendment CI-1: In recognition that the recent screening bottlenecks unprecedented and prolonged patterns of flight delays and cancellations at United States airports create situations of unacceptable crowding which further contribute to the spread of Ā detriments to quality of life and mobility to American passengers and were due directly to the supply-chain disruptions, aircraft shortages, labor shortages, and poor decisions by major airlines to cut staff in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates for immediate admittance through security checkpoints of the vast majority of travelers currently waiting at airports in the United States. Such travelers may be required to subsequently undergo health screenings at other facilities within the United States within a certain period of time, as long as such screenings do not involuntarily place the individuals being screened in close physical proximity to one another. measures to enable airlines which reduced aircraft counts and dismissed staff during the COVID-19 epidemic to purchase or construct sufficient aircraft to replace the reduced capacity, to actively utilize such aircraft and restore prior routes, and to offer to re-hire all staff members who were dismissed as a result of prior responses to the epidemic. In the event that specific individual former staff members do not wish to return to their previous positions, they should be replaced with others who are willing to take on those roles for appropriate compensation and benefits. Sufficient incentives should be offered to airlines to allow pre-COVID flight, maintenance, and staffing levels to continue indefinitely.
6. Amendment to Section CII to Update the Discussion of Recalling United States Overseas Military Personnel
Current Version of Section CII: The United States Transhumanist Party supports the recall of all United States military personnel from overseas stations as soon as possible and their deployment for the purpose of rapid hospital construction in the United States, as well as for providing rapid emergency aid and essential infrastructure improvements. Continued military presence abroad only unnecessarily exposes American troops to the risk of infection, while the expertise of American military personnel in crisis response is urgently needed within American borders.
Amendment CII-1: The United States Transhumanist Party supports the recall of all as many United States military personnel from overseas stations as soon as reasonably possible, with the exception of those specifically needed to defend American assets and American citizens and to carry out specific and limited previously agreed-upon treaty obligations, and their deployment for the purpose of rapid hospital construction in the United States, as well as for providing rapid emergency aid and essential infrastructure improvements. Continued military presence abroad only unnecessarily exposes American troops to the risk of infection, while the expertise of American military personnel in crisis response is urgently needed within American borders. improving domestic defense, infrastructure, and crisis response in providing peaceful assistance to the civilian population in times of major disruptions to everyday life.
7. Amendment to Section CIII to Emphasize the Need to Support Lasting Cures and Vaccines for COVID-19
Current Version of Section CIII: The United States Transhumanist Party supports the rapid research into effective cures and vaccines for COVID-19 and the harnessing of synergies from this research to also develop a cure for the common cold and more effective vaccination against influenza. Such research should proceed with no barriers, subject to the researchersā expression of ethical intentions, and any regulations or processes that would delay the progress of such research should be immediately waived or repealed. In the effort to accelerate progress in this field, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates for an immediate $100 billion funding package for the rapid development of a COVID-19 vaccine, with all volunteers being accepted into human trials as soon as practicable. The United States Transhumanist Party advocates for government funding and ownership of any cure for COVID-19, to be distributed free of charge to those infected with the virus.
Amendment CIII-1: The United States Transhumanist Party supports the rapid research into effective lasting cures and vaccines for COVID-19, such as antibodies that respond to all variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and vaccines that permanently protect against all such variants, and the harnessing of synergies from this research to also develop a cure for the common cold and more effective vaccination against influenza. Such research should proceed with no barriers, subject to the researchersā expression of ethical intentions, and any regulations or processes that would delay the progress of such research should be immediately waived or repealed. In the effort to accelerate progress in this field, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates for an immediate $100 billion funding package for the rapid development of a universal COVID-19 vaccine that would be permanently effective against all variants, with all volunteers being accepted into human trials as soon as practicable. The United States Transhumanist Party advocates for government funding and ownership release into the public domain of any cure or future vaccine for COVID-19, to be distributed free of charge to those infected with the virus and to all who wish to prevent such infection.
8. Amendment to Section CIV to Generalize the USTPās Support for an Annual $100 Billion Funding Package for Anti-Aging Research
Current Version of Section CIV: Because biological aging is the number-one risk factor for mortality and severe complications from COVID-19 infections, as well as infections of virtually every sort, the United States Transhumanist Party emphasizes the importance of reversing biological aging as rapidly as possible and thereby protecting more lives from future pandemics. Accordingly, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates for a permanent, annual $100 billion funding package for anti-aging research, to be immediately distributed to leading research organizations in the field which have in the past specifically identified the defeat and reversal of biological aging as their goals.
Amendment CIV-1 [Proposal by Vladimir Shakirov]: Because biological aging is the number-one risk factor for mortality and disabilities in elderly people, and for severe complications from COVID-19 infections, as well as infections of virtually every sort, and thus brutally violates the fundamental rights of people to life and health, the United States Transhumanist Party emphasizes the importance of reversing biological aging as rapidly as possible and thereby protecting more lives, including from future pandemics. Accordingly, the United States Transhumanist Party advocates for a permanent, annual $100 billion funding package for anti-aging research, to be immediately distributed to leading research organizations in the field which have in the past specifically identified the defeat and reversal of biological aging as their goals.
9. Amendment to Section CX to Reflect Success of USTPās Recommendation for the Distribution of Diagnostic Test Kits and the Need to Maintain Robust Data on the COVID Pandemic
Current Version of Section CX: The United States Transhumanist Party supports the immediate deployment of as many COVID-19 diagnostic tests as possible to the general population, with the aim of achieving universal testing of every American, even those without symptoms, free of charge. Universal testing is necessary to understand the true prevalence of COVID-19 infections and the proportion of serious cases and fatalities relative to actual total cases, not merely reported cases. This would enable a true understanding of the extent of the epidemicās spread as well as how the rates of serious complications and death compare to the common cold and influenza. The United States Transhumanist Party supports generous aid to both private and governmental research teams working in parallel on developing effective testing kits and approaches, particularly those which do not require large numbers of people to congregate.
The United States Transhumanist Party also advocates for COVID-19 testing kits to be developed that could result in tests being self-administered by individuals in their own homes and then mailed to laboratories for evaluation. This would minimize the physical contact of individuals being tested with medical practitioners and other patients.
Amendment CX-1: The United States Transhumanist Party supports the immediate ongoing, continuous, and indefinite deployment of as many COVID-19 diagnostic tests as possible to the general population, with the aim of achieving universal testing of every American, even those without symptoms, free of charge. Universal testing is necessary to understand the true prevalence of COVID-19 infections and the proportion of serious cases and fatalities relative to actual total cases, not merely reported cases. This would enable a true understanding of the extent of the epidemicās spread as well as how the rates of serious complications and death compare to the common cold and influenza. The United States Transhumanist Party supports generous aid to both private and governmental research teams working in parallel on developing effective testing kits and approaches, particularly those which do not require large numbers of people to congregate manufacturers of effective diagnostic tests for COVID-19 that can recognize emerging variants, such that those tests could be manufactured in sufficient quantity to provide a test to every American who wants one.
The United States Transhumanist Party also advocates achieved success in advocating for COVID-19 testing kits to be developed that could result in tests being self-administered by individuals in their own homes and then mailed to laboratories for evaluation. This would minimize has reduced the physical contact of individuals being tested with medical practitioners and other patients. However, the United States Transhumanist Party expresses concern regarding significant lack of data about the ongoing prevalence of COVID-19 within communities in the United States. Such data, which used to be tracked rigorously and published regularly, have now become sparse and have failed to capture all sources of COVID-19 infection. In order to be able to track the spread of new variants of the virus, authorities need to return to the level of data collection and publication that existed during the early pandemic in 2020.