IF I RULED THE WORLD (And Possessed the Requisite Superpowers)

           The standard workweek would be four, seven-hour days.  There would be as many 12-step groups for workaholism as there are for alcoholism.  

           In the pacific-northwest, sunny days in January and February would be holidays for non-emergency workers. 

        

           Better yet, there would be no rainy days in January and February.  (Super powers, remember.)  

           Rain would fall overnight, every other night in the summer, but never during the day.  Watering would be a thing of the past.

           The contributions of writers and other artists to society would be celebrated and financially supported by grateful and proud fellow citizens.  

            No child would ever be encouraged to choose a vocation that is “practical” over the one that captures their heart.    

            Corporate executives and others who earn sums in a week or month that ordinary mortals would not dream of earning in a lifetime would suffer intolerable shame, and feel compelled to prove their worth as human beings by devoting 90 percent of their income to good works.  This would still leave them with more income than 99 percent of the residents of planet earth.  (Note to conservatives – this is not socialism; it is self-correction.)

            There would be no organized sports for kids under the age of 10.  Informal games, such as stickball, would be encouraged.  Parents who behave badly at their children’s sporting events would be assigned to a program to help them develop their own interests. 

            The basic food, housing, education, and healthcare needs of all world citizens would be met before a penny was spent by any nation on its military.  (Meeting said needs would undoubtedly reduce the need for military spending.)  World leaders would be trained to "use their words" instead of their weapons.

            There would be no "bad schools." Tax revenues would be pooled to provide equal funding across school districts.  

            Advertising in schools would be illegal.        

            Junk food in school cafeterias would be illegal.  Knowledgeable un- and underemployed cooks and chefs would be paid a living wage to create enticing and nutritious meals for kids.

            Children would not be allowed to carry more than ten percent of their body weight in their backpacks.

            All automobiles would have to get at least 60 mpg. 

            There would be a stiff annual surtax on SUVs.  Persons who could demonstrate that they actually require such vehicles to navigate rough weather conditions could apply for a waiver.    

            Anyone leaving their car running while stopped for more than a minute would be fined.

            It would at least as difficult to obtain a license to bear arms as to obtain a license to drive a car.  

            The owner of an unsecured firearm used by someone else to cause injury or death either purposely or accidentally would be charged with a felony.

            Owning an assault weapon would be a felony.

            Pesticides would be controlled substances that could not be bought without a prescription from a person certified in integrated pest management.

            Companies that sell themselves as lawn services and indiscriminately bomb lawns with a chemical mix would be illegal.  The owners of yard care companies with the words “chemical” or “chem” in their names would be declared illegal aliens and returned to the planet whence they came.

            Bad pruning would be a crime. The first offense would be a misdemeanor, punishable with mandatory pruning school.  After that, the crimes would be classified as felonies--treeslaughter, intentional arborcide, involuntary arborcide etc.

            Airline seats would be large enough to comfortably accommodate average-sized adults.

            All malls would be dismantled and replaced by greenways.  

            No child would have to compete with an electronic device for their parent’s attention.  Same in reverse.  Use of cell phones would be forbidden during all meals.  Always.  Everywhere. 

            Christmas would be more like Thanksgiving – food, family, friends, fun, and less like, well, Christmas as we know it, with its emphasis on shopping and presents.

            Households that had the TV on less than 10 hours a week would get an income tax deduction.  Those with the TV on less than 5 hours a week would get an income tax credit.

           Chocolate would be the major source of protein and would contain no calories.  

            

                  

   photo by Church of the King on Unsplash