What if you had a single day to do whatever wanted, just one single day. Whatever you did would remain, no one could undo it or wish it away. What if you or I were granted the power to affect change, what would you do with that single day and all that power.
The ramifications of that much power at the tips of your fingers sounds spectacular, doesn’t it?
Untutored in being an omnipotent entity would we look around and begin to right all the wrongs we see? Where would we start?
But wait, your vision of utopia might not be the same as mine? Your changes might well bring misery to others. You are a minority of one, you could of course choose to talk your decisions over with others or simply go it alone.
What will you do? How to choose with this great power to make dreams come true and only a single day to accomplish it all in. This could well give you a few grey hairs by the end of the day.
Maybe you would cure terrible disease, eradicate Aids and Cancer, other scourges Alzheimer’s and Dementia. That leaves so many other terrible plagues though, maybe you could broaden your scope and eliminate all illness from the world now and in the future.
Looking across the globe there are terrible wars, you could wave your hand and stop them. Bring peace to all the lands, causing all the warriors to put down their weapons of death. Eliminate all the horrible tools of mass destruction, the poison gases and nuclear bombs. But in doing this could you also eliminate all the reasons for war?
Conceivably it is something of more immediate concern you would try to change, something more in your neighborhood, something more real to you. What would that be? Are you in the United States? Would you consider the violence marring our landscape and think, ‘I can fix this with a wave of my hand’. Then do it. How would that look afterward, would the Constitution suddenly be without the 2nd Amendment or instead would our attitudes, our culture of violence the hearts and minds of our citizens be changed. Could you possible conceive of what this means? What is underneath this terrible culture of death and mayhem, this murderous nature of ours. How did you fix the trajectory? What are the ramifications of your ‘fix’?
There are so many things any one of us might pick on our day of omnipotence, while we sit in our seat of power with just twenty-four hours to exercise our will. We could of course choose the selfish way out of this dilemma, we could choose to do not one damned thing at all for World Peace, Earth or Human Unity. We could choose instead to do only selfish things, things that serve only ourselves. We could promise with our new future we will do good works later when we have fixed ourselves first.
Do you think I am rambling just for the sake of it? No, I am really not.
There is this idiotic rumbling by many in our nation the President isn’t doing enough, I have to ask, enough what? He is one man and he is not infused with omnipotence through his election. In fact, the President of the United States does not write the law, he does not vote on the laws that are written, he has the limited power of doing one of two things when they arrive at his desk from Congress; he can sign them into law or he can veto them.
The President is not a God, not even a minor God. He does not have the power to wave his hand and fix what is broken. Unfortunate really given the situation this nation finds itself in this morning. The tawdry demagogues of the far Right have brought our government to a screeching halt, as they had planned since before they took power in one house of Congress in 2010. Their self-awareness is limited to what they want, what they have promised to their constituents since before the elections of 2010, Anarchy. It doesn’t matter what the issue is, only they bring down the government:
- Budget Cuts – give us our way or we will shut it down
- Planned Parenthood funding – give us our way or we will shut it down
- Block access to birth control for women – give us our way or we will shut it down
- Repeal ACA (twice) – give us our way or we will shut it down
The above are only the five (5) times and a partial list of why, the House Republicans have pushed this government to the brink of shut down. Until now, today government workers in all branches of government have been ordered to proceed with shutdown activities, take their toys and go home until further notice. TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.
I did not include in the above the two (2) times those same selfish Azzhats from the Tea Party and their beaten allies from the original GOP threatened to carry this nation over the Fiscal Cliff, not pay our bills, not raise the debt ceiling. Of course, what these irresponsible idiots fail to understand or maybe simply do not give two shits about, the first time they did this our Bond Rating was lowered making the cost of credit higher. By threatening the Full Faith and Credit of the United States, they threaten not just the economy of this nation but the economy of the world.
Since the GOP took power in the House, they have not passed a single piece of relevant new legislation; in the two years prior to their taking over the House fifteen (15) major pieces of new Legislation were passed. They have obfuscated and obstructed, they have threatened and they have puffed up their chests along with fear mongering among their base. Their hubris is monumental in the face of their failure to accomplish a single positive outcome for this nation.
Oh wait, they promised to shut down the government before they were elected. Now, on 1-October-2013 they have finally accomplished what they set out to do, Government Shut Down.
So, Anarchy rules in the House. The Government of the United States is Shut Down. Eight hundred thousand government workers will be without paychecks and we do not know for how long. Government services will not be open for business, the only good news on this one NO NEW GUN PERMITS.
Guess what? ACA is open for business, Americans can start signing up today.
So if you were omnipotent for just one day what would you do?
QBG_Tilted Tiara 
I think I’d start by taking all the money from those that are obsessed with it and giving it only to the empathetic, good-hearted folks of the world. I’d also strip all decision-making power from the former group and give it to the latter. I think I might feel pretty good with that one decision alone.
I was reading this and my son told me that he has a song he made up.
” we can bring freedom to the world. We can Start by greeting each other. Calling each other by name. Listen to others. Those are are the three steps to freedom. If they speak another language learn it.” Tomato. Tomahto.
Its still in the works for him. I share most your views though I’d have to say it feels as though the world always asks impossible things of you. So if I could ask for one day of anything. It would be for world liberation. Secrets are what kill. That constant churning in most of the people. Who would be astounded to know how many others have done the same thing. Or even encountered it. One day for the world to shut up the judge. And be unable tomorrow to pass any judgment.
I agree with your views about the government- I always Used to say that the President was always just a face for the public to blame.
I really wish it would all change. Where we could start electing A liberal/green Democrat/ and republican. It would change everything. But it would be more balanced for the people. Those three candidates and their counterparts would have more Power for The Ideas of the people and world. And money- I really can’t stand what money has done to the world and politics.
What a wonderful ‘ask’, yes I think you are right. Let go the secrets and the judgment. Your son, I don’t know how old he is but this also would take us all a very long way, simply to learn to see each other as real people. I had this discussion today with someone, the idea of stripping party designations from candidates and forcing them to run entirely on ‘ideas’. Taking us back to the days before Citizen United, or even before that when only ‘citizens’ could contribute to campaigns and there was ‘fairness’ in the media as well.
What a world of difference all of this might make. Thank you for your thoughts and sharing your son’s song.
Valentine you are worthy of wisdom . I would put peace into every heart . And pray it was enough.
I would pray with you my friend.
You know that was a wonderful scenario you put together and it was a good exercise in thinking. I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Reblogged this on The Arkside of Thought and commented:
I agree the president isn’t omnipotent…which is exactly why politicians should have their freedom of speech limited during campaigns. That is, they should be allowed to make promises in any capacity. There should be a rule that, if you’re running for any political office and you make a promise, no matter how you try to twist the words, you will be immediately ineligible for office. They should only be allowed to make suggestions as to what they believe the appropriate policies are.
Were I omnipotent for a day, I’d remake the Universe in my image.
Thank you for the reblog Sahm.
In your image, I wonder what that would look like.
Austerity measures in cut backs especially in local government funded projects started here in earnest around 4 yrs ago.. During that time Major cut backs in Care, Daycare centres, Supporting People projects, Libraries, and yes even meals on wheels all suffered… These measures were taken in my own opinion and others within the media, because they hit the headlines, as local government cried wanting more from central governments, But Labour’s rule bleed the country dry as they spent and bailed out Banks..
Yet these same local governments still have millions of Pounds stashed away… Only recently in our own area, after higher local taxes increased parking charges,and higher rents for retailers as they rake more money in … They have just bought an old hospital in the town which has laid derelict and is rat infested for about 25 yrs for an undisclosed sum…. but which must be in the millions. They also lost around 2 million pounds which was invested in an Icelandic bank a good few years ago now.. But all the while confessing to have nothing.. The Mayor of the town rides about in a limo with chains of office around his neck and no doubt they all have expense accounts!..
But times are changing and if governments do not get their acts together then chaos will result …
If we really did have that magic moment of choice to choose…. Trouble is today we are caught up within a system whereby we rely upon the ‘System’ to function…
My Question would be, what would we do if that system failed… And how would we go about become more self sustainable in helping others out who needed Help? as well as maintaining ourselves.. There are some scary times ahead if we do not start to sit up and take notice of what is happening around the globe, because it can happen right on our doorstep!..
Love to you Val xxx
Communist President: We have to destroy America.
Communist Advisor: Let’s not do what the Nazis, Japanese Imperialists or even the Bolsheviks tried and failed.
Communist Sage: Yes, the ripened fruit drops to he who waits.
(And China waited and watched)
You have said it exactly Eric.
Love it Spot On…. 🙂
Valentine, I love coming here and getting grass roots news. I don’t have my finger on the political pulse, to be sure, but I did see the headline over here that the US government had shut down and I had absolutely no understanding what that meant. Well, the newspaper report explained govt employees were told not to even check their emails/go to work, but I didn’t understand why. How long will it last?
Re the gun lobby – I really do hope things change there.
Wishing you the best. Not sure how the shut down affects you personally, but hope you fare through it well.
It is far worse than it seems my friend. Our government has many jobs, funds many programs including food programs for poor families, health programs for those who need care (children, veterans), education programs, national parks, supplemental emergency response programs, roads and bridges, meals on wheels for the elderly and house bound. the list goes on and on, thousands of programs. The shutdown affects real people, in very real ways.
When you listed all those, Valentine, then I really don’t understand. I don’t understand the purpose of the shutdown at all. It sounds extremely scary. I’m sorry at this, I really hope it ends soon.
Maybe they’ve shot themselves in the foot, ( including the gun lobby) and after this will lose their power. perhaps somethng good can come out of this
And I do feel for you all…
Oh Valerie, I do so wish this were true but I watch the spin cycles and fear the worse.
I’ve written a poem on this theme. It ends with the thought that change starts with me. If we all thought that way there would not be any need of magic waves would there?
I am going to try to catch up with my reading this morning, I am woefully behind. You are right Ian, the change starts with each of us and within each of us. I am afraid, so many have been led so far astray.
Interesting thought! And I’m working on it 😉 I really have no idea what it’s like when government closes down and how you’d notice it. Is your garbage still collected? Is there still police on the streets? Or are you now living in a lawless country?
We have been pretty lawless for quite some time now. But there are many things that won’t get done, this includes checks for women and children who need to eat.
On my side of the pond, we have also been held hostage in the either / or category. Feels like we’re all going to explode soon.
You make a find point but I have no ideas where one might start fixing all the things which are broken.
I don’t either Tess, that is the point. Do we start somewhere, agree to work together, imperfectly but together; or instead do we behave like petulant children and without considering the impact on others, simply take our toys and go home?
I agree, but it seems to me the government is acting like petulant children…Ugh..
Amen, amen, amen! There is, indeed, anarchy in the House. Thank God I’ve left the country. This lends whole new meaning to the notion of ex-pat.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
You make it every more enticing Kathy. This is especially true since the lead Anarchist is from right here in good ole Tejas.
Woe, woe is me.
Love and hugs from Dallas
Val
Well-said.
Thank you El.