A personal blog for Michael Mitchell
šŗ Todayās Watchlist: Paramount+
Looking forward to finishing both. š¬
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I figured out why Elon Musk has aligned himself with this administrationāit appears his alignment may benefit him by reducing opposition within the federal government.
If you look at the agencies Musk has targeted for āauditā under the fictional Department of Government Efficiency (which sounds like something out of Harry Potter), youāll notice a pattern: almost all of them were either investigating or preparing to investigate Musk and his businesses.
This table outlines various government investigations into Elon Muskās companies, covering labor disputes, environmental concerns, financial practices, and security issues. This doesn't even include agencies that may have launched investigations into Neuralink, such as the FDA.
The man often called the richest in the worldāwho has received more taxpayer-funded government subsidies than mostāappears to be weakening government institutions, seemingly under the guise of cost-cutting. In doing so, these actions are affecting real peopleās lives, and Musk's public responses suggest he finds aspects of it entertaining.
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šŗ Todayās Watchlist:
Looking forward to finishing both. š¬
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You ever feel like you're talking to a wall, like nobody is listening? I doāall the time. I feel the same way about writing and blogging. It often feels like Iām just writing for catharsis because no one seems to be reading or interacting.
But maybe, someday, a future generation will stumble upon my writings and think, I can relate, or I know how he felt, or even Thatās not a bad idea.
Just thinking out loud again. š
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I have a multifaceted plan to restore integrity to the U.S. representative governing system. While I am not naive enough to believe this could happen through Congress alone, I think it is high time the states called for a Constitutional Convention. Such conventions should likely occur regularly, perhaps every 150 to 200 years.
Many argue that calling a Constitutional Convention could lead to states going off the railsāa runaway convention. That is why, before convening, the convention should be limited in scope, and its representatives should pledge not to deviate from the established agenda unless three-fourths of the state legislatures agree to any new items once the convention has started.
Legislative Branch
For Congress, this is how I propose fixing it, starting with the House of Representatives. The House was designed to be the branch of government closest to the peopleānot to political partiesābut to the constituents they represent. With the U.S. population exceeding 330 million, the current representation ratio does not favor adequate representation. Each representative in the House currently serves, on average, 747,000[1] people.
We are fast approaching an oligarchy if we do not improve this ratio. Increasing the number of representatives would reduce the concentration of power among a few individuals or corporations. Currently, corporations can influence or buy off 435 representatives relatively easily. If the number of representatives increased to 11,000, this would be far less feasible. Additionally, many representatives would serve districts without large corporations, focusing instead on small businesses and local constituents, making them more responsive to the people they represent.
Adding this number of representatives all at once would be impractical, so I propose a staggered approach. This ties into my next proposal to improve the House: extending representatives' terms to six years. An amendment should require Congress to maintain a representative-to-population ratio of 1:50,000 and enforce term limits of two terms. These limits would apply to both chambers of Congress, allowing for a maximum of two terms in either the House or Senate, or one in each chamberābut not exceeding a total of two terms, whether served consecutively or not.
There should also be a maximum age limit of 74. A person could run for Congress and serve up to age 74. If they turn 74 while serving, they could complete their full term but would not be eligible for re-election. No one over the age of 74 could run. This age limit could be changed by Constitutional Amendment and Ratification by three-fourths of the states. Such an amendment would have only one calendar year to pass; if not ratified within this time frame, it would become null and void.
The staggered implementation would work as follows: the current 435 representatives would serve six-year terms. During the first election after the amendment, 4,500 additional representatives would be added. Two years later, another 4,500 would be added. Finally, in the next election cycle, the remaining seats required to meet the new ratio would be added. This phased approach allows for gradual adjustment while ensuring that representatives have time to focus on serving their constituents instead of campaigning constantly.
This expanded House would also allow Congress to reclaim powers that have been delegated to independent agencies like the SEC, FCC, and FTC. By hiring talent from these agencies as staffers, representatives would have the time and expertise to draft legislation directly. This approach would nullify Supreme Court decisions that allow bureaucrats to make laws and rules instead of Congress[2]. With representatives serving smaller constituencies of 50,000 people, the voices of individual citizens would be amplified, and representatives would be more accountable to their communities.
For the Senate, I propose increasing its size to 500 members but with a key distinction: term limits would mirror those outlined for the House. Of these 500 members, 300 would be elected by direct election as they are now, while the remaining 200 would be appointed by state legislatures, similar to the system before the Seventeenth Amendment. The original method of legislative appointment had merit, as it was intended to create a more measured and insulated institution.
Direct elections have blurred the Senate's unique purpose, making it feel like a smaller, longer-serving version of the House. To address this, the 300 elected Senators would serve for the first three years, and three years later, the 200 appointed Senators would take office and be designated as Senior Senators. Both groupsāelected and appointedāwould adhere to the same term limits, ensuring that no member could serve more than two terms. This structure helps prevent the entrenchment of career politicians, many of whom today remain in office until death or incapacity.
By adopting these reforms, we can restore balance and integrity to our representative governing system, making it more responsive to the needs of the American people.
Executive Branch
There are also Executive Branch reforms needed. The President and the Vice President should remain as is. However, the age limit of 74 shall also apply to the President and Vice President. If the President or Vice President turns 74 while serving their first term, they shall not run again but may finish their term. This can only be changed by the same Constitutional Amendment process as for Congress.
Further changes to the Executive Branch via Constitutional Amendments include ensuring that the President is not immune from the Laws of the Land. Operational decisions directly related to the President's job and within the guidelines of established law shall not be reviewed for legality for criminal or civil purposes and shall not be examined by Courts or Congress once the serving Presidentās term ends. However, any actions taken outside of these operational necessities may be investigated post-term only if they are criminal and violated the existing laws of the United States at the time they were executed.
The President's Pardon Power is revoked. Instead, a Pardon Board shall be established, consisting of 1 member appointed by each Chamber of Congress, 1 member by the Supreme Court, 1 member by the President, 1 member by the Vice President, and 1 member from each state. This board shall be appointed by the second month of a President's term and shall meet quarterly to submit names for pardons or commutations to the President and Congress. Only this board may grant pardons or commutations, and Congress shall establish statutory guidelines for its operation. The Supreme Court shall have one month to review or state plainly why an individual recommendation is denied. A simple majority vote will suffice for approval or denial. There will be no appeals, and decisions shall be final. Crimes related to the Death Penalty, Insurrection, and Treason shall be ineligible for pardon or commutation.
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court shall be expanded to 1 Justice for every 2 States, plus 1 extra Justice and 1 Chief Justice, ensuring an odd number of Justices including the Chief Justice. The Court shall be expanded by 2 Justices every 4 years until the maximum is reached. Supreme Court Justices shall be selected by a non-partisan board, which shall maintain a list of 25 names each year, ordered alphabetically. The President may only nominate Justices from this list, subject to Congressional confirmation.
The same age restriction for Congress, the President, and the Vice President shall apply to the Supreme Court and the Federal Judiciary. Additionally, a Federal Judge at any level may serve for either 28 years or until they reach 74 years of age, whichever comes first.
Miscellaneous Constitutional Amendments
Congress shall not fund any laws without fully funding them and is prohibited from transferring federal mandates and the costs of federal laws to the states.
A constitutional amendment shall prohibit gerrymandering of congressional districts. Districts must be drawn to form contiguous blocks. A non-partisan board, appointed by representatives from all three branches of government and consisting of 15 members, shall be established two years before any election to review any changes to congressional districts. Any challenge to this boardās decision shall be heard immediately by the Supreme Court and must be resolved within two months before an election. If the challenge arises too close to an election, the Supreme Court shall resolve it within three days of the hearing.
All independent agencies not under the Executive Branch shall remain outside of its purview. Only Congress shall have the authority to reduce, expand, or fund these agencies appropriately. The Executive Branch shall have no power or authority over independent agencies. The House and Senate must pass, by a two-thirds vote, any measure to create or eliminate an independent agency. The heads of these agencies shall be appointed by Congress and shall be subject to removal through Congressās impeachment power.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) shall be removed from the Executive Branch and established as an independent agency with the authority to conduct investigations free from political influence. The DOJ shall be headed by the Attorney General, who shall serve a five-year term. This term may be renewed once by Congress, but shall not exceed ten years, whether consecutive or not. The DOJ shall have an oversight board consisting of 11 members, nominated as follows: two by the President, two by the Vice President, two by the House, two by the Senate, and three by the Supreme Court. The oversight board shall act on concerns and recommendations from a non-partisan Inspector General, who shall be appointed by Congress. Both the oversight board members and the Inspector General shall serve a single 11-year term. The Attorney General, oversight board members, and the Inspector General shall be subject to removal through Congressās impeachment power.
The DOJ shall have the authority to investigate the Executive Branch for treason, insurrection, and criminal violations committed by any individual within the Executive Branch. If the investigation involves a sitting President or Vice President, the DOJ must complete its inquiry within six to nine months and submit its findings to the House for impeachment proceedings. If the House votes to impeach, the Senate must conduct a trial no later than one week after receiving the articles of impeachment. If the House votes not to impeach, the DOJās full report shall be made public, unredacted, within 120 daysāexcept for information that pertains to individuals not involved in criminality or that could pose a national security risk.
Balanced Budget Amendment
A constitutional amendment shall mandate a balanced budget, with trust-funded activities exempted. The President shall have line-item veto power, which Congress may override with a two-thirds vote.
The national debt shall be eliminated within 75 years, after which the measures used to achieve debt elimination shall remain in effect for an additional 10 years to create a budget surplus. After this surplus period, these extraordinary fiscal measures shall expire, and standard budgetary practices shall resume.
Congress may suspend the national debt elimination plan at any time during a national emergency, war, or economic crisis with a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Such a suspension shall be valid for a maximum of two years per vote. If the crisis persists, Congress must vote again to extend the suspension for another two-year period, ensuring regular accountability and preventing indefinite postponements.
-ā
Closing thoughts
This is my comprehensive plan to refine the federal government and further our Founding Fathersā vision of a living Constitution. Since past and present Congresses lack the political will to implement these reforms, the states should call for a constitutional amendment. By limiting the scope of their convention, concerns about a runaway convention could be alleviated.
Notably, I have avoided addressing social issues. While social issues are important, they should always be handled through legislation, as societal views shift over time. What may be one personās passionate cause could be anotherās āover my dead bodyā moment.
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This week, Iāve been reflecting on an upcoming medical procedure scheduled for Mondayāa routine colonoscopy. While the procedure itself isnāt bad, I truly dread the day before. Preparing for it is unpleasant, but I know itās necessary for my health. Since Iām high-risk due to previously discovered benign polyps, I need to have one every 3 to 5 years. Itās an expense Iād rather avoid, but itās essential for peace of mind.
Iāve also been contemplating blogging. Writing has always been a cathartic outlet for me, a way to process my feelings and reflect on life. Itās interesting to look back on how my thoughts have evolved over the yearsāsome things have changed, while others remain constant. In a way, my blog posts capture my growth and maturing.
Even if no one reads my writing, thatās okay. Who knows? Maybe a hundred years from now, someone will stumble upon my words. Perhaps theyāll laugh, cry, or even pause to think.
Now, if only I could get back into reading this year.
#HealthMatters #BloggingLife #PersonalGrowth
Posted originally on Micro.blog
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January 19, 1977 I remember this day vividly. It was a Wednesday, and I was there, playing in the snow for a bit. I also remember waking up from my afternoon nap (I was in elementary school at the time) and wondering, where did the snow go? It had melted by the afternoon. Thatās the only time I recall snow being on the ground in Tampa, Florida.
#Nostalgia #SnowInFlorida #1977
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I noticed a couple of days ago that DSLreports.com stopped working. I thought maybe they were doing some maintenance or having a problem. After a couple of days of trying and doing a little research, and admittedly finding no firm answer, the consensus is that it is offline and has shut down permanently. It shut down unceremoniously and without warning. That site was a great resource for finding savings with your ISP and checking if you were the only one experiencing service problems. It will be missed, and Iām not sure if anyone could step in, though I hope so.
This seems to be a trend happening more and more. The things I use are either dying off or being taken over by billionaires who turn megalomaniac. That is why I am turning more and more to self-hosted or managed hosting for some services that I feel are better suited for frequent upgrades and the ability to handle traffic.
#DSLReports #TechShutdown #SelfHosting #ManagedHosting
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Iāve been trying to become more self-sufficient with technology lately. Iāve recently started dabbling with setting up a Raspberry Pi and self-hosting different services. I began with Pi-Hole because Iām just tired of all the ads. While this hasnāt eliminated all of them, itās removed about 80 percent, which is a big improvement.
Iām also moving away from shared hosting (once my contract ends) because of the WordPress kerfuffle, the high pricing of my shared hosting, and WordPress nickel-and-diming for every little add-on. On top of that, Iāve grown frustrated with how complicated WordPress has become. I believe Iāve found the perfect solution, but all of this comes at a cost. Iām definitely stretching my comfort zone with technology and encountering new challenges along the way.
One challenge Iāve encountered is that most of the best blogging tools are only available for macOS, iOS, or iPadOS. Since I use Windows and Android, I often feel left out in the cold. Writing once and then publishing everywhere I want to is not as simple as it should be. I often find myself either cutting and pasting or using awkward workarounds.
#SelfHosting #TechChallenges #RaspberryPi #WordPress
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My Television Habits Have Changed Drastically
I was thinking the other day about how much television I used to watch. I used to sit down about a month before the new TV season began, just after Labor Day, and map out all the new showsāwhat nights they were on and when they were startingāso I could watch them. I would then make a note or create a makeshift calendar for when the TV shows I watched were returning and check out new shows.
Then, in the days when I had a TiVo and later a DVR, I made sure everything was set to record each episode in case I was working, so I could watch it when I got home or had time off.
I barely watch TV anymore, and when I do, itās usually reruns of old TV shows on live TV. Most of the new series I watch are on streaming platforms, but even that is becoming less frequent.
The main reason streaming is falling off for me is that thereās no longer a set month or day for new seasons to return. It can take over a year or even two for a new season to come out. Then, when they do drop a new season, many streaming services only release one episode per week. This isnāt like traditional TV, where there was a set schedule with other shows or programs in time slots before and after. With streaming, just give me the whole season, and let me watch as I please. I do applaud Netflix for thisāthey drop the entire season at once, and you can binge-watch it all at your own pace.
Now, with streaming, youāre lucky if you get 8 to 10 episodes. As I mentioned earlier, the next season is often 1 to 2 years away. This is a far cry from the old days when TV series seasons consisted of 15 to 25 episodes, often with a bonus episode or a Christmas special. The season would start just after Labor Day, take a small break around Thanksgiving, and then return in January or February, depending on the Super Bowl. After the āBig Game,ā it would return and end just before Memorial Day in May. Then, there were a few short new shows that returned for a couple of months. Streaming originally filled this gap, if I remember correctly. But now, with streaming, by the time the new season starts, Iāve either forgotten about the series or moved on.
Today, TV series as a whole have a discovery problem. It used to be that new shows were advertised heavily, with TV networks holding specials detailing upcoming TV series, offering previews, or providing news stories on the web about what was coming. If they still do this, I donāt see it anymore.
I say all this to explain why my TV habits have changed. I find myself watching less TV than ever before, and when I do, itās usually an old TV series. I also find myself watching more YouTube. Most of my YouTube watching is dedicated to learning about things like how to make use of my Raspberry Pi for home servers, networking, web development, and computer-related topics. I wish I could truly learn to code and write programs.
Well, this rant is over. Have your TV habits changed in the last few years? I think the TV industry is failing to adapt and be creative for this new generation of TV watchersāand itās losing them as a result. Part of the problem is not taking into account how people want to watch, and not having enough content and seasons ready to go in a timely manner. I know that many schedules were disrupted by COVID-19, but it has been two years since the pandemic officially ended, and life has returned to normal. Some industries and occupations, however, have not readjusted. I also think the issue is partly due to greedāviewers are tired of the relentless push for more ads. Every service I subscribe to, I purposely choose the ad-free version. But now, even ad-free isnāt truly ad-free, and that turns me off. To make matters worse, the constant price increases add to the frustration. Some services are raising prices multiple times in a year, not just every year or every few years.
I honestly donāt know if any traditional TV will be left in the next few years.
#tv #streaming #entertainment #tvshows
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