You are allowed to repeal one law...

[TNF]

...what'll it be?

For me, it's the Taft-Hartley Act in a heartbeat.

[DC Al Fine]

Patriot act easily.

[Enderman]

Patriot act easily.

this

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Patriot act easily.

[opebo]

The law criminalizing prostitution.

[Torie]

Terminating the ethanol heist is way up there on my little list.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Patriot act easily.

Or Gramm–Leach–Bliley.

[tpfkaw]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

what is this i don't even

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

This on principal, though I think the current constitution in its original state (with amendments banning slavery, direct election of Senators, etc added) is perfect for the modern era.

[tpfkaw]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

what is this i don't even

Ah yes.  During the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress issued a large quantity of paper currency called "Continentals."  These were supposedly "equal to" a 'dollar' (then a Spanish coin) of silver, but not redeemable for silver, so they were worth much less than their face value.  Also during the war, several states had issued debt to fund the war effort, but subsequently defaulted on it.

A group of speculators, among the wealthiest men in America (including Washington, Adams, Madison, Hamilton etc.), bought large quantities of Continentals and state debt in default at pennies on the dollar, betting that they could convince the Continental Congress to redeem them at face value.  When Congress refused to do so, they took it upon themselves to declare that they refused to abide by any actions of the Continental Congress until they had concluded a "constitutional convention" - of themselves!  The convention, already illegal since amendments to the Articles had to be approved by state legislatures, not self-appointed speculators, was doubly illegal since only 9 out of 13 states represented approved the document, in direct contravention of the Articles' clause that any amendments had to be adopted unanimously.

The plotters swiftly threatened to raise a mercenary army to crush any "rebellion" against their putsch, had their new government as its very first act agree to pay off all Continentals and state debt at their full face value in specie, in true coup fashion "elected" a figurehead general "unanimously," and violently crushed "rebellion" by poor farmers against the crippling taxes they imposed to pay off themselves.

[Torie]

You are mixing up/conflating the paying off of state debt, with bailing out a currency. Continentals eventually could be exchanged for Treasury bonds at 1% of face value. Failure to pay off the state debt, would have rendered the states BK, and the birthing of the nation would have been stillborn.

And from your misunderstanding of all of this, which happened more than 200 years ago, you want to liquidate the United States as a nation, and become a constellation of satrapies eh?  Whatever.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

what is this i don't even

Ah yes.  During the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress issued a large quantity of paper currency called "Continentals."  These were supposedly "equal to" a 'dollar' (then a Spanish coin) of silver, but not redeemable for silver, so they were worth much less than their face value.  Also during the war, several states had issued debt to fund the war effort, but subsequently defaulted on it.

A group of speculators, among the wealthiest men in America (including Washington, Adams, Madison, Hamilton etc.), bought large quantities of Continentals and state debt in default at pennies on the dollar, betting that they could convince the Continental Congress to redeem them at face value.  When Congress refused to do so, they took it upon themselves to declare that they refused to abide by any actions of the Continental Congress until they had concluded a "constitutional convention" - of themselves!  The convention, already illegal since amendments to the Articles had to be approved by state legislatures, not self-appointed speculators, was doubly illegal since only 9 out of 13 states represented approved the document, in direct contravention of the Articles' clause that any amendments had to be adopted unanimously.

The plotters swiftly threatened to raise a mercenary army to crush any "rebellion" against their putsch, had their new government as its very first act agree to pay off all Continentals and state debt at their full face value in specie, in true coup fashion "elected" a figurehead general "unanimously," and violently crushed "rebellion" by poor farmers against the crippling taxes they imposed to pay off themselves.

Not that, the bit about the Articles of Confederation.

[Zioneer]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

what is this i don't even

Ah yes.  During the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress issued a large quantity of paper currency called "Continentals."  These were supposedly "equal to" a 'dollar' (then a Spanish coin) of silver, but not redeemable for silver, so they were worth much less than their face value.  Also during the war, several states had issued debt to fund the war effort, but subsequently defaulted on it.

A group of speculators, among the wealthiest men in America (including Washington, Adams, Madison, Hamilton etc.), bought large quantities of Continentals and state debt in default at pennies on the dollar, betting that they could convince the Continental Congress to redeem them at face value.  When Congress refused to do so, they took it upon themselves to declare that they refused to abide by any actions of the Continental Congress until they had concluded a "constitutional convention" - of themselves!  The convention, already illegal since amendments to the Articles had to be approved by state legislatures, not self-appointed speculators, was doubly illegal since only 9 out of 13 states represented approved the document, in direct contravention of the Articles' clause that any amendments had to be adopted unanimously.

The plotters swiftly threatened to raise a mercenary army to crush any "rebellion" against their putsch, had their new government as its very first act agree to pay off all Continentals and state debt at their full face value in specie, in true coup fashion "elected" a figurehead general "unanimously," and violently crushed "rebellion" by poor farmers against the crippling taxes they imposed to pay off themselves.

Oh good lord you ultra-libertarians are ridiculous. If the Constitution is "illegal" and big government to you guys, you're deluded.

Anyway, I'd repeal Taft-Hartley, because while both the Patriot Act and Taft-Hartley are terrible, you could probably get enough people to be outraged at the Patriot Act to repeal it on it's own. Taft-Hartley is equally as terrible, but a drive to repeal it wouldn't excite people enough to succeed.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

The Constitution, in favor of the Articles of Confederation.  Of course, one must point out at this point its illegal adoption.

Unfortunately, the Articles of Confederation made the government much too small and weak to be effective.  Ever heard of Shays's Rebellion?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

The law of the Atlas that says we can't have a Hot Girls Thread, of course.

[Antonio the Sixth]

There are too many for me to choose one...

[nolesfan2011]

Patriot Act

[MadmanMotley]

Tough choice between the Unpatriotic act, the 16th Amendment, 17th Amendment, and the Federal Reserve act.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Tough choice between the Unpatriotic act, the 16th Amendment, 17th Amendment, and the Federal Reserve act.

I was so baffled by that third one that I had to look it up to make sure it was what I thought it was. Why do you oppose direct election of Senators? To keep power in the hands of state governments and party bosses, and away from those dirty plebeians upon whom you spit?

[TNF]

Tough choice between the Unpatriotic act, the 16th Amendment, 17th Amendment, and the Federal Reserve act.

I was so baffled by that third one that I had to look it up to make sure it was what I thought it was. Why do you oppose direct election of Senators? To keep power in the hands of state governments and party bosses, and away from those dirty plebeians upon whom you spit?

mang, that's libertarianism for you

[MadmanMotley]

Tough choice between the Unpatriotic act, the 16th Amendment, 17th Amendment, and the Federal Reserve act.

I was so baffled by that third one that I had to look it up to make sure it was what I thought it was. Why do you oppose direct election of Senators? To keep power in the hands of state governments and party bosses, and away from those dirty plebeians upon whom you spit?

mang, that's libertarianism for you

Here's why:
1. You elect the legislators and Governor (depends on state law) that appoint the Senators
2. Less politicization of senators
3. If the senator doesn't do what the state wants them to, they can be pulled back immeditely and someone else can take their place.
4. For reason num. 3, less special interest groups trying to buy out the senator
5. States can choose which system they want, whether they want to have the people elect senators, or just appoint them.
6. Less confusion when a senator dies in office or retires before their term is up

[© tweed]

Controlled Substances Act

[TNF]

Tough choice between the Unpatriotic act, the 16th Amendment, 17th Amendment, and the Federal Reserve act.

I was so baffled by that third one that I had to look it up to make sure it was what I thought it was. Why do you oppose direct election of Senators? To keep power in the hands of state governments and party bosses, and away from those dirty plebeians upon whom you spit?

mang, that's libertarianism for you

Here's why:
1. You elect the legislators and Governor (depends on state law) that appoint the Senators
2. Less politicization of senators
3. If the senator doesn't do what the state wants them to, they can be pulled back immeditely and someone else can take their place.
4. For reason num. 3, less special interest groups trying to buy out the senator
5. States can choose which system they want, whether they want to have the people elect senators, or just appoint them.
6. Less confusion when a senator dies in office or retires before their term is up

Why can't I just elect the person who represents me directly?

[tpfkaw]

Oh good lord you ultra-libertarians are ridiculous. If the Constitution is "illegal" and big government to you guys, you're deluded.

"Ultra-libertarian?"  What I'm saying is straight out of Charles Beard and Howard Zinn.  I also note you don't have any substantive arguments.

Unfortunately, the Articles of Confederation made the government much too small and weak to be effective.  Ever heard of Shays's Rebellion?

I sure am glad we have such a large and "effective" government nowadays!  What were those lunatics thinking?

And yes, I have heard about Shay's Rebellion, and would have discussed it in my first post if it would not have made it too long and confusing.  The Massachusetts government had been completely taken over by the aforementioned bond-speculators (many of whom were merchants or bankers from Boston), and had agreed to pay off all its war debt at face value in specie.

Of course, the state didn't have anything like that amount of money in its coffers, so it decided to raise it by the charming method of demanding immediate payment of back taxes from Continental Army veterans, for the years they had spent fighting.  If they could not pay, which they generally couldn't, their farms were seized by the state.  Naturally, the veterans did not take this lying down, and angry mobs shut down the tax offices and courts.

The speculators (who had mostly been either Tories or at least non-veterans, mind) responded by raising a mercenary army to violently put down the "rebellion," but were forced to slightly moderate the taxes they had imposed, so they then redoubled their efforts to enrich themselves by illegally taking over the federal government.

You are mixing up/conflating the paying off of state debt, with bailing out a currency. Continentals eventually could be exchanged for Treasury bonds at 1% of face value.

My mistake.  That was still far more than their true market value.