"King for a Day" presumes a lot more absolute power than "President for Four Years", so I think there's a built-in unfairness in this query that switches off realistic possibility for utopian proposition. <g>
Assuming "King", I would try to balance some inequities which, Republican that I am, sound painfully socialist, but I grant them an "extraordinary case" position and carry them out anyway (though, everybody still has to work for it!). Part of my basis here is having an uncle who's a high-placed Chevron exec, been there for 25 years with almost zero time in the States, most of it in Africa, Asia and S.E. Asia.
1. Decrease to the absolute bare minimum, foreign workers needed for petroleum production. Whilst many locals are employed in "home" countries of petroleum export, it primarily exists at lower echelon levels and too many ex-pats get the better gigs.
2. Enact a matching college credit for children of locals to attend Western universities, perhaps on a time-based level, i.e. dad works 4 years for foreign oil company, child gets 4 years free tuition from King-specified list of colleges for King-specified curriculum paths (business, engineering, econ, medicine, ... not basketweaving). 8 years served = 2 kids for 4 years, etc... Or could be matching money based, haven't put the pencil to all of that yet. Regardless, this program is for the vast majority of "regular class" locals, not the "rich kids of oil families".
3. Free-college recipient works at minimum rate for local (to the school) business which is somehow and perhaps loosely related to petroleum business cycle (refinery, gas station, tire shop, 7-11...) to instill a sense of how the world trade goes round from one end of parent's earth to the other of the progeny. Minimal pay rate commensurate to combined GPA and job performance.
4. Graduated kid will serve 2-4 years back home in field related to degree, free to go anywhere afterwards.
5. Parent who worked in petrol production to start this cycle gets pension credit from oil company employer if offspring completes this program. Offspring gets "starting out" help if instills among peers to follow same program, specified by interview process (and peers make reasonable attempt thereof).
Basically, I think "kids" of any sort are the future, and these particular kids (not many 80-year-old terrorist bombers are around) are in a run-down, go-nowhere situation. This solution cohesively helps the parents-help-the-kids, and helps the kids-help-the-family. Very roundabout and full circle. By and large, families and kids just want to improve their lot, whether muslim, christian or otherwise, and this would diffuse a lot of animosities if everbody could mindfully rest that they're "taking care of their own", which is all that I want to do, and perhaps you, and perhaps any other schmuck in the world.
So, as you asked, that's King for a Day. PotUS for 4 Years is a whole 'nother matter, all together now.
<chorus> that's a whole 'nother matter, altogether now! </chorus> |
