Modest proposals for a proposed island
The Army Corps of Engineers wants to build a 100-acre island off the coast of Cleveland, for about $100m. -- of which $25m needs to come from local government.
Given the current setup, with a river that has to be dredged and a society that's agreed it's government's job, well, the toxic sludge has to go somewhere. We'd might as well get some acrage for it.
But what to do with it? I think we should make it the seat of local government. In 40 years, when the island is done, our leaders will be complaining that their municipal buildings are old and inefficient. Having a huge moat around them will be good for Homeland Security. We can bring people in on little motorboats, carefully screened. We can even house workers there. After all, the desire to rule others is a disease, and an island can help enforce a quarantine. When we finally weary of local government, we can mount a naval blockade and starve them out. And think of the charm in saying "The mayor was voted off the island".
Alternatively, we can build it exactly between the US and Canada, and make it the new UN headquarters. No cars to generate tickets that diplomats don't pay, no nightlife, no fun.
Comments