26 votes

Armchair governing dictator - new rule for 2025 (fun)

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36 comments

  1. Gazook89
    Link
    The year is 2025. I usurp the throne from my 3 year old, and declare that clothes will be changed by 8am, again by 7pm each day, and at other occasional intervals such as needed for various swim...
    • Exemplary

    The year is 2025. I usurp the throne from my 3 year old, and declare that clothes will be changed by 8am, again by 7pm each day, and at other occasional intervals such as needed for various swim and dance classes. No fussing permitted. Everyone is happy, start times not missed, bedtimes accomplished within 15 minutes.

    End scene.


    Thanks for the question, it's good to have these crazy dreams every once in a while.

    33 votes
  2. [7]
    rosco
    Link
    Many of the global or federal level issues tend to be wicked problems with lots of externalities and effects that are above my pay grade, so I'm joining much lower on the totem pole. I'd be...

    Many of the global or federal level issues tend to be wicked problems with lots of externalities and effects that are above my pay grade, so I'm joining much lower on the totem pole.

    I'd be joining our town's municipal city council and enacting a vacancy tax - both residential and commercial. I live in an odd combination of vacation town, retirement town, and more recently, investment town. Of the roughly 12,000 homes available in the town limits, only around half are lived in full time. New buyers tend to be investors or retirees, and a solid quarter of the town is owned by 4 linage lines - or "the golden sperm club" as they are colloquially known. New projects are scuttled by NIMBYism and water restrictions, so new construction and high density construction is effectively nonexistent. Prospective retirees continue to sit on properties they leave vacant (including 3 of the 4 houses surrounding our own), unregulated airbnbs continue to expand in the face of municipal regulations to limit them, while the viable housing stock (both to rent and own) dwindles.

    This has caused rents to skyrocket (~50-100% in the last 3 years) and the rental market to remain tiny, even with the incredible number of vacant homes. A progressive vacancy tax (increasing percentages based on duration of vacancy) would either garner a war chest of taxes for the city government to put towards new high density, non-market housing projects or drastically increase the number of affordable rentable properties in the town. The real magic would be the combination that would likely occur.

    This vacancy tax would also apply in our downtown area where we currently have a 35% commercial vacancy rate - on our main street! Again this would help to lower rents for prospective businesses, making their endeavors less risky and their goods potentially more affordable. And for us living in town, it makes for a more vibrant and community oriented downtown.

    So while it would likely be unpopular (hence the magic policy window of this thread) a vacancy tax would have by far and away the biggest impact on the local community.

    31 votes
    1. [2]
      patience_limited
      Link Parent
      I think we may live in the same small city, and I'm 100% behind your plans. Too many friends who are driving 30+ miles per day because they're priced out of anything near where they work.

      I think we may live in the same small city, and I'm 100% behind your plans. Too many friends who are driving 30+ miles per day because they're priced out of anything near where they work.

      9 votes
      1. rosco
        Link Parent
        Yeah, it's ridiculous. We have a contingent of folks here who love to lean on their 2 favorite talking points: "Not everyone gets to drive a Mercedes and not everyone gets to live here!" combined...

        Yeah, it's ridiculous. We have a contingent of folks here who love to lean on their 2 favorite talking points: "Not everyone gets to drive a Mercedes and not everyone gets to live here!" combined with "No one wants to work anymore, they should be taking these jobs and get off benefits". Some how they've missed the fact that spending 2 hours a day driving and $50 in gas isn't worth the minimum wage we offer here. It's pretty exhausting.

        6 votes
    2. [4]
      arctanh
      Link Parent
      Not to poke holes in your suggestion, but solely because I'm uninformed on the topic: how would such a tax be enforced/reported? Surely property owners would be incentivized to lie in an...

      Not to poke holes in your suggestion, but solely because I'm uninformed on the topic: how would such a tax be enforced/reported? Surely property owners would be incentivized to lie in an honor-based system, so would there be regular check-ins by officials?

      I do like the idea, though. I'm getting pretty jaded by the consolidation of housing by relatively few companies/individuals in my town, too.

      5 votes
      1. rosco
        Link Parent
        Holes appreciated! I was noodling that yesterday after I posted and came up with a combination approach - initial flags through utility usage (as @shinigami had suggested) with physical checks...

        Holes appreciated! I was noodling that yesterday after I posted and came up with a combination approach - initial flags through utility usage (as @shinigami had suggested) with physical checks similar to how our town currently enforces the AirBnb restrictions.

        I'm sure folks will slip through the net. It's not intended to be a catch all, just enough to push the majority into renting, selling, or paying the tax. The purpose isn't to punish folks for owning, but encourage them to join/support the local community.

        7 votes
      2. [2]
        shinigami
        Link Parent
        I mean, it's very obvious to something like the municipality whether or not a home sits vacant. It's doesn't really draw power, it has little to no water consumption. A single person living in a...

        I mean, it's very obvious to something like the municipality whether or not a home sits vacant. It's doesn't really draw power, it has little to no water consumption.

        A single person living in a studio apartment uses more power and water than a vacant home.

        Could you game this system, and have someone show up to your vacant investment home and run the power and water too make it appear lived in? Sure, but that's a lot of extra work and cost that probably exceeds this proposed vacancy tax.

        6 votes
        1. GenuinelyCrooked
          Link Parent
          Also if there's obviously water and power hooked up to a home that is frequently vacant, that's pretty appealing for squatters, which I'm in favor of in this situation. Someone gets a home and...

          Also if there's obviously water and power hooked up to a home that is frequently vacant, that's pretty appealing for squatters, which I'm in favor of in this situation. Someone gets a home and someone else faces repercussions for hoarding that resource.

          3 votes
  3. [2]
    Deely
    (edited )
    Link
    I have no idea how to improve one country or world with one rule or regulation that will not backfire or will be twisted in a some way. So... Any software or hardware that become obsolete, or...

    I have no idea how to improve one country or world with one rule or regulation that will not backfire or will be twisted in a some way. So... Any software or hardware that become obsolete, or unsupported after period of time, let's say 3 years should be open sourced. Same for books, movies, etc. If you don't sell it, in any way, then it should be public domain.

    Upd: lets make it 5 year without restriction. Any creative thing should become fully open source. Thats all.

    14 votes
    1. BroiledBraniac
      Link Parent
      Think that's the best of both worlds, especially if it had been enacted 20 years ago prior to the rise of social media. Corporations can try to dig their heels in with first-mover advantage but it...

      Think that's the best of both worlds, especially if it had been enacted 20 years ago prior to the rise of social media. Corporations can try to dig their heels in with first-mover advantage but it forces them to keep innovating or die.

      3 votes
  4. [3]
    first-must-burn
    Link
    I tried to think of a serious answer but couldn't, so I'm going with this: I become Queen of America. I institute UFN - Universal Free Nachos. Government-funded 24-7-365 establishments are...

    I tried to think of a serious answer but couldn't, so I'm going with this:

    I become Queen of America. I institute UFN - Universal Free Nachos. Government-funded 24-7-365 establishments are established in towns and cities across the nation where anyone can get as many nachos as they want with a variety of toppings, completely free. A national committee of dads is tasked with naming them things like Nacho Ordinary Dinner and Chip Off The Old Block. There would be takeout and delivery options and mail service options (DIY ingredient kits) for rural residents.

    Not only is the building and staffing an economic stimulus, but ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible, leading to a major surge in urban farming. Instead of suing each other in court, people work out their differences over nachos. Peace ensues, and no child ever grows up in ignorance of the joys of melted cheese.

    13 votes
    1. Weldawadyathink
      Link Parent
      When Trump first ran for president, he promised that if Hillary won, there would be a taco truck on every corner. I have never been more disappointed. I want my taco trucks! I will happily vote...

      When Trump first ran for president, he promised that if Hillary won, there would be a taco truck on every corner. I have never been more disappointed. I want my taco trucks! I will happily vote for you for Queen of America!

      6 votes
    2. rosco
      Link Parent
      I've got the regulatory anthem! "I put my hand upon your chip. When I dip, you dip, we dip!"

      I've got the regulatory anthem!

      "I put my hand upon your chip. When I dip, you dip, we dip!"

      4 votes
  5. stu2b50
    Link
    As dictator in chief of the US, I would more or less copy the Japanese Zoning Regulations, or lackthereof, compared to the current state of the US. In particular, like in Japan, zoning power would...

    As dictator in chief of the US, I would more or less copy the Japanese Zoning Regulations, or lackthereof, compared to the current state of the US. In particular, like in Japan, zoning power would broadly be wrestled to be controlled at a national level, so that the local democratic power of homeowners (e.g, NIMBYism) is weakened.

    11 votes
  6. [4]
    aphoenix
    Link
    I will be the Mighty and Supreme Leader of Canada and the hill I will die on for love of country is Electoral Reform. Our current first-past-the-post system is a travesty, especially since we have...

    I will be the Mighty and Supreme Leader of Canada and the hill I will die on for love of country is Electoral Reform.

    Our current first-past-the-post system is a travesty, especially since we have 4 or even 5 viable options for federal politics. The unfortunate reality is that one can have a majority government where 60% of the populace voted against the party that ends up in power.

    I am not a political expert, and I'm not 100% sure what system would be best, but I would likely lean towards a Proportional Representation system.

    The irony of being made a supreme dictator and then implementing a rule to prevent dictatorships is not lost on me.

    10 votes
    1. [4]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [3]
        DefinitelyNotAFae
        Link Parent
        Really? Are you sure? ⊙.☉

        Really? Are you sure? ⊙⁠.⁠☉

        3 votes
        1. [2]
          Interesting
          Link Parent
          When I put my phone in my pocket, sometimes it decides to type on its own.

          When I put my phone in my pocket, sometimes it decides to type on its own.

          3 votes
  7. [3]
    shinigami
    Link
    Dictator in Chief of the US? The removal of money from politics. Specifically ripping Citizen's United out of our country and into the sun. But in a more strict sense, "Politicians can only take...

    Dictator in Chief of the US?

    The removal of money from politics. Specifically ripping Citizen's United out of our country and into the sun. But in a more strict sense, "Politicians can only take donations from individual people up to a [X]USD, and must be 100% publically disclosed. Corporate donations or sponsorships of any kind are prohibited."

    I think this one change would have a massive cascade for the better for all of the US. It eliminates the need for fundraising juggernauts (the two primary parties). It removes lobbying of basically any form. Ideally that would mean that instead of politicians chasing money, they instead work for their constituents.

    8 votes
    1. [2]
      DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      Go back to public funding of campaigns. Let people donate their time, not their money, to politics.

      Go back to public funding of campaigns. Let people donate their time, not their money, to politics.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        Comment removed by site admin
        Link Parent
        1. DefinitelyNotAFae
          Link Parent
          I just think if we're getting rid of donors, we get rid of all donors and have funded campaigns again. It is a standard paid job though..but unless we want to hire a President via HR, the campaign...

          I just think if we're getting rid of donors, we get rid of all donors and have funded campaigns again.

          It is a standard paid job though..but unless we want to hire a President via HR, the campaign bit is built in at this point.

          2 votes
  8. X08
    (edited )
    Link
    Sorry Netherlands but, we're completely stripping politicians of wealth. Being a politician is about a sober life of thought of what benefits people in all stages and corners of life. Removing the...

    Sorry Netherlands but, we're completely stripping politicians of wealth. Being a politician is about a sober life of thought of what benefits people in all stages and corners of life. Removing the incentive to let politics become something that can generate wealth does not belong. This means no bribes, futures or promises of wealth either. You resign the opportunity to ever have money over the welfare/benefits level. Earning more (now or in the future) will end you in prison for life.

    Therefore the separation of power and wealth is henceforth put in place!

    And with that, I'll leave my place of dictatorship because I never really want to be in a place of power. I just want people to live happily together.

    8 votes
  9. TheMeerkat
    Link
    Any answer that does not directly address climate change and our upcoming near-inevitable extinction is non-viable, IMO. However, since this is tagged with fun and not be a serious downer, let's...

    Any answer that does not directly address climate change and our upcoming near-inevitable extinction is non-viable, IMO. However, since this is tagged with fun and not be a serious downer, let's be creative. I'll assume this is an alternate universe where the world is no longer ending and basic needs are taken care of.

    As Grand Benevolent Dictator of the United States for one single day, I'd establish a national service and civic engagement program aimed at redefining what it means to be an American citizen. This wouldn't quite be a mandatory draft (though I would find some way to make it extremely encouraged without necessarily forcing you into it), but an open, flexible opportunity for anyone aged 18 to 28 to engage in meaningful service across a range of pathways: rebuilding broken communities, helping the environment, or contributing to innovation and infrastructural challenges we face. Think of it as a multifaceted, mandatory-adjacent national project where young people could do anything from teaching in rural schools, to restoring forests, to working on our crumbling bridges.

    Participants would earn a bonus to their Universal Basic Income (which I'm skipping over because, again, fun alternate universe where we don't have to worry about boring things like "our people dying from starvation") and access to skill-building opportunities--all within a flexible commitment ranging from six months to two years, depending on the project. The program would be designed to include and empower people from all backgrounds and abilities.

    Why focus on this? Because it could address so many tangled issues at once. At a time when societal polarization is as deep as it has ever been, a program like this would create shared experiences that bridge geographic, economic, and cultural divides. It would give young people not just practical skills and career opportunities, but also a deeper sense of connection to their fellow citizens and the challenges facing us. By channeling human energy into areas like education, sustainability, and innovation, we'd be planting seeds for long-term growth and individual development. Also, moral responsibility and anti-apathy.

    More than anything, it's about turning citizenship into something active and collaborative rather than passive or boorishly tribalistic. Of course, I'm aware this is the kind of grand vision that lives and dies in the fine print. Implementation would demand thoughtful design, robust funding, and a keen eye for avoiding bureaucratic pitfalls. But that's also not fun, so I won't worry about that here.

    It's like pitching America as a startup for collective good--mission-driven, skill-focused, and full of potential for collaboration. Would it fix everything? No. Not even most things, probably--adults with decades of experience are probably better-positioned, intellectually speaking, to fix Major Problems™. But in my fleeting moment as Grand Benevolent Dictator, I'd like to think it would offer a little more connection, joy, and imagination. And anything that kicks apathy's ass is basically the best metagoal we can have.

    6 votes
  10. lelio
    Link
    Easy simple solutions are usually not viable in social situations, but since this is for fun, I have one idea. If I were a single issue leader of the federal government of the United States, I...

    Easy simple solutions are usually not viable in social situations, but since this is for fun, I have one idea.

    If I were a single issue leader of the federal government of the United States, I would propose raising the top tax bracket back to 70% or more.

    All the infrastructure for income tax is already in place, nothing new needs to be made. We are just changing one number. It seems like the smallest, simplest change we could make that could have a huge impact.

    We could try to sell it to conservatives as a return to the 1960s financial era, when, many of them apparently believe, America was "great" .

    I would also try to remove any capital gains exemptions, so that all profit, even from investment, would be subject to the same income tax.

    To soften the blow we could have the rate raised by a small amount each year. Until it gets to at least 70%. We can reassess its effects periodically.

    The benefit might be more income for the government, which could help pay down debt and counteract inflation. Or possibly increase spending on social programs.

    It's very likely rich people would just rearrange their finances so that they make less profit. And the government wouldn't get that much more money.

    But changing rich peoples incentives would be the whole point. If huge profit was no longer possible, what might companies invest their revenue in? We also have some control over that with tax law.

    Ideally if there were diminishing returns on profit anyway, companies might invest their revenue in things that provide more long term security. They could pay their employees more, to retain experienced and quality employees. They could also make higher quality products, to build their brand's reputation. invest in long term efficiency, and sustainability, etc.

    It just seems like so much of our issues are based on inequality and short term profit seeking. If we could dampen that down by changing one number why not try?

    5 votes
  11. [3]
    scherlock
    (edited )
    Link
    US. Pass new apportionment act that. Number of representatives a state has is population divided by 50k, rounded up Population of districts must be within .1% of each other for each district in a...

    US.

    Pass new apportionment act that.

    1. Number of representatives a state has is population divided by 50k, rounded up
    2. Population of districts must be within .1% of each other for each district in a state
    3. Districts must be compact
    4. Districts must be continuous
    5. Elections use rank choice
    5 votes
    1. [2]
      boxer_dogs_dance
      Link Parent
      I would also lift the cap on the house of representatives. We need more equivalent representation between states.

      I would also lift the cap on the house of representatives. We need more equivalent representation between states.

      1 vote
      1. scherlock
        Link Parent
        That was set in the apportionment act of 1929 which this would replace, so there would no longer be a cap. It would also end gerrymandering with compact districts and make corporate lobbying at...

        That was set in the apportionment act of 1929 which this would replace, so there would no longer be a cap. It would also end gerrymandering with compact districts and make corporate lobbying at least 100x more expensive and difficult but local lobbying would be significantly easier.

        1 vote
  12. GenuinelyCrooked
    Link
    I don't feel like I know enough about the political situation in Sweden yet to start meddling, but I know exactly what I would do as Supreme Ruler of America. We're getting rid of the "Justice"...

    I don't feel like I know enough about the political situation in Sweden yet to start meddling, but I know exactly what I would do as Supreme Ruler of America.

    We're getting rid of the "Justice" System and installing instead a "Peace and Compassion System". This is going to have a lot of moving parts, all of them equally important. We're going to tackle criminogenic conditions so we prevent crime before it even happens. We're going to establish trade schools, educational programs, and jobs programs. There is work to do, and people who need work, and we're going to connect those dots to make it easier to live in way that helps society instead of harming it. We're going to treat drug addiction as a public health issue, not a criminal issue, and those affected will receive free treatment, which will likely be assisted by the jobs program. We're going to take "white collar crime" much more seriously - wage theft, embezzlement, other currently unaddressed forms of exploitation. If you're found guilty of one of these crimes, you're banned from holding a position in which you would be capable of committing them ever again. If you're in charge of someone who commits one of these crimes once, and can prove you didn't know about it, you get to keep going. If it happens twice, you're banned as well, you should be paying more attention. No prison time or anything, you can basically just never get promoted to any level of management or above, and your assets above a reasonable living wage are confiscated and distributed amongst the people affected by your crimes. That should take care of quite a lot of poverty all on its own. We'll also work on lead abatement and other environmental toxins that might be negatively affecting impulse control, and contact sports with significant risk of head trauma are banned.

    The buildings that used to be prisons and the resources that used to go towards keeping people in inhumane conditions will be retrofitted into these hospitals and educational centers, and made significantly more comfortable in doing so. There will still be some people who are dangerous and need to be sequestered from the public, but they will be kept in comfortable conditions conducive to both physical and mental health. They will be restricted only so much as is required to keep others safe, not to save money or inflict suffering. They will receive mental healthcare and if it is possible to rehabilitate them, we will work to do so. We'll be spending quite a lot of research resources on determining how feasible this is.

    The police force that we have will be completely transformed. There will be an extremely small, extremely well-trained group that will still have guns and weapons and will be able to respond to violent threats, but their priority will be conflict de-escalation and preservation of life. They'll have all the equipment required to asses questionable scenes, like for example if they think someone might be holding a gun, but it's actually a toy gun or a cell phone or a toy truck. Some pretty good binoculars should do the trick. They will be deployed only in the event of an acute, violent threat, such as a mass shooting or hostage situation. Whenever possible, less volatile situations will be handled by unarmed personnel trained specifically for the issue that they are responding to. Social workers with psychological training will handle issues like truancy and mental health crises. Trained fact-finders whose only priority is determining the truth will be dispatched in the event of a crime that has already occurred and cannot be prevented. Traffic "cops" will be pairs that consist of one trained mechanic and one social worker. They'll address moving violations like speeding and drunk driving by discussing the motivations with the driver, and assisting where possible. The mechanic can address busted tail lights, blinkers, and other issues, and bill the driver a reasonable fee for any parts needed. These pairs will drive tow-trucks rather than pursuit vehicles.

    The courts will be reworked so that true information is prioritized, first in determining what has occurred, and second in determining what can be done to remedy the situation. Fact finders will present any evidence that they can find to the jury, and will receive no benefit for "conviction" or "acquittal" (not sure if we'd still call them that) but rather for thoroughness and accurate conveyance of the information that they find. Panels of impartial experts will review this information and advise juries. Anyone fact-finders or experts found to have purposefully misrepresented evidence will no longer be able to participate in this process and will need to find other work. Anyone found to have done to unintentionally more than twice will no longer be able to participate in this process. I don't know how to fix juries, but we'll work on that as well.

    "Sentencing" will not be done in simple terms of years or fines or community service. It will focus first on making victims whole, second on rehabilitating the offender, and a distant third on deterrence. Most crimes will result in therapy for the victim and offender, and the offender working to restore what they've taken from the victim. If that would require interaction with the victim that the victim does not feel comfortable with, the offender will be directed to alleviate that suffering in a more abstract way. For example an assailant who has a background in IT may be required to volunteer doing IT work for a clinic that treats PTSD in victims of assault.

    4 votes
  13. Raspcoffee
    Link
    Mmm, this one is difficult. My country, the Netherlands, has some problems that are difficult to solve without really, really pissing off one demographic or the other. That said - ending the huge...

    Mmm, this one is difficult. My country, the Netherlands, has some problems that are difficult to solve without really, really pissing off one demographic or the other. That said - ending the huge factory farms for livestock, at least to the point we produce enough for ourselves rather than export, would be on my list. They slurp subsidies up, which would be far better to use to make other farms more sustainable, construct housing, and more. They're also really bad for the environment and don't get me started on the way they deal with the animals. :|

    Nationalizing some parts of healthcare (ideally all but that'd be a fuckton in one go) would also be high on the list.

    On something more EU-wide, streamlining our systems of rules, particularly for IT, would do us all well. The way our economies interact with each other is so complex that it's... not helpful to keep it all separate. Another one would be to have the EU parliament being able to write its own legislative proposals. The backroom politics is really not sustainable.

    4 votes
  14. [3]
    updawg
    Link
    I become ruler of the world and now everyone has to work together to make everything better for everyone and if you're ever not making everything better for everyone, the police will have to take...

    I become ruler of the world and now everyone has to work together to make everything better for everyone and if you're ever not making everything better for everyone, the police will have to take you to jail. And they have to continue making everything better for everyone the entire time, otherwise the secret police will get them. And if the secret police don't keep making everything better for everyone the whole time...the double secret police will be after them.

    3 votes
  15. Boojum
    Link
    If I were dictator of the world, or at least the US, I'd start a Manhattan project/moonshot type program to get us off this rock. Colonizing Mars, asteroids, and viable moons within the solar...

    If I were dictator of the world, or at least the US, I'd start a Manhattan project/moonshot type program to get us off this rock. Colonizing Mars, asteroids, and viable moons within the solar system would be a good first step, but I'd also want the program to massively fund advanced physics research to brainstorm any remotely plausible hypothetical FTL mechanisms. I'd expect that advanced energy production (e.g., fusion) would be a nice by-product of this program.

    Basically, I want all the cool optimistic sci-fi stuff I read about or watched as a kid, and I'd like some redundancy in case anything catastrophic happens to Earth.

    3 votes
  16. sparksbet
    Link
    If we're loose with the definition of "your", I would take control of Norway and make them have trans healthcare require only informed consent and be inclusive of nonbinary people. Their abysmal...

    You're being voted in to govern your school / uni / workforce / county / state / country.

    If we're loose with the definition of "your", I would take control of Norway and make them have trans healthcare require only informed consent and be inclusive of nonbinary people. Their abysmal policies when it comes to trans healthcare are one of the main reasons my wife and I haven't moved there (and while it's not my home country, it is my wife's).

    3 votes
  17. Wafik
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    I become the dictator of the Dominion of Canada and my one act will be to make it illegal punishable by death to charge money for anything type of healthcare. This includes dental care, mental...

    I become the dictator of the Dominion of Canada and my one act will be to make it illegal punishable by death to charge money for anything type of healthcare.

    This includes dental care, mental health care, etc. so many of our healthcare problems are rich assholes trying to destroy our system by under funding so that they can say, see, this is broken and push private paid options.

    Fuck Doug Ford.

    2 votes
  18. Tigress
    Link
    My country (USA). And change how voting is done, forget this first past the post bullshit. We will find a new way to vote that doesn't encourage just two parties to take control and doesn't allow...

    My country (USA). And change how voting is done, forget this first past the post bullshit. We will find a new way to vote that doesn't encourage just two parties to take control and doesn't allow certain states more power even though their population is less.

    There's a lot of shit wrong with my country right now but I think that would go a long way in the long run to right it and make it much better.

    2 votes
  19. Comment removed by site admin
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