There are three national policies in Colombia that I think are a great idea that would make both the ACLU and The Tea Party either cry or set themselves on fire, or both.
1-National Identification Cards-Every single person living in Colombia is required to have an identification card. This has a person's picture and reason for being in the country. No matter where you are from and why you are here, you get ID and you are required to have it on you at all times. I think in the US, this is a great idea and if implemented, can help solve the immigration issue. My idea? Let anyone who wants to go to the US, do so and get an ID card and work permit. This way, there is a record of everyone in the country.
2-No Alcohol Sold On Any Election Day-You read correctly, in Colombia it is illegal to sell alcohol starting 24 hours before an election until 6am the day after an election. I asked a few people about why this law is in place and they said it is because people need to be clear headed when choosing elected officials. Imagine if this rule was instituted in the US? At the very least, people would become more involved in elections just to find out why they can't get beer for Monday night football.
3-Restrictions On Driving-In Cartagena (not sure if this is true for Colombia as a whole) cars are allowed to be on the road in a rotation based on their license plate number. For example, even number plates are not allowed to drive during noon and 2pm on alternate days. (I will admit that this idea will work best in cities and states with large transit systems.) I think having restrictions on when people can drive can help the environment and encourage people to ride buses, trains and maybe even ride a bike once in a while.
