If you can't get people to set the clock on a VCR, how in the hell are you going to propose that they learn the metric system?

It's really not hard to convert from U.S. to Metric.  Ever heard of a calculator?  Ever heard of the web?

Since your so gung ho for metric, how many mils in a mm?

This is an excellent idea, but has been mandated by congress at least one time and the only thing that went metric was liquer bottles.

Reality Check, a few problems. First, metric is very easy. It is based on the number 10 (the same counting system you've used your whole life and the system of money) and requires no conversion factors.

Second, metric requires no calculators. This was brought up on the other metric idea. If someone buys a bag of fertilizer, and it covers 30 000 square feet, is that enough if my property is 1.5 acres? There are tons of examples. Converting between English and metric wouldn't be needed if we just used metric. Calculators and the internet aren't always available. And if they are metric doesn't require anything like that. All it requires is shifting the decimal point.

Third, the amount of mils in a millimeter are irrelevant, since mils are not metric. And even though they aren't, they are definitely base-10 (because there are 1 000 mils in an inch). But I can tell you the amount of millimeters in a centimeter: 10. And centimeters in a decimeter: 10. And the amount of decimeters in a meter: 10. And the amount of meters in a decameter: 10. And the amount of decameters in a hectometer: 10. And the amount of hectometers in a kilometer: 10.

Now, how about feet in a mile? Yards in a mile? Inches in a league? Furlongs in a mile? Furlongs in a league? Barleycorns in a rod?

I'd also like to point out that there is already another metric idea located here: it has more votes and it seems like, so far, more support. http://citizensbriefingbook.change.gov/ideas/viewIdea.apexp?id=087800000004m2I&srPos=1&srKp=087

Thank you Andrew37 but I'm quite familiar with the metric system (Base 10).  My point is quite simple:  Someone says that they live 50 miles from you.  Uh oh.  Government says that I have to use the Metric system so I have to convert miles to meters.  Good luck in getting a typical government high school graduate to do that math.  Learning the metric system involves the conversion from U.S. to metric!!!!

You will never convert every industry to metric.  Quit trying.  Go check out England if you would like an example of a bastardized system.  

Finally, next time you are on the highway, check out the mile marker signs.  If our goal is to "reduce our carbon footprint", then why are we going to drive to each sign, remove it, and install all new meter marker signs for all highways in all 50 states?  Can you say waste of time and energy?  That's only one small example.  

If we adopted the metric system they wouldn't live 50 miles from me they'd live 80 kilometers from me (meters are too small to be practical for large distances). There is no math required. Converting back to the old system is why metrication failed in the first place. True, it involes converting once. Miles to kilometers on the signs, Fahrenheit to Celsius on the weather reports, etc. Once people start thinking metric then we don't need conversions. For example, a door is 2 meters tall. The US is 4 000 kilometers end to end. Saying, "The US is 3 000 miles across, which is 4 000 kilometers" is the wrong way to do it.

Second, Engand's bastardized system IS our system. Feet, gallons, miles, pounds, yards, pints, and stones; although we don't use stones here.

Third, the carbon footprint from replacing signs is minimal. If people are concerned about their footprint they should carpool or take public transportation. Signs need to be replaced anyway. The carbon footprint is so small compared to everything else we do involving gasoline.

I implore people to vote on the idea here: http://citizensbriefingbook.change.gov/ideas/viewIdea.apexp?id=087800000004m2I&srPos=1&srKp=087

This way we can have all of our votes on one topic.