Budget Process Committee

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Um... so, yeah. I open this meeting of the Budget Process Committee.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sorry, what exactly are we supposed to be doing? I've had a look through my old PMs and I can't see anything clear on the subject.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Has anything been decided or debated before now? If so, I'd like it all in public, please.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Right.

First item on our agenda, then, will be to decide whether the budget should be a constitutional provision, or something created through ordinary legislation.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And, of course, it caused hell when it was a constitutional provision.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Bringing this matter to a vote. Aye or Nay. Then we can move onto the next item.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Aye in favour of making it a constitutional provision, nay against.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

May I ask, Mr. Chairman, what your reasoning is in desiring it to be a constitutional provision?

I do not want it to be a constitutional provision. In fact I'm probably more against that idea than anyone here. But we must do things properly.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I think that that's more than enough time. The committee has decided that the budget will not become a constitutional provision.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What is next?

I was about to ask for suggestions for how the process should work... but... um...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Did you mean the Atlas budget should not be as bad as the RL 2009-2010 budget due to the milder recession?

On the one hand, yes, obviously. On the other hand, Atlasia's economy would have been in a worse shape than the U.S's for most of our existence; political instability and a tendency to ignore economic policy will do that. Ideas?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The issue is that I've been here from the beginning, you see. We have technically had several armed uprisings. Which we can ignore, of course. I'd be happy to do so, but this is a debate we need to have...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I disagree with the direction this has taken and don't think that further participation - beyond gavel hammering - would be productive.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Too much their for ordinary Atlasians to follow. And if they can't follow, they don't care. And if they don't care, things can head into ritual rather than game.

I should note that I'm not going to be an obstructionist prick; I don't see myself as a political figure these days.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oh, you're actually doing things now?

Vote on whatever the motion is. Aye or Nay, as is traditional here.