Mideast Assembly · Townhall Debate

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I would like to ask all of the Mideast Assembly members what they would do with the current surplus that is available via the budget, and why you would do so?

Well assuming that the public rail bill passes (which is a good assumption), that will be using up most, if not all of the surplus, so there's probably not going to be a surplus.  Or, I guess you could say that since I plan on voting for the bill, I would like to use the surplus on the railroad project.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I would like to ask a broad question about the topic of game reform at the regional level. Are there, in your view, parts of the regional constitution which should be amended? Or more generally, are there any aspects of the game which we should change?

We should pass the amendment that recently failed ratification, the Power to the People Amendment.  Only 15% of the region voted against that amendment; I think it's a good amendment that should be part of our constitution.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I would have been more than happy to host, but you indicated folks would rather have Senator X, and he accepted.

Someone sounds bitter.

For what it's worth, I would've supported having either (or both of you) as a moderator.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I would like to ask a broad question about the topic of game reform at the regional level. Are there, in your view, parts of the regional constitution which should be amended? Or more generally, are there any aspects of the game which we should change?

I think the game itself is fine, and game reform has a history of failure in Atlasia. Time spent drafting bills for game reform might very well be time wasted, in my opinion, however interesting the reform concepts might be.

I would like to ask all of the Mideast Assembly members what they would do with the current surplus that is available via the budget, and why you would do so?

I agree with LumineVonReuental that some of our surplus should spent on transportation and high speed rail, but I also believe that we should place some of our money into the Mideast's education system. The education system, the transportation system, and the information and infrastructure systems of the Mideast should be given more money from this excellent surplus that we currently have due to our budget.

Again, we don't actually have a surplus if the high speed rail bill passes.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I never said more than 5% of the region voted for the amendment.  I've never said the region supports the amendment.  I just disagree that it's clear that they really oppose it.

As for removing "So help me Dave" on religious freedom grounds, that's completely ludicrous, as it is objectively known that Dave exists.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm going to jump in quickly to add that once final calculations are made, we could very well still have a remaining surplus, so I hope candidates will still address that.

What are you proposing to cut (or add in taxes) that would lead to a surplus?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I never said more than 5% of the region voted for the amendment.  I've never said the region supports the amendment.  I just disagree that it's clear that they really oppose it.

Do you think it is at all likely that non-voters are 88% in favour? Because that's what you need to get a two-thirds majority.

As for removing "So help me Dave" on religious freedom grounds, that's completely ludicrous, as it is objectively known that Dave exists.

It is also objectively known that Nym90, Nate Silver, John Engle, &c exist.

And none of them have the power to keep this forum going.  No more Dave = no more Atlasia.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Considering the fact I follow two individuals, Jesus Christ and John Engle, I completely agree with a Person.

You follow two individuals?  What does that mean?  And really... John Engle?  Yeah, let's ban all lesbians... that'd be a great idea.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Considering the fact I follow two individuals, Jesus Christ and John Engle, I completely agree with a Person.

You follow two individuals?  What does that mean?  And really... John Engle?  Yeah, let's ban all lesbians... that'd be a great idea.

I should be able to follow and believe whoever I want - Atlasia should be a place where religious freedom is tolerated, not ostracized.

OK, and nobody is ostracizing religious freedom by requiring "So help me Dave" at the end of our oaths of office, because, without Dave's help, Atlasia (and all of us - at least in an Atlasian sense) would not exist.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Considering the fact I follow two individuals, Jesus Christ and John Engle, I completely agree with a Person.

You follow two individuals?  What does that mean?  And really... John Engle?  Yeah, let's ban all lesbians... that'd be a great idea.

I should be able to follow and believe whoever I want - Atlasia should be a place where religious freedom is tolerated, not ostracized.

OK, and nobody is ostracizing religious freedom by requiring "So help me Dave" at the end of our oaths of office, because, without Dave's help, Atlasia (and all of us - at least in an Atlasian sense) would not exist.

A Christian would use the same argument for our God, yet you don't see very many of us advocating Christianity as the official religion of America.

A Christian believes that God exists based on faith because there is no objective, verifiable proof of his existence.  There is objective, verifiable proof that an entity named "Dave Leip" created and maintains the Atlas and Atlasia.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Considering the fact I follow two individuals, Jesus Christ and John Engle, I completely agree with a Person.

You follow two individuals?  What does that mean?  And really... John Engle?  Yeah, let's ban all lesbians... that'd be a great idea.

I should be able to follow and believe whoever I want - Atlasia should be a place where religious freedom is tolerated, not ostracized.

OK, and nobody is ostracizing religious freedom by requiring "So help me Dave" at the end of our oaths of office, because, without Dave's help, Atlasia (and all of us - at least in an Atlasian sense) would not exist.

A Christian would use the same argument for our God, yet you don't see very many of us advocating Christianity as the official religion of America.

A Christian believes that God exists based on faith because there is no objective, verifiable proof of his existence.  There is objective, verifiable proof that an entity named "Dave Leip" created and maintains the Atlas and Atlasia.

Maintained. Past tense. Dave Leip has nothing to do with present-day Atlasia, and therefore "so help me Dave" doesn't really mean anything.

[e]-- Also, I'd like to note again -- Technically, we've had two Assemblypeople in the past six months who were serving illegally. How do you justify that?

"Maintained" as in past tense?  I think not.  Dave Leip has everything to do with present-day Atlasia.  He pays the server bills.  He upgrades the software.  He may not be as active as me and you, but he's still essential to the functioning of the site.

As for having two people serving illegally, I believe that as long as someone is sworn in in the spirit of the oath with only a word or two off, this satisfies the constitutional requirement.  If you disagree, feel free to challenge that legally.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

"Maintained" as in past tense?  I think not.  Dave Leip has everything to do with present-day Atlasia.  He pays the server bills.  He upgrades the software.  He may not be as active as me and you, but he's still essential to the functioning of the site.

I don't think you quite understand what the phrase "so help me [ · ]" means.

As for having two people serving illegally, I believe that as long as someone is sworn in in the spirit of the oath with only a word or two off, this satisfies the constitutional requirement.  If you disagree, feel free to challenge that legally.

So you wouldn't complain if I or one of the other candidates swore in without saying "so help me Dave"?

Would I say that it would prohibit you from exercising your duties as an Assemblyman?  Absolutely not.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

We need something.  The vote that's currently going on for the federal amendment isn't valid because we don't have a method of passing federal amendments.  At this point, the option is pass something or don't ratify federal amendments.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

If the choice is between not ratifying federal amendments for a couple weeks or outright antidemocratic shenanigans, I'll choose the former, thanks.

Yet you opted for the latter, voting in an election that had been started without any legal grounds for doing so.  Were you really eager to vote on the We Need More Political Parties Amendment, or did you just not realize that the booth had been improperly opened?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

If the choice is between not ratifying federal amendments for a couple weeks or outright antidemocratic shenanigans, I'll choose the former, thanks.

Yet you opted for the latter, voting in an election that had been started without any legal grounds for doing so.  Were you really eager to vote on the We Need More Political Parties Amendment, or did you just not realize that the booth had been improperly opened?

antidemocratic (adj) -- opposed to the principles or practice of democracy
democracy (n) -- form of government in which supreme power is vested in the people

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here.

You're talking about the people rejecting the Power to the People Amendment, yet you seemed willing to overrule their voice when you voted in the most recent federal amendment ratification.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

you seemed willing to overrule their voice when you voted in the most recent federal amendment ratification.

I still have no idea where you are getting this idea from…

Why did you vote in an illegally opened voting booth?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's antidemocratic to vote in a booth that exists contrary to the people's voice.  At least that's the extension of your arguments against me.