Free Time Makes Happy Act (Failed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Hans-im-Gluck

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I oppose this for several reasons. And while a bad idea in any time, it is especially bad right now with 12% unemployment. This will be an unconscionable drain on our small businesses at a time when they are coping with reduced sales, higher taxes, and exceedingly high standards with regards to credit, are we to know say, Do this also? How can we do that and not expect a rise in unemployment. It is time this Senate stop taking one step forward and then two steps back with every action it takes with regards to job creation. It is time we stop the castration of small business and instead work to fine ways to improve their situation.

The primary driver and reason why we can work less is advances in productivity to the point where it is economically beneficial to reduce the number of hours worked because the vacationing and tourism boosts the economy more then is lost in the production. However this is not the case here, no incentives to do anything differently or increase efficiency, just an arbitrary, unfunded, feel-good, counter-productive measure, the full force of which will full directly on small business and decrease the wages and employement of the poorest Americans.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I oppose this for several reasons. And while a bad idea in any time, it is especially bad right now with 12% unemployment. This will be an unconscionable drain on our small businesses at a time when they are coping with reduced sales, higher taxes, and exceedingly high standards with regards to credit, are we to know say, Do this also? How can we do that and not expect a rise in unemployment. It is time this Senate stop taking one step forward and then two steps back with every action it takes with regards to job creation. It is time we stop the castration of small business and instead work to fine ways to improve their situation.

The primary driver and reason why we can work less is advances in productivity to the point where it is economically beneficial to reduce the number of hours worked because the vacationing and tourism boosts the economy more then is lost in the production. However this is not the case here, no incentives to do anything differently or increase efficiency, just an arbitrary, unfunded, feel-good, counter-productive measure, the full force of which will full directly on small business and decrease the wages and employement of the poorest Americans.

And how would you feel about shortening the work day by an hour, then?

I would oppose that as well. Because that will hit the poor working class. Most businesses in this environment would just cut them back to 35 and thus it is a paycut for a people who have had no lack of those nasty little things recently.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I certainly see no need or benefit from joining Europe's dance of death at any point. For future reference, a damn good way of ensuring I be certainly opposing something is to say "Europe does it, so we should as well". God save us from the mess they are in.


In the future we can add maybe some paid vacation and sick leave but we have to keep in mind that some industries aren't suited to affording that. I will oppose fervently any attempt to reduce the work week.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I like Bacon King's idea. 1 or 2 weeks is my max.

I certainly see no need or benefit from joining Europe's dance of death at any point. For future reference, a damn good way of ensuring I be certainly opposing something is to say "Europe does it, so we should as well". God save us from the mess they are in.


In the future we can add maybe some paid vacation and sick leave but we have to keep in mind that some industries aren't suited to affording that. I will oppose fervently any attempt to reduce the work week.

Ha HA Ha

Very funny. i think you are living in a dream world. In the reality I have 6 weeks paid holidays and I don't think that Germany is economically at the end.

A long vacation is good to recover. The employee is then fresh and has more power to work. The pay of the leave (the average of the last three months) would motivate employees to do the overtime.

When the people have more vacation, then it would be very good for the tourism and other leisure activity. This would make a boom in this part of our economy.

Caution humor:
A long vacation makes peaceful. In the US you have not so many vacation and so you must go to the Army and invade a foreign countries to see them. With 6 weeks vacation you have the time to visit them.

It seems that Atlasia is the Workers nightmare. We can reduce the holiday from 6 to 4 weeks. For me it is not enough, but for Atlasia it would be a big progress.

As I recall, we only invaded Germany twice in the 20th century, and both times with very good reason. If we were to invade a country to get a vacation it wouldn't be Iraq and Afghanistan. It would be Bermuda, the Bahamas, France, Japan, Monaco, Italy, Spain, England, or Germany. Not a Desert and the mts of Central Asia.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I agree with Vepres. To not include that would lead to significant unemployement among people already suffering from ungodly high unemployment rates.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I think that companies with fewer then 75 should be exempted and that it not apply to workers who work less then 25 hours a week.


Are we ready to vote on Bk's amendment? If so, I will open a vote tonight.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Thou hath disturbed my rest up here, puny Libertas, You are smoted.

- PPT God

For the record, the description of someone's economic views as being "ignorant" is entirely subjective and dependent upon ones own economic belief. If Badger thinks that all you need is more gov't, that doesn't make him "ignorant". It just means that what he knows is wrong.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Well first off, I forgot to do something.



Hans do you accept BK's amendment as Friendly?

BK, do you accept Badger's secondary amendment to your amendment as friendly?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I think that companies with fewer then 75 should be exempted and that it not apply to workers who work less then 25 hours a week.


Are we ready to vote on Bk's amendment? If so, I will open a vote tonight.

Not quite, Mr. PPT. Based on your quite reasonable suggestion, I move to amend BK's amendment as follows:

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FYI: I allow every business to exclude 75 employees rather than merely limit the bill to businesses of 75+ full time employees. I don't want businesses with 75 employees already to balk at hiring employee number 76 because it would make the lae applicable to their entire workforce in one fell swoop. Presumably businesses would phase the requirements in on their most senior employees--many of whom may already have such vacation benefits granted by the company--but that's up to each employer to decide.

Excellent idea, I have been trying to think of way to deal with the concern of companies with 78 laying off three people or as your say a company not expanding beyond 75.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am sorry Dallas I forgot to change the topic line back.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

God DAMNIT!!!!! .


This stupid storm has flooded the phone box outside and has turned my normally bad internet connection into an unusable mess. I have to restart the computer everytime I post. So for now everyone just sit tight till this storm passes. 

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Offered by Senator Bacon King here

Senators a vote is now open on the above amendment, please vote AYE, NAY or Abstain. As soon as it is finished, we shall move on to Badgers. So don't vote against this because of something that Badger's fixes. Vote for both.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment has passed.


I will begin a vote on Badger's amendment later tonight.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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The above Amendment, proposed by Senator Badger, is now at vote, Senators please vote AYE, NAY, or Abstain

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

We are going back to regular debate after this not a final vote.


Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment has passed, regular debate resumes.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Two days later and nothing?


Ah, USELESS

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This bill is now at final vote, Please vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN


Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I change my vote to NAY.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

AYE.

If, I am correct you swore in on September 30th in the year of our lord 2010, then this vote cast on October 1st does not count as you are no longer a Senator.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

As of right now this has enough votes to pass. Senators have 24 hours to change their vote.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Damn it Badger, your false vote is still screwing me up. This bill is currently Tied 4-4-1

Aye (4): Bacon King, Bgwah, Franzl, and Hans-im-Gluck
Nay (4): AHDuke99, Dallasfan65, Libertas, and NC Yankee
Abstained (1): AndrewCT


Vacant Seats (1)

Vote is still ongoing.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Damn it Badger, your false vote is still screwing me up. This bill is currently Tied 4-4-1

Aye (4): Bacon King, Bgwah, Franzl, and Hans-im-Gluck
Nay (4): AHDuke99, Dallasfan65, Libertas, and NC Yankee
Abstained (1): AndrewCT


Vacant Seats (1)

Vote is still ongoing.

In a case of a tie, can the V.P. cast the tie-breaking vote?

Just asking, so don't get angry, as you uses do, Yank

Not untill the vote is finished. The only way a vote gets finished before seven days is up is when a clear majority (6 or more, or 5 in this case have voted Aye or Nay) since that hasn't occured the vote has to end as a tie. This has about two more days.

And yes,  I will get mad for insinuating that you somehow have the authority to regulate when I will or will not snap.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill is FAILed