HOUSE BILL: The HELIOS Act (At Final Vote)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment H8:20 has been adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

As a concerned citizen(and presidential candidate), it's awful that the House gutted the great legislation sent to it by the Senate and then failed to even vote on it. The Senate legislation is broadly in line with my own vision for post high school education, though I'd prefer that it covers all post high school education, not just college. The critiques that the legislation was unfunded were partly IMO diversionary attacks just to undermine the legislation, however at the same time it would be preferable to fund it. I think a 4% surcharge on those with incomes over $5 million a year and a risk fee on all banks with over $50 billion in assets as well as on those with high debt levels or too much reliance on short-term funding. Other alternative suggestions for funding the proposal are welcome. Fundamentally I believe all Atlasians should have a quality education and the opportunity to prosper. The Federalists will say that it's too expensive or a waste, but the real cost and the real waste would be to not enact legislation like this and to deny Atlasians the opportunities they deserve.

This bill is actually still on the floor.

But is in violation of the paygo resolution unless and until it is provided with a funding mechanism.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Also before you bitch about Federalists, perhaps you should read through the thread and see how many times I tried to get the then Labor members to come to the table and discuss how to move forward. That doesn't even include several attempts via PM.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

As a concerned citizen(and presidential candidate), it's awful that the House gutted the great legislation sent to it by the Senate and then failed to even vote on it. The Senate legislation is broadly in line with my own vision for post high school education, though I'd prefer that it covers all post high school education, not just college. The critiques that the legislation was unfunded were partly IMO diversionary attacks just to undermine the legislation, however at the same time it would be preferable to fund it. I think a 4% surcharge on those with incomes over $5 million a year and a risk fee on all banks with over $50 billion in assets as well as on those with high debt levels or too much reliance on short-term funding. Other alternative suggestions for funding the proposal are welcome. Fundamentally I believe all Atlasians should have a quality education and the opportunity to prosper. The Federalists will say that it's too expensive or a waste, but the real cost and the real waste would be to not enact legislation like this and to deny Atlasians the opportunities they deserve.

This bill is actually still on the floor.

But is in violation of the paygo resolution unless and until it is provided with a funding mechanism.

It also appears to not have a sponsor? Unless I missed something somewhere.

Yes, it does need a new sponsor.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I like how the decision to pay for something is merely "preferable" rather than, you know, reality.

Especially if I am reading Truman's estimates correctly, the deficit is even worse than I expected.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

It's insane how negative you are. I'm saddened and disappointed for our country. I'd love to be able to talk honestly about the issues, but you don't seem to. My statement on the deficit.

The status quo just isn't good enough. Today's stunning revelations are yet more proof that Atlasia needs change. I won't pretend that this is OK or make excuses for it and try to pass the buck. When you're President, as a great President once said, the buck stops here. That's why I will look carefully at the budget to fix our fiscal situation and make the rich finally pay their fair share in taxes. It's just common sense.

Repetition doesn't make it any more reasonable.

We did the budget committee precisely so that we could find out what the situation was, before acting on it uninformed.

"You will look carefully at the budget" a budget you will only have to look at in the first place, because I ignored the critics and pushed ahead with the budget committee and the painstaking work that came afterwards to collect all those expenses.

I will point out that the BPC is not done. On the contrary, we have to reconcile Truman's numbers and find out the basis for them so that we can then input that data into the approved template and then move forward by having the committee vote on it and then having both chambers vote on it as well.

Only then will the budget restoration be complete and we will have a definitive number on anything, for any proposals to be based on.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Does the financial transactions tax apply to home sales?

Presently as the text is composed, no. I wrote it as such at first, but then removed it and limited it to just financial instruments. I do want a more effective and tighter wording, though obviously.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I apologize for not being able to fine tune the text yet. I had to deal with some important matters, including Mom's ashes being brought home and thus wasn't able to take full advantage of my day off on Friday like I had hoped.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This was proposed as a stand alone measure back in 2010 but it was rejected. At the time it was during the recessionary impacts, which were modeled in game and thus there was a concern about the impact on the banking sector and by extension the whole economy. I thus included in the provision allowing for it to be waived in such circumstances. While I do generally prefer to avoid increase taxes or redistributing wealth, I am keen on reducing financial speculation and the destabilizing effect that it has on conservative, main street Atlasia (the small business owners and their employees especially) and also on eliminating the barriers to education faced by many in these same communities.

My hope is rather than free college for all, which is inherently and naturally regressive, we can instead alleviated the financial burdens on productive and income earning trades, skills and degree fields faced by working and lower middle class Atlasians. That is the direction that this legislation has been taken and this amendment furthers in that direction by ensuring that such a limited and narrow program is funded and thus doesn't irresponsibly add to the deficit. Coincidentally, I would point out that the impact of rising interest rates on gov't debt, would naturally be negative for those holding lots of college debt.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor Feedback: Friendly
Status: Representatives have 24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor Feedback: Friendly
Status: Objection filed by PoliticalMasta, A vote is now open on the above Amendment, Representatives please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

to be clear, will my edit come to a vote?

Yes, it should already be listed on the Amendment tracker as a separate amendment. I link coded it last night for the post.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

AYE

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Amendment H11:03 by NC Yankee

Aye (3): NC Yankee, Wxtransit and Weatherboy
Nay (0):
Abstain (2): PoliticalMasta and ReaganClinton20xx

The amendment is adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor Feedback: None Given
Status: Awaiting Feedback

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Jake?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor Feedback: None Given
Status: A vote is now open on this amendment, Representatives please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

NAY

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Amendment H11:05:

Aye (3): Jake, PoliticalMasta and weatherboy
Nay (2): NC Yankee and Rfayette
Abstain (2): ReaganClinton and WxTransit

Didn't Vote (2): Oakvale and Peebs (a little too late)


The Amendment is adopted, barely.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Upon consideration of the recently passed  "Free Higher Education for Atlasia Act" by the Atlasia Senate, i motion a tabling of this bill.

 Why not just offer the Senate bill as a full text replacement amendment to this current one?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Upon consideration of the recently passed  "Free Higher Education for Atlasia Act" by the Atlasia Senate, i motion a tabling of this bill.

 Why not just offer the Senate bill as a full text replacement amendment to this current one?

Well? It would save a boat load of time.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Well, I could think of far better ways to format such, but at least you offered it.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Still need the sponsor's feedback, so hah, I don't have to update the notepad doc that will become the PM, once I finish going through the rest of the threads.