Mideast Assembly Thread

[RIP Robert H Bork]

aye

[RIP Robert H Bork]

The dean I think is either HW or A-Bob.

Of course Barnes suggested in his assembly thread that since there's only one candidate (Inks), we might as well just declare him speaker. What do the other Assemblymen think?

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Hm...very hard choice, because both are great candidates.

afleitch, although I have nothing against Hashemite...again, both would be acceptable as Constitutional Convention delegates.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

aye

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Huzzah! I finally get to propose this thing.

The Affordable Energy
and Environmental Protection Act

[snip]

You have some good ideas in sections 3 and 5. I don't know whether I can support the other sections of the bill, however.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

I think that for budget purposes, it ought to be considered as four months.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Assembly, I hate to be pushy and annoying, but we really need to get a budget finished soon. Our first decision needs to be whether we are considering four months on here 4 years or 4 months. I guess we'll just have to hope other regions and the federal government follow suit, and if they don't, I suppose we'll reform ours. After making that decision, I'd suggest appointing a certain section of the budget to all 5 Assembly members and give them a couple days to write up their parts. Then we bring them all together and discuss them. If we still have more parts to do, I guess we could assign some more out until we have a completed budget. Then we'll put it all together and vote on it.

 Does that plan sound good?

I suppose so. I recommend that we consider 4 months as 4 months because it's less confusing. We deal with the budget once every 4 months, and if we consider 4 months as 4 years, that would mean that we could be dealing with 2013/4 as we speak, and the 2020 budget will be written in 2011, an idea that I don't support. Moreover, I think that the federal government itself has the same system, but I'm not speaking with certainty there.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

So now, would we like to divy up the budget to the 5 members?

We need to resolve who's dealing with which parts of the bill, then.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Seems good. I'm assuming all of the numbers are cut by 1/4?

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Energy
Total: $2.85 Billion
$2 Billion: Loans to be granted to energy companies that have a responsible environmental track record and are seriously attempting to develop clean energy alternatives.
$1 Billion: Fund for alternative energy
$1 Billion: Updating the Mideast's current energy infrastructure
$500 Million: Refitting all government buildings to run on clean energy
$250 Million: Refitting all government vehicles (cars, planes, etc.) to run on clean energy

So, basically, the new section gives loans to fossil fuel emitters who have a good environmental record and are in the process of developing clean energy fuels. Thankfully, this would be many businesses in the ME.

Don't you mean 4.75 billion?

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Commendable work on the budget, guys!

I'm just curious, though. Has there been any discussion or (more importantly) communication with the GM to determine what the Region's actual revenue is? Planning on spending structure is all fine and good, but the hard decisions come from when---inevitably---there is more spending sought than revenue allows.

Good thought. That means I was right not to post my part of the budget yet--I think we do need to determine our revenue first.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

We figured if we decided our spending levels, then we could go onto setting taxes to have enough revenue.

I'm skeptical of that idea. If possible, we should know our revenue as it stands now, and base our budget on that.

It certainly wouldn't hurt if we did figure out our current revenue, anyway.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Thank you, Governor. Unfortunately, it doesn't have anything about Mideastern revenue, only federal.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

This is off-subject, but it's something that we probably should address fairly quickly. It looks like the Senate will be passing a law abolishing a federal drinking age, so we'll need to set one here. My personal recommendation is 18, but I'd be willing to listen to other arguments.

Isn't the federal drinking age currently 18?

In that case, I say we keep it at 18, no more and no less.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

This is off-subject, but it's something that we probably should address fairly quickly. It looks like the Senate will be passing a law abolishing a federal drinking age, so we'll need to set one here. My personal recommendation is 18, but I'd be willing to listen to other arguments.

Isn't the federal drinking age currently 18?

In that case, I say we keep it at 18, no more and no less.

It's going to be abolished though, it appears. The vote is passing.

I'll wait until the bill passes into law, and if it does, I'll write the bill promptly.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

When do new members get sworn in?

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[RIP Robert H Bork]

A-Bob

[RIP Robert H Bork]

I hope that we can vote on it as soon as possible.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Aye on the nomination.

I think the vote hasn't started yet.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Aye on the nomination.

I think the vote hasn't started yet.

I know we have the budget to fight over, but first we still need to confirm BBF to the Superior Court. If there aren't any objections I will move it to a vote

Well, that's open to interpretation. There aren't any objections yet, but I think he's just waiting if any will appear; he also said he "will" move it to a vote; had the vote been open already, I think he would have voted by now.

Anyway, I'll also vote yes once the matter is cleared.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

After Big Bad Fab is voting on for Superior Court Judge, we need to develop a regional drinking age limit, since it was recently abolished at the federal level.

Well, it's not quite the law yet (it's still awaiting the president's signature). That said, it's a veto-proof majority, so it's bound to become law.

Anyway...I'll write the bill once we have fab confirmed. However, I won't introduce it until the time comes, if you get what I mean.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Aye.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

After Big Bad Fab is voting on for Superior Court Judge, we need to develop a regional drinking age limit, since it was recently abolished at the federal level.

Don't we already have a regional drinking age I assume?

Oh, correct. https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Mideast_Alcohol_Age_Restrictions_Statute

That said, there may be some voices in the Assembly who want to reconsider this law, but we do have regional drinking laws.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

I honestly can't see myself signing any bill that would strip the Governor one of his most important positions.

Well, it's obvious that you wouldn't move to reduce your own powers

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Just in case some of you didn't notice, there is a vote going.

Something I'll throw out there....
What would y'alls thoughts be on keeping a government appointment, but requiring the appointee to be confirmed by the Assembly with at least 2 votes? (Keep in mind there will only be 4 Assemblymen)

Well, it's a moot point because the final vote is already underway. I can't say I'd support this measure, either.