SENATE BILL: Pacific Emergency Stimulus (Law'd)

[DemPGH]

I've been trying like hell to get discussion going on that constitution. I've edited it, tweaked it here and there, gone section-by-section, and broken it down into steps. So if it doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. If it does get done, then it gets done. Before me others made a concerted effort as well. When no one around you has any interest, I guess it's easy to look "feeble and inept."

I would never want to be financial manager or whatever of the region, but some of the infrastructure spending is a good place to start in looking for cuts, which is one reason why I'm holding off on the Rural Housing bill. We're going to go into the country and build houses for people? IDK.

[DemPGH]

Would anyone else be in favor of getting rid of the committee and putting this in the hands of one person, with oversight from the Senate? Committees tend to be useless bureaucracies in Atlasia that are usually incapable of getting any actual work completed.

I wouldn't be opposed to more control - maybe a two-man committee of PJ and Oakvale?

Since I edited the constitution and have been active, could I have a seat to make three instead of two?

[DemPGH]

I would like, just for the record, to remind you all of the Regional Legislative and Constitutional Amendment Authority Act of 2013 , and that I am an elected official of the Pacific Region.

The initiative process is the default method to protect the democratic process if the regional legislature invests its authority in the Senate, which to my knowledge it has not done.

Further, IV.1.iv of the Atlasian Constitution says,

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[DemPGH]

We are NOT forcing you to do anything suggested in this bill, but we will not give you all a dime if you do not follow any of the suggestions my administration and the senate are suggesting.

I am interested in turning the region around. It has been in the crapper for far too long and has hurt our economy, and that doesn't sit well with me. I want you all to be healthy and happy. You are free to pull back and refuse these suggestions, just understand we will not just give you all $85 billion of taxpayer money with no strings attached.

That's all reasonable; what I'm saying is that if I'm included in the conversations or committees or whatever, there's a much better chance I'll sign off on it so we save all that time. What I'm reading here is that there's a desire to give it to one person and then we all sign off on it. But IDK what's going on because the communication here has not been stellar. And all of this very sudden as though you've just realized we're having problems.

I want to see the region healthy and happy too - it's why I went there.

And we have a Constitution! The Third Pacific Constitution. Who told you we didn't have one? We do. It's not ideal, but we have one.

WHAT WE HAVE HERETOFORE NOT HAD IS A COUNCIL! A special envoy from your admin to fill out our council about 3 weeks ago would have fixed this, in all likelihood.

[DemPGH]

I figure that such a clause allows the administration and the Senate a bit more of a hand, but it's not necessary.

And as such it is very, very unconstitutional and I would strongly consider a legal challenge to it.

[DemPGH]

I should have prefaced my statement by saying that in the previous two administrations for which I worked there was some concern for the law. But, things change.

[DemPGH]

I figure that such a clause allows the administration and the Senate a bit more of a hand, but it's not necessary.

And as such it is very, very unconstitutional and I would strongly consider a legal challenge to it.

How would it be unconstitutional?

I'm not going to lay out a case beforehand because it certainly is headed in that direction, but none of this is constitutional. You can't brush aside a regional legislature because they are in a "crisis" and just enact whatever you want. Suspending the council was not constitutional, and the more I think about the more I think it might be getting time to get my ducks in a row for a case.

[DemPGH]

It would have to be coersive in nature for this to be unconstitutional, and it's not in the slightest. They may either follow the orders of the senate to secure the stimulus or chose not to and receive no money.
 

Suspending the council was not constitutional. And as to this, that's fine. We'll wait and see how reasonable or unreasonable your demands are.

[DemPGH]

I encourage those who can to reconsider. Throwing money at this problem WILL NOT fix it, and economic conservatives - if anyone - should see that!!

[DemPGH]

I encourage those who can to reconsider. Throwing money at this problem WILL NOT fix it, and economic conservatives - if anyone - should see that!!

I thought the whole purpose of this committee arrangement is to make sure we're not simply throwing money at the problem. Unemployment's finally on the way down, and the worse thing the government could do now is cut off assistance.

I know you favour Tyrion's Midwest/Pacific union plan, which may be a solution, but that's quite separate from this stimulus effort.

Regardless, I hope this difference of opinion won't affect our working relationship - the Pacific needs all the active people it can get right now.

No, as I've said, you've done a great job and have been very understanding.

My position is a result of having been in the trenches. If we're to be given money I say put it in storage until we have the activity level to sustain the region. This is ultimately about the region, and the merger plan, to me, is the best way to address the problem short and long term.