Northeast Assembly Thread

[cinyc]

I have introduced a bill that would give Governor Morgan authority to put a volunteer police force into the streets for the moment with the police on strike. I urge the assembly bring it up to the floor as quickly as possible.

Is that a motion to immediately bring the bill to the floor simultaneously with this bill or after the current bill is off the floor?

[cinyc]

The vote on the following proposed constitutional amendment is now open:

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This vote shall remain open until the earlier of 8:40 AM Eastern on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, or when all Representatives shall have voted.  Note that because this is a proposed Amendment, a higher vote requirement applies for passage.

[cinyc]

Nay

[cinyc]

To the Lt. Governor and Speaker:


Hey Guys, Andrew sent me a Facebook message today saying that he is unable to log into the Forum and isn't missing votes intentionally. As you might be aware, other people (including me!) are having the same problem.

As am I, except from my cell phone.

We might have to hold this vote open a bit until things are fixed.

[cinyc]

Because of the login difficulties, I'm going to give the remaining Northeast Representatives until 8:00 PM tomorrow, March 30, 2010 to cast their vote.    Obviously, we'll wrap things up sooner if they both vote sooner.

Dave Leip says the issue should be resolved - I can post regularly again, too.
 

[cinyc]

I have introduced a bill that would give Governor Morgan authority to put a volunteer police force into the streets for the moment with the police on strike. I urge the assembly bring it up to the floor as quickly as possible.

"Volunteer police force"? This may be a game but that still doesn't mean you can just conjure things up like that. We're talking about an entire region's law enforcement here. Further, even assuming for the sake of argument you could make a police force for an entire region appear out of thin air, I would have serious concerns about their training and behavior on the job..

Seriously. Every cowboy wannabe who wants to play cop volunteering for a civilian posse? I think I'd prefer anarchy.

As a self-described libertarian, Gio, doesn't this thought frighten you a tad? The threats of life and limb of hundreds of poorly or untrained volunteer cops--both to the public and themselves--is staggering. Not to mention I shudder to think of trying to prosecute some of the arrests these guys make:


Defense Attorney: "Patrolman Newbie, what training, education and experience did you have in the detection and apprehension of impaired drivers prior to the night you arrested my client?"

Patrolman Newbie: "Well, I never miss an episode of 'Cops'!"

Me: "Recess, your honor? I need to confer with counsel and offer a plea to a reduced charge of jaywalking".


Since it's just the NE equivalent of the state patrol off the streets, why not just make deals with local departments and county sheriffs for them to put extra officers on the street temporarily? A tad more expensive in the short run, but infinitely more workable.

Now, again, regarding those Regional corrections officers staffing the prisons.....

The Northeast has a National Guard, which can be called up by the Governor.

[cinyc]

The Northeast has a National Guard, which can be called up by the Governor.

Why hasn't it been is the question.

Constitutional concerns about its role, based on a one-sided interpretation of the Atlasian Constitution, which isn't quite as one-sided as the feds think when read in context.  We might not be able to call up the Guard to act as an armed force, but we can call it up for everything else.

[cinyc]

The Northeast has a National Guard, which can be called up by the Governor.

Why hasn't it been is the question.

Constitutional concerns about its role, based on a one-sided interpretation of the Atlasian Constitution, which isn't quite as one-sided as the feds think when read in context.  We might not be able to call up the Guard to act as an armed force, but we can call it up for everything else.

Let the Feds sue us........IMO

Yeah, this is going to end up in federal court anyway, and given its leftist makeup, won't end well for the Northeast.  We already have one left-wing Associate Justice publicly commenting on the situation - and we all know he won't recuse himself when a case gets to that court. 

[cinyc]

By a vote of 2-7 with 1 absence, the Officeholders Titles Amendment fails.

Next bill:
Freedom To Drive Act

1. The Northeast shall have a moratorium on the Regional Gas Tax.

2. Remaining funds from the RFER (Regional Fund for Economic Recovery) shall be diverted to maintain and repair existing roads.

3. The moratorium will be in effect until funds from the RFER are depleted.

Sponsor: Rep. Dallasfan65

The question is whether the bill should be considered?

The ayes have it.

Debate on this bill will continue until at least 10:15PM Eastern on Thursday, April 1, 2010, unless the debate period is extended or shortened in accordance with the SOAP.

The Sponsor, Representative Dallasfan65, has the floor.

[cinyc]

Transportation is crucial to an economy, and we should not be trying to stymie the purchase of gasoline, as it is essential towards travel, especially in such economic tumult.

As many of us know, we have a rather large budget deficit, so I would like for us to use existing funds, from the RFER, towards a different purpose, as to not increase the deficit.

How much do we have left from the RFER?  I thought we spent most, if not all of it.

[cinyc]

cinyc, we should discuss some about this union situation, if not in public then by PM. I'm ready to resolve this properly.

Yes, we should.  Perhaps the best way to do that is for someone to make a motion to simultaneously consider the Northeastern Emergency Militia Act, which can serve as a vehicle to do whatever we want to do to solve the strike.

The lawsuit is currently under consideration by CJO RowanBrandon. 

[cinyc]

There's a motion to simultaneously consider the Northeastern Emergency Militia Act with the current bill on the floor.  All those in favor shall vote aye, those opposed nay.

This vote shall remain open until the earlier of 3:50PM on Friday, April 2, 2010, or when all Representatives shall have voted.

Debate on the Freedom To Drive Act shall continue during this vote.

[cinyc]

Aye.

We need to discuss how to resolve the public employee strike.  This bill can serve as a vehicle to do so.

[cinyc]

Amendment:

Freedom to Drive Act

1.  The Northeast Speed Limit Standardization Act is hereby repealed.

So this would replace the whole bill as it stands?

[cinyc]

Dear Mr. Speaker,

I hereby resigns as the Northeast Representative.

Sincerely,
Kalwejt

I'm sorry to hear that.  Thank you for your service!

[cinyc]

Amendment:

Freedom to Drive Act

1.  The Northeast Speed Limit Standardization Act is hereby repealed.

So this would replace the whole bill as it stands?

Rep. Dallasfan65 - is this friendly?

[cinyc]

Okay, then. 


We will vote on whether to adopt Rep. Silent Spade's proposed amendment to the Freedom to Drive Act, which replaces the proposed bill in its entirety with the following:

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This vote will remain open until 11:59PM on Friday, April 2, 2010, unless all Representatives have voted sooner.

If you haven't voted on the motion to simultaneously consider the Militia bill, please specify that the vote is for the Amendment to the Freedom to Drive Act.  The vote on the motion to consider the Militia bill is still open:

Ballot:
Freedom to Drive Act:
Motion to simultaneously consider:

[cinyc]

Amendment on the Freedom to Drive Act: Nay

[cinyc]

By a vote of 9-1, the bill is placed on the floor:

Northeastern Emergency Militia Act

Section I
1). In times of emergency, the Northeastern Governor has the right to create and use a volunteer force of militiamen to enforce the laws and regulations of the Northeast governments. The Northeastern Governor is the sole person with this sort of power except in the special circumstance specified in Section II.

2). The Northeastern Assembly can order the militia to stand down if three quarters of the Northeastern Assembly votes to do so.

Section II
1). If the Northeastern Governorship is vacant, the Lieutenant Governor shall be able to command to create and use the volunteer force upon his ascendency to the Governorship.

Section III
1). After the Governor deems the situation appropriate, or the Northeastern Assembly votes to do so with a three-fourths majority, the militia is to stand down and disperse.

2). Failure to comply with dispersing upon orders by the Assembly or the Governor will be met with judicial action taken by the Northeastern Government against the violators.

3). The Militia may not be maintained unless a state of emergency has been declared by the Northeastern Governor.

Section IV
1). All Northeasterners who serve in the Volunteer Militia will be compensated for their service to the Northeast Region with an amount which will be set by the Governor.

2). Only Northeastern Citizens are eligible for service in the deputized volunteer militia.

Sponsor: Rep. Giovanni

The Sponsor, Representative Giovanni, has the floor.

[cinyc]

By a vote of 1-7, the proposed amendment to the Freedom to Drive Act fails.

We will now vote on final passage of the bill without the proposed amendment:

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This vote shall remain open until 1:00AM Eastern on Monday, April 5, 2010, unless all representatives shall have voted sooner.

Debate on the Northeast Emergency Militia Act shall continue during the vote.

[cinyc]

Present and abstaining. 

[cinyc]

What a completely senseless bill. Repealing or suspending gas taxes doesn't give any meaningful relief and it's a completely temporary measure that only depletes funds you could've used elsewhere, while at the same time encouraging gas consumption which is not something you guys should be doing. What in heaven's name justifies this atrocity?

The increasing price of gasoline is putting a burden on our citizens.  And this legislature isn't chock full of "progressives" who think driving is a bad thing.

[cinyc]

What a completely senseless bill. Repealing or suspending gas taxes doesn't give any meaningful relief and it's a completely temporary measure that only depletes funds you could've used elsewhere, while at the same time encouraging gas consumption which is not something you guys should be doing. What in heaven's name justifies this atrocity?

The increasing price of gasoline is putting a burden on our citizens.  And this legislature isn't chock full of "progressives" who think driving is a bad thing.

It doesn't take a progressive to say encouraging gasoline consumption is a silly idea. It's objectively harmful to the environment and encourages unnecessary use of fuel. Gas taxes are higher in Atlasia than the United States, but this region can't do anything to the federal gas tax, you're stuck tinkering with your own. Which is even less effective and a waste of time. What are you doing, tinkering with a few cents here or there? This is a gimmick that doesn't save anyone any serious amount of money and subtly encourages gasoline usage.

You're depleting resources that could be used for alot of other things to instead waste it on a gimmicky tax suspension that doesn't save anyone serious amounts of money and only encourages unnecessary harm to the environment.

This legislature is certainly full of something.

Pennies add up.  And it is the Atlasian government that is distorting the free market by imposing punitive gasoline taxes, not the other way around.   There's nothing "progressive" about taxing gasoline to death - it's an extremely regressive tax.  The market price of gasoline should determine the amount of gasoline usage, not the (supposedly) all-knowing Atlasian government.

Giving the citizens of the Northeast their money back is better than wasting it on yet another wasteful, "progressive" government program.  We work for the citizens of the Northeast, not the other way around.

[cinyc]

By a vote of 4-0 with 1 express abstention and four unexcused absences, the Freedom To Drive Act passes.

Debate will continue on the Northeast Emergency Militia Act until 4:45 PM on Sunday, unless there's a motion to extend debate given recent developments **hint**.

[cinyc]

On the Northeast Emergency Militia Act:

As you may be aware, the union has ceased striking after CJO RowanBrandon's ruling rewarding damages for breach of contract to the Northeast.

Where do we want to go from here?  Do we really need the NEMA, or should we try to open negotiations from the union, perhaps asking for concessions in lieu of waiving part of the penalty?