Northeast Assembly Thread

[Psychic Octopus]

Let's get this show on the road!

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Welcome a'board

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Mr. President and Governors of the Academy, Committee Members, fellows, my very noble and approved good masters, my colleagues, my friends, my fellow-students. In the great wealth, the great firmament of your nation's generosity, this particular choice may perhaps be found by future generations as a trifle eccentric, but the mere fact of it--the prodigal, pure, human kindness of it--must be seen as a beautiful star in that firmament which shines upon me at this moment, dazzling me a little, but filling me with warmth and the extraordinary elation, the euphoria that happens to so many of us at the first breath of the majestic glow of a new tomorrow.

From the top of this moment, in the solace, in the kindly emotion that is charging my soul and my heart at this moment, I thank you for this great gift which lends me such a very splendid part in this, your glorious occasion. Thank you.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I would like to put forward a motion suspending Assembly activities between December 23 and January 3, taking the holiday season into account.

[Rowan]

Seconded.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Seconded.

Thirded.

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

You know, this specific assembly won't be in session during that time. All seats are up for re-election on December 17th.  I do support the motion, however.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Oh... yay!

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

ATTENTION NORTHEAST ASSEMBLY

If you have intentions to run for re-election next week, announce your intentions to run in the Candidate Declaration Thread before 11:59 p.m. Friday December 10!!!!!!!!!!

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=40247.0

[Dr. Cynic]

Forgive the intrusion, Northeast Assembly members, but I'd really like to hear from Governor Han on the Federal Stimulus for your regional needs in my office.

Biggest Need
Least Concern
Amount (You can estimate)

I need it by tomorrow\tonight

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

Forgive the intrusion, Northeast Assembly members, but I'd really like to hear from Governor Han on the Federal Stimulus for your regional needs in my office.

Biggest Need
Least Concern
Amount (You can estimate)

I need it by tomorrow\tonight

OOPS. Sorry my bad.

I'll let you know by tonight.

[Dr. Cynic]

Forgive the intrusion, Northeast Assembly members, but I'd really like to hear from Governor Han on the Federal Stimulus for your regional needs in my office.

Biggest Need
Least Concern
Amount (You can estimate)

I need it by tomorrow\tonight

OOPS. Sorry my bad.

I'll let you know by tonight.

Fine then.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

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Sponsor: Rep. Wormyguy

The question is whether the bill should be considered?

The ayes have it.

Debate shall continue until December 11th, 2:49 PM, unless debate is extended or shortened in accordance with the SOAP.

The sponsor, Wormyguy, has the floor.

[Free Palestine]

I support this bill.

[Rowan]

Can't wait to hear the reasoning behind this one.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I echo the sentiments of Representative Brandon.

My question to Representative Guy, the logic, sir behind this bill?

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Can't wait to hear the reasoning behind this one.

[tpfkaw]

I would love to explain the reasoning behind my latest bill.

It's simple, really.  I think everyone can agree that one of the primary functions of government is to prevent theft.  Theft can be person-to-person: for example, a mugger or a pickpocket, but it can also be government-to-person, as in a dictatorship where the tax money is all spent on palaces or fighter jets.  Taxation in such a case isn't a legitimate function of government - it's theft.

Now, this bill is a very trusting one.  It trusts that any use of our tax money by the Senate is legitimate merely because they say it is.  I am assuming, perhaps wrongly, that we will never become such a banana republic.  But one thing we can know is that unrequested tax money certainly is not legitimate.  If the Federal Government doesn't even need the money in the first place, it is most certainly theft.  It is our duty to protect our citizens from theft.

Note that there need not be any de facto change at all.  The senate must merely pass a resolution requesting our tax money - the minimum that decency must allow, and the president must sign it.  That's not an onerous requirement, and it binds us to behave as normal.  Remember that our founders initially envisioned that the Federal Government would fund itself (when user fees, tariffs, and land sales were not sufficient) by asking each state to provide a certain amount of funds, and then the state would choose how to raise those funds.

RowanBrandon - I may remind you that you are a member of the Regional Protection Party.  Disregarding your party's radical origins, this is a perfect example of what regional protection is all about.  We are saying that the federal government cannot use our tax dollars illegitimately - that they must acknowledge that it is a give-and-take social contract, rather than something they are entitled to.  That's the least standard of decency I think our region should expect.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Taxation is not theft, legal definition of theft is to take away with intent to permanently deprive... now, what proportion of the population pays more in taxes, than they get returned in services and benefits.... roughly 3%.... so that's 97% that gets their taxes returned to them in kind or moreso in those government services.

Taxation is a cost of living in a modern society, we have education, health, sewerage, infrastructure maintenance, policing... I am happy to pay taxes, and find the view of Gentleman quite disturbingly paranoid. This is 'theft', there isn't a degree of authority than can be trusted...

The gentleman talks about 'unrequested' money, which I find an interesting point. He is obviously making the case in this Bill that taxation that is not specifically directed in advance is illegitimate. However, what the Gentleman misses is the reality of the way government works... if the gentleman were to have this concept initiated it would require a ridiculous level of bureaucracy ... if every single scrap of Federal government spending required a funding Bill at both levels of government... it would clog up our legislatures. I thought he would dislike a bigger bureaucracy and legislative busy-work.

Plus, additional funds in Federal coffers creates surpluses which increases our credit rating, and makes our national economy stronger. The Gentleman also forgets that there are numerous methods for accountability of the proper expenditure of tax revenue...but clearly he doesn't trust them either.

I agree with one thing that the Gentleman says, he says that this is a social-contract between those who pay taxes and those whose responsibility it is to expend those taxes. However, I don't take it to the extreme that the gentleman does, I believe that contract exists, the terms of that contract are based upon our role as legislators to ensure the correct division and expenditure of that money for the greatest overall benefit. The consequences of that contract being breached is our removal from office.

[Rowan]

Party labels mean practically nothing to me. I don't care what party I am from. I am not a radical. In fact, I believe most members of my party would agree with me that this is an extreme unnecessary bill. Taxation is not theft, it is necessary for the government to function. The government has no obligation to you, or to anybody, to tell us exactly what our tax dollars will be going for. This has nothing to do with "protecting regions", it's a thinly veiled attempt by the Representative to move the Northeast towards secession from the federal government or even towards anarchy.

I will be voting against this bill.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

We shall now hold a vote on The Theft Prevention Act of 2010. Representatives have 24 hours to vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

[tpfkaw]

AYE.

[Rowan]

Nay

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Aye.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Nay