Northeast Assembly Thread

[tpfkaw]

Nay

Frankly I don't see how a laptop aids in the acquisition of the "three R's," while I can see plenty of ways it can be used to goof off.  Plus there's the potential for/inevitability of theft, as I pointed out.

[Cincinnatus]

Sadly, I'm also a Nay

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Nay.

We should be teaching children not to assume that technology can solve all their problems.

[Free Palestine]

Abstain

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Withdrawing.

[Cincinnatus]

Withdrawing.

Can't be withdrawn after the debate period has ended.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Aye, then.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Nay

[Lincoln Republican]

Had this bill passed and been sent to me, I wouild have vetoed it. 

Not that I do not support the intent of the bill, I do, however, I do agree with the statements against this bill.  The opposition to this bill is reasoned and logical.

I am sure that we all support our school age children becoming computer literate, however, there are better ways of achieving this.  Computer labs at school, as has been mentioned, are the logical approach.  As has been noted, laptops for all students will be far too costly, and the misuse and theft of these laptops is a very real possibility.

This bill should be rewritten in order to achieve the intent of the bill but without the tremendous cost this bill would put on the taxpayers.   

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Had this bill passed and been sent to me, I wouild have vetoed it. 

Not that I do not support the intent of the bill, I do, however, I do agree with the statements against this bill.  The opposition to this bill is reasoned and logical.

I am sure that we all support our school age children becoming computer literate, however, there are better ways of achieving this.  Computer labs at school, as has been mentioned, are the logical approach.  As has been noted, laptops for all students will be far too costly, and the misuse and theft of these laptops is a very real possibility.

This bill should be rewritten in order to achieve the intent of the bill but without the tremendous cost this bill would put on the taxpayers.   

I've already addressed this.  If a student loses his or her laptop, they would be asked to pay for it in accordance with an agreement that a guardian would have signed.  This would teach personal responsibility as well as computer literacy.  After the student finishes high school, the laptop is returned and reused.  And this wouldn't have necessarily cost the taxpayers more if the funding comes from 1.5% of the education budget, since the region would have been required to save- not spend- the money for the program.  Ideally, it could be offset by cuts.  Many schools already have computer labs, and there would have been less of a need for them if a laptop program was in place.  Computer labs are great, but access is very limited, as labs do not contain enough computers for every student.

This is certainly an issue for another day, however, since the current bill is dead.

[Cincinnatus]

I'm certainly willing to introduce a bill to address technology in schools.  Of course, I would offer Government funds to schools who would create student accessible terminals.  If anyone wants to work out the amount of funds, ect with me, all you need to do is message me

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I'm certainly willing to introduce a bill to address technology in schools.  Of course, I would offer Government funds to schools who would create student accessible terminals.  If anyone wants to work out the amount of funds, ect with me, all you need to do is message me

Mr. Speaker, we already have terminals in schools.  Computer labs have been around for a while.  Are you referring to poorer schools that might not have them?  I might be getting a bit confused.

[Cincinnatus]

Voting has ended.  The Ayes are 1, Nays are 4, with 1 Abstention.  The bill fails.  The Assembly will now consider the Scott Doctrine introduced by the Rep from Ct.  Debate will last 48 hours;

Scott Doctrine

It shall be policy of the Northeast Region that it will ensure, by any means necessary, that its ten states- Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont- are embodied together and that each shall be assimilated within the Republic of Atlasia.  States that secede shall receive no diplomatic recognition from the Northeast Region.

[Cincinnatus]

I'll make a statement on this when I get back home, so don't feel like your bill is being ignored

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I wrote this bill in response to the recent "secessionist movements" happening in our country.  I believe this policy will further strengthen and unify the states of the region and signify our loyalty to Atlasia.

[tpfkaw]

Why shouldn't people be allowed self-determination?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Why shouldn't people be allowed self-determination?

Self-determination?  I don't know why you're bringing that up.  The definition of self-determination is "the power or ability to make a decision for oneself without influence from outside".  Atlasia's government shouldn't be considered "outside", as this region is part of the Republic of Atlasia.

[Cincinnatus]

While the constitution directly includes the states which are part of the region, and thus Atlasia, I support this bill.  No means should be off the table in order to preserve the country, unless division is brought on by the Senate.  Fringe seccessionists (Pointing to you Yelnoc ), should be drawn and quartered dealt with swiftly.

[tpfkaw]

Say every single person in the state of Massachusetts wants to secede.  Why shouldn't they be allowed to?  Should the government go into Massachusetts and start killing people until they give in?  If yes, why would that be right?

This bill (should be a resolution) is essentially enshrining the doctrine of "might makes right."

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Say every single person in the state of Massachusetts wants to secede.  Why shouldn't they be allowed to?  Should the government go into Massachusetts and start killing people until they give then?  If yes, why would that be right?

This bill (should be a resolution) is essentially enshrining the doctrine of "might makes right."

Because Massachusetts is a part of the region.  States should not be allowed to simply wander off as they please, because that ruins the point of having government at all.  What's next?  Are counties going to declare independence?  Should towns with ten people start running off because every single person wants to?  That will just lead to anarchy.  And yes, if a state wishes to commit treason, it may, but it should be prepared to take the consequences that come with that.  That's been happening for thousands of years.  We should certainly not give diplomatic recognition to a state that rebels against its government, especially since neither the government of this region- or this Republic- has done anything in violation of the social contract.

[tpfkaw]

So you are saying that when Atlasia declared independence from Britlasia, the Britlasians would be justified in killing the entire population of Atlasia in order to prevent it from becoming independent.

Good to know we're taking such a strong stance against extremism!

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

So you are saying that when Atlasia declared independence from Britlasia, the Britlasians would be justified in killing the entire population of Atlasia in order to prevent it from becoming independent.

Good to know we're taking such a strong stance against extremism!

When did I say that?  I'm saying that when a nation decides to become independent, it has to accept consequences that come with it.  This is actually quite consistent with the saying, "freedom isn't free".  If a government becomes corrupt and oppresses, its people have the moral right to establish a new one.  However, neither the regional or federal governments in Atlasia are doing that, and the current secessionist movements are happening now because of two things: political disagreements, and bored people acting out.

I must say, you are acting quite unstatesmanlike.

[tpfkaw]

How about when countries started declaring independence from the Soviet Union?  Gorbachev was a fairly non-oppressive figure who favored "democracy," should he have therefore sent in the Red Army to prevent any part of the Soviet Union from becoming independent, killing people if necessary?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I might point out that the Soviet Union was a multinational empire and the nation-states that peeled off from it were just that. Nation-states.

Massachusetts is a region, not a nation-state. The nation-state is the Republic of Atlasia, which has done nothing wrong. Name one way in which Massachusetts or Vermont or any other state in the Northeast is being wronged or oppressed by the Republic of Atlasia (doing things that happen to be politically unpopular in the region does not count, since that's part and parcel of a nation-state being diverse).

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

How about when countries started declaring independence from the Soviet Union?  Gorbachev was a fairly non-oppressive figure who favored "democracy," should he have therefore sent in the Red Army to prevent any part of the Soviet Union from becoming independent, killing people if necessary?

The Soviet Union's system was based on communism and one-party rule, which, and I think you would agree, is oppressive.

I certainly favor peaceful approaches and negotiations being used first.  That would be a preferable option to be used for keeping the union together, and it is one this government would resort to if that ever happened.