Confirmation Hearing: NiK (SoIA) CONFIRMED

[Psychic Octopus]

This will be my last post this weekend. I hope you will confirm me, but I will not be online until Monday.

[Hash]

Ah, crap. I was meaning to ask the nominee a question.

(One of the major problems facing countries with a public healthcare option like Atlasia recently adopted is the overload of patients, excessive wait times, and related problems like patients being forced to sleep in hospital corridors [like my grandmother]. What will you do, as SoIA, to prevent these problems, and, if they arise, solve these problems?)

[Marokai Backbeat]

Alright now, voting time.

I hereby open up a final vote on the confirmation of NiK for the office of Secretary of Internal Affairs. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

A hesitant Aye.

We'll see how he does, I worry this job might be a little too a water for him to swim through yet, but we'll see. I hope PS tutors him a bit in presenting himself and looking up info, and I hope he does it right. This is a job I really want to see flourish (and if I wasn't a Senator, I'd want it) so I hope it's not shot down because of the failures of one individual. In any case, I wish NiK the best of luck and I'll eagerly watch for his future work.

[Fritz]

I'm a little lukewarm on the nominee...I abstain.

[afleitch]

Aye

[Rowan]

Abstain. Don't like the position, nor do I think the nominee knows what the position actually entails. All I heard was platitudes.

[Hash]

Abstain, atleast until he can answer my last question.

In addition, I wasn't really satisfied with his previous answers, sounded more like fluff.

[tmthforu94]

Aye
This is a new job, and a lot of us aren't really sure what to expect. NiK will face a hard time, since he really can't look at how someone else did at the job as guidance, since he will be the first one. I have confidence though, that he will perform well.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I will make the toughest vote possible and that vote is NAY.

Its nothing person or anything like that, its just that I won't vote AYE to someone's appointment, even if they are my best friend, if there are lingering or outstanding questions.

I think that the appointee doesn't have a good grasp of what the position will do, where he wants to take it, or much depth in regards to certain questions. Some things which he mentioned like a strong dollar are good in theory, but does that mean he wants to prop up the dollar at above market levels. It also begs the question of how does he expect the World economy to rebalance if the US dollar doesn't decline enough to allow the trade deficit to be reduced to managable levels. I wish he would be more in-depth on health care, and a short description of his "affirmative action for the poor" idea would be nice.



So I will tenatively vote NAY but I am open to changing it if properly satisfied. A little more depth.

Again this is not about him, but about voting for someone to fill this position, and as many of you know this position deals with many issues that I consider to be important so natually my expectations might be a little higher then everyone else.

[Franzl]

Abstain

[Purple State]

I propose the PPT stop the vote and a Senator motion to extend the hearing for another 72 hours to allow the nominee to better outline his positions.

[MaxQue]

I ABSTAIN, hoping than the time before the end of the vote could be used for more questions or, at least, answers to current questions. I second the call of the Game Moderator for suspending the vote, too.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Yeah, honestly I'd like more question time too. I hereby cancel the final vote, and accept an extension of an additional 48 hours, or until Wednesday morning.

[Хahar 🤔]

Does the OSPR allow this?

[Marokai Backbeat]

Does the OSPR allow this?

Senators can motion to keep debate and question time open for an additional 48 hours if it's seconded. Since I support it, as other Senators do, I decided to just continue debate and questioning time.

[Psychic Octopus]

I'm sorry for my absence, I'll answer in the next few hours.

[Psychic Octopus]

Ah, crap. I was meaning to ask the nominee a question.

(One of the major problems facing countries with a public healthcare option like Atlasia recently adopted is the overload of patients, excessive wait times, and related problems like patients being forced to sleep in hospital corridors [like my grandmother]. What will you do, as SoIA, to prevent these problems, and, if they arise, solve these problems?)

I will work tirelessly to ensure efficiency within the new health care system. I plan to promote an agenda that will focus our money where its needed most and ensure that the required workforce is staffing our health clinics. Overload is not acceptable in our system. Excessive wait times are not acceptable in our system. As SOIA I will encourage regions to target the most vulnerable areas and report to me if their are problems. I will work with President Lief to find solutions to the excessive wait times, including encouraging the use of appointments rather than urgent care or emergency rooms.

(I know it's SoIA, I just like the capital O)

[Psychic Octopus]

Social Security: It is my firm belief that we should move towards economy by establishing voluntary Personal Retirement Accounts. These accounts would give Atlasians more control over how to structure their income and allow them to build a nest that could be used for emergencies during retire­ment, used to start a business, or left to their fami­lies. However, establishing PRAs will be complex and will require careful planning. I hope to reach a compromise with the President  to balance PRAs for the middle and upper brackets with a public system for the lower brackets while uncapping income that is paid in. We need to act responsibly in order to fix these problems, or the elderly of today and tomorrow will suffer, and we will run a humongous deficit.

Budget: I support a temporary tax raise on the capital gains tax, legalized drugs, and prostitution to help furn the massive stimulus and relief packages. I will try my best to help put Atlasia on the path to budget surpluses and a low national debt, but I think I should set reasonable goals.



Listen, I know that If I'm confirmed I won't be perfect. But, I'll try my best. I do not have a predecessor to look to for guidance. I'm the first to hold this position. I will be, throughout my tenure, looking to others for guidance from time to time. I think though, that if I am confirmed I will do a good job, and I will always consider the needs of the average Atlasian.

(I do know that Atlasia does not have a calculated budget)

[Purple State]

Is it time to bring back some semblance of the budget? With an active GM and the position of SoIA, I think we could handle some sort of budget. Doesn't need to be overly specific or anything, but it would help plan and track programs and costs.

Obviously this would take considerable discussion and planning to get off the ground, but I think it's worth starting the conversation.

[Psychic Octopus]

Is it time to bring back some semblance of the budget? With an active GM and the position of SoIA, I think we could handle some sort of budget. Doesn't need to be overly specific or anything, but it would help plan and track programs and costs.

Obviously this would take considerable discussion and planning to get off the ground, but I think it's worth starting the conversation.

I'm open to bringing back some sort of budget. But first, if confirmed, I will have to settle into my position. I think this would require some lengthy debate.

[Purple State]

Is it time to bring back some semblance of the budget? With an active GM and the position of SoIA, I think we could handle some sort of budget. Doesn't need to be overly specific or anything, but it would help plan and track programs and costs.

Obviously this would take considerable discussion and planning to get off the ground, but I think it's worth starting the conversation.

I'm open to bringing back some sort of budget. But first, if confirmed, I will have to settle into my position. I think this would require some lengthy debate.

No worries. My comments were directed at the senators.

[Rowan]

I think a budget would be a fantastic idea. And a consitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget would be even better. We already have people here spending like drunken sailors.

[Marokai Backbeat]

We extended this question and answer time and almost no one participates after clamoring for it.

What am I going to do with you people?

[Alexander Hamilton]

We extended this question and answer time and almost no one participates after clamoring for it.

What am I going to do with you people?

Help VOTE them out.

[tmthforu94]

We extended this question and answer time and almost no one participates after clamoring for it.

What am I going to do with you people?

I have no questions to ask, I voted to "Aye".
So, yeah...