Freedom Act of 2005

[Gabu]

As introduced by Sen. SamSpade:

Freedom Act of 2005

Primary Sponsor: Senator SamSpade (UP-LA)
Co-Sponsor(s): Senator MAS117 (UP-NJ)

Purpose: The Purpose of this to promote an atmosphere of Freedom and Democracy in the world.

Clause 1
The Secretary of State of Atlasia will formulate a list of world nations that are not considered to be free and democratic.  The timetable for such a list will be set at the Secretary's discretion, though such a list must be produced publicly at least 90 days from the date of this bill being passed into law.  This requirement will apply to all revisions of this list each and every year hereafter.

Clause 2
All nations on this above-stated list that receive foreign aid from Atlasia will be denied any such aid distributions upon their inclusion onto the said list for the present Fiscal year.

Clause 3
As so implied in Clause 1, each and every calendar year (12 months) henceforth, the Secretary of State will revise the list, according to the timetable established in Clause 1, and any nation that is removed from the list will be eligible for aid distributions for the present Fiscal year.

Clause 4
Atlasia will not begin the transfer of new distributions of foreign aid to any nation on the list for the present Fiscal year.

I hereby open debate on this bill.

[Sam Spade]

I revised this one myself, so I'm happy with it. 

I'm curious to hear what others have to think though.

[MAS117]

Great bill, thank you for letting me sign onto this Senator Spade.

[Sam Spade]

You're welcome, MAS.

[A18]

How about getting rid of foreign aid altogether and just allowing citizens to impose their own standards?

I don't like this imperialism stuff. Well, yes I do, but I only like destroying countries, not fixing them.

[Gabu]

One question: in clause 3, is a "year" a literal year, or a game year?

I don't like this imperialism stuff. Well, yes I do, but I only liking destroying countries, not fixing them.

Okay, I'm just going to ignore your comment, in that case.

[Sam Spade]

One question: in clause 3, is a "year" a literal year, or a game year?

I don't like this imperialism stuff. Well, yes I do, but I only liking destroying countries, not fixing them.

Okay, I'm just going to ignore your comment, in that case.

Make it in Clause 3 that "each and every year" reads "each and every calendar year (12 months)"

[Gabu]

Make it in Clause 3 that "each and every year" reads "each and every calendar year (12 months)"

Okay, I changed that.

[A18]

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Also, that sentence is missing something very important, typically described as a 'verb.'

[Sam Spade]

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Also, that sentence is missing something very important, typically described as a 'verb.'

That's called a typo.  "Am" should be "An"

[A18]

I was just pointing it out so you can fix it.

[PBrunsel]

Include China in the list and you've made my day.

[Sam Spade]

If there is no other debate or questions, I move we bring this thing to a vote.

[A18]

I have a question. Can we make the standards impossible to comply with?

[12th Doctor]

I suport this bill, for the most part.  I'm slightly concerned with some of the political ramifactions, esspecially dealing with the Chinese.

[King]

Primary Sponsor: Senator SamSpade (UP-LA)
Co-Sponsor(s): Senator MAS117 (UP-PA)

When did MAS move to Pennsylvania?  If he did, he can't be a Senator...

[Gabu]

Primary Sponsor: Senator SamSpade (UP-LA)
Co-Sponsor(s): Senator MAS117 (UP-PA)

When did MAS move to Pennsylvania?  If he did, he can't be a Senator...

Er, got me; I just copied and pasted what was in the introduction thread.

[Gabu]

Given that there appears to be no further debate, I hereby bring this to a vote.

All senators in favor, vote "aye"; all against, vote "nay".

[Platypus]

Clauses 2 and 4 are just plain dangerous.

[12th Doctor]

I'm left with too many questions.  How do we determine the "list"?  How do we assure it's accuracy?  Who's opinion are we using on some of these countries?  I think policy should be left to the State Department, not some inflexable set of regulations.  The more I think about this bill, the less I like it.

[Sam Spade]

Primary Sponsor: Senator SamSpade (UP-LA)
Co-Sponsor(s): Senator MAS117 (UP-PA)

When did MAS move to Pennsylvania?  If he did, he can't be a Senator...

Er, got me; I just copied and pasted what was in the introduction thread.

I must have copied it wrong.  Please correct.

[Sam Spade]

I'm left with too many questions.  How do we determine the "list"?

The Secretary of State determines it.

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If we approve a Secretary of State we trust, its accuracy should not be in question.

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The Secretary of State's opinion.

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Policy is being left with the Secretary of State.  We are just giving him and ourselves obligations as to who we give foreign aid too (and that they can't be non-free and non-democratic countries in the determination of the Secretary of State).

If the Secretary of State determines that a country should not be on the list, he will simply put it as being "free and democratic" instead of being "not free and democratic".

Essentially, we are giving the diplomats (and the Secretary of State) carte blanche over the determination of who we shouldn't give foreign aid to.  The Senate still has control over who we give foreign aid to.

This has nothing to with free trade or these types of things, it has to with foreign aid and foreign aid only.  If it was trade, I would be against it also.

[Sam Spade]

One other thing...

Aye.

[Platypus]

If we don't give aid to countries just because they're not democratic, we are risking national security. Pakistan is certainly not democratic. It isn't a very nice country at all. But if we didn't have their support, we'd've been ed in the war aganst the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This is far too idealistic and dangerous to Atlasia.

[Colin]

I have to agree with Mr. Hughento here. This bill might not be recieved well by our allies in the Mideast such as Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Most of these regimes are pro-Atlasian because we give them the foreign aid needed to sustain their nations. Do you seriously believe that Egypt or Pakistan would still help us in the War on Terrorism if we stopped supporting their governments and giving them aid? While the scope of this bill is excellent and well in line with my feelings concerning the spread of democracy and liberty it may cause, as a result, less liberty and more anti-Atlasianism in the Mideast. While I do not like propping up dictators like Mubarak and Musharraf their is no way that I can see to get around this.