Mideast Assembly Thread

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Here's what I'd do with the bill (and most of this is just fixing up the bill - if you want to take out the stuff about GPA and SAT/ACT, that's fine, I just rearranged it so that it flows better as a bill):

This is the first piece of legislation I would like the Assembly to consider:

The Mideast Education Opportunity Act of 2008:
Section I:
1.   Because the number of college graduates in the Mideast has declined in recent years,
2.   And because the economic difficulties have further impacted the ability to pay for college,
3.   The Mideast has resolved to pass legislation that will ameliorate the financial difficulties of paying for college.

Section II:
1.   Beginning with the graduating class of June, 2009, all students who meet a majority of the following requirements will be provided with a full or partial academic scholarship to any 4 year school in the Mideast:
a.   A four year GPA of at least 3.6,
b.   A median family income of under $125,000 per year,
c.   An SAT score of at least 2,000 or an ACT score of at least 30,

Section III:
1.   In addition to the requirements set out in Section II, the recipient must sign a pledge to attend, for all 4 years, a school in the Mideast.
2.   If the student chooses, sometime after receiving their scholarship, to attend a school not in the Mideast, then the scholarship can shall be revoked, although it will not necessarily be so.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I would ask that you fellows also take into consideration the movement of the regional capital.

As soon as this legislation is dealt with, I have a bill about the regional capital.

Section I/4: The Mideast will fund the above mentioned program by an increase of the regional income tax.

and concerning section 2, I want to either eliminate the concrete limits....or set them quite low in order to allow us to raise them accordingly when appropriate. I'll opt for leaving them out right now:

Section 2: Potential student's eligibility will be determined by their GPA and SAT/ACT scores. The required level will be determined annually based on overall supply and demand of government support. No candidate whose family's yearly income is greater than $125,000 will be considered.

Both of those are fine with me.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I would ask that you fellows also take into consideration the movement of the regional capital.

I think that should be in our Constitution, not a proposal or a bill.

[Franzl]

Here's what I'd do with the bill (and most of this is just fixing up the bill - if you want to take out the stuff about GPA and SAT/ACT, that's fine, I just rearranged it so that it flows better as a bill):

This is the first piece of legislation I would like the Assembly to consider:

The Mideast Education Opportunity Act of 2008:
Section I:
1.   Because the number of college graduates in the Mideast has declined in recent years,
2.   And because the economic difficulties have further impacted the ability to pay for college,
3.   The Mideast has resolved to pass legislation that will ameliorate the financial difficulties of paying for college.

Section II:
1.   Beginning with the graduating class of June, 2009, all students who meet a majority of the following requirements will be provided with a full or partial academic scholarship to any 4 year school in the Mideast:
a.   A four year GPA of at least 3.6,
b.   A median family income of under $125,000 per year,
c.   An SAT score of at least 2,000 or an ACT score of at least 30,

Section III:
1.   In addition to the requirements set out in Section II, the recipient must sign a pledge to attend, for all 4 years, a school in the Mideast.
2.   If the student chooses, sometime after receiving their scholarship, to attend a school not in the Mideast, then the scholarship can shall be revoked, although it will not necessarily be so.

I agree with you, Inks.

[Peter]

Resolution regarding office holding
*The Mideast Assembly notes that it has 6 positions of government within the Regional Government.
*The Assembly also notes that Mideast citizens hold the Vice Presidency, one Cabinet Secretariate, two Senate seats and one seat on the Supreme Court at present.
*The Assembly thus resolves that because a mere 11 of its 17 total citizens hold governmental office, that it feels compelled to create offices for the remaining six citizens.
*The Assembly hereby directs the Governor to investigate the creation of new offices for these citizens, and to duly appoint them to these offices.

[Franzl]

Thanks Peter...but I think we should probably finish the education issue first. Do you have an opinion on it?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Resolution regarding office holding
*The Mideast Assembly notes that it has 6 positions of government within the Regional Government.
*The Assembly also notes that Mideast citizens hold the Vice Presidency, one Cabinet Secretariate, two Senate seats and one seat on the Supreme Court at present.
*The Assembly thus resolves that because a mere 11 of its 17 total citizens hold governmental office, that it feels compelled to create offices for the remaining six citizens.
*The Assembly hereby directs the Governor to investigate the creation of new offices for these citizens, and to duly appoint them to these offices.

Motion to end discusssion and bring to a vote.

[Peter]

Absolutely no opinion whatsoever. I have always firmly believed that the only thing that should be discussed in our various talking shops are ways to make the game more unfathomably complicated (i.e. forum affairs) and ways to make us hate each other more (i.e. wedge issues). This is neither.

[Franzl]

Resolution regarding office holding
*The Mideast Assembly notes that it has 6 positions of government within the Regional Government.
*The Assembly also notes that Mideast citizens hold the Vice Presidency, one Cabinet Secretariate, two Senate seats and one seat on the Supreme Court at present.
*The Assembly thus resolves that because a mere 11 of its 17 total citizens hold governmental office, that it feels compelled to create offices for the remaining six citizens.
*The Assembly hereby directs the Governor to investigate the creation of new offices for these citizens, and to duly appoint them to these offices.

Motion to end discusssion and bring to a vote.

On Peter's bill?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Resolution regarding office holding
*The Mideast Assembly notes that it has 6 positions of government within the Regional Government.
*The Assembly also notes that Mideast citizens hold the Vice Presidency, one Cabinet Secretariate, two Senate seats and one seat on the Supreme Court at present.
*The Assembly thus resolves that because a mere 11 of its 17 total citizens hold governmental office, that it feels compelled to create offices for the remaining six citizens.
*The Assembly hereby directs the Governor to investigate the creation of new offices for these citizens, and to duly appoint them to these offices.

Motion to end discusssion and bring to a vote.

On Peter's bill?

Yeah.  It's an easy no vote for me that needs no debate.

[Peter]

I object - I deserve the chance to debate the bill on its merits to the citizens of the Mideast.

[Franzl]

I also must announce my opposition to your resolution.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Well, since my motion was objected to, I guess I might as well debate until we have support to take it to a vote.

Why on earth do we need more positions?  Some people just want to be citizens, and if we create positions for everybody, that takes away competition in elections.  If everybody has a position, we'll have less challengers for positions and democracy suffers.

[Franzl]

I fully agree with Inks for the same reasons.

[Peter]

Well, since my motion was objected to, I guess I might as well debate until we have support to take it to a vote.

Why on earth do we need more positions?  Some people just want to be citizens, and if we create positions for everybody, that takes away competition in elections.  If everybody has a position, we'll have less challengers for positions and democracy suffers.

Thank you for making my point for me.

My point is that we no longer have competitions for the elections to many of the positions. True, at the federal level, there is still fun to be had, but the plethora of positions at the Regional level now means that I got elected to the Mideast Assembly after Al wrote me in, and then I got a PM asking me to accept my write-in votes. I duly did for a laugh, and then got elected. The limited amount of research I have done indicates we have never had a "contested" election for the Assembly (i.e. no more candidates than posts open)

The fact is that 11 out of 17 citizens holds a position. This is far too many. My resolution is about making a serious point in a comedic way.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Well, since my motion was objected to, I guess I might as well debate until we have support to take it to a vote.

Why on earth do we need more positions?  Some people just want to be citizens, and if we create positions for everybody, that takes away competition in elections.  If everybody has a position, we'll have less challengers for positions and democracy suffers.

Thank you for making my point for me.

My point is that we no longer have competitions for the elections to many of the positions. True, at the federal level, there is still fun to be had, but the plethora of positions at the Regional level now means that I got elected to the Mideast Assembly after Al wrote me in, and then I got a PM asking me to accept my write-in votes. I duly did for a laugh, and then got elected. The limited amount of research I have done indicates we have never had a "contested" election for the Assembly (i.e. no more candidates than posts open)

The fact is that 11 out of 17 citizens holds a position. This is far too many. My resolution is about making a serious point in a comedic way.

I opposed the creation of the Assembly for that very reason.

[Peter]

Excellent, I motion to dissolve the Assembly and begin preparations for a return to our previous method of governance.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Excellent, I motion to dissolve the Assembly and begin preparations for a return to our previous method of governance.

That would have to be an amendment.  Just throwing that out there.

[Meeker]

If we're concerned with the ratio of office holders:citizens, wouldn't a better solution be to get more citizens instead of less office holders?

I realize that's easier said than done, but I don't really see the harm in having the Assembly. The goal was to get more people more involved in the game than just showing up every few months to vote, and I think we've seen some progress on that. This last cycle was sort of an odd fluke due to mistakes made by Fmr. Governor Mikado.

[Franzl]

I guess I agree...now that the assembly exists, I see some potential. It seems like a fun idea...we might as well try it out for a bit?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I agree with Meeker; we shouldn't be abolishing offices, we should be trying to entice new residents.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I agree with Meeker; we shouldn't be abolishing offices, we should be trying to entice new residents.

I agree with Meeker as well.  I was merely pointing out to Peter the fact that we can't just disband the Assembly but it would require an Amendment.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

So, where are we with the 1st bill?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

So, where are we with the 1st bill?

As far as I can tell, we have a compromise ready; we just need an official text to vote on.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

So, where are we with the 1st bill?

As far as I can tell, we have a compromise ready; we just need an official text to vote on.

Alright.  I have to do stuff now, but I'll draft it later.