Mideast Assembly Thread

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Hm...very hard choice, because both are great candidates.

afleitch, although I have nothing against Hashemite...again, both would be acceptable as Constitutional Convention delegates.

[Hash]

sigh. I can't even win a stupid ConCon spot anymore. I might as well give up this game now.

[California8429]

Shall we move on to vote to confirm afleitch for Superior Court?

[tmthforu94]

Shall we move on to vote to confirm afleitch for Superior Court?

That'd be my suggestion. After that, we can begin on the budget. Fun!

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

The votes being as follows:

For Hashemite, 2 votes being cast
For afleitch, 3 votes being cast

The majority voting for afleitch, afleitch is duly elected delegate to the constitutional convention.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

We are now moving on to the approval of afleitch for Mideast Superior Court judge.  We will have a 48 hour period for questioning (unless we're ready to just vote now), after which a vote will be taken.

[tmthforu94]

I ask the Assembly to consider bypassing a period of questioning and heading straight to the vote. Afleitch has a history of being open-minded and bi-partisan, and I'm very confident he'd make an excellent Superior Court Judge.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Alright then, barring objection, I ask that we move to hold a vote on this nomination.

[California8429]

Alright then, barring objection, I ask that we move to hold a vote on this nomination.

seconded

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Voting is now open on the approval of Afleitch as Superior Court Judge.  This will be a 36 hour vote.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

AYE

[California8429]

Aye

[RIP Robert H Bork]

aye

[Barnes]

Aye

[HappyWarrior]

AYE

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Voting has now ended.  With 5 AYES and 0 NAYS, the AYES have it, and Afleitch is confirmed by this body as Judge of the Mideast Superior Court.

The Assembly will now accept the introduction of legislative bills.

[Hash]

cumulard

[afleitch]

I thank the Assembly for it's confidence

[tmthforu94]

I thank the Assembly for it's confidence

Congratulations on getting confirmed!

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

cumulard

I believe it was ruled that a delegate to the convention did not constitute an office.

[Barnes]

Huzzah! I finally get to propose this thing.

The Affordable Energy
and Environmental Protection Act

Preamble
To eliminate dependence on foreign oil, make our homes and businesses energy efficient, and ensure the protection of our natural environment for ourselves and our children.

Be it enacted by the Assembly of the Mideast Region:

Article 1 – Establishing a “Cap and Trade System” for the Mideast
A.   A Cap and Trade System for Greenhouse Gasses is herby established in the Mideast.  This system shall designate the total amount of Greenhouse Gasses allowed in the Mideast Region.
B.   The cap shall be set between 2011 and 2050   
C.   The cap shall be initially placed at 2007 emission levels.
D.   The cap shall be systematically reduced over time by the Governor, so that Greenhouse Gasses may be eliminated totally in the Mideast Region.

Article 2 – Tax credits and penalties
A.   Any company that reduces their greenhouse emissions, ahead of the regional standard, shall receive an annual tax credit of 15% of their annual revenue.
B.   Any company that reduces their greenhouse emissions, at the amount prescribed by the regional standard, shall receive an annual tax credit of 10% of their annual revenue.
C.   Any company that fails to reduce their greenhouse emissions, as set by the regional standard, shall be fined an amount equal to 10% of their annual revenue.
D.   As the cap is reduced by the Governor, the credits and fines may be raised, but as not to exceed 45%.
E.   The fines collected through this Act shall be invested in the following way:
a.   The creation of environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient projects.  Such as, solar panels, wind farms, hydro power plants, nuclear power plants, and other forms of clean energy.
b.   Grants distributed to Mideast small businesses (employing 50 or less workers) to create clean energy projects.
c.   Grants given to the Automobile industry for converting carbon emitting vehicles into clean-energy vehicles.

Article 3 – Equipping homes for an energy-independent future
A.   All homes equipped to be at least 10% energy efficient by January 1, 2011, shall receive a rebate of $800.  The percentile shall increase by 5% every two years with the rebate also increasing by $400 every two years.
B.   Any home that purchases a clean energy device for their home, including, but not limited to, solar panels, a wind turbine, or tapping geothermal energy, shall receive a deduction of 10% on their regional income taxes for 2011 and 2012.

Article 4 – Establishing a tax on harmful environmental emissions
A.   A tax of 15% is hereby established on any business importing or exporting harmful environmental emissions to or from the Mideast.
B.   The revenue collected through this tax shall go directly into funding clean-energy projects.

Article 5 – Establishing a fund to research alternatives to harmful coal emissions
A.   A fund of $5,000,000 shall be set aside over the course of four years to research alternatives to harmful coal mining, and to make coal mining environmentally friendly.

Article 6 – Effective Date
A.   Article Two of this Act shall take effect July 1, 2011.
B.   Article Three, Section B, of this Act shall tax effect twenty days after its passage into law.
C.   Article Five of the Act shall take effect January 1, 2011.

Article 7 – Miscellaneous items
A.   This Act is not to be implemented in such a way as to tamper with the implementation of the Atlasia Clean Energy Act of 2010 (F.L. 37-4).

[California8429]

Greenhouse gases will NEVER be eliminated and shouldn't since we need them anyways for our planet to allow for life. We have 15% unemployment, now is not the time to destroy every small business in the Mideast.

[tmthforu94]

I must admit, I am also skeptical on Article 4 of this bill. I'll have to do some more research on this issue, to see who this could primarily affect.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I must admit, I am also skeptical on Article 4 of this bill. I'll have to do some more research on this issue, to see who this could primarily affect.

The first thing I thought of who it could harm is the food service industry.  Any restaurant who imports their CO2 tanks from outside would get slapped with a 15% tax.  Plus, any companies, such as PepsiCo, who ship their CO2 tanks out of the region would get slapped with a tax.

[Barnes]

Greenhouse gases will NEVER be eliminated and shouldn't since we need them anyways for our planet to allow for life. We have 15% unemployment, now is not the time to destroy every small business in the Mideast.

How does this destroy small businesses? That's a simple talking point. Article 2, Section E, deals solely with job creation. The grants given to businesses can only be given to small businesses.

I must admit, I am also skeptical on Article 4 of this bill. I'll have to do some more research on this issue, to see who this could primarily affect.

The first thing I thought of who it could harm is the food service industry.  Any restaurant who imports their CO2 tanks from outside would get slapped with a 15% tax.  Plus, any companies, such as PepsiCo, who ship their CO2 tanks out of the region would get slapped with a tax.

That's true. Perhaps amending the amount to a smaller margin, and then increasing it over a period of time?