Talk Elections

I have decided to make a topic of profound concern to me my maiden piece of legislation. I have decided to introduce a bill to stem the recent tide of assault on reproductive rights from the administration:

It shall be the stated policy of the Forum that:
a) funds for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) shall be restored to their FY 2001 level.
b) no organization receiving federal funding for family planning services domestically or abroad shall be prohibited from mentioning the full range of reproductive options, including abortion, to their clientele on pain of federal support.
c) no funds shall be made available through the CHIP program for the care of zygotes, blastocysts, embryos, or fetuses as described by regulation as an "unborn child".
d) no law shall be construed to punish someone for an attack on a pregnant woman in such a way as to treat the act against the zygote, blastocyst, embryo, or fetus as a separate offense.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Yea

Hmmm, the bill isn't as bad as I expected.  I might vote for it, but migrendel, could you elaborate on article a?

and also, migrendel, you need to vote in the PPT election

Several years ago, the Bush administration withdrew $34 million in funding for contraceptive services abroad. Section A would reverse that decision and restore the funding.

Since the debate has begun to lag, I put forward a motion to bring this bill to a vote.

Nay

Actually, that was his first official act in office.  I was down in DC that day for the Nation Life March.  That announcement made me very happy.

I will need some further time to consider this. It is important that we stop AIDS in the third world, and the best way besides abstinence in contraception.

I believe that if we continued to fund programmes teaching abstinene before contraception, but still funded contraceptives, then I would certainly vote for it.

Maybe we can use some of the surplus monmey from the education reform bill to fund the education in the third world? ;)

This bill is not nearly as liberal is some of you may make it out to be.  I may vote for it.

There are quite a few other acts of the administration in this area I find to be disturbing. I focused on the most problematic, particularly the first two.

You have to wonder about George. The first thing he does is take away money for contraception abroad. It seems his top priority is depriving the poor of family planning services.

[sarcasm]Really!!!!!  How dare he!?!?[/sarcasm]

Stop psychically stealing my ideas :D

Here in MN we teach abstinance as the only 100% effective contraceptive, and it seems to work OK.

I see no reason why we need to provide support for abstinence programs when we can spend the money more wisely on providing family planning services. You're not helping your case, supersoulty. If Bush actually does believe this, he can be educated, but if he's doing this to appease his base, then he doesn't deserve to be president. Anyone who plays upon the ignorance of those so burdened by the dogma of faith is just not anyone I could ever respect.

Interesting article on abstinence teaching vs. safe sex teaching:

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/05/11/waging-war-with-the-virgin-soldiers/

They say abstinence like it's a dirty word.

Ok, that is one of the most hate-filled articles I've ever read, and you call it intereting...

It's also full of quantitative facts on safe-sex teaching vs. abstinence teaching. But oh no, he is angry so it doesn't count. ()

Fact is the only 100% birth control is abstinence. If you can't keep your legs closed and you aren't responsible enough to purchase your own birth control, it's YOUR fault and you should be responsible for YOUR actions. Not the child you create.

Well, seeing that he seems to think that abstinance is an evil, immoral, horrid thing, it's rather stupid.

And it insults me >P

Wait until you get older kid!

Oh, my God. The argument of the trully desperate.
"Oh, I have no arguemtsn, but I can't admit I'm wrong, I must be right because I'm older!"

I'll elabortate on that one.  Yes, I see the need for abortions in some cases.  Again it's on a case by case basis and I do not feel government should decide.

As fascinated as I am by ILV's declaration of offense and dubya2004's illicit sexual description, I would really like to hear the opinions of my fellow and sister senators. After all, those are the opinions that will matter when this comes up for a vote. By the way, when will we vote on it?

When Harry (PPT) announces it - it should be one week after first being proposed.

I apologize I was unable to do this yesterday, but I was involved with school from 7:30am to after 11pm and never got a chance to log onto the forum at all.

I hereby open this act for voting.  All in favor say aye.

Aye.

NAY!!!

Aye

Aye

Aye.

It's now 4-1 in favor of Aye, with 6 senators yet to vote.

Does the other half of the Senate plan on voting?

Abstain.

It's a hard one, but aye.

It's 5-1, with one abstention and 3 senators yet to vote.

Nay.

5-2, 1 abstain, and 2 more left to vote

While we of course await the remaining two votes, we have now secured the necessary margin for passage. I hope the administration will support my bill.

StatesRights and IrishDem still have to vote. Knowing States, I don't think we can override a veto on this bill.

Let's not put the cart before the horse, Akno. We don't know if the administration intends to use its veto power on this.

This is a sick bill. Now we see what a danger it was to put migrendel in office.

Also, Mr. President you are a amoral man if you don't veto this bill.

Dubya, two things.

A) I believe, if Republicans had used Preferential voting, Migrendel would not have been elected.
B) This is not a sick bill. All it does is encourage the use of contraceptives, which is a good thing, and is basically a pro-choice bill.  

A) I heard someone say that earlier and that seems really stupid now.  We'll have to rectify that in December.

B) I'm sorry for using my definition of sick.  I believe anything that violates my beliefs like abortion, gay marriage, beastiality, and the use of contraceptives is sick.  I will use a different word in the future.

Still I oppose this bill and would hope President Kennedy feels the same way I do.

Nay.

So anything that violates your beliefs is sick? Isn't that being just a little closed-minded?

It's called sticking to your beliefs. I believe certain things are wrong, and sick. We all do.

I don't like parts C and D of that act at all, but, I may be willing not to veto this little thing if the Atlasia National Energy Act proposed by Sen. Nation gets a little support swung its way by a few of you lefties.....

That said, I do dislike C and D quite a bit.....

Mr. President, compromise on some issues, but in others you just got say no.

I think I know what would be a good compromise. I will agree to strike section c, since the issue is rather minor, and my vote on a national energy proposal that in no way alters EPA and CAFE regulations in exchange for your signature.

As for Dubya 2004, I have learned to consider only opinions that do not make gratuitous use of adjectives like "sick". We're in the twenty-first century, and I'm sure my constituents understand the importance of contraceptive services.

Mr. President, if you sign this bill in its complete form, I will vote for the Energy Act.

Don't sell out so easily

I prioritize.

Anyway, there are only a few things in the ANEA that I really dislike.
 

the environment isn't more important?

I am not compromising on this, at least one of you votes for the Atlasia National Energy Act and it passes and I won't veto this act, I don't intend to sign it, but that is irrelevant as after seven days it comes into automatic effect.

It's a tough choice. I believe that both the environment and access to contraception are very important, so I offered a compromise.

I will change my vote, though. I realize this is quite a sad day for me, but I have decided that I cannot ignore the hundreds of thousands of women who every year die of complications from childbirth, who are maimed and have only a fistula to show for it, and who are left permanently infertile. I will vote to give the Treasury department an opportunity to hurt our environment, but believe me, we will not be held hostage. We will work to further strengthen the environment, and we will not forget this cruel choice we were forced to make. My only consolation is that millions of women will no longer be forced to hoe the hard road their sisters have had to, and that the prospect of a society of wanted, loved children is nearer.

How eloquent, even if it is misguided :)

I would like to change my abstain to nay. This bill is too important.

Aye 5 to Nay 4

Aye

good on you mate :)

6-4 this passes, good.

Now we wait for JFK to do nothing, and get it passed in seven days.

This is truly a great day for me. Both of my maiden pieces of legislation are on the verge of becoming the law of the Atlas, untouched and unadulterated no less. My only regret is that this comes at the price of hurting the environment.

Ugh, I hope President Kennedy considers a veto. Afterall his party vote against it ;)

He made a deal with several Senators, if he vetoes it, it could have serious political damage due to the fact that he wouldn't honor his side of the bargain.

I changed my vote and did what I didn't want to do. I hope the president has the integrity to now do something he doesn't want to do.

Alright then.

I present this act to the President of the Atlas John F. Kennedy for signing.