If there's anything I introduced last Senate, or was still on the floor I ask to be re-introduced.

I don't beleive you had any unresolved legislation. Your last bill was the Fiscal Prudence Bill and it we I beleive resolved before the end of the session.

At the very least, implementation should be delayed to the next senate and it should be amended so that the Veep has to choose at the beginning of each Senate and can't change his mind except when he gave authority over to the PPT and then the PPT went innactive.

Maybe so but the Consitution is fairly vague on the matter and open to interpretation. One thing I do note is that this originally started as way to reduce mid senate transitions and the confusion caused by them. However this current "flexible" proposal means that it will require such a transition in Senate leadership to occur more frequently. Thus unnecessarily slowing the senate down and making senate activity even harder to achieve.

A 25% sales tax is insane. I understand your goal to remove the Income tax but a draconian 25% sales tax will destroy the economy and remove any doubt whether we are completely nuts in the Southeast.

The Sales tax should be gradually reduced from its current levels to 4 or 5% and universally applied to all goods and services(Many southern states don't apply sales tax to many services that are relatively new) with the exception of food and medical supplies which will be tax free.

A 12% corporate tax might be too high for a "Regional" Corporate Tax.

I would suggest instead of removing the income tax, create a flat tax or two bracket modified tax rate. I am not familiar with what levels a Regional rate would be though.

This still seems like an unnecessary change. I see no reason for switching the two roles when historically the Veep has been less active then the PPT. 

Will you reintroduce your "Top Secret Classification Bill"?

I will have to do that tomorrow.

Positive

Coakley: 55%
Brown:   44%
Other: 1%

The map is similar. A 2010 result like that would definitely set up a highly favorable map for democrat gains in 2016. That's part of the reason I set up Democrat pickups in Missouri and North Carolina. Burr will probably win reelection, but those two pickups would give the GOP two places to run offensive in 2016 against defensive in the rest of the country in my scenario.

Then it was a pretty good idea.

To be honest I would be happy if we got 45 seats in 2010 and be content with that. If Obama flounders we can reap the benefits of having a very favorable 2012 map. For instance why waist Hoeven in 2010 when he can take out Conrad in 2012 who is contacted to one of Dodd's scandles. There is Nebraska, and Rehberg can knock out Tester. Thats 48. Sam Graves, Jo Ann Emerson, Todd Akin or Jim Talent can challange McCaskil. Polling recently dones shows that despite Macaca, George Allen has positive approvals and leads Jim Webb. There are other candidates as well such as Governor Bob McDonnell if he is popular and Eric Cantor. Bill Nelson could retire in 2012 and the GOP bench in FL is teeming with good candidates. Thats 51 and not considering possibilities for retirement of Dems like Bob Casey, Debbie Stabenow, Herb Kolh, etc etc.

Now that we are done with this ridiculous and entirely pointless thread, what comes next?

I know what comes next. Democratic landside in 2016. Dems pickup 13 seats. lol

It all comes down to candidate recruitment. The only thing ridiculous about this thread is that I gave North Carolina to the Democrat who I think is the most electable running. Also I threw in a few retirements and candidates that probably won't happen or run.

Look up 1986. This map is even right now. If a landslide GOP victory occurs it will mean the Dems have fewer seats and thus a good map in 2016 to make big gains off of.

Who?

neutral

Now that we are done with this ridiculous and entirely pointless thread, what comes next?

I know what comes next. Democratic landside in 2016. Dems pickup 13 seats. lol

For the record, I reported posts using the word "retarded" in an unacceptable manner, as I always have, and one where ncy attacked someone viciously. MJ is a notorious liar and someone unworthy of being a mod, though, so I'm not surprised he would say something like that.

Attacked someone viciously? Who and where?

Bill Weld? No thanks.

He won't win anyway. Think of it like this. He runs and then wins 45% of the vote and loses to Gillibrand. You don't have rino in Senate but the Dems had to spend millions maybe 10 million dollars that otherwise would have gone to PA to beat Toomey or Ohio to beat Portman or NC to beat Burr. Better that then not run anyone and the Dems can through that money into other states and beat conservatives.

Conservatives like you, have got to realise that strategically it might be beneficial to run someone like Weld to make it easier to win other seats with candidates you would prefer much more.

I am surprised that former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld hasn't been considered at all. He did run for Governor of NY in 2006 but dropped out to avoid a vote split with Jon Faso. He would secure the Independence Party nomination and the Conservative Party hasn't exactly been doing well lately, they couldn't prevent a moderate Republican from winning Nassau co. executive, though they came close. He would do much better then Lazio or King in a general election and make the Dems have to throw money into NY they otherwise wouldn't have to.

New Years Day - U2
With or Without You - U2

[but the most popular boards have been swamped somewhat...]

Unfortunate, but understandable. This forum is like a drug though...

The forum is terrible at the moment tbh.

Yeah... well... some parts are alright, but the most popular boards have been swamped somewhat...

This reminds me of a line by Ben Bernanke circa 2005-2006 about there being just a "little" froth in "some" isolated housing markets.

[I really hope this means a big resurgence in manufacturing. Our country needs to actually produce something besides just information!]

The ISM manufacturing index has eclipsed 50 every month except one since August.

http://www.startribune.com/business/80618947.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

The ISM manufacturing index rose to 55.9 in December compared to 53.6 in November.  A reading above 50 indicates growth in the sector.

Unfortunately, the construction sector is still in decline.  Despite large infusions of federal money into construction projects, reductions in state and local spending have canceled much of that out.

The brightest spot of the report was the index for new orders, a signal of future production, skyrocketed to 65.5 from 60.3 in November.  This would be the highest reading in the index in at least a decade, well ahead of the previous peak of 61.4 seen in May 2004.  This is in contrast to a reading of 32.9 in December of 2008.

I really hope this means a big resurgence in manufacturing.  Our country needs to actually produce something besides just information!

It doesn't mean that. It means manufacturing is expanding again but if you go back the ISM was above 50 indicating expansion in 2005, 2006 and even late 2007. Even in 2003. The height of outsourcing. Don't misread or read too much into these readings.

In my opinion, it's always good to have a backup in case of a leave of absence, especially in the case of an internet forum. Bacon King was an exception, not the rule, when it comes to Vice Presidents and their activity. In Atlasia, as in real life, the VP is pretty much a seat warmer in case the President is incapacitated to the point where he cannot serve. In that event, the position becomes useful. One cannot "force" activity, and if some VP, who's duty it was to lead the Senate, became inactive, then the government would have to go through the motions to find someone else fit to serve, creating unneeded drama and work.

In short, don't change what ain't broken. The Masterjedi incident was not the norm.

I don't think it was MJ's sudden inactivity that motivated this rather the events of December in which three people ascended to the PPT because two Senators where appointed to other offices who just so happened to be the PPT.

My point remains. Those events were exceptions. It's about as silly as the argument that we should abolish the electoral college because it didn't work 2/44 times in our history. If something works 9.5/10 times, it's ludicrous to change it for the 0.5/10 times it doesn't work.

Well, in some situations 95% of efficiency is acceptable and sometimes 95% of efficiency is not acceptable. In this case, the PPT case, 95% is acceptable. In some other cases, like sending people to jail, being right 95% isn't acceptable, since there is 5% of non guilty prisoners.

Exactly. In addition, the chances we have an inactive VP is much higher than the chances the PPT goes inactive. One can talk about the VP having to be more active all they want - it doesn't mean it will happen. Bacon King has just been a great Vice President and has been able to step in when we needed him. His activity for a VP is almost unprecedented.

And the recent modifications basically turns the debate into one of activity of the PPT versus activity of the veep and historically the PPT has been more active.

J : Well recently the Southeast was mentioned as having

failed to exert proper authority over certain areas, resulting in lower-than-expected tax revenue and non-compliance with various statutes.

In the upcoming January regional inititives I would like to work with Gov. Brandon H to solve this issue and improve the region.

JBrase is today's lucky winner of the GM kudos award.

Do you think you might be able to provide a little detail on just where the Southeast has fail to follow statutes so Brandonh and Jbrase know what to tackle first?

There are zones in the Southeast that essentially rule by local law and eschew any higher forms of governance. It is less of a "here or there" issue, so much as a lax policy matter. Fostering an environment where such activities are permitted in an already autonomous-minded region can create these sort of conditions. There need to be stricter tax enforcement policies, as well as possibly some sort of tax amnesty program (see what the Mideast passed in a recent Assembly session), to avoid the predicted "lower-than-expected tax revenue" and a resulting budget deficit.

I meant in GM thread, so as to not clutter up Antonio's thread.

J : Well recently the Southeast was mentioned as having

failed to exert proper authority over certain areas, resulting in lower-than-expected tax revenue and non-compliance with various statutes.

In the upcoming January regional inititives I would like to work with Gov. Brandon H to solve this issue and improve the region.

JBrase is today's lucky winner of the GM kudos award.

Do you think you might be able to provide a little detail on just where the Southeast has fail to follow statutes so Brandonh and Jbrase know what to tackle first?

Not on the list.

Its better but I must ask whats the difference in having the PPT step in when the Veep is innactive then having the Veep step in when the PPT is innactive?

Sticky this, and unsticky the other one.