I kind of agree with the president in that "crime stories" are something the SoIA should be responsible for. I'm not disputing that it would be cool to have some of these stories come up more often, but the GM has a lot on his plate with keeping the wiki updated. I'd rather not draw his attention away from that. Let the SoIA create the stories and have the GM prosecute them. I think this way of doing things would actually make it more entertaining for the GM. Otherwise, it's kind of like we're just giving him busy work... he creates a story, he prosecutes it... it'd just be a back-and-forth with himself.

What?

This is interesting and would indeed give the A.G. more oversight than the corner of the Wiki that he or she is supposed to maintain. Indeed, if I can think of a reason I will revive my office thread, as it has drifted "out to sea." What has actually happened on numerous occasions is that people have just PMed me with questions or for my opinion on something among a few other things. And I've done likewise.

But I'm wondering about #1 and #3. Where do the stats come from, the SoIF? And for #3, what kind of crimes are we talking about? Fictional kinds of things? Because the A.G. can prosecute (as well as grant things like patents, but to whom?). So, just curious. If we're asking the A.G. to enter into the realm of creative writing, that could be interesting.

Yep, this gives you the ability to do more as an AG like we see in real life.

This bill will give the AG similar powers as the other core Cabinet members and I don't think there's any reason not to give it a shot. It could also lead to some more interesting court cases and gives regional governments more to work with, as law and order issues have been easily ignored without any serious statistical data to work with in that area.

Of course sales taxes should apply to marijuana.

This is far beyond Colorado's normal sales tax.

a 15 percent excise tax, and a 10 percent sales tax.

Not that surprising. A lot of jurisdictions tax smokes/alcohol more than most products.

Yeah, that sounds lower than cigarette taxes, which IIRC are often over 100%. Pretty sure the combined federal, NYS and NYC cigarette excise tax, along with sales tax, is almost 200%.

Its bullsh**t.

Are some people forgetting that Stark is crazy? He actually threatened to call CPS on a former Assemblyman who refused to endorse him. Nobody made his atheism is issue, that's a complete misrepresentation, what was an issue was his increasing instability. He didn't even live in the state anymore. Those things couldn't be ignored because he is an liberal atheist.

Democrats can't criticize Republicans for electing crazy or unethical types, then turn around and expect to keep crazy people like Stark in office.

How is that a misrepresentation? Swalwell attacked Stark for voting against re-affirming "in god we trust" as the national motto. Stark was standing up for those who do not believe in god, and Swalwell attacked him for it. It is even on Swalwell's own website.

http://www.swalwellforcongress.com/do_we_trust_pete_stark_to_represent_our_views

lol read those comments...I'm surprised he didn't take it down.

And what loyalty does Swalwell deserve anyway? He mobilized Republicans to pick off an incumbent- that's not a rising star, that's an opportunist.

I would put more trust in the woman elected Majority Leader by a liberal Senate Caucus before a Republican-supported opportunist.

closest thing we have to Aaron Schock.

They're doing well, but sometimes it feels like they're working to shoot themselves in the foot.

That's what happens when you have legislative term limits in a strongly partisan state.

Django Unchained was superior in just about ever facet of film-making, so I'll go with that one.

Cuomo/Gore

The fast-food workers thread had me thinking.  Should we adjust the minimum wage for impoverished areas?  Two points:

1. We already do this in a way.  Many cities in NJ have 3.5% sales tax rather than the typically 7%. 

2. I really don't think a suburban high school kid flipping burgers should be making $15.00/hour.  But an inner city father who does not have reliable transportation to a more affluent city, in an area where the economy has been poor for a long time and jobs are sparse?  I can justify that.

Just a thought and I'd like to hear your opinions.   

The problem is that you need prices to be lower in those impoverished areas or else you end up lowering the quality of life for more people than raising the minimum wage would lift the quality of life for. The ideal solution is to have a high minimum wage across-the-board. Why shouldn't a high school kid flipping burgers make a decent wage? I bet he works better than your average forty year old fast food worker, and the kid needs to save up for college and whatever else. One of the problems with America is that our system is literally designed for people to live paycheck to paycheck, and then everyone wants to scream about how the sky is falling when ever the economy goes kaput. I say pay the best wages to the best workers regardless of who we perceive to "need" it. That's what the safety net is for.

Of course sales taxes should apply to marijuana.

This is far beyond Colorado's normal sales tax.

a 15 percent excise tax, and a 10 percent sales tax.

A fresh face wouldn't hurt, but they need the ability to govern as much as the ability to win.

Marijuana should be legal and nontaxable (other than normal sales taxes).

I have definitely become more pro-gun control over the last few months; admittedly, it is less to due with crime or shootings and more to do with the sheer insanity of the pro-gun side. I can't stand them.

Thatcher was a Tory, is Torie a Thatcher?

use as applicable

And how could 24% hate JT?

Haters gonna hate, 34% of them would like him to be President though.

Q25 Among the following list of choices, who would
you like to see as President of the United
States: Adele, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Chris
Brown, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga,
or Rihanna?
Adele .............................................................. 19%
Justin Bieber ................................................... 8%
Beyonce.......................................................... 14%
Chris Brown .................................................... 5%
Jay-Z............................................................... 9%
Justin Timberlake............................................ 34%
Lady Gaga ...................................................... 9%
Rihanna .......................................................... 2%

22% of Americans are either ignorant of the definition of "classical" or chose to lie, but 24% of Americans don't even know what music is, so they almost have a majority.

I don't say "yes sir/no sir" to anyone

This... except for judges. 

I tend to refer to judges as "your Honor"

The amendment is hostile.

I think you're making a problem where there is none. If the Committee rodent have much on its plate, that's no big deal and doesn't harm anything. A problem would surface when the Committee should be doing something but isn't.

Nix, you only get to vote on committees you serve on.

X Napoleon

X Ben

X Yankee

My actual politics haven't changed a lot. I would say I was a little more libertarian earlier on, and have moved to the left since then.

No, I prefer "old sport" to "sir".

This is a pretty terrible bill, unless the dumbed down media found on the big networks is tailored for you. In which case, I offer my pity.

sh**t coated with gold still stinks. This bill sounds amazing but the effects would leave people upset. Unless you think cable companies would forfeit profits because of this bill....

the cable companies will just find a way to charge you the same or more for fewer channels.

Truth.

I agree about removing the sports blackouts in taxpayer funded stadiums.

Same.

Aye

Aye