The Imperial Dominion of the South's Legislature

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

You're absolutely right. I see raising sales taxes to offset a cut in income taxes as counterproductive.

It's too bad we're the only two active members of the IDS. We'll never get anywhere.

[Wisconsin+17]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

72 hours have passed. With a vote of 2-1 this passes. I am now sending it to Emperor PiT for his signature.

[Wisconsin+17]

I have formed a three-person committee to submit a non-partisan spending cuts proposal to the IDS legislature. That committee will consist of 3 non-legislative members to ensure that no one will have reason to protect their own stuff.

The committee is Emperor PiT, ex-Speaker of the IDS SJoyce and IDS citizen Dereich. You have three days.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=167831.0

I have opened a thread which you may choose, or not choose to use for your deliberations as you see fit.

I am also going to modify the order paper - per my promise in this thread to ensure that the budget is taken care of before any other business of this house. I also promise in this thread to support whatever proposal presented to me by the Commission, and I encourage the other legislators here to do the same.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     The bill as passed would put us so deeply in the red that even if we emptied the entire Rainy Day Fund we would not break even. I think that discretion is the better part of valor and that we should wait until a better bill is passed.

     VETO

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I've already posted the 2013 budget in my office. We should pass that ASAP, in the same manner as we did the 2012 budget.

[Wisconsin+17]

Then I resign.

[JerryArkansas]

I call for new speaker election between duke and griffin

[Adam Griffin]

I call for new speaker election between duke and griffin

In light of the Speaker's resignation as both Speaker and Legislator, I'll be happy to seek the Speakership once the Legislature convenes on the matter.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I can run if we need a sacrificial lamb, but Griffin knows the procedure far better than I do, and I fully support him if he wants the job.

[JerryArkansas]

I would run, but I have only be here for like a week and I like you don't know the procedure

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I would run, but I have only be here for like a week and I like you don't know the procedure

Well if we feel we need someone to oppose Griffin, I can do it, but I won't vote for myself. As far as I know, the position essentially introduces bills and keeps things organized (like nc yankee did when I was in the senate). In Atlasia, it is usually a nonpartisan position and the speaker is not supposed to be partisan.

That's all I know about the position in my experience as a senator for 2 years and now a legislator.

[Adam Griffin]

I feel that despite my partisan connections, I operated the Legislature's business in conjunction with SJoyce in a non-partisan manner throughout November and December. We always brought forth proposed legislation in the order in which it was proposed (with the exception of emergency affairs).

I also believe there is added benefit in selecting a Speaker that is not elected to the Legislature as it will allow the individual in question to remain somewhat above the fray whenever there is deliberation or tension between rivaling factions.

I can't help but notice that activity in the Legislature plummeted (and has yet to really recover) upon my departure. If given this opportunity to serve, I am sure I will be able to reverse the trend - just as I did once before.

[Donerail]

I endorse Griffin for Speaker.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I endorse Griffin for Speaker.

Yes, that goes without saying. I endorse him as well.

[JerryArkansas]

I will also endorse him

[Wisconsin+17]

I'm not just resigning my speakership. I'm resigning my seat.

[Adam Griffin]

This is what a resignation for a particular job duty looks like:

In lieu of the ongoing election, the end of my term quickly approaching and the end of the world upon us, I hereby step down as IDS Co-Speaker. It's all yours, SJoyce.

This is what an all-encompassing resignation looks like:

Then I resign.

When you make such statements, they are serious and they are final. Seeing as how no clarification was made in regards to the matter, I recommend the Legislature treat former Speaker and Legislator Ben Kenobi's initial resignation as what it was: a resignation through and through.

No doubt, someone must have sent the former Speaker and Legislator a message after his umpteenth time lashing out at not getting what he wanted in order to convince him to retract his statement. Unfortunately, such a statement is binding.

In addition, I will remind the Legislature that there is no stipulation in the IDS Constitution or statutes that give a Speaker the ability to hold his or her title indefinitely without any challenge from the Legislature, nor is there any stipulation that states any other branch of the government is eligible to call such an election for this body.

[Wisconsin+17]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

And all now know your true character.

[Adam Griffin]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

And all now know your true character.

I'm not the one who resigned, nor am I the one intimidating other Legislators behind the scenes into voting the way I want them to or else threaten to not bring up their proposed legislation. Are you sure you wish to proceed?

[Wisconsin+17]

I'm not the one telling self-serving lies about others. No doubt what? I'm amused that you can hardly contain yourself to rush into my seat.

I hope that works out for you. You've done yourself and your reputation far more damage by what you have said than I ever could have hoped to do.

I made a promise to the people to pass this bill - and I have kept my promise to the best of my ability. However, I have failed and thus, I have chosen to do the honorable thing and resign.

[Adam Griffin]

I'm not the one telling self-serving lies about others. No doubt what? I'm amused that you can hardly contain yourself to rush into my seat.

I hope that works out for you. You've done yourself and your reputation far more damage by what you have said than I ever could have hoped to do. 

...

I call for new speaker election between duke and griffin

Let's be clear: I was under no obligation to resign my Speakership in December despite not running for re-election to the Legislature. I was under the impression that SJoyce would continue to remain Speaker, but his immediate appointment to SoEA left a vacuum.

Had I known the likes of you would ultimately wind up with the reigns of power, I would have never relinquished my Speakership. I had planned on taking a temporary break from being directly involved in regional affairs, but your sheer ineptitude - combined with your blatant polarization of even the most basic motions of government - leaves me with no other choice than to re-involve myself.

I didn't nominate myself the first time (Bacon King did and I didn't even see it until PiT had mentioned it) and this time, well, I didn't bring it up but after learning of your actions, I feel suddenly motivated. I challenge you to prove that anything I have said is a lie.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I did not expect this much buzz. I do want to reduce taxation, but I just thought that the bill in question went much further than we would be able to accomodate.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Yes, that is what most of us thought. Anyway, I move to elect griffin so we can pass the budget on time.

[Zanas]

Hello all !

I disappeared. Sorry 'bout that. IRL is a bitch sometimes, and work IRL is worst even.

I had had the intention of intervening in the debate around the income tax, not with very much hope of curbing down BenKenobi's dogmatic pretentions, but with hope that the other serious members of the Legislature could get to a compromise.

As it seems we'll have to discuss this matter once more, I'll state my beliefs rapidly while I have time.

I believe an income tax is the way every legal person, physical or companies, repay the government for the circumstances it provides them, which are what allow them to earn the money they earn. These circumstances are mainly, but not limited to : peace, education, safety via regulations and public services, health, transportations via roads and public transports, etc.

The government provides the people at large with these services, these basics, and these are the reason that it is possible to make profit, company or individual. So an income tax is necessary, and is not at all illegitimate.

However, if the finances of our region are in good shape, it is very much possible to reduce the rate of this tax, if it allows for said services to keep running in a satisfactory way.

So I am in favor of keeping an income tax, I'm open to cutting the rate if and only if we can keep on offering the same basics to our citizens.

Now for the other part. I see BenKenobi just resigned. I wish he had only resigned as Speaker and not as Legislator. I think we have all seen what a partisan Speaker can do to harm the Legislature. To be honest, this fact has not made my return here easy after the holidays, even the rare occasions when I had a little time IRL.

But having opposite Legislators who bring opposite arguments to the floor is an asset, not a setback. After all, this is what allows everyone to discuss a matter on both sides, to learn more about it, to do research, to bring new arguments, and this is how we get a balanced piece of legislation in the end, after having made compromises in both ways.

Now, if I recall well, the Emperor has to appoint a new member to fill BenKenobi's seat. Since BK has clearly stated his intention to resign, he cannot be appointed. But I guess it would be respectful of the voters in the last election to appoint someone broadly of the same political side.

And after that, if Griffin is ok with taking back the Speakership, I'm all for it, since he has inversely demonstrated that while Chairman of the Labour Party he can be pretty unpartisan in this role. I would offer myself for the role, but there's just not enough time for me to fill it right now. Maybe by early March, when I move and change job, I will.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

BK has said he is going to resign? How disappointing. He promised me he would be active too!