Budget Process Committee

[Badger]

BUMP!

C'mon guys. Just a couple weeks ago there were multiple suggestions for major Atlasian laws that decidedly change these numbers.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=118388.msg2634612#msg2634612

Now no one here can muster a single suggestion for changing the template. Even suggestions some of us have previously made ourselves??

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If not already factored in:

Credit Union Startup Fund Act
The Financial Regulatory Fund Act
Fiscal Responsibility Act


It depends on your definition of "significantly alters".

[Badger]

If not already factored in:

Credit Union Startup Fund Act
The Financial Regulatory Fund Act
Fiscal Responsibility Act


It depends on your definition of "significantly alters".

Indeed, and that definition is exactly what the Committee needs to determine.

I am going to strike the Fiscal Responsibility Act from consideration at this time, as we're currently reviewing only spending previous spending provisions, not tax legislation. That'll be the next stage. Please feel free to bring the FRA up for consideration then (if you don't I will, as it's obviously going to have a VERY substantial difference from the template's tax rates).

We'll take the others one at a time starting with the Credit Union Startup Act:

My two cents is that $100 million out of a budget of over 2.6 trillion just isn't worth considering. It doesn't even seriously change the numbers for the budget subcategories it would likely fall under (e.g. Community and Regional Development). Even assuming there are no similar government expenditures in RL, if we take the time to modify the template every tiny program ever passed we'll be working on this well into 2011.

It's up to the Committee as a whole, of course. Other comment?

[Badger]

Important Note to the Committee: The status and que of previously passed spending projects nominated for consideration will be updated at the beginning of the thread (second post) found here:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=118388.msg2528329#msg2528329

The current status of the budget reflecting any changes by the Committee will be listed a few posts down on the first page (as it's too large to fit in with the above-linked post ) here:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=118388.msg2538150#msg2538150



Back to Committee business, I nominate the following programs for consideration by the Committee as having a substantial impact on the template's numbers:

The Atlasian Relief and Recovery Act:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/2009_Atlasian_Relief_and_Recovery_Act

and the Atlasian National Healthcare Act:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Atlasian_National_Healthcare_Act

Both are placed in the que for future consideration.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

With the Recovery Act, it should be remembered that it was passed over a year ago and large portion especially the unemployement, Medicaid, Food stamps and parts of the infrastructure have been spent already.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'll bring up these for consideration to be taken into account somehow:

Make Internet Sales Fair Act
Break the Chains Act
Social & Economic Development Zone Improvement Act (This one will be tricky, but the elements of wage subsidization and blanket infrastructure funds should probably be included.)
The Reasonable Military Funding Act
Student Loan Reformation Act
Home Energy Assistance Administration Act
Public Housing Act
Internet Infrastructure and Access Expansion Act
Prison Reform Act
Green Power Act
Hiring Incentives Act


I'm sure there's stuff I've missed and I'm sure Badger now hates me.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Forest creature hates Marokai Blue!!!! Oh no no no!!!

[Badger]

BUMP!

C'mon guys. Just a couple weeks ago there were multiple suggestions for major Atlasian laws that decidedly change these numbers.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=118388.msg2634612#msg2634612

Now no one here can muster a single suggestion for changing the template. Even suggestions some of us have previously made ourselves??

I'll bring up these for consideration to be taken into account somehow:

Make Internet Sales Fair Act
Break the Chains Act
Social & Economic Development Zone Improvement Act (This one will be tricky, but the elements of wage subsidization and blanket infrastructure funds should probably be included.)
The Reasonable Military Funding Act
Student Loan Reformation Act
Home Energy Assistance Administration Act
Public Housing Act
Internet Infrastructure and Access Expansion Act
Prison Reform Act
Green Power Act
Hiring Incentives Act


I'm sure there's stuff I've missed and I'm sure Badger now hates me.

"Be careful what you wish for, Badger...."

[Badger]

With the Recovery Act, it should be remembered that it was passed over a year ago and large portion especially the unemployement, Medicaid, Food stamps and parts of the infrastructure have been spent already.

You may have a point here, Yank. Please make sure to bring this up when we get to the ARA after the Financial Regulation Act next.

The other bills Blue nominated for consideration have been added to the que.

For now, the bill under consideration remains The Credit Union Startup Act. Yank has nominated it feeling it arguably has substantial impact of the template budget's numbers. I would disagree feeling that, even if the RL 2006 federal budget has no similar provisions for starting up credit unions in low-income areas, $100 million out of a 2.6+ trillion budget is just too much minutia for the Committee to get bogged down in.

I'll allow debate until at least sometime tomorrow afternoon, and if there's no more need for debate at that time will then likely call a vote on whether the CUSFA should be added to the template budget.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I agree, ironically. I didn't realize how small it was.

[Badger]

I agree, ironically. I didn't realize how small it was.

Do you want to withdraw it from consideration and move on to the Financial Regulatory Fund Act, or leave it up to a vote by the full Committee starting tomorrow?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I agree, ironically. I didn't realize how small it was.

Do you want to withdraw it from consideration and move on to the Financial Regulatory Fund Act, or leave it up to a vote by the full Committee starting tomorrow?

Yes

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Not sure which question that was a yes to, but for the record, I concur with Badger.

[Badger]

I agree, ironically. I didn't realize how small it was.

Do you want to withdraw it from consideration and move on to the Financial Regulatory Fund Act, or leave it up to a vote by the full Committee starting tomorrow?

Yes

I'll assume you meant yes to withdrawing it from consideration. Done.

That moves us on to the https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Financial_Regulatory_Reform_Act

My concern here is that while the bill has tremendous impact on banking and dirivatives regulation, but I'm not sure I see how this notably effect on spending compared to the templated budget. The law doesn't seem to require any new spending, merely new (and worthwhile) regulation of the markets. If there is incidental increased spending I'm missing in the provisions, wouldn't they likely be covered under current spending in the template budget for Commerce and the like?

This was your baby, Yank, so please feel free to educate us here.


BTW: Note to the Committee, I'm going away for the weekend so I will probably have limited to no time to go on-line until at least Monday evening. Please feel free to continue discussion while I'm gone.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Well nothing considering that I forgot to include the funds to establish and maintain the regulatory bodies.

I was thinking of amending slightly in the coming weeks. So you can withdraw that one as well.

[Badger]

Well nothing considering that I forgot to include the funds to establish and maintain the regulatory bodies.

I was thinking of amending slightly in the coming weeks. So you can withdraw that one as well.

Done. That brings us to the Fiscal Responsibility Act Please express your thoughts now.

Personally, I believe this bill places an unavoidable distinction between the template budget and Atlasian history, and strongly urge the Committee approve it for further consideration. Please express your th

Say Yank, I always thought that 15-1 ratio of liabilities to holdings the Financial Regulartory Fund Act allowed was overly restrictive. If you're going to amend it maybe next Senate term we can....

Oh, wait....

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Well nothing considering that I forgot to include the funds to establish and maintain the regulatory bodies.

I was thinking of amending slightly in the coming weeks. So you can withdraw that one as well.

Done. That brings us to the Fiscal Responsibility Act Please express your thoughts now.

Personally, I believe this bill places an unavoidable distinction between the template budget and Atlasian history, and strongly urge the Committee approve it for further consideration. Please express your th

Say Yank, I always thought that 15-1 ratio of liabilities to holdings the Financial Regulartory Fund Act allowed was overly restrictive. If you're going to amend it maybe next Senate term we can....

Oh, wait....

Ain't promotions fun?

I could of swore it was 10-1 in the bill? In hindsight you were right. I might do it sooner, depends if I get the time. I got two papers due in the next week and half, and the elections to follow as we head into October and things really start hopping.

[Badger]

Well nothing considering that I forgot to include the funds to establish and maintain the regulatory bodies.

I was thinking of amending slightly in the coming weeks. So you can withdraw that one as well.

Done. That brings us to the Fiscal Responsibility Act Please express your thoughts now.

Personally, I believe this bill places an unavoidable distinction between the template budget and Atlasian history, and strongly urge the Committee approve it for further consideration. Please express your thoughts

Say Yank, I always thought that 15-1 ratio of liabilities to holdings the Financial Regulartory Fund Act allowed was overly restrictive. If you're going to amend it maybe next Senate term we can....

Oh, wait....

Ain't promotions fun?

I could of swore it was 10-1 in the bill? In hindsight you were right. I might do it sooner, depends if I get the time. I got two papers due in the next week and half, and the elections to follow as we head into October and things really start hopping.

I was mostly joking as, despite how much I'd like working on that with you, I suspect I won't be around to do so. too bad. Ah, well, I'll put my gumption into the new job and hang around the cloakroom like a Senate groupie.

Euuww---please forget I said that

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I agree with Badger.

[Badger]

If there's no other comment or debate I'll open the vote for consideration sometime tomorrow.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I got bad news.

Wednesday is usually a busy day for me and this Thursday we are expecting the forboding arrival on Thursday of a female guest.

[Badger]

ACK! I'm such an idiot. The Fiscal Responsibility Act was already striken from the list by yours truly as it addresses taxes, not spending. I MEANT to previously say: "The Atlasian Relief and Recovery Act is now up for consideration by the Committee.

THIS was the bill I meant to urge the Committee adopt for consideration as having an obvious huge impact on the template budget's figures.

In light of the fact the correct bill has been listed in the que for some time, plus Yank's pressing schedule, I'll open a vote immediately for consideration. If any Committee member objects to this and/or wishes additional comment or debate, simply say so and I'll halt the vote at once.


I vote: AYE.

[Badger]

For much the same reason as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, I've striken the Make Internet Sales Fair Act from the list as it deals with tax levels rather than spending. We can (and should) revisit these bills in the next step after spending.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

In case it wasn't clear, We have a tropical storm coming on Thursday and the town of Smithfield has already had 7.4 inches of rain. And we likely will hit 8 before the the storm even hits. Thats what I meant by arrival of a female. The storm will likely be named Nicole, I think.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye