The Atlasia Guardian-Informer

[Marokai Backbeat]

Welcome!

(Please direct your comments here:
https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=137994.0 !!)

This will be the thread for updates by myself and the Secretary of Internal Affairs. (Barnes, as of now.)

Updates will follow closely to the format of Purple State. Budget updates will come once a month. Unemployment numbers once a week. Stock numbers, hopefully, daily or every other day. News stories (Atlasia-specific, or adapted from RL) will be at random intervals. Off we go!

[Marokai Backbeat]

National Budget Update: July 2011.

Direct Spending ($2521.36 billion)

Military Spending ($446.11 billion)
$106.57 billion ... Military personnel
$153.62 billion ... Operation and maintenance
$80.84 billion .... Procurement
$68.13 billion .... Research, development, test and evaluation
$16.15 billion .... Military Construction, Family Housing and Other
$17.99 billion .... Atomic Energy Defense Activities
$2.81 billion ..... Defense Related activities

Iraq and Afghanistan Operations ($111.85 billion)
$105 billion ..... Military Operations
$6.85 billion .... Reconstruction aid

Military Retirement ($115.48 billion)
$40.83 billion .... Military retirement
$36.34 billion .... Income security for veterans
$3.24 billion ...... Veterans education, training, and rehabilitation
$34.35 billion ..... Hospital and medical care for veterans and retired military
$0.72 billion ...... Housing and other veterans benefits and services

International affairs ($31.59 billion)
$13.0 billion ...... International development and humanitarian assistance
$9.47 billion ...... International military aid
$7.97 billion ...... Conduct of foreign affairs
$1.15 billion ...... Foreign information and exchange activities

General science, space, and technology ($23.97 billion)
$5.62 billion ...... National Science Foundation programs
$3.44 billion ...... Department of Energy general science programs
$14.91 billion ..... Space flight, research, and supporting activities

Non-Defense Energy Spending ($2.12 billion)
$0.73 billion ...... Energy supply
$1.03 billion ...... Energy conservation and preparedness
$0.36 billion ...... Energy information, preparedness, & regulation

Natural resources and environment ($31.16 billion)
$5.45 billion ..... Water resources
$9.07 billion ..... Conservation and land management
$3.12 billion ..... Recreational & Park resources
$8.42 billion ..... Pollution control and abatement
$5.1 billion ....... Other natural resources

Agriculture ($26.02 billion)
$21.73 billion ..... Farm income stabilization & crop insurance
$4.29 billion ...... Agricultural research and services

Commerce and Housing Loan Programs ($6.82 billion)
$-4.28 billion ..... Federal Housing Loan Programs
$2.17 billion ...... Postal service
$-0.96 billion ..... Deposit insurance
$7.96 billion ...... Universal service fund
$1.93 billion ...... Other advancement of commerce

Transportation ($70.68 billion)
$36.51 billion ..... Highways and highway safety
$8.51 billion ...... Mass transit
$2.81 billion ...... Railroads
$17.26 billion ..... Air Transportation
$7.37 billion ...... Water transportation
$0.42 billion ...... Other transportation

Community and regional development ($19.1 billion)
$6.25 billion ...... Community development
$80.36 billion ...... Area and regional development
$10.15 billion ...... Disaster relief and insurance

Education ($64.07 billion)
$38.57 billion ..... Elementary, Secondary & Vocational education
$22.27 billion ..... Higher education
$3.23 billion ...... Research and general education

Training, labor and unemployment ($47.81 billion)
$6.88 billion ...... Training and employment
$1.6 billion ....... Labor law, statistics, and other administration
$139.33 billion ..... Unemployment compensation

Atlasian National Healthcare ($410.32 billion)
$97.47 billion ... IDS Community Health Partnership (24%)
$69.04 billion ... ME Community Health Partnership (17%)
$81.23 billion ... MW Community Health Partnership (20%)
$64.98 billion ... NE Community Health Partnership (16%)
$93.41 billion ... PA Community Health Partnership (23%)
$4.19 billion ..... Central Administration Costs

Non-National Health Program Spending ($37.07 billion)
$4.7 billion ....... Disease control, public health and bioterrorism
$29.36 billion ... Health research and training
$3.01 billion ..... Food safety and occupational health and safety

Civilian Retirement (Social Security excluded) ($72.02 billion)
$4.89 billion ...... Civilian retirement and disability insurance
$58.22 billion .... Federal employee retirement and disability
$8.91 billion ...... Federal employees' and retired employees' health benefits

Aid to Low-Income Families ($206.78 billion)
$38.45 billion ..... Housing assistance
$87.58 billion ..... Food stamps
$19.3 billion ...... Other nutrition programs (WIC, school lunches)
$38.66 billion ..... Supplemental security income (SSI)
$18.21 billion ..... Family support payments (TANF)
$34.05 billion ..... Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
$13.15 billion ..... Child tax credit
$4.8 billion ....... Child care funds
$2.58 billion ...... Other aid to low-income families

General Family Support ($25.62 billion)
$6.56 billion ...... Foster care and adoption assistance
$2.92 billion ...... Child support and family support programs
$16.14 billion ..... Social and family services

Social security ($544.82 billion)
$454.4 billion ..... Old-age and survivors insurance(OASI)
$90.42 billion ..... Disability insurance (DI)

Administration of justice ($43.1 billion)
$11.35 billion ..... Federal law enforcement
$10.46 billion ..... Border security and immigration
$10.91 billion ..... Federal litigation and judicial activities
$6.16 billion ...... Federal prison system
$4.22 billion ...... Criminal justice assistance

General government administration ($17.76 billion)
$3.67 billion ...... Legislative functions
$1.14 billion ...... Executive office programs
$9.8 billion ....... IRS & other fiscal operations
$3.15 billion ...... Other general government

Net_interest_long ($211.08 billion)
$211.08 billion .... Net Interest

Undistributed offsetting receipts and allowance ($-43.99 billion)
$-43.99 billion .... Undistributed offsetting receipts and allowance


Tax Expenditures and Tax Cuts ($1075.13 billion)

Corporate Tax Breaks ($60.36 billion)
$15.74 billion ..... Untaxed Foreign Profits
$9.87 billion ...... R&D Tax Breaks
$4.05 billion ...... Energy, Mining and Timber Tax Breaks
$9.93 billion ...... Tax Free Bonds
$20.77 billion ..... Other Corporate Tax Breaks

Personal Business & Investment Benefits ($86.71 billion)
$30.38 billion ..... Lower tax rates on capital gains (excluding housing)
$28.76 billion ..... Step-up basis of capital gains at death
$23.01 billion ..... Tax-Free Bonds
$1.36 billion ...... Enterprise & Empowerment Zones and New Markets credit
$3.2 billion ....... Other personal investment tax breaks

Pension & Retirement Deductions ($168.47 billion)
$51.05 billion ..... Employer-paid Pensions
$58.12 billion ..... 401Ks & Keogh plans
$7.31 billion ...... IRAs
$29.48 billion ..... Group and personal life insurance benefits
$19.77 billion ..... Untaxed Social Security benefits
$2.74 billion ...... Other retirement benefits

Health Insurance Tax Benefits ($140.99 billion)
$125.69 billion .... Employer-paid Health Insurance
$4.33 billion ...... Self-employed medical insurance premiums
$1.83 billion ...... Medical Savings/Health Savings Accounts
$9.14 billion ...... Deductibility of medical expenses

Housing tax benefits ($163.71 billion)
$76.03 billion ..... Mortgage Interest
$14.83 billion ..... Deductibility of property taxes on homes
$36.27 billion ..... Capital gains exclusion on home sales
$29.72 billion ..... Exclusion of net imputed rental income on owner-occupied homes
$2.11 billion ...... Housing bonds & low-income housing investments
$4.75 billion ...... Exception from passive loss rules for $25,000 of rental loss

Other individual deductions and exemptions ($161.39 billion)
$37.89 billion ..... Charitable contributions
$34.62 billion ..... State and local taxes (w/o home property)
$6.55 billion ...... Soldiers and veterans tax benefits
$5.94 billion ...... Workman's compensation
$14.01 billion ..... Education deductions and credits
$32.81 billion ..... Child credit
$2.81 billion ...... Child care credits and deductions
$2 billion ......... Deduction for the blind and elderly
$7.86 billion ...... Social Security benefits for disabled and survivors
$3.76 billion ...... Untaxed foreign personal income
$3.28 billion ...... Employee parking and transit expenses
$1.25 billion ...... Adoption and foster care tax credits
$6.82 billion ...... Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (revenue loss component)
$1.79 billion ...... Other fringe benefits


Budget Summary:

New budget update total amounts to: $3453.31 billion
($2521.36 billion in direct spending,
$781.63 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).

Budget Deficit: $409.64 billion.
(This is will steadily reduce, assuming all budgetary matters remain unchanged, by $40 billion each budget update.)

National Debt: $12.21 Trillion
(This will steadily increase, assuming all budgetary matters remain unchanged, by .20 trillion each budget update, until we reach budget surplus.)

[Marokai Backbeat]

Atlasia-specifc Tax Rates.

Income Taxes:

Percentage of:	Single Individual	Percentage of:	Civil Partners Filing Jointly
0%	$0 - $8,025	0%	$0 - $16,050
14%	$8,026 - $32,550	14%	$16,051 - $65,100
25%	$32,551 - $78,850	25%	$65,101 - $131,450
28%	$78,851 - $164,550	28%	$131,451 - $300,300
35%	$164,551 - $367,700	35%	$300,301 - $600,000
41%	$367,701 - $1,000,000	41%	$600,001 - $1,500,000
50%	$1,000,001 - $2,500,000	50%	$1,500,001 - $3,000,000
60%	$2,500,001+	60%	$3,000,001+

Percentage of:	Civil Partners Filing Separately	Percentage of:	Head of Household
0%	$0 - $8,025	0%	$0 - $11,450
14%	$8,026 - $32,550	14%	$11,451 - $43,650
25%	$32,551 - $65,725	25%	$43,651 - $112,650
28%	$65,726 - $150,150	28%	$112,651 - $182,400
35%	$150,151 - $300,000	35%	$182,401 - $367,700
41%	$300,001 - $750,000	41%	$367,701 - $1,000,000
50%	$740,001 - $1,500,000	50%	$1,000,001 - $2,500,000
60%	$1,500,001+	60%	$2,500,001+

Corporate Taxes:

Percentage of:	Taxable Income
15%	$0 - $50,000
25%	$50,000 - $75,000
34%	$75,000 - $100,000
39%	$100,000 - $335,000
34%	$335,000 - $10,000,000
35%	$10,000,000 - $15,000,000
38%	$15,000,000 - $18,333,333
35%	$18,333,333+

(This rate structure produces a flat 34% tax rate on incomes from $335,000 to $10,000,000, gradually increasing to a flat rate of 35% on incomes above $18,333,333.)


Health Insurance Tax:
 

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Estate Tax:

45% on estates valued at or above $2,000,000.

Excise Taxes:

Gas: 18.4 cents/gallon (24.4 cents/gallon for diesel).

Cigarettes: $1.00 per pack.

(All other taxes, unless noted otherwise in the future by myself or the Secretary of Internal Affairs, are current RL levels.)

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(This counts as the update for July 10th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     877 +2 (0.23%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93055, World Index (-0.00095)
• Crude Oil = $84.90/barrel +0.15 (0.18%)

Analysis:

Financial indicators remained mostly steady today with the transition of a new Game Moderator contrasted with a general malaise in the Senate. Oil rose ever so slightly as part of a slow but steady increase as the Summer vacation season continues.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Regional Employment News
(Simple updates will come each month. These expanded updates will occur once a month, or so. Perhaps more often.)

Employment & Population Information by Region

Estimated size of the national labor force: 155,471,774.

The following lists the top three industries in each region in order:

Northeast = Service; Trade and Transportation; Government
Mideast = Manufacturing; Trade and Transportation; Government
Southeast = Trade and Transportation; Agriculture; Manufacturing
Midwest = Manufacturing; Agriculture; Health
Pacific = Government; Trade and Transportation; Education

The following lists the unemployment rate in each region (estimated number in parentheses):

Northeast = 7.5%  (2,108,179)
Mideast = 7.8% (2,844,989)
Southeast = 10.4% (4,839,307)
Midwest = 9.0% (1,118,254)
Pacific = 10.9% (3,480,551)

National = 9.3% (14,391,280)

The following is the breakdown of private-sector unionization figures in Atlasia by region (previous figure in parentheses):

Northeast = 14.5% (--%)
Mideast = 18.5% (--%)
Southeast = 12% (--%)
Midwest = 16% (--%)
Pacific = 25.5% (--%)

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

TOO MUCH NUMBERS. MY HEAD IS BURNIN'!

[California8429]

I LOVE the updated info, keep this up it's wonderful.

And hat tip for bringing down unemployment in the Mideast my fellow government workers! We'll bring it down even lower as we under cut the southeast corporate tax rate by a considerable margin! Hurray for jobs

[Associate Justice PiT]

I LOVE the updated info, keep this up it's wonderful.

And hat tip for bringing down unemployment in the Mideast my fellow government workers! We'll bring it down even lower as we under cut the southeast corporate tax rate by a considerable margin! Hurray for jobs

     I don't know about this Southeast you speak of, but the IDS will respond to any such actions by instituting a 0% corporate tax rate.

[Marokai Backbeat]

National News

Atlasian Community Healthcare: Nearly 2 Years Later..

Dubbed "Atlasian Community Healthcare" after the fact by the public, the Atlasian National Healthcare Act became law under the Lief Administration nearly two years ago now on August 13th, 2009. The Act itself was landmark legislation for Atlasia, as it established an entirely government run healthcare program, divided up for management purposes by the regions.

Fast-forwarding to the present, and the program has been reasonably successful in accomplishing it's goals. Taking a little under a year to full transition finances and services from the now abolished Medicare and Medicaid programs, the program has been in relatively full operation since then.

Poor and middle class Atlasians now have more disposable income, which will only increase in time, now that healthcare bills are covered by the regional governments, and have more access to healthcare than ever before. Businesses are also enjoying the reduce burden on their bottom line, as most businesses now no longer provide health insurance as part of an employee benefits package.

In 2009, it was estimated that nearly 30,000 people died that year, and each year before it, due to lack of access to medical care. In 2010, it was estimated that number was cut in half, and experts now project that the number will be cut in half yet again for the year of 2011, as more and more people steadily sign into the program. Just ten million people (or roughly 3% of the population) in Atlasia remain without care, with Community Healthcare providers hoping to continue reducing this number as time goes on.

Per capita healthcare spending in Atlasia has also dropped from roughly $7700 to $6200 in only the first year of operation, though this remains the highest in the world.

And as for the World Health Organization's yearly international ranking of healthcare systems? Atlasia has risen a remarkable eight ranks, now sitting at 29th in the world. Supporters of the program hope to see that number increase once again in the coming years.

Critics, however, have reason to gloat.

Partially because of the much lower amount of people remaining without care than initially projected, the program is costing more than anticipated, and there are worries this will continue to increase until registration into Atlasian Community Healthcare finally plateaus. According to initial analysis by GM Purple State, the program was expected to cost about $3.4 trillion over a ten year period ($340 billion a year), but if current spending levels continue, the national healthcare program is going to spend $4.1 trillion over a decade ($410 billion a year) instead.

Though, thankfully, the health insurance tax is still on track to bring in revenue as expected. Roughly $335 billion a year. With other taxes, the additional spending hasn't taken the national budget into a deficit. Yet.

But experts expect Atlasian Community Healthcare to only continue spending more as time goes on.

With Administrative costs at only 1% of total spending (much lower than private health insurance counterparts, which often have Administrative costs at 7%), as well as fraud and waste only guesstimated at $20 billion, it leaves precious little areas to trim. One possible avenue, floated by the centrist think-tank National Institute for Economic Growth, is to cut doctor payouts by 10%. Though this may anger doctors working for the program, it would save around $35 billion. But this still wouldn't reduce spending to the initially projected levels.

Despite spending more than projected, however, Atlasian Community Healthcare seems to be shaping up to be a success story. Albeit an expensive one.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 11th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     881 +4 (0.46%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93100, World Index (+0.00045)
• Crude Oil = $85.09/barrel +0.19 (0.22%)

Analysis:

A "pale green day" as news agencies called it, as all daily financial indicators increased, but only at a crawl. Oil continued to increase in price due to the Summer demand, and the stock market remained in barely positive growth territory.

"Our markets need a shot in the arm." As one insider put it.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Foreign News
(Adopted from an AP article.)

AP: Brother of Afghanistan President Assassinated. Taliban takes credit.

(AP) -- The powerful half brother of President Hamid Karzai was gunned down in his heavily fortified home by a close associate Tuesday, setting off a power struggle in southern Afghanistan and raising doubts about stability in a critical area for the Atlasian-led war effort.

The assassination of Ahmed Wali Karzai, a wheeler-dealer and the key to his half brother's power in the south, leaves the president without an influential ally to handle the tricky job of balancing the interests of the region's tribal and political leaders, drug runners, insurgents and militias.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials immediately cast doubt that they were involved. If they were, it could undercut the president's own effort to talk peace with insurgents as foreign forces begin their exit.

The unfortunate timing of this incident comes merely hours after President Polnut announced plans for a calculated withdrawal of Atlasian forces from Afghanistan and Iraq in the coming year. It remains to be seen whether or not the assassination will impact the Atlasian withdrawal. Polnut has yet to make a statement on the issue.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 12th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     884 +3 (0.34%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93125, World Index (+0.00025)
• Crude Oil = $85.51/barrel +0.42 (0.49%)

Analysis:

Oil continues its slow rise in price throughout the summer, and the stock market once again remains roughly the same in yet another day of unchanging economic news.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 13th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     879 -2 (0.23%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93110, World Index (+0.00010)
• Crude Oil = $85.89/barrel +0.30 (0.46%)

Analysis:

The stock market spent most of the day deep into the red, skittish over President Polnut's new tax reforms that he has yet to unveil, but nearing the end of the day, stocks ended roughly in a wash. Oil continued to rise.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 15th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     896 +17 (1.9%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93125, World Index (+0.00015)
• Crude Oil = $86.31/barrel +0.42 (0.49%)

Analysis:

Though initially nervous over the implications of President Polnut's tax reform proposals, the President's promise not to increase the top end of corporate taxes and income taxes were very reassuring to the market. By closing, the market had seen the most activity it had seen in weeks, even if only by virtue of anything being proposed.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Foreign News

Benconstine delivers "daring" speech on United Nations reform on Thursday.

(AG-I) -- Secretary of External Affairs Benconstine delivered a surprisingly ambitious speech at the French Parliament building last Thursday on the subject United Nations reform. Calling the United Nations Security Council "outdated" and running "the risk of continued stagnation and inaction" he called for the expansion of the security council from five to eight permanent seats, and for the removal of the UNSC veto, which grants any nation of the Security Council the authority to unilaterally dismiss anything that comes before it.

Benconstine's remarks on the outdated collection of permanent UNSC members has certainly garnered agreement in the fact that the international community has changed a great deal in the last five decades, but his daring commentary on the expansion of the UNSC permanent membership has caused squabbling over which member nations "deserve" those seats.

The SoEA suggested member states such as Brazil, India, and South Africa as possible new inclusions into the Security Council as permanent members. Notably absent, however, are others such as Japan, or Germany, which are both two of the most active participants and contributors to the United Nations both in terms of troops and time. Both nations have objected to the Secretary's proposed new members on these grounds.

France and England, however, have signaled they would be willing to go along with Atlasia's proposals to both expand the permanent UNSC membership and rid the Security Council of the veto.

But it won't be that easy. According to Articles 108-109 of the United Nations Charter, any changes in such procedure must be agreed upon by "all pemanent members" of the Security Council. As such, it merely takes one member to oppose any amendments, and both Russia and China remain adamant. China, issuing a statement calling the veto a "rarely used necessity" and Russian President Medvedev, calling the comments from Benconstine "inflammatory and unnecessary", neither seem particularly cooperative.

Russia, of course, remains under "slight military and economic restrictions" by the Department of External Affairs, and diplomatic relations with the country have frequently been tenuous.

Taken as a whole, however, the broad international response to the Secretary's stern comments about forcing the evolution of the United Nations to respond to the demands of the modern age has been positive. The problem, as it so often is with action in the United Nations, remains with a very important, and stubborn, few.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 18th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     902 +6 (0.67%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93130, World Index (+0.00005)
• Crude Oil = $86.64/barrel +0.33 (0.38%)

Analysis:

The market eagerly awaits a formal look at the President's tax proposals, while the agriculture sector reacts positively to the Senate discussing the Drought Mitigation Act. Stocks finished just above nine-hundred for the first time in quite awhile, despite the anxiety in the business sector.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Headline Summaries

Long emergency states lifted in South & Mideast as damage is estimated.

(AG-I) -- After damaging tornadoes throughout the Mideast and the Imperial Dominion of the South, as well as record floods in Mississippi, states of emergency were finally formally lifted in the Imperial Dominion of the South for the affected areas on Friday, as they were in the Mideast over a week ago. Deaths from the disasters are roughly numbered at 400, and damage costs from both the floods and tornadoes are estimated at nearly $8 billion in the South alone.


Woman from Richmond, Virginia dies due to complications from unsafe, illegal, abortion.

(AG-I) -- Dr. Geoffrey Stevens was arrested on Monday at his home in Richmond after the death of Brittany Kaleb, 20, due to complications from an illegal abortion performed in Stevens' home. Kaleb sought the abortion after finding out she was pregnant late in her first trimester, but was turned away from early-abortion providers in the region over concerns that she had waited too long to seek the procedure.

Stevens, who retired several years ago, admitted to helping numerous women who sought his help undergo illegal abortions after the Mideast region criminalized abortions performed after the first trimester (12 weeks). Kaleb's death has sparked worries that illegal and unsafe abortions are on the rise in the region since the criminalization of post-first trimester abortions a little over two years ago. The Mideast chapter of Planned Parenthood called the death of Kaleb a "tragedy" but implored the Mideast to liberalize their abortion statute beyond "just" 12 weeks.


Corporate tax shelter housing hundreds of businesses discovered in Midwest.

(AG-I) -- A small home in Cheyenne, Optimism (Wyoming) has been exposed as the supposed headquarters of more than 1700 businesses. Many of these businesses are known as "shell corporations" which are used as fronts for the hiding of properties, money, and other assets due to loopholes in Midwestern tax law. This has sparked new research into what exactly is required for incorporation.

Though the Midwest requires a physical address for incorporation, as opposed to simply owning a post-office box as is the case in the Mideast and Imperial Dominion of the South, the Midwest does not specify how many corporations can be headquartered in the same place. "It's a gross oversight in tax law that all regions should look into" says a tax expert working with the Guardian-Informer.


Newly formed state of Oceania largely pleased about becoming a full part of Atlasia.

(AG-I) -- From the Island Enfranchisement Act, recently signed into law by President Polnut, the Atlasian territories of Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands are now collectively known as the state of Oceania. A recent poll of Oceania residents shows 80% believe their lives will be better now that they have become a state. Nevertheless, some residents have taken to acts of petty violence in resistance to becoming part of the Union, and have begun spreading fliers speaking out against what they call "the oncoming ruination of our culture" in Guam.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Headline

GTO bomber sentenced to 30 years to life after pleading guilty.

(AG-I) -- Colin Hart Nickell, the Reality or Nothing terrorist responsible for the bombing of the GTO building, has been sentenced on Tuesday to 30 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to the crime. Nickell proudly admits to having carried out the act, but refused throughout the aftermath of the tragedy to give up any names of other Reality or Nothing members.

The sentence finally puts an end to the unfortunate series of events that killed one man and injured dozens more. Authorities say they remain on the hunt for other RoN members.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 19th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     906 +4 (0.44%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93110, World Index (-0.00020)
• Crude Oil = $87.04/barrel +0.40 (0.46%)

Analysis:

The agriculture sector responded very favorably to what seems to be the imminent passage of the Drought Mitigation Act. Otherwise, a fairly routine day for Wall Street.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 20th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     903 -3 (0.33%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93098, World Index (-0.00012)
• Crude Oil = $87.31/barrel +0.27 (0.31%)

Analysis:

Excitement in the agriculture sector wore off today as Wall Street waits longer than anticipated for the President's formal tax proposals.

[Marokai Backbeat]

National News

President Polnut's trip to Guam, Oceania met with small but increasingly vocal protest.

(AG-I) -- The President today made a trip to Guam, the largest area within the newly formed state of Oceania, to kick off a tour to meet the people of the new state and cool tensions there. Upon the arrival of the President in Dededo, Guam, a small group of protestors formed to make noise about their objections to becoming part of a new state. Wielding signs and rocks, a group of about 40 rained down rocks onto the President and his entourage.

The group was quickly dispersed by law enforcement and no one was harmed in the protest. President Polnut asked for the protestors to not be prosecuted in respect for their beliefs.

Despite the small group that showed up, however, there are concerns that the vocal minority of protestors may be gaining ground. Former territorial Governor of Guam Felix Camacho released a statement to the Guardian-Informer on the events.

"The overall numbers of protestors are small, but I worry they could still cause serious trouble if they are allowed to grow unchecked. Our entrance to the rest of Atlasia was very swift, and I believe the responsibility for winning the hearts and minds of the people of Guam, and Oceania more broadly, falls to the government of the Pacific Region."

Ways to win aforementioned "hearts and minds" of the people of Oceania, include among other things, officials suggest, setting up the robust safety net infrastructure and generally making the people feel more welcome, with their culture, and language, protected. Secretary of Federal Elections Teddy has also embarked on a voter registration trip to the state to raise political awareness.

Polls in Oceania continue to show a large majority in Guam, 76%, positive about their future as a full part of Atlasia. This is, however, a 4% decrease in the last poll conducted on the subject. Whether this is statistical noise or not, however, remains to be seen. So far no substantial protest movements have been reported in American Somoa or the Northern Mariana Islands.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 21st.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     908 +5 (0.55%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93085, World Index (-0.00013)
• Crude Oil = $87.47/barrel +0.16 (0.18%)

Analysis:

With much focus on Guam and Oceania more broadly in today's news, Wall Street remained roughly positive on considerations of the new markets in Oceania. Gains in oil prices seem to be consistently slowing down.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 22nd.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     899 -9 (0.99%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93095, World Index (+0.00010)
• Crude Oil = $87.57/barrel +0.10 (0.11%)

Analysis:

Stocks reacted very negatively to the attacks on Oslo, on Friday, while the rest of the financials remained roughly stagnant, including oil prices, which continued to slow.

[Marokai Backbeat]

National News
(Adopted from a Reuters article.)

Reuters: Plains of Atlasia turn dry as severe drought worsens.

(Reuters) -- The weekly Atlasian Drought Monitor, produced by a consortium of national climate experts, showed abnormally dry conditions affecting a significant area of the Midwest -- about 10 percent -- for the first time this summer.

The areas included parts of Confusion (Iowa) and Illinois, the top two corn- and soy-growing states that annually produce about one-third of the U.S. corn crop. Also affected were southern Wisconsin, northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

Texas remained the epicenter of the crisis, with "exceptional drought," the most severe drought category, gripping 75 percent of the state. Precipitation in the last 30 days has been less than half of normal for much of eastern Confusion (Iowa), northern Illinois, and Indiana.

The dry spell marks a remarkable shift from this spring, when persistent rains stalled planting in many parts of Atlasia's so-called "Corn Belt," especially Indiana and Ohio. Worse still, farmers have reported a fairly significant number of cattle deaths due to the heat. Corn production in Atlasia is expected to fall to a 20-year low this year due to the drought's effects.

It is hoped that the Drought Mitigation Act that was recently signed into law by President Polnut will mitigate the damage somewhat, but the large share of the impact the law will have will not be felt until the next farming season in 2012. The damage to the agriculture sector in the markets, however, seems to be just as persistent as the droughts themselves.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Financial News
(July 25th.)

Financial Indicators

• ANSE     888 -11 (1.23%)
• $1 Atlasian = $0.93065, World Index (-0.00030)
• Crude Oil = $87.42/barrel -0.15 (0.17%)

Analysis:

A less than stellar day on the markets, for the most part. The agriculture sector fell sharply on news that the droughts in the plains were more pervasive than originally feared and the reduced harvest projections for the year, while oil finally started to step backward after days of continuing declines.