Repeal of the Education and Care for Children in Poverty Act

[Sam Spade]

I approve of my own legislation.

[Sam Spade]

I'm neutral on this, currently; does the GM have any report on any effects that this legislation has created?

Reason 1:  At present we have a budget deficit over  $500 billion dollars.  By July, this will need to be reduced to somewhere around the $200 billion dollar range (unless we declare war on some sh**tty country for the hell of it).

Of all the social programs that exist, this one and the Prescription Drug Reform that Congress passed in 2003 are the most aggregiously terrible of the two.  You will see me push for eliminating that next.  Hopefully, with those two eliminated, we won't have to raise taxes as much in July as we will presently have to.

[Sam Spade]

Just the original author's two cents

1. 4 billion dollars is still a lot of money for the DoE.
2. I'll admit it's a pretty poorly written bill

Thanks for the words on the bill, Akno. 

I thought, when I designed this bill, that this was also a fair compromise that would allow a significant sum of money to be earmarked for education (perhaps for NCLB, etc.), while at the same time allowing for us to deal with the budget deficit that awaits us in a couple of months in a fiscally responsible manner.

[Sam Spade]

I must come out against the repeal of this act.  While it provides for more government than I would like, it does make it easier for women to choose to take a pregnancy to term.  Also, the repeal of this act would be a disater for those who are currently utilizing the benefits granted here-in.  I must support the Education and Care for Children in Poverty Act and encourage all of my fellow Senators to do the same.

Couldn't you reintroduce a constitutional version of your Unwed and Teenage Mothers Protection Bill instead to handle your first concern?*

And perhaps a phased-out process of reducing benefits instead of an abrupt halt would be better?

*Hey, if the UaTM Bill was unconstitutional, why would this bill still be constitutional? Just wondering...

There is a serious question whether this legislation is constitutional in the first place. 

I chose to take the legislative angle to solving this problem, rather than the judicial angle and craft a compromise that would leave possible funds for education funding, while at the same time cutting down this enormous deficit of ours that will have to be dealt with sooner, rather than later.

And WMS, since this bill has only been law for say 4 months or so, I see no reason to create a huge phasing-out of benefits, when the benefits have barely even touched anyone anyway. (most of the cost has been to set up aspects of the system, as it is in any early years of social legislation, read on the Medicare prescription drug thing)

[Sam Spade]

Just the original author's two cents

1. 4 billion dollars is still a lot of money for the DoE.
2. I'll admit it's a pretty poorly written bill

Thanks for the words on the bill, Akno. 

I thought, when I designed this bill, that this was also a fair compromise that would allow a significant sum of money to be earmarked for education (perhaps for NCLB, etc.), while at the same time allowing for us to deal with the budget deficit that awaits us in a couple of months in a fiscally responsible manner.

I would like to see some restraint on military spending, which we haven't seen. John Ford was so knowledgeable he could basically impress the senate into funding whatever he wanted, so we likely don't need anymore military spending until we get the budget under control.

Like I said before, if someone (John Ford or anyone knowledgeable on defense) can list useless things we can cut in terms of defense spending, I'm all ears.

As I have also said before, I am very knowledgeable in terms of matters dealing with social spending, I am not very knowledgeable in matters that deal with defense spending.  So, it's obvious what I know about where waste is between the two.

[Sam Spade]

Just the original author's two cents

1. 4 billion dollars is still a lot of money for the DoE.
2. I'll admit it's a pretty poorly written bill

Thanks for the words on the bill, Akno. 

I thought, when I designed this bill, that this was also a fair compromise that would allow a significant sum of money to be earmarked for education (perhaps for NCLB, etc.), while at the same time allowing for us to deal with the budget deficit that awaits us in a couple of months in a fiscally responsible manner.

I would like to see some restraint on military spending, which we haven't seen. John Ford was so knowledgeable he could basically impress the senate into funding whatever he wanted, so we likely don't need anymore military spending until we get the budget under control.

Like I said before, if someone (John Ford or anyone knowledgeable on defense) can list useless things we can cut in terms of defense spending, I'm all ears.

As I have also said before, I am very knowledgeable in terms of matters dealing with social spending, I am not very knowledgeable in matters that deal with defense spending.  So, it's obvious what I know about where waste is between the two.

I'm not saying we need to cut defense spending, but I think we've added on a suitable amount to the Defense budget recently.

Fair enough.  I have no plans for any increase in defense spending anyways. (since I don't know the place) 

[Sam Spade]

Since John Ford cannot find any useful provisions for this wasteful spending and there appear to be no more questions by any other Senators, I motion that we bring this bill to a vote.

[Sam Spade]

Aye.

I will also be giving an editorial rebuttal to John Ford's (somewhat) biased piece sometime tonight.

[Sam Spade]

Ya how dare those poverty stricken children take tax dollars from more usefull things like tax cuts for the rich.

This money is going directly to cut the Budget Deficit (or towards $4 billion of future Education expenses), nothing else.

If it was going towards tax cuts, I wouldn't support it myself.

[Sam Spade]

It's been twenty-four hours since this one got the votes to pass and all dat.

Also, I would happy if the PPT appoints a new person on the committee.  Honestly, I have been so busy the last couple of weeks, Nym's inactivity had sort of skipped my mind.