Pacifican Statehood Act of 2006

[Yates]

Abstain.

[Q]

We are not admitting rocks that float around in the Pacific with nobody on to the Union.

The Senate would disagree with you, or perhaps you are using the "royal we" to assert your personal opinion.

[Gabu]

After looking at a map, nay.

My explanation can be found via a map of the Pacific.

Up in the top left corner, you can see the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.

Way down near the bottom right corner, you can see Atlasian Samoa, near Tonga and the Cook Islands.

I should have probably looked this up beforehand, but I see absolutely no rational reason to put both of these places in the same state, especially given how many non-Atlasian landmasses separate them.  As it is, Atlasian Samoa, with its tiny population of only 82,459, would be totally separated from the rest of the state.

[Q]

This bill has enough votes to pass.  Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Keystone Phil]

This bill has enough votes to pass.  Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

It saddens me that I did not arrive here on time for such an important vote. I was very much up in the air on this bill but I would have voted against it, for the record.

[Gabu]

I urge Senators to take a look at the map in my previous post and vote against this.  I would be fine if it didn't include Atlasian Samoa, but Atlasian Samoa is nowhere near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.  It would be like making Arizona and Oregon into one unified state.

[Hatman 🍁]

I for one am familiar enough with the south Pacific to know generally where these places are. I think Gabu misses the point. These locations have to be grouped together because they are too small on their own. Sure the distances are far, but there are no other alternatives. By the way Gabu, did you know from tip to tip, Alaska is about as long as the entire continental Unisted States?

[Q]

It saddens me that I did not arrive here on time for such an important vote. I was very much up in the air on this bill but I would have voted against it, for the record.

You can still vote, Senator.  Your vote is recorded just like the rest, and in fact it can still have an impact on the outcome if 1) one of the 5 Senators who has voted 'aye' changes his vote, or 2) 5 Senators vote 'nay' -- meaning that your vote is still very important and is not late by any means.

[Q]

I urge Senators to take a look at the map in my previous post [...].   I would be fine if it didn't include Atlasian Samoa, but Atlasian Samoa is nowhere near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

So you think Samoa should be a separate state from Guam and CNMI, then?

[Platypus]

As I have said, I suggest that American Samoa should determine if it wishes to join Pacifica or not. If they do, fine; if they do not, they can either maintain the status quo, become an independent nation, or join [Western] Samoa.

[CheeseWhiz]

Nay

I am in complete agreement with Gabu.  Like I said before, with that kind of map, you can’t have any of the elected officials be in touch with the whole state, so it’ll wind up being Guam ruling the other two, and I think the Northern Mariana Islands and Atlasian Samoa would be better off as territories if that were to happen.

[jerusalemcar5]

You should all just make them independent with some aid to prop them up if they so desire.  As separate territories or as a single state it would be far worse than independence.

[Q]

On a vote of 5-4-1 (with each 'aye' coming from a Senator with a different-colored avatar, I might point out), this bill has passed and is presented to the President for his signature.

[Ebowed]

VETO

[jerusalemcar5]

VETO

An excellent decision Mr. President.

[MasterJedi]

Not enough votes to override it even if Yates switched so I won't be going for an override.

An I'll just say it's a horrid veto Mr. President, the worst you've made.

[Gabu]

I urge Senators to take a look at the map in my previous post [...].   I would be fine if it didn't include Atlasian Samoa, but Atlasian Samoa is nowhere near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

So you think Samoa should be a separate state from Guam and CNMI, then?

I don't really know what should be done with it, as its population is really not large enough to warrant making it into a separate state, but it certainly should not be lumped together with two other territories separated from itself by multiple nations.  I can't imagine how Atlasian Samoa could ever hope for decent state-wide representation in that case, given that the rest of the state could easily outvote Atlasian Samoa on everything.

Given its lack of proximity to any sizeably populated other Atlasian territory, I think that the best bet is probably just to leave it as a territory.

Not enough votes to override it even if Yates switched so I won't be going for an override.

An I'll just say it's a horrid veto Mr. President, the worst you've made.

Not at all, it makes perfect sense to refuse to lump Atlasian Samoa in with Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

[MasterJedi]

Not enough votes to override it even if Yates switched so I won't be going for an override.

An I'll just say it's a horrid veto Mr. President, the worst you've made.

Not at all, it makes perfect sense to refuse to lump Atlasian Samoa in with Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

He'd have vetoed it even if it wasn't in there. He did veto Puerto Rico.

[Platypus]

May I suggest my proposal for American samoa is enacted; it may allow for enough aye votes to override any veto that occurs.

[Gabu]

Not enough votes to override it even if Yates switched so I won't be going for an override.

An I'll just say it's a horrid veto Mr. President, the worst you've made.

Not at all, it makes perfect sense to refuse to lump Atlasian Samoa in with Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

He'd have vetoed it even if it wasn't in there. He did veto Puerto Rico.

Okay, but I don't see how that's particularly relevant, given that this isn't Puerto Rico's admission we're proposing.  I see absolutely nothing wrong with this veto, since the proposition of sticking Atlasian Samoa with Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands just plain makes no sense.

May I suggest my proposal for American samoa is enacted; it may allow for enough aye votes to override any veto that occurs.

What proposal is that?

EDIT: Never mind, I just saw it.  I suppose it could be an idea.

[Democratic Hawk]

May I suggest my proposal for American samoa is enacted; it may allow for enough aye votes to override any veto that occurs.

Would that be this one?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm not sure whether the vetoed Bill could be amended to reflect your proposal at this stage. I'd have to check with the Vice President and the PPT. If it requires a new Bill, I'll be more than happy to introduce one

'Hawk'

[Peter]

An I'll just say it's a horrid veto Mr. President, the worst you've made.

It's just a land grab, and no need for it.

[MasterJedi]

An I'll just say it's a horrid veto Mr. President, the worst you've made.

It's just a land grab, and no need for it.

One is about making territories that have no say in Atlasia a state. The most recent comment was about the Northeast grabbing land away from the Mideast. Big difference, stop trying to spin my words Mr. Bell.

[Peter]

The amusing thing is that absolutely no spin was required, simple repetition.