Senate Protest and Analysis Thread

[Ebowed]

Actual Farm Subsidies Abolition Bill

Whereas, F.L. 9-13 "Farm Subsidies Abolition Act" did not abolish farm subsidies:
1. Sections I, II, IV, and V of the Farm Subsidies Abolition Act are repealed.
2. All farm subsidies are hereby abolished, effective from Fiscal Year 2007.


Atlasian-Israel-Jordan Free Trade Bill

Section 1: Jordan
1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and Jordan.
2. The United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement is repealed.

Section 2: Israel
1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and Israel.
2. The United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement is repealed.

Section 3: Designation of Powers
1. The President and other officers of the Atlasian Government shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

[Bono]

Another possibility is to introduce a general free trade bill, which would apply not to a specific group of countries, but to the whole world.

I've sugested this myself.
It's nearly a great idea, though I'd sugest a small revenue raising tarif.

[Ebowed]

Food for thought:

Adoption Bill
1. No adoption agency run by or funded, either in full or in part, by the federal government of Atlasia shall bar any individual or couple from adopting a minor based solely or primarily on their sexual orientation.
2. Any agency outlined above shown to be in violation of this act shall be liable to a three month suspension of their funding pending further investigation.
3. This act shall not be construed as to deny adoption agencies the ability to deny adoption rights to someone with a criminal record of sexual misconduct, nor shall the definition of "sexual orientation" be interpreted to include predators of children.

[afleitch]

Firstly, with regards to the Carribean and South American FTA's -why not unify them? They are both the exact same, there are no exceptions based on individual goods or servives, just nations, so why have two bills? They can be unified, and exceptions made based on the list of nations in the Foreign Policy Review and on those outlined above, but apply to the whole South American and Carribean region. The distinction between South America and the Carribean is complex - see Trinidad and Tobago for example.

[Jake]

Food for thought:

Adoption Bill
1. No adoption agency run by or funded, either in full or in part, by the federal government of Atlasia shall bar any individual or couple from adopting a minor based solely or primarily on their sexual orientation.
2. Any agency outlined above shown to be in violation of this act shall be liable to a three month suspension of their funding pending further investigation.
3. This act shall not be construed as to deny adoption agencies the ability to deny adoption rights to someone with a criminal record of sexual misconduct, nor shall the definition of "sexual orientation" be interpreted to include predators of children.

This is not the Republic of Sodom and Gomorrah

[afleitch]

This is not the Republic of Sodom and Gomorrah

Neither is it Jesusland

This bill must be debated on its merits, not personal preference.

[Jake]

We've gone over this, though many of you refuse to accept the argument that a child needs parents of both sexes to develop normally. The fact that adoption policies are discriminating against gays is not reason enough to change laws.

[Democratic Hawk]

Another possibility is to introduce a general free trade bill, which would apply not to a specific group of countries, but to the whole world.

I've sugested this myself.
It's nearly a great idea, though I'd sugest a small revenue raising tarif.

The whole world? I think not

For a start, the whole world wouldn't be suitable for Free Trade Agreements, certain countries are subject to economic restrictions

Furthermore, for many countries, their political, and human rights, record leave a lot to be desired - but I like the idea of a revenue raising tariff as in the classical protectionist tradition; however, it wouldn't be necessarily small, or uniform, either but variable depending on how recalcitrant undemocratic regimes might be. The more they move towards being a fully functioning liberal democracy, with political freedoms and civil rights, we could consider reducing the tariff if Atlasia was to go down this road

Free Trade should be all about levelling other countries up to our high economic and political standards, which is why I favor such a stick and carrot approach. Plus revenue raised by tariffs could be used to reduce the tax burden on our businesses

But for now, I'll look at each and every Free Trade Bill on the status, as per the Foreign Policy Review, of the specific regions, or countries, to which they pertain before deciding whether I support it or not

'Hawk'

[Democratic Hawk]

We've gone over this, though many of you refuse to accept the argument that a child needs parents of both sexes to develop normally

Are you saying that a child adopted by same-sex parents is likely to develop the same sexual orientation of their adoptive parents (assuming the child is the same sex as their adoptive parents)? What about the role genetics may play in the development of sexual orientation?

Not to mention that different sex parents can do a poor job of raising children

This is not as black and white as it seems with both arguments for and against

'Hawk'

[Jake]

I'm not saying anything like that. I'm saying the child's development will be hindered without both a male and female role model. We're already seeing the affects of single parent families in the US, and ignoring the economic factors involved, I think we'd see similar emotional and social problems with children raised by a same sex couple.

Also, the issue of different sex parents raising their own children is not germane to this topic. Bad parents are screened out as best as possible at adoption agencies.

[Democratic Hawk]

I'm not saying anything like that. I'm saying the child's development will be hindered without both a male and female role model. We're already seeing the affects of single parent families in the US, and ignoring the economic factors involved, I think we'd see similar emotional and social problems with children raised by a same sex couple.

Also, the issue of different sex parents raising their own children is not germane to this topic. Bad parents are screened out as best as possible at adoption agencies.

Thanks for clarifying your thoughts on the issue

'Hawk'

[ilikeverin]

That doesn't change the fact that any parents are better than no parents.  If I even buy the "lack of female and male role models" argument.

[jerusalemcar5]

I think we'd see similar emotional and social problems with children raised by a same sex couple.

Except that we aren't...

[Gabu]

If absolutely all else is equal, then yes, I would agree that having a male and a female is probably better than not having one gender present.

However, in the real world, there is never a case where "all else is equal".  A child will most assuredly turn out better in a family of two loving males than in a family of a male and a female who don't give a damn.  There are so many other factors that affect a child's development that it really is rather silly to ignore all of the others in lieu of barring homosexual couples.  Allowing homosexual couples to adopt does not mean that they will be given first dibs on every child.

[Ebowed]

Written by Brandon H.

Medicare and Medicaid Reform Bill
1. A senior shall be defined as a person age 60 or over.
2. Seniors shall have the right to opt out of medicare and this shall not affect their Social Security benefits.
3. Seniors receiving Medicare benefits shall have the option of using private doctors for services covered by Medicare without penalty.
4. Persons who have paid into the Medicare system shall be elegible for a voucher upon becoming a senior.  The value of the voucher shall be based on past medical history and probablity of future health risks.
5. Employees shall have the option of contributing the 1.45% Medicare Tax into a Retirement Health Savings Account.
6. The Federal Government shall cease future spending on Medicaid.  All current funds allocated to Medicaid shall be distributed to the regions as grants.

[jerusalemcar5]

Written by Brandon H.

Medicare and Medicaid Reform Bill
1. A senior shall be defined as a person age 60 or over.
2. Seniors shall have the right to opt out of medicare and this shall not affect their Social Security benefits.
3. Seniors receiving Medicare benefits shall have the option of using private doctors for services covered by Medicare without penalty.
4. Persons who have paid into the Medicare system shall be elegible for a voucher upon becoming a senior.  The value of the voucher shall be based on past medical history and probablity of future health risks.
5. Employees shall have the option of contributing the 1.45% Medicare Tax into a Retirement Health Savings Account.
6. The Federal Government shall cease future spending on Medicaid.  All current funds allocated to Medicaid shall be distributed to the regions as grants.

What is this Retirement Health Savings Account?

Are you abolishing medicaid?  I guess that's one good way to eliminate poverty.  Exterminate all the poor people...

[Ebowed]

Unified Federal Territories Sex Crimes Bill

Section 1: Applicability
This law shall only apply in the District of Columbia and in federal territories that do not form part of any Region.

Section 2: Rape
1. Rape shall be defined as the unlawful penetration (however slight):
(a) of the mouth by the penis, or
(b) of the anus or the vagina by the penis or any object held or manipulated by another person.
2. To be found guilty it must be proved that at the time of the act the actor knows that the victim does not consent, or is reckless as to whether the victim does or does not consent to it.  Any person found guilty of rape may liable to a term of life imprisonment.

Section 3: Age of Consent
1. The age at which a person may consent to engage in sexual relations with another person shall be 16.  The following exceptions are made:
(a) A person between the ages of 14 and 16 may consent to have sex with another person of the same age;
(b) A person between the ages of 15 and 17 may consent to have sex with another person of the same age;
(c) A person aged 16 or 17 may not consent to have sex with another person over 18 if that person is in a position of authority over the 16 or 17 year old;
(d) In order to partake in group sexual relations, all participants must be at least or older than 18 years old.
2. Any person who is 18 years old or older that has sex with any person who is between the ages of 14 and 15 years old shall be guilty of statutory rape; they shall be sentenced to no more than ten years in prison and may be subject to rehabilitation and counseling sessions as determined by the jury.
3. Any person who is 16 years old or older that has sex with any person who is 13 years old or younger shall be guilty of child molestation; they may be liable to a term of life imprisonment depending upon the severity and frequency of the violations.  Persons 18 years old or older who violate this law will be sentenced to no less than ten years in jail and may be subject to rehabilitation and counseling sessions as determined by the jury.
4. "Group sexual relations" (as referred to in Clause 1(d)) is defined as sexual activities consisting of three or more people.

Section 4: Bestiality
The act of bestiality, which is defined as gross sexual imposition, sexual assault, or the committing of a deviant sexual act with an animal that is not a human being, shall be illegal.  Any person found guilty of bestiality shall be sentenced to no more than one year in jail and/or shall be fined no more than $2000.

Section 5: Penetration of a Human Corpse
1. Sexual acts relating to necrophilia shall be illegal.  Any person found guilty of sexual acts relating to necrophilia shall be sentenced to no more than one year in jail and/or shall be fined no more than $2000.  Appropriate penalties relating to restrictions on cemetery visits and in particular contact with the family of the person whose corpse has been defiled may be applied by juries as they see fit.
2. "Sexual acts relating to necrophilia" is defined as:
(a) a person intentionally performing an act of penetration with a part of his or her body or anything else,
(b) what is penetrated is a part of the body of a dead person,
(c) the person knows that, or is reckless as to whether, that is what is penetrated, and
(d) the penetration is sexual, and in particular not for medical, scientific, forensic or investigative reasons.

Section 6: Incest
1. No two people or group of persons who are closely biologically related may engage in sexual relations with each other.  Any person found guilty of willingly violating this law shall be sentenced to no more than one year in jail and/or shall be fined no more than $2000.
2. "Closely biologically related" is defined as to restrict sexual actions between a person and his or her biological mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, first cousin, niece, nephew, daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson, great-granddaughter, great-grandson, great-grandmother, or great-grandfather.

Section 7: Pornography
It shall be legal for persons of 16 years of age or older to buy, possess and view pornography depicting only persons of 18 years of age or older.

[jerusalemcar5]

Unified Federal Territories Sex Crimes Bill

Section 1: Applicability
This law shall only apply in the District of Columbia and in federal territories that do not form part of any Region.

Section 2: Rape
1. Rape shall be defined as the unlawful penetration (however slight):
(a) of the mouth by the penis, or
(b) of the anus or the vagina by the penis or any object held or manipulated by another person.
2. To be found guilty it must be proved that at the time of the act the actor knows that the victim does not consent, or is reckless as to whether the victim does or does not consent to it.  Any person found guilty of rape may liable to a term of life imprisonment.

Section 3: Age of Consent
The age at which a person may consent to engage in sexual relations with another person shall be 16.  The following exceptions are made:
(a) A person between the ages of 14 and 16 may consent to have sex with another person of the same age;
(b) A person between the ages of 15 and 17 may consent to have sex with another person of the same age;
(c) A person aged 16 or 17 may not consent to have sex with another person over 18 if that person is in a position of authority over the 16 or 17 year old;
(d) In order to partake in group sexual relations, all participants must be at least or older than 18 years old.

Section 4: Bestiality
The act of bestiality, which is defined as gross sexual imposition, sexual assault, or the committing of a deviant sexual act with an animal that is not a human being, shall be illegal.  Any person found guilty of bestiality shall be sentenced to no more than one year in jail and/or shall be fined no more than $2000.

Section 5: Penetration of a Human Corpse
1. Sexual acts relating to necrophilia, as defined in Clause 2 shall be illegal.  Any person found guilty of sexual acts relating to necrophilia shall be sentenced to no more than one year in jail and/or shall be fined no more than $2000.  Appropriate penalties relating to restrictions on cemetery visits and in particular contact with the family of the person whose corpse has been defiled may be applied by juries as they see fit.
2. "Sexual acts relating to necrophilia" is defined as:
(a) a person intentionally performing an act of penetration with a part of his or her body or anything else,
(b) what is penetrated is a part of the body of a dead person,
(c) the person knows that, or is reckless as to whether, that is what is penetrated, and
(d) the penetration is sexual, and in particular not for medical, scientific, forensic or investigative reasons.

Section 6: Incest
1. No two people or group of persons who are closely biologically related may engage in sexual relations with each other.  Any person found guilty of willingly violating this law shall be sentenced to no more than one year in jail and/or shall be fined no more than $2000.
2. "Biologically related" is defined as to restrict sexual actions between a person and his or her biological mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, first cousin, niece, nephew, daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson, great-granddaughter, great-grandson, great-grandmother, or great-grandfather.

Section 7: Pornography
It shall be legal for persons of 16 years of age or older to buy, possess and view pornography depicting only persons of 18 years of age or older.

A 14 yr old can't have sex with a 17 yr old?  There is a three year age difference.  I think that's a little restrictive.

Section 7 has been and will be violated over and over and over.  It is far more normal and less gross for a teenager to be viewing pornography than a 45 yr old man with a wife and kids.

[Peter]

Yet another attempt to violate the general freedom that is granted to each of the non-State/Regional territories in their individual legislatures.  They can and should have the right to determine criminal justice issues for themselves. Having the federal legislature which is elected by other people decide these issues for them is non-democratic.

[Ebowed]

We should consider making it so that if a declared candidate for federal office doesn't log in for a set period of time (say, two weeks) without advance explanation, that candidate is withdrawn from the ballot unless he comes back before voting begins and claims he wants to remain on the ballot.

I've also noticed that the Senate will soon be in dire need of more legislation, so I'm opening up my backlog of little pet projects and posting a few more of them here.  Anything that appeals to Senators, feel free to introduce.

Recognition of the Armenian Genocide Resolution

1. The government of Atlasia recognizes the forced evacuation and resultant deaths of over a million Armenians as ordered by the government of the Young Turks from 1915 to 1917 to be genocide.
2. The government of Atlasia hereby condemns the government of Turkey for refusing to acknowledge the said events as genocide.

(for more information see The Armenian Genocide)


Atlasia-New Zealand Free Trade Bill

1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and New Zealand.
2. The President and other officers of the Atlasian Government shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.


Atlasia-Oman Free Trade Bill

1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and Oman.
2. The President and other officers of the Atlasian Government shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.


Atlasia-India Free Trade Bill

1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and India.
2. The President and other officers of the Atlasian Government shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.


Atlasia-Thailand Free Trade Bill

1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and Thailand.
2. The President and other officers of the Atlasian Government shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.


Atlasia-Malaysia Free Trade Bill

1. No tariffs, customs, or restrictions on movement of goods, except those that have been outlawed by the destination or interim nation, shall exist between the Republic of Atlasia and Malaysia.
2. The President and other officers of the Atlasian Government shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.


The Ensuring Personal Security Bill

Section 1: Applicability
1. This act shall only apply in the District of Columbia and in federal territories which do not form part of any region.

Section 2: Identity Fraud and Privacy Protection
(a) The security of personal information that could be used to identify a citizen is hereby protected.  This information shall be known as Protected Personal Information, or "PPI."
(b) PPI shall be defined to include both financial and medical information.
(c) Medical records as well as any genetic information that has been generated may only be viewed by another party when a citizen specifically and voluntarily authorizes that information to be shared. An insurer shall not require the release of genetic information by a preexisting or potential customer, nor shall any genetic information be taken into consideration when insurance-related decisions are made. The disclosure of personal medical information of any nature shall be limited to between the patient and the medical care provider, but the patient shall be permitted to authorize disclosure to other entities, as necesary in the course of treatment or for other purposes, at the patient's discretion. This information shall be used only within the legal relationships established voluntarily by the patient.
(d) Personal financial information of a citizen may be viewed only by individuals or entities specifically and voluntarily authorized by that citizen. Financial guarantors, whether individuals or commercial entities, may request financial PPI. Disclosure by the citizen shall be optional, but the guarantor may decline transacting with the individual solely on the grounds of refusal by the individual to release requested financial PPI. The guarantor may also decline transacting with the individual solely because of the nature and status of that individual's financial PPI.
(e) Commercial entities and individuals shall not sell PPI or pass it on in any way or by any means that violate the rules established by this act.
(f) Fines for violations shall be $10,000 per individual whose PPI has been handled illegally, to be imposed upon the violator of the provisions of this act.

(blatantly stolen from a Southeast initiative written by Q)


Return to Normalcy Bill

1. The Metric Converstion Act of 1975 is hereby repealed.


Ebowed Needs A Life Bill

1. See title.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

What's wrong with allowing them to get elected, and if they don't show up, declaring them to be Hale Boggs, and replacing them.

In case you don't get the reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hale_Boggs

[Ebowed]

What's wrong with allowing them to get elected, and if they don't show up, declaring them to be bogged down (a reference to Hales Bogg), and replacing them.

Nothing, although it does slow the process down a bit.

[Q]

The Ensuring Personal Security Bill

...

(blatantly stolen from a Southeast initiative written by Q)

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Return to Normalcy Bill

1. The Metric Converstion Act of 1975 is hereby repealed.

I'm an advocate of metrification, but I have no problems with this.  All the act does is provide for a Atlasia Metric Board which does nothing that actually helps us metrify and add some layers of paper work in federal construction projects that end up with us doing them in traditional units anyway

[jerusalemcar5]

I'm getting annoyed by all this free trade.  If you want to kill Atlasian industry and labor rights, just do it in one fell swoop.  Doing it country by country is painstakingly slow.