SAM News Corp. Comment and Debate thread

[True Democrat]

Ironically, I believe I would be the first Jewish Atlasian Secretary of State.

Sharon would find that interesting, but I doubt that would change his opinion.  Israeli does not equal Jewish.

Oh, I know that.  I just find it interesting.

[Sam Spade]

Just to let the GM know, the second report of the Reforming Social Security Act is due in like four or five days, I'm pretty sure.

Because of timing problems, the report won't be out till Wednesday.

[True Democrat]

Just to let the GM know, the second report of the Reforming Social Security Act is due in like four or five days, I'm pretty sure.

Because of timing problems, the report won't be out till Wednesday.

That's fine.  Just wanted to remind you.

[True Democrat]

Sam, if you want to write something about my Middle Eastern tour, you can find it in my State Department thread.  Also, how do you want me to handle press briefings and such since you are the GM (PM me with the answer).

[Sam Spade]

Sam, if you want to write something about my Middle Eastern tour, you can find it in my State Department thread.  Also, how do you want me to handle press briefings and such since you are the GM (PM me with the answer).

I think the best way to do this is to PM me on the daily events and what you have to say in particular and I'll come up with what the other side says and a daily scenario report for the Daily Planet, keeping in mind what are the stated goals of this trip as you put in your thread.

How does that sound?

[Gabu]

The Senate proposes a 90% cut in education spending.  How will we prepare kids for high tech jobs if we do this?  The Senate proposes slashing scientific research.  How will we maintain our technological superiority if we do this?  They propose cutting many defense programs, weakening the military and making us less safe at the exact moment that global terrorist groups are surging in strength, with attacks in Jordan, Paris, and Iraq.  Then the Senate provides the capstone, a policy so ludicrous I wondered at first if the bill was not introduced in jest: A bill to sell off NASA to the highest bidder.  Excuse me?  The sale of sensitive technologies to the highest bidder, in such a way that we'll be unable to control the spread of the world's most advanced satellite, missile, and other space technology to rogue states like Iran and North Korea and near peer competitors like China?

To be perfectly fair, "the Senate" has proposed absolutely nothing.  DanielX proposed the above.  I just crunched the numbers and showed him what would be the immediate effect to the budget.  Quite frankly, I think that what DanielX is proposing is completely out of the question, but I am not one to take that as an excuse to be obstructionist and unhelpful.  My drafting of the effects of his plan should not be taken as tacit support of his proposal.

[The Duke]

The Senate proposes a 90% cut in education spending.  How will we prepare kids for high tech jobs if we do this?  The Senate proposes slashing scientific research.  How will we maintain our technological superiority if we do this?  They propose cutting many defense programs, weakening the military and making us less safe at the exact moment that global terrorist groups are surging in strength, with attacks in Jordan, Paris, and Iraq.  Then the Senate provides the capstone, a policy so ludicrous I wondered at first if the bill was not introduced in jest: A bill to sell off NASA to the highest bidder.  Excuse me?  The sale of sensitive technologies to the highest bidder, in such a way that we'll be unable to control the spread of the world's most advanced satellite, missile, and other space technology to rogue states like Iran and North Korea and near peer competitors like China?

To be perfectly fair, "the Senate" has proposed absolutely nothing.  DanielX proposed the above.  I just crunched the numbers and showed him what would be the immediate effect to the budget.  Quite frankly, I think that what DanielX is proposing is completely out of the question, but I am not one to take that as an excuse to be obstructionist and unhelpful.  My drafting of the effects of his plan should not be taken as tacit support of his proposal.

Understood that you don't support that particular proposal, but the majority of Senators, whether you yourself are included or not, have shown great zeal in the past for cutting programs that I don't always think should be cut.  I applaud any Senator who stands up for what's right, and that means I applaud you if you intend to vote to block DanielX's proposal.

[Gabu]

The Senate proposes a 90% cut in education spending.  How will we prepare kids for high tech jobs if we do this?  The Senate proposes slashing scientific research.  How will we maintain our technological superiority if we do this?  They propose cutting many defense programs, weakening the military and making us less safe at the exact moment that global terrorist groups are surging in strength, with attacks in Jordan, Paris, and Iraq.  Then the Senate provides the capstone, a policy so ludicrous I wondered at first if the bill was not introduced in jest: A bill to sell off NASA to the highest bidder.  Excuse me?  The sale of sensitive technologies to the highest bidder, in such a way that we'll be unable to control the spread of the world's most advanced satellite, missile, and other space technology to rogue states like Iran and North Korea and near peer competitors like China?

To be perfectly fair, "the Senate" has proposed absolutely nothing.  DanielX proposed the above.  I just crunched the numbers and showed him what would be the immediate effect to the budget.  Quite frankly, I think that what DanielX is proposing is completely out of the question, but I am not one to take that as an excuse to be obstructionist and unhelpful.  My drafting of the effects of his plan should not be taken as tacit support of his proposal.

Understood that you don't support that particular proposal, but the majority of Senators, whether you yourself are included or not, have shown great zeal in the past for cutting programs that I don't always think should be cut.  I applaud any Senator who stands up for what's right, and that means I applaud you if you intend to vote to block DanielX's proposal.

Quite frankly, I've been thinking of introducing a Constitutional amendment throwing out the requirement for a balanced budget.  It seemed like a good idea at the time that made fiscal sense, but at this point I really have to kind of wonder whether a balanced budget is preferable to either a large tax hike (which may very well require tax hikes ad infinitum in later budgets, given that they'd probably at least make some sort of dent in the GDP) or practically abolishing public education among other things (even if libertarians would swear by the notion that this would somehow help education in the country).

[The Duke]

The Senate proposes a 90% cut in education spending.  How will we prepare kids for high tech jobs if we do this?  The Senate proposes slashing scientific research.  How will we maintain our technological superiority if we do this?  They propose cutting many defense programs, weakening the military and making us less safe at the exact moment that global terrorist groups are surging in strength, with attacks in Jordan, Paris, and Iraq.  Then the Senate provides the capstone, a policy so ludicrous I wondered at first if the bill was not introduced in jest: A bill to sell off NASA to the highest bidder.  Excuse me?  The sale of sensitive technologies to the highest bidder, in such a way that we'll be unable to control the spread of the world's most advanced satellite, missile, and other space technology to rogue states like Iran and North Korea and near peer competitors like China?

To be perfectly fair, "the Senate" has proposed absolutely nothing.  DanielX proposed the above.  I just crunched the numbers and showed him what would be the immediate effect to the budget.  Quite frankly, I think that what DanielX is proposing is completely out of the question, but I am not one to take that as an excuse to be obstructionist and unhelpful.  My drafting of the effects of his plan should not be taken as tacit support of his proposal.

Understood that you don't support that particular proposal, but the majority of Senators, whether you yourself are included or not, have shown great zeal in the past for cutting programs that I don't always think should be cut.  I applaud any Senator who stands up for what's right, and that means I applaud you if you intend to vote to block DanielX's proposal.

Quite frankly, I've been thinking of introducing a Constitutional amendment throwing out the requirement for a balanced budget.  It seemed like a good idea at the time that made fiscal sense, but at this point I really have to kind of wonder whether a balanced budget is preferable to either a large tax hike (which may very well require tax hikes ad infinitum in later budgets, given that they'd probably at least make some sort of dent in the GDP) or practically abolishing public education among other things (even if libertarians would swear by the notion that this would somehow help education in the country).

Glad to hear that some folks are coming around.  If I remember, only me and Lewis Trondheim voted no on the budget amendment, so its been a long hike back.

[Gabu]

Glad to hear that some folks are coming around.  If I remember, only me and Lewis Trondheim voted no on the budget amendment, so its been a long hike back.

Yes, well, like I said, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  I will fully admit that I never really thought about what it meant we'd have to do.  I'm kind of glad that DanielX proposed what he did, because crunching the numbers and finding that his proposal didn't even do enough was kind of scary, to say the least.

[CheeseWhiz]

Um...  Could you tell me how much the Midwest is spending on Public Schools and Libraries (separately.)

Thanks!

[Sam Spade]

Announcement and minor apology:

I will be back to doing GM stuff on Sunday.  That includes Cheesewhiz's question.

This week has been really, really busy for me and I haven't had the time to devote that I normally do.

Once again, my apologies.

[CheeseWhiz]

w00t!  Thanks!  You don’t have to hurry; I’m in no rush

[WiseGuy]

Another question for when you return; how many Special Forces units do we have and how much does the pay and equipment for those units cost?  I'd also like to know how many non-special forces infantry units we have and how much they cost, too.  Thanks!

[Bono]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

[The Duke]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

[Bono]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

You.

[WiseGuy]

Another question for when you return; how many Special Forces units do we have and how much does the pay and equipment for those units cost?  I'd also like to know how many non-special forces infantry units we have and how much they cost, too.  Thanks!

Hey Sam, I really need this info, ASAP. 

[The Duke]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

You.

If its a comment on the seeming inconsistency of my Regional program to balance our budget and my opposition to similar Federal programs, the reason is that I think deficits at the Federal level are always preferable, and deficits at the Regional level are never preferable.  It has more to do with who is runninf the deficit than why.

[Bono]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

You.

If its a comment on the seeming inconsistency of my Regional program to balance our budget and my opposition to similar Federal programs, the reason is that I think deficits at the Federal level are always preferable, and deficits at the Regional level are never preferable.  It has more to do with who is runninf the deficit than why.

No, it's about wanting to cut SS and such.

[The Duke]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

You.

If its a comment on the seeming inconsistency of my Regional program to balance our budget and my opposition to similar Federal programs, the reason is that I think deficits at the Federal level are always preferable, and deficits at the Regional level are never preferable.  It has more to do with who is runninf the deficit than why.

No, it's about wanting to cut SS and such.

If you're saying I want to cut Social Security, you're wrong.

[Bono]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

You.

If its a comment on the seeming inconsistency of my Regional program to balance our budget and my opposition to similar Federal programs, the reason is that I think deficits at the Federal level are always preferable, and deficits at the Regional level are never preferable.  It has more to do with who is runninf the deficit than why.

No, it's about wanting to cut SS and such.

If you're saying I want to cut Social Security, you're wrong.

Cut, reform, w/e.
THat's just a matter ofl hermeneutics.

[The Duke]

SO let me get this, deficits are only ok when programs you like are being cut?

Who is this addressed to?

You.

If its a comment on the seeming inconsistency of my Regional program to balance our budget and my opposition to similar Federal programs, the reason is that I think deficits at the Federal level are always preferable, and deficits at the Regional level are never preferable.  It has more to do with who is runninf the deficit than why.

No, it's about wanting to cut SS and such.

If you're saying I want to cut Social Security, you're wrong.

Cut, reform, w/e.
THat's just a matter ofl hermeneutics.

Actually its not even close to a matter of hermeneutics.

[True Democrat]

Any news on my proposal at the UN or my trip to Israel?

[Sam Spade]

I apologize for being sort of AWOL of late.  Time has been sort of scant.

Hopefully, I will have a few articles coming forth tonight, if I can get time to write them.

THanks.