Senate Protest and Analysis Thread

[Marokai Backbeat]

Stupidity over serious policy.

And if any Senator introduces it, I'll be striking it from the que unless my actions are overridden. Just saying.

Playing politics as PPT is what's stupidity. I could have stricken crap I thought useless as PPT but I didn't because it's not the right thing to do unless it's spam which this obviously isn't.

I strike something when I find it to be ludicrous and not at all meant to be taken seriously. I did it once before with a left-wing Senator, so I'm not playing politics here. This is stupid, everyone knows it would never pass and no one actually considers this a serious proposal unless they're trolls. No one who complained about taxes (except Vepres) actually popped in with their complaints, but now people like cinyc are prancing around with this nonsense. Spare me, MJ.

Oh, and don't talk to me about conduct as an official.

My policy was to let anything threw unless it was spam and it worked just fine and no one complained. Who cares if it won't pass, it can still be debated and something could come from that. You as PPT are not supposed to stop that.

And I'll speak my peace whenever I want and I'll talk about conduct. It's not like I care what people think. If you don't like it? Oh boy, it's the internent, if people hate me they're so tough!

I, as PPT, have the power to strike amendments or legislation if they are frivolous or otherwise nonsensical. This is the grand total of the second time I've ever threatened to invoke such a power, so take a chill pill.

And you can speak all you want about it, but you're not a damn bit credible on the subject. You went MIA as PPT, then reappeared to turn into a fanatical moderator deleting whatever posts you didn't like. Your words would matter to me if you practiced what you preached.

[Хahar 🤔]

That's two more times than you ought to have used it.

[Vepres]

I think Saudi Arabia should receive tighter restrictions due to their human rights abuses.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Government Workers Finally Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is Bill
Realizing that our rising budget deficit can not be left unattended indefinitely, the fundamental unfairness of our punitively high income tax rates and unconscionable limits on private sector compensation, and that we must make efforts for our politicians to become less hypocritical, as 100% of government workers' salaries are funded by the Atlasian citizenry, the Senate hereby authorizes the following comprehensive changes to our income tax system and laws:

1.  The taxable income of Senators, the President, Vice President and other elected or appointed officials of the legislative and executive branches of the Atlasian federal government ("Atlasian Government Officials") shall be taxed at the highest marginal rate provided for under Atlasian federal law, without regard to the taxable income of such Atlasian Government Official in any taxable year. 

2.  No Atlasian Government Official shall be entitled to take any credit, deduction or other allowance against that Atlasian Government Official's income if any other Atlasian citizen is not entitled to or phased out from taking such credit, deduction or allowance due to that citizen's income.

3.  No Atlasian Government Official or other Atlasian federal government employee may receive any bonus or other non-periodical compensation of any type at any time during which the Atlasian federal government restricts or otherwise limits the ability of any Atlasian company to compensate its employees in any manner whatsoever.

4(a) The Atlasian federal government shall create a "Tax Me More Fund".  Any Atlasian citizen who believes that Atlasian federal taxes are too low for any other Atlasian citizen may contribute the amount by which that citizen believes such taxes are too low into the Tax Me More Fund.  No tax deduction, credit or other allowance may be taken by any citizen who contributes to the Tax Me More Fund.
(b) The President Pro-Tempore of the Senate shall keep and publish a "hypocrites list" of Senators who vote in favor of any increase in Atlasian federal taxes but does not contribute to the Tax Me More Fund.  The hypocrites list shall be maintained in a post on the Atlasian Federal Government board.

In accordance to Article 3, Section 1, Clause 7 of the Senate rules I declare this legislation by RowanBrandon withdrawn due to his resignation.

[HappyWarrior]

I think Saudi Arabia should receive tighter restrictions due to their human rights abuses.

But can you imagine how terribly this would affect the Atlasian economy?

[Хahar 🤔]

Diplomatic recognition ought to be withdrawn from Saudi Arabia (among other places).

[Alexander Hamilton]

I think Saudi Arabia should receive tighter restrictions due to their human rights abuses.

But can you imagine how terribly this would affect the Atlasian economy?

I'm remembering this.

[HappyWarrior]

Diplomatic recognition ought to be withdrawn from Saudi Arabia (among other places).

Trust me if we could withdraw diplomatic recognition from alot of nations like that I would, but sadly it'd just wreck industry and economy.

[Alexander Hamilton]

Fusion Voting Act

1. Any declared candidate for any office in the Republic of Atlasia may opt to appear on the ballot for all major parties offering the candidate an official endorsement.
2. Official endorsements by parties must be certified by the chairman of the party giving the endorsement.
3. The SoFA must be notified of the endorsement at least 5 days in advance by the declared candidate receiving a cross-endorsement.

I hope that a Senator will consider introducing this, or something similar to this.

[Хahar 🤔]

This would be nice.

[Hash]

I just introduced it.

[Badger]

Stupidity over serious policy.

And if any Senator introduces it, I'll be striking it from the que unless my actions are overridden. Just saying.

Oh, it's a serious policy - Senators should do unto themselves what they do to others.  Otherwise, they'll never feel the effects of what they do.

You mean like decrying the horrors of government provided health insurance yet accepting health insurance from the government as part of their compensation package?

I'm proud to say my governor, Ted Strickland, refused to accept the government health insurance package provided members of congress unless universal coverage was provided, buying health insurance seperately out of his own pocket. Wouldn't it be great to see Congress forced to decide between expanding their plan nationally or getting rid of it?

The difference between this scenario and yours, Cincy, is that everytime Congress votes to raise upper income taxes, they pay taxes the same as anyone else struggling by on around $170k a year, but when congress votes to deny universal health care (or VA funding, or mental health care, or uextended unemployment compensation, etc) they keep their benefits and perks while other people get screwed.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It would be nice if a Senator could introduce some legislation clearing up the situation over notice of election. Apparently the current legislation and the constitution are not cousins.

[Purple State]

Can a Senator please present the following piece of legislation...

Top Secret Classification Bill

§1. The Game Moderator shall have the power to label select documents as "Top Secret" for the purpose of dissemination of matters vital to national security or economic imperative.

§2. Matters deemed as "Top Secret" must labeled clearly at the top of the message.

§3. Matters deemed as "Top Secret" may only be revealed, whether in full form or in summary, to the President, Vice President, Cabinet and Senate. Such matters may also be revealed to the Justices of the Supreme Court and to trial juries only where necessary for the prosecution of cases outlined by this Act.

§4. It shall be punishable under Atlasian Law for any person entrusted with material labeled "Top Secret" to reveal that information to an individual not mentioned in §3.
    a. This crime shall be tried as though it were a crime under the Consolidated Criminal Justice Act.
    b. Use of "Top Secret" material as evidence in such cases shall be revealed and discussed in private among the presiding Justice, Counsel and the jury, where applicable.
    c. Sentencing of the crime shall be by the presiding Justice; He may sentence the guilty party for up to, but not exceeding, a 2 month ban from voting and a 6 month ban from holding any office under the Republic of Atlasia.

[Хahar 🤔]

Is this necessary?

[Purple State]

Is this necessary?

I would appreciate if there were a purpose to Top Secret memos, so yes.

[Peter]

President of the Senate Bill

1. The office of President Pro Tempore of the Senate is hereby abolished.  The Vice-President, as President of the Senate, will perform the duties previously performed by the President Pro Tempore.

2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President, the Dean of the Senate shall serve as President of the Senate.

The PPT office is a constitutional office - there will need to be an amendment.

[Badger]

President of the Senate Bill

1. The office of President Pro Tempore of the Senate is hereby abolished.  The Vice-President, as President of the Senate, will perform the duties previously performed by the President Pro Tempore.

2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President, the Dean of the Senate shall serve as President of the Senate.

The PPT office is a constitutional office - there will need to be an amendment.

True, but it's a worthwhile change deserving amendment.

[Fritz]

President of the Senate Bill

1. The office of President Pro Tempore of the Senate is hereby abolished.  The Vice-President, as President of the Senate, will perform the duties previously performed by the President Pro Tempore.

2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President, the Dean of the Senate shall serve as President of the Senate.

The PPT office is a constitutional office - there will need to be an amendment.

Thank you for clarifying that for me, Peter, I was unsure.  I have edited my post to indicate that it is an Amendment, not a bill.

[Fritz]

Okay, I changed everything.  Rather than abolishing the PPT, my bill puts the offices back in their proper and constitutional order.  The Vice-President truly is President of the Senate, and the PPT only presides if the VP is absent, or if the VP says so.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Its better but I must ask whats the difference in having the PPT step in when the Veep is innactive then having the Veep step in when the PPT is innactive?

[Rowan]

How about a ban on office-holding of those on the TrollList?

[Vepres]

Its better but I must ask whats the difference in having the PPT step in when the Veep is innactive then having the Veep step in when the PPT is innactive?

It would give the PPT more time to debate. MJ rarely debated back when he was PPT after all.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Its better but I must ask whats the difference in having the PPT step in when the Veep is innactive then having the Veep step in when the PPT is innactive?

It would give the PPT more time to debate. MJ rarely debated back when he was PPT after all.

I am not MJ. I don't beleive Marokai refrained from debating contentious topics when he was PPT and I plan to continue to debate topics just as much as I previously did. The PPT stuff is easy, especially with the Senate as active as it is now. I don't see how any PPT wouldn't "have the time" to debate.


If MJ refrained from debate it was because he felt obligated to do so as part of his position. I feel that is unnecessary but respectable overkill. As long as the PPT can separate his duties from PPT from the debate which I can and will, this won't be an issue.

[Хahar 🤔]

How about a ban on office-holding of those on the TrollList?

No.