Mideast Assembly Thread

[California8429]

Following Ben's bill I would like to introduce this bill

  A RESOLUTION CONCERNING
    INVASIVE SPECIES-NEED FOR A STUDY IN THE Mideast Region
  WHEREAS:  For the purpose of conducting research into the dangers of invasive species in the Mideast Region.
  WHEREAS: Invasive or “alien” species have been proven to have an adverse effect in ecosystems in many cases including deaths of native species and damage to the regional economy
 WHEREAS: Species which are at present problems or may become problems include Snakehead Fish, Grass Carp, Nutria, Imported Fire Ants, Japanese Beetles, and various snakes.
BE IT RESOLVED: The Mideast Assembly shall hereby commission a study into the dangers 100 posed by various species which are invasive and alien to the Mideast region.  This study will be to look into which species pose the most danger and what the Mideast Region may do about it.

cost for this?

Likely very low, it is not a huge expenditiure.  Meanwhile some invasive species cost a huge amount of money in terms of lost production.  For instance the Kudzu plant costs $500 million dollars in lost agriculture in the nation anually, this being a rough estimate.

fighting off species is not easy to do at all and will likely cost a lot for the actual process to kick out these invasive species

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Wouldn't a reasonable compromise be to require debate and speech be included as an element in already mandatory English classes, as we have it in Sweden, where debate and speech is a part of Swedish class?

I could completely agree to that.

[HappyWarrior]

Following Ben's bill I would like to introduce this bill

  A RESOLUTION CONCERNING
    INVASIVE SPECIES-NEED FOR A STUDY IN THE Mideast Region
  WHEREAS:  For the purpose of conducting research into the dangers of invasive species in the Mideast Region.
  WHEREAS: Invasive or “alien” species have been proven to have an adverse effect in ecosystems in many cases including deaths of native species and damage to the regional economy
 WHEREAS: Species which are at present problems or may become problems include Snakehead Fish, Grass Carp, Nutria, Imported Fire Ants, Japanese Beetles, and various snakes.
BE IT RESOLVED: The Mideast Assembly shall hereby commission a study into the dangers 100 posed by various species which are invasive and alien to the Mideast region.  This study will be to look into which species pose the most danger and what the Mideast Region may do about it.

cost for this?

Likely very low, it is not a huge expenditiure.  Meanwhile some invasive species cost a huge amount of money in terms of lost production.  For instance the Kudzu plant costs $500 million dollars in lost agriculture in the nation anually, this being a rough estimate.

fighting off species is not easy to do at all and will likely cost a lot for the actual process to kick out these invasive species

Far less than $500 Million dollars annually I'm sure.  Anyways this will simply be a study and is not yet calling for any concrete action.  The main point of this is to get the GM to put out a report.

[Badger]

Wouldn't a reasonable compromise be to require debate and speech be included as an element in already mandatory English classes, as we have it in Sweden, where debate and speech is a part of Swedish class?

I could completely agree to that.

Good idea. 3 years is massively excessive.

[California8429]

Wouldn't a reasonable compromise be to require debate and speech be included as an element in already mandatory English classes, as we have it in Sweden, where debate and speech is a part of Swedish class?

I could completely agree to that.

Good idea. 3 years is massively excessive.

i would go for that too

[Purple State]

I'll look at this and try to get something out before the holiday. Otherwise, I may have to do this on Wednesday.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Alright - sorry I've been inactive a bit - life got hectic.  Ben, do you have a revised version of you bill you want us to vote on (it seemed like everybody agreed that they weren't too happy with the original).

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The Return of Rhetoric Bill

Article I: Debate and speech shall be a mandatory part of the English curriculum for Mideastern students grades 9-12.
Article II: All schools that cannot afford to pay for materials in debate and speech shall receive a subsidy from the Mideastern Government.
Article III: These subsidies shall be paid for by an gasoline tax increase of 2%.
Article IV: This bill shall go into effect for the 2010-2011 school year.

[California8429]

what materials for debate in poor schools will cause a 2% gas tax increase?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

what materials for debate in poor schools will cause a 2% gas tax increase?

Text books, resources, things like that.  If we can do it with less than 2%, let's amend it; I just needed to put a number in there.

[Purple State]

Here is an estimate of the gasoline tax: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=101096.msg2437063#msg2437063

It is very difficult for me to estimate the impact of invasive species. The gasoline thing was slightly more reasonable to calculate and adjust.

[big bad fab]

Schools have already means to pay for their materials. There arent' scholls so poor that they can't buy some additional materials, come on.

Debate and speech are first and foremost a personal skill, tought by... human beings and practised by other human beings.

Articles II and III should be dropped.

[California8429]

Schools have already means to pay for their materials. There arent' scholls so poor that they can't buy some additional materials, come on.

Debate and speech are first and foremost a personal skill, tought by... human beings and practised by other human beings.

Articles II and III should be dropped.

[Badger]

Schools have already means to pay for their materials. There arent' scholls so poor that they can't buy some additional materials, come on.

Don't you believe it. In RL there are schools in the Chicago area so financially strapped they've cut the school week to 4 days (with no increase in the school day's length). To their tremendous credit, groups of students still come to school for the closed weekday to participate in volunteer study groups and tutoring sessions. But such laudable individual initiative doesn't make it any less a crime to deprive children in the wealthiest country on earth such basic educational needs.

That said, my biggest problem with this proposal is, as written, it apparently mandates speech class as part of the curriculum for every single year between grades 9-12. IMHO, assuming there is no opposing consensus among educators that such a requirement would unacceptably reduce necessary time teaching fundamentals like math, English, history, etc., requiring a single grading quarter/report period of speech/forensics class between 9th grade and graduation may be a decent idea. It also may be a good idea to allow dispensation for anyone with a medically certified barrier such as severe speech impediments, etc.

Finally, while such education obviously isn't free, the GM's numbers indicate a 2% gas tax is far in excess of what is necessary to properly fund this proposal.

With a bit of tinkering on these points, this could be a worthwhile proposal deserving of this body's support. Just my two cents as a Mideast citizen....

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm not sure where I stand on the tax increase.  On the one hand, I'd say schools are strapped for cash.  On the other hand, when we did our segment on debate in my English class, we didn't use a textbook for it.  I really don't see the need for a textbook for the debate part of the curriculum, unless Ben you have evidence that would show otherwise?

Badger, it would be part of the English curriculum, not a course of its  own.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'm not sure where I stand on the tax increase.  On the one hand, I'd say schools are strapped for cash.  On the other hand, when we did our segment on debate in my English class, we didn't use a textbook for it.  I really don't see the need for a textbook for the debate part of the curriculum, unless Ben you have evidence that would show otherwise?

There are books available; my school used one written by two former coaches; there's also the need for research, most of which costs money.  This would help the schools that choose to actually field teams, rather than just teach it as a unit in a class.  I'm willing to remove Sections 2 and 3, if they are preventing passage of the bill.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

There are books available; my school used one written by two former coaches; there's also the need for research, most of which costs money.  This would help the schools that choose to actually field teams, rather than just teach it as a unit in a class.  I'm willing to remove Sections 2 and 3, if they are preventing passage of the bill.

Books being available, and books being a necessity are two different things.  There are a lot of things available for public educators that I would deem excessive to what is necessary.  I think Sections 2 and 3 need to go.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Okay then.  I'll motion to strike sections 2 and 3.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Okay then.  I'll motion to strike sections 2 and 3.

Unless there is an objection, sections 2 and 3 will be stricken.  Are there any objections?

[Barnes]

Just so you'll keep it in mind for possible legislation, later:

Please don't think that all schools are adequately funded. Many are struggling to afford new textbooks, or to simply offer extracurricular activities. One certain department that has taken large hits is fine arts. For example, band, chorus, and art classes are either being eliminated from schools, or having their funding severely cut.

Anyways, keep it in mind.  

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Just so you'll keep it in mind for possible legislation, later:

Please don't think that all schools are adequately funded. Many are struggling to afford new textbooks, or to simply offer extracurricular activities. One certain department that has taken large hits is fine arts. For example, band, chorus, and art classes are either being eliminated from schools, or having their funding severely cut.

Anyways, keep it in mind.  

Luckily, being in public education myself, I have this in the forefront of my mind.

[Barnes]

Just so you'll keep it in mind for possible legislation, later:

Please don't think that all schools are adequately funded. Many are struggling to afford new textbooks, or to simply offer extracurricular activities. One certain department that has taken large hits is fine arts. For example, band, chorus, and art classes are either being eliminated from schools, or having their funding severely cut.

Anyways, keep it in mind.  

Luckily, being in public education myself, I have this in the forefront of my mind.

Good to hear.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Hearing no objection, the bill now reads as follows:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Purple State]

Aww, all that nifty math for nothing?

[big bad fab]

Aww, all that nifty math for nothing?

Don't lose your time on small bills.
Some big bills were "discussed" and voted in the previous session... but...