Mideast Assembly Thread

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Shouldn't this be in the government board, not the elections board?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I just have 1 question: Say a Governor is unable to open a booth at midnight; does that mean the booth has to be disqualified, and new election held?  I know that this month's ballot will go up between 10-10:30, but I'll include a clear message that no votes cast before midnight will count; how will that fit in?

Precident dictates that as an acceptable middle ground.  I know I used it during my term and I believe Inks did as well if I recall correctly.  Just as long as it is clearly stated that the ballot does not officially begin until midnight, no one can be expected to hit 10 o'clock on the dot.

For the record, the ballot can be opened any time between 12:00 A.M. EST on Thursday and 12:01 A.M. EST on Friday.  So if you can't open it at midnight, you can wait until Thursday evening to open it, and it's still perfectly legal.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I hereby submit the Honorable Fmr. Gov. Inks as my nominee for Judge.  I eagerly await his confirmation.

I heartily accept your nomination.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm sworn in.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Can we go ahead and hold a vote then?

Inks, do you have any wish to be speaker? If not...then we might not need a vote...

Who the heck holds session on Thanksgiving?  I support you for speaker.

I make a motion to elect Franzl as Speaker of the Mideast Assembly.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

AYE

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Here's what I'd do with the bill (and most of this is just fixing up the bill - if you want to take out the stuff about GPA and SAT/ACT, that's fine, I just rearranged it so that it flows better as a bill):

This is the first piece of legislation I would like the Assembly to consider:

The Mideast Education Opportunity Act of 2008:
Section I:
1.   Because the number of college graduates in the Mideast has declined in recent years,
2.   And because the economic difficulties have further impacted the ability to pay for college,
3.   The Mideast has resolved to pass legislation that will ameliorate the financial difficulties of paying for college.

Section II:
1.   Beginning with the graduating class of June, 2009, all students who meet a majority of the following requirements will be provided with a full or partial academic scholarship to any 4 year school in the Mideast:
a.   A four year GPA of at least 3.6,
b.   A median family income of under $125,000 per year,
c.   An SAT score of at least 2,000 or an ACT score of at least 30,

Section III:
1.   In addition to the requirements set out in Section II, the recipient must sign a pledge to attend, for all 4 years, a school in the Mideast.
2.   If the student chooses, sometime after receiving their scholarship, to attend a school not in the Mideast, then the scholarship can shall be revoked, although it will not necessarily be so.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I would ask that you fellows also take into consideration the movement of the regional capital.

I think that should be in our Constitution, not a proposal or a bill.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Resolution regarding office holding
*The Mideast Assembly notes that it has 6 positions of government within the Regional Government.
*The Assembly also notes that Mideast citizens hold the Vice Presidency, one Cabinet Secretariate, two Senate seats and one seat on the Supreme Court at present.
*The Assembly thus resolves that because a mere 11 of its 17 total citizens hold governmental office, that it feels compelled to create offices for the remaining six citizens.
*The Assembly hereby directs the Governor to investigate the creation of new offices for these citizens, and to duly appoint them to these offices.

Motion to end discusssion and bring to a vote.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Resolution regarding office holding
*The Mideast Assembly notes that it has 6 positions of government within the Regional Government.
*The Assembly also notes that Mideast citizens hold the Vice Presidency, one Cabinet Secretariate, two Senate seats and one seat on the Supreme Court at present.
*The Assembly thus resolves that because a mere 11 of its 17 total citizens hold governmental office, that it feels compelled to create offices for the remaining six citizens.
*The Assembly hereby directs the Governor to investigate the creation of new offices for these citizens, and to duly appoint them to these offices.

Motion to end discusssion and bring to a vote.

On Peter's bill?

Yeah.  It's an easy no vote for me that needs no debate.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Well, since my motion was objected to, I guess I might as well debate until we have support to take it to a vote.

Why on earth do we need more positions?  Some people just want to be citizens, and if we create positions for everybody, that takes away competition in elections.  If everybody has a position, we'll have less challengers for positions and democracy suffers.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Well, since my motion was objected to, I guess I might as well debate until we have support to take it to a vote.

Why on earth do we need more positions?  Some people just want to be citizens, and if we create positions for everybody, that takes away competition in elections.  If everybody has a position, we'll have less challengers for positions and democracy suffers.

Thank you for making my point for me.

My point is that we no longer have competitions for the elections to many of the positions. True, at the federal level, there is still fun to be had, but the plethora of positions at the Regional level now means that I got elected to the Mideast Assembly after Al wrote me in, and then I got a PM asking me to accept my write-in votes. I duly did for a laugh, and then got elected. The limited amount of research I have done indicates we have never had a "contested" election for the Assembly (i.e. no more candidates than posts open)

The fact is that 11 out of 17 citizens holds a position. This is far too many. My resolution is about making a serious point in a comedic way.

I opposed the creation of the Assembly for that very reason.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Excellent, I motion to dissolve the Assembly and begin preparations for a return to our previous method of governance.

That would have to be an amendment.  Just throwing that out there.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I agree with Meeker; we shouldn't be abolishing offices, we should be trying to entice new residents.

I agree with Meeker as well.  I was merely pointing out to Peter the fact that we can't just disband the Assembly but it would require an Amendment.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

So, where are we with the 1st bill?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

So, where are we with the 1st bill?

As far as I can tell, we have a compromise ready; we just need an official text to vote on.

Alright.  I have to do stuff now, but I'll draft it later.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'd like to make one amendment.  I'd like to amend Section I. Clause 4 to read:

4.             Section I/4: The Mideast will fund the above mentioned program by an increase of the regional income tax.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

On the revised proposition: AYE

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

On the Resolution regarding office holding
NAY

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

On the matter of protesting the lowering of Mideast flags, I vote:

AYE

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

On the declaration of December 12th as "bye bye Bench Press" day:
NAY

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I agree with Peter (and had meant to bring something up earlier, but forgot, so thank you Peter).

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

For the record, AYE.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Right now, I am adamently opposed to a Con Con.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Right now, I am adamently opposed to a Con Con.

As am I.

Why?

We just passed a new constitution.  Why do we need a new one?