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Bill: BURP [amended]
Details
Submitted by[?]: Democratic Rationalists (PrCoa)
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: June 2430
Description[?]:
loria's religionists are running rampant. Did you know you can buy a duty free plasma TV at your local megachurch outlet mall? Our current policy of not taxing religion has created a privileged elite class of religio-corporatists who abuse their tax-exempt status to make a profit. That's why the Democratic Rationalists propose the BURP; its goal, to derive revenue from this untapped clique of TV evangelists who preach dogmatic, anti-Alorian morality for millions of dollars per year. Our present proposal is to tax all church income, regardless of its use. But for heaven's sake, if that proposal isn't palatable to our esteemed fellow senators, then let's at least devolve authority to tax religious revenues to local governments. The current state of affairs is outrageous and unacceptable. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change
Taxation of religious institutions.
Old value:: No religions are taxed.
Current: No religions are taxed.
Proposed: Religions are treated as companies, and all profit is taxed, however, charitable donations are not taxed.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
Date | 19:49:45, July 16, 2007 CET | From | Industrialist Party of Aloria | To | Debating the BURP [amended] |
Message | We are reluctant to say that this or may not be the right way to go. On one hand the MLP will be practically screaming screaming that this goes against separation of church and state while others will say that it is a measure that will not allow religions to become tax-exempt businesses. We are truly puzzled on which path to take. |
Date | 22:51:13, July 16, 2007 CET | From | Moderate Libertarian Party (NoCoalition) | To | Debating the BURP [amended] |
Message | Again...violates church and state separation. No! |
Date | 23:29:48, July 16, 2007 CET | From | Democratic Rationalists (PrCoa) | To | Debating the BURP [amended] |
Message | MLP, the Democratic Rationalists, like you, hold the separation of church and state as a prime constitutional value. We urge you to consider, however, whether BURP [amended] really violates separation of church and state. Is it a violation of separation of church and state to punish cultists who ritually murder a virgin on an alter? Of course not. That's because separation of church and state does not create exceptions for religious groups to violate *generally applicable laws.* This bill will not violate separation of church and state. All it will do, in its amended form, is cause religious groups operating for profit to have to pay the same taxes that secular businesses do. We thank you for your earnest reconsideration of our bill. |
Date | 00:14:53, July 17, 2007 CET | From | Party Royale | To | Debating the BURP [amended] |
Message | Party Royale has been supporting this policy for years, and we are in full support of this bill. |
Date | 13:58:26, July 17, 2007 CET | From | Moderate Libertarian Party (NoCoalition) | To | Debating the BURP [amended] |
Message | The MLP are very surprised the CP supports this piece of legislation. |
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Voting
Vote | Seats | |||||
yes |
Total Seats: 287 | |||||
no | Total Seats: 188 | |||||
abstain | Total Seats: 97 |
Random fact: When your party holds the foreign affairs department, you can create new treaties. However, before writing anything new, it is a good idea to search for existing treaties which already accomplish what you desire. |
Random quote: "If Lincoln were alive today, he’d be turning over in his grave." - Gerald Ford |