We are working on a brand new version of the game! If you want to stay informed, read our blog and register for our mailing list.
Bill: Energy and Economics Omnibus
Details
Submitted by[?]: National Imperial Hobrazian Front
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: August 2826
Description[?]:
| TO ensure the proper functioning of our state, we propose the following measures: ARTICLE I: Energy provision is left to the individual Counties as they see fit. ARTICLE II: The Hobrazian Imperium may nationalize bankrupt industries that are crucial to the well-being of our nation, id est, banking institutions, energy providers, internet service providers, and water facilities. ARTICLE III: Every worker is entitled to a living wage, which must be no lower than the poverty line. This is at the discretion of the Finance Minister and Trade and Industry Minister. However, the wage may be set by the Imperium Congress as well. ARTICLE IV: Forest protection is left to the individual Counties as they see fit. ARTICLE V: Recognized religions may not be taxed. These include the Hobrazian Orthodox Church, Hobaism, Geraja, and Judaism. Other religions may be granted tax-exempt status by obtaining approval from both the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Education and Culture. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Energy regulation.
Old value:: Energy is provided by private companies which are not subject to any special regulations.
Current: Energy is provided by private companies but the prices they can charge are regulated.
Proposed: Energy provision is left to local governments.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change Government policy on industry and subsidies to industrial operations.
Old value:: The government does not intervene in the market nor provide any form of subsidies/relief to industries.
Current: The government subsidizes private enterprises that face bankruptcy.
Proposed: The government acts as an investor of last resort, by nationalizing failing industries that provide vital goods or services.
Article 3
Proposal[?] to change The nation's policy on minimum wage regulation.
Old value:: There is no provision for a minimum wage.
Current: There shall be a minimum wage at a level that a full time worker on it can support a family of four without falling under the poverty line.
Proposed: There shall be a minimum wage at a level considered a "living wage," well above the poverty line for a full time worker.
Article 4
Proposal[?] to change The government's policy concerning forest protection.
Old value:: The government has no policy on forest protection.
Current: Forests are protected. Logging is allowed by licence only.
Proposed: Forest protection is left to local governments.
Article 5
Proposal[?] to change
Taxation of religious institutions.
Old value:: Religions are treated as companies, and all profit is taxed, however, charitable donations are not taxed.
Current: Religions are treated as companies, and all profit is taxed, however, charitable donations are not taxed.
Proposed: Recognized religions are not taxed.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 08:37:22, October 01, 2009 CET | From |  Classical Liberal Party | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | This is one of the worst proposed acts in Hobrazian history. Nationalizing failed industries only sets up a false economy and harms the economic life of the nation in the long run. Why are religions special? Why are organizations that posit a spiritual life and pray to deities any different to non-profit scientific organizations? All of these measures will severe damage the economy. The bill certainly does not live up to its description. In fact, it will perform exactly the opposite of the task assigned to it the description. We strongly disagree with this bill's institution of unnecessarily high minimum wage laws. It is clear that supporters minimum-wage-laws do not understand basic and fundamental economic principles. Minimum wages cause large-scale unemployment, particularly amongst low-income and unskilled populations, the very people the opposers are claiming to protect. A minimum wage law does not only form a major cause of unemployment, but also leads to higher turnover, less training and fewer fringe benefits. The absence of minimum wage laws provides for the efficient working of the price mechanism and allows the marketplace to do its fantastic work. The absence of such laws increases competition for jobs, and therefore the "price" of jobs increases. People have to be more educated and more skilled than anyone else to get more rewarding and better-paying jobs. Surely the Christian Socialist Party is not against education and up-skilling? Surely they are not against the betterment of our economic performance and living standards? By voting for the institution of the ridiculous minimum wage suggested in this bill, parties are voting against education, against a more efficient economy, against higher living standards, against the better communication facilities of the price mechanism, against job stability, and most importantly, against freedom. |
| Date | 08:40:25, October 01, 2009 CET | From | Classical Liberal Party | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | Also, if this bill is passed we will be suing the Government in the Supreme Court of Hobrazia for violating the Constitution, reference the Hobrazian Establishment Act. The Government in this bill is passing a law that grants a special privilege to religions, which is definitely a direct violation of the Establishment Clause of the Amendment of the Constitution (Hobrazian Establishment Act). We will refer it to the moderators. |
| Date | 10:16:29, October 01, 2009 CET | From | National Imperial Hobrazian Front | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | @CLP: This statute in no way violates the Hobrazian Establishment Act. Feel free to waste campaign contributions trying to sue on the grounds of this fallacy. "Why are organizations that posit a spiritual life and pray to deities any different to non-profit scientific organizations?" Good point, albeit irrelevant to this bill. If the CLP proposed legislation that granted tax-exempt status to non-profit scientific organizations, we would support. "Surely the Christian Socialist Party is not against education and up-skilling?" Hmm, did we not just pass the Education Initiative of 2825 (http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=266226)? Judging by your voting record, the CLP is opposed to education. |
| Date | 09:02:07, October 02, 2009 CET | From | Classical Liberal Party | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | Reference United States Supreme Court case Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet (1994) the majority of the court joined Justice David Souter's opinion, which stated that "government should not prefer one religion to another, or religion to irreligion." In Everson v. Board of Education (1947), the Supreme Court upheld a New Jersey statute funding student transportation to schools, whether parochial or not. Justice Hugo Black held, "The "establishment of religion" clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the federal government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect "a wall of separation between church and State." The passage of this law means that the Government is "aiding all religions" by exempting from them tax, and is preferring "religion to irreligion". It is preferring religious organization over all other types of organization, profit or non-proft. If the Christian Socialist Party wanted to legally exempt religions from taxation it would have to abolish taxation for ALL TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS. The Classical Liberal Party is not opposed to education. We have never stated or indicated any such thing. How is improving the quality of education by putting it into a market situation "opposed to education"? How is cutting taxes ten-fold so families can afford to pick and choose the best type of education for their family "opposed to education"? How is allowing the market to keep education affordable and quality "opposed to education"? It is the Christian Socialist Party by way of this bill that is opposed to education. The minimum wage is suicide. |
| Date | 09:17:53, October 02, 2009 CET | From | National Imperial Hobrazian Front | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | What is the United States? Who was Jefferson? ooc: Don't reference real-life documents or people. |
| Date | 09:34:24, October 02, 2009 CET | From | Classical Liberal Party | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | OOC: I know. I had to use some kind of precedent. I didn't want to and I was going to put it in OOC but then I thought better of it. I am using them as people from other countries. IC: The United States is a country on another world with precisely the same law on another world. Jefferson was one of the country's leading political figures and founding fathers. |
| Date | 19:43:54, October 02, 2009 CET | From | National Imperial Hobrazian Front | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | You have the secrets of interplanetary travel? Marvelous! |
| Date | 22:14:10, October 02, 2009 CET | From | Classical Liberal Party | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | Who said I travelled there? |
| Date | 01:28:41, October 03, 2009 CET | From | Classical Liberal Party | To | Debating the Energy and Economics Omnibus |
| Message | Your comments and obvious ignorance about the state of Hobrazian technology is an insult to the industry and our great nation; you should be ashamed. |
subscribe to this discussion - unsubscribe
Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||
| yes | Total Seats: 216 | ||
| no |
Total Seats: 181 | ||
| abstain | Total Seats: 3 |
| Random fact: In cases where a party has no seat, the default presumption should be that the party is able to contribute to debates in the legislature due to one of its members winning a seat at a by-election. However, players may collectively improvise arrangements of their own to provide a satisfying explanation for how parties with no seats in the legislature can speak and vote there. |
| Random quote: "What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?" - Mahatma Gandhi. |