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Bill: Subsidy Review Act, 3887
Details
Submitted by[?]: Borgerlig-Demokratiske Union
Status[?]: defeated
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: November 3887
Description[?]:
| Mr Speaker, while we are committed to social security, we believe that the welfare state has grown out of proportion. In many cases, the state dishes out untargeted subsidies which exceed the aim of assisting the vulnerable so excessively that it can only be classified as a massive waste of tax money. It is hardly justifiable to make wealthy individuals eligible for grants such as child benefit or subsidization of pharmaceutical drugs and higher education. Additionally, it is discriminatory and distortive to grant privileges to certain professions such as artists by subsidizing them heavily without any tangible economic benefits, or to favor certain agricultural techniques over others, driving many small-scale conventional farms out of business. We can scale back the scope of the state without inflicting unjustifiable social damage or hurting the poor, and it should be done now before the status quo becomes unsustainable, which is only a matter of tame if we do not change course. Prof. Hans Granlund FV party leader |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Art subsidies
Old value:: The government subsidises artistic institutions and all artists.
Current: The government subsidises artistic institutions such as art schools and galleries, but does not subsidise individual artists.
Proposed: The government subsidises artistic institutions such as art schools and galleries, but does not subsidise individual artists.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change The government's policy regarding child benefit.
Old value:: The state guarantees child benefit to all families.
Current: The state guarantees child benefit to families classified as low-income or poor.
Proposed: The state guarantees child benefit to families classified as low-income or poor.
Article 3
Proposal[?] to change Government agricultural and farming subsidies policy.
Old value:: Agricultural crops which are considered beneficial to the enviroment or to the continued ecological safety of the state are subsidized.
Current: Agricultural crops which are considered beneficial to the enviroment or to the continued ecological safety of the state are subsidized.
Proposed: The government subsidises agriculture based on market demand for the crop being grown.
Article 4
Proposal[?] to change Higher education tuition policy.
Old value:: The government fully subsidizes tuition.
Current: The government fully subsidizes tuition.
Proposed: The government introduces means tested loans for higher education tuition, to be paid back by students after earnings reach a certain amount.
Article 5
Proposal[?] to change Pharmaceutical drugs policy.
Old value:: The government pays for all citizens' pharmaceutical drugs.
Current: The government pays for all citizens' pharmaceutical drugs.
Proposed: The government pays partially for all citizens' pharmaceutical drugs, and pays entirely for those of low income citizens.
Article 6
Proposal[?] to change The government's policy concerning phone services.
Old value:: Telephone lines are provided free of charge to all citizens.
Current: The state subsidizes the phone service of low income families, and regulates the rates providers can charge for phone service.
Proposed: The state subsidizes the phone service of low income families but does not regulate the rates providers can charge for phone service.
Article 7
Proposal[?] to change Pre-school education.
Old value:: The government maintains a system of free publically owned nursery and pre-school educational centres.
Current: The government maintains a system of free publically owned nursery and pre-school educational centres.
Proposed: Pre-school education is private, but the government covers the schoolcosts of poor families.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 18:40:50, August 05, 2015 CET | From | Venstre | To | Debating the Subsidy Review Act, 3887 |
| Message | We are most displeased with FV's refusal to allow a proper debate on these proposals. |
| Date | 00:13:57, August 06, 2015 CET | From | Folkeviljen (FV) | To | Debating the Subsidy Review Act, 3887 |
| Message | Mr Speaker, We can not thank FV enough that finally somebody is doing some solid work to dismantle the communist dystopia we are living in. However, Venstre is right about their concerns. We should at least discuss some topics before you move in to the voting procedure. Gustav Westerberg SD Leader |
| Date | 10:12:39, August 06, 2015 CET | From | Arbeiderpartiet (Labour Party) | To | Debating the Subsidy Review Act, 3887 |
| Message | Mr Speaker, Not so long ago I remember the hon. gentleman (Mr Granlund) telling us that this government was trying to divide Kazulians on the basis of class. We were told that we were stirring class conflict between people who were individuals first, not members of social groups. Well, Mr Speaker, with all due respect to the hon. gentleman, the rich hypocrisy of his bankrupt ideology has been laid bare today as he sees to tear apart the social support that is provided to all Kazulians, regardless of class, on the basis simply of their common humanity, to ensure the cohesion of our national community. Moreover, the hon. gentleman would have this house believe that artistic endeavour does not produce any gain. This government views it as imperative that a Kazulian culture, the cultural expression of who we are as a country, is supported and encouraged. And or someone who so highly values the individual and individual self-expression, this is, might I venture to say, somewhat strange. To cap off an unwieldy bill, the hon. gentleman proposes that we slash subsidies for agriculture because it is "discriminatory", he says, for us to subsidise crops to be beneficial to the environment. Well, Mr Speaker, when this government tries to ensure the sustainable development of Kazulian agriculture and the protection of the beautiful Kazulian environment - our obligation to future generations who will look back on us with grave judgement if we fail to do our duty - he sees "discrimination". He sees some malign force at work. It is hard to conceive of what could more clearly demonstrate the paranoia in his position. I also note that the substance of the hon. gentleman's objections to this government's policies is rooted in his belief that they are costing too much money. It is a shame, Mr Speaker, that hon. members among us believe that investing in social cohesion and in environmental sustainability are wastes of money. It is a shame that they do not share the sense of social responsibility that is the lynchpin of this government's agenda. And all because they think that those who have the greatest capacity to pay do not have any obligation to support their fellow citizens. Martin Sæterbø Minister of Finance |
| Date | 13:01:04, August 06, 2015 CET | From | Borgerlig-Demokratiske Union | To | Debating the Subsidy Review Act, 3887 |
| Message | Mr Speaker, what use is their for "social support" if it is based on the principle of taking money out of the taxpayer's right pocket only to give it back to him at a later point with great bureaucratic effort? Obviously it only benefits Labour politicians who can style themselves generous philanthropists that way. The deal we are proposing to the upper and middle classes is less taxation in exchange for less welfare, while retaining support for the poor. If that is class warfare, then Labour is probably the only libertarian force in this country. Artistic endeavour does produce gain, yet so do other kinds of activities and hobbies who are not subsidized. If one wishes to become a professional artists, one must be prepared to compete on the marketplace, just like any ordinary laborer or entrepreneur. I value creativity more than everyone else, but it shouldn't became a free pass for government handouts. If society values art, it will be prepared to support artists by buying or consuming their art voluntarily. As for agriculture, it is not the case that farming would not be sustainable without government encouraging the use of "green" techniques. The mere fact that the environment in the form of forests and fields are any farming family's capital and life assurance at the same time, making it very unlikely that they would unduly exploit or even destroy it. Subsidies are not needed. Prof. Hans Granlund FV party leader |
| Date | 13:02:28, August 06, 2015 CET | From | Borgerlig-Demokratiske Union | To | Debating the Subsidy Review Act, 3887 |
| Message | OOC: Discovered some mistakes, here's the corrected version: Mr Speaker, what use is their for "social support" if it is based on the principle of taking money out of the taxpayer's right pocket only to put it back in his left pocket at a later point with great bureaucratic effort? Obviously it only benefits Labour politicians who can style themselves generous philanthropists that way. The deal we are proposing to the upper and middle classes is less taxation in exchange for less welfare, while retaining support for the poor. If that is class warfare, then Labour is probably the only libertarian force in this country. Artistic endeavour does produce gain, yet so do other kinds of activities and hobbies who are not subsidized. If one wishes to become a professional artist, one must be prepared to compete on the marketplace, just like any ordinary laborer or entrepreneur has to. I value creativity more than everyone else, but it shouldn't became a free pass for government handouts. If society values art, it will be prepared to support artists by buying or consuming it voluntarily. As for agriculture, it is not the case that farming would not be sustainable without government encouraging the use of "green" techniques. The mere fact that the environment in the form of forests and fields are any farming family's capital and life assurance at the same time, making it very unlikely that they would unduly exploit or even destroy it. Subsidies are not needed. Prof. Hans Granlund FV party leader |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||
| yes |
Total Seats: 32 | |||
| no | Total Seats: 42 | |||
| abstain | Total Seats: 0 |
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