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Bill: Foreign and Integration Aid Bill
Details
Submitted by[?]: Patriotic Party of Baltusia
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: November 4176
Description[?]:
| Baltusia cannot afford to have an open cheque book approach to the world's problems. Whilst we believe assistance should be given it should not be at the detriment of our own economy. Samson Moriarty Majority Leader of the House |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Government policy towards giving aid to foreign countries.
Old value:: The government gives moderate aid to countries in need.
Current: The government gives high levels of aid to countries in need.
Proposed: The government only gives aid for disaster relief in foreign countries.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change The national refugee policy.
Old value:: All refugees are welcome, regardless of their reason, and given aid in integrating them into the country.
Current: Only refugees that are victims of extreme circumstances are welcome; they are given integration-aid.
Proposed: Only refugees that are victims of extreme circumstances are welcome; they are given integration-aid.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 17:49:25, March 06, 2017 CET | From | Baltusian Democratic Green Party (BDGP) | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | Those on this side of the house are saddened by this proposal by the Patriotic Party. Whilst we understand that we have a budget that we need to stick to, this programme has helped many people in urgent need of support and it's disappointing that we are seeing it go. May I be assured by the Majority Leader that Baltusia will continue to be an outward looking nation that grants help to those in need, and will not turn in on itself? Sophia Guillory, Minority Leader of the House |
| Date | 18:30:00, March 06, 2017 CET | From | Patriotic Party of Baltusia | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | Members of Congress, We must cut our cloth accordingly. This is not a radical or even a unique bill. Many nations on Terra adopt these policies, so they can deal with the real crises and ensure the money and aid they can afford is targeted at those who really need it. My answer to Madame Guillory is no, Baltusia will never be an insular, self-centred nation. But to be outward looking requires a lot more than gifting money to every person who begs for it. Our position on the security council, our pivotal role in many trade and military alliances and our economic openness is a clear indication of our international role - all strategies initiated by the right-leaning parties, I might add. Samson Moriarty Majority Leader of the House |
| Date | 19:11:14, March 06, 2017 CET | From | Baltusian Democratic Green Party (BDGP) | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | I must say that the idea of giving even moderate aid and letting refugees in equals 'gifting money to every person who begs for it' is shocking and has certainly upset those in my party and many of my constituents, so I ask the Majority Leader to apologise for that clearly not well thought of statement. The Majority Leader also says that 'many nations on Terra adopt these policies, so they can deal with the real crises and ensure the money and aid they can afford is targeted at those who really need it'. Is the gentleman really so bold to claim that those who have been labeled by the Government as refugees and allowed to come here for safety, 'don't really need it'. And what about the many countries in Terra who need aid to develop, otherwise they'll quickly fall back into conflict and/or have an increasingly unstable economic situation. As for the idea that 'many countries on Terra adopt these policies', here's some facts: not including Baltusia, 33 countries give at least moderate aid compared to the 11 that only give aid for disaster relief. I don't know about other Members of Congress, but these things have annoyed me and my fellow left-leaning parties quite a bit, which leads me to question how much of Darius Darvos' influence remains in the Patriotic Party. The Majority Leader's reply has been adequate to say the least, although I am pleased to hear that 'Baltusia will never be an insular, self-centred nation'. So then, might I ask him and the Government, what has changed in Baltusia's economic situation that means this change must take place? And if there has been a slowdown, what other plans are involved to improve the conditions? And might I also ask what we are to be doing on the international stage for the remainder of this term? Sophie Guillory, Minority Leader of the House |
| Date | 20:18:27, March 06, 2017 CET | From | Patriotic Party of Baltusia | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | Members of Congress, Despite the vitriol being unleashed I stand by what I said. And the attempts at trying to cast a racist shadow over this are completely misplaced when the argument is one of economics. Let us face facts: we have a weak economy compared to many nations. In the eyes of many countries we are the ones who should be receiving aid not offering it. We need to build from the ground up rather than pretending we are some kind of super power with a god complex. Then there is the question of what can we do to improve conditions. I can't believe the Left Bloc Leader has the temerity to ask this. The answer is simple: stop nationalising everything and burdening the state which yet more money to find. Our best hope was the fantastic deal we had with ENIST to run the world's biggest solar power plant here in Baltusia. That was on course to boost our economy and our research into alternative power techs Then along came the communists. In four years they managed to take us back half a century. Not only did they get this shut down but involved us in a multi billion dollars law suit with a major corporation and Istalia was ready to turn its back on us. What is even crazier is the so called centre left went along with this. So, here we are once again trying to clear up the mess. Trying to balance the books while taking us forward. My suggestion would be to let us grow our economy first in a serious and sensible way then when our economy has grown (ooc from weak to moderate) we look at giving moderate aid. Samson Moriarty |
| Date | 23:30:35, March 06, 2017 CET | From | Baltusian Democratic Green Party (BDGP) | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | Fellow Congressmen and women, I fully recognise and understand Mr Moriarty's argument is about economics, but that doesn't excuse him from the fact that his language and rhetoric offended many of my constituents. So I ask him once again: will you apologise for causing offence, though not intended? And as for his argument that the 'so-called' centre left went along with this', if you look back through our legislative history, the BDGP voted against the 'Energy Nationalisation Act of 4170' (http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=506565). Afterwards, Randolph Gilbert - the Patriotic Party's then Shadow Infrastructure Minister - said 'We also thank Chairman Wood for voting this down. This has saved this country a lot of money and our much hailed solar plant project'. And we also voted against the exact same proposals in the 'Nationalization bill' two years later. (http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=506846) We in the centre left did not change anything that had already been done - the nationalisation of the energy companies had happened before the ENIST situation was thought about! Do I and those in my party regret some of the decisions taken by the Government and PLCA at the time? Yes, of course! If we could go back, we would have voted for the 'Repeal Nationalization of Industries' bill put forward by the right, but we felt at the time that it went against the policies the electorate agreed to when they elected the left into Government. We can't go back to the past though, so rather than blaming everything on us, I would suggest that the Government really does 'clean up the mess'. Our party has changed it's policies and viewpoint since those times, and many in the left had thought the Patriotic Party had too. But as I've said before, it's clear that they just can't get past the influence of Darius Darvos and the radical right. The PLCA isn't here anymore, and the Government's term is almost over, so they can't keep saying this is our fault. And may I ask the Majority Leader, what does he mean by 'stop nationalising everything and burdening the state with yet more money to find'? They're the Government with the majority, so we can't do anything! I'm asking for actual policies, not rhetoric used in the last term. So what on earth are they talking about? Finally, I obviously agree with the last proposal put forward. But what I asked him at the beginning was not 'what should we not have done four years ago', but what should we do about it "now"! Can the Government name a single policy, budgetary bill, anything that involves 'balancing the books while taking us forward' from the last three years or any possible future legislation? It has been three years - if nothing has improved, they are clearly not doing their jobs. If the right don't like something, remove or reform it - that's what their majority is for! They need to stop playing the blame game and work for this country! Then perhaps, we will see an improvement in the country's economy. Sophie Guillory, Minority Leader of the House |
| Date | 23:47:28, March 06, 2017 CET | From | Baltusian International Democratic Party | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | I thank both the speakers of congress for an excellent debate. I would like to offer an objective stance upon matters at hand. Firstly, our party will vote against this bill, immigration and an international theme is at the heart of our party and we support immigration. However, what I don't support is Minority Speaker Guillory attacking our government. We have reversed the damaging effects of brutal nationalisation to the energy sector, and managed to restart the deal with istalia, creating jobs and reopening the solar plant. We have dealt with the Vampires, and increased policing per head. We have reduced costs for policing vastly by removing the military from the police, making it safer for everyone And finally, we have prevented the energy disaster from ever occurring again. I urge congress to compare this to the previous administrations record. I think you will see that we have cleaned up the mess and brought Baltusia back to a level of stability. President Trudeau |
| Date | 12:51:54, March 07, 2017 CET | From | Patriotic Party of Baltusia | To | Debating the Foreign and Integration Aid Bill |
| Message | The House thanks the President for taking such a close interest in our debates. In response to Madame Guillory I say again I will not apologise for suggesting a sound way forward for dealing with our economic situation while still allowing us to make a difference where it is most needed in the world. Who are these offended people? Are they the same people who this country has welcomed, fed, housed, educated and found jobs for for many years? I doubt it. I'd say she refers to her fellow liberal elites who start wringing their hands at the moment someone mentions anything remotely outside their idealistic comfort zone. Well, let them wring their hands and roll their eyes and while they do so I'll roll up my sleeves and get things done. I also say that the centre left to which I referred extends to several parties and not just her own. I point to the Socialists and the Progressives too who needed to vote with the far left in order to allow this to pass. However, there was no excuse for all parties in the Left Bloc to vote NO to repeal the nationalisation of industries bill when everyone knew full well what the implications were. http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=506832 This was shamefully negligent and could have bankrupt this country. If anything deserves an apology this does! Samson Moriarty |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||
| yes | Total Seats: 309 | |||
| no |
Total Seats: 302 | |||
| abstain | Total Seats: 89 |
| Random fact: If your "Bills under debate" section is cluttered up with old bills created by inactive parties, report them for deletion on the Bill Clearouts Requests thread: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4363 |
| Random quote: "Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H. L. Mencken |