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Bill: Introduction of a Mixed Economy
Details
Submitted by[?]: Covenanters (IA)
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: October 2187
Description[?]:
| A bill to take the Holy Empire away from the evils of Corporatism and introduce a mixed economy with checks and balances. The state should exercise direct control over essential industries, directly regulate others to protect public health and the environment and provide its own services to guarantee minimum standards in other areas. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Government policy towards alcoholic beverages.
Old value:: Alcoholic beverages may be purchased and consumed anywhere, but only by adults.
Current: Alcoholic beverages may be purchased and consumed anywhere, but only by adults.
Proposed: Alcoholic beverages may be purchased only from licensed sales outlets, and can only be available to adults.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change Protection of original works of technology and arts.
Old value:: Works of technology and art are protected by copyright.
Current: Works of technology and art are protected by copyright.
Proposed: Works of techology and art have limited copy protection.
Article 3
Proposal[?] to change Tax percentage of the profit made by corporations.
Old value:: 8
Current: 20
Proposed: 10
Article 4
Proposal[?] to change The nation's defence industry.
Old value:: Defence industries are privately owned and not subsidised.
Current: Defence industries are privately owned but subsidised by the state.
Proposed: The state owns national defence industries but these exist alongside privately owned defence industries.
Article 5
Proposal[?] to change The research and development of pharmaceutical drugs.
Old value:: The government neither subsidizes research and development of drugs nor regulates their prices.
Current: The government subsidizes research and development of prescription drugs and regulates their prices.
Proposed: The government subsidizes research and development of prescription drugs and regulates their prices.
Article 6
Proposal[?] to change The age until which students, if education were to be compulsary, are required to be educated (limited between 16 and 21).
Old value:: 18
Current: 18
Proposed: 16
Article 7
Proposal[?] to change Energy regulation.
Old value:: Energy is provided by private companies which are not subject to any special regulations.
Current: Energy provision is left to local governments.
Proposed: Energy is provided by private companies but the prices they can charge are regulated.
Article 8
Proposal[?] to change Sales tax on essential goods such as food and non-luxury clothing.
Old value:: 0
Current: 6
Proposed: 1
Article 9
Proposal[?] to change Employer's rights in regards to firing striking workers.
Old value:: Employers can fire workers who are deemed to have gone on strike without reasonable reasons.
Current: Employers can fire workers who are deemed to have gone on strike without reasonable reasons.
Proposed: Government approval is needed before strikers can be fired.
Article 10
Proposal[?] to change Ownership of guns by private individuals.
Old value:: Adult individuals are allowed to own and purchase guns freely.
Current: Adult individuals may not own firearms unless professionally required.
Proposed: Individuals are allowed to own firearms as long as they do not have a history of dangerous mental illness or a violent criminality.
Article 11
Proposal[?] to change Health care policy.
Old value:: Health care is entirely private.
Current: There is a free public health care system and a small number of private clinics, which are heavily regulated to ensure they treat their patients well and provide good care.
Proposed: There is a public health care system, but private clinics are allowed.
Article 12
Proposal[?] to change The regulation of higher education.
Old value:: The government does not fund any public higher education institutions, permitting only private higher education institutions to exist.
Current: The government allows private higher education but regulates it to meet nationally set standards.
Proposed: The government allows public and private higher education institutions to coexist with self-regulation for those that are private.
Article 13
Proposal[?] to change Higher education tuition policy.
Old value:: The government subsidizes tuition only for students from families classified as low-income or poor.
Current: The government fully subsidizes tuition.
Proposed: The government subsidizes higher education tuition to a certain amount, the rest is covered by the individual students. This includes scholarship programs.
Article 14
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 acts as an investor of last resort, by nationalizing failing industries that provide vital goods or services.
Proposed: The government acts as an investor of last resort, by nationalizing failing industries that provide vital goods or services.
Article 15
Proposal[?] to change Sales tax on luxury goods.
Old value:: 8
Current: 21
Proposed: 10
Article 16
Proposal[?] to change The government's policy concerning the pension system.
Old value:: The state does not operate a pension system. Individuals must save up for retirement on their own.
Current: The state operates a compulsory public system combined with an optional private pension.
Proposed: The state operates a compulsory public system combined with an optional private pension.
Article 17
Proposal[?] to change Pharmaceutical drugs policy.
Old value:: The government does not subsidise the cost of pharmaceutical drugs at all.
Current: The government pays partially for all citizens' pharmaceutical drugs, and pays entirely for those of low income citizens.
Proposed: The government pays partially for all citizens' pharmaceutical drugs, and pays entirely for those of low income citizens.
Article 18
Proposal[?] to change Government regulation of pollution in industry.
Old value:: Industrial pollution is not regulated by the government.
Current: The government enforces moderate pollution restrictions.
Proposed: The government enforces moderate pollution restrictions.
Article 19
Proposal[?] to change The government's policy concerning the post office
Old value:: Only private post agencies exist, and the services they provide are unregulated.
Current: Only private post agencies exist, and the services they provide are regulated.
Proposed: There is a nationalised post office. Private post office agencies are allowed to exist, and the services provided by them are not regulated.
Article 20
Proposal[?] to change The education system.
Old value:: Education is private, but the government issues vouchers to pay for the schooling of disadvantaged children.
Current: Education is private, but the government issues vouchers to pay for the schooling of disadvantaged children.
Proposed: There is a free public education system alongside private schools.
Article 21
Proposal[?] to change Funding of public transport (where applicable).
Old value:: Public transport is fully user-pays.
Current: Public transport is fully subsidised for people with low-income, with the remainder "user-pays".
Proposed: Local governments decide upon the funding policy.
Article 22
Proposal[?] to change Government-sponsored recycling programs.
Old value:: There is no national policy regarding recycled garbage.
Current: The government funds recycling facilities and enforces mandatory recycling for residents, commercial enterprise, and industry.
Proposed: The government funds recycling facilities for public use.
Article 23
Proposal[?] to change Government policy towards smoking.
Old value:: Smoking regulations are to be determined by local governments.
Current: Smoking is legal outdoors and in private homes and clubs, but illegal indoors in all places of employment.
Proposed: Smoking is only allowed in private homes and clubs.
Article 24
Proposal[?] to change The patenting of software techniques.
Old value:: Software patents can be obtained from the patent office.
Current: Software patents can be obtained from the patent office.
Proposed: Software designs, techniques, formulae and algorithms cannot be patented.
Article 25
Proposal[?] to change Government policy towards space exploration.
Old value:: Space exploration and use shall be totally unregulated.
Current: The government shall operate a space agency that contracts with and oversees private space-exploration companies.
Proposed: The government shall issue permits to private space-exploration companies.
Article 26
Proposal[?] to change The government policy regarding housing.
Old value:: The state contracts with private companies to provide public housing.
Current: Housing policy is to be determined by local governments.
Proposed: Housing policy is to be determined by local governments.
Article 27
Proposal[?] to change Government policy on Democratic Workers' Councils.
Old value:: The government does not intervene in the marketplace with regards to Democratic Workers' Councils.
Current: The government does not intervene in the marketplace with regards to Democratic Workers' Councils.
Proposed: The government encourages the formation of Democratic Workers' Councils through subsidies and tax exemptions.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 17:06:35, February 14, 2006 CET | From | Luthori Green Party | To | Debating the Introduction of a Mixed Economy |
| Message | While there are certain articles I am uncertain about, I will vote for this. |
| Date | 17:17:26, February 14, 2006 CET | From | Luthori Democratic Party | To | Debating the Introduction of a Mixed Economy |
| Message | We shall support although we believe article 10 to be detrimental |
| Date | 17:49:13, February 14, 2006 CET | From | Shuggoth Progressive Party | To | Debating the Introduction of a Mixed Economy |
| Message | The SPP opposes your attempts to turn the Empire into a Socialist Paradise. And of course we are opposed to your "blue law" "morality" legislation. |
| Date | 19:19:56, February 14, 2006 CET | From | Covenanters (IA) | To | Debating the Introduction of a Mixed Economy |
| Message | Some of these articles are based on my judgement of what would garner most support, not my own preferences. What would the other green parties like to see in their places? |
| Date | 13:37:33, February 16, 2006 CET | From | Covenanters (IA) | To | Debating the Introduction of a Mixed Economy |
| Message | I think I'm finished adding articles now. If I've missed anything or need to make any changes please speak up before I move this to the vote. |
| Date | 14:49:40, February 16, 2006 CET | From | Luthori Green Party | To | Debating the Introduction of a Mixed Economy |
| Message | I'm fine. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 424 | |||||
| no | Total Seats: 120 | |||||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 206 |
| 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: "A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity." - Ralph Nader |