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Comments from the peanut gallery: What's the general cost of living? Are those salaries high or low? As an aside, it'd be nice if the budgetary numbers had deltas compared to the last month so that we can see if values are going up/down without having to keep track of that ourselves.
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Feb 28, 2018 17:29
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 20:28 |
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 Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense Our military prepares to fight a war against a local population, and organizes itself as it sees fit. No longer. Change is coming.
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Feb 28, 2018 18:28
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The best way to view the relative size of the salaries is through the income tax brackets: Bottom Bracket - up to 700 NSC per month - 15% tax rate Lower Middle Bracket - from 700 to 1400 NSC per month - 30% tax rate Upper Middle Bracket - from 1400 to 2500 NSC per month - 50% tax rate Top Bracket - upwards from 2500 NSC per month - 75% tax rate Another useful comparison point are housing prices - average rent for a cheap one-room apartment in Sard is 90 NSC a month, while buying a house outright in a rural settlement like Nielsen's Hill will set you back somewhere around 5,000 NSC. For the record, the official minimum wage is 250 NSC a month, but there are plenty of people working for less, often without an official contract or working arrangement of any sort. As for budgetary deltas, I will write them from the next month forward. Thanks for the feedback!
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Feb 28, 2018 18:42
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Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense Arms Production Rationalization and Transparency Act posted:
I am sure the SDF and the duly elected government of the people can maintain whatever efforts are needed to properly equip the SDF, but we must reduce the unaccountable nature of the military at every opportunity. Military Appointment Accountability Act posted:
The military can no longer be allowed to create a beast only loyal and answerable to itself. sniper4625 fucked around with this message at 18:56 on Feb 28, 2018 |
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Feb 28, 2018 18:49
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 Denver Axo Panorama Regional Government Proposals for People's Assembly 1. October 3062 Budget Proposal Income Income Breakdown: * Profits from Appropriated Business – 5 – 0.17 * [Remaining from last month – 0.105 - 0] Overall Income: 5.105 Expenses: * Advisory Committee - 0.5 * Residential Power – 0.065 Overall Expenses: 0.565 Remaining: 4.54 Expenditures Miscellaneous PARI Funding: 300,000 NSC Housing for the Executive Transition Team planning the future Ministry of Agriculture: 25,000 NSC Third round of hiring bonuses for one professor: 50,000 NSC (50,000 NSC each) Compensatory Payments Company Shares, general: 4.165 million NSC (against the remaining 4.915m balance) Remainder: 165,000 NSC
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Feb 28, 2018 19:27
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Trade Agreements on Offer: The following is a draft negotiated by the Foreign Ministry’s delegation with the government of New Frontier, awaiting further refinement: Draft Agreement posted:This agreement is between the legitimate governments of the Republic of New Frontier and the Sovereign State of Sirta, referred to as ‘the Republic’ and ‘Sirta’ respectively in the text of this agreement. Both governments pledge full adherence to all provisions of this agreement, and recognize that it shall be voided in its entirety should any individual provision be breached at any future date. All terms in quotation marks correspond to their meaning in established Outer Alliance law. This is the agreement with the Kingdom of Hesperides that used to be in place under Vallstein’s administration: Pink Rose Accord posted:
AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 10:25 on Mar 1, 2018 |
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Mar 1, 2018 10:15
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quote:in the Republic shall be subject to the regulations and jurisdiction of both Sirta and the Republic. The respective governments are obligated to enforce compliance to all laws and regulations pertaining to such contracts in both countries and carry out any decisions and punitive measures decided by the “judicial bodies” and “regulatory authorities” of the country the law or regulation originated at. That seems like a pretty wide open allowance for something that we hold almost no knowledge of. Could we get some explanation on what those laws and regulations might be like from the Republic side?
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Mar 1, 2018 15:42
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That's a pretty broad topic. There are many regulations and laws pertaining to various types of contracts and products. In general, New Frontier contract law tends to emphasize sticking to the original text of the contract as closely as possible, and forcing those who breach contracts to pay out high monetary compensations to the other parties. The Republic is also a full member of the Outer Alliance, and so adheres to OA laws on international investment, such as requiring the target of investment to "make a good faith to deliver on any promises given to investors" and applying heavy penalties to "bad faith actors". Additionally, New Frontier regulations tend to favor large established organizations over individual citizens or small groups. If there is any specific sphere of New Frontier contract law or trade regulations you wish to know more about, ask.
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Mar 1, 2018 16:54
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Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense Bulletins of the Ministry of Defense The extant procurement contracts of the SDF are hereby cancelled. Unneeded and unnecessary spending. A new fundamental Behavioral Standard is to be implemented: "The ultimate loyalty of the Sirtan Defense Force is to the people of Sirta, and the duly constituted government elected thereby."
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Mar 1, 2018 17:45
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William Viner, a Guardian Council Appointment, speaks before Parliament: "I want to ask our new Minister of Defence, what possible rationale can there be for his recent measures? What purpose does unilaterally dropping all of the external procurement contracts have other than purposefully weakening our Defence Force? It's not as if the Ministry is lacking in funds to pay for them. The recent bill he introduced on unnecessarily transferring all of the SDF's manufacturing process, uniquely suited to our defensive needs, to an external Ministry is also quite baffling. Coupled with the Minister's recent alarmingly anti-SDF rhetoric, one can't help but feel that the Minister is seeking to purposefully undermine the defence of this country! These aren't the actions of a Minister truly concerned with carrying out his responsibilities, that's for sure!"
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Mar 1, 2018 18:10
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Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense The rationale is this, and it is a simple one - the SDF must not, can not, and will not be allowed to continue function as an autonomous, sovereign fiefdom into and of itself. I acknowledge that your comrades have enshrined their powers and independence into the constitution, and to put the reins back on will be a long and difficult process. But this is a process that must be started! An army that answers only to itself, funds and equips itself, and decides when, where, and how to act only by itself is an eternal threat to a civilian government. We have already been subject to the varyingly overt threats of individual officers, but the general sentiment is clear: in the eyes of the SDF, the civilian government of Sirta exists only at the sufferance of SDF Central Command. Perhaps you endorse this state of affairs? I for one do not, and I encourage every member of this government, nay, every man, woman, and child of Sirta who remembers the terrors of an unrestrained SDF to join me. The SDF should never be an equal to this Parliament! The primary role of the SDF is to defend our nation against foreign threats - if the foreign situation is quiet, as it is, then to maintain the SDF at it's current levels is indeed unnecessary. That the SDF was briefly entrusted with the responsibilities of law enforcement was an unavoidable and undesirable solution for a national crisis - the complete unsuitability and unreliability of our police forces for active efforts. With that problem addressed, plans for further internal suppression, as betrayed by their current training plans, can only be the harbringer of darker intentions. I'm sure my parliamentary friends in the DAL can see quite clearly through the SDF's plans to combat "guerrilla movements," as can the representatives from the Militia Union in the chamber today. Transparency. Accountability. Oversight. These are the principles I have sought to instill into the organizations that I have overseen as Minister of Internal Security, and these are the principles I will do my best to bring to my new position. I would be happy to work with the SDF as possible, but considering how viciously they guard their autonomy, I will use every tool I have at my disposal should I need to. --------------- To the MoD Please provide the current budgetary breakdown for this department sniper4625 fucked around with this message at 18:38 on Mar 1, 2018 |
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Mar 1, 2018 18:27
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Ministry of Defence Budget Breakdown (October 3062): * Personnel Salaries - 49 million NSC * Procurement Contracts - 16.4 million NSC * SDF Operational Expenses - 3.5 million NSC
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Mar 1, 2018 18:43
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 Comrade Luxemburg In light of Comrade Hill's departure, I nominate Frederick Hope to fill the vacancy on the TRC.
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Mar 1, 2018 19:32
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Excerpt from October 2ndm 3062 airing of Topaz Tonight!, a popular panel program where prominent figures in society are interviewed on the topics of the day. SARA PETROVIC, HOST: So, Mr. Axo, what are your thoughts on the possibility of renewing the Pink Rose Accord? DENVER AXO: I think it'll have to be re-written before it's adopted. PETROVIC: There's no chance Parliament will cut through the red tape and restore relations to what they were? AXO: I don't think there's anyone in Parliament who wants to hold up normalizing relations between us. But the Accords were drafted in a time when Sirta was ruled by a dictator, and it was passed by a dictator's government. Now that the people have liberated themselves and chosen to live in a democracy, we have to go back and open important agreements like this to the voices of the people.. The trends are pretty clear -- you can look at the Eternal Friendship Act that I helped to draft -- about Sirtans liking the Hesperides, and desiring friendly relations with them. But we can't move forward without letting the representatives of the people of Sirta speak for the people's desires. PETROVIC: The Accords focus mostly on Sirta's declining biotechnological export industry. Wouldn't opening up foreign investment like this bring badly-needed money into the economy and restore what used to be Sirtan industry's crown jewel? AXO: Yes, it would. I very much look forward to the Hesperides, or any of our neighbors, returning to invest in Sirta. We need all the help we can get, and we should try to grow together as friends. PETROVIC: But you're not for the Accords? How does that work? AXO: Well, I'm for it, just with qualifications. It's like this: if you've got two dogs that love to play together -- you know, roughhousing and such -- that's fine. But if one dog is a hundred pounds and the other fits in your palm, they've got to be real gentle about how they play, don't they? The Hesperidean economy is many times bigger than our own. If we let capital -- foreign or otherwise -- run loose, unaccountable except to a few private individuals, we'll quickly see it start to disrupt our own economy and the democracy we've fought so hard to see in our jobs and workplaces. I can't imagine anyone over in the Hesperides wants to accidentally turn us into a colony where we rely on their business, and I doubt anyone on Sirta wants to see their community disrupted without having a say in it. PETROVIC: I have to point out, though: during the Accords, Sirta was much richer than it is now. Is the SRLF really suggesting we turn down a return to the good times out of principle? AXO: There might have been more money in the economy, but I don't think Sirta was really any richer. Vallstein and Greene might have gilded the lilies, and a few of their cronies might have flooded the SCN with pictures of their fancy cars and parties, but you can ask anyone -- I mean, you can ask anyone in my hometown of Panorama. Ask the parents of children I knew who died of starvation in the 40s and 50s how well the economy was doing. What we had during the former regime and under the former accords was merely the illusion of wealth, held only by a tiny few. And I know every single Sirtan watching this will proudly reject the illusion of something if they know they can fight to get the real thing -- a real say in their politics, in their work, and in their culture. So if the Accords have to be rewritten, then the people of Sirta will be the first ones erasing what Vallstein came up with and writing out their own story. PETROVIC: Mr. Axo, thank you for your time. Speaking of time, I do apologize. But... AXO: Sure. Go ahead, I know we all have our bosses. PETROVIC: It's slime time. [A fountain of green slime falls on AXO] AXO: I'm fine with this. Actually, I love it. PETROVIC: That's all for tonight. Tomorrow evening, we'll be speaking with the Member of Parliament who spoke out against the latest directives from the Minister of Defence. Just how heated is the debate over the role of the SDF in society becoming? Goodnight.
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Mar 2, 2018 00:51
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New Player Guide What is this? This is a government simulation. You are someone on the planet of Sirta, in the 30th century. Sirta is very poor and has just emerged from a dictatorship and civil war, but now it’s a parliamentary democracy trying to better itself. What do I do? You assume the role of some sort of member of government. The government levels in this game are: NATIONAL, where the Parliament meets and votes on legislation that effects the rest of the planet. You can be an MP in a party, and if you’re an MP and your party is in power, you can be a Minister and oversee a powerful department. LOCAL, which is either a city-council type deal with a mayor, or a totally decentralized People’s Assembly, where player votes can decide what happens. If you’re the only player voting in a town with a People’s Assembly, you pretty much run the town however you want. How do I play? If you’re an MP or a city councilor or are in a People’s Assembly, you can DRAFT & INTRODUCE LEGISLATION during the drafting session. Bills can be as precise or as loose as you like, and can have as large or as small an effect as you’d like. Later, you can VOTE ON LEGISLATION during the voting phase. If your bill passes, it’s law! If you’re a Minister, you have even more control and power. You can still draft bills and vote, but you can also spend your Ministry budget as you like, and direct your Ministry to do whatever you’d like, as long as its within your jurisdiction and it’s not illegal. Also, both MPs and Non-MPs can serve on important COMMITTEES, where critical and binding policy decisions are reached through debate and discussion. What are the different parties like? Can I start my own party? The SRLF is made up of space communists. The SDU, their coalition partner, is also made up of leftists but is probably fairly described as more heterodox in its policies and ideology. Dawn is made up of (now just one) left-leaning social democrats, civil libertarians, and social reformers. The FDG is for stable development, attracting foreign investment, and steady economic growth without major structural changes. The UCS wants to see a larger and more independent civil service, though they have similar economic views to the FDG. The DAL is the political wing of the former militant resistance, and mostly just wants to kill everyone with ties to the former regime. The SnnSP is...around. Oh yeah, and there are a few MP seats where you can just run as a non-partisan independent. Yes, you can start your own party. What’s the story so far? Following a major scandal involving several minor party leaders, Parliament was dissolved and new elections were held a few months ago. The SRLF and SDU are the largest parties, and have been aggressively enacting their agenda of sweeping reform and economic nationalization. Things have been slowly getting better, but crime, poverty, and corruption are still running wild. Also, the Army might be planning on killing all of us. Cool! So do I just post in the thread, or… Legislation, votes, and in-character posts go in the thread, yeah. The details of bills and other agreements can take some time to hammer out, so we use a Discord for general chat and private party channels. You can join it here: https://discord.gg/mzCpQEt tatankatonk fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Sep 29, 2018 |
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Mar 2, 2018 07:34
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A speech, given on the floor of the Sirtan Parliament, by FREDERICK HOPE, regarding his nomination for the TRC "Members of the Sirtan Parliament, if I may have a moment of your time, I would like to try and sell myself as someone worthy of standing on the Truth and Reconciliation Council. Some of you might be wary, considering that I fought in the CLF and am a card carrying member of the SRLF, that I am going to do nothing but try to use the TRC as a partisan effort to promote SRLF goals. I assure you that I am not. In my mind, the TRC is an entity who’s duty is not to party politics, but to the very people of Sirta. Countless times throughout history, the Revolution has turned to Repression, from the Terror of Republican France, to the Purges of Stalinist Russia. I have no desire to see my name, nor the names of any of my comrades, go down in history as monsters. There are still many people out there who committed awful acts under the orders of the Regime, and to those I say that there will be no excuses of “following orders” or the like. But there are also those who were forced into their acts, who genuinely had no choice. Coercion is not the same things as collusion, and whilst neither of those things will get off without due punishment, it is important above all else that we mete out justice, and not vengeance. I hope that everyone here agrees with my nomination, and that history will look kindly on us. Thank you."
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Mar 4, 2018 23:28
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Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense Emergency Budget Restoration Act posted:
The cuts being made are necessary. ------------------ Ministerial Directive We should not have to make any cuts to compensation at this time, due to the cancellation of the procurement contracts. All remaining freed up funds will be placed into the formation of the new National Guard Auxilliary Training program, to give civilian organizations and individuals the defensive training required to minimize casualties in the event of an attack from a modern army, along the lines of those possessed by our foreign foes. To my Senior Staff Please provide more detail on the current training programs of the SDF, examples of training material, briefings as possible from serving drill cadres, etc. sniper4625 fucked around with this message at 17:53 on Mar 10, 2018 |
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Mar 5, 2018 00:37
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From the desk of Commissioner Saint-Just I'm hear-by ordering the formation of a Public Outreach and Coordination department. Funding is to be 300,000 NSC from the Investigations budget. Staff is to be drawn from Administration and new hires. The department will sort, verify, analyze, and if appropriate forward reports from neighborhood watch orgs, militia union members, and concerned citizens to the relevant task force. This department will also be responsible for all public relations and outreach efforts of the NFP.
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Mar 5, 2018 01:07
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paragon1 posted:From the desk of Commissioner Saint-Just Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense I am endorsing this initiative, and giving orders that every NSP precinct establish a liaison with this new office.
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Mar 5, 2018 01:34
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Property Appropriation Committee Decision on Topaz Vacant Properties Appropriation Request: After a comprehensive discussion, we’ve decided to set the compensation rate at 100% of the present market value of these properties. By our estimates, the majority of vacant properties are Residential (18 million NSC), with a minority of Storage (3.5 million NSC), Manufacturing (2 million NSC) and Other (1.2 million NSC) properties. All together, the total compensation sum for all vacant properties in Topaz is 24.7 million NSC. Meeting Transcript: Transcript of the fifth meeting of the Property Appropriation Committee. The date is the 9th of October 3062. Those present are Fatima Shwe, Hospes, Denver Axo, Diya Choi and Benjamin Ramachandra. Fatima: Today, we discuss the request of the Topaz Municipal Government to appropriate all vacant property in Topaz. What should we set the compensation to this time? Axo: I would favor a repeat of our earlier decision to delay a ruling for 30 days while the city is encouraged to carry out further inspections of the properties, with a 100% valuing at the end of the 30 days. Hospes: These circumstances have the potential to be highly destabilizing to our economy. The bill passed by Topaz sets a highly dangerous precedent - that municipal governments are willing and able to appropriate any property as they find convenient. Unlike the previous cases where the properties under discussion were neglected, badly mismanaged, or part of a local rural transition to a new command economy, the case before us shows that no property is off limits, even in the cities. These properties are merely vacant - they weren't damaged or neglected in any way. I think we have to act now to guarantee the stability of our economy, and set the compensation rate at 110% of market value, to reassure future investors that the risk of this situation will be offset by a monetary reward. Axo: That's flatly unnecessary. Parliament has already passed legislation allowing parties worried about the long-term value of their properties to enter into a mortgage with the appropriating municipality at a rate that would see more than 10% growth in value. It needs no further juicing on our end. Hospes: Except there is nothing compelling a local government to actually make use of that option, rather than paying out a lump sum outright. Axo: Nothing would be more compelling than the cost of those lump sums. I doubt any municipality, especially a city like Topaz, could afford to buy any large portion of its residential structures outright. Nor would the investors appreciate having their values effectively frozen until the city could afford to pay. Hospes: The act you are referring to fulfills a valuable function, but it doesn't resolve the fundamental issue under discussion here - Topaz, or any other municipal government may choose to appropriate any property at any time, with minimal regard to the owner's wishes. When it comes to a property such as the ones beind discussed today, where there is no neglect or misnamagement and the property doesn't carry some sort of vital interest to the residents of Topaz, I see no reason why the owner shouldn't be compensated by an amount higher than the current market value, to make up for the fact that, unlike a regular transaction, they weren't presented the option of refusing to sell. Axo: Such a decision is certainly outside the scope of this committee. I could make several arguments to the opposite effect, the thrust of which I'm sure you can anticipate, that the workers who operate these properties are, in fact, their true owners -- but that is a political decision, and not a technical one. Our purpose is to consider any outstanding circumstances which may raise or lower their market value, not to issue a decision endorsing or condemning the process of appropriation itself. Those gestures must be made in their proper arenas. Hospes: What workers? This request is explicitly about vacant properties. Moreover, you didn't rush to declare this committee free of political considerations back during our first meeting, when you passionately argued for the reduction of the compensation rates of various property classes due to its' effect on the residents of Panorama! That hardly seems like a technical consideration to me. Axo: Exactly my point. We've already established the proper categories through long discussion, as well as prompting the mortgage legislation to address this specific effect our rulings might have. My arguments regarding the reduction of cost for certain categories reflected the vital nature of those properties in the day-to-day life of the municipality and the health of its citizens. If we were discussing Topaz's hospitals or food production, I would urge a similar close look into the pricing. But this is vacant property, which surely falls outside of those urgent categories. And what effect we may have on market stability is surely a more abstract concern than we are equipped to deal with. Even if what you said was exactly correct, stability requires a softer touch than us raising or lowering prices. Parliament may insert such subtleties into their legislation, but we have no reason to attempt to unilaterally solve a problem like you bring up. Hospes: Why not? This is the Property Appropriation Committee, entrusted with setting the proper compensation rates for the appropriation of properties. We have full discretion in how to decide on a proper rate. We would be neglecting our duties if we didn't consider the broader effects of our decisions on the market and economy as a whole. Considering such factors is part of the explicit purpose of this committee. Axo: Discretion is the key word. This Committee came into being to provide a fair review of all requests of appropriation, and was staffed to reflect various ideological positions and constituencies. However, we have all accepted that in our position of fairly ruling for all parties, we ourselves must restrict what effects our rulings to technical concerns, or else we would merely be re-enacting Parliament in miniature. We may consider what effects we may have on the market, certainly, but our limited suite of powers should free us of any idea that we can also control those effects with the stroke of a pen. Larger concerns must be handled by those with the larger authority in Parliament. If you are suggesting we treat each ruling as an opportunity to attempt to solve all problems we can possibly think of with our single mechanism, then I cannot say I would be uneager, exactly, but I doubt it would help us serve the purpose of this Committee as imagined by those who created it. Hospes: Interesting choice of words at the end there. This particular consideration seems to be directly implied by the written explanation to the original Property Appropriation Process Act, as I quote: "Real harm can be done to our slowly recovering economy, if we don't provide firm guarantees that property rights will be respected in this country." It seems that broader market effects were at the forefront of the minds of those who created it. Axo: I would caution against reading too much into a single sentence. We represent that firm guarantee, do we not? It would be quite a reach to say that it further requires us to provide even larger incentives to a privileged class beyond what is guaranteed in law. Hospes: Requires - no. But it shows that considering such issues is firmly within our remit, both implicitly in the act itself and explicitly in its' reasoning. Axo: Of course. You suggest that it is due to this concern that we should raise the valuing of these properties to 110%, to protect the owners from risk? Hospes: Yes. To set the precedent that owners of regular properties not guilty of negligence or mismanagement won't have their property taken out from under them without additional compensation. Axo: Why additional compensation? What is not properly accounted for in the 100% valuation? Hospes: The fact that property appropriation is an inherently coercive process - unlike a regular sale, the owner has no option to refuse. The additional compensation should cover for this coercive element Axo: Government coercion has long been recognized as a sovereign right. People do not receive additional compensation for other methods of government coercion, do they? I have yet to hear of individuals being offered the option of paying less in taxes because it represents a unique stress, or someone receiving money beyond their proper salary after being conscripted. Hospes: "Individuals being offered the option of paying less in taxes because it represents a unique stress"? Are you perhaps unfamiliar with the concept of income based progressive taxation? What an absurd argument. Government should strive to act for the benefit of the citizens while minimizing damage to their rights, happiness and well-being. As a part of the governemt entrusted with making specific decisions, it is this committee's responsibility to do all in its' power to ensure that remains the case, as narrow as our domain may be. Axo: "I'm not unfamiliar with the concept, which is why I used the word "individual." There is no tax legislation on Sirta that attempts to lessen the tax burden of an individual and not a class. Am I mistaken?" Hospes: Our decision in this instance also covers a class of people - owners of vacant properties in Topaz. More than that, it represents a precedent that may be applied in the future to owners of vacant properties in every part of the country, when considering similar requests from other local governments. Axo: One moment, while I consult the record of transcripts. Axo: Ah, here it is. Axo: 'Hospes: That wasn't a decision made by this committee. This isn't a court of law. We aren't bound by prior precedent, only by the circumstances before us.' 'Hospes: So, first you argue that the market value can't possibly truly reflect the current state of a property, and then you suggest using it anyway, but at a substantially reduced rate. The only explanation I can think of for this line of argument is that you simply want to reduce the amount the SMG needs to pay, perhaps as a precedent for some future wider property appropriation initiative. Am I wrong?' Axo: So, were you wrong then, or now? Hospes: I don't see the contradiction here. The operative part here is "may be applied in the future". With the idea being that any reasoning for a decision adopted now is likely still going to be relevant in future cases, but it isn't inconceivable that some other circumstances may arise where we may decide differently. Either way, our decision here still affects an entire class of people - owners of vacant properties in Topaz - and similar reasoning will likely remain true for vacant property owners elsewhere. Axo: Which still does not satisfy the question of why this particular class of people is entitled to an extraordinary recompense in the course of the government exercising its normal and recognized coercive rights. The 110% valuation would suggest that they require more money than usual -- more money, in fact, than an ordinary citizen could claim, through unemployment insurance and other government benefits. It also suggests that they require more government intervention than has already been given to them in the form of this Committee and the mortgage legislation that guarantees a hugely generous return on their investment. It also suggests that the government has a duty to not only guarantee that they lose no money - represented by the 100% valuation -- but has a duty to make sure they make a profit. So, why do they deserve us marking them as an especially privileged class? Hospes: Because their property is being taken away! The same should hold true for any other citizen in similar circumstances, barring the existence of other factors such as the property being vital to the local residents or evidence of negligence and mismanagement. Axo: Their rights are recognized. They have access to a wide suite of government benefits to apply for if they wish. They may enter into a hugely profitable long-term relationship with the municipality. They do not use these properties on a regular basis, and the properties are by definition not their homes, or places of business -- they are, in fact, vacant. So what exactly is the pressing need to allocate more resources to this class in this case? Hospes: The reduction of the negative effect on the market. Axo: The mortgage legislation and the guarantee of compensation being observed and honored by this Committee do not constitute reductions of the negative effect on the market? Hospes: They do, but this will reduce that effect even further. Axo: What about the negative effect on the market of vacant properties being unused while the municipality suffers from high rates of homelessness, poverty, and high rents? What evidence do you have that this valuation would satisfy the market and not compound the already existing problems the citizens of the city are facing? What evidence do you have that this would actually satisfy the property owners, and that they would not return, asking for 120% or 130% in future cases? Hospes: The point isn't to "satisfy" the property owners. It is to ensure that they recieve some additional compensation to cover for the coercive nature of the process, thus reducing the negative impact on future property purchases while also not burdening the municipal government with an excessively high fee. 110% seems like a reasonable rate that attains both goals. Axo: They already receive additional compensation in the form of government benefits and the mortgage arrangement. Both are intended as calming measures, in addition to the 100% valuation we were already discussing. The only explanation I can think of for this line of argument is that you simply want to increase the amount Topaz needs to pay, perhaps as a precedent for some future wider property appropriation initiative. Am I wrong? Hospes: In a way, you are right. A precedent to ensure future property owners in similar circumstances receive similar compensation, thus attaining the calming effect we desire. The mortgage arrangement isn't a benefit to the property owner, it is an optional avenue the local government may choose to pursue so that it may operate the property without paying all of the compensation upfront. Any potential benefit to the owner from such an arrangement is entriely incidental. Axo: Then our votes must reflect our disagreement on whether the current measures are sufficient, as well as whether it is appropriate to make rulings on valuings not so that the properties are properly valued according to the circumstances, but to address a wider and more abstract issue, as well as whether it is appropriate that this Committee seize initiative from Parliament in addressing that wider issue. I am firmly of the mind that sufficient calming measures exist, and that it is certainly not the place of this Committee to try and fix the issues of the market on its own instead of recognizing the right of Parliament to address those concerns. Chair, could we vote on a 100% valuing following a 30-day inspection period identical to our Sard recommendation? Hospes: Regardless, I think a 30-day inspection period would be counterproductive in this case. The properties we are discussing aren't blighted. Introducing such a lengthy delay to our decision is likely to lead to an artificial rise in the market value of these properties as everyone would know for certain that owning those property would lead to a guaranteed payout of their worth in 30 days time. Axo: These are the same investors who previously needed extra compensation due to the damaging effects of properties being marked as appropriated, correct? Hospes: Yes. There is no contradiction here. If we set the rate now, it should be 110% of current market value to provide that extra compensation. On second thought, setting the market value at 100% in 30 days is sure to result in an artificial rise far above 110% of current value, so perhaps it would be a great way to provide that compensation after all? Though in that case, I would think the Topaz municipal government would be burdened with paying excessive fees, no? Axo: Very well. Chair, could we vote on a 100% valuing for the vacant real estate? Fatima: ...Of the market value at this moment? Axo: Yes. Fatima: Alright. Please register your votes now. Hospes: Oppose Diya: Oppose Benjamin: Support Axo: Support Fatima: Abstain Fatima: ...We are in a tie situation again. Hospes: So it seems. Fatima: ...I guess I have no choice but to break it. I make use of my right to break the tie in favor of... Fatima: Support Fatima: This committee sets the compensation rate for all vacant properties in Topaz to be 100% of their current market values. Any comments? Axo: As always, thank you to my colleagues for their time and patience. Diya: How pleasant. Thank you for your time as well, Mr. Axo. Hospes: Hmph. Fatima: This meeting is adjourned.
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Mar 5, 2018 10:12
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Outer Alliance Overview (October 3062): The Outer Alliance is a supranational organization conceived so that the younger and smaller states in colonized space could band together and face the rest of the world as one, without being taken advantage of by larger and more established nations or sacrificing their internal autonomy. The OA mainly consists of the following aspects, which every full-member contributes to and benefits from: * Council of Representatives – the highest authority in the OA, from which all other branches and authorities derive their legitimacy. It controls the structure and purpose of the alliance itself. Every full-member has an AMR representative on the council, and decisions are made through simple majority votes, though certain powers require super-majority or even unanimity to be exercised. * Interstellar Court – responsible for ruling on cases concerning Outer Alliance law (as defined by treaties and decisions of the Council of Representatives) and the relationship between members and OA institutions. Consists of 7 judges appointed by the Council of Representatives for one-time 5 year terms. * Executive Directory – the body managing most OA affairs. Currently consists of 9 Directors appointed by the Council of Representatives, each in charge of some branch or agency. Certain classes of decisions and initiatives require the input of all Directors. * Joint Navy – the military arm of the OA, charged with protecting members from external threats. Controlled by the Defence Director. * Central Bank – the main means through which the OA enacts its fiscal and monetary policy. The OA has its own unified currency – the Outer Alliance Standard Credit – which is worth about 10 NSC at the current exchange rate and is largely controlled by the bank. Additionally, the bank gives out loans and development grants to both members and external states. * Trade and Investment Board – the authority that sets and enforces standards and regulations over inter-member trade and investment. * Science and Engineering Board – manages several joint research projects and institutions across several fields such as complex system science, astrophysics, space construction, fine-scale chemistry and biotechnology. * Disease Control Agency – responsible for preventing and containing epidemics, as well as maintaining general health standards across member populations. * External Diplomacy Agency – the face of the OA to external states. Maintains diplomatic relations and negotiates trade agreements, treaties and strategic alliances for the OA as a whole. Other more minor agencies and bodies exist, but aren’t likely to be relevant for Sirta. According to OA law, full-members are required to do the following: * Allow the OAJN to freely operate in their systems and recruit from among their population. * Strictly follow the regulations and standards decided by the OATIB and OADCA. * Adopt the OASC as exclusive currency. * Devote at least 3.5% of their budget to funding the OA. * Refrain from concluding any treaties or trade agreements contradicting OA law. * Allow citizens of other members to freely reside in their territory and enjoy basic protections and access to government services. * Extradite citizens of other members upon request, so long as they aren’t also local citizens and there is no reason to believe they will face political persecution. It is possible to be a partial-member of the OA, taking on only some of these obligations and enjoying the benefits of only some of the OA’s aspects, but only full-members have input on policy through a presence on the Council of Representatives. The exact details of partial-membership are unique to each partial-member and are detailed in carefully worded comprehensive agreements. AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 13:53 on Mar 5, 2018 |
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Mar 5, 2018 13:46
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(Placeholder for mark, I'll be reading this today!) E: I'd like to join! However, reading up on all factions, individuals and legislation with my not inexhuastible schedule seems daunting. Would it be smart to lurk a bit and maybe hang out in dischord with a faction I'd like to join? What is the best approach for making an individual or social faction outside of the established parties? EE: I'm sort of also interested in a lowdown on what technological progress has been made, I see some mentions of STL and psychotropic nanites. Tias fucked around with this message at 13:41 on Mar 6, 2018 |
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Mar 6, 2018 11:20
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Minister Bookchin I would like to nominate Frederick Hope to the Emergency Youth Intervention Board. Frederick was a student of mine at Sard University, and I can attest to his hard work ethic and drive, not to mention the community work he did while in University to help young children avoid the rampant gang violence and crime. Frederick knows the value a good education can do to one's prospects in life, and I can think of no other person who would represent the Education Ministry's interests here as well as Comrade Hope.
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Mar 6, 2018 13:40
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Tias posted:
Reading more stuff is definitely a good idea, as is coming over to the discord and reading some of the past and present discussions/arguments to get a feel for the stances of the various factions. In particular, I recommend the committee transcripts linked in the middle of the fourth post as good starting points for understanding some of the current hot button issues (both Judicial Appointments meetings, the latest Defence Objectives meeting and the first Property Appropriation meeting). Take as much time as you need, there is no rush. You can also join the discord and ask around for things you want to know. The best way to introduce a new faction would be to make a new party with a new leader, though you will have to wait until the next election for a chance at entering Parliament. Even outside Parliament, you can put pressure on parties in government by making your views and demands known at every available opportunity, therefore forcing them to respond in some way. If you want more immediate government action, the capital Sard and all rural settlements are under the People's Assembly system (basically, direct democracy all day, every day) so choose some place for your party leader to reside in and you can immediately submit and vote on new local proposals. As for technological progress, that's an absurdly broad topic. Technology advanced a lot over the past thousand years. Some of the highlights include faster than light travel, Active Mind Recordings (simulated people based on brain scans), Complex Systems (computer-like machines/mathematical models capable of running incredibly detailed simulations at the blink of an eye), widely available genetic engineering, bio-mechanical implants (both visible and nano scale) and a lot of other stuff. If you have any questions, ask them. I will do my best to answer.
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Mar 6, 2018 14:38
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I'm flirting with the idea of other-than-party actors, like direct action groups( though these seem to be well represented already, so not that) or memetically oriented social movements( something like Genepeace or Allezforce Micro from Shadowrun). However, parties seem to be where the fun is, so perhaps I'll do that. No more questions, I'll try to lurk around for a bit 
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Mar 6, 2018 14:49
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Tias posted:
(please join a party that isn't the srlf we need an actual opposition so goddamn bad like I love my comrades but at the moment AFQM is having to do so much else)
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Mar 6, 2018 15:03
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I'm an anarcho-communist IRL, not joining the SRLF sort of makes my skin itch on the inside 
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Mar 6, 2018 15:05
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Just create a splinter tendency, that's sort of like making/joining an opposition party 
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Mar 6, 2018 15:54
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Ignore all them, ignore them entirely. We're always accepting new comrades, and there's plenty of opposition to be had. Bring On The Comrades
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Mar 6, 2018 16:39
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I'm up to speed on the commissions I think. Can someone explain quickly how many people live on Sirta, and what approximate speeds of travel are?
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Mar 7, 2018 13:55
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Sirta's population is slightly over 22 million. If you want, this post has some basic info about the country as it was at game start. If you mean interstellar travel, most modern ships can cover the distance between Sol and Alpha Centauri in 3-4 days. The same ships would need 3 months to travel between Sirta and its' nearest neighbor, the Republic of New Frontier.
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Mar 7, 2018 14:20
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Tias posted:I'm up to speed on the commissions I think. Can someone explain quickly how many people live on Sirta, and what approximate speeds of travel are? Sirta has around 22 million people, all concentrated on one peninsula. The rest of the planet's empty (as far as we know), so physical travel times between populated locations on Sirta are pretty short. Under ideal conditions, I imagine almost everything's gonna be within a day of everything else. That's almost definitely hindered by the fact that the previous regime let the rail network fall into horrible disrepair, but we're in the middle of getting that fixed so hopefully we'll be back to normal in a bit. If you mean space travel, FTL does exist but it's really slow FTL by the standards of most other sci-fi. Our nearest neighbors are a 6-month round trip away, and while that's obviously better than slowboating it for decades at STL speeds, it still means we're relatively isolated out here. E: Beaten by the GM
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Mar 7, 2018 14:20
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Comrade Luxemburg In order to best serve the people of Sirta, I would request that the SBO produce rough estimates as to what effects the following changes to our tax code will produce on revenues. To be clear, this is not yet an officially proposed piece of legislation, only a preliminary plan that we would like the SBO to weigh in on. Proposal A: Bottom Bracket - up to 700 NSC per month - 12% tax rate (-3) Lower Middle Bracket - from 700 to 1400 NSC per month - 27% tax rate (-3) Upper Middle Bracket - from 1400 to 2500 NSC per month - 52% tax rate (+2) Top Bracket - upwards from 2500 NSC per month - 85% tax rate (+10) Proposal B: Bottom Bracket - up to 700 NSC per month - 12% tax rate (-3) Lower Middle Bracket - from 700 to 1400 NSC per month - 27% tax rate (-3) Upper Middle Bracket - from 1400 to 2500 NSC per month - 52% tax rate (+2) Top Bracket - from 2500 to 5000 NSC per month - 80% tax rate (+5) Tippy Top Bracket - upwards from 5000 NSC per month - 95% tax rate Crazycryodude fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Mar 7, 2018 |
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Mar 7, 2018 14:26
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Hello World. I would like to party. Would you? edit: Please, excuse the intrusion and regard us kindly. Sensō no nai Sekai Party(SnnSP) Color: Flat blue Platform: The home grown party from Peridot that wishes to see the depression and devastation of the War and Regimes removed and ensure that the planet never sees War again. To achieve these goals Law must rule and must be used to remove the root causes of the planets ailments and that which leads to war. First on the agenda is a Bill of Rights ensuring that every citizen is protected and may lawfully engage in activities to better themselves, their communities, and the planet as a whole. This is non-negotiable. Second is ensuring sustainable funding to provide avenues for citizens to pursue life, liberty, and growth. Third is to unilaterally address that which leads to war and combat it and deal lawfully with those who profit from War. Fourth is to never stop protecting and promoting the rights of citizens across the planet by any means necessary. Acknowledging the benefits of being a citizen to come regretfully there must be a way of ensuring social programs and communities are not abused. Also that resources are used efficiently to this end there must be rules on how to become a citizen. It is possible that a conversation on the matter of if one could lose their citizenship and how must occur. We support finding the “regime enablers” and dealing with them with "[n]othing other than justice, prompt[ly]…" We do not yet trust the rest of the galaxy not to drag us into conflict. We must help the poor so that they are not poor and we must not help the rich get richer. Leader: Lorenzo Shimizu From a small lower middle class family in Peridot who own a Bed & Breakfast roughly 11 miles from the lake area proper. Lorenzo was encouraged to enter civil service due to his family perceiving it as stable work and the pressure of being an only son. He completed University and obtained an entry level position with the local government shortly afterwards. Within 18 months he was able to move vertically but was later replaced by one of the ‘tribe’ and was fired. After a brief adventure with alcoholism he returned to school to learn how to work on the planetary rail system. After completing his course work and obtaining an internship of sorts funding famously dried up. He has been unemployed ever since. He spent his time before the revolution growing vegetables for his family’s Bed & Breakfast. Ever since the revolution he has been trying to break into politics at any level and now has a party in which to be put in front of. Second: Robert Bernquest (NPC) A man of no formal education who has worked every odd job known in Peridot, including assistant gardener with Lorenzo, while adamantly sticking to his personal code. That code? gently caress the rich, love thy neighbor, suffer not the toady bootlicker, leave folx alone, trust no robot, and fight only as last resort. In following this code he has lost several jobs and friends for calling AMRs ‘robots’ and not folx. Additionally when fighting seemed to be the last resort he joined his local militia. He has seen many die or maimed and does not speak of it frequently. Once no longer needed, and with the urging of Lorenzo, he left his militia, declined membership in the CLF, DAL, SRLF, and The Community. He instead joined Lorenzo in trying to establish Sekai and getting them both elected. Regretfully has a poor sense of humor and continues to call The Community “commies,” Lenore Hughes ‘Diva’ and AMR’s supporters ‘Bot lickers.’ He is not involved in speech writing. List: Lorenzo Shimizu & Robert Bernquest Type: Ideological Herr Tog fucked around with this message at 06:31 on Mar 8, 2018 |
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Mar 8, 2018 05:42
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((I'm getting a kind of nice Mars trilogy vibe from this. If technology is so advanced, are dangers from atmosphere and element is not present any longer? Are our settlements easily destroyed? The political situation is a lot different if one agent from earth can pop a geo-dome and kill everyone, than if environmental norms are near-terran.))
Tias fucked around with this message at 10:33 on Mar 8, 2018 |
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Mar 8, 2018 09:05
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Who is ready to argue about The Bill of Rights? edit: is this up to date? Herr Tog fucked around with this message at 10:26 on Mar 8, 2018 |
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Mar 8, 2018 09:52
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Tias posted:((I'm getting a kind of nice Mars trilogy vibe from this. If technology is so advanced, are dangers from atmosphere and element is not present any longer? Are our settlements easily destroyed? The political situation is a lot different if one agent from earth can pop a geo-dome and kill everyone, than if environmental norms are near-terran.)) Janus IV is an earth-like planet. Herr Tog posted:Is this up to date? There has been some progress made on repair, mainly in Opal and some rural links. See this post for the current SIRTRAK repair priorities. AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 12:15 on Mar 8, 2018 |
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Mar 8, 2018 12:06
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AFancyQuestionMark posted:Janus IV is an earth-like planet. Thank you. May we have the text for the constitutional guarantees to the rights of assembly, freedom of movement, bodily autonomy, and voting?
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Mar 8, 2018 22:58
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Comrade Radek Minister of Security and Defense For my nomination to the new youth board, I put forth Oscar Rivkin, a fine NFP officer who has been involved with several of our Juvenile Crime Taskforces.
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Mar 9, 2018 17:54
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Emergency Youth Intervention Board Appointments (October 3062): According to the Alternative Youth Sentencing and Reform Act, the newly appointed EYIB is charged with creating and managing a new rehabilitative and educational program for troubled youth involved with organized crime. These are the appointees: * Felix Meier (33) – CLF commander involved in training and recruitment, appointed by the Minister of Justice. * Frederick Hope (Hattie Masters) – Former CLF member, appointed by the Minister of Education. * Oscar Rivkin (36) – NFP officer involved with handling juvenile crime, appointed by the Minister of Internal Security. * Laurie Stanton (29) – Popular Resistance activist, randomly selected from among all licensed social workers. * Diane Roe (31) – CEO of New Dreams, a charity dedicated to helping vulnerable youth, appointed by the Guardian Council. They are expected to have the new program in operation by early November. Since there is only one player on the board, meetings will be handled through discord DMs. SBO Estimates on Acts and Proposals (October 3062): * Alternative Youth Sentencing and Reform Act – The act provides the board with almost limitless flexibility not only in staffing but also in the structure and nature of the program itself. For example, the board could elect to have the minors in the program attend local schools, cutting down on costs significantly. However, the act also mandates the program to include a support system with regards to aspects such as counseling and drug addiction recovery, while the present high rate of juvenile crime means that the program will likely see plenty of demand. Our estimates put the set up costs to be anywhere between 5 to 12 million NSC. The monthly costs likewise vary between 0.5 to 3.5 million NSC. * Tax Proposal A – Under this proposal, our expected tax income for October would have looked like this: - Income tax, bottom bracket – 61.6 (-15.4) - Income tax, lower middle bracket – 81 (-9) - Income tax, upper middle bracket – 107.12 (+4.12) - Income tax, top bracket – 180.2 (+21.2) - Total – 429.92 (+0.92) Overall, the budgetary impact is negligible. It would be more appropriate to judge this proposal solely by its’ impact on the population. * Tax Proposal B – Under this proposal, our expected tax income for October would have looked like this: - Income tax, bottom bracket – 61.6 (-15.4) - Income tax, lower middle bracket – 81 (-9) - Income tax, upper middle bracket – 107.12 (+4.12) - Income tax, top bracket – 59.36 (-99.64) - Income tax, “tippy top” bracket - 130.91 (+130.91) - Total – 439.99 (+10.99) This proposal yields around 11 million NSC in extra income. However, this office lacks the capability to assess this change’s impact on the broader economy. There is a possibility of negative effects on local investment. Foreign Embassies Reactions to Perpetual Friendship and Foreign Exhibition Act (October 3062): Last month, Parliament approved the PFFE Act, using the Sirtan Culture Administration to construct three exhibits in Sirta’s major cities, each celebrating aspects of the culture and history of one of its neighbors. These were the reactions of their diplomatic representatives in the country: * Republic of New Frontier – Long-time Ambassador Susanna Ray was very welcoming of the initiative, praising MPs for being “forward thinking and proactive in establishing relations between our peoples” and eager to consult with the SCA to “share the philosophic, symbolic and spiritual traditions of the Republic with all Sirtans”. The embassy agreed to pay half of the cost involved with the New Frontier exhibit in Topaz, so long as that sum ends up being less than 30 million NSC. * Unitary State of Saguenay – Ret. Colonel Brandon Leger stated that “there are certain benefits to directed cultural exchange between neighbors” and allocated 10 million NSC to supplement the cost of the Saguenay exhibit in Opal. * Kingdom of Hesperides – Lady Sofia Winter, Royal Messenger to Sirta had this to say: “Fantastic. Your Parliament’s idea is truly phenomenal. I am greatly pleased to find that Sirta, despite all of its’ hardships and uncertainties, chooses to direct its sight outwards in search of new experiences. As a Messenger of Her Majesty Queen Kate IV, it would be my honor and my sincerest pleasure to introduce others to our Kingdom’s storied history and vibrant culture. I will personally advise the artists behind the exhibit to impart them with the many ideas and outlooks of Her Majesty’s subjects. How exciting!” She intends to personally fund all costs for the Hesperides exhibit in Sard, setting aside 120 million NSC for this purpose. AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 07:45 on Mar 13, 2018 |
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Mar 10, 2018 19:08
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