NationStates

Acronius wrote:They Took Our Gubment! (#427)

Lionsgate media has been abuzz with gossip that Harold Weissenegger, a former bodybuilder and action movie star turned politician who immigrated from Smalltopia at a young age, is set to run for Parliament in the upcoming election. With Weissenegger already ahead in early polls, the legality of an immigrant running for office has been brought into question.

The Debate

"You can't allow this," protests Sue-Ann Washington, currently a distant second in the polls. "I've put fifty years of my life into this country, all to see a Smalltopian barbarian muscle in on what should rightfully be my job? If we don't take action now," she continues grimly, "who'll stop him when he's after your job?"

Accept

"Why stop there?" queries May Neumann, chairperson of the Acronian Nationalist Workers Party. "Immigrants are a danger to our society and cannot be trusted! Letting them in this country is one thing, letting them RUN it is an entirely different story. That's why we should ban immigrants like this 'Eradicator' from being police officers, judges, lawyers, or indeed any job that creates, interprets, or enforces the law!"

Accept

"I live here, work here, pay taxes here... well I live here," monologues Mr Weissenegger after smashing your door down for dramatic effect. "So there's no problemo with me running for office." As he tramples out of the splintered doorway, his last words are carried to you: "Or I'll be back."

Accept

Bears Armed wrote:

Acronius wrote:They Took Our Gubment! (#427)

Lionsgate media has been abuzz with gossip that Harold Weissenegger, a former bodybuilder and action movie star turned politician who immigrated from Smalltopia at a young age, is set to run for Parliament in the upcoming election. With Weissenegger already ahead in early polls, the legality of an immigrant running for office has been brought into question.

The Debate

"You can't allow this," protests Sue-Ann Washington, currently a distant second in the polls. "I've put fifty years of my life into this country, all to see a Smalltopian barbarian muscle in on what should rightfully be my job? If we don't take action now," she continues grimly, "who'll stop him when he's after your job?"

Accept

"Why stop there?" queries May Neumann, chairperson of the Acronian Nationalist Workers Party. "Immigrants are a danger to our society and cannot be trusted! Letting them in this country is one thing, letting them RUN it is an entirely different story. That's why we should ban immigrants like this 'Eradicator' from being police officers, judges, lawyers, or indeed any job that creates, interprets, or enforces the law!"

Accept

"I live here, work here, pay taxes here... well I live here," monologues Mr Weissenegger after smashing your door down for dramatic effect. "So there's no problemo with me running for office." As he tramples out of the splintered doorway, his last words are carried to you: "Or I'll be back."

Accept

Author and editor?

Trotterdam wrote:Heads up: I have reason to believe that #427 might have another option. It might be limited to nations with generous pensions for the elderly.

Mediobogdum II wrote:You tried to summon the nation's leading minds to concoct a response, but only three eccentrics showed up.

Mediobogdum II wrote:2. "That's no moon!" bellows @@RANDOMNAME@@, the nation's foremost authority on Battlestar Galactica fanfiction. "It's obviously some alien form of surveillance, preparation for an invasion. I say we rally the combined military forces of @@REGION@@ and just shoot into the sky until we hit something! We're bound to kill at least one alien invader before we all die a hero's death!"

Mediobogdum II wrote:Issue by: The Objectivist Enclave of Human Olympus

No Representation without Taxation?

The Issue
The recent publication of a book "Who Pays For Government?", written by internationally famous economist Millicent Freeman, has triggered a public debate about voting rights.

The Debate
1. "Look, it's simple," explains Finance Minister Margaret Li. "Most things the government does cost money. That money has to be raised through taxes, so anybody who doesn't pay any tax shouldn't have any say in choosing the government either. We should make paying at least a specified minimum amount in tax necessary for inclusion in the electoral lists. It'll reward those who actually contribute to society, and give those who don't a bit of incentive to pull themselves up by their bootstraps."

2. "That's not going far enough!" insists teenager Don Song, wearing a homemade Guy Fawkes mask while borrowing the controversial objectivist tract Maxlas Shrugged from the Council Groves Public Library. "Since state employees - like this parasite helping me check out my books! - are drawing their salary from the government, they're not contributing anything to the economy either, and they should be excluded from voting too!"

3. "No, no, a thousand times no!" notorious labour rights activist 'Red' Jack Anderson protests. "Voting is the most basic right we have, and election day is the one time when every Bear, rich or poor, is an equal. The right to vote has to be protected for all Bears, and election day made a public holiday so that working class people can afford to vote without risking losing their jobs. The dip in productivity is more than justified by ensuring everyone has a chance to perform their civic duty."

4. "That's very stirring rhetoric, but I wonder if everyone really feels that way," muses libertarian scholar Naki Summers, a research fellow at the Nyancato Institute. "So why not give everyone the choice? Make it legal for people to sell their votes, and leave it to them to decide what's more important to them: keeping their vote, or feeding their family."

Issue by: The Free Bears of Bears Armed
Editor: Golgothastan

Golgothastan wrote:The OP is now up against the character limit so I'm going to have to reorganize it again soon.

NationStates issues wrote:Children in the Lead?
LEGISLATION PENDING

The Issue

A recent broadsheet special on the children of other leaders in The United Federative of the UCE PUPPETS has brought attention to the lack of children in your own residence. Mindful of your dipping approval, some of your advisors have begun to wonder if some popularity could be won back by having a kid or two.

The Debate

''This is a golden PR opportunity,'' exclaims Rebecca Longbottom, representing Moral Minority. ''Imagine: you'd be the wise family figure. Think how much the people will love your new baby. You'll be the epitome of family values leading everyone into domestic bliss. And think of the merchandising! I mean, think of the children."

Accept

Maxford University demographer and suspected eugenicist Hope Han disagrees. "The fact is our nation is overflowing with young ne'er do wells. They commit more crimes, are more prone to rudeness, and worst of all are least likely to care about your good works, President of the Republic Alana Berydan. We have to send the message that we are going to do something about the troublesome demographics, and a good place to start is by you staying childless. And if we really want to crack down on population growth, we need to double down on border security too."

Accept

''Or how about adoption?'' schemes Zack Schultz, your PR expert.'' I could see you with a nice adopted Lilliputian boy and an adopted Maxtopian girl. It would look great in front of the cameras. You could be the most multicultural and tolerant leader in The United Federative of the UCE PUPPETS! And if everyone follows your lead, the orphanages won't be nearly as dreary!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.

Big Brain City wrote:Anyone reported this? It's at the end of the url for Dillemma 432.

I already did the issue, though...

#432 Children in the Lead?

Trotterdam wrote:

#432 Children in the Lead?

This would have been more amusing if it was an issue about children holding office, following on them being allowed to vote in #182.

Golgothastan wrote:

Trotterdam wrote:This would have been more amusing if it was an issue about children holding office, following on them being allowed to vote in #182.

That would have been much better.

But, I don't decide which issues get approved, I just update the list. Thanks, added.

Phrontisteries wrote:Am I the first to get this?

407
[An International Incident] Brasilistan Go Boom

The Story So Far
You decided to deal with the crisis in Brasilistan by launching a wave of nuclear strikes.

The Issue
When you give the order to launch the nukes, your general briefly leaves the room. The moments tick by. When he returns, he simply nods once. "Birds in the air." There are almost two dozen people around this table, including some of the most brilliant minds and fearsome personalities in @@NAME@@, but none of them speak. "Three minutes until impact." You expected more activity. But there's nothing to do. There aren't even any gigantic computer screens, tracing the path of the missiles. It's beneath you, you suppose. Your job is not to track the flight of missiles. Your job is simply to decide. And that's what you've done. You've decided to annihilate another country. You look around the table at your advisors and soldiers. Some nod back at you reassuringly. Some won't meet your eyes. Not everyone will agree with you, of course. But it's not their decision. It's yours. The general leaves the room several more times. Finally, he returns. "It's done," your general says. "It's done."

The Debate
1.

The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

(either option 1 or dismiss)

Bears Armed wrote:# 429

No Representation without Taxation?

The Issue
The recent publication of a book "Who Pays For Government?", written by internationally famous economist Millicent Freeman, has triggered a public debate about voting rights.

The Debate
1. "Look, it's simple," explains Finance Minister Margaret Li. "Most things the government does cost money. That money has to be raised through taxes, so anybody who doesn't pay any tax shouldn't have any say in choosing the government either. We should make paying at least a specified minimum amount in tax necessary for inclusion in the electoral lists. It'll reward those who actually contribute to society, and give those who don't a bit of incentive to pull themselves up by their bootstraps."

2. "That's not going far enough!" insists teenager Don Song, wearing a homemade Guy Fawkes mask while borrowing the controversial objectivist tract Maxlas Shrugged from the Council Groves Public Library. "Since state employees - like this parasite helping me check out my books! - are drawing their salary from the government, they're not contributing anything to the economy either, and they should be excluded from voting too!"

3. "No, no, a thousand times no!" notorious labour rights activist 'Red' Jack Anderson protests. "Voting is the most basic right we have, and election day is the one time when every Bear, rich or poor, is an equal. The right to vote has to be protected for all Bears, and election day made a public holiday so that working class people can afford to vote without risking losing their jobs. The dip in productivity is more than justified by ensuring everyone has a chance to perform their civic duty."

4. "That's very stirring rhetoric, but I wonder if everyone really feels that way," muses libertarian scholar Naki Summers, a research fellow at the Nyancato Institute. "So why not give everyone the choice? Make it legal for people to sell their votes, and leave it to them to decide what's more important to them: keeping their vote, or feeding their family."

Issue by: The Free Bears of Bears Armed
Editor: Golgothastan

^_^

Golgothastan basically wrote the second fourth options provided here, although following the same general pattern as my submitted version as far as the speakers' general attitudes were concerned. "Millicent Freeman" is a fixed name, the others are random.