[NSGS] Third Government of Calaverde

[Heraklea-]

Probably should have edited my post, didn't realize you got in another one before I posted. I was referring to the tax cuts in the other bills. I will tear into your budget on Sunday when I have time to do so.

[Arkolon]

Probably should have edited my post, didn't realize you got in another one before I posted. I was referring to the tax cuts in the other bills. I will tear into your budget on Sunday when I have time to do so.

I'll be waiting. And those cuts have been costed indeed, simply by reducing projected tax revenues by 40% for GST and 50% for corporate taxes. Considering by how much income tax would have grown and how much consumption would have grown (mostly due to the welfare expansions), the combined cost of those two cuts is not that huge. It reduces gross receipts by about 11% and stimulates a lot more investment, from businesses, and consumption, from consumers, since they would have more disposable resources to use in their ventures.

[Sebastianbourg]

Ark, I don't think the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs $2.75 billion; if this Reuters article is to be believed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent £1.02 billion (≈ $1.59 billion) in the past year. I doubt a small Central American nation's foreign ministry would spend more than the United Kingdom's. I'm sure we could re-distribute those funds to another government agency or perhaps implement tax cuts. And yes, a cabinet minister has just asked the government to reduce his ministry's budget.

[Arkolon]

Forgot to mention, that bloated FA spending is majorly foreign aid (0.7% of GDP), or roughly $2.5bn. The $250 million extra is what actually goes to your ministry.

[The Sarian]

Ark, I don't think the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs $2.75 billion; if this Reuters article is to be believed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent £1.02 billion (≈ $1.59 billion) in the past year. I doubt a small Central American nation's foreign ministry would spend more than the United Kingdom's. I'm sure we could re-distribute those funds to another government agency or perhaps implement tax cuts. And yes, a cabinet minister has just asked the government to reduce his ministry's budget.

You have to remember to add the Department of International Development and the trade part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Skills to that budget.

[Sebastianbourg]

Forgot to mention, that bloated FA spending is majorly foreign aid (0.7% of GDP), or roughly $2.5bn. The $250 million extra is what actually goes to your ministry.

Why are we giving away so much foreign aid?

Ark, I don't think the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs $2.75 billion; if this Reuters article is to be believed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent £1.02 billion (≈ $1.59 billion) in the past year. I doubt a small Central American nation's foreign ministry would spend more than the United Kingdom's. I'm sure we could re-distribute those funds to another government agency or perhaps implement tax cuts. And yes, a cabinet minister has just asked the government to reduce his ministry's budget.

You have to remember to add the Department of International Development and the trade part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Skills to that budget.

I think anything close to $1-1.5 billion would be enough. We're a small country and cannot possibly be expected to give away $2.5 billion away in development aid when a much larger country such as Spain only gives away $2.20 billion.

Edit: I misunderstood The Sarian's response.

[The Sarian]

Forgot to mention, that bloated FA spending is majorly foreign aid (0.7% of GDP), or roughly $2.5bn. The $250 million extra is what actually goes to your ministry.

Why are we giving away so much foreign aid?

http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/press/07.htm

[Britanno 2]

If we're happy to turn away those in need at our border, we should at least be supporting them in their own countries.

[Sebastianbourg]

If we're happy to turn away those in need at our border, we should at least be supporting them in their own countries.

Well, I guess we'll have to make sure our development aid is put to good use and genuinely benefits those it is intended for instead of falling into the pockets of dictators and tyrants. Hmm...

[Arkolon]

Says here the target for 2015 is 0.54% of GNP. That's $544 million less to the MoFA if you want to scale down the Millenium Projects and adapt them to softer targets. So does $2.2bn sound better? It funds our debt interest

[Sebastianbourg]

Says here the target for 2015 is 0.54% of GNP. That's $544 million less to the MoFA if you want to scale down the Millenium Projects and adapt them to softer targets. So does $2.2bn sound better? It funds our debt interest

Sure. That's more than enough.

[The Sarian]

Personally, I think we can continue to commit to 0.7%.

[Sebastianbourg]

Personally, I think we can continue to commit to 0.7%.

Honestly, I don't really mind; I'd rather save my 'government policy dispute points' for another occasion.

[Arkolon]

To clarify: it was semi-sarcastic and I tried to show it was a small change from 0.7 to 0.54 (the debt interest is a really small amount of money). We are sticking to 0.7. Re-reading it, it was very unclear of me.

[Sebastianbourg]

To clarify: it was semi-sarcastic and I tried to show it was a small change from 0.7 to 0.54 (the debt interest is a really small amount of money). We are sticking to 0.7. Re-reading it, it was very unclear of me.

I consider it a scandalous waste but it's not an excessive amount of money so I won't make too much of a fuss over it.

[Britanno 2]

please second my motion in the chamber

[Costa Fierro]

If we're happy to turn away those in need at our border, we should at least be supporting them in their own countries.

It would just be throwing money down a rabbit hole. Central America, with the exception of Costa Rica at least, is largely run by corrupt ogilarchs anyway. Sending foreign aid into these countries would just be lining the pockets of those that run it.

[Arkolon]

The next few months are going to get very messy.

[Britanno 2]

It would just be throwing money down a rabbit hole. Central America, with the exception of Costa Rica at least, is largely run by corrupt ogilarchs anyway. Sending foreign aid into these countries would just be lining the pockets of those that run it.

That's presuming we just hand it over to governments. I'd prefer a system where we use the money to assist charity projects.

[Filimons]

Sorry, I've been inactive due to exams.

[Arkolon]

Sorry, I've been inactive due to exams.

Don't be sorry, RL > IC always.

[Filimons]

Sorry, I've been inactive due to exams.

Don't be sorry, RL > IC always.

True.

[Costa Fierro]

It would just be throwing money down a rabbit hole. Central America, with the exception of Costa Rica at least, is largely run by corrupt ogilarchs anyway. Sending foreign aid into these countries would just be lining the pockets of those that run it.

That's presuming we just hand it over to governments. I'd prefer a system where we use the money to assist charity projects.

Who do three fifths of fuck all and spend most of the money on administrative costs. We'd be better off helping the poor and disadvantaged in Calaverde.

[Arkolon]

That's presuming we just hand it over to governments. I'd prefer a system where we use the money to assist charity projects.

Who do three fifths of fuck all and spend most of the money on administrative costs. We'd be better off helping the poor and disadvantaged in Calaverde.

FYI:
Money that goes to helping Calaverde's poor and disadvantaged: 65%
Money that goes to building new infrastructure in Calaverde: 30%
Money that goes to foreign aid: 5%

As a percentage of total spending in those three departments.

[Britanno 2]

Who do three fifths of fuck all and spend most of the money on administrative costs. We'd be better off helping the poor and disadvantaged in Calaverde.

You can't just generalise charities like that. I know plenty that do brilliant work, and I'm sure you do to.

And if you read my post, I said charity projects, not charities. Hence, we don't just hand it over to any organisation with a nice message, we actually take some responsibility ourselves and spend our money ourselves. We can work with organisations, but I see no reason why we shouldn't play an active role in the specific projects we fund.