Right to Technonlogy

[Aegara]

Hello everyone, I would like to open a debate on my current proposal "Right to Technology" to see what people think of it. Hopefully some of you may even vote for it!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE FINAL REVISED TEXT OF MY PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED

Right to Technology
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.


Category: Social Justice
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Aegara

Description: APPALLED that millions of people currently live on a subsistence living;

AFFIRMING the basic human right to self improvement;

BELIEVING that many of these people would benefit hugely from the use of modern agricultural technology;

RESOLVES to create the Universal Technology Dissemination Body (UTDB) to appropriate funds from the WA General Fund for the purchase and distribution tractors, harvesters, fertilisers, and any other technology deemed appropriate for distribution;

REQUESTS that all citizens submit their requests to the UTDB for a review of their situation to be decided on a case by case basis;

STIPULATES that each approved proposal must be reviewed once per year to ensure continued suitability;

AFFIRMS the right of all recipients to unilaterally leave to donation program and suffer no ill consequences;

DESIGNATES a portion of funds provided to the UTDB to be used in the training of citizens in the repair and construction of replacements parts for the technology given by the UTDB.

Co-authored by Studly Penguins

[Aegara]

BUMP!

[Quintessence of Dust]

Unofficial advice: don't bump a proposal after 15 minutes. Such premature ejaculation is, if anything, less likely to make people read your proposal.

[Aegara]

Sorry about that (it's my first time posting) although your language does seem a tad inappropriate.

[Yousa (Ancient)]

True

[Aegara]

I think I should take this oppourtunity to steer the conversation away from this and back to my proposal lol.

[Absolvability]

Unofficial advice: don't bump a proposal after 15 minutes. Such premature ejaculation is, if anything, less likely to make people read your proposal.

I find the Ambassador's language, as usual, to be both appropriate and witty. We urge the author of this proposal not to confine their connotations to the obvious.

At any rate, does this proposal DO anything other than create two organizations? It must in order to be legal. Furthermore, we think a more appropriate name could be given to the proposal since it really only deals with agriculture.

[Quintessence of Dust]

This kind of project has been tried before, and usually what happens is as follows:

5 years of it working absolute wonders
Thereafter, a lot of rusting tractors lying about unused as everything returns to normal

The saying "give a person a fish and they will eat for a day; teach them how to fish and they will eat for life" or whatever seems to apply. Simply giving out technology is unlikely to achieve long-term benefits because, if the people did not already have access to such technology they are unlikely to be able to repair or improve on the items - or even use them correctly. A better approach might be something like the old NSUN's "Sustainable Agriculture Centre". At the very least, it's important that this agency teach people how to use and service such machinery.

It's also unclear to me where these items will actually come from.

-- Dr Lois Merrywether
WA Ambassador

[Absolvability]

On a related note to what I just said... is it legal for one resolution to establish two organizations? I feel like I read something about that somewhere...

[Aegara]

I do appreciate the underlying message that is conveyed wittily but to possible young children who play it could be deemed inappropriate

[Quintessence of Dust]

OOC:

On a related note to what I just said... is it legal for one resolution to establish two organizations? I feel like I read something about that somewhere...

Not a mod, but yes. I can't think of an example offhand, but at least one of the maritime resolutions in the old UN set up more than one.

[Aegara]

If this proposal passes, as my last "Right to Technology" did then I hope that is legal as the my previous one was quashed by the Administrators.

In response to your questions I believe that this is "teaching someone how to fish" because this is providing people with something completely new with the potential to hugely improve their qualities of life.

As regards to the mainly agricultural aspect I did debate this with myself and I went down that road because I saw it as the technology that was most likely to improve people's lives.

Also it is the goal of the TBRC to review the current practices of the recipients of that technology, so the chance of rusting tractors is reduced.

[Absolvability]

I think I should take this oppourtunity to steer the conversation away from this and back to my proposal lol.

Indeed. Notwithstanding that you can indeed create two organizations with one proposal... what say you to the matter of this proposal doing something ELSE? Affirmations, recognitions, and hopes don't really count.

[Aegara]

The "recognitions" and "affirmations" are merely intended as a preface to the issues that the proposal intends to solve. The "hopes" are what the the proposals will acheive.

The proposal creates two organisations that will hand out technology to millions of people so I think that that is quite a substantial thing even if it doesnt create a huge word count!

[Absolvability]

Committees may be created, as long as certain things are kept in mind: nations do not sit on committees, they are staffed by mystical beings that instantly spring into existance and live only to serve on said committee. Committees are also bound by the above MetaGame rules. Also, keep in mind that Committees are additions to Proposals; they shouldn't be all the Proposal does.

Your proposal effectively does nothing except create committees. If you wish your 'hopes' to be mandates when you should phrase them more assertively.

The proposal creates two organisations that will hand out technology to millions of people so I think that that is quite a substantial thing even if it doesnt create a huge word count!

However substantial and 'groovy,' you still must abide by the rules.

[Absolvability]

HOPE that, by the distribution of these technologies, the WA will dramatically improve the lives some of the most impoverished people in the world whilst also alleviating malnutrition due to the increased quantities of food produced.

Oh, and what you mandate shouldn't be the trickle-down effect of your created committees. This is redundant and STILL not doing anything.

[Aegara]

What exactly do you mean by groovy? My proposal is nothing but serious, with a bit of poetic liscence taken with the naming...

[Philimbesi]

Point of order ambassador.

ESTABLISH the Universal Technology Dissemination Body (UTDB) to distribute tractors, harvesters, fertilisers and trucks to those most in need of them.

Where are said tractors, harvesters, fertilizers, and trucks coming from?

[Secruss]

Point of order ambassador.

ESTABLISH the Universal Technology Dissemination Body (UTDB) to distribute tractors, harvesters, fertilisers and trucks to those most in need of them.

Where are said tractors, harvesters, fertilizers, and trucks coming from?

Exactly.

[Aegara]

They are to be bought by the WA and stockpiled until such a time when distribution is needed although I admit this could have been explicitly stated.

[Bears Armed]

Point of order ambassador.

ESTABLISH the Universal Technology Dissemination Body (UTDB) to distribute tractors, harvesters, fertilisers and trucks to those most in need of them.

Where are said tractors, harvesters, fertilizers, and trucks coming from?

In the absence of any alternative details being presented here, presumably obtaining them for distribution would be up to this 'UTDB' which would draw upon the WA General Fund as necessary.

[Aegara]

That is exactly correct Honourable Ambassador.

[Philimbesi]

They are to be bought by the WA and stockpiled until such a time when distribution is needed.

And I'm sorry but with what money does the ambassador propose we use for that. Perhaps a bake sale or car wash? As this doesn't appropriate monies to either of the committees it creates to do that. Nor for that matter does it mention the fact that we're all now going to be tractor salesmen in our spare time.

[Absolvability]

As it just so happens... I have an old tractor for sale. It's a little rusty... and I'm afraid the promisary note I've pre-drafted in anticipation of overwhelming desire for this lovely fixer-upper oppurtunity includes the words "as is," but still. Any takers?

[Aegara]

I think that the Honourable Ambassador is being totally unfair with regards to "all becoming tractor salesman". The UTDB will be responsible for the buying and distribution of said technology. This whole proposal will be funded from the WA General Fund. Many proposals do not explicitly state the source of funding, for example the current proposal, and I believe that the source of money is usually implied to be the WA General Fund.