[SUBMITTED] Remittances Running a Rampage

[Jim the Baptist]

TITLE
Remittances Running a Rampage
New working title: Remittances Breaking the Bank?

VALIDITY
Must not have policy: No immigration
Must have policy: Capitalism

THE ISSUE

Every year, droves of migrant workers flock to your shores in the hopes of achieving the @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ dream. With workers sending most of their disposable income back home, your economic advisory team has brought to your attention the record high number of overseas remittances. They claim that this money is not only being sucked out of your economy, but is also getting injected directly into rival economies of your pesky neighbours, particularly Brazilistan. Your schedule has been cleared to meet with your economic and foreign affairs team.

1- "It's all in the numbers, dear Leader," one of your economic advisors suggests as he plays with his glass eye. "The increase in remittances directly correlates with more overseas workers from Brazilistan. If we just put a tax on remittances to Brazilistan, we can raise some much needed government revenue, plus it will encourage more people to use their money here than over in that awful Brazilistan place. More money for you, more money for the @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ people!"
Effect: sending money overseas usually requires selling a kidney

2- "You've got it the wrong way around," your budget minister interrupts. "A tax on remittances means workers will just go elsewhere instead of here. We shouldn't tax remittances but rather incentivize them through subsidised transfer fees and more ways to send money. Foreign workers create jobs and make the market more competitive which benefits us all as consumers. Plus they make up for what we lose in remittances by what they contribute to our economy through market diversity and starting new businesses."
Effect: foreign workers are flooding in as @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ floods out

3- Your minister for employment calmly stands up and pauses before speaking. "I have 3 words for you: Ban. All. Immigration! Based on my investigation, all these overseas workers are more trouble than they’re worth. Businesses hire them under the table because they work double the hours for a tenth of the cost, not to mention many of them are undocumented overstayers so none of this is getting declared properly for tax purposes. Meanwhile, our own are left jobless and the only winners are the corporate fat cats who misrepresent their earnings. Maybe we can re-open in the future, but right now we need to take care of our own people first before we worry about others."
Effect: unscrupulous business owners wait in fear for when the Taxman cometh

4- "Erm, I have a… less drastic solution," your foreign affairs minister interjects. "Most workers from Brazilistan seem to be low-skilled and relatively unqualified. What we really need to do is revamp our immigration system. We’ll have a skilled migrant workers policy where we only accept the crème de la crème of immigrants. A scaled-down but targeted immigration policy should cut down on the remittances, while still ensuring vital migrant workers can fill shortages in our job market. We get more high-earning, skilled workers and less of these Brazilistani push-cart operators sending their salaries back home. It’s win-win!"
Effect: foreigners without a PhD get shown the door

The amount of remittances sent by migrant workers in @@NAME@@ has reached an all-time high. Stakeholders have claimed that money is not only being sucked out of the economy, but that it is also getting injected directly into your rivals' economies, particularly Brazilistan.

1- "It's all in the numbers, dear @@LEADER@@," one of your economic advisors suggests as @@HE@@ frantically types on @@HIS@@ calculator. "The increase in remittances directly correlates with more overseas workers from Brazilistan. If we just put a tax on overseas remittances, we could put a dent in some of our public debt, plus it will encourage more people to use their money here than over in that awful Brazilistan place. More money for you, more money for the @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ people!"
Effect: sending money overseas usually requires selling a kidney

2- Major bank CEO @@RANDOMNAME@@ saunters into the room lugging bags with @@CURRENCY@@ signs on them. "Where did you study economics, my compatriot? A tax on remittances would crush the banks, er, I mean our economy. Basic economics says we should encourage more of our benevolent neighbours to expatriate and join our workforce. I say we loosen up some of our immigration rules - with more workers, the potential for wealth and economic growth is endless! We could be an open superpower economy, and finally crush those Brazilistanis!" @@HE@@ eventually sidles out of the room while maniacally cackling.
Effect: foreign workers are flooding in as @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ floods out

3- After a brief awkward silence, ardent nationalist @@RANDOMNAME@@ emerges from behind a flag pole in your office. "I have 3 words for you: Ban. All. Immigration! All these overseas workers are more trouble than they're worth. It's not just the remit-ya-doodles you talk of, but foreigners work double the hours for a tenth of the cost, stealing local jobs from the poor, hungry @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@! I'll add that most of these foreign workers are undocumented overstayers so none of this is getting declared properly for tax purposes either. Maybe we can re-open in the future, but right now we need to take care of our own people first before we worry about others."
Effect: unscrupulous business owners wait in fear for when the Taxman cometh

4- "Erm, I have a… less drastic solution," your foreign affairs minister interjects. "Most workers from Brazilistan seem to be low-skilled and relatively unqualified. What we really need to do is revamp our immigration system. We could have a skilled migrant workers policy where we only accept the crème de la crème of immigrants. A scaled-down but carefully targeted immigration policy should cut down on the remittances, while still ensuring vital migrant workers can fill shortages in our job market. We get more high-earning, skilled workers and less of these Brazilistani push-cart operators sending their salaries back home. It's win-win!"
Effect: foreigners without a PhD get shown the door

The amount of remittances sent by migrant workers in @@NAME@@ has reached an all-time high. Stakeholders have claimed that money is not only being sucked out of the economy, but that it is also getting injected directly into your rivals' economies, particularly Brazilistan.

1- "It's all in the numbers, dear @@LEADER@@," one of your economic advisors suggests as @@HE@@ frantically types on @@HIS@@ calculator. "The increase in remittances directly correlates with more overseas workers from Brazilistan. If we just put a tax on overseas remittances, we could put a dent in some of our public debt, plus it will encourage more people to use their money here than over in that awful Brazilistan place. More money for you, more money for the @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ people!"
Effect: the remittance tax has led to foreign aid being rebranded 'domestic aid'

2- Major bank CEO @@RANDOMNAME@@ saunters into the room lugging bags with @@CURRENCY@@ signs on them. "Where did you study economics, my compatriot? A tax on remittances would crush the banks, er, I mean our economy. Basic economics says we should encourage more of our benevolent neighbours to expatriate and join our workforce. I say we loosen up some of our immigration rules - with more workers, the potential for wealth and economic growth is endless! We could be an open superpower economy, and finally crush those Brazilistanis!" @@HE@@ eventually sidles out of the room while maniacally cackling.
Effect: foreign workers are flooding in as @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ floods out

3- After a brief awkward silence, ardent nationalist @@RANDOMNAME@@ emerges from behind a flag pole in your office. "I have 3 words for you: Ban. All. Immigration! All these overseas workers are more trouble than they're worth. It's not just the remit-ya-doodles you talk of, but foreigners work double the hours for a tenth of the cost, stealing local jobs from the poor, hungry @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@! I'll add that most of these foreign workers are undocumented overstayers so none of this is getting declared properly for tax purposes either. Maybe we can re-open in the future, but right now we need to take care of our own people first before we worry about others."
Effect: unscrupulous business owners wait in fear for when the Taxman cometh

4- "Erm, I have a… less drastic solution," your foreign affairs minister interjects. "I propose a revamp of our immigration system - a skilled migrant workers policy where we only accept the crème de la crème of immigrants. A scaled-down but carefully targeted immigration policy should cut down on the remittances, while still ensuring vital migrant workers can fill shortages in our job market. We get more high-earning, skilled professionals and less of these Brazilistani push-cart operators sending their salaries back home. It's win-win!"
Effect: foreigners without a PhD get shown the door

[Australian rePublic]

Plus they make up for what we lose in remittances by what they contribute to our economy through market diversity and starting new businesses.”

How? How do their new businesses benefit the denonym economy?

[Jim the Baptist]

Plus they make up for what we lose in remittances by what they contribute to our economy through market diversity and starting new businesses.”

How? How do their new businesses benefit the denonym economy?

Job creation and it also promotes competitive behaviour. Generally speaking, more competition means innovation/development and lower prices for consumers which stimulates spending.

[Jim the Baptist]

Bump

[Electrum]

Promising, but the draft is way too long. Can you cut it down?

Like for example, this premise:

Every year, droves of migrant workers flock to your shores in the hopes of achieving the @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ dream. With workers sending most of their disposable income back home, your economic advisory team has brought to your attention the record high number of overseas remittances. They claim that this money is not only being sucked out of your economy, but is also getting injected directly into rival economies of your pesky neighbours, particularly Brazilistan. Your schedule has been cleared to meet with your economic and foreign affairs team.

Can be altered to something like:

The value of remittances sent by migrant workers working in @@NAME@@ has reached an all-time high. Stakeholders have claimed that not only money is being sucked out of the economy, but that it is getting injected directly into your rival's economies, particularly Brazilistan.

In general - You can also add some characterisation for each of the characters. The issue options are just one person after another speaking to you.

Option 2 - It seems kind of weird that the budget minister is contradicting an economic advisor. Furthermore, I think you should change tack here. Instead of the cockamamie solution of "subsidised transfer fees and more ways to send money" to encourage immigration... why not actually reduce the barriers to immigration directly?

[Jim the Baptist]

Promising, but the draft is way too long. Can you cut it down?

Like for example, this premise:

Every year, droves of migrant workers flock to your shores in the hopes of achieving the @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ dream. With workers sending most of their disposable income back home, your economic advisory team has brought to your attention the record high number of overseas remittances. They claim that this money is not only being sucked out of your economy, but is also getting injected directly into rival economies of your pesky neighbours, particularly Brazilistan. Your schedule has been cleared to meet with your economic and foreign affairs team.

Can be altered to something like:

The value of remittances sent by migrant workers working in @@NAME@@ has reached an all-time high. Stakeholders have claimed that not only money is being sucked out of the economy, but that it is getting injected directly into your rival's economies, particularly Brazilistan.

In general - You can also add some characterisation for each of the characters. The issue options are just one person after another speaking to you.

Option 2 - It seems kind of weird that the budget minister is contradicting an economic advisor. Furthermore, I think you should change tack here. Instead of the cockamamie solution of "subsidised transfer fees and more ways to send money" to encourage immigration... why not actually reduce the barriers to immigration directly?

Thank you for the feedback, I agree with all of what you suggested and have revised the draft in light of your suggestions.
Having changed it, I feel that option 1 is a little bare compared to the others, I wonder if it needs a little beefing up or do you think it's enough as it is?
Also, I'm happy to add more characterisation if you feel it still is not enough.

[Australian rePublic]

Your description should state that money is sent back home

[Electrum]

Thank you for the feedback, I agree with all of what you suggested and have revised the draft in light of your suggestions.
Having changed it, I feel that option 1 is a little bare compared to the others, I wonder if it needs a little beefing up or do you think it's enough as it is?
Also, I'm happy to add more characterisation if you feel it still is not enough.

It's definitely much better!

OK, some random points now.

Dumbify these smart quotes, so for example, “” and ’ should be replaced by "" and ' respectively. Makes our job easier.

I think effect line 1 could be better. Think about unexpected consequences. Like one example is that taxing all remittances means taxing foreign aid/overseas charity donations.

Cut down on repetition and what's really not necessary. For example option 4 has a few phrases that can definitely be cut.

[Jim the Baptist]

Thank you for the feedback, I agree with all of what you suggested and have revised the draft in light of your suggestions.
Having changed it, I feel that option 1 is a little bare compared to the others, I wonder if it needs a little beefing up or do you think it's enough as it is?
Also, I'm happy to add more characterisation if you feel it still is not enough.

It's definitely much better!

OK, some random points now.

Dumbify these smart quotes, so for example, “” and ’ should be replaced by "" and ' respectively. Makes our job easier.

I think effect line 1 could be better. Think about unexpected consequences. Like one example is that taxing all remittances means taxing foreign aid/overseas charity donations.

Cut down on repetition and what's really not necessary. For example option 4 has a few phrases that can definitely be cut.

Thank you for following up and your latest comments.

I fixed all of the formatting related to the inverted commas, changed effect line 1 and I have cut down option 4.
I'm not really sure if option 1's effect line is good enough, I tried to incorporate your idea about taxing foreign aid but I am happy to make it more witty/sarcastic.

[Jim the Baptist]

Bump

[Jim the Baptist]

Bump

[Electrum]

Looks good

[Jim the Baptist]

Looks good

That's great I've submitted!