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[Former Senator Bolv'ar of the Confederacy of Excaria]

"Fellow Senators,

Based upon your feedback, I have adjusted the Safety of the Union act, and I have made several variation clauses which can be voted upon. The basic act is listed below, and its variations are identical to the basic act except where noted."

Basic Act

Safety of the Union act

1. In order to promote worlds to construct their own defence forces, each member world of the Union will be granted a one time 500 subsidy to construct one Defence Force, to be paid out when their Defence Force is being constructed.
2. To promote member worlds to build their own fleets, the Union will pay 10 upkeep for a single fleet for each member world, if such a fleet is present.
3. To further promote member worlds to build their own fleets, the Union will pay a 1000 subsidy to member worlds who construct a fleet, with a maximum of once per member.
4. Article 3 applies only if the Capital Ships for this fleet are produced by the member world themselves or if they are acquired from another member world who produced them through trade.
5. When researching a technology relevant to Defence under the Tax Deductible Technological Research Law, a subsidy of 500 will be made available for each such technology developed.
6. Funds acquired through Article 5 may be distributed amongst the researching nations by their mutual agreement. In case an agreement cannot be reached, no subsidy will be paid out.
7. Any technology developed through subsidies in Article 5 should be made available for purchase to other union members at no more than half the cost of its research.
8. To finance these subsidies, Tax Brackets 1 will be increased to 15%, for a total additional tax per turn of up to 50 per member world.

Offer of Aid Addendum

A) To promote new worlds defending themselves, Defence Forces may now be purchased with the 'Offer of Aid' funds granted to new members.

Variation Alpha

3. To further promote member worlds to build their own fleets, the Union will pay a 1 subsidy on
4. Article 3 applies only if the is bought from a union member and this union member fabricated the and only if the price of the is less than the price of on the open market at the time of the exchange of goods

Variation Bravo

8. To finance these subsidies, Tax Bracket 2 will be increased to 24%, for a total additional tax per turn of up to 60 per member world.
9. All subsidies of the Safety of the Union Act (but not the offer of aid addendum) will be paid out only if the member world (or all participating member worlds in case of Article 5) has been paying taxes in Tax Bracket 2 for the past 10

Variation Charlie

8. To finance these subsidies, Tax Bracket 3 will be increased to 33%, for a total additional tax per turn of up to 75 per member world.
9. All subsidies of the Safety of the Union Act (but not the offer of aid addendum) will be paid out only if the member world (or all participating member worlds in case of Article 5) has been paying taxes in Tax Bracket 3 for the past 10

"The options for this vote are as follows:

1) No - there should be no Safety of the Union act at all in any form
2) Basic only - the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented
3) Basic + Variation Alpha - the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented with the Variation Alpha replacements of articles 3 and 4
4) Basic + Variation Bravo - the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented with the Variation Bravo replacements of articles 8 and the addendum of article 9
5) Basic + Variation Charlie - the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented with the Variation Charlie replacements of articles 8 and the addendum of article 9
6) Basic + Variation Alpha + Variation Bravo - the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented with the Variation Alpha replacements of articles 3 and 4 and the Variation Bravo replacements of articles 8 and the addendum of article 9
7) Basic + Variation Alpha + Variation Charlie - the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented with the Variation Alpha replacements of articles 3 and 4 and the Variation Charlie replacements of articles 8 and the addendum of article 9

This vote will close November 30th 2012. As per the Voting laws, if no option receives an absolute majority, a new round of voting may need to take place with some options eliminated.

The following members may vote:

The following Union Members may vote:

• Astai Republic
• Divine Fiefdom of Highmons
• Free Peoples of Wrarrbo
• High Chiefdom of Skuldda
• Hiocan Society
• Holy Heimgolian Theocracy
• Interregnum Democracy of Scir
• Kingdom of Komès
• Liberal Assencia
• Miomanian Colonists
• Praetorian Empire
• Principality of Suma
• Silver Forests of Remunzia
• Socialist Republic of Niom
• Stellarian Triad Federation
• Sundarian Federation
• Teprogrenaian Consensus
• Unified Republic of Darya

"

[Senator Ardios Eldrilith]

"None of these alternatives promote cooperation, all the smaller factions that need the defense the most are either allowed to pay the same amount of tax as all the large factions or not get any support at all.

It is interesting to see that when the chancellor is running out of time he skips all discussion and proposes a list of ridiculous options. This is a plot to get the law voted in by offering multiple options and hoping that one of the mediocre options gets a majority of votes in the second round of voting. We should not let the chancellor trick us by offering a long list of options. With so many options there is little chance that a majority will be reached in the first round.

The current proposal is still only good for boosting the larger factions. It is interesting to see that the chancellor added a capital ships subsidy but there is no notion on a maximal taxable income for it or a maximum amount that a faction can get. This means that the larger factions will benefit from a lot of subsidy on fleets, fleet upgrades and defensive technologies while the smaller factions have no chance to get them with their income if they even qualify at all.

This is why the Praetorian Empire votes for option 1: NO!"

[Nehket Aeka]

Senator Nehket Aeka stood up, clearly angry.

"Fellow senators,

Chancellor Bolv'ar is using the voting law to side-step proper discussion on his Safety of the Union act. This is a vote on a law proposal that has not yet sufficiently been discussed by the senate. He hopes that by offering all these alternatives he can remove the 'No' option in the second round of voting and force his law upon you.

Instead of bringing us closer together, he specifically crafted several alternatives to divide the Union on the subject. He did this in hopes of being able to force acceptance of this law by playing members of the Union against each other, only so he can save face!

While I am in favour of ensuring that the Union is safe, we should not stand for such tricks, as this is bordering on abuse of power! I implore you all to vote 'No' to send a clear signal that such behaviour is not appreciated.

As I will be running for chancellor in the upcoming elections, I promise to reopen the discussion on the proposal should I be elected chancellor. The Union will be safe, not by a manipulative vote, but through cooperation!

Again, I implore you to vote 'No' on this repulsive trickery!"

With that, she left the senate hall, flanked by her two aides.

[Maria Latharion]

"The Stellarian Triad Federation refuses ta accept a law like this. It hasn't been thought through properly and promotes classism. There for the STF votes option 1:No."

With that Maria stood and left.

[Former Senator Cabew Illix of Skuldda]

"I think the Union has to be safe, the sooner the better. Any further delay will only keep us in danger longer than necessary, and we do not want our trade fleets to be attacked by the Mandalorian fleets or Hutt weapons now do we?

So Skuldda votes Option 5"

[Former Senator Bolv'ar of the Confederacy of Excaria]

"It appears we have a couple of malcontents. If something is not done in time - it's a problem. If something is done on time - it's still a problem."

[Representative Uriel of Liberal Assencia]

"Ah yes, what a surprise, as soon as the call comes for the new member states to start actually paying for all they get out of Union membership, the situation is outrageous and unacceptable.

I cannot help but notice that the Praetorian Empire never complained that the subsidies on Mass Transit Cargo Freighters only benefited small economies but not large economies. That is, small economies and the Praetorian Empire, to be precise. How typical.

We vote Option 5."

[Senator Danar Tassar]

"We of the Consensus have noticed how all the other options besides 'no' are very beneficial for Excaria, which is not a problem itself, but it adds to the other raised points of concern. Also one of the points we rose during the discussion, the subsidy of defence zones, is completely ignored in the current law proposal.

The feedback provided during the discussion is only half used in a forced law proposal which is far from an optimal law. We have the feeling that the way this law is presented comes very close to power abuse.

The fact that there is already discussion growing between the smaller and larger economies is for us an indication that this law indeed creates rift in the Union, instead of increasing cooperation.

Although we are not against a safer Union, if fact, we would encourage it, we are against the current law proposal as our prediction is that this law will miss its goal and backfire on the weaker factions in our midst instead of increasing their safety. Therefore the Teprogrenaian Consensus votes option 1: No."

[Senator Gregory Konev]

"The Unified Republic of Darya agrees with the notion that this vote is premature on an idea that is not thoughtfully hammered out.

We believe that putting the load of a new act on one tax bracket is incorrect and therefore find all options given unacceptable. We believe that this load should be shared by all union members. And that all members should benefit or else we are no union.

As a piece of advice to you chancellor Bolv'ar maybe should have started this law proposal earlier if you have problems getting it done on time.

For these reasons The Unified Republic of Darya votes NO"

[Senator Salixa of the Silver Forests of Remunzia]

"Remunzia votes No, because we oppose the creation of armies. Remunzia has no position on the validity or invalidity of the debate or proposal."

[Representative Anselim of the Free Peoples of Wrarrbo]

"Wrarrbo supports Liberal Assencia in their views on this matter. We vote option 5."

[Lady Peinaili de Montrève]

"The current proposals up for voting do not do justice to the Union's Democratic system. I believe that the discussions about the precise content of this law proposal are well under way and not nearly complete. Hence my opinion that the Chancellor merely wishes to push this issue to fulfil his electoral promise and has no actual regard for the Union and its policies.

We, the Sundarian Federation, find that the current options is not in the Union's best interest and this vote should not have been called in the middle of a discussion about the content of a law of this importance. We vote NO!"

With that Lady de Montrève stepped down and waited, she had thought about leaving like some of the other senators had done, but she had decided it might wise to stay and listen to what the other senators would have to say with regards to this proposal and the surrounding procedures.

[Senator Afra Mesti Vanlind of Komès]

Soon after the Sundarian Senator had issued her vote and sat back down, a plan arose in Senator Afras mind to get back at her old opponent during the electoral run. She took a stand to issue her vote and seemed unusually happy.

"I wish to congratulate the Chancellor" She started out "he has done a marvellous job. Where I was unlucky and unwise with several statements in the past, the Chancellor has found the perfect way to commit political suicide. He has, once more, proven that he is not capable to lead this institution. Instead of building bridges between our people and trying to unify us into a single goal, he has managed the opposite and actually driven us further apart.

While security concerns are felt within the sentiment of our people, and the threat is rising, we of the Kingdom of Komès agree that this law is not in our best interest. IF this had indeed been the outcome of the political debate we would have voted to support this law, however I do not wish to join the Chancellor in his downfall and thus shall vote NO!

I would urge the next Chancellor to find a comprise soon, so that this threat and the concerns of our people, can be dealt with adequately and swiftly."

[Atheos]

"The Astai Republic find that while a subsidy on Capital Ships is a right step, the rest of the law is unfavourable for the growth of the economies of member factions and that a subsidy on Capital Ships should be given similar restrictions to the current subsidy on Mass Transit Cargo Freighters which has helped many beginning factions boost their economies, making it easier for them to build their own defences with well running economies.

Given these reasons we must vote against this proposition, and vote No."

[Senator Harek]

“The Hiocan Society sees the need for extra fleet as the Mandalorian threat increases. But we do not see how this is funded well. Without someone who is responsible for the regulation of this policy it will go haywire. The strength difference between members will increase and thus create internal stress which might start a war within our own territory. There is no balance and it will create a deficit on the Union Balance.

We say NO to this proposal.

[Senator Acehtoo of the Miomanian Colonists]

"We vote option 5."

[Senator Ght'Twwf of the Socialist Republic of Niom]

"After deliberate consideration, the Socialist Republic of Niom has decided that it shall cast its vote for the Safety of the Union act proposed by Chancellor Bolv'ar of the Confederacy of Excaria on option five that the basic Safety of the Union Act should be implemented with Variation Charlie replacements of articles 8 and the addendum of article 9."

[Representative Lophos of the Interregnum Democracy of Scir]

"Scir votes option 3. It may not be the most strategic vote considering the current situation, but after weighing the pro's and cons, we feel that since this is the proposal we support the most, this should be our vote."

[Senator Mathi-ey C'b'rton of the Divine Fiefdom of Highmons]

"We vote option 5."

[Former Senator Bolv'ar of the Confederacy of Excaria]

"The Holy Heimgolian Theocracy has indicated they vote for option 5. Suma has indicated they vote option 2.

This brings the vote to:

Option 1 (No): 9 votes
Option 2 (Basic): 1 vote
Option 3 (Basic + Variation Alpha): 1 vote
Option 5 (Basic + Variation Charlie): 7 votes

With 18 votes, the required absolute majority is 10. No option has received an absolute majority - the vote carries on to the next round.

According to the voting law, no option with 0 votes proceeds to the next round. This eliminates options 4, 6 and 7.

The law regarding what options proceed is interpretable and should be clarified later. By one interpretation, half the options progress, by another half of the options with votes progress. I am using the later variation. Objections may be raised with the ministry of justice.

I will open the next round on Monday, including two options: no and option 5 for a second round of voting."

With that, the Chancellor closed the vote.