Fwurg

[Representative Anselim of the Free Peoples of Wrarrbo]

"Senators,

There appears to be a lot of objections to recent proposals to install new taxes. And with good reason. The last thing the Union needs is its members paying more of those. The amount of money our members pay for every they earn is outrageous.

I propose significant budget cuts. Specifically we want to end the subsidy on Mass Transit Cargo Freighters, which discourages competition and keeps prices artificially inflated. This can save some 150 per turn, and up to 300 depending on the flow of goods.

We want to end the program to subsidise technological development - members have not been more motivated to develop technologies through this program, but those members who would develop technologies anyway have done so more cheaply, at the expense of the rest of us.

Did you know in the 17 turns of the past electoral period, the Veolian Commonwealth spent almost 12.000 on technological research? How much did your world spend? How much more benefit did the Veolian Commonwealth thus get from this law than your world? Why should we pay for this? Cutting this subsidy can bring in an additional 100 per turn.

And we want to remove entirely the payment for housing Union Defence Fleets. Why should the Union pay for defending its members? At 25 per fleet, this will save at least 250 per turn.

All of these laws are laws that specifically subsidise one or a few members at the expense of all the others. And it has to stop.

By these means, we can save at least 500 per turn, which I propose should be distributed equally amongst the Union members, either through tax cuts in the lowest bracket or through direct payment to all member worlds.

If you vote for me, besides these changes I will look for other places to make cuts - a vote for me is a vote for your wallet.

Vote Senator Anselim for Chancellor."

With the senator stood Senator Lophos of Scir and Senator Uriel of Liberal Assencia, who immediately seconded the vote.

((OOC: If you wish to discuss Senator Anselims program of budget cuts and tax breaks, you can discuss them here.))

[Senator Danar Tassar]

"We of the Consensus are very concerned about the statement: 'Why should the Union pay for defending its members,' not all small factions can afford to set up their own decent defences. That is why we have the Union fleets. This statement implies that under your rule no fleets will sent to smaller factions when they are in need because it might cost more than they currently pays taxes.

The second thing about this statement is that currently the twelve fleets are stationed mostly around the bigger factions, so in a way, the smaller factions are now paying a part of the daily maintenance of the Union fleets. I am content with this, as the fleets are for all our protection. By removing the payment the costs will not be gone, they will only be less visible and be paid by the bigger factions.

You say to save at least 500 per turn. Which is less then 2% of the budget of the Union. When you equally divide the taxes amongst the members, 22 each, the Teprogrenaian Consensus will get a tax reduction close to 50%, while it is completely negligible for Excaria.

What we are trying to say is that the 500 reduction is so low, that we prefer to keep it in the Union for projects to our mutual benefits.

What are your big plans for for your term, if you are to be elected?"

[Nehket Aeka]

"Well said, senator Tassar. I concur that the removal of the 25 per fleet housing compensation is a a non-measure. This small compensation is just a small reimbursement for the loss of capacity of the assigned trade fleet.

When this reimbursement is dropped, the costs remain, but are now hidden in the individual budgets of those factions hosting a Union fleet. The Veolian Commonwealth is capable and willing of housing such a defence fleet even without reimbursement, but not all factions might think this way. Soon, we will have no place to house all our fleets, leaving the Union woefully undefended.


Secondly, I would like to inform the senate that Senator Anselim conveniently forgot to mention that of the 11.616 , the Veolian Commonwealth only applied for a subsidy of 74 . The bulk of our research, the other 10.616 , is funded without any subsidies; in fact we even intend to gift a large share of this research to the Union!

The received subsidies measure out to a meagre 4.3 per turn. Something any single larger member, such as the Free Peoples of Wrarrbo could easily match by cooperating with other factions -- though it appears that they have little interest in cooperating with the smaller factions to advance the Union's technological frontier.

That being said, I do agree that the current MTCF subsidies do not match the needs of the Union, and I promise to bring this up in the senate for discussion, should I be elected."

((OOC: @Mercury: You forgot the '[ Senate ] ' prefix))

[Representative Anselim of the Free Peoples of Wrarrbo]

"Please do not change the definition of words, Senator. When you say 'cooperation' with the smaller members, you actually mean to say 'subsidising'.

Because that is what all cooperation seems to come down to - a net flow of wealth from larger economies to smaller economies. The fleet housing compensation is the most outrageous of these subsidies.

Union members actually are paid money to allow the Union to use its fleets to defend them. This is a complete reversal of common sense - being defended by the Union is a service the Union provides. It is paid for through taxation. Why should those who are defended more pay less for the service, while members who do not benefit from the defences of the Union fleet directly pay the full price?

And Senator Tassar, I find it odd that you should say you find 22 per turn to be so low, when you earlier stated that a tax increase of 50 would hit the smaller factions especially hard not 10 days ago? I find that very peculiar.

These budget cuts are just the beginning. During my reign as Chancellor, I shall make every effort to introduce further budget cuts, reduce taxes and generally let members decide on their own how they spend their money, instead of having it decided for them by the Union."

[Nehket Aeka]

"Senator Anselim.", Nehket Aeka started, "As your comrade, senator Lophos, already pointed out I can be very direct if I want to. If I say 'cooperation' I mean cooperation. If I intend to talk about subsidies, I will clearly use the word 'subsidies'. If you wish to measure cooperation in the amount of taxes that you receive from it, you can. But this is a delusion, as the most precious things in life, and in the universe, are not measured by the size of your wallet.

You speak of the Union fleet housing subsidy as if this covers all the costs, but you are well aware that this is bending the truth: you ignore the hidden cost of the trade fleets necessary to supply these fleets. However, instead of explaining how this fits in your vision, you address the argument by repeating your false claim.

As you are clearly intent on bending the truth by mentioning only those numbers that are to your liking, and since you don't shun from putting words in a person's mouth, I will leave it at this and allow others to inquire as to your proposed policy, instead of having this devolve into a shouting match."

[Senator Gregory Konev]

"Senator Anselim, I have a few questions." Konev stated standing up.

"While I find your ideas of cost cutting a smart plan as we have seen that the MTCF trade has stabilised after the dreadful accident on Skullda of last year. And that the law we enacted at that time were a necessary but not any more. We however wonder if it is the best idea of lowering taxes."

"The Unified Republic of Darya joined the Union to collaborate and trough pooling of resources and ideas have all our systems become more than the sum of its parts. Should then these funds not be used for projects that would benefit all of us? By for example lowering the loans of the union or reinvesting them in a project that would make the Union stronger?"

After taking a deep breath he continued. "So my question is simple why do you think it would be best to lower taxes? Instead of investing in a big project that helps all of us."