NationStates

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:19 am

The Issue

Increasing reports of child abuse and neglect in Breghte has prompted local pressure groups to call for 'parental licences'.

The Debate

1. "You need a licence to keep eagles or drive a car," points out local current affairs commentator, Hack Wu. "So why should just any random idiot get to be a mother or father? It just doesn't make sense! If all potential parents had to pass tests to prove they're responsible enough, I'm sure you'd find that it would help decrease the level of child abuse, and increase proper discipline in the home."
[Accept]

2. "This is madness!" screams Klaus Wall. "You can't deny perfectly good people the right to bring life into this world! eagles manage it easily enough, and you can't tell me they've got more responsibility than your average upstanding citizen of Breghte! The government should keep out of such matters - I've always said social workers and welfare was a drain on the budget. Yes, there will be some sad cases of neglect, but shouldn't we be giving parents the benefit of the doubt?"
[Accept]

3. "The answer to this problem is patently obvious," says Akira Fellow, your minister of Social Welfare. "The government simply needs to give more funding to the welfare department so that we can recruit more social workers to carry out regular checks on parents and judge whether or not they're doing a good job of looking after their children. It'll be expensive, but at least it's a damn sight fairer than licensing parents."
[Accept]

Oh, option 1, how you tempt me...

Darzog · Post by **Darzog** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:47 am

Yes, that would tempt me too... unfortunately it wouldn't do anything to solve child abuse since many cases are by people that are considered "upright citizens".

Maybe harsher penalties, like removal of whatever appendage is performing the abuse (including sexual abuse of course).

Damuna_Nova · Post by **Damuna_Nova** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:59 am

The Issue

After the vast fortunes of a recently deceased oil tycoon in Phennispharren were left to a small cactus plant, citizens nationwide have been asking the same question: should the inheritance tax laws be changed?
The Debate

1. "Every time I see a stupid rich kid having an easy ride of life with money they did nothing to deserve, I go into a jealous rage and start punching walls," says economically disadvantaged individual Peggy Jones. "Abolish inheritance entirely! If the government takes the inheritance then we can spend all that cash on things that make ordinary people's lives better, like education, social welfare, and attack helicopters."
[Accept]

2. "This is a disgusting breach of my human rights," says Samuel Jong-Il, heir to an international widget empire. "Just think of all the poor families who have spent their lives scrimping and saving with the dream of passing on a modest luxury yacht to ensure the security of their children's children. All that sacrifice, all that toil, all those long nights working their fingers to the bone setting up offshore accounts - it brings a tear to my eye. Inheritance tax has got to go!"
[Accept]

3. "Surely we can arrange some sort of compromise here," says comfortable knitwear fan Peggy Chicago. "Yes, it's true that some people exploit the system - but a lot of people rely on inheritance for their basic support! Why don't we just set a sensible ceiling on how much you can inherit? That way you get to keep the family farm, but not the five mansions and the oil refinery."
[Accept]

One and three are very tempting, but three seems more reasonable.

UN Category: Scandinavian Liberal Paradise

Civil Rights: Superb
Economy: Imploded
Political Freedoms: Excellent

Location: The Lexicon

Regional Influence: Minnow

The People's Republic of Phennispharren is a large, safe nation, notable for its absence of drug laws. Its hard-nosed, intelligent population of 45 million enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, socially-minded morass -- concentrates mainly on Education, although Healthcare and the Environment are secondary priorities. The average income tax rate is 47%, but much higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Book Publishing.

Soylent products are an expensive commodity due to a lack of volunteers, sex offenders find themselves 'cut off' from any ability to repeat their crimes, government-run screening operations remove embryos with severe genetic disorders, and government officials are held to the highest standard of morality. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is well under control. Phennispharren's national animal is the black hawk, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the danayem.

Phennispharren is ranked 531st in the region and 72,604th in the world for Largest Soda Pop Sector.

The rape issue gets you castration for sex offenders, Dar.

That child abuse one doesn't seem that great.

Government officials can't have office romances if they're married.

Juniper · Post by **Juniper** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:26 pm

A tabloid magazine, The National Incriminator, has revealed the sordid details of an affair between one of your top advisors, Robert Lotsalovin, and his secretary.

LMAO...this is the best one i have gotten to date!

Darzog · Post by **Darzog** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:51 pm

Scenic mountain valleys are flooded with water as damming projects get underway, the Belzodaine Enquirer offers weekly cash prizes for 'most blasphemous song, story, or cartoon', crowds of flag-burning protesters tend to accidentally become crowds of burning protesters, and it is illegal for police officers to carry out searches due to strict privacy laws. Crime is totally unknown. Belzodaine's national animal is the Panther-Shark, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the Zognair.

If crime is unknown, why would the police need to be doing searches in the first place?

And they should have known with a name like that that he'd be having an affair. I mean duh!

Fiona · Post by **Fiona** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:59 pm

Darzog wrote:
If crime is unknown, why would the police need to be doing searches in the first place?

For fun?

And they should have known with a name like that that he'd be having an affair. I mean duh!

But he is an immigrant. His name means "honesty" where he comes from. At least that is what he said.......

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:09 am

A win for political correctness:

...and Max Barry is this year's Miss Ecklopia

Whoopsie...:laugh:

Damuna_Nova · Post by **Damuna_Nova** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:13 am

Haha, apparently the Miss Cardiff or something like that lost her title because she was married.

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:14 am

[QUOTE=Damuna_Nova]Haha, apparently the Miss Cardiff or something like that lost her title because she was married.

[/QUOTE]Of course, you can't be Miss Whateverorsomething and be married at the same time.

Fiona · Post by **Fiona** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:21 am

It is interesting why that should be true, is it not, Master Lestat? :laugh:

Damuna_Nova · Post by **Damuna_Nova** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:35 am

The Issue

After a much-publicised incident involving a farmer's attempts to drive a family of travellers off private property, there has been a call for you to review the laws governing gypsies.
The Debate

1. "These pikies just rolled onto my field in those caravans of theirs and camped out," says Dave Wu, the enraged farmer. "And when I tries to run 'em over with my tractor, it's me who gets stuck in the cells overnight! I've tried getting the government to evict them but they take too long over it. How would these people have reacted if I'd set up a tent in their back garden? There should be a law so I can get rid of them any way I choose. Gypsies should not be allowed to go wherever they like. It's just not fair to landowners."
[Accept]

2. "All we wanted was a place to stay the night," says Jack Clinton, a traveller and parent of fourteen children. "Or maybe for a week or so. Or a month. Perhaps through winter; it's pretty mild around here, I don't know. But is that such a crime? We weren't stealing anything, or harming anyone. All we ask is to be allowed to continue our travels without harassment."
[Accept]

3. "I don't think that's a good idea," says Jean-Paul Wall, one of your advisors who happens to own an extensive greenfield site. "We can't just let people go living wherever they like just because they've been doing it for hundreds of years. It's very untidy! What I suggest is that we dip into the coffers and buy plots of land, all over the country, and turn them into nice safe areas where these folks can stay for as long as they want for a weekly rent before they decide to move on. See? Problem solved."
[Accept]

4. "I have the best solution," says George W. Nagasawa, in response to a street survey. "These gypsies should be chucked in jail, their caravans sold for scrap, and, and... told not to do it again! I think we've all had enough with the government ****y-footing their way around these criminals! The way they just swan in and disrupt communities any way they please! And think of what their presence would do to the value of my property! People ought to live in bricks and mortar, not tins on wheels!"
[Accept]

These issues seem to be getting crazier.

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:50 am

[QUOTE=Fiona]It is interesting why that should be true, is it not, Master Lestat? :laugh:[/QUOTE]As far as I understand the English titling business:

unmarried woman: called Miss + family name inherited from her father (or country/region of which she is deemed to be the most beautiful woman)
married woman: called Mrs + family name foisted on her by her husband

Anyways the important thing is that Miss implies unmarriedness. And (in English language usage) you get your husband's name forced upon you when you marry.

So even if Miss Somewhere in the Sticks is the most beautiful woman in Somewhere in the Sticks, as soon as she marries Mr. Smith, she becomes Mrs. Smith and not Miss Somewhere in the Sticks anymore.

FYI: in Belgium current use is that women keep their own family name (foisted upon them by their father), whatever happens to them maritally.

Damuna_Nova · Post by **Damuna_Nova** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:57 am

Look, I don't like you guys treating me like an idiot just because I brought it up.

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:28 am

And then there is Ms., which applies to a married woman using her maiden name.

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:59 am

[QUOTE=dj_venom]And then there is Ms., which applies to a married woman using her maiden name.[/QUOTE]Nope. Ms. does not indicate marital status and can be used for any woman, unless, of course, she prefers to be adressed by Miss or Mrs.

@ Damuna: could you please try to take things that in no way are directed at you not so personal. Pretty please with sugar on top.

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:15 am

Hmm, I was under the impression that Ms. was for married women. Hence as you say, Miss is for single women, and since Mrs. is for married women, it just made sense to me having Ms. as the go between.

@DN: I just thought you were joking, but now that I re-read it, I'm not so sure. If you weren't joking, then let me assure you, I'm pretty sure it wasn't anything personal, it was just an interesting point, as you can see there is some conjecture over it.

Chimaera182 · Post by **Chimaera182** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:59 am

Okay, gay marriages are now doubly legal in Qasama, and we're going to make people take public transportation. I'm still at a loss on the politician hunting issue.

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:03 am

[QUOTE=Chimaera182]Okay, gay marriages are now doubly legal in Qasama, and we're going to make people take public transportation. I'm still at a loss on the politician hunting issue.

[/QUOTE]In my country they may marry their pets if they want so...

Chimaera182 · Post by **Chimaera182** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:04 am

Wow, are you serious? Wow, you are just... a trooper. Okay, we hear you; you're loud, you're proud, get used to it. We understand...

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:14 am

When you get the "polygamy issue" you have the option to keep the government out of marriage alltogether "and let people marry their pets if they want to" and then you get in your country description "and some people are known to marry their pets" or something in that vein (it has been pushed out by other issues now).