[Demosthenes]

This is a position that the socialists have put us in by having no concessions.

This just isn't true and is simply revisionism to make yourselves feel better.

"The socialists" weren't even really given an exclusive chance to negotiate. Clausewitz, who isn't even an SLD member, simply copy n' pasted our platform, cherry picked 1/4 of the SN points as acceptable then demanded the SN change the rest to suit HIM.

You guys buckled and moved to get in bed with these guys, totally violating the early tenets of the party-- as Gnote has now repeatedly noted.

Now, even he is being forced to cave in order to placate you guys.

I honestly don't understand why the lot of you don't just join the PUC, you are anything but social liberals at this point.

[Donna]

I am completely opposed to that suggestion.

To form a coalition for the sake of a coalition is a ridiculous idea.

I don't think there's any alternative unless we reconfigure the constitution to allow minority governments, but most of us don't want to do that until the game matures (we have way too many parties, for example). I'm afraid it's going to be a Weimar-era coalition for the first session of parliament. SLD will have to work with the centre-right, and I doubt everyone is going to change their platforms for the SLD just because they have a fractional lead on seats. Once voting trends become more disciplined, I expect to see at least a few party mergers and more stable elections.

[dilpill]

I am completely opposed to that suggestion.

To form a coalition for the sake of a coalition is a ridiculous idea. There needs to be agreement on the broad strokes of a platform. Details are only necessary on key points of contention, but broad strokes are necessary everywhere.

I used to think that a coalition needed a general platform a few days ago, but with all of the bitching and conflict that has come up because of us trying to get that done (and that was before we had to get the CA on board ) I see it as almost impossible.

[dilpill]

Now that the election is over, we need to decide how we are going to divide up the seats. We have 17, which is one more seat than we had votes, so anyone who voted SLD can get a seat if they want one. Paradigm should get the extra one, and if not all of our voters want their own seat, he should decide to either make the extras 'Party Seats' that vote with the party automatically every time, or he can delegate them to the more active members.

I'm claiming my seat now.

[Gnote]

I will also take my seat.

I also suggest that the SLD remain absolutely steadfast in its insistence that the office of the Prime Minister, as well as several key cabinet positions be taken by SLD representatives, by virtue of our party being the largest to the coalition.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

I'll take my seat...if it's not any trouble I'd like to sit on the side of our section away from the SN/RL's section...

[Infidelis]

I'll take an aisle seat...

I will also take my seat.

I also suggest that the SLD remain absolutely steadfast in its insistence that the office of the Prime Minister, as well as several key cabinet positions be taken by SLD representatives, by virtue of our party being the largest to the coalition.

Oh, absolutely. Having the most in a single party should get us a percentage that represents our numbers and the choice should go in some kind of order of party mass.

[albionfagan]

I'll take my seat...if it's not any trouble I'd like to sit on the side of our section away from the SN/RL's section...

Well as your party keeps on moving further to the right, I'm sure you'll be far enough away

[Infidelis]

This just isn't true and is simply revisionism to make yourselves feel better.

"The socialists" weren't even really given an exclusive chance to negotiate. Clausewitz, who isn't even an SLD member, simply copy n' pasted our platform, cherry picked 1/4 of the SN points as acceptable then demanded the SN change the rest to suit HIM.

You guys buckled and moved to get in bed with these guys, totally violating the early tenets of the party-- as Gnote has now repeatedly noted.

Now, even he is being forced to cave in order to placate you guys.

I honestly don't understand why the lot of you don't just join the PUC, you are anything but social liberals at this point.

This is insane..ism...ness.

You, to your credit, reached out to SN et al. Vlad made it perfectly clear though that they didn't reach out to us and really didn't care if anything was worked out or not.

[Ombrageux]

I take my seat.

@ Paradigm: How can we ask for a 'carbon neutral' economy? There is no developed economy of that type in the world today. On the other hand, we can demand some sort of carbon tax, legislation for small cars and public transportation, and funding for RND in renewable energy.

[Paradigm]

@ Paradigm: How can we ask for a 'carbon neutral' economy? There is no developed economy of that type in the world today. On the other hand, we can demand some sort of carbon tax, legislation for small cars and public transportation, and funding for RND in renewable energy.

I'm not talking about carbon neutral within a year. I'm talking long-term. IIRC, Sweden has plans to be carbon-neutral by 2020. I think can set similar goals.

[DDave3]

I can't accept the CA's position on flat tax as it currently stands; a Treasury report in 2005 found that up to 30 million Britons would be worse off and the super-rich even richer as a result of a flat tax policy mooted by the Conservative Party.

I also suggest that the SLD remain absolutely steadfast in its insistence that the office of the Prime Minister, as well as several key cabinet positions be taken by SLD representatives, by virtue of our party being the largest to the coalition.

I agree, considering that we are the largest party - and not like the coalition of our RF/SN comrades, we are negoiating from a position of strength. Key Cabinet positions should be held by the SLD. And I too will take my seat.

[Ombrageux]

Para - That sounds good and something our potential coalition partners could agree to.

[Zagadka]

I'd feel obligated to take my seat.

[Dan]

I can't accept the CA's position on flat tax as it currently stands; a Treasury report in 2005 found that up to 30 million Britons would be worse off and the super-rich even richer as a result of a flat tax policy mooted by the Conservative Party.

Did that proposal have the tax-free basic income amount for every individual?

Also, do you have a link to the report, or a summary?

Because under our system the poorest would be taken from the tax roles entirely, while those with lower class incomes would have significantly lower effective tax rates.

[Nattering Nabob]

I too will take my seat...

[Dr House]

Did that proposal have the tax-free basic income amount for every individual?

That amount is $20,000. Most country's progressive income tax schedules are designed so the bottom 50% of income distribution collectively pays no income taxes.

[Okonkwo]

Can someone get me some sort of short overview of what happened in the last two days? As far as I know, the elections are over, the SLD is currently negotiating a coalition with the centre and centre-right parties.
Who will take the SLD's seats in parliament and do we already have a shadow cabinet, just in case the coalition talks will lead us to power?

[dilpill]

Over the past few days, the election ended and the official results were posted here. Strangely, coalition talks seem to have slowed down, and we don't have a shadow cabinet or anything similar that I know about.

The biggest development would be the Naming and determination of our fictional nation's culture and history in these (1 2 3) threads.

Who will take the SLD's seats in parliament

You can take your seat now if you would like to. We have one more seat than we had votes, and not all of our voters are going to want their own seat, so Paradigm will have to either distribute or keep the extra seats. Unless I've missed something, he hasn't stated what he intends to do.

[Okonkwo]

Over the past few days, the election ended and the official results were posted here.

Ah, yes, I have noticed that. The outcome is all right for the SLDs, a few more votes would have been more fortunate, but then after all Falx, Demo and Attica deserted.

Strangely, coalition talks seem to have slowed down, and we don't have a shadow cabinet or anything similar that I know about.

I've noticed that. We should definitely get to that, it's very likely that the SLDs will be among the first government coalition this nation has ever seen.

The biggest development would be the Naming and determination of our fictional nation's culture and history in these (1 2 3) threads.

Thanks for digging them all up, I think there should be some final thread when all is decided. We need a good overview of the country to see what kind of policies we need to implement.

You can take your seat now if you would like to.

Certainly.
But what is associated with this seat? I would become a Member of Parliament with the power to vote on legislature passed by the parties, no?