Link to the original news post
On the 3rd of July, President Birdish submitted a proposal for an Interim Funding Resolution to the 144th Senate of SimDemocracy. Then-Speaker of the Senate Muggy put the 145th Presidency’s Interim Funding Resolution onto the Senate docket on the same day.
The debate for the resolution - “SB 30/BB 145” - was started the same day, but for some reason, the vote was not put up before the time in office of the 144th Senate ended, and a new one was elected, the 145th Senate. The leftover debate from the last Senate then was of course elongated a bit in order to let the new Senators offer their opinions about it to the rest of the chamber and make amendments as they saw fit.
In particular, they amended the budget to reduce the funding for the Department of Expansion, Technology, State, Treasury and Justice, in line with the recent push for government efficiency and fiscal responsibility (Director of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Government Efficiency Committee (GEC), etc…).
On the other hand though, the allocations to the Department of Defence (DoD) were increased from 1500 tau to 1750 tau. Senators interviewed as to why they did this, despite the DoD being a department that “did nothing”, said it was in order to support recently appointed Secretary of Defence Dovahkiin’s plans for the remodelling of the agency, such as the establishment of a Minecraft army division.
The following is a direct quote from Lyoko, one of the Senators interviewed for this article:
“The bottom line is, if we want them to expand their scope, or do more things, we cant kneecap them on their budget and ask why they arent running.”
Of course all of these amendments took some time, and thus the vote for the bill was only put up on the 9th of July. Only two Senators - Kelvin and Phobos - voted nay; Kelvin cited concerns with the possibility of inflation as the reason, whereas Phobos simply did it as a joke in order to elongate the crisis even more. It was referred to President Birdish on the 11th - eight whole days after it was proposed.
The long time this endeavor has taken both the President and Senate has resulted in multiple governmental departments being unable to pay their employees their weekly pay. Reportedly, some Secretaries have even been considering mass layoffs, although in the end this did not end up happening.
Some of the Senators interviewed for this article have come to the conclusion that the current government budgeting system is to blame here: The system of passing a funding resolution “just in time” every two weeks was predisposed to create problems.
Others have suggested that maybe the 144th Senate’s Speaker - Muggy - is to blame here, as she showed incompetence in not putting the vote up early enough for the Senate to even be able to pass it in time. While she did refuse to comment on the matter when an interview was requested from her, it has to be mentioned that the 144th Senate’s tenure was one of great political turmoil with one resignation, one impeachment and another failed impeachment.
Senator Kelvin, who has suggested that potentially the problem might lie within partisanship in the selection of the Speaker, has said the following on the matter:
“In my opinion partisan politics has been increasingly on the rise. And people want to gobble these positions. The senate needs to be proactive in finding speakers actually good at the [job] and have a great track record.”
In a much more unique approach to the issue, Senator Hazzy has suggested that the system of budgets being approved by the Senate should be abolished or at least severely limited. For this, he wants to expand the powers of the Treasury, although he was rather unclear what concrete policy changes this would translate into. Potentially he means giving the Treasury the ability to print money in emergency situations.
Tangent on the topic of Senate pay
To make a quick tangent on Senate payment, which of course still was paid out regardless of the aforementioned issues, as Senators are paid directly from the Government Reserve and not from an individual executive department, Senator Kelvin has stated he believes it to be too low: “In my personal opinion it's to low. The position of senator is a higher level position and is one of the few positions avaliable to everyone of every party at all times. If you want to get some good tau I think being one of simdems legislatures should be one of them.”.
On the other hand, Senators Lyoko and Hazzy have shown a much more idealistic approach to the issue, saying that they aren’t here to make money, but rather to serve the people of SimDemocracy by competently legislating. Lyoko has even gone as far as to say he would be okay with payment for Senators being fully abolished.
Full interview with Senator Rein
Rein chose to not answer some questions due to him not having been involved in the debate around the budget. They will be left out here.
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: yes, and i think this was a grave issue with the senate speakers of that time
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: i think the speaker could massively improve it by actually debating on time, alongside other non-essential improvements
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: no comment
Full interview with Senator Kelvin, one of the two Senators to vote nay on the bill
Q: Why did it take so long to pass the budget of the 145th Presidency, in your opinion?
A: From what I saw there was delays and problems with the speaker. I am glad it finally is going through
Q: Why were the allocations to the DoEx, the DoTech, the DoS, the DoT, and to the DoJ reduced?
A: Atleast to my knowledge there was problem between them the presidency and the senate no one could agree. As well as on my part very little communication to me or any of my associates in the senate from most of these departments
Q: Why were the allocations to the Department of Defense, a department that doesn't do anything, increased?
A: From what I was aware stuff with the executive. I personally think it was weird.
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: Yes I am but then again as a senate I can do so much alot of power is given to the speaker and there is only some things they can legally do. I am sorry for what happened to those unpaid employees and thanks to our new speaker they are finally getting their pay! Thank you awesome man and sorry to the government employees
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: In my opinion partisan politics has been increasingly on the rise. And people want to gobble these positions. The senate needs to be proactive in finding speakers actually good at the God and have a great track record. Muggy did good but Stalin who has done this for year has done an amazing job.
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: In my personal opinion it's to low. The position of senator is a higher level position and is one of the few positions avaliable to everyone of every party at all times. If you want to get some good tau I think being one of simdems legislatures should be one of them. I don't care to much for tau but whenever I get it I spend it to try and give it value. And I think senators are good at spending money. So I would hope for an increase in their pay
Q: Why did you vote nay on the budget bill?
A: Complications with all parties involved. There clearly wasn't a concise agreement that would best pay the employees of the government. I think that it should be thought over clearly and give our most important employees the best amounts of tau. Aswell as making sure the economy is proped up correctly. I mean you don't want to end up like Weimar Germany or like pre revolutionary France where 2% of people own 90% of money
Full interview with Senator Literal
Q: Why did it take so long to pass the budget of the 145th Presidency, in your opinion?
A: It was left over from the previous Senate, and so many of the new Senators coming in wanted to discuss it and make some changes to it, which naturally caused it to take a while longer.
Q: Why were the allocations to the DoEx, the DoTech, the DoS, the DoT, and to the DoJ reduced?
A: The amounts that were previously allocated were simply found to be unnecessary for their current needs.
Q: Why were the allocations to the Department of Defense, a department that doesn't do anything, increased?
A: I pointed out that they seemed to be allocated much more funding than they needed and even suggested defunding them entirely, but unfortunately my opinions didn't seem to gain any traction and I did not want to delay the passing of the budget any further by belaboring that point.
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: I am aware of them, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused to anyone, but unfortunately we were put in a bad position when the previous senate failed to pass the budget in time.
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: I would suggest that future executive administrations and senates work together to propose and process the budget as early as possible by making it one of the main early priorities.
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: If I'm not mistaken I make the same exact amount as I did in the SDIOA. I don't really feel the need to be paid more so I'm fine with where it is.
Full interview with Senator Stalin
Q: Why did it take so long to pass the budget of the 145th Presidency, in your opinion?
A: The last speaker didn’t post the budget vote on time
Q: Why were the allocations to the DoEx, the DoTech, the DoS, the DoT, and to the DoJ reduced?
A: The president requested it
Q: Why were the allocations to the Department of Defense, a department that doesn't do anything, increased?
A: I supported the bill because it cut spending by a third
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: Yes, and I worked very hard to make sure they could get paid even using procedural measures to get across the finish line
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: Have the speaker post the budget on time. Possibly give a little more time for the senate to vote on the budget
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: I serve at the pleasure of the people. The salary is of no concern to me
Full interview with Senator Lyoko
Q: Why did it take so long to pass the budget of the 145th Presidency, in your opinion?
A: This was definitely a carry-over problem from the last Senate session which ended up being one of the most hectic in recent memory. Resignations, impeachments, scandal, ect. It seems that there just wasnt enough initiative from both sides to push the budget through. Im happy we were able to work out a budget with the new senate, and get it squared away.
Q: Why were the allocations to the DoEx, the DoTech, the DoS, the DoT, and to the DoJ reduced?
A: This is indicadive of a recurring theme through SimDem over the last really few months where we've seen deficit hawks increase and more calls for fiscal responsibility. We've seen that with the creation of the BFO, DOGE, and the Financial Oversight Committee. Budgets are always an ongoing evaluation that ebbs and flows to meet the current needs of SimDem. Sometimes the budgets go down, sometimes they go up. If a department has had a reduction in manpower, or scope, or left alot of money on the table from their last budget, naturally its going to be reduced.
Q: Why were the allocations to the Department of Defense, a department that doesn't do anything, increased?
A: I dont know if its completely fair to say the DoD doesnt do anything. The DoD is an important department in its own way, just not so much of a front facing one like the DoX and DoJ. Dovah has plans for evolving the department to adapt tot he needs of SimDem, and if i recall correctly, they are even fielding a detachment of people to the Minecraft server. The bottom line is, if we want them to expand their scope, or do more things, we cant kneecap them on their budget and ask why they arent running. This isnt to say that they had a massive budget to start with, like DoX and DoJ have historically had, they've often operated with limited resources unlike most departments.
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: Yes, this in my opinion is an inherent problem with passing these "Just in time" budgets tbh. If this is the system that we intend on using going forward, then we are definitely going to need additional communication from the stakeholders in the executive branch to sound the alarm if they are forecasting their money running out before we can pass something concrete, that way we can address it quickly.
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: I think i answered it above, my bad.
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: My honest opinion, and I am probably in the minority, Senators shouldnt be paid at all. We are here to do a public service, and represent out constituency in the Senate, not collect large, relatively speaking when compared to the regular government worker, paychecks. My colleagues all do an amazing job, and its not to say they they don't deserve to be rewarded for it, but its just my personal philosophy that my reward for elected office is the impact i can make, and the good I can do.
Full interview with Senator Budo aka Saket
Q: Why did it take so long to pass the budget of the 145th Presidency, in your opinion?
A: The previous senate was supposed to pass the budget, no clue why that didn't happen. The first thing we did in this senate was have a debate on it and vote on it.
Q: Why were the allocations to the DoEx, the DoTech, the DoS, the DoT, and to the DoJ reduced?
A: The DoJ allocations were reduced after consulting the AG, SDBI director and the ohs director on how much they wanted, as for the rest we decided to keep them the same as the previous senate.
Q: Why were the allocations to the Department of Defense, a department that doesn't do anything, increased?
A: Dovah has some plans for the DoD
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: Yes I am aware and I am facing the same issues too since I work in the executive as well, as i mentioned, the previous senate was supposed to pass it but i have no clue as to why they didn't.
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: Do not stall the budget debate till the end.
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: I have no clue on what the pay for senators is currently
Full interview with Senator Hazzy
Hazzy has refused to answer some questions as he wasn't involved with the debate around the budget. They will be skipped here.
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: I am aware. It should have been passed sooner
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: expand the powers of the treasury. The treasury’s primary job is to think about matters like this whereas it is just one part of the senate’s so expanding the powers of the treasury could allow for greater focus on this
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: I don’t really care about pay. I’m just here to pass laws.
Both Senator Tripod and Senator Phobos have refused to comment on the issue at all, so no interview with them can be included here.
Ex-Speaker of the Senate Muggy has also refused to comment on the issue at all, so no interview with her can be included here.
President Birdish, on the other hand, has graciously accepted the interview request sent to him.
Full interview with President Birdish
Q: Why did it take so long to pass the budget of the 145th Presidency, in your opinion?
A: Genuinely have no clue why the Senate didn’t debate it when we introduced it. No clue what they were doing.
Q: Why were the allocations to the DoEx, the DoTech, the DoS, the DoT, and to the DoJ reduced?
A: DoJ was the fact that contracting is dead, DoT fired employees, same with DoS and DoTech had funds for projects that never finished the previous term and stoner had gone inactive so we reduced those funds. For DoEx iirc Deus fired some people and also slightly decreased funding projects since DoEx has a steady income stream from emojis and channels.
Q: Why were the allocations to the Department of Defense, a department that doesn't do anything, increased?
A: Previous SecDef didnt take a salary. The new one did.
Q: Are you aware of the problems (unable to pay employees) caused by passing the funding resolutio so late, and what is your comment on them?
A: I was award and it annoyed me as I recieved many legal threats and complaints. Hopefully these problems are avoided in the future.
Q: What is your opinion on how to avoid problems like this in the future?
A: We repealed the EO that mandated that departments have to send surplus’ back to reserves which means in the futures Departments should have extra tau to pay people in the case of an emergency.
Q: Do you feel the pay for Senators is too high, just right, or too low?
A: Its fine as is.