Ice Hockey Players
22-08-2004, 18:50
I have seen plenty of new issues recently, but not a lot of issue ideas in this forum. I would hate for the issue well to dry up around Christmas...so I will get the ball rolling, and hope I didn't overlook some rule about issue ideas in this forum that could potentially get me DEATed or slapped with a wet noodle.
In any case, here goes.
The issue is called: I'll Pick My Own Spouse, Thank You Very Much
The issue at hand: Spurred by a brave teenager in a semi-remote part of @@NAME@@, kids all over the province have avoided entering into arranged marriages, as is the custom in that province. They are now part of a special-interest group marching on the capital looking to have the practice of arranged marriage declared illegal.
The Debate
[option]"It's my life, not my parents' life!" clamors @@RANDOMNAME@@, who recently stood someone up at the altar at an arranged marriage. "There must be laws on the books against this archaic practice. I might not be able to vote for another year, but if I don't want to be tied down in a marriage for the rest of my life to someone I probably won't even like, that's my choice! Ban arranged marriages once and for all!"
[effect]soon-to-be married couples fill out hours of forms just to give consent to be married
[stats]civil rights increase, taxes increase, happiness increases, political freedoms decrease
[option]After that statement, angry parents of the escaped teenagers show up at the capital. @@RANDOMNAME@@, who had planned several of the weddings, shouts, "We brought you into the world, and we can take you out!" Another cooler-headed member of the group talks to one of your aides, saying, "Here in the big city, maybe arranged marriages are impractical and violate so-called 'civil rights.' But where i come from, we're a little more concerned about tradition, and our tradition includes arranged marriage, so we ought to have those marriages recognized under our laws all over @@NAME@@. And frankly, the national government would be wise to just back out of regional affairs entirely and let the local governments run things. We know what we want, and frankly, the national government just exists for defense anyway."
[effect]traveling between provinces is almost like traveling across national borders due to wide variations in laws
[stats]political freedoms increase, government size decreases, patriotism decreases, civil rights decrease
3. "The divorce rate is so high, you know," whispers @@RANDOMNAME@@, your top adviser, into your ear. "One thought I had is that on a person's 19th birthday, they should fill out an extensive survey provided by the state, and we provide them with spouses based on the results. The idea is that it preserves the traditional home, puts everyone into marriages, meaning more children and less crime, and it settles this debate once and for all. Parents win because they know their kids can't picks pouses to save their lives, and kids win because their parents don't pick their spouses. Oh, and as for the odd people left over by this...we'll just give them nice government jobs while they wait for spouses."
[effect]a top-secret government formula pairs up life partners for all young citizens
[stats]civil rights decrease, crime decreases, economy increases, taxes increase
4. "Solve the debate once and for all? I have a better idea," stumbles in a hung-over @@RANDOMNAME@@, who has never been married. "The government ought to back out of marriage entirely. This way we cut back on all the overhead and all the forms associated with marriage, and we can make it just ceremonial. That way everyone can have their own definition of marriage and we don't have to do anything about it. Of course, all those tax breaks for married couples are gone, and employers might not want to pay for non-working spouses' medical benefits like they have to now, but no one else here has a better idea."
[effect]a number of previously stay-at-home spouses now have jobs just for the medical benefits
[stats]economy increases, civil rights increase, health decreases, crime increases
In any case, here goes.
The issue is called: I'll Pick My Own Spouse, Thank You Very Much
The issue at hand: Spurred by a brave teenager in a semi-remote part of @@NAME@@, kids all over the province have avoided entering into arranged marriages, as is the custom in that province. They are now part of a special-interest group marching on the capital looking to have the practice of arranged marriage declared illegal.
The Debate
[option]"It's my life, not my parents' life!" clamors @@RANDOMNAME@@, who recently stood someone up at the altar at an arranged marriage. "There must be laws on the books against this archaic practice. I might not be able to vote for another year, but if I don't want to be tied down in a marriage for the rest of my life to someone I probably won't even like, that's my choice! Ban arranged marriages once and for all!"
[effect]soon-to-be married couples fill out hours of forms just to give consent to be married
[stats]civil rights increase, taxes increase, happiness increases, political freedoms decrease
[option]After that statement, angry parents of the escaped teenagers show up at the capital. @@RANDOMNAME@@, who had planned several of the weddings, shouts, "We brought you into the world, and we can take you out!" Another cooler-headed member of the group talks to one of your aides, saying, "Here in the big city, maybe arranged marriages are impractical and violate so-called 'civil rights.' But where i come from, we're a little more concerned about tradition, and our tradition includes arranged marriage, so we ought to have those marriages recognized under our laws all over @@NAME@@. And frankly, the national government would be wise to just back out of regional affairs entirely and let the local governments run things. We know what we want, and frankly, the national government just exists for defense anyway."
[effect]traveling between provinces is almost like traveling across national borders due to wide variations in laws
[stats]political freedoms increase, government size decreases, patriotism decreases, civil rights decrease
3. "The divorce rate is so high, you know," whispers @@RANDOMNAME@@, your top adviser, into your ear. "One thought I had is that on a person's 19th birthday, they should fill out an extensive survey provided by the state, and we provide them with spouses based on the results. The idea is that it preserves the traditional home, puts everyone into marriages, meaning more children and less crime, and it settles this debate once and for all. Parents win because they know their kids can't picks pouses to save their lives, and kids win because their parents don't pick their spouses. Oh, and as for the odd people left over by this...we'll just give them nice government jobs while they wait for spouses."
[effect]a top-secret government formula pairs up life partners for all young citizens
[stats]civil rights decrease, crime decreases, economy increases, taxes increase
4. "Solve the debate once and for all? I have a better idea," stumbles in a hung-over @@RANDOMNAME@@, who has never been married. "The government ought to back out of marriage entirely. This way we cut back on all the overhead and all the forms associated with marriage, and we can make it just ceremonial. That way everyone can have their own definition of marriage and we don't have to do anything about it. Of course, all those tax breaks for married couples are gone, and employers might not want to pay for non-working spouses' medical benefits like they have to now, but no one else here has a better idea."
[effect]a number of previously stay-at-home spouses now have jobs just for the medical benefits
[stats]economy increases, civil rights increase, health decreases, crime increases