New Chancellor Places Conservative Omnibus on the Table
Contains protections for Kalistani Workers, but restricts some libertiesKaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 19, 5478Chancellor is already under fire from some moderate and liberal DeputiesChancellor of the Empire Kelly Newburg-LaRoc has introduced a new omnibus for Institutionalist approval that has some moderates concerned that the Government intends to take a rightward turn under the new leadership. The Chancellor has offered a bill called "Some Constitutional Changes" which focuses far more on statutory law than constitutional law, and represents significant changes. The Chancellor is under fire now from some of the most leftleaning Institutionalists, who suggest that the changes represent a significant shift off Kalistan's positions in a number of key areas.
"This bill was written in consultation with Her Imperial Majesty," said Lady Newburg, in a press conference following the introduction of the moderately controversial omnibus. "To question these changes is to question the Empress, which is not the business of this government, or this Assembly, if I may be so bold. There are several very important positions in this bill which represent a significant improvement of the law, and a rectification of the oversights of my predecessor. For example: We take a stronger stand on both public displays of obscenity which are notorious in some of our entertainment establishments, and seriously undermine our pretense to be a sensible nation, as well as things like wild animal ownership. A lot of these very small changes have been waiting for years to be made, and now, at the start of my administration, we are going to take action on them."
"I heard what the Chancellor said in the Assembly," said George Meloni, deputy from Lucid Valley. "And yes, there are many parts of this omnibus which I support: For example, my colleagues and I support the expanded child credits in the bill which will life millions out of poverty, the beginning of enforcement of health and safety regulations on businesses, and the nationalization of airports. Those would be programs that the old SP would certainly support. But then she's gone and also proposed things like establishing a bail system, which implies detention for criminal suspects, rather than automatic release, as we have currently, establishing a national police force, and rolling back freedoms to consume certain kinds of media. We don't need a mother."
Others criticized the limitations of allowing foreign workers the opportunity to work in Kalistan. "While we reinstituted some capital openness in once more permitting minority share foreign investment in Kalistani enterprises," said Lady Newburg, "the important trade off was that the Government saw it prudent to reimpose a luxury tax, which has been pathetically low, and has led to some hording of resources in luxuries by the wealthy rather than encouraging their return to the society, and a limiting of foreign workers in Kalistan. The goal of the policy is to discourage people coming into this country from other places like Baltusia looking for work, and competing with Kalistani Workers. While foreign workers had identical protections as Kalistani workers, they competed on a one for one basis, but the money they earned in our economy was expatriated abroad, rather than remaining in the Empire. Her Imperial Majesty felt that this tradeoff of opening capital controls for foreign direct investment, while preventing capital expatriation from foreign workers. It gives Her Imperial Majesty's Government and the National Bank more control over monetary supply."
But opponents of the provision called it nationalistic. "This bill is conservative, ultra nationalistic nonsense," said liberal member Donna Hardwicke, who represents Addisjah. "Kalistan has long been open to foreign labor coming to Kalistan. We think the labor market should be more robust, not less. Without a regular influx of foreign workers, how will employers keep labor costs down, while the NSP is now just allowed to jack up wages because it creates shortages in the labor market? Employers need workers to compete with one another the same as they are forced to compete with other producers in the market: It's the only way they can ensure profitability in the market, above and beyond the tiny markups they are allowed to do from whatever product scarcities they are allowed to create. This is a profit killer!"
While the Chancellor was able to whip all the holdouts into voting for the bill, this controversy doesn't bode well for this Chancellor or the new Government. The Empress for her part has opted to stay out of the dust up, as she is still at home with her infant, but the Prince Consort and the Grand Duke of Kalistan, Duke Neil Houser, both made calls to reluctant legislators to ensure their votes for the bill. "It doesn't look good for the Chancellor to be burning political capital on a bill like this," said Brian Weston, Deputy representing Nevaras City. "We want to work with her, but if she has problems with getting votes locked in on a statutory bill like this one, think of the trouble she will have when a hard choice actually has to be made, and Deputies start worrying about re-election. It could be the end of the Chancellor's ability to get The Empress' agenda moved and then she's a lame duck all of a sudden."
The bill is expected to pass, but votes are slow in coming in. Close advisors, speaking on condition of anonymity, say the Chancellor will remember the trouble her Party is giving her on this bill, and it may sour the relationship between Chancellor and Assembly going forward.