(above: Cori Bernadino disavows accusations and grievances against her and her administration from attendants of the conference)
EJP Chair Recardo and PLP Chair and Chancellor Bernadino called an emergency conference last night with member from the coalition in the People’s Chamber. The topic was the EJP-PLP budget proposal, ahead of the upcoming annual budget reconsideration.
The strategy meeting comes as the coalition gained control of a minority government and do not have the votes to push through a budget singlehandedly. It will require some conservative votes, nearly a dozen, to reach the simple majority threshold needed to set a new budget.
Reports coming from the Doatian Nationalists and the Conservative Party show that the leadership between the parties has grown more friendly, and there are even talks of forming a coalition or even a merger, which would empower them to call for a vote of no confidence against the Chancellor and take control of government.
They even submitted there own joint budget proposal, which calls for privatizing several industries, including banking and transportation, and cuts all federal income tax by 10%. Their proposal also calls for decreasing eligibility for food stamps, lowering the unemployment benefit, and lowering the minimum wage from $18/hour to $16.50/hour.
Current status of industries:
manufacturing (public) nationalized several decades ago by the EJP-PLP, labor unions support the industry remaining a public entity, as collective bargaining requirements have boosted worker pay to historical levels. The CP is divided over privatization and the DN supports it
utilities (private) nationalized originally by the EJP-PLP, it was privatized by the CP during their 4-year reign siting mismanagement, corruption, and blackouts. The EJP-PLP wish to increase regulations in the industry, but wish it to remain private
telecoms (public) only the DN wishes to privatize telecoms
agriculture (mixed) only the DN wishes to privatize agriculture
healthcare (public) conservative members of the PLP, CP, and DN wish to privatize healthcare. The EJP-PLP wish to strengthen the socialized healthcare system in Doatia
education (public) only the DN wish to privatize education
transportation (mixed) the CP and DN wish to privatize transportation
Banking (mixed) the CP and DN wish to privatize Banking. The EJP-PLP wish to fully nationalize it, citing banking crises as a root cause for the recession
The conference began with an address from Coalition Chair, Cori Bernadino. She spoke about some of her biggest legislative accomplishments like equal pay for women, gay marriage, indigenous suffrage, universal healthcare, high wages, and crackdowns on monopolies and trusts. She spoke about EJP-PLP’S historic coalition which oversaw 5 decades of government control and now, a minority government. She ended with “I believe the PLP budget proposal is the best of a bad situation, and most importantly, something we can actually pass”.
Things went down hill from there. Several members of the EJP shooter taunts such as “sellout” and “weak” towards the end of her address. After she spoke, Shuri Recardo, Chair of the EJP and co-Chair of the coalition address the conference.
She began by asking members why they came to the People’s Chamber in the first place. To help their community, to serve their nation, to defend best interests of marginalized people, to improve the Doatian economy. Then, in a rare rebuke, she denounced the PLP’s budget proposal as a “sell-out package in bipartisan packaging”, and accuses PLP leaders of making a mockery of the coalition. “We’re supposed to be doing the right thing here”. At the end of her address, 18 PLP members rose and announced they were switching to the EJP. In response, 4 conservative PLP member disavowed both parties and the coalition, and left the conference. 2 are registering as independents, the other 2 as members of the CP.
Members took a vote on which package to support, and although it was tight, the PLP proposal pulled through. While the Chancellor was delivering closing remarks, several progressive EJP members motioned for a vote of no confidence in coalition leadership. After 3 tense and tight votes, Bernadino held her seat.
During the votes, members taunted the Chancellor again calling her a “has-been”, “wash out”, “senile”, and “traitor”.
She responded only by making a stern face and lifting her finger. Shuri Recardo rose to denounce personal attacks.
Speaking to members afterwards, Doatian Journal Correspondents heard rumors that the EJP may soon vote to dissolve the coalition and go their own way. Shuri Recardo said, on record, “the PLP has watered down much needed progress in our nation for decades. Perhaps that’s why the electorate is so disillusioned with the coalition. Because we failed them for so long and too many of us tolerated it. No more! In the face of fascists and extremists, nows as good a time as any to take a stand”.
Rebecca Loaz made a statement after news broke of the conference and said “well this is no surprise. If they aren’t orchestrating total socialist and government control, their dysfunction spills into the public eye. Either way, they’ve proven time and time again they’re unfit for leadership.”
Doatian Journal Senior Correspondent, Andrew Wilkons
