Eighth panel discussion

Topic： Should we introduce sales tax system?

First opinions:

Ree: He agrees with introducing the system. He has three reasons. First is the gap between law income people and high income people. Second, he thinks that corporation tax is better than sales tax. Last, he also thinks that income tax is better.


Rachel: She also disagrees, because it is hard for law income people to pay sales tax.


Amy: She agrees with the idea, because it is possible that people won't buy something. She worries about the situation.


Ana: She agrees, too. The government can gather money easily by introducing the system.


Alex: He also agrees, because his son will be a student next year and he need much money for school education. He expects that education fee will be aided by the system.

Opinions and Questions:

Ree: I think the all education fee can't be paid by sales tax.  What do you think?
Alex: I understad that, but a part of the education fee will be aided. It is ok.
Ree: There are some ways of gathering the education money.
Alex: Yes, I think so. But what will you do in accident? If we don't introduce the system, we can't accept aid of medical cost.
Ree: Yes, so we need to save money by myself against emergencies.


Kate: The government need money for Sunflower Festival but some people worry about law income people. What do you think?
Ana: I suggest to reduce the rate of sales tax of them.
Ree:What is persentage of sales tax?
Ana: After we decide to introduce the system, we should decide that.


Rachel: We pay sales tax when we buy something in shops, so it is difficult to judge who is law income people.
Ana: We research the income of citizens and give a kind of paper to law income people, and they show the paper when they buy something. They don't have to pay sales tax as same as high income people.


Ree: I think that income tax is better than sales tax, because sales tax is unfair.
Ana: Do you think income tax is fair?
Ree：Almost.
Ana: I think that sales tax is good, because the government gather much money easily.
Ree: I think your idea is reasonable.


Amy: In spite of that our income won't rise, we have to pay sales tax, more money. What do you think about that?
Ana: I agree with your idea, but we decided holding Sunflower Festival to make Apollon famous and we have national debt, so the government have to gather money and citizens have to pay more money.


Rachel: You said that we decided holding Sunflower Festival, so we need more money. If we introduce the system, every price will rise, so tourists don't feel good. I'm afraid of the decrease of the number of tourists.
Ana: I can understand what you said, so I suggest to make duty-free shops.


Isabera: What kinds od tax do you have now in Apollon?
Ana: Except for income tax and sales tax.
Rachel: For example, residence tax and so on.


Lucus: If we set the rate of tax is 50%, you can disagree with introducing the system, I think. What is the rate of tax do you want to set?
Alex: About 3%.


Rachel: I worry about appearing who don't want to pay the tax and want to immigrate to other country without taxes.
Ana: The government can stop them. The dicision is by the citizens, so they have to pay taxes.


Alex: For law income people, sales tax is unfair, you said. But I think income tax is unfair for high income people.
Ree: I suggest to introduce progressive tax system.
Ana: Income tax system is not fair, we think. If we introduce the reduce sales tax rate system, it is fair, I think.

Couclusion:

We cannot decide we introduce which income tax or sales tax. If we introduce sales tax, we set the rate is 3%.

My comment:

I think this disccusion is very good. The moderator is very calm and it is easy to understand what panelists try to say by her. I respect her. The panelist's opinions are also good.

Seventh panel discussion

Topic: Let's make a point system in Apollon.

Information:

・If people do something good for Apollon, they can get points in your point card and they can use points with the card in Apollon.

・Money for the system is given by the government.

・If we get all your oks, we'll discuss

  1. How we can collect points

  2. Where can we use them

・We are permitted to make the system by the government already.

・We'll make a website about the point system and we'll call for volunteers.

I ask them to make an application before.

Questions:

Lobert: What is the purpose of having people to make an application before?

Tama: If we collect applications before the activities, it is easy to give points correctly. If we check the volunteers after the activities, we don't know it is true that the man join the activity.

Lobert: What is written on the website?

Belle: The day when the activity is done, the contents of activities and how many points you can get points by the activity.

How we can collect points?

Jack: You can get points by joining the tour guide volunteers. They have to attend the program to learn knowledges about the guide and the tour company should hold the program.

Tama: Working as a staff of Sunflower-Festival.

Mac: Sunflower-Festival is holded once a year, so it is not enough chance to get points.

Tama: But, the festival is very important and big event, so it doesn't matter.

Mac: Buying the foods made in Apollon.

Jack: Participating in the contest of Sunflower-Festival.

Sophie: To every people who participate in the contest?

Jack: Yes.

Sophie: If we do so, we need much money.

Jack: It is no problem by giving few points.

Angelina: Recyclieg.

Where can we use?

Jack: Public utility cost, such as electric and water and gas cost, bus and train fee.

Mac: Shopping center.

Jack: The system is controlled by the government, so it is difficult to install the system to every shops.Mac: It is good to install the system to the shops that wants to do so.

Angelina: I think it is not good to use points for amusement and hobby, because we do good things to get points.

Laura: I don't think so. If we let people to use points for amusement and hobby, more and more people join the activities to get points.

Opinions:

Lobert: The money is from citizens' paying tax, so it is not good for us.

Tama: By the activity, we can cut the cost of public works. For example, if we draw the lines on the road by ourselves as a volunteer, we don't need  money for it.

Belle: We have money problems. I think people do something good for Apollon by their goodwill, so it is volunteer. We can't give enough points, but I think volunteer is doing good things free. If you do public works as their job, you can more money than you can get by volunteers. However I want to value their goodwill.

conclusion:

we can't decide.

My comments:

I can't finish the discussion. It is difficult to think and explain about the money. I feel that it is the most important to decide   the topic correctly.

Sixth panel discussion

Topic: We should make a national holiday, Sunflower Day

First opinion:

Finnian: She agrees with the topic idea, because sunflower is the symbol of Apollon. Last year, we decided to use sunflowers to make Apollon famous. Establishing the holiday can lead an economic development.


Kofy: She also agrees, because the citizens should know our own national flower more and more. She thinks that establishing the holiday can be a chance for it.


Allie: She agrees, too. The reason why she chose the side, she thinks people in Apollon become friendly with each other thanks for the day. Besides, she wants to hold the Sunflower festival on the day.


Carol: She disagrees with the topic idea, because we need money if we make the day and hold some events on the day. Besides, children don't have to go to school on the day and their studying time shorten.


Hanna: She disagrees, too. Using sunflower to make Apollon famous is good, but we don't have to make the day. Besides, young people aren't interested in sunflower and they don't want the day. She also thinks that growing other plants is more important than growing sunflowers.

Qustions:

Lucus: What do you do in the festival?
Kofy: We can earn more income and expect economic development.
Finnian: If we hold the festival, we need much money, but I expect the government give us enough money. I want to sell products that have relation to sunflowers and plant sunflowers and hold sunflower's photo contest in the festival.




Carol: Where do you grow  sunflowers?
Finnian: South-east, forest.




Kofy: You said that growing other plants is more important than growing sunflower. What do you think?
Hanna: Sunflower is not rare, so I should preserve rare plants than sunflowers. And vegetables can help our living. Besides, it is not good and risky to hold the festival though I don't know many people come.
Finnian: Many people can come to the festival in the first time by their interests. If we can make people enjoy in the first festival and sunflower's day get famous, many people can come after second time, too.




Me(Belle): What is definition of Sunflower Day?
Allie: Students don't go to school and some worker don't work. In case of workers, it depends on the companies. Besides, I want to hold the festival.




Rachel: Now, we have holidays and why do you think we need national holiday?
Allie: Apollon's people become friendly with each other through the day and event, I think. So we need the national holiday.


Sara: Even if we make the day, some people can't enjoy because their job or something, so I suggest to make special week that Apollon's people come in contact with sunflowers.
Finnian: Your idea sounds good. However I think that it is good to hold the festival in a day, because you can enjoy sunflowers during summer.


Carol: On the Sunflower Day, children can't go to school. What do you think about it?
Finnian: The national day is very important, so it should be permitted.
Kofy: If we put the day on Saturday or Sunday, we don't need to worry about school.


Carol: I think I should consider what we do on the day.
Lucus: What do you think about that? (except festival)
Finnian: I don't think anything except festival, but I want to do various things in the festival.


Hanna: Why you chose sunflowers?
Finnian: Because it is the national flower and Apollon's people should know that and let foreigners know that.


<About contents of the festival>
Finnian: I suggest to hold a photo contest and sell some products that have relate to sunflowers.
Kofy: It is good to introduce the festival on the Internet and let foreigner know that. By that, we can expect some income from them.


Carol: I don't agree with holding the festival, because there are many problems such as money and place.
Lucus: What do you think the most serious one?
Carol: It depends on what we do on the festival. For example, the photo contest is good because we don't need much money and place.
Finnian: Sunflower is so beautiful, so only watching them is enjoyable. And I have another idea, it is making jinx that is related to sunflowers. Most of young people like jinx.
Carol: It sounds good.


Hanna: We should think about advertisement. I think it is good to run s commercial on TV.
Finnian: Yes, it is good idea.
Hanna: I should think about also money for it.
Sara: We can produce profit by selling products that have relate to sunflowers without holding the festival.


George: If we put the holiday on weekend, we can't get more days for shopping. I think Monday is good for Sunflower Day. One day a year is harmless for children's studying, but one day's profit in the holiday is big for shop.
Carol: But studying is very important for children.
Finnian: The national holiday is very big event, so it is permitted for children not to study on the day.

Conclusion:

We make Sunflower Day on last Saturday in July and hold Sunflower festival on the day.

My comment:

Panelers' opinion were not persuasive. Especially, disagree side has a few opinions such as school and money. They should prepare materials to persude other side. Next time, our team should discuss, I want to throw our energy into there points.

Fifth panel discussion

Topic: Should we associate with other country?

First opinion:

Lucy: She agrees with association with other country, because it is good for Apollon's improvement. Besides, we can have oppotunities to know other culture and country by the association.

Ashly: She also agrres, because we can introduce other country's good point such as the technology and help each other when big disaster is happen.

Sara: She agrres, too. She is a photographer, so she wants many people to enjoy her works. By association, she can sell her photo collection in other country and get other country's photo collections.

Sophie: She disagrees with the topic, because we can live without association with other country now.  We can get other country's skills by going abroad withouth the association. Besides, if we associate, we can have many problems.

Isabela: She disagrees, too. She worries about the war. If we associate with other country, we should help each other, so we have to help the country when the country start the war. Besides, she worries about dissapearing our own culture.

Question and opinion:

Emily: Don't you worry about dissapearing our own culture?

Lucy: I don't think our own culture will dissapear completely. To understand other culture, it is not bad.

Sara: If we associate with other country, we can reject to join the war. In the case of the association completely, we have to help other country when the war happen. However, in the case of some kinds of association, we don't have to.

Isabela: Yes, I think so.

Sophie: You can buy other country's photo book on the internet.

Sara: Yes, you're right, but some people don't check the internet often and touching it directly is very important.

Sophie: If you associate with other country's publishing company, you can get even in Apollon.

Sara: Apollon don't trade with other country, so we don't have coneection. We didn't know that I can associate with other country's publisher. I'll try.

Lucus: What do you think other country's merit to associate with Apollon?

Sara: Apollon has high-level technology such as the skill of making clone.

Lucus: Will you teach the technology?

Ashly: Sorry,no! Except clone, we can teach high-level technology.

Emily: What do you think the merit for business by the association?
Lucy: Tourism is unstable. The number of tourists can decrease in the future, so we should associate in economic, politic and so on.

Emily: How will we develop without the association?
Isabela: We should develop tourism by ourselves or focus on other business.
Sophie: We can hold the event originally such as Apollon's day.
Ashly: The association is good for tourism. By the association, more people can know about Apollon, po the association is a good advertisement.

George: Why do you think that tourism is unstable?
Emily: We don't have any ways to advertise my country. Now many people come to Apollon, but people can't come. We should have ideas to trade with other country immidiately.

conclusion:

We should try to have the association with other country for tourism.

economic, so we can advertise more.

My comment:

Panelers spoke positively in a latter half, I want them to speak more and more in also in the first half next time. The difinition of association was very difficult. They should have decided that.