Group D

Subject: Should we introduce sales tax system?

Moderator: Kate Hail

Agree side: Anna Jones

                    Alex Bell

                   

Disagree side: Rie Chein

                         Rachel Williams

                         Amy Green

Opinions of agree side:

・Anna

     Last year, we decided that we hold sunflower festival, make calendar, and plant sunfrower along the street to make Apollon famous. Government should pay a lot of money for these plans. They need a lot of money. So we should pay more taxes. And sales tax system is good because government can get much money easily.

・Alex

     Goverment can use money for education. It is helpful for us. So, we should pay sales tax.

Opinions of disagree side:

・Rie

     If we introduce the system, low income people must pay a lot of money, but high income people must pay less. And most people will come not to buy something. Goverment's income will less. He think income tax system is better.

・Rachel

     The system is hard for low income people.

・Amy

     People will come not to buy something.

Kate: What do you think about low income people? (to Anna)

Anna: The system is hard for them. So, we should introduce reduced tax rate for them.

Rachel: Clerk can't know who is low income people. (to Anna)

Rie: Sales tax system is not fair, but income tax system is fair. So, income tax system is better. (to agree side)

Anna: Sales tax system is better because government can get much money easily.

Amy: Our income dosen't change, but must we pay more tax? (to agree side)

Anna: We have a lot of national debts and plans, so we must pay more tax.

Rachel: Tourists will come not to Apollon. (to agree side)

Anna: We can make tax-free system or tax-free shops.

Audience: What kind of tax system does Apollon have?

Panelist: Apollon has other system but sales tax system and income tax system.

Audience: How much sales tax rate? (to agree side)

Alex: 3%.

Anna: If the rate is high, people will not agree. So, at first, it should be low, such as 3%.

Audience: How can clerk kow who is low income people? (to Anna)

Anna: Goverment should give something showing he/she is low income people, such as a paper. By it, clerk can know.

Rachel: Some people may move to another countly. (to agree side)

Anna: We must pay tax for Apollon. It is our duty.

Agree side: We think income tax system is not fair. (to Rie)

Conclusion: We can't decide which is better, sales tax system or income tax system. If we introduce sales tax system, the rate is 3%.

We couldn't come to a conclusion. I think we must find fair tax system, but it was so difficult. Our thought about fair was different, so we couldn't conculude. I think we should have ask audiences opinion more. It might be helpful for us.

Group A

Subject: Let’s make point-system in Apollon

Moderator: Belle Waterfall

Panelists: Angelina Miller

                 Mac Jason

                 Laura Addy

                 Tama Homer

                 Jack Bauer

Discussion 1: How can we collect points?

・Jack

     → tour guide volunteer and entrants for the photo contest

・Tama

     → Sunflower Festival staff

・Mac

     → buying goods made in Apollon

・Angelina

     → recycle

Discussion 2: Where can we use them?

・Jack

     → public transportation fee and charges for public service

・Mac

     → shopping center

            Jack: It is difficult for government to control.

            Mac: Only shop want to do should install the system.

・Angelina

     → It is not good to use the points for amusement or hobby.

            Laura: If we can use the points for such things, many people will want them.

Questions by audience:

・1 point = 1 apollon?

     → Yes.

・If we can get points by volunteer, it is not volunteer.

Conclusion: We want to make point-system.

I think it is good that they told us a lot of information. And we had enough time to talk with other audiences. Angelina wrote ideas on white board, so I could understand what they discussed about easily.

Group B

Subject: We should make a national holiday, Sunflower Day.

Moderator: Lucus

Agree side: Finnian

                    Kofy

                    Allie

Disagree side: Carol

                        Hanna

Opinions of agree side:

・ Finnian → We should hold some events on the Sunflower Day to develop our country economically.

・ Kofy → We tend to forget our national flower, so we should make the day to remember.

・ Allie → It is decided that we hold Sunflower Festival in last year. We should hold it on Sunflower Day.

Opinions of disagree side:

・ Carol → We need money and place for the festival.

・ Hanna → Most of young people don’t think national flower is important. We don’t have to make a national holiday.

Conclusion: We make Sunflower Day on last Saturday in July and hold Sunflower Festival.

I can’t understand why they want to hold Sunflower Festival on Sunflower Day. I think if we hold the festival on Saturday, we don’t have to make a national holiday on Saturday.

Group C

Subject: Do we associate with other country?

Moderator: Emily Thoma

Agree side: Ashley Turner

                    Lucy Walter

                    Sara Cooper

Disagree side: Sophie Dawson

                        Isabela Horan

Opinions of agree side:

・ Ashley → We can introduce other’s good points, such as technology. And we can help each other when some disaster happens. It is good for tourism, and it is one way to develop Apollon.

・ Lucy → It is good for development. We can accept other countries’ culture. If we have connection with foreign companies, our work will be easy and wider, and we could introduce Apollon.

・ Sara → She wants foreign people to see her pictures. And she wants to buy other countries’ items, such as photo books.

Opinions of disagree side:

・ Sophie → We don’t have to associate with other country. If we associate with other country, we might have some problems. She can introduce Apollon to other country as an entertainer.

・ Isabela → If we associate with other country, we must help other country when they go to war, and our culture might be lost.

Conclusion: We should associate with other country for economic development and advertisement.

I think if they narrow the issue, such as about only trade or business, their discussion would be better. At the middle part of discussion, they left the audience behind, so their discussion was difficult for us to understand. But it was good that they suggested many ideas.

Group D

Subject: Should the elementary school students have their own cellphones?

Moderator: Anna Jones

Agree side: Alex Bell

                    Amy Green

                  

Disagree side: Rie Chein

                         Rachel Williams

                         Kate Hail

Opinions of agree side:

・ Alex

     → She and her husband both work. So her son has own cellphone, and Alex can contact with him in emergency. And it is good that cellphone has the GPS function.

・ Amy

     → Some crimes are happen while children go to school. So they have their own cellphone that can be used as a crime prevention buzzer. And we should teach them the correct way to use it.

Opinions of disagree side:

・ Rie

     → The cellphone is not good for children’s eyes. It wastes time. Children will come not to play outside.

・ Kate

     → Children have a lot of things to learn. They should use their time to learn that things.

・ Rachel

     → Internet is dangerous for children. For example, the online dating Web site is so dangerous for girls.

Conclusion: We should make a family rule depends on their situation.

It was difficult to moderate. I made dead time… It was so bad point of my job. Panelists’ opinions were easy to understand.