"Delegate, would that prohibit the discussion of taxation? It seems to me that no conversation about matters of economics and property can avoid discussing taxes, and much as I would be grateful to learn that all delegates are for life exempt from taxation in recognition of our contributions to our state I do not expect it."

She smells a rat. She smells ten rats. She usually smells rats. But she can't afford to make any more enemies so she's not going to push it here.

"—I didn't intend to prohibit all discussion of taxation," says the elected delegate. "But I don't think a committee can properly function if, for example, a bandit threatens to rob other members, or for that matter proposes a law saying that bandits should be allowed to rob people. I'm happy to amend my proposal to clarify that discussion of taxation is allowed." 

"I propose that all delegates be exempt from taxation for life in recognition of our contributions to our state!" shouts another delegate.

"I don't see that such a law shouldn't be proposed in a committee, given that it will fail any committee vote let alone a floor vote. We all know what you're really talking about, so you may as well just say it."

Alexandre thinks this entire concept is hilarious and proves he was always, always, always right about everything.

"If committee members have to fear that other members of their committee will propose that their property be taken from them in retribution for their suggestions to the committee, it seems difficult for said committee to properly function," says the elected. "I'd like to hope that such proposals wouldn't pass the committee, let alone the floor, but I don't see why we should enable them."

“I second that proposal for delegates not having to pay taxes!”

He'll try to get to the front before anyone else does!

"Ladies and gentlemen of the convention," he says, "since our clerics of Abadar lost the race: A two hundred percent yearly tax on the value of" he makes air quotes with his fingers "'Something', is in fact a larger taking from the owner than outright confiscating it by order of the state. By declaring all takings from convention members illegal we ban taxation; by permitting taxation we allow greater takings from convention members than you just attempted to outlaw. What the would-be head of the committee on economics has just demonstrated is that he doesn't know any of it, and is therefore utterly unqualified to sit on the committee he himself has just proposed."

"Oh, also, I join my voice to my comrades in voting that delegates to this convention should become perpetually immune to taxation."

"There's a difference between paying taxes lawfully to your lord and being held up at swordpoint on the road," says the elected. "In any case, I think it would be perfectly reasonable for the committee to be chaired by a priest of Abadar, with membership selected by same, and if he doesn't wish me to serve then I accept his judgment."

He laughs at that, but he doesn't seek out the podium to do it from.

So, wait. There’s a committee on financing infrastructure, and a committee on trade and travel, and now someone also wants an economics committee??? Why! Why do they need so many different groups that talk about the same thing! It’s money. It’s always money. (She hates money. This is why she avoids using it. It leads to insanity like this.)

And now they’re voting about…. How they should be immune to taxes??

“I am against delegates being immune to taxation on the grounds that this is ridiculous,” she says, because it is.

"You're a druid, do druids even pay taxes?"

Delegates to this convention include all the major lords. A tax exemption for all of them would be a disaster for the country, or at least for the central government of the country.

"I...support granting the delegates to this convention an exemption from taxation." That feels twisty and underhanded and not at all the way he's used to doing things but he can still detect evil so - that's a matter to discuss with his confessor tonight, and not to worry about right now.

”I motion we send the tax men into the forest to see if they come back with valuable acorns and leaves from the druids.”

“Slander against my chosen profession is not relevant to my point. I would be happy to pay my fair share of acorns and leaves as the state would like.”

What in every gods' name Alex???

... Did Alexaera Censellarion just go mad or was he hit by a Dominate? Is he close enough for a Detect Magic?

What is Cansellarion doing, this is an insane proposal that will destroy the country - surely Iomedae doesn't want that -

Alexandre will go into full-scale evil laughter mode when he sees that the madness has infected the planet's most powerful paladin of Iomedae.

"No taxes on delegates!!"

This is ridiculous.

"I propose that those delegates who do not hold a noble title, and all of their descendants, are exempt from taxation for-ever but those delegates who do hold title are not."

There, that should kill it.

Aww, killjoy.

“All of their descendants to what generation. In six, half the country will be exempt. I repeat: this is ridiculous.”