Fifth Midwest Region Constitutional Convention (for the Fourth Constitution)

[Redalgo]

I'm lurking around the convention because I'm interested in Midwestern culture and am considering joining you guys once I've served a term or two in the Northeast Assembly, so I've got a question: Does the Kommissaer have any special veto-type powers or is it just a pedestal you guys foist on some poor soul?

As my proposal currently stands, the Regional Kommissær has no veto-type powers. Despite the lack of formalized procedures for the unicameral parliament, my intention is for the Kommissær to assume a leadership role among the Folk Representanter. The Wisard Ekstraordinær has what is basically an equivalent to veto power but it is limited in its use to when legislation is felt to be unconstitutional from the Wisard's perspective, more or less. As things currently stand, the Regional Kommissær would arguably be the single most powerful actor in guiding the policy-making process while the Wisard Ekstraordinær is more an mixture of supreme justice and an eccentric cultural icon / entertaining folk legend. Some of this stuff is a little vague right now but once I hear back from Ilikeverin I will probably get right on re-drafting the constitution and seeing from there what people would like to change. So long as four or five people don't all suddenly become active at once (which I seriously doubt could possibly happen xD) we'll eventually be able to pull this off!

In the meanwhile, if you have any ideas Alfred they are certainly welcome. It is a Midwestern convention but I do not see any harm in others sharing their thoughts or pitching some ideas.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Thanks, Red. And no, I don't have any ideas for you, but I personally think that chocolate-chip muffins are better than blueberry.

[Redalgo]

. . . but I personally think that chocolate-chip muffins are better than blueberry.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Does anyone here object to me matching the switch? xD

[Redalgo]

Alright, as much as I think taking a week off is in keeping with the spirit of Midwestern culture, I must now insist that we reconvene and make some more headway on drafting this Constitution. To get things moving once again I have taken the liberty of redrafting my proposal, accounting for several of your expressed concerns and requests (see the two posts below).

Thoughts? Concerns? More ideas?

Btw, I kept the Constitution below 11,000 characters but for some reason the forum disagrees. D:

[Redalgo]

Constitution of the Workers Republic of Kharovóy

Preamble:

We the People of the Midwest Region, to honor our ancestors and ensure the fair health and wellbeing of our progeny for many generations to come, do recognize the necessity of a codified Constitution for the harmonious regulation of conflicts of interests betwixt diverse Persons and Factions, and do hereby found the Workers Republic of Kharovóy and declare this Constitution to be the foundation for its righteous, valid governance. May it forever henceforth stand guard o'er the rights, privileges, and cultural characters of our Peoples!


Section I:

By consenting to the implementation of this Constitution and by accepting its legitimacy, the People and their Government acknowledge that theirs is a relationship with a number of rules and restrictions institutionalized to ensure their mutual wellbeing.

(a) - No act of regional government shall impede or infringe upon the rights of the People to:

• Free thought, expression, conscience, creed, and cultural identity...
• Free movement, association, and participation in cultural rites...
• Shelter, food, water, clothing, medical care, education, and healthful environs...
• Private possession of and secure control over use of their property...
• Representative democracy in the politics of the state and economy...
• Due process, fair trials, and uniform treatment under the law...
• Equitable recognition of consensual civil partnerships under the law...
• Recourse for significant abuses of the body and mind, and for defamation...
• Security of person from execution, exile, torture, and uncivil punishments...
• Ample time off from work for sleep, leisure, and other necessities of life...

Except for when the exercise of rights aforementioned is construed to present a dire, reasonably well-understood threat to the physical and/or mental wellness of persons. These ten items shall be known collectively as the Checklist of Untouchable Social Privileges.

(b) - In exchange, no act of the individual shall impede or infringe upon the rights of state to:

• Enact and enforce laws in compliance with the contents of this Constitution...
• Accrue and appropriate funds for performing state functions via taxation...
• Defend itself from violence, foreign invasion, and domestic treachery...
• Establish and maintain Land, Sky, and Wave Corps for peacekeeping...
• Defer to the authority of the Republic of Atlasia when it is proper...
• Confine, isolate, and rehabilitate persons found guilty of crimes in court...
• Teach people the value of mutual respect and peaceable coexistence...
• Discretion in resolving conflicts of interest betwixt rights of the People...
• Regulate the trade and use of tools with potentially lethal functions...
• Ensure that all members of society can fruitfully participate in public life...

Except for when the exercise of rights aforementioned is construed to present a dire, reasonably well-understood threat to and by the People - in which event they are to check the power of the republic. These ten items shall be known collectively as the Checklist of Approved Social Tasking.

(c) - The Land, Sky, and Wave Corps shall be responsible for policing all developed and wilderness areas within the region, rendering emergency assistance during times of grave unrest or regional disaster, serving in the regional defense against acts of terrorism, and assuming the roles of military police on bases of the Atlasian armed forces.

(d) - No regional militia is to be maintained. In the event of an invasion, the Land, Sky, and Wave Corps shall coordinate with private militias and the Atlasian armed forces to mount the defense of our People and their resources. There shall never be conscription.

(e) - Military personnel shall, without exception, be entitled to trials by civilian courts.

(f) - In the event of a state of war existing betwixt Atlasia and one or more other nations, Kharovóy retains its prerogative to choose whether to remain one with its fellow regions in Atlasia, peaceably declare independence from the Union, or to surrender.


Section II:

(a) - The Alþing shall serve its legislative and executive functions in Cheyenne, _______.

(b) - Eighty-eight, being the number of trustees required for us to see some serious sh**t, shall be the count of the Folk Representanter elected at-large to the Alþing on the first weeks of January, May, July, and October via party-list proportional representation. No representant may sit on the Alþing for more than two consecutive sessions. If fewer than eighty-eight candidates declare, then all shall be Folk Representanter without need for a formal vote, and their term limits shall cease to apply.

(c) - The many Folk Representanter shall decide on matters pertaining to the creation and passage of legislation. Votes in the Alþing are to be more than one day in their durations; those who do not express an affirmative or oppositional position in the allotted time shall not be counted in the final tallies; and a constitutional amendment passes with four-fifths of the Folk Representanter present pledging votes of "you bet," in affirmation.

(d) - One Regional Kommissær is to be elected at-large from among the elected representanter over the course of seven days, starting on the eleventh day of January, May, July, and October, using the alternative ballot to discern which candidate receives an absolute majority of the vote. The winner is to serve as a Folk Representant, head of government, and as the official "Lord of the Cakes." The Kommissær’s vote shall be that resolving tied verdicts reached by the Alþing.

(e) - No rules of procedure shall be formalized by the Alþing except for those outlined in this Constitution. It shall build consensus or, in lieu of settling conflicts with words, resolve differences via games played by those of the representanter in a row. Failing that, the Regional Kommissær is to have the final say and ensure that the representanter exchange *hughuggrunt*s and feast on cake together.

(f) - If a Representant is to be absent, they may pick anyone to temporarily fill their seat.


Section III:

(a) - The Depositaren is to serve its investigative and judicial functions in the capital of the republic: Cheesewhiz, Vitality (formerly known as Belle Fourche), where a grand, weatherproof temple of knowledge shall be built and maintained in perpetuity using regional public monies. The facility is to conduct research, double in its functions as a museum and learning center, and shall be "The Library of Kharovóy."

(b) - Therein shall reside a Wisard Ekstraordinær tasked with deciding on whether legislation passed by the Alþing is in complete compliance with this Constitution. He or she serves as the ceremonial head of state and "Hugger in Chief," oversees all elections, is a regional spokesperson, and counsels the Kommissær on nominations and other stuff.

(c) - If the Wisard Ekstraordinær deems legislation unconstitutional, he or she strikes it, rendering the legislation annulled unless the Alþing can muster a unanimous vote for an override before the end of its session. The Wisard keeps their seat until a challenger can best them in a spontaneous, two-candidate regional election overseen by the Kommissær.

(d) - The Depositaren shall be administered by the Wisard in such a way as to promise the people of the Workers Republic of Kharovóy free and fair elections, a transparent government, progress in areas of scientific research, and the fruition of new works of aesthetic art by citizens of the region. Rumors shall also be spread to children that legendary critters and figures of folklore like Santa Claus, Paul Bunyan, and Dave Leip dwell in Cheesewhiz.

(e) - A Wisard Ekstraordinær is required to always wear a robe when in public, abstain from cutting their hair for the duration of their tenure, procure and lovingly care for at least one exotic pet, dispense ;D and >:( emotica on behalf of the regional government, don a flamboyant hat, and reach out to the mass media to foster good political dialogue.

(f) - A magnificent Leaning Haberdashery Lounge is to be established and maintained using public monies, for the commendation of freedom fighters, derision of horrible persons, inebriated dances and shenanigans, and recounting of regional glories. It shall be forbidden for the Wisard Ekstraordinær to participate in karaoke at this lounge.

[Redalgo]

Section IV:

(a) - Until regularly scheduled elections can be held in October, signatory members of the Fifth Midwest Region Constitutional Convention shall be tasked with nominating and electing all Folk Representanter, the first Regional Kommissær, and first Wisard Ekstraordinær to office. Citizens may not challenge the Wisard until the first free election of the Alþing.

(b) - The eleven provinces of the republic shall be as follows:

• Joy (MN)
• Mirth (CO)
• Bluster (OK)
• Moxie (IA)
• Swagger (KS)
• ___________ (NM)
• Grit (NE)
• Wonderment (MT)
• Vitality (SD)
• Serenity (ND)
• _______ (WY)

(c) - The official symbols of the republic shall be as follows:

• Anthem - Kharovóy, for Thee!
• Bird - Black-billed magpie
• Cat - Fritz
• Colors - Copper and gold
• Emotica - and
• Flag - Click Here
• Flower - Sunflower
• Gesture of Affection - *hughughug*
• Gesture of Solidarity - *hughuggrunt*
• Motto - Granumi hoc Bonus
• Muffin - Chocolate-chip
• Toast - Skål!

(d) - The official holidays of the region shall be as follows:

• New Year's Day (Jan 1)
• Groovy Day of Love (Feb 14)
• Earth Day (Apr 22)
• International Workers' Day (May 1)
• Whiskerando Day (Jul 6)
• Hug Gustaf Day (Jul 14)
• Halloween (Oct 31)
• Native Atlasian Heritage Day (Nov 28)
• Human Rights Day (Dec 10)
• Christmas Day (Dec 25)
• Kwanza (Dec 26 - Jan 1)
• The Festival of Light (Variable)
• Muslim Friends Day (Variable)

(e) - In casting votes, except for in the case of preferential ranking, an affirmative attitude shall be expressed using an expression of, "ya," "you bet," "you bet'cha," or " ," while any votes cast in opposition are to be expressed as, "na," "oh deev," " ," "uff-da," or a variation thereof.  

(f) - Kharovóy has no official language but the provinces may determine which language(s) shall be primary, provided no language be prohibited.

[MaxQue]

I have an issue over those holidays.
There would be none between mid-July and the end of October.

It seems logical than there is an holiday at at least each 2 months, at minimum.

Think of the workers who will work non-stop from July to November!

[Redalgo]

Would these be of help?

Pioneer Day (Jul 24)
Women's Equality Day (Aug 26)
Old Folks' Day (Sept 15)
EVD Remembrance Day (Nov 5)
Midsummer (Variable)

[MaxQue]

Well, I don't know about any of those days.
I was just emitting a concern.

[hawkeye59]

I really like it.

[hawkeye59]

Constitution of the Workers Republic of Kharovóy

Preamble:

We the People of the Midwest Region, to honor our ancestors and ensure the fair health and wellbeing of our progeny for many generations to come, do recognize the necessity of a codified Constitution for the harmonious regulation of conflicts of interests betwixt diverse Persons and Factions, and do hereby found the Workers Republic of Kharovóy and declare this Constitution to be the foundation for its righteous, valid governance. May it forever henceforth stand guard o'er the rights, privileges, and cultural characters of our Peoples!


Section I:

By consenting to the implementation of this Constitution and by accepting its legitimacy, the People and their Government acknowledge that theirs is a relationship with a number of rules and restrictions institutionalized to ensure their mutual wellbeing.

(a) - No act of regional government shall impede or infringe upon the rights of the People to:

• Free thought, expression, conscience, creed, and cultural identity...
• Free movement, association, and participation in cultural rites...
• Shelter, food, water, clothing, medical care, education, and healthful environs...
• Private possession of and secure control over use of their property...
• Representative democracy in the politics of the state and economy...
• Due process, fair trials, and uniform treatment under the law...
• Equitable recognition of consensual civil partnerships under the law...
• Recourse for significant abuses of the body and mind, and for defamation...
• Security of person from execution, exile, torture, and uncivil punishments...
• Ample time off from work for sleep, leisure, and other necessities of life...

Except for when the exercise of rights aforementioned is construed to present a dire, reasonably well-understood threat to the physical and/or mental wellness of persons. These ten items shall be known collectively as the Checklist of Untouchable Social Privileges.

(b) - In exchange, no act of the individual shall impede or infringe upon the rights of state to:

• Enact and enforce laws in compliance with the contents of this Constitution...
• Accrue and appropriate funds for performing state functions via taxation...
• Defend itself from violence, foreign invasion, and domestic treachery...
• Establish and maintain Land, Sky, and Wave Corps for peacekeeping...
• Defer to the authority of the Republic of Atlasia when it is proper...
• Confine, isolate, and rehabilitate persons found guilty of crimes in court...
• Teach people the value of mutual respect and peaceable coexistence...
• Discretion in resolving conflicts of interest betwixt rights of the People...
• Regulate the trade and use of tools with potentially lethal functions...
• Ensure that all members of society can fruitfully participate in public life...

Except for when the exercise of rights aforementioned is construed to present a dire, reasonably well-understood threat to and by the People - in which event they are to check the power of the republic. These ten items shall be known collectively as the Checklist of Approved Social Tasking.

(c) - The Land, Sky, and Wave Corps shall be responsible for policing all developed and wilderness areas within the region, rendering emergency assistance during times of grave unrest or regional disaster, serving in the regional defense against acts of terrorism, and assuming the roles of military police on bases of the Atlasian armed forces.

(d) - No regional militia is to be maintained. In the event of an invasion, the Land, Sky, and Wave Corps shall coordinate with private militias and the Atlasian armed forces to mount the defense of our People and their resources. There shall never be conscription.

(e) - Military personnel shall, without exception, be entitled to trials by civilian courts.

(f) - In the event of a state of war existing betwixt Atlasia and one or more other nations, Kharovóy retains its prerogative to choose whether to remain one with its fellow regions in Atlasia, peaceably declare independence from the Union, or to surrender.


Section II:

(a) - The Alþing shall serve its legislative and executive functions in Cheyenne, _______.

(b) - Eighty-eight, being the number of trustees required for us to see some serious sh**t, shall be the count of the Folk Representanter elected at-large to the Alþing on the first weeks of January, May, July, and October via party-list proportional representation. No representant may sit on the Alþing for more than two consecutive sessions. If fewer than eighty-eight candidates declare, then all shall be Folk Representanter without need for a formal vote, and their term limits shall cease to apply.

(c) - The many Folk Representanter shall decide on matters pertaining to the creation and passage of legislation. Votes in the Alþing are to be more than one day in their durations; those who do not express an affirmative or oppositional position in the allotted time shall not be counted in the final tallies; and a constitutional amendment passes with four-fifths of the Folk Representanter present pledging votes of "you bet," in affirmation.

(d) - One Regional Kommissær is to be elected at-large from among the elected representanter over the course of seven days, starting on the eleventh day of January, May, July, and October, using the alternative ballot to discern which candidate receives an absolute majority of the vote. The winner is to serve as a Folk Representant, head of government, and as the official "Lord of the Cakes." The Kommissær’s vote shall be that resolving tied verdicts reached by the Alþing.

(e) - No rules of procedure shall be formalized by the Alþing except for those outlined in this Constitution. It shall build consensus or, in lieu of settling conflicts with words, resolve differences via games played by those of the representanter in a row. Failing that, the Regional Kommissær is to have the final say and ensure that the representanter exchange *hughuggrunt*s and feast on cake together.

(f) - If a Representant is to be absent, they may pick anyone to temporarily fill their seat.


Section III:

(a) - The Depositaren is to serve its investigative and judicial functions in the capital of the republic: Cheesewhiz, Vitality (formerly known as Belle Fourche), where a grand, weatherproof temple of knowledge shall be built and maintained in perpetuity using regional public monies. The facility is to conduct research, double in its functions as a museum and learning center, and shall be "The Library of Kharovóy."

(b) - Therein shall reside a Wisard Ekstraordinær tasked with deciding on whether legislation passed by the Alþing is in complete compliance with this Constitution. He or she serves as the ceremonial head of state and "Hugger in Chief," oversees all elections, is a regional spokesperson, and counsels the Kommissær on nominations and other stuff.

(c) - If the Wisard Ekstraordinær deems legislation unconstitutional, he or she strikes it, rendering the legislation annulled unless the Alþing can muster a unanimous vote for an override before the end of its session. The Wisard keeps their seat until a challenger can best them in a spontaneous, two-candidate regional election overseen by the Kommissær.

(d) - The Depositaren shall be administered by the Wisard in such a way as to promise the people of the Workers Republic of Kharovóy free and fair elections, a transparent government, progress in areas of scientific research, and the fruition of new works of aesthetic art by citizens of the region. Rumors shall also be spread to children that legendary critters and figures of folklore like Santa Claus, Paul Bunyan, and Dave Leip dwell in Cheesewhiz.

(e) - A Wisard Ekstraordinær is required to always wear a robe when in public, abstain from cutting their hair for the duration of their tenure, procure and lovingly care for at least one exotic pet, dispense and emotica on behalf of the regional government, don a flamboyant hat, and reach out to the mass media to foster good political dialogue.

(f) - A magnificent Leaning Haberdashery Lounge is to be established and maintained using public monies, for the commendation of freedom fighters, derision of horrible persons, inebriated dances and shenanigans, and recounting of regional glories. It shall be forbidden for the Wisard Ekstraordinær to participate in karaoke at this lounge.

Where did you get the name Kharovóy from?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

We need to confirm that the cats are sacred in our constitution.

[Redalgo]

Hawkeye, after putting a lot of time into scheming up the Native name and it turning out to be a flop I decided to be lazy and snag Kharovóy, which I completely fabricated several years back to be the name of a country I've administered in various other government fantasy games over the years, to transplant right into this context to be a regional name. If you don't like it we can try to figure out an alternative. Otherwise, I figured it was an easy way out of the naming problem.

As for your request Kal, is the sacredness of cats not already implied by the reference to Fritz and the cat being one of only two animal types deemed worthy of constitutional recognition in terms of regional symbolism?

At any rate, if the pieces are starting to fall in place here we still have two pieces of unfinished business to tend to with this - renaming New Mexico and Wyoming, and deciding which (if any) of the new holidays I pitched on August 5th should be incorporated into the next draft! If I can get some timely feedback we might even be able to have this prepped for a vote by the upcoming weekend. What do you think?

[ilikeverin]

I'm probably responding to stuff that's already out of date, but one thing at a time

Hmm...

1. We should make sure use of "Nation" for our region doesn't conflict with any regulations about the use of the term nor is unpleasant to any Native American tribes.
2. Though I love the name "Makawakana", but I'm not sure its symbolism is perfect.  Maybe Makakapana, something similar to "grain-land" maybe kind of and also rather silly looking?

I have become irrationally fond of the the "Makawakana" name in the spirit of Midwestern self-aggrandizement, and reckon it is a less Euro-Atlasian than respectfully Native Atlasian way to refer to the states of the Great Plains. However, would it suffice to replace the label "Nation" with something toned down a bit (Republic) or even labourite (Workers Region)? I think it is important we can all agree on a name but I'm not sure if I much like this new pitch.

Republic/Workers' Region is fine with me.  I was lobbying for Jamahiriya, but I think that would be rather imprudent at the moment   "Most Serene Republic" could be fun, too.

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We should go to the GM for a decision on this.

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I initially intended for the three corps to be more of a civil service force administered region-wide for the purposes of enforcing laws, serving as game wardens and rangers in regional parks, being our boots on the ground for responses to natural disasters, and so forth. But if you reckon it is an ill-conceived idea, I am sure there are alternative ideas we could explore for rounding off the Checklist of Agreed States Tasks. 
[/quote]

Hmm, gotcha.  That sounds just like a state police, though, so I'm not sure it's something that needs to be constitutionally-inscribed.

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Perhaps I could broaden the state's room for interpretation a bit more by giving it authority to regular "tools with potentially lethal applications," or would that be going to far in the other direction? There are some people in this region who strongly support gun-related rights - and to be honest I lean somewhat in that direction myself - but I am sure we can agree on some basic, sensible guidelines to adhere to with something like this. When I hear back from you on these issues again in another post I'll try to respond with a quoted copy of the constitution covered with new markups to see if we've found sufficient common ground. Ya?
[/quote]

Oh ya.

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This is an incredibly good idea. Given the low population of the-town-soon-to-be-renamed-as-Cheesewhiz, however, it would be prudent to keep the proposed parliament of sorts in Cheyenne, ya? I'm willing to make Belle Fourche the official capital though, just to be clear.
[/quote]

Belle Fourche has been the capital since the dawn of Atlasian time, so I presume its size has increased proportionately over the United States-equivalent.  If you'd prefer a bigger city, though, Cheyenne is a good choice; it's the closest "large-ish" city to the geographic center of the Midwest.

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I in turn am strongly opposed to direct democracy and am concerned that a lack of elections is contributing in part to the virtually complete inactivity of the Alþing. If the convention can think of a way to boost participation, however, I am willing to have universal membership (sans the Wisard) in the  Alþing under the added condition that it be phrased in the constitution in such a way as to construe every player in the Midwest has been elected from one of our region's sub-administrative districts and that we simply never bother with conducting the elections in-game for lack of hundreds of players to necessitate such a multi-tiered division of labor (i.e. the "elections" occur on a regular basis and assume we keep getting reelected unless someone leaves the region or forum altogether, in which case we could act as though they lost a bid for reelection... or something like that). I'm not sure if I'm making a lot of sense here now. Hopefully someone is following my line of thought. Ideas? xD
[/quote]

I think I get what you're saying, and I completely agree.  How it used to be was that there was a very robust referendum system, with regularly scheduled "referendum elections" where people could vote on bills.  The way we could keep universality while also going back to a regularly scheduled system of elections (which is definitely a good thing) would be to make it so that referendums have a ridiculous easy time to get on the ballot: they have to have a single citizen-legislator sign off on them to get them on the next regularly-scheduled ballot.  Does that make sense?

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Okay, fair enough. If Befuddlement and Rosiness are out, do you have any preferences for what to replace them with? Once we've all settled on the names I will gladly edit the map I made awhile back. It shouldn't take more than ten minutes or so to take care of, I suspect.
[/quote]

Enthusiasm and Elation?

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It is a Midwestern custom I've fabricated out of thin air which involves two people first firmly grasping their right hands, followed by a hearty, belly-to-belly bear hug with two pats of the back for each participant using both the left and rights hands. The ritual ends with a guttural sound of ones choice to express mutual approval, fondness, and/or physical discomfort from being too close to one another for enough seconds to make the whole experience somewhat awkward. It's a more formal, dignified, and "serious" variation of the traditional *hughughug*.
[/quote]

Hmm, I do like that it has awkwardness in it.  I may stick to the orthodox *hughughug*, but you may try to see it gain acceptance.  Still, I'm not sure we should be introducing completely new actions in this Constitution.  Allow such things to develop organically.

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This is perfectly understandable. I proposed a Norwegian official language mostly as a cultural counter to giving privileged status to English and German. If you and the others here would concur, I would be willing to do away with official languages in the Midwest Region altogether.
[/quote]

Great.  I'd support that.  At the very least, giving a privileged status to Swedish instead of Norwegian would make more sense given the ancestry of our citizenry and our Atlasian membership (Gustaf, a noted Midwesterner, is Swedish in origin and in-game lives in Lindstrom, Happiness).

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Sounds lovely!

[ilikeverin]

Shall I give the newest draft of the Constitution a once-over?  What's changed?  (*wishes for a "Track Changes" button like on Wikipedia - is this on the Forum Wiki?*)

As far as holidays go, I feel like at some point my birthday (August 16th) was declared a regional holiday.

. . . but I personally think that chocolate-chip muffins are better than blueberry.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Does anyone here object to me matching the switch? xD

I prefer blueberry   Perhaps we should just honor muffins in general.

[Redalgo]

In regards to muffins, I'm not willing to make a big to-do about it and because my native state of Minnesota's official muffin is blueberry anyway, I will change it back unless someone else objects. Enthusiasm also sounds like it could work fine for either Wyoming or New Mexico, but in the interest to avoid states having names that are synonyms it may be for the best for us not to use Elation. If you want *hughuggrunt* out of the Constitution, by the way, that can be arranged. I did not expect it to be at all controversial though. Whatever works!

As for the wiki here, I have no idea how to add or edit pages, or track changes in things, and aside from that it seems as though a lot of the articles are pretty outdated. :<

The most recent version of the proposed constitution can be read here and finishes here. Since a number of things have changed since you were last in the thread it might be best to re-read it.

[dead0man]

Hawkeye, after putting a lot of time into scheming up the Native name and it turning out to be a flop I decided to be lazy and snag Kharovóy, which I completely fabricated several years back to be the name of a country I've administered in various other government fantasy games over the years, to transplant right into this context to be a regional name. If you don't like it we can try to figure out an alternative. Otherwise, I figured it was an easy way out of the naming problem.

Sounds a little "russiany" for me.  We don't have a lot of Russians in the region.  If we are scared of a native name for whatever reason, maybe something Norse or German?  German has a lot of cool words for things we don't have (eg Schadenfreude)....do they have something for "fly over country"?

[Redalgo]

If the convention would prefer a different name it may be for the best for its members to compile a list of alternative possibilities, discuss them, and if consensus cannot be reached use the AV to select a winner? I was on something of a holiday until yesterday so I probably won't have quite as much time or motivation to snoop around for ideas on my own now. I'll be active in the thread and amend the constitutional proposal as-needed, but it's just something to bear in mind.

[hawkeye59]

I really like Makawakana or Makakapana. I support either of those.

[dead0man]

I'm fine with either of those.

[Redalgo]

My concern at this point is they could be construed to be highly offensive and, if we were to do this properly, consulting the GM would not be adequate. I figured we could find a different name far more easily (and with less awkwardness) than trying to reach out to discuss it with people in the native nation(s) from whose language the names are derived.

I am not opposed to their use, per se, but am starting to be a bit risk-averse concerning them.

[hawkeye59]

May I propose that the name be a Sioux name, or a name from a combination of languages? This is due to the fact that the Sioux language is the most common Native American language spoken in the Midwest.

[Redalgo]

The words used in the original renaming for the region I schemed up are from the Lakota, who are also known as the Teton Sioux.

[ilikeverin]

I think we should hold a vote with the possibilities we have now.  Does anyone have any others?

[Redalgo]

I will abstain from such a vote but will accept and integrate into the constitutional proposal whichever wins. Until some more proposals are made concerning the remaining loose ends with the document I haven't got a whole lot to do. I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread though.