Southern Constitutional Convention: 2018

[Filinovich]

Tmth asked me to be the other citizen appointee and I accept!

[Filinovich]

I think we need to clarify the second to third to l sentence - does a majority of southerners have to vote in the election, or does a majority have to vote in favor of recall? This could easily be changed to say "majority of southern citizens must vote in the election to recall."

I think it should specify that a majority of citizens (including non-voters) must vote to recall. If we simply require that a majority of citizens vote in the recall, then it would discourage no-voters from voting so to keep the total number of votes below a majority. As well, I think any language should specify whether abstentions count to the total number of votes. As we saw with the last recall, many chose to abstain on the second question so they could vote on the name change. We may discourage these people from voting if they think that abstaining changes whether a person is recalled or not.

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I would argue that the quota for recalling a member of the Chamber should be raised to require over (n-1)/n of voters (where n=total number of delegates; ignoring abstentions). I'd choose this threshold as it would require at least one person who voted for the politician to vote in favor of recall, or for many of their voters to abstain. As a metric, Ben Kenobi would've fallen just short of this threshold with 84% of voters voting to recall (the required threshold would be 6/7 or 86%).

My primary concern with that threshold is that it would make it more difficult to recall a delegate based on the number in the chamber. An alternative would be to require that 4/5 voters vote in favor of recall, as five is the minimum number of delegates at election. Ben Kenobi would've safely been over that threshold.

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I think this idea has noting but the best of intentions, but I think it would lead to frivolous lawsuits regarding whether or not a politician met the criteria set.

[Filinovich]

Would 80% be a good compromise?

I'd be satisfied with 80%

[Filinovich]

If there are any objections LMK, otherwise I'll start writing this up. It'll take me some time to get these changes - I work in flood insurance so currently working 12 hour days in preparation for Florence. If possible, it might be good to move on to next sections for now.

No objection.

[Filinovich]

Okay, that is fine Governor. While Tmth writes that up we can move on to Filinovich.

Show us what you got.

The final product for the Bill of Rights might take a while. We are looking at adding 20 - 30 additional rights.

Given the magnitude of the number of additions and controversial aspects of some of them (Right to revolution, to bear arms, "marriage") I would advise that this article is handled differently than the other ones. Perhaps a committee of the whole would be best so we can all iron out changes together on a single document rather than going back and forth in a thread. I'm not sure.

I've already reworded the article in response to the Name Change Referenda and have reworded some of sections. The most recent edit is as follows.

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_{Please forgive any errors in copying the article to the forum and clearly distinguishing additions and deletions. It was copied from Google Docs, to allow for ease of editing between myself and Mr. Reactionary, which uses a different system of formatting.}

Most changes are purely grammar-focused.

I think it should be considered whether the demonym of the region should be "Jeffersonian" or if there's a better alternative, given that it is used throughout this article.

Another thing is that the sixth section is very poorly written and doesn't explicitly specify that religion can't be used as an excuse for breaking laws that one believes violates ones own religion. I would personally recommend something along the lines of the Florida Constitution's Article I Section 3

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I would also recommend the addition of a section listed at the end of the article similar to the Ninth Amendment to the US Constitution.

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Article IX of the Southern Constitution seems well-worded. The name change will need to be applied to this article.

I would also like to open debate on whether Jeffersonian ratification of an amendment to the Constitution of Atlasia should require a majority of all citizens rather than just a majority of those voting. I'll have a draft of the article ready by this time tomorrow.

[Filinovich]

Sorry for the delay

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[Filinovich]

For now on the recall, I left it as is and didn't include the 80% threshold. I couldn't figure out how to write it which makes me think it may cause too much confusion. If a majority of southerners have to vote affirmatively, then you're looking at 80% of those voting in the election to make it successful, it just seems excessive. Can anyone else figure out how to write it better?

I would recommend something along these lines:

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[Filinovich]

I am fine with what has been presented. Can Mr. Reaction or Filinovich, or both write up those rights to be added in formal language that would appear in the constitution?

I think it would be best if Mr. Reactionary write up the language for the rights he wishes to add as he would best understand what he wants changed.

[Filinovich]

I'll get my part up tomorrow some time.

Mr. Chairman, could you give us an update on this?

Attorney General: Mr. Reactionary

Attorney General: Mr. Reactionary

Governor, you'll want to correct these clauses on the Convention & Public Discussion Threads and appoint a new Attorney General.


I'll try to write up some of the language that Reactionary had planned to add to the Bill of Rights, but I can't promise it'll be done this month as I'm starting to reach college application deadlines, and I'll need to decipher the notes Reactionary made.

[Filinovich]

Section 1 Clause 2 the word "South" is bolded when it ought to be struck through.

[Filinovich]

What do people think about having the budget passed twice a year? It is a good topic of debate and a year is a very long time in the game. Would basically allow each 2-term governor at least one crack at the budget.

I'd be happy with that.

[Filinovich]

Article 1 Section 2 Clause 2

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