Sam Spade v. President Porce

[The Duke]

There is no way that AWN can assume the responsibilities of GM until all its members resign their government positions.  These are good people, but it is such a conflict of interest it should not be allowed.

When I became GM, it was (rightly) insisted upon that I wait for my Senate term to end.  When I became Governor, I had to abdicate my post as GM.  This is the tradition, and as the President himself pointed out, the role of GM has only tradition as a guide.

There are good reasons for these precedents, and they should be followed.

[The Duke]

I pose this question to all of you who are afraid on the GM(s) being in the Senate or in other positions.  Does anyone believe that any Atlasian would ever create news to better their bills or positions on the Senate.  No one here is that unethical.  I am disappointed that anyone believes there would ever even be an issue of that happening since everyone here has good ethics and the President has the right to immediately dismiss GMs if they are determined to be biased or unethical.  This is a non-issue.

The "How dare you wuestion my morals" defense is, quite frankly, not reassuring.

The conflict of interest exists, regardless of how good a person you are.

[The Duke]

I pose this question to all of you who are afraid on the GM(s) being in the Senate or in other positions.  Does anyone believe that any Atlasian would ever create news to better their bills or positions on the Senate.  No one here is that unethical.  I am disappointed that anyone believes there would ever even be an issue of that happening since everyone here has good ethics and the President has the right to immediately dismiss GMs if they are determined to be biased or unethical.  This is a non-issue.

The "How dare you wuestion my morals" defense is, quite frankly, not reassuring.

The conflict of interest exists, regardless of how good a person you are.

I was not saying you should not "wuestion" my morals.  I said that there was no need to fear a conflict of interest.  We have each other as well as the President to check us.  The only conflict I could forsee if the President took over since he is the overseer.  If there is an overseer, Mr. Ford, then unless you expect that person to also have no ethics there is no problem.  Why don't you actually say something with some merit?

This raises a brand new cause for concern.  You are supposed to be objective to be GM, yet you can't carry on a conversation without making things personal or throwing around insults.  This isn't the kind of thing that will earn people's trust.

As for ethics and morality, you were the one that brought that up, not me.  You said that you were ethical, that in fact we are all ethical people here, and therefore there is no cause for concern about conflict of interest.  I don't think that defense is good enough, and never before in Atlasia has anyone thought that this defense was good enough.  Whether you are a good person or not is irrelevant, all that matters is the existence of a conflict of interest.

That conflict exists, and it shouldn't be allowed.

[The Duke]

I argue that the GM is not a member of the executive branch because its term does not begin or end in cycle with the President, Vice-President, and cabinet.  A new President, for example, does not mean a new GM.  A GM has also never had to be confirmed by the Senate, a precedent that has been affirmed over and over.

Most employees of the executive branch are career government servants whose term of office does not begin and end with each administration.

[The Duke]

I argue that the GM is not a member of the executive branch because its term does not begin or end in cycle with the President, Vice-President, and cabinet.  A new President, for example, does not mean a new GM.  A GM has also never had to be confirmed by the Senate, a precedent that has been affirmed over and over.

Most employees of the executive branch are career government servants whose term of office does not begin and end with each administration.

Those aren't high level like GMs.

You missed the point entirely.

Ebowed said the GM is not part of the executive simply because the term of the GM is not four months.

I pointed out that most employees of the executive do not have a term of four months.  Ebowed',s claim is, therefore, a non-starter.

[The Duke]

I argue that the GM is not a member of the executive branch because its term does not begin or end in cycle with the President, Vice-President, and cabinet.  A new President, for example, does not mean a new GM.  A GM has also never had to be confirmed by the Senate, a precedent that has been affirmed over and over.

Most employees of the executive branch are career government servants whose term of office does not begin and end with each administration.

So the GM is part of the Civil Service?

I didn't say that.  All I said was that him not having a set term does not preclude him from being in the executive branch.

I actually don't consider the GM part of the executive branch, I simply thought that part of Ebowed',s reasoning to be suspect.