Northeast Assembly Thread

[Antonio the Sixth]

I don't support your Amendment, Hamilton, since it is useless and likely unconstitutionnal. I think most of my fellow Reps think like me.

No, see. Your legislation here is useless. My amendment creates a policy that attempts to relieve the burdens of inactive voters. Without my provision, this legislation is hollow and pointless.

"Inactive voters" are not the problem. The problem is not who doesn't vote, but who votes even though he doesn't care at all of Atlasia. Your idea doesn't solve anything, solves a problem that isn't one, and is just a pretext.
And you perfectly know all that.

I don't get how you could be so concerned with this and still remain in the JCP. If you want to take a stand on this, you need to be the change you seek.

This is not the right thread to start again a personal controversy as you are used to. I would answer very easily to this but we represent the Northeast and now need to vote on a text, as specified in the SOAP.

Are the Governor, the President, the CJO or the Speaker around here ?

[Alexander Hamilton]

I don't support your Amendment, Hamilton, since it is useless and likely unconstitutionnal. I think most of my fellow Reps think like me.

No, see. Your legislation here is useless. My amendment creates a policy that attempts to relieve the burdens of inactive voters. Without my provision, this legislation is hollow and pointless.

"Inactive voters" are not the problem. The problem is not who doesn't vote, but who votes even though he doesn't care at all of Atlasia. Your idea doesn't solve anything, solves a problem that isn't one, and is just a pretext.
And you perfectly know all that.

I don't get how you could be so concerned with this and still remain in the JCP. If you want to take a stand on this, you need to be the change you seek.

This is not the right thread to start again a personal controversy as you are used to. I would answer very easily to this but we represent the Northeast and now need to vote on a text, as specified in the SOAP.

It takes 5 seconds to change your registration to Independent.

[Barnes]

I open up a final vote on this Initiative. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain. Voting lasts twenty-four hours. (I will not be here tomorrow, so, Smid is in charge on Friday.)

Northeast initiative for ethics in voting

Whereas
- The action of asking people that absolutely don't take part in Atlasian politics to vote for one candidate in order to serve one person's political interest is a clear threat for democracy.
- Recent events permitted to put on light how common said practices have become.
- Northeast Region is particularly concerned by said practices.
- The absence of specific legislation on this domain at the federal level is the main cause of said practices.

The Northeast Legislative Assembly states that:
- The Northeast Region officially urges the Senate to pass a law that will restrict voting rights to people who really take part in Atlasia outside voting booths.

[Alexander Hamilton]

Nay

Unless you A) support issue knowledge tests in order to vote in real life or B) want people to SPAM this board, there is no reason to support this.

[Dr. Cynic]

It's far from perfect, but it's a start.

Aye

[Antonio the Sixth]

Aye, though it's quite weak.

[cinyc]

Nay

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Nay. I don't like zombie voters, but I like even less the idea of cleansing Atlasia of it's more casual residents in favor of those we deem "more worthy" via activity.

Likely, I'd have been considered a zombie at some point following my presidency when I went into inactivity (save for my regular general election voting record).

[Smid]

Nay.

I fear that this would not prevent zombie voters, merely encourage them to make irrelevant posts on this board. They do enough damage by voting... getting them to "contribute" to the board when such contributions would be meaningless, is only compounding their influence.

[Smid]

There being two votes in favour and four votes against, the question is resolved in the negative.

[Smid]

The next Bill, I believe, is:

Reasonable Amending Procedure Amendment

1. Article VII of the New Northeast Constitution is hereby repealed. Its content shall be replaced by the following.
2. This constitution may be changed, altered, modified or amended if all of the following methods are met:
i) An affirmative vote of two thirds of voting (either in the affirmative or in the negative) members Legislative Assembly of the Northeast Region.
ii) An affirmative vote of majority of all members of the Legislative Assembly, voting, abstaining and absent members combined.
iii) Approval of the Governor in the form of his consent.
3. Any Citizen of the Northeast Region shall be allowed to create a petition to repeal a Constitutional Amendment that previously passed. If three Northeast Citizens sign this petition, a polling booth shall be created by the Chief Judicial Officer of the Northeast Region at 12:00:00am Eastern Standard Time of the Friday following the petition's creation. The voters shall vote "aye" if they favor repealing or "nay" if they oppose it. If more than one third of the voters votes "aye", the Amendment shall be repealed. The same Amendment shall not be put on vote by this procedure more than once in 180 days.

The question is:

That - The Bill be considered. All of that opinion say "Aye," to the contrary "no." I believe the Ayes have it.

The Proposer, Antonio V, has the floor.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Fellow Representatives,

The power for people to control the Amendment proposals is an essential element of our constitution, and the goal of this Amendment is absolutely not to harm this principle.
Now, the establishment of an elected Assembly, added with the adoption of a bad Amendment concerning this issue, made the current Amending procedure particularly long, complicated, and difficult. That's why I am proposing this Amendment. Today, to pass an Amendment, we first need to reach a 2/3th majority, then the approval of governor. But after that, we still need to wait for 4 months, and the next gubernatorial election, to make it finally so. And the only way for an Amendment to go though all this is to get an absolute majority of all the registered voters, which is far from being easy... Concretely, it is almost impossible to modify our constitution without a quasi-unanimous approval, and that's not fair. It's important that for Amendments proposed to be consensual and moderate, but an Amendment should not fail only because of the lack of concern of voters.
To the contrary, with the system I propose, if a strong minority of citizens refuse an Amendment and mobilize themselves, they still can repeal it. But the refusal is only made a posteriori, with a possibility of seeing how it works before rejecting it. To say it simply, this Amendment is as democratic as the preceding, but more efficient.

I'm sure we can pass it and therefore definitely put an end to this series of constitutionnal reforms in order to make the system work better.

[cinyc]

I have no problem allowing for a vote of the people on Constitutional Amendments more frequently - either with the Assembly elections or once a month - or even lowering the ratification standards a bit.  I do have a problem with Constitutional Amendments becoming law without a vote of the people.  The Constitution ought not to be changed without a vote of the people.  If the proposed amendment passes, the Assembly could in theory cut the people out by passing an amendment removing the ability for the people to protest.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I have no problem allowing for a vote of the people on Constitutional Amendments more frequently - either with the Assembly elections or once a month - or even lowering the ratification standards a bit.  I do have a problem with Constitutional Amendments becoming law without a vote of the people.  The Constitution ought not to be changed without a vote of the people.  If the proposed amendment passes, the Assembly could in theory cut the people out by passing an amendment removing the ability for the people to protest.

I admit that I probably neglected this problem (though the risk of such thing happening is very low), and would have no problem with a friendly Amendment modifying it. Here are my two greatest concerns :
- Removing any turnout requirement, which is terribly unfair and favors immobilism.
- Making votes on the Amendments occur, say, not more than one month after it passed in the Assembly.

If these two things will be guaranteed, I shall accept anything.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Mr. Speaker

I hear by resign my office as Northeastern Representative, effective immediately. Due to my lack of interest in the office, combined with my attentions largely focusing on outside interests, mostly schooling this was an easy decision for me to make.

Good and Good Luck in the days ahead.

Rocky

[Barnes]

Mr. Speaker

I hear by resign my office as Northeastern Representative, effective immediately. Due to my lack of interest in the office, combined with my attentions largely focusing on outside interests, mostly schooling this was an easy decision for me to make.

Good and Good Luck in the days ahead.

Rocky

Thank you for your service, Representative.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Thank you for your service, Representative.

While I do thank you Lieutenant Governor for your kind words I personally doubt you should be thanking me. If anything, I was one of this Assembly's least active representatives who, I believe voted on only one piece of legislation. Regardless, this Assembly at least shall be much more active without my lingering presence.

[AndrewTX]

Mr. Speaker

I hear by resign my office as Northeastern Representative, effective immediately. Due to my lack of interest in the office, combined with my attentions largely focusing on outside interests, mostly schooling this was an easy decision for me to make.

Good and Good Luck in the days ahead.

Rocky

I'm very sad to see you leaving the Assembly Conor, we will miss you. With that in mind, I plan on announcing someone to take the seat first thing Monday morning. Please contact me if you are intersted, those who have already contacted me dont worry, I have your names already.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Mr. Speaker

I hear by resign my office as Northeastern Representative, effective immediately. Due to my lack of interest in the office, combined with my attentions largely focusing on outside interests, mostly schooling this was an easy decision for me to make.

Good and Good Luck in the days ahead.

Rocky

Well, you took the right decision. According to the constitution, you should already have been ousted.

With that in mind, I plan on announcing someone to take the seat first thing Monday morning. Please contact me if you are intersted, those who have already contacted me dont worry, I have your names already.

If he didn't already do, I'd like to suggest NewDealDem. Since Rocky was a JCPer, and that without him I'm now the only one, this will mantain the current balance.

[Barnes]

As I see no Amendments have been proposed, and the alloted forty-eight debate period has expired, I open up a final vote on this Bill. Voting lasts twenty-four hours, Vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

Reasonable Amending Procedure Amendment

1. Article VII of the New Northeast Constitution is hereby repealed. Its content shall be replaced by the following.
2. This constitution may be changed, altered, modified or amended if all of the following methods are met:
i) An affirmative vote of two thirds of voting (either in the affirmative or in the negative) members Legislative Assembly of the Northeast Region.
ii) An affirmative vote of majority of all members of the Legislative Assembly, voting, abstaining and absent members combined.
iii) Approval of the Governor in the form of his consent.
3. Any Citizen of the Northeast Region shall be allowed to create a petition to repeal a Constitutional Amendment that previously passed. If three Northeast Citizens sign this petition, a polling booth shall be created by the Chief Judicial Officer of the Northeast Region at 12:00:00am Eastern Standard Time of the Friday following the petition's creation. The voters shall vote "aye" if they favor repealing or "nay" if they oppose it. If more than one third of the voters votes "aye", the Amendment shall be repealed. The same Amendment shall not be put on vote by this procedure more than once in 180 days.

 

[Dr. Cynic]

Aye

[cinyc]

Nay, in its present form.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I  had no time to re-write it myself, but this is still better than the current situation.

Aye

[fezzyfestoon]

Aye

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I really can't support an amendment process that circumvents the voters.  The current process stinks, but this new one is just introducing even more problems.

Nay.