SENATE BILL: Party Affiliation Equality Act (Failed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor: Spiral

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The sponsor has 24 hours to start advocating for this.

[PPT Spiral]

I think it's the case all too often in real life and possibly in Atlasia as well that people go to the voting booth, not entirely informed about where candidates stand on specific things, and find the name of the party they associate with and go with that person. I'd like to change that so it doesn't happen. This proposal would get rid of explicitly labeling candidates by party in federal elections. Ultimately, this is about taking the initiative so that our voters can try to become more knowledgeable on their elections, and so we reduce the power of partisanship.

[tmthforu94]

The political parties play such a key role in keeping this game together, which makes me hesitant to weaken them so much. I will certainly be watching this debate unfold, however.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

A voice from the gallery notes that the parties were here before anything else.

[PPT Spiral]

The political parties play such a key role in keeping this game together, which makes me hesitant to weaken them so much. I will certainly be watching this debate unfold, however.

The parties wouldn't be significantly weakened the way you're thinking of it. By all measures, they still freely exist, they field their candidates, they rally their troops, and candidates would still be affiliated with the party of their choosing as a citizen and in office. I don't see it as essential to recognize the party differences on the ballot, however, because if we assume that the people motivated enough to vote have a good idea of where their choices stand on the issues, then what is the justification for labeling by party outright given everything else I just stated?

I'd also like to make a point to those who sympathize with regional rights that this standard would only apply to federal elections. The regions would still be as free as ever to decide whether or not they acknowledge parties. Currently, the Mideast does not for Assembly elections as one example, although the Northeast does.

[TNF]

I am opposed to this act. Parties deserve recognition on our ballots.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am rather undecided on this at the moment. As to the proposed benefits are we certain this would have the effect stated or would it just be the case that people rely more heavily on instructions provided to them by machine bosses?

[bore]

The zombies, the sort of people this bill is aimed against, only go into the booth on the account of a PM telling them who to vote for. Basically their mind is made up before they see the ballot.

Just a side note, very few people actually copy out the SOFE's ballot and put in their preferences- most just write out who they want to vote for- so even the listing on the ballot isn't that important.

[tmthforu94]

With all due respect to the sponsor, both of this amendment and several others, I think we are spending too much time in this chamber discussing constitutional amendments that will have little or no impact on Atlasia.

[TNF]

With all due respect to the sponsor, both of this amendment and several others, I think we are spending too much time in this chamber discussing constitutional amendments that will have little or no impact on Atlasia.

Yeah, we should debate important things, like destroying the public education system with vouchers, or clones.

[Maxwell]

I agree with the intent of this amendment, but I'm not sure I can support this.

[tmthforu94]

With all due respect to the sponsor, both of this amendment and several others, I think we are spending too much time in this chamber discussing constitutional amendments that will have little or no impact on Atlasia.

Yeah, we should debate important things, like destroying the public education system with vouchers, or clones.

Don't you have something better to do? Your little act of attacking me at every point possible has gone stale.

[TNF]

With all due respect to the sponsor, both of this amendment and several others, I think we are spending too much time in this chamber discussing constitutional amendments that will have little or no impact on Atlasia.

Yeah, we should debate important things, like destroying the public education system with vouchers, or clones.

Don't you have something better to do? Your little act of attacking me at every point possible has gone stale.

Your little act of pretending to be the avatar of all that is good and right in this game went stale a long, long time ago buddy.

[tmthforu94]

With all due respect to the sponsor, both of this amendment and several others, I think we are spending too much time in this chamber discussing constitutional amendments that will have little or no impact on Atlasia.

Yeah, we should debate important things, like destroying the public education system with vouchers, or clones.

Don't you have something better to do? Your little act of attacking me at every point possible has gone stale.

Your little act of pretending to be the avatar of all that is good and right in this game went stale a long, long time ago buddy.

Good Dave you're arrogant. Seriously, find a new hobby. No one finds you amusing. You could provide a lot of good to this game if you actually acted in a respectful way.

[Napoleon]

TNF, get a life. Thanks.

[Хahar 🤔]

This is an imaginary deliberative body, so demands to "get a life" fall rather flat.

[PJ]

I've lost all faith in the senate.

[Flake]

Instead of attacking each other, lets talk about the bill at hand.

Now I'm undecided because I think all parties should be represented, but it also offers the chance for candidates to make a pitch for their votes, not their party.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I've lost all faith in the senate.

The Senate as an institution seems to have become a respository for anger at the actions of its members yet everything it does is a reflection of the cumulative actions on the part of all ten of its members. Since they are elected as individuals, perhaps it would be more effective in terms of correcting that, to focus such accordingly.

The average approval for the Senators is 68%, with a wide gulf between the bottom three and the other seven (who are at 70% and up), yet the institution itself is at 33%.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Instead of attacking each other, lets talk about the bill at hand.

Now I'm undecided because I think all parties should be represented, but it also offers the chance for candidates to make a pitch for their votes, not their party.

I think bore makes a good point though. The less activies, the ones most prone to be party oriented, rarely copy and paste the ballot and instead just put the candidates down minus the labels anyways.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Some numbers on the matter from the last election or two could help also.

[President Tyrion]

I am entirely undecided on this amendment at the moment. I guess I would err on the side of the status quo in such a case, but I could be swayed fully one way or another.

[PJ]

I've lost all faith in the senate.

The Senate as an institution seems to have become a respository for anger at the actions of its members yet everything it does is a reflection of the cumulative actions on the part of all ten of its members. Since they are elected as individuals, perhaps it would be more effective in terms of correcting that, to focus such accordingly.

The average approval for the Senators is 68%, with a wide gulf between the bottom three and the other seven (who are at 70% and up), yet the institution itself is at 33%.

Apologies, I was mad at a certain group of senators who are in the minority of this body.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I've lost all faith in the senate.

The Senate as an institution seems to have become a respository for anger at the actions of its members yet everything it does is a reflection of the cumulative actions on the part of all ten of its members. Since they are elected as individuals, perhaps it would be more effective in terms of correcting that, to focus such accordingly.

The average approval for the Senators is 68%, with a wide gulf between the bottom three and the other seven (who are at 70% and up), yet the institution itself is at 33%.

Apologies, I was mad at a certain group of senators who are in the minority of this body.

Apologies are not in order, man. What is needed is tactical reflection. We want the Senate to be something iti s not, "is our current approach best for that or should we find a more effective means to do it?"