SPECIAL REPORT
An Insider's Look: Voices from Inside the Constitutional Convention
Note: this report is much delayed, some comments may be outdated and/or already addressed."Essentially, I'd like to express my complete annoyance at the behavior of the so called "secessionists", sending amendment after amendment and causing girdlock just because they didn't get what they wanted in the first vote. If anything, acting like that does not help the Constitutional Convention at all, especially when it's clear seccession does not work nor does it have a concrete purpose in Atlasia."
-a devoted Unionist
"We need 4 regions, not 3."
-Anonymous
"I feel that the convention was at a rocky start, but we are still working through it, and I still have hope it will be a success. I am a little chagrined at the failing of my bill on regions, as I feel it was a sensible compromise. Especially for those who were against my amendment, who then had no alternative of their own. But you win some, you lose some. I will be proposing new amendments soon, that I feel will help get this convention going. "
-NeverAgain
"I should have provided more context. There is definitely a need to crush the concept of spamming amendments just because the idea is unpopular within the convention; this is on the verge of being abused right now and somebody has to put a stop to it. I'm not going to submit 5 different renditions of an amendment that I'd like to see in there just because they keep failing.
We also need a way to violently and forcibly remove from the premises anyone who is disrupting the process in an illegitimate fashion. For once, I might be amenable to the court holding people in contempt who are just there to cause a ruckus, but that's probably not legal (...or is it!?).
There are too many threads open at the moment; it is difficult to follow anything. I think engagement is lower because of that. We need to reign that in and make sure that no more than 2 or 3 subjects are on the table at any given time. The other threads could be locked until a future date/once all of this is resolved.
Some executive action needs to take place from the leader; I've always been of the persuasion that if law/by-laws/etc doesn't explicitly say that you can't do something, then you can do it."
-President-elect Adam Griffin
"There are too many things going on at once - threads are starting to run together a bit and it's hard to figure out what exactly is going on. People will start losing interest as it becomes more convoluted. We need to start making big decisions - this whole thing should be done by the end of October, and I don't think we are ANYWHERE close."
-Anonymous
"Right now it feels like there is no progress being made. We're voting on the same amendment over and over and whenever is presiding over the convention isn't using their power to block amendments dealing with the same issue. It's very inefficient and frustrating. "
-Anonymous
"Currently under the most discussion is the right to secede from Atlasia, right now we have those in favor of allowing it, and then those dead set against it. It's somewhat split in slight favor of those against the right to secede. I am one of those dissenters in favor of the right to secede, I believe it is important to understand that it is the right of citizens and groups to leave Atlasia, as that is what this country was founded on. While I would be perfectly fine with making it difficult to secede, I believe it is important that we maintain this right. That is the most divisive issue going on right now. Other issues like consolidation are much more easily figured out, and can often be solved fairly simply. But as this is determining a right, it is a very tough issue to put through. So that is where we are at right now in the convention."
-BMotley
"Failure to allow succession for regions will stop and, eventually, bring down the Convention. Failure to allow the democratic right of people to have self determination would show that the right wingers are scared of succession occurring.
The Northeast is set to vote on independence from Atlasia - failure to recognise the democratic result will bring the country down. The Atlasian Government will not be able to operate in the Northeast - should a majority of people want independence. It could lead to a unilateral declaration of independence and that would be to the hindrance of both Atlasia and the Northeast.
The actions of the right wingers in the Convention is moving people towards the idea of independence; the Northeast will punish the them for their actions."
-Anonymous
"I think that the Convention could be worse, but could be better. One thing I'm glad about is that I didn't want to be presiding officer--remember, everyone and their regional speaker was nominating me, and I kind of stepped aside for Cris or Truman. Now, I don't think Cris has done a bad job (dammit, Jim, he's a presiding officer, not a miracle worker!) but lots of people are pointing their criticism towards him. Glad I dodged that bullet!
Now, another thing is that the votes seem too...political. The vote on whether or not to confirm the unalienable right to self-determination, for example, seems to be mirroring the Northeastern Independence Movement too much.
The future of Atlasia is at stake. I understand that we don't want it to take too long, but the idea that we need to rush through everything is an alarming one."
-Leinad
