Voting System Reform Bill

[Emsworth]

The Ayes are 2, the Noes are 4. The Wixted Amendment fails.

[Colin]

I would like to propose another amendment to Section 1 if you deem it not frivolous.

[Emsworth]

I would like to propose another amendment to Section 1 if you deem it not frivolous.

A ruling would depend on the text of the amendment.

[Colin]

Before I actually write this thing, which I will do tomorrow I just want to run a few ideas thru with the Senators. What is the largest size commission that you would support? Would you support an "election" of the Senatorial representation, basically Senators would state whether they want to be on this commission and then the Senators either approve of the motion for that person to be put on the commission or disapprove of the said motion?

You may think this is stupid and such but their is something inside of me that inherently doesn't like the PPT unilaterally appointing people to the commission.

[MHS2002]

I voted to keep the current version for a couple of reasons:

I felt that your commission size was a little too big to get anything accomplished, plus I like having more non-elected officials in the commission, as I really don't like the thought of having elected officials decide what electoral system we should have.

To answer your question, I think the largest size commission we should have is 10, with at least 2 or 3 not holding an elected office.

[Sam Spade]

To answer your question, I think the largest size commission we should have is 10, with at least 2 or 3 not holding an elected office.

I would be fine with this.  I second Colin's rationale, however.

[Peter]

FuturePrez is assumed to be absent.

On what basis?

[Emsworth]

FuturePrez is assumed to be absent.

On what basis?

I have decided to assume that a Senator who goes missing for a significant period of time without leaving an explanation shall be deemed to be absent.

[Colin]

I have a second amendment to Section 1 to put forward:

1. The Administration and Senate will jointly form a Commission, that will address the issue of reforming the voting system.

2. This said commission will be composed of:
       A) Four Senators who will be chosen by the entirity of the Senate to serve on the commission; one of the said Senators must be the current sitting President Pro Tempore of the Senate,
       B) The Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Forum Affairs,
       C) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,
       D) Two Atlasian citizens who currently do not hold any of the above included positions both of whom will be nominated by the President with the consent of the Senate President Pro Tempore.

3. Commission members may vote at any time to add more members to the commission or to expel commission members as they deem necessary.

4. The members of the Commission will decide among themselves who will chair the Commission, by any means they see fit.


I also have a small change to Section 2:

1. The Commission will discuss any and all systems of voting that they feel would be appropriate for use in Atlasian federal elections, including the current system of preferential voting.

2. The Commission will have the right to call before it any member of Atlasia to produce testimony before this said Commission. The Commission will set procedure for calling Atlasians to tesify as well as questioning procedures.

3. The Commission may conduct these discussions in any way that they see fit.

 

[The Dowager Mod]

Still too much power to the ones who have the most to lose.

[Colin]

Still too much power to the ones who have the most to lose.

What's that supposed to mean? What is your opinion on the how this commission should be made up? What do you believe would be the best breakdown?

[The Dowager Mod]

2 senators
2 citicenze
2 judges
2 executive

[Colin]

Well I have changed my new amendment slightly. It now only has 4 Senators while the original amendment had 5. I would now also like to say that the commission should have an open questioning time where anyone can question people brought before the commission, the questioners could include Senators, Governors, Judges etc.

[MHS2002]

Colin's amendment looks fine to me.

[Peter]

The principal problems I can see arising:

The larger the Commission itself is, the more we are not going to be able to publish one report that is the work of the entire Commission. The only other Commission (on Diplomatic Relations) had only two persons and thus the final reports were not too diverse. A commission with upwards of ~5 members is going to produce multiple reports I suspect. Whether this is good or bad is not for me to decide.

Senator Wixted earlier proposed placing the entire Senate on the Commission. Fortunately the Senate wholeheartedly rejected this notion: To think that all 10 Senators will take full part in the Commission is out there with the canaries. What we need here is not for the Commission to write legislation for the Senate (as the Senator seems to suggest) but to produce the respective pros and cons of each voting system in the Atlasian context in a digestible form for the Senate and Atlasia as a whole.

[Emsworth]

The question is on the Wixted Amendment. All those in favor, say Aye; those opposed, say No.

[MHS2002]

Aye, I suppose

[Sam Spade]

Aye.

[MasterJedi]

Nay  I still like it the way it is.

[Gabu]

Aye, although I'm not sure I like the provision that I'm required to be on the commission.  I don't have all the time in the world and am not really available at the right times if the commission wants to meet on AIM or something like that, although I obviously will do my best if I am placed on the commission.

[PBrunsel]

Aye, looks fine to me.

[Gabu]

With four in favor to one against, and with three absent, this amendment has passed.

[King]

Nay...no Aye...no Nay... no...uh....Aye

[Gabu]

Nay...no Aye...no Nay... no...uh....Aye

Three leadership conventions in one day?  That's a new record.

[Peter]

With four in favor to one against, and with three absent, this amendment has passed.

A quorum has failed to vote though, the measure must fail.