Mideast Assembly Thread

[Badger]

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This on the other hand is something I'm more than willing to support. I've often thought that two months is a too short time period to actually get much done, and that the time might be increased to three months instead.

I do disagree with you though that more seats will mean more candidates. There have been times when even getting three people to run has been quite hard in the assembly's history. So even if those seats were easy to obtain, there still weren't a lot of candidates.

Let me also point out, my friend, that the Mideast has undergone a huge growth in registered voters since just before the last assembly election. I really don't think we'll have any problem finding sufficient quality candidates from that number (consider Giovanni who's now running as an example). I think we should take into account the large population growth the region's undergone in determining the size of our assembly. A growth from 3 to 5 merely reflects that growth, to say nothing in the growth in interest in the regional government.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

I call for a vote on this bill, as there has been no debate for 24 hours, and we all seem to agree on it.

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 ... as well as this bill.

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Although I'm not too fond (not that I'm overly opposed either) of the bill, there seem to be a strong support for this among the Mideast citizens, so I think the best we could do is send this to the voters streight away for their judgment. It needs to be done before November elections after all.

[HappyWarrior]

I would advise againest expanding the Assembly.  Having 3 members I think is perfectly appropriate.  I think having 5 would make it so that there would be virtually no competition for seats.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.  The Amendment contains both the old and new language (it says "three" and "five" as well as "unanimous" and "two-thirds").  Also, I would recommend that the pointless fraction of 2/3 not be used when we have 5 members.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.  The Amendment contains both the old and new language (it says "three" and "five" as well as "unanimous" and "two-thirds").  Also, I would recommend that the pointless fraction of 2/3 not be used when we have 5 members.

Sorry about that. It has now been fixed.

4/5 would probably be a better way of expressing it, but 2/3 means the same thing technically, so I personally see no great need to change it.

[big bad fab]

I call for a vote on this bill, as there has been no debate for 24 hours, and we all seem to agree on it.

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 ... as well as this bill.

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AYE

and

AYE

Thnak you, Mr. Speaker for such a fair management of our debates and a swift decision on each of these bills.

[Badger]

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.  The Amendment contains both the old and new language (it says "three" and "five" as well as "unanimous" and "two-thirds").  Also, I would recommend that the pointless fraction of 2/3 not be used when we have 5 members.

Sorry about that. It has now been fixed.

4/5 would probably be a better way of expressing it, but 2/3 means the same thing technically, so I personally see no great need to change it.

Point taken, Governor, but I used the 2/3 margin as a precedent to set in case the assembly is ever further expanded in the far off future (which I am certainly not advocating). For point of reference, I readily stipulate that a vote of 4 of 5 Assembly members would be required to override a veto.

[Badger]

I call for a vote on this bill, as there has been no debate for 24 hours, and we all seem to agree on it.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

 ... as well as this bill.

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AYE

and

AYE

Thnak you, Mr. Speaker for such a fair management of our debates and a swift decision on each of these bills.

Ditto (aye)

Ditto (Aye)

and Ditto re: SC's term as Speaker.

One last note to SC, Hap and other skeptics about expanding the Assembly. While we may disagree about whether the Mideast is ready to take on expanded activity in regional government--Fab, I and others obviously agree it is---there's certainly no harm in giving an expanded assembly a try. If it turns out not to work--not enough interested parties or whatever--we can reverse the change and go back to three members next session. I strongly suspect that that will not be necessary as the expanded assembly will work quite well. :-)

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

 
Aye on the Public Procurment Policy Bill.

Abstain on the Amendment.


  The Ayes have it on both proposlas. Inks, you know what to do

EDIT: I'd suggest we give the other two constitutional amendments priority so that they may be put on the same ballot as this amendment, if passed.





 

[HappyWarrior]

I once again must object to any effort at expanding our assembly for the same reason as before.

[tmthforu94]

I once again must object to any effort at expanding our assembly for the same reason as before.

How would you feel about 4 instead?

[Badger]

I once again must object to any effort at expanding our assembly for the same reason as before.

How would you feel about 4 instead?

I know the question wasn't posed to me, but FWIW I would oppose any even number of legislators as it makes the liklihood of a tie vote go up dramatically.

[tmthforu94]

I know the question wasn't posed to me, but FWIW I would oppose any even number of legislators as it makes the liklihood of a tie vote go up dramatically.

Well...
*clears throat*
Then it would be a great time to bring back the Lt. Governor position. The Lt. Governor can break ties. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

[Badger]

I know the question wasn't posed to me, but FWIW I would oppose any even number of legislators as it makes the liklihood of a tie vote go up dramatically.

Well...
*clears throat*
Then it would be a great time to bring back the Lt. Governor position. The Lt. Governor can break ties. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

I would not like to put that much power over assembly results into the executive branch, even if elected separately from the governor. It's one thing to risk the occassional tie in a 100 person senate, but quite another in a legislative body of only 4 or 6. I think 5 will still work just as well as 4 without the increased risk of repeated tievotes.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

I know the question wasn't posed to me, but FWIW I would oppose any even number of legislators as it makes the liklihood of a tie vote go up dramatically.

Well...
*clears throat*
Then it would be a great time to bring back the Lt. Governor position. The Lt. Governor can break ties. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Not really. Those who oppose the Lt. Gov position, do so because it's just another office to fill, and 4 Assemblymen + 1 Lt. Governor is as many as 5 Assemblymen.  

[tmthforu94]

I know the question wasn't posed to me, but FWIW I would oppose any even number of legislators as it makes the liklihood of a tie vote go up dramatically.

Well...
*clears throat*
Then it would be a great time to bring back the Lt. Governor position. The Lt. Governor can break ties. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

I would not like to put that much power over assembly results into the executive branch, even if elected separately from the governor. It's one thing to risk the occassional tie in a 100 person senate, but quite another in a legislative body of only 4 or 6. I think 5 will still work just as well as 4 without the increased risk of repeated tievotes.

How many close votes have there even been in recent sessions? It would rarely happen, and if it did, the person who breaks the tie would be someone elected by the people to serve that cause.

[tmthforu94]

I know the question wasn't posed to me, but FWIW I would oppose any even number of legislators as it makes the liklihood of a tie vote go up dramatically.

Well...
*clears throat*
Then it would be a great time to bring back the Lt. Governor position. The Lt. Governor can break ties. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Not really. Those who oppose the Lt. Gov position, do so because it's just another office to fill, and 4 Assemblymen + 1 Lt. Governor is as many as 5 Assemblymen.  

But Assembly elections would be more competitive with only 4 in, since the Lt. Governor position would be tacked on with the Governor position.

[HappyWarrior]

I know almost all of you guys were'nt around then but when it existed the Lt. Governor position was worthless and having four assemblyman is just useless in my opinion.  I totally support the current status quo, there does'nt really seem to be a problem and I think adding more positions will just increase the number of uncompetative races in the region.

[Badger]

FWIW: I tend to agree with Fab and SC about expanded the Assembly terms to 3 months. What if we to combine these two and look at expanding the Assembly to 5 seats to serve for 3 months each? I'm not sure these should be subject to separate votes when they both directly relate to reforming the Assembly.

[big bad fab]

FWIW: I tend to agree with Fab and SC about expanded the Assembly terms to 3 months. What if we to combine these two and look at expanding the Assembly to 5 seats to serve for 3 months each? I'm not sure these should be subject to separate votes when they both directly relate to reforming the Assembly.

I'm not so sure about only one vote on the 2 proposals.
Each one taken separately is a really good one.
But I wouldn't take the risk to lose on both of them because of opposition to only one among our fellow citizens.
So, I agree on a simultaneous vote, but not on only one vote.

[Purple State]

FWIW: I tend to agree with Fab and SC about expanded the Assembly terms to 3 months. What if we to combine these two and look at expanding the Assembly to 5 seats to serve for 3 months each? I'm not sure these should be subject to separate votes when they both directly relate to reforming the Assembly.

I'm not a big fan of extending regional term limits for two reasons. First, the shorter terms allow for newer members to get involved quickly, which is, in my opinion, the primary purpose of the regional legislatures. There also happens to be very high turnover in the regional seats, especially to higher offices which leaves a vacancy to be filled by the Governor. I would like there to be relatively frequent elections to ensure that appointments get voted on sooner rather than later.

[Badger]

FWIW: I tend to agree with Fab and SC about expanded the Assembly terms to 3 months. What if we to combine these two and look at expanding the Assembly to 5 seats to serve for 3 months each? I'm not sure these should be subject to separate votes when they both directly relate to reforming the Assembly.

I'm not so sure about only one vote on the 2 proposals.
Each one taken separately is a really good one.
But I wouldn't take the risk to lose on both of them because of opposition to only one among our fellow citizens.
So, I agree on a simultaneous vote, but not on only one vote.

That seems reasonable.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You could always hold by-elections to fill any spare seats. Increasing the size of the Assembly makes a degree of sense, I suppose. Not so sure about extending the length of terms though.

[Purple State]

Message from the Office of the GM

Honorable Members of the Mideast Assembly,

The office of the GM has just reported that the Mideast region has the highest unemployment in Atlasia, as well as the fastest-growing regional unemployment. I would recommend economic legislation along the lines of previous GM analyses in order to save the region from economic collapse.

~PS

I haven't forgotten, Mr. GM. On my short to-do list I promise. ;-)

C'mon, c'mon...

[Badger]

Message from the Office of the GM

Honorable Members of the Mideast Assembly,

The office of the GM has just reported that the Mideast region has the highest unemployment in Atlasia, as well as the fastest-growing regional unemployment. I would recommend economic legislation along the lines of previous GM analyses in order to save the region from economic collapse.

~PS

I haven't forgotten, Mr. GM. On my short to-do list I promise. ;-)

C'mon, c'mon...

<laugh> funny you should menton this. Without revealing PM contents within the last 24 hours, suffice to say it's coming very soon. ;-)