Mideast Constitutional Convention

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I support Peter

As of now, I WILL be counting that as a vote for Peter.  I just want to give you the opportunity to say otherwise if that's not the case.

Not till I leave office It's my support, not my vote. No votes cast remember

Right - I knew that - I forget crap.

[SPC]

Peter

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Voting is now closed.

Peter wins, receiving 6 votes.  Inks.LWC loses, receiving 0 votes.

Congratulations Peter!

[Peter]

I hereby assume the Chair. Later this evening I will begin constructing an outline of proceedings.

My Wiki Page will serve as a repositry for the present state of the Mideast Constitutional Convention.

The first order of our new business is to begin discussions of what changes in the Constitution are desired. As far as I can remember the following changes have been mooted:
1. Abolition of the role of Lt Gov. Speaker is 2nd in line, and assumes the Judge nominating responsibility.
2. A mechanism for the Governor to put Propositions to the People immediately, including any federal or regional constitutional amendments.
3. I would at least like a discussion of the present Amendment procedure.
4. I would also like to tidy language regarding the Assembly in the Constitution.

Please indicate if I have missed anything and feel free to discuss issues raised.

[Purple State]

We also need provisions for ties in elections.

Also, shortening the period between confirmation of a recall from 10 days to 7. There is no reason why a recall vote should have such a long period of time before it can go to vote.

[afleitch]

1. Abolition of the role of Lt Gov. Speaker is 2nd in line, and assumes the Judge nominating responsibility.

Given the order of business, would it suit the Convention for me to resign as Lt Governor Elect and leave the office vacant?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

1. Abolition of the role of Lt Gov. Speaker is 2nd in line, and assumes the Judge nominating responsibility.

Given the order of business, would it suit the Convention for me to resign as Lt Governor Elect and leave the office vacant?

My opinion on that would be no.  If you resign, I would have to appoint a replacement, and he'd be voted on in February.  True, we may have a new Constitution by that point making my replacement essentially useless, but then again, we may not have the new Convention by then.

I would like you to stay on as Lt. Governor; however, the choice IS up to you.

[Purple State]

1. Abolition of the role of Lt Gov. Speaker is 2nd in line, and assumes the Judge nominating responsibility.

Given the order of business, would it suit the Convention for me to resign as Lt Governor Elect and leave the office vacant?

I would think you could be better utilized with an appointment to the final assembly seat, personally. If you resign as Lt. Gov., Inks is not bound by a time frame to appoint a new one (as far as I can tell from the Constitution), allowing for a likely eliminated seat to remain vacant while you can help work on legislation.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

1. Abolition of the role of Lt Gov. Speaker is 2nd in line, and assumes the Judge nominating responsibility.

Given the order of business, would it suit the Convention for me to resign as Lt Governor Elect and leave the office vacant?

I would think you could be better utilized with an appointment to the final assembly seat, personally. If you resign as Lt. Gov., Inks is not bound by a time frame to appoint a new one (as far as I can tell from the Constitution), allowing for a likely eliminated seat to remain vacant while you can help work on legislation.

I'm not bound by a time frame, but I would make an apointment and I would bring that appointment up to be passed in Febraury.

[afleitch]

Can I also draw to the Conventions attention that there, if I reading this right, is nothing in the Constitution to bar one person from holding more than one office within the Mideast. This is not a statement for or against such a condition but I feel it should be honestly adressed. I don't think this is adressed in statute either.

[Hash]

Can I also draw to the Conventions attention that there, if I reading this right, is nothing in the Constitution to bar one person from holding more than one office within the Mideast. This is not a statement for or against such a condition but I feel it should be honestly adressed. I don't think this is adressed in statute either.

Agreed. Dual office-holding should be outlawed.

[SPC]

Can I also draw to the Conventions attention that there, if I reading this right, is nothing in the Constitution to bar one person from holding more than one office within the Mideast. This is not a statement for or against such a condition but I feel it should be honestly adressed. I don't think this is adressed in statute either.

Isn't that already prohibited in the federal Constitution, making such a provision redundant?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Can I also draw to the Conventions attention that there, if I reading this right, is nothing in the Constitution to bar one person from holding more than one office within the Mideast. This is not a statement for or against such a condition but I feel it should be honestly adressed. I don't think this is adressed in statute either.

Isn't that already prohibited in the federal Constitution, making such a provision redundant?

Yes, it is.

[Purple State]

So, where are we going from here?

[Peter]

I've written a draft of a new Constitution - here

Principal changes - a lot of reorganisation - the parts of the Constitution that used to reside in Gubernatorial Elections (I,2) but applied to all elections have been moved to Article IV.
Assembly language tidied and written in the style of the rest of the document. Assembly procedures made explicit, including need for the Speaker. Power of Governor to sign/veto now explicit. Exact procedures for regional constitutional amendments now hopefully clearer.
Lt Gov abolished. Speaker now second in line. The "extreme need" if Governor is inactive provisions have been changed to allow the Speaker to step in upon a vote of the Assembly.

Comments welcome

[afleitch]

I'm happy with it, especially the section dealing with legislation

I think a slight amendment at Article 1.2.2 to determine the recall procedure (other than 'accumulating the necessary support') would be helpful.

[Purple State]

So far so good. There is a slight blip in Art. 2 Sec. 2 Cl. 1, there is a mention of the Lt. Gov.

I also think Art. 3, Sec. 1, Cl. 3 should be clarified as to how the Assembly can "judge the qualifications of its members." Maybe explicitly state something like, "The Assembly shall have the power to accept or deny the seating of members by a majority vote."

Is there enough information on how Constitutional Amendments work? It just says how to present them. We also need to include how they pass, where they go, etc.

[HappyWarrior]

I'll agree with the earlier comments and simply plan to vote yes on the whole thing.

[Purple State]

I also would like to propose a change to the layout for the Superior Court. It seems to be an office in which little is done. I don't believe there is the need for a permanent position. As such, perhaps we should place the power in the hands of the Assembly to appoint a justice when needed. In the event of a conflict of interest the Governor will take the place of one of the Assembly members for choosing the justice. Maybe something like that.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

1. The phrases: No person shall be Governor who is not a registered voter resident in the Mideast Region. (Article I, Section 1, Clause 2) and

The Assembly shall be composed of three members, each of whom shall be resident in the Mideast Region. (III, 1, 2)

seem awkward- the word resident isn't being properly used.

2. Also, somewhere the number of Assembly members should be set down.  This should probably be laid out in the Constitution, in my opinion.

3. Why not make it so that III, 3, 1 reads "Propositions shall be proposed by the Governor after such legislation has failed in the Assembly.  Voting shall begin between midnight Eastern Standard Time on the first Thursday after the proposition failed in the Assembly and 0001 Eastern Standard Time on the first Friday thereafter, and shall conclude exactly 72 hours after beginning."  This way, we keep all elections consistent.

4. Since you said "he or she" in IV,2,1, I would say "he or she" instead of just "he" in IV,2,5.

5. I would apply #3 to VI,1,2, so that, again, we keep all elections consistent.

Other than those 5 things, it looks pretty good.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Did anybody else have any thoughts.

[Purple State]

Peter, could you show us what it would look like with the edits mentioned above?

Reminder: Presiding officer elections begin again tomorrow at noon. Peter, will you be running for reelection? Is there anyone that would like to throw their hat into the ring?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

If nobody else runs, I'll run.  So, I guess count me in for now.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Bump.  This should've opened today at noon.

Look, I know some of you have problems with me being Governor and chairing this process, but if nobody else is going to do it, I will.

I'm not saying that I want to do both - I'd love it if somebody else did, but it seems like I've been one of the only active peopl in here.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd do it, but I can't hold office.  I think Inks should Chair for now, and then we can find someone later.