Constitutional Convention PbP (MOD APPROVED)

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cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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hello I see you need a delegate from the New California Republic

I just went to a big party in one of the oldest cities in America: Santa Fe

let's do this poo poo

edit:

cat_herder fucked around with this message at 09:30 on Sep 3, 2016

# ¿ Sep 3, 2016 09:06

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 09:35

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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there's probably a few of those right-wing conservative states that I'm supposed to be representing, but between Colorado and New Mexico we may be able to handle them.

~~The temptation to throw huge gently caress-yous at the Bundy family is intense~~

# ¿ Sep 4, 2016 05:55

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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I'm ok with the military having a hand in disaster response. I'm already for nationalizing the police and ending the war on drugs in favor of legalization/evidence-based harm reduction.

Expanding public transportation, and rail in particular, is also a huge deal. Yes, it'll be expensive, but look at all the jobs it'll create.

the NCR is going to be a land-use and natural resources mess, so give me some time to read various state land management websites. I also encourage my constituents to talk about how land use affects them.

also also: Native American rights, and can we just give the tribes as much land as they want and then work around them?

(I'm trying to speed-read the treaties and will add my votes to those in a bit)

# ¿ Sep 5, 2016 02:07

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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Dr. Angela Ziegler posted:

Without 2 more yea's, Hawaii will not receive its full representation. Write your delegate now!

voting yes for this, so we can have an odd number of representatives. Honestly I'd like to smush Alaska in with them too, since they're also remote to the continental 48 and have similar concerns (mineral and land usage rights, marine law, Native American rights).

edit: can we at least enshrine a prohibition on deficit spending for wars?

# ¿ Sep 5, 2016 02:27

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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Quorum posted:

I concur with the point of the delegate from Libertopia (I assume??? I also am very bad at names to regions) that enshrining specific appropriations in the Constitution is a poor idea. If we wish to ensure the Congress, or whatever legislative body we establish, pays for trains, we can always use the nuclear option of constitutional law, which is of course the word Shall. Congress shall provide for the establishment, throughout the republic, a comprehensive, efficient, and affordable system of public transit (or something along those lines). Anything beyond that must be the domain of the people and their legislature however.

Pakled posted:

As a concerned citizen of Georgia, I think it would be wise for the Constitution to contain something to protect against gerrymandering. At the very least, some kind of clear criteria for redistricting so the Supreme Court can act against obvious gerrymandering.

yes please. Defining a citizen as a single individual human being would be good too.

Treaty voting! posted:

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Convention on Cluster Munitions
Ottawa Treaty (landmines)
The Rome Statute (international criminal court)

I'm ok with ratifying all of these.

While we're at it, how can we codify ENDA?

Also voting yes to require infrastructure expansion and maintenance.

cat_herder fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Sep 5, 2016

# ¿ Sep 5, 2016 03:59

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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e: double post

cat_herder fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Sep 5, 2016

# ¿ Sep 5, 2016 05:16

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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Certain non-constituent parties have made their disapproval of giving tribes first dibs at public lands apparent.

In response, I'm changing my picture to this:

and also doubling down on expanding tribal rights.

cat_herder fucked around with this message at 09:19 on Sep 5, 2016

# ¿ Sep 5, 2016 08:49

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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The New California Republic is grateful to the American people for their patience and hard work, and for giving us this chance to rebuild our country after decades of increased polarization and stagnation. It is an honor to have this responsibility and I look forward to serving my constituents.

I am happy to announce that, through bipartisan discussion with Tejas, Appalachia, Cascadia, Kanakaua, New England, and NYC, we have ratified numerous treaties that have sat for too long, and keeping in mind the continued economic problems in our region, we have also signed onto a massive job-creation bill that will rebuild our infrastructure and expand public transit, including rail lines. Too long have we struggled with sprawl, and our less fortunate constituents have suffered from high transportation costs keeping them in poverty and from attaining the American Dream. This infrastructure bill will create jobs and opportunities for millions of people, directly stimulating the lethargic economy, especially for blue collar laborers and the working class, and give people a chance to join the middle class.

I look forward to further work with the other delegates, and a brighter future for all of us.

cat_herder fucked around with this message at 04:52 on Sep 6, 2016

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 00:06

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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RandomPauI posted:

Charles Cromwell, voicemail to editor

I know you're not picking up this late so I'll cc you my report after this but maybe you would pick up because sometimes you're up late at night.

Yes, I know my voice is racing right now, but it's caffeine and cigarettes and l-theanine and piracetam from Canada and modafinal from France. All completely legal and safe. So don't interrupt me.

Okay, so, you know how the delegates are arriving at different times right, and how today was supposed to be just general get to know you house cleaning stuff right? We'll, hears the skinny on what I'm going to break in 2 minutes and that's going to hit the news networks in 10 minutes and that'll be formally announced in an hour. This is straight from Chuck to Johnny to me.

Today most of the delegates get together right? Speakers there too. Just informal chatting stuff. People go back and forth between bullshitting and talking policy. Charles already had an infrastructure thing written up, knew the bullet points and speaking points by heart. So he spends all his time schmoozing on getting that done legislatively. Making sure its popular enough to have a decent chance at passing in the senate. Going into the convention Hernendez gave the law itself his blessing, Chambers of Commerce gave it their blessing, a lot of people are on board even though the public has no idea it's on the table.

So, he has popular support from the delegates and their backers, he makes some trades for votes as legislation because he knows he won't get an amendment passed once the full session opens. But then he and Marmon and Hernendaz organize like a conventional putsch. Calls for a up or down vote. Linda gets her treaties, Charles gets his infrastructure. Minimal favors are traded. And there was nothing in the rules to prevent it from happening. I'm sure Kevin Young was the one to actually make the putsch happen but there's no evidence for that. Johnny sold it as all Tingle and oh yeah these people were here too.

Oh yeah, complaints are definitely going to be raised. poo poo will hit the fan. Court cases will be filed. But that's all unconfirmed and off the record. On the record I'm going to report that delegates arrived early, votes happened early, delegates approved several things, here are the preliminary details.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 07:08

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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That went better than I thought it would. It's nice to have some reasonable voices to negotiate with. I expected Texas to get some racist proto-dictator as a delegate, so it's good to see the Hernandez brothers are willing to negotiate and work around such things.

Senator Tingle... well. It's Appalachia. At least he negotiates at all.

Land use rights are the biggest thing I'm getting emails about, as well as energy policy, but I don't have a ton of experience in the latter so I'll see if someone else brings it up. Since the Paris Treaty has been signed, we should look into actually doing something to meet the goals on it. Hm... actually, I bet I can roll energy policy into climate change. It'll have to be carefully managed, though.

Let's see what else I've gotten... bills, spam, trolls... nuclear disarmament. The NCR knows better than the rest of the country what damage nuclear weapons can do. Sounds good to me. More trolls, another bill, campaign fundraising... hmm voter reform would be a good one, but I think someone else will probably take it up, and I can just chip in ideas for it. Here's another... "Please reform the IHS and get rid of the BIA". I can probably manage the IHS part with public health. The funding will have to be hashed out by the legislature, though. The BIA will also probably be a legislature thing, but I'll try for it if I can.

Oh, here's something else. "Reform the police and other law enforcement agencies." Considering the recent police shootings and brutality, that definitely needs to happen. I'll see what I can do with it. Guns are a really touchy subject in general in my area, so I'm not looking forward to it.

As for the preamble... a lot of the text will need updating for current spelling and word use. I'm ok with that. The stuff we really need to change is farther in, anyway.

Hmm... we got the treaties done, so we can actually try to work on our human rights records. That infrastructure bill needs funding, though. Most regions of the NCR are poor, so I'll see if someone else suggests something.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2016 00:21

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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(OOC: anyway I should probably post my team but that's about all I can do for the night, hello migraine my old enemy)

Staffers

Military advisor

Radicals and Hippies

Mormons

Land grant heirs, ranchers, farmers, etc.

(may add more later idk ow)

# ¿ Sep 7, 2016 04:43

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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Loel posted:

Tenative approval list: Loel, Randompaul, seiferguy? Rafza? quorum? Just going by your posted platforms

sounds good to me.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2016 08:16

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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Amendment B: sure
Amendment C: I forget what this was? was this one the 1:100k, 1:500k, or what?
Amendment(s) E: referendums for everyone :toot:

Amendment F: refresh my memory? (I think this was was good too but I want to be sure)
Proposal 2: this will massively help drug prices, so yes pls.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2016 03:56

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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DivineCoffeeBinge posted:

A few thoughts from Libertopia with regards to the proposed changes to Article One:

I say let's keep the Census, because it gives us good demographic information for governance purposes, and also gives us scientific and sociological data.

but I'm not sure if this is in Article 1. A census is mentioned, but it doesn't give specific info as to how often to do it, and how.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2016 06:58

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 09:35

cat_herder: Mar 17, 2010; BE GAY
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Dr. Angela Ziegler posted:

Article I

Section 1.

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section 2.

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every ~~second~~fourth Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years.~~, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.~~ The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the next Meeting of the Congress of the United States after the ratification of this document, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. Each state shall have at least 1 representative, and the least-populous state shall be the baseline by which the number of representatives be apportioned.The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuoose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuoose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures._{(this is the 17th amendment)}

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the next Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and when vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided. ~~Until such time as his death, Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden Jr. shall serve as President of the Senate.~~

The Senate shall chuoose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section 4.

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chuoosing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Section. 5.

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Section. 6.

The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.

Section. 7.

All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If they approve they shall sign it, but if not they shall return it, with their Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to them, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if they had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by them, or being disapproved by them, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section. 8.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration._{(this is the 16th amendment)}

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, ~~and of foreign Coin~~, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;�And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Section. 9.

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person._{(the 13th amendment ended slavery, as such, this archaic and shameful clause shall be removed)}

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid. ~~unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.~~

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Section. 10.

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing ~~but gold and silver Coin~~ a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

Minor edits.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2016 07:03

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