SENATE BILL: Referendum on Use of Military Force Amendment (Failed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Section 2. Except in the event of an invasion of the Republic of Atlasia or its territorial possessions and attack upon its citizens residing therein, the authority of the Senate to declare war or authorize the use of military force shall not become effective until confirmed by a majority of all the votes cast thereon in a nationwide referendum. The Senate, when it deems a national crisis to exist, may by concurrent resolution refer the question of war, the use of military force in an undeclared setting, or peace, to the citizens of the Regions, the question to be voted on being:

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The Senate may otherwise by law provide for the enforcement of this section.
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Sponsor: TNF

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The sponsor has 24 hours to commence advocacy for this.

[TNF]

I'll simply say this: if war is right, let it be declared by the people.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So you know agree with me that Representation is no check on the excesses of the populous? I mean obviously, if they lack the moral standing to decide war and peace then they obviously are less reliable then the populace and thus even worse, no?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I can bring this to a vote on Saturday morning if everyone is up for that, okay?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators, a vote is now open on the underlying amendment to the Constitution, Senators please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Oakvale]

If you don't mind me butting in temporarily - I see TNF is continuing his drive to abolish representative democracy.

We already rejected something very similar to this a few years back -

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=120596.0

I'm sure the Senate is aware that government by direct referenda is a poor way to conduct affairs of state.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

There's nothing like reading Oakvale's Conservative side on a Saturday morning, it reads like... 

Couldn't resist a dose of Robert Duvall here.

[TNF]

Aye

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd urge the Senate to defeat this proposal.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

NAY

[Senator Spiral]

Nay

[tmthforu94]

Aye

[Gass3268]

Aye

[President Tyrion]

Aye

If the people don't want it, they can reject it.

In any case, the Senate still controls the act of a declaration of war; they'll only need the people's approval. That makes it a lot better, IMO. There is no way I could support the opposite, where the people propose declarations of war unilaterally.

[Maxwell]

Nay

[bore]

Nay

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This has enough votes to fail, Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Final Senate Passage of the Referendum on Use of Military Force Amendment:

Aye (4): Gass3268, Tmthforu94, TNF and TyriontheImperialist
Nay (4): bore, Maxwell, NC Yankee, Spiral
Abstain (0):

Didn't Vote (1): Xahar
Vacant Seats (1): Napoleon

With four votes in the affirmative and four in the negative with time having expired, the Amendment has been rejected.

[tmthforu94]

An interesting vote breakdown...