Varied Senate Membership Amendment [Debating]

[Marokai Backbeat]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

(Slot 1: General)


Sponsor: Marokai Blue

[Marokai Backbeat]

Before any of the deliberate misinformation begins (as it's begun every time this issue is brought up) this is a consecutive term limit, and one that takes a full year of service before going into effect.

We've been doing a lot of talking lately about a "new era" in Atlasian politics, with new parties and new activity, but part of going forward is safeguarding our future against the very real possibility that we could fall right back into the ditch of the last year and ahalf prior to now. Everyone is becoming a little naive in our hopes that now that dissolution has happened, everything is super right and awesome and could never go wrong again, and I don't want to get complacent, I want to continue to implement changes like this that will provide the rails against that sort of crash, however modest those "rails" are.

Part of the problem became, in our previous "era" that too many of the same people were dominating the process. We reached a point in Atlasia where it became incredibly top heavy, and many of the newbies joining in were either not getting elected with the same frequency that newbies used to be elected, or were getting bullied out by the old guard vigorously defending their positions.

The prolonged effect of that phenomenon is what causes apathy that leads to a lazy two-party system. To prevent that, we need to make sure in the fairest way possible that we're getting new people in this system and that the crusty old guard can't become unbeatable and elected in perpetuity with no interruptions. A full year of service is a very long time for Atlasia, and a length that I think is suitable for anyone to be in the Senate for one period at a time.

Right now is the real test for if we mean what we say when it comes to a new era, and if we're going to continue putting the rubber to the road after dissolution. Making sure new people get elected with some frequency to the Senate is imperative, and it's a change I believe we absolutely must make if we're serious about having a truly different and sustainable era of new politics.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Who would this really affect? Me & Yankee? Do you guys really think the Senate would function better without us? I'm retiring in a week or two, of course, but I'm at the end of my sixth term.

Though Yankee has hogged the SE Senate for a ridiculously long time, I suppose. How about a nine term limit...?

I believe it would've also affected Duke, before his retirement, and MOPolitico and I would only have one more term left in us after our re-election a week ago, assuming we make this Amendment affect current Senators.

[Marokai Backbeat]

The problem isn't that I have ran 9 times. The problem is that only once did anyone actually try to run against me in a serious fashion (Though I did make it incredibly easy that cycle ). I can't "prop up" my opponents, though I did try to do that also. I am not sure if it is the "closeness" of people in this game or the fear of a primary/general challenges causing permenent animousities, but for some reason, people are reluctant to challenge incumbents in this game, beyond what one would naturally expect from "strength of incumbents" and "name recognition".

People are reluctant to challenge incumbents in this game because that almost always means they will lose. Ironically, this doesn't extend to Presidential elections, because lately it seems like no one ever wants to run for more than one term at a time, which is perhaps one of my least favorite new trends around here, but that's off-subject.

People will run for office if they believe they have a shot. You guys in the South are currently forming some sort of southern Bloc party. Do you expect anyone to challenge that? You aren't helping the situation by basically encouraging the turn of the region into an official one-party state.

Running and losing ruins reputations, and creates new ones where the person is just a repeat loser. Who would want to subject themselves to that?

[Marokai Backbeat]

I accept as friendly. Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Let's try an old pre 17th amendment idea. Have the regional assemblies elect the senators.

Noooooooooooo

I concur...

I actually have long advocated for the regional senators to be exactly that.  First it makes them true "regional senators" representing the region and second, it makes regional legislatures a much more important spot than just something to do until you run for something else (not saying everybody believes that, but some treat it that way.)

If we did that, then technically the regional senators would not be representing the views of their constituents; just the views of the representatives.

And in two of the regions it really wouldn't make a difference at all. The Pacific and Midwest are universal; effectively making their election a popular vote election anyway. I'm not inherently opposed to this idea but I just don't think it would work out well.

Anyway, I'm going to open a final vote on this shortly, just a heads up if people have anything more to say on this.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Aye, though this is clearly not going anywhere.