NE2: Amendment to the Constitution

[Barnes]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my firm belief that the environment is the paramount issue of the 21st century and by enshrining both the duty of the government to protect the environment and the right of the people to live in a clean, safe, and pollution-free environment will serve as a call to action for our region, Atlasia, an hopefully the world.

The second part of my amendment should hopefully be fairly uncontroversial - it simply inshrines the inherent rights of the people as unamendable. If the Assembly feels it could not suppor the first part of my amendment, I ask at least for support of the second half - it is just as important to our rights and liberties.

[Barnes]

I just wanted to specify what I meant by "inherent rights," but I see now that that can run into some trouble with judicial interpretation.

Accepted as friendly.

[Barnes]

I agree with the concerns above that my amendment does include legal vagaries and room for interpretation.  I will remove this section for the sake of saving this remained of this amendment, which I believe is very crucial to our region.  I am planning to introduce further legislation to address environmental protection and the right of citizens to have clean air, water, soil, and food.

Inserting a new amendment:

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[Barnes]

Aye.

[Barnes]

I thank you very much for this, Mr. Speaker. I didn't ask for this out of some vain hope of its passage but rather for the principle of the thing.

Aye.

[Barnes]

What is the purpose?

My vote remains Nay.

To have it down on the record that despite removing all the language deemed objectionable it still recieved the same vote.  It's good for the voters to know such things here.