State of the Union Amendment (Debating)

[windjammer]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor: Senator Lumine

[Lumine]

Not my most important bill, I know, this is just an idea I had the other day that I wanted to discuss before the Senate. When I was Midwest Governor I was mandated by law to give a State of the Midwest speech every month (and sadly my successors never gave those speeches) which I found to be crucial for transparency and communication with the region, and it also provided me with a chance to train my skills in speechwriting. The Constitution leaves it very open for the President to give a speech or not if he wishes, but it's been a while since we had a State of the Union speech and I find them to be more important than what they look. Hence this proposal to make them mandatory and give them an specific date.

I know it's rather strange to propose this given our current context, but still, thoughts?

[windjammer]

Not my most important bill, I know, this is just an idea I had the other day that I wanted to discuss before the Senate. When I was Midwest Governor I was mandated by law to give a State of the Midwest speech every month (and sadly my successors never gave those speeches) which I found to be crucial for transparency and communication with the region, and it also provided me with a chance to train my skills in speechwriting. The Constitution leaves it very open for the President to give a speech or not if he wishes, but it's been a while since we had a State of the Union speech and I find them to be more important than what they look. Hence this proposal to make them mandatory and give them an specific date.

I know it's rather strange to propose this given our current context, but still, thoughts?

Considering I was your successor .
Yep, I didn't make any state of the Union adress, because I chose to constantly "update" what I was doing as MW Governor in my thread.

[DemPGH]

Future presidents may differ, but my preference is for weekly updates, which is what I will continue to do regardless. I'm also not sure how something like this could be mandatory or enforceable.

[President Tyrion]

I don't see how changing the wording makes it any more mandatory.

[Potus]

It would be their constitutional duty. An amendment would pretty make it impeachable, a violation of the constitution.

[Deus Naturae]

This seems like one of those things that would end up being ignored, and thus set a precedent for future non-adherence to the Constitution. If my memory serves, Hamilton warned against stuff like this in the Federalist papers.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

This seems like one of those things that would end up being ignored, and thus set a precedent for future non-adherence to the Constitution. If my memory serves, Hamilton warned against stuff like this in the Federalist papers.

A libertarian referencing Hamilton? And I thought this day would never come.

[bore]

It would be their constitutional duty. An amendment would pretty make it impeachable, a violation of the constitution.

The constitution is written in such a way that if you want to impeach the president, you can impeach the president, no matter how they've done their job.

[Deus Naturae]

This seems like one of those things that would end up being ignored, and thus set a precedent for future non-adherence to the Constitution. If my memory serves, Hamilton warned against stuff like this in the Federalist papers.

A libertarian referencing Hamilton? And I thought this day would never come.

It should be remembered that Hamilton was lying through his teeth when he published those writings.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This seems like one of those things that would end up being ignored, and thus set a precedent for future non-adherence to the Constitution. If my memory serves, Hamilton warned against stuff like this in the Federalist papers.

A libertarian referencing Hamilton? And I thought this day would never come.

It should be remembered that Hamilton was lying through his teeth when he published those writings.

Madison also stated that he did not fully share the views he expressed as Publius. In my view it strengthens the Federalist Paper's interpretative value with regards to the Constitution. 

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This seems like one of those things that would end up being ignored, and thus set a precedent for future non-adherence to the Constitution. If my memory serves, Hamilton warned against stuff like this in the Federalist papers.

A libertarian referencing Hamilton? And I thought this day would never come.

We had to get use to it in 2009/2010.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Future presidents may differ, but my preference is for weekly updates, which is what I will continue to do regardless. I'm also not sure how something like this could be mandatory or enforceable.

The Tower, Dear Edward. The Tower!

[PPT Spiral]

Truthfully, I don't see much use for a mandatory State of the Union speech. The regions have passed their own variations of giving speeches to citizens that governors have often ignored altogether, but they were still able to be publicly active and to generally do a good job even without doing that. Ideally, it would be nice for presidents to give out elaborate speeches about their plans every month, but that isn't very enforceable at all, and potentially impeaching a president over missing one would be silly. The provision in the constitution as it is is fine with me. So long as a president just tries to be active in general, that's good enough.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This can be put to a vote in eight hours or so.

[Lumine]

Right, it seems it was indeed a bizarre idea (specially if it provides grounds for impeachment, although as Bore pointed out we can technically impeach a president without actual evidence) so this will probably be finished on a final vote instead of via amendments, but I should point out that I am worried about seeing many officeholders not really bothering to either inform or try to communicate with their consituency. It's not an issue that we can solve via legislation (as this attempt of mine seems to prove), yes, but nonetheless I do feel it's something worth discussing.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Lumine are you motion for a vote on that post with "...probably by final vote instead of amendments..."?

[Lumine]

Lumine are you motion for a vote on that post with "...probably by final vote instead of amendments..."?

Hmmmm... Yes, I think I will motion for a final vote.

[windjammer]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Senators, a final vote is now open, please, vote AYE, NAY or Abstain.

[bore]

Nay

[TNF]

Abstain

[Dr. Cynic]

I don't see this being practically enforced.

Nay

[PPT Spiral]

Nay

[Lumine]

Aye.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

NAY