Constitutional Convention - Commentary thread.

[Lincoln Republican]

Here's a novel idea.

How about more input from, oh, I don't know, maybe from THE PEOPLE!

Pass an AMENDMENT in the Senate increasing the number of delegates from 25 to 31, so there will be 10 from the Senate, 21 from THE PEOPLE, so THE PEOPLE have more input.

Four of the 21 delegates elected by the people are to be independents.

Duh!

[Lincoln Republican]

Here's a novel idea.

How about more input from, oh, I don't know, maybe from THE PEOPLE!

Pass an AMENDMENT in the Senate increasing the number of delegates from 25 to 31, so there will be 10 from the Senate, 21 from THE PEOPLE, so THE PEOPLE have more input.

Four of the 21 delegates elected by the people are to be independents.

Duh!

Won't 2/3s be required to pass anything? That should have been the ratio, not 60/40. Now the Senate can block something if they don't like it. And they get to select which partisan members get into there? Sounds like cronyism to me!

Cronyism is good term to describe these events.

Perhaps the first resolution to be passed at the Con Con should be that the Senate must represent the best interests of the people of Atlasia, not their own.  

[Lincoln Republican]

Here's a novel idea.

How about more input from, oh, I don't know, maybe from THE PEOPLE!

Pass an AMENDMENT in the Senate increasing the number of delegates from 25 to 31, so there will be 10 from the Senate, 21 from THE PEOPLE, so THE PEOPLE have more input.

Four of the 21 delegates elected by the people are to be independents.

Duh!

Theres a thing with an Admendment the ConCon has already started its too late.

It is NEVER too late for DEMOCRACY my friend!

[Lincoln Republican]

I still do not agree, nor will I ever agree, that the Senate should be picking 10 out of the 25 delegates.

I KNOW it cannot be changed now, but that is still my view.

The Senate should only have been picking 5 out of the 25 delegates.

The Senate has really cut back on allowing the people to choose in something as fundamental as a Constitutional Convention.

This is a travesty as far as I'm concerned.  

[Lincoln Republican]

I would very much like to thank everyone who voted for me and sent me to the Constitutional Convention as a delegate.

As well, thank you very much to all who offered themselves as candidates for delegate, and to all those who participated in the delegate election as voters, regardless of who you voted for.  This is, after all, the very essence of democracy.

I am hopeful this act of democracy, the initiating of a Constitutional Convention, will be the beginning of a new and dynamic Atlasia.

Onward and upward.  A new day is about to dawn over this struggling democracy.  A glorious era of renewal and commitment is coming my friends.  Let us press forward with a renewed courage and a revitalized sense of hope and  optimism in our future, a future we will face together with ever growing confidence.

In Emerson's splendid words,  hitch your wagon to a star.

[Lincoln Republican]

I suggest the first thing we do as a Constitutional Conventional is to create an entirely new  Child Board in the Atlas Fantasy Government section called

Constitutional Convention 2015

This will keep the new Constitutional Convention business completely separated from that of the Constitutional Convention of 2009, and give us a new start, besides making it much easier to follow.

[Lincoln Republican]

These are the people writing our new Constitution

Northeast: Oakvale, Winfield, RGN08, Clyde1998
Mideast: JCL, Windjammer, vivaportugalhabs, NeverAgain
South: NCYankee, Leinad, Adam Griffin
Midwest: Cris, Marokai
Pacific: Simfan, Classic Conservative
Senators: Kalwejt, Lumine, RPryor, Harry S Truman, PiT
conservative: Tmthforu94, Clark Kent
progressive: Bore, evergreen
centrist: (to be determined; BMotley and pikachu currently tied with 2 votes each)

At least 17 of these 25 esteemed delegates must vote in favor of the final draft for it to pass

What is the mechanism for breaking this tie?

[Lincoln Republican]

I note that 7 out of 9, or 78%, of current Senators managed to get elected as Delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

Just sayin'.

[Lincoln Republican]

I note that 7 out of 9, or 78%, of current Senators managed to get elected as Delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

Just sayin'.

Maybe that's because the current batch of senators have been among the foremost advocates for game reform? It's also true that 80% of current governors and 60% of current Regional speakers were elected delegates - I suppose that is part of some nefarious scheme too?

Seriously, can we lay the conspiracy theories to rest? Despite the worst fears of some, the selection process resulted in a Convention that is largely representative of the electorate at large and that includes most of the active members of the game. I'll admit that the selection process was somewhat dysfunctional, but it clearly did no lasting harm, and if anyone has an objection to such storied Atlasians as Yankee, Kalwejt, Lumine, and Cris taking part in the convention (apart from allegations of baldness or whatever nonsense the pundit class cooks up), I for one will be surprised.

Also, there are 10 senators, not 9.

Okay, 7 out of 10, 70%.

But that's fine with me.

After all, I said that I was "just sayin".

[Lincoln Republican]

Let us look beyond these conspiracy theories and let us get on with the task of rebuilding the republic.

We will never satisfy everyone.

The Con Con has wide representation across regions, parties, and ideology, probably the best we could have under the difficult circumstances of organizing this convention.    

Let us get on with the job at hand.

[Lincoln Republican]

I am shocked and saddened.

Seriously.

Why did Kalwejt de-register?

Anybody know?

[Lincoln Republican]

It's time for me to take Kal's place.

Sorry Duke, but you do not qualify.

Kalwejt was one of 5 Senators elected by the Senate, as per the rules of delegate selection. 

His replacement must be a sitting Senator.

[Lincoln Republican]

It's time for me to take Kal's place.

Sorry Duke, but you do not qualify.

Kalwejt was one of 5 Senators elected by the Senate, as per the rules of delegate selection. 

His replacement must be a sitting Senator.

well, not quite.

the only thing in the regulations about vacancies is this:

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which refers specifically to regional delegates only. in other words, there is no procedure for filling kalwejt's seat

So if in fact there is no legal procedure for filling this seat, like you say, that makes matters even worse.  The vacancy cannot then be filled legally.  And if this is in fact the case, we cannot go making exceptions to the law.  The Con Con would then lose credibility.

If it could be done legally, since this is a seat that is one of 5 Senators that was elected by the Senate, as mandated by the delegate selection rules, then this seat should go to the Senator who finished next in line in this Senate election.

[Lincoln Republican]

I have to agree with Poirot on the above.

[Lincoln Republican]

But I still have a problem with replacement Representatives being chosen by "party bosses" as Poirot calls them.