Mideast Assembly Thread

[California8429]

One edit, can 4 actually be appointed by a governor to serve the rest of the term? If there's gridlock and an election coming up, that 5th seat will need to be held

[Barnes]

One edit, can 4 actually be appointed by a governor to serve the rest of the term? If there's gridlock and an election coming up, that 5th seat will need to be held

I see what you mean. I suppose I can mange it.

Let the People Choose! Act

1. Whenever there is a vacancy for the Mideast Assembly, a special election shall take place no fewer than five, and no longer than fifteen days after the beginning of the vacancy.
2. The election shall last for a period of three days and shall be conducted in the same manner as a regularly scheduled regional election.
3. If there is more than one vacancy at the same time, the quota for the election shall be set to fill the needed seats.
4. If a vacancy occurs within two weeks of a regularly scheduled Assembly election, no special election shall take place, and the Governor shall make a temporary appointment which shall serve until the end of the term.

[California8429]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

[Barnes]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

Well, I know how important the budget is to you, dear Führer Speaker, so I was just hoping to make it quick. I'm fine with a fight.

[California8429]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

Well, I know how important the budget is to you, dear Führer Speaker, so I was just hoping to make it quick. I'm fine with a fight.

Oh not me. I helped you write the bill even though I'm still debating on how to vote on it. But you're about to strip the Governor of one of their most important powers

[Barnes]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

Well, I know how important the budget is to you, dear Führer Speaker, so I was just hoping to make it quick. I'm fine with a fight.

Oh not me. I helped you write the bill even though I'm still debating on how to vote on it. But you're about to strip the Governor of one of their most important powers

I know you did, A-Bob!

Anyway, while it may be an important responsibility, appointing whomever he chooses to an elected body isn't a power any Governor should really have.

[California8429]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

Well, I know how important the budget is to you, dear Führer Speaker, so I was just hoping to make it quick. I'm fine with a fight.

Oh not me. I helped you write the bill even though I'm still debating on how to vote on it. But you're about to strip the Governor of one of their most important powers

I know you did, A-Bob!

Anyway, while it may be an important responsibility, appointing whomever he chooses to an elected body isn't a power any Governor should really have.

We have it in RL, though I must say I am VERY displeased because of it via my state

[Barnes]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

Well, I know how important the budget is to you, dear Führer Speaker, so I was just hoping to make it quick. I'm fine with a fight.

Oh not me. I helped you write the bill even though I'm still debating on how to vote on it. But you're about to strip the Governor of one of their most important powers

I know you did, A-Bob!

Anyway, while it may be an important responsibility, appointing whomever he chooses to an elected body isn't a power any Governor should really have.

We have it in RL, though I must say I am VERY displeased because of it via my state

I know. We have it in mine as well.

However, if the rest of the Assembly can't agree on special elections, I'd support an alternative in the shape of Wyoming's law.

Basically, the Gov. has to choose a person from a list (of I think, three candidates?) nominated by the party the seat previously belonged to. And if the member is an independent, then the Gov. would have to pick an independent to replace him.

[California8429]

Not to bring rain on your parade, but I'm felling this bill will be very heated

Well, I know how important the budget is to you, dear Führer Speaker, so I was just hoping to make it quick. I'm fine with a fight.

Oh not me. I helped you write the bill even though I'm still debating on how to vote on it. But you're about to strip the Governor of one of their most important powers

I know you did, A-Bob!

Anyway, while it may be an important responsibility, appointing whomever he chooses to an elected body isn't a power any Governor should really have.

We have it in RL, though I must say I am VERY displeased because of it via my state

I know. We have it in mine as well.

However, if the rest of the Assembly can't agree on special elections, I'd support an alternative in the shape of Wyoming's law.

Basically, the Gov. has to choose a person from a list (of I think, three candidates?) nominated by the party the seat previously belonged to. And if the member is an independent, then the Gov. would have to pick an independent to replace him.

I actually like this best, because if the party won the seat, it's slightly unfair that the dominate party would win every single election because it's just a 1 seat match-up

[Barnes]

Well, the problem with this is that we would have to ensure the process is at least somewhat transparent, and we would have to make sure that the parties actually remember to do it!

[California8429]

Well, the problem with this is that we would have to ensure the process is at least somewhat transparent, and we would have to make sure that the parties actually remember to do it!

well maybe there can be a section that if you don't provide a list of names within a week a special election will be held (or the Governor picks whomever). you snooze you lose

I also don't see a problem with transparency, there will be talk through PMs, but everyone will still be lobbying on the threads for specific people

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

We've already stripped enough power from the Governor... I think this is one privilege that he should hold.  If he was elected to lead this region, enough people in the region must trust his judgment.  Plus, at most it's a 2 month appointment.

[big bad fab]

The vote is now closed.

Roll Call
Aye 5
Nay 0

BBF has been confirmed as the Mideast Superior Court Judge.

Hurray

Without infringing the separation of powers, I allow myself to send a message of sincere thankings to this Assembly for a vote, which is a mark of trust.

[tmthforu94]

First, I want to congratulate Big Bad Fab on getting confirmed! I'm sure he'll do great.

Now, I have to stand with Inks on the "Let the People Choose! Act". This position has very few responsibilities, and making appointments is one of it's most exciting roles. I think that the citizens should consider when voting the appointments the Governor will make, and if you feel they will make bad appointments, don't vote for them.

On top of that, we have a short session, so the public will be able to have a say on the appointee in less than 2 months anyways. If we had more Assemblymen (not that I support that), this may be more acceptable, but when we only have 5, we really need to have all 5. It may be a little more simpler if we had a Lt. Governor who would be able to step in and break ties, but the people have spoken strongly against it.

With all that in mind, I will seriously consider vetoeing this bill if it makes it to my desk.

[Badger]

Can somebody put that into English for me - I've been reading over that law, and writing out all the numbers and hundredths and tenths and crap has confused my brain.

The simplest way to do it is ignore the "X hundredths gram...per 210 liters of breath" (or blood), and simple think of it in terms of what laypersons know as "BAC level" ("BAC" = "Blood Alcohol Content"; the level is the same regardless of whether it comes from a breath test or blood test), with ".08 BAC" being the (adult) standard nationwide in RL for DUI. Kudos to the drafters for using the correct real life scientific and legal measurements, but I understand it can be confusing to read initially.

As it reads currently, the statute basically creates a DUI offense for having a BAC between .100 to .169 BAC for adults, and between .020 and .099 BAC for those under 18. The problem again is that as written someone testing above these ranges doesn't violate the law; e.g. an adult who blows a .169 on a breath test is guilty, but another who tests .170 or more isn't). I'm sure this wasn't the drafter's intent.

Upon further review, it appears Section 3 only penalizes juveniles for prohibited alcohol concentrations in their breath, but adults only for prohibited alcohol concentrations in their blood. Although the impairment levels are the same for blood and breath, strictly read it seems to say that juveniles who fail a breath test are guilty but those who fail a blood test are not, and vice-versa for adults. Some minor corrections can fix this I think.

The statute also leaves out alcohol levels for urine tests which are frequently used by law enforcement as an alternative for breath tests for various reasons. It also doesn't include the offense of simply operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, which occurs quite frequently due to there being no chemical test after arrest (usually due to the arrestee refusing tests).

Again, some drafting changes can reasonably correct these loopholes. Beyond that my major concern is this law's having a .10 BAC level for DUI instead of .08 BAC.

Anyone interested in working with me to amend this law feel free to PM me. I'll be a little busy with the new GM job, but I'll gladly try to help. 

[Barnes]

Look, I understand the Governor isn't exactly "all-powerful" in the Mideast, but, really, something needs to be done about this.

Perhaps a special election is too drastic for a two-month long term, but how about the supplemental idea of having a list prepared by the party that previously occupied the seat?

[tmthforu94]

Look, I understand the Governor isn't exactly "all-powerful" in the Mideast, but, really, something needs to be done about this.

Perhaps a special election is too drastic for a two-month long term, but how about the supplemental idea of having a list prepared by the party that previously occupied the seat?

I think any party would be lucky to find 3 people willing. I normally only get 1-2 applicants, and sometimes had to go out recruiting people for the Assembly. If someone really wants in, they'll get in. For example, if you're elected to the Assembly, I'll try and get someone similar to you politically in there. But that's going to be hard, and I'll basically pick whoever wants it and who I think would do good, which is usually one person, maybe two if I'm lucky.

[Hash]

I support Barnes' bill, given that, well, I campaigned on it. Perhaps an interim appointment like is done in the US would be a good compromise, as was proposed during my campaign by Badger (iirc)?

However, the idea of letting the party that occupied the seat last choose the next person is atrocious. Aside from the fact that some people are independents, let's not create a party state. Fun question: if I resigned and my party, the Basque Nationalist Party, were to choose my successor, who would "they" choose?

[big bad fab]

I support Barnes' bill, given that, well, I campaigned on it. Perhaps an interim appointment like is done in the US would be a good compromise, as was proposed during my campaign by Badger (iirc)?

However, the idea of letting the party that occupied the seat last choose the next person is atrocious. Aside from the fact that some people are independents, let's not create a party state. Fun question: if I resigned and my party, the Basque Nationalist Party, were to choose my successor, who would "they" choose?

Me, without any doubt !
Because I'm the closest thing to a Basque here

Sorry for this interruption: I couldn't refrain myself from posting this silly answer

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I see no reason to take this power away from the Governor, and I fully intend to vote down any bill that changes the status quo on this matter.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

bumpity bumpity bump

[California8429]

If there are no objections or changes by Barnes, I'll move this to a vote

[tmthforu94]

I honestly can't see myself signing any bill that would strip the Governor one of his most important positions.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

I honestly can't see myself signing any bill that would strip the Governor one of his most important positions.

Well, it's obvious that you wouldn't move to reduce your own powers

[California8429]

Without any objections, the vote is now open for the following bill:

Let the People Choose! Act

1. Whenever there is a vacancy for the Mideast Assembly, a special election shall take place no fewer than five, and no longer than fifteen days after the beginning of the vacancy.
2. The election shall last for a period of three days and shall be conducted in the same manner as a regularly scheduled regional election.
3. If there is more than one vacancy at the same time, the quota for the election shall be set to fill the needed seats.
4. If a vacancy occurs within two weeks of a regularly scheduled Assembly election, no special election shall take place, and the Governor shall make a temporary appointment which shall serve until the end of the term.