Federal Activity Citations

[Niles Caulder]

In accordance with the Federal Activity Act signed into law September 22, 2004--I make the following citations of official negligence on the parts of:

Secretary of State M, for a duration including September 14 to the time of this post.

And Secretary of the Treasury Ben, for a duration including September 14 to the time of this post.

As of now, these gentlemen are automatically removed from office.  One or both of these citations are nullified if appropriate evidence is posted demonstrating commission of official duties during these spans of time mentioned relevent to respective offices prior to replacements being confirmed by the Senate.

The President is now free to appoint nominees for these offices, and there is no prohibition against those nominees being the occupants removed by these citations.

[Niles Caulder]

In memorium of our fallen leaders who haven fallen off the edge of the Fantasy Atlas, I'd like to memorialize their official contributions in office.

As the forum Secretary of State, I must strongly advise against the passage of this bill. Restoring ties with Cuba will set a dangerous precedent and decrease our negotiating capital with other forreign enemies. Also, Cuba, the only true dictatorship left in the Hemisphere, would use its new integration into the international community to support dangerous elements in Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Haiti, and elsewhere, through its infamous clandestine opertation group the DGI. Evidence also suggests DGI support may be aiding the notorious Basque terror group ETA. Finally, Cuba will take this as a green light to continue its repression of human rights at home.

This was a good post, and it was an inspiring one to me that the fantasy government can really handle meaty foreign affairs issues as a team.  M brought a formidable argument to the table here--and a very sound one.  Senator Hughento's bill may not have prevailed, but it suggested to me an opening dialogue between the Legislature and the Cabinet on fine tuning Cuban policy to something that acheived the aims of both fostering democratic growth and the humanitarian welfare of the Cuban people.

Regretably school got the better of him, it seems.  Rescuers are still searching for his body off the New England seaboard.

[Niles Caulder]

[Can't locate appropriate thread just yet due to Solar Flare activity]

This was SO close to getting somewhere!  After mixing the usual raw ingrediants of ideological consistancy, the mixture was starting to take on some flavor of real palatibility to the nation's economic taste buds.  This conversation was proactive on the part of the Secretary, well moderated, and like any good executive demonstrated 90% of the job was listening.  It was getting results before the gas grill clunked out.

I'm still suspicious the Secretary Ben is one of the leading suspects in the conspiracy required to comromise security at the SPR sabotage.  I hope the FBI is looking into it.

[Akno21]

I'm just curious, what exactly are Ben and M supposed to post about? Are there job requirements, do those positions even require anything done.

I think it would be a good idea if the Senate would decide what specifically those people should do.

[The Duke]

I'm just curious, what exactly are Ben and M supposed to post about? Are there job requirements, do those positions even require anything done.

I think it would be a good idea if the Senate would decide what specifically those people should do.

Ben, for example, could have helped craft an energy policy.  I had to do his job for him on this.  M could have gone to Saudi to try and convince them to up production to drive down oil prices, but didn't, so world oil stayed at $63 a barrel.

[JohnFKennedy]

I'm just curious, what exactly are Ben and M supposed to post about? Are there job requirements, do those positions even require anything done.

I think it would be a good idea if the Senate would decide what specifically those people should do.

Not everything happens on the forums, believe it or not (I didn't realsie before I became President) but a LOT goes on behind the scenes via e-mail and the such and neither have been there as advisers to help us.

[Niles Caulder]

Senator Ackno brings up a very good question and one that ought to be raised for the sake of sense of fairness.

Filling these posts with people interested in the respective fields and willing to commit to [preferably twice] weekly consulations with their departments [GM] and the President is critical for the government of Atlasia to tackle the challenges (and reap the benefits) that lie in front of it.

...And it'll be fun!  (I know this because you're already on David Liep's Atlas reading the "Fantasy Government" folder--you have an exquisitly cerebral sense of fun.)
...Won't be any more time consuming than any other member of Federal Government (and y'all are making good grades, aren't ya?)
...Plus it'll help your Fantasy Elections Political Career in both experience and prestige.

The people who join the team and try are going to find out Woody Allen was correct, "90% of life is just showing up."

But until these offices are filled, the nation has critical chinks in its armor--and accelerating the pace of headlines would only serve to make them fatal.

[King]

Remember Niles, as GM you only have authority to remove the Cabinet.

[True Federalist]

You know, I really should have given the Federal Activity Bill a good looksee, because having now taken a good look at it, I am of the opinion that it is largely unconstitutional.  The Constitution specifies impeachment as the process to be used for the removal of the President, Vice President, and the Justices, so Parts I, III fail to be constitutional on those grounds.    Part II can be viewed as a rule on what constitutes Senate misconduct, and it was passed by a majority  vote of the Senate, altho technically each Senator so affected should have a seperate vote.  Part IV impinges upon the Constitutional right of the president to determine the qualifications of his cabinet.  Part V deals with what is technically a non-governmental position.

So what do I intend to do about it?  Nothing.  In order for this law to be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, a person affected by it would have to challenge the case in court, which would mean that said person would be active in Fantasy Politics and hence would not run afoul of this provision.  Hence there is no conceivable way for the Constitutionality of this law to be challenged.

[Niles Caulder]

Remember Niles, as GM you only have authority to remove the Cabinet.

Do I strike you as the forgetful type, Senator?  

Yeah, I was dubious about the constitutionality regarding those provisions, but I figured along the lines that you did, Ernest.  The Court may eventually strikethrough those questionable provisions, but then again, the liklihood of them needing to be invoked in the first place are more remote than used to be, from my perspective.

[Akno21]

So what do I intend to do about it?  Nothing.  In order for this law to be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, a person affected by it would have to challenge the case in court, which would mean that said person would be active in Fantasy Politics and hence would not run afoul of this provision.  Hence there is no conceivable way for the Constitutionality of this law to be challenged.

What if they get removed from office and replaced, and then they come back a week after they are fired, and want their old job back, and they claim they were removed from it unconstitutionally?

[migrendel]

This is a positive development. It was no secret that I wasn't fond of either of them, and hopefully their replacements will be more suited to the jobs.

[King]

Well since nobody has challenged our citations. New secretaries must be appointed.

[True Federalist]

What if they get removed from office and replaced, and then they come back a week after they are fired, and want their old job back, and they claim they were removed from it unconstitutionally?

Well, in the case of cabinet officers, since they serve at the pleasure of the President, the President could forestall any court challenge by simply firing them when they get cited.  As for the P, VP, and J's since the alternative is an impeachment that would permanently bar them from Fantasy politics, they could be threatened into withdrawing their suit by starting impeachment proceedings.  And the Senate could choose to also do a normal Constitutional expulsion of any of its members who fall foul of this Act.  I just don't see this as being likely to run into problems.  It might be better to get this on a firmer Constitutional basis, but that's a low priority concern.

[Niles Caulder]

Right: those were the angles I saw...this bill is all around more forgiving than the respective Constitutional provisions of removal from office, so I didn't see anyone running into the arms of the Constitution for solace.  Despite its quirks, the fact the govt. made a strong and fair law on this matter is the surest prevention of its needing to be invoked anyway.

[Fritz]

President Kennedy, when will replacements for the two cabinet members removed be nominated?

[JohnFKennedy]

President Kennedy, when will replacements for the two cabinet members removed be nominated?

Soon, I just need to find some people who I can appoint, any recommendations or is anyone interested?

[King]

My thoughts:

For State, Wildcard (UAC-CA)
For Treasury, Hermit (UAC-TX)

[Fritz]

I am growing very concerned with Senator StevenNick's continued absence.  At what point will he declared inactive and therefore removed from office?

[Niles Caulder]

The parameters with regard to legislators are:

"§ 1. If a Senator misses three senate votes and/or debates on bills consecutivly without notice, the Senator will be declared INACTIVE.

§ 2. If a Senator is declared inactive, the Secretary of Forum Affairs will administer a recall election the weekend after the inactivity declaration."

Unless I'm mistaken in my burrowing, the only vote that has officially closed without Senator SteveNick's participation is the Energy Policy Act, although several more are running out of sand fast.

I hope everything is ok for the Senator...Wish him well.  If anyone is in touch with him, please let him know that I'm sure if anyone pseudo-official hears from him anything that can be construed as a "notice" specified in clause 1 up there...that they'll be sure to post it here and prevent any needless burden upon Secretary Fritz.

[Fritz]

Given the activity currently going on in the Senate, it appears that StevenNicks meeting this threshold of three missed debates/votes is imminent.  Senator King, as PPT if you could please issue the declaration if and when this happens.

Given that we are so close to a regular election, I will postpone any special elections until Oct. 22.

[??????????]

This bill is starting to get out of hand.

[Jake]

This bill is starting to get out of hand.

I agree 2 cabinet members have been fired and replacements weren't named for a week or more and a senator is about to be kicked out.
All in a few weeks.

[??????????]

This bill is starting to get out of hand.

I agree 2 cabinet members have been fired and replacements weren't named for a week or more and a senator is about to be kicked out.
All in a few weeks.

I think those kicked should not recognize this rogue joke of a law.

[TexasGurl]

StevenNicks absense from the senate has not had any major impact on the workings of the senate.
Kicking him out so soon would be the wrong thing to do.
the senate should be allowed to extend the deadline at least.