Purple State and Marokai's BIG IDEA

[Purple State]

Fellow Atlasians -

Over the past month my running mate and I have presented to you our ideas to reform the game. These proposals were born out of our firm belief that this game has major problems holding it back and that these problems can be addressed through firm leadership.

Through our work, on streamlining forum affairs, Wiki reform, and greater executive involvement, we have found a system plagued by convoluted rules and patchwork reforms, where it has become too easy for constitutional changes and statutes to get lost in the shuffle.

The solution to this mess is simple: it is time to refresh Atlasia.

Here is what that means: First, consolidate the constitutional amendments into the Constitution. Next, implement some original changes that add new excitement to the game without altering the Atlasia we know and love. And lastly, reboot all but the most vital of legislation to allow for new conversations to emerge and new debates to be had.

Constitutional consolidation: The Constitution is now a patchwork of links to amendments that have huge impacts on the law. For veterans it may be navigable with some effort, but for a newer or less adept member it is nearly impossible. By putting the entire document in one place, and keeping it that way, we will ensure that amendments are not lost and the structural integrity of the game withstands the test of time.

Original changes: There are some things that can be added to the Constitution that add new excitement to the game while avoiding disruption. To promote activity and continued involvement by new or returning players, the Third Constitution will mandate the creation of elected regional legislatures. To create a check and balance for the Courts, the Third Constitution will include the presidential power to pardon. And to ease the rigid registration rules without opening the door to abuses, the Third Constitution will allow more frequent state changes within one region, while upholding the limit on changes from one region to another.

Legislative reboot: The debates in Senate have become stale. How many times have we debated some variation on regulating carbon, whether by tax, cap-and-trade or cap-and-dividend? It was around before my time, it was debated when I was in the Senate and it is being debated now. This is not an isolated incident, but the result of years of a game without a reboot. Even worse is the number of ancient laws (if five years can truly be called ancient) that have not be followed up on.

By starting fresh with an active government and a growing population, we can make sure that the same problems that we inherited in the current system are not replicated for future Atlasians.

Without further ado, here is a draft of the Third Constitution of Atlasia.

This thread is meant to foster a discussion; the process is not meant to be a two-person job. Please present your own ideas, your thoughts, your critiques. We will take your input seriously, so that when it comes time for implementation, the final product is the best possible.

[Purple State]

     While I agree that elected regional legislatures is a good thing, I am not sure how I feel about forcing elected legislatures on the Midwest & the Pacific. Part of the beauty I see in the regions is that different regions run themselves in different ways, depending on the attitudes of their residents. Requiring the regions to all elect a legislature removes one degree of latitude they have for differentiation, requiring homogeneity for the most part in how they vest their legislative power.

I want to be as clear and upfront about this as possible: Nothing in the proposal would force any region to fundamentally change the structures of their regional government.

Looking at the language, there is no minimum and no maximum size for the mandatory elected regional legislatures. If a region like the Pacific wanted a legislature large enough to accommodate its entire populace, they are within their right to do so. However, I strongly believe that they should still hold elections, even if the number of seats makes the race essentially uncontested.

Why? Because this game is both a government and an elections sim. Currently, regions without elected legislatures only fulfill the governing aspect. That is what I want to change.

[Purple State]

The idea is fundamentally sound - there are a few things I would like to still do a bit of work on in a Convention - much of it non-controversial. The present Article VIII, Section 2 needs a re-write though - you've kept too many of the old offices (SoFA!)

What you are seeing is a rough draft and input, especially from people such as yourself, will be especially valuable as we refine the document.

The key problem is that there is little to do anymore. What further legislation is there that can be passed? Unless we're to start from scratch, I don't see what can be done.

The key problem is that there is little to do anymore. What further legislation is there that can be passed? Unless we're to start from scratch, I don't see what can be done.

That would be the general goal, if people want it. IMO there comes a point where you have to do something to wipe the slate clean in any game, and I see this as a critical element for any sort of restart.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I don't think any should be excluded from being voided. Otherwise, all the interesting stuff, like the healthcare bill, will be carried over.

I should be clearer here. If I am elected and this process goes into effect, I would veto anything that keeps more than the most basic documents, such as elections process legislation, a consolidated CCJA, etc.

The goal is to reboot while avoiding a brief period of anarchy. But I absolutely agree that the appended legislation to keep some legislation should not include any issue-based laws.

[Purple State]

Provided the Senate and Region sections remain like they are, this has my full support.

My intent was not to shake anything up too much with the initial draft. If some sort of near-universal consensus emerges on changes, I will gladly look at it, but the goal is to do a simple reboot without dramatically changing the game. The goal here is not to ram changes through, but to bring new life to the game.

[Purple State]

Provided the Senate and Region sections remain like they are, this has my full support.

My intent was not to shake anything up too much with the initial draft. If some sort of near-universal consensus emerges on changes, I will gladly look at it, but the goal is to do a simple reboot without dramatically changing the game. The goal here is not to ram changes through, but to bring new life to the game.

So, what would the blank slate look like? The US 2010, 2008, 2004? Perhaps modified. For instance, would we still be in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Ideally, I would like to start from scratch. If people think that some aspects of US law are important, they can write legislation to carry those particular pieces or groupings of legislation over, but I think it is a flawed idea to simply implant US law onto Atlasia. So to answer your question, it means US 1789.

[Purple State]

I don't see why U.S law should be in any proposed new 'backstory' and what we've done here over the past six years should be placed in the memory hole.

My previous answer was saying basically that. Atlasia will be Atlasia, a fresh country completely removed from any laws passed in the US. If someone likes a certain law in the US and decides to put it into legislation and it passes the Senate then that is fine, but I don't intend for there to be any "backstory."

Constitutional consolidation: The Constitution is now a patchwork of links to amendments that have huge impacts on the law. For veterans it may be navigable with some effort, but for a newer or less adept member it is nearly impossible. By putting the entire document in one place, and keeping it that way, we will ensure that amendments are not lost and the structural integrity of the game withstands the test of time.

Why do you need to be President to do this?

I don't, but it isn't my only proposal. The presidency would also provide a bully pulpit to champion these ideas and rally popular support.

The Constitutional Consolidation could and probably can happen before you get into office so that's gone. And I'm against a reboot so if that's a major part of your platform I won't be preferencing you anymore.

I am sorry to hear that. I currently do not see any other way to bring renewed vitality to the game, but I am open to suggestions.

[Purple State]

Constitutional consolidation: The Constitution is now a patchwork of links to amendments that have huge impacts on the law. For veterans it may be navigable with some effort, but for a newer or less adept member it is nearly impossible. By putting the entire document in one place, and keeping it that way, we will ensure that amendments are not lost and the structural integrity of the game withstands the test of time.

Why do you need to be President to do this?

I don't, but it isn't my only proposal. The presidency would also provide a bully pulpit to champion these ideas and rally popular support.

Will you personally do it yourself if you are elected?

Marokai and I already did it.

https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Third_Atlasian_Constitution_Draft

[Purple State]

I don't intend for there to be any "backstory."

But why should everything we've done here be placed in the memory hole?

I think there are two reasons: First, the game has slowed to a crawl because all the big issues are stale and all the small issues are buried back in things that happened ages ago (see: your action in Bakersville, which referred to ancient legislation and so went nowhere). Second, a lot of big changes have occurred in the game (e.g. GM reform, regional legislatures) that outpaced our ability to setup proper foundations (e.g. Wiki reform). A refresh will let us start with that foundation already in place so that we can build upwards in a more controlled and sustainable way.

[Purple State]

The point of this proposal was to generate discussion and ideas. Game reform cannot simply be proposed and passed without input, debate and changes. Any follow-up on this proposal would have to go through a Constitutional Convention (albeit more narrowly focused than the previous one) and delegates could strike or add provisions as they see fit. But this topic and others need to be considered extensively by all Atlasians and I firmly believe that a Purple State/Marokai Blue administration will be unafraid to provoke these debates.

Whether you agree or disagree with our proposals, know that Marokai and I will bring up the hard issues early and often and we will seriously consider all of your ideas.

To put it simply, if our choices are "Continue on a path where we have done anything and everything politically imaginable" or "Scrap everything and go into Atlasia: Remixed" I would choose the latter each time. I see no reason why keeping everything already passed in the last many years benefits us in any way.

I disagree that there are only two choices. As I wrote earlier, it makes more sense to buy a new slate than to wipe clean the current one. Declare a Second Republic and - essentially - archive all that has been done over the past six years, but don't pretend that it didn't happen. Besides, a total re-boot is impossible; unless we want to spend forever and a day passing all the boring, minor legislation on issues that no one but Ernest cares about in order to establish the sort of legislative and regulatory framework a modern state needs.

To address your point about frameworks to allow for a functioning game, I do take that into account by allowing for certain pieces of legislation to be carried over by the Senate. I agree that having election laws and criminal justice statutes in place from the get go are important.

[Purple State]

I just had to dig this up:

Fritz's BIG IDEA

Marokai and PS, since you are open to suggestion, here is mine.  Rather than a legislative "re-boot", what we need is a consolidation/re-organization of federal statute, similar to your constitution re-write.  The original must be kept as a matter of record, however.

Perhaps this could be done as an index on the wiki, with links to statutes by subject matter (no links to repealed laws).

Just some thoughts.

What I am proposing here would be  monumental task, and I am not volunteering for it.  But I do think we have sombody, somewhere who would be willing to take this on.  I urge the incoming administration to direct its energy in this direction, rather than a re-boot.

I think that is a fine idea if that is what the delegates decides. Ultimately, I will have very limited power to determine what product comes out of the Convention and a legislative reboot would have to be a part of the new Constitution.

I do already plan to form a series of committees to handle the consolidation and streamlining of many major parts of the law, such as DoFA-related laws and the CCJA (which Peter has already started). We could also potentially work to revamp the statute Wiki page to clean it up, which will hopefully be addressed by a working group under the AG and/or myself.