SB 2018-170: An End to Privateering Amendment (Passed)

[Lumine]

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Article III, Section 8 of the Constitution is amended as follows:

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Sponsor: Senator Lumine.

[Lumine]

Simple, really. "Letters of marque and reprisal" is an arcane phrase in our current constitution inherited from the old US Constitution that we do not need, for these letters have not been formally issued in 1812, and the practice of privateering was outlawed by over 55 states in the 1856 Declaration of Paris. Even during the Civil War it was just the Confederacy making use of privateering, in a rather questionable act as well.

In this day and age the arguments I've read in favor of privateering regard the use of private citizens or even mercenaries to hunt down a given target, and considering how that could constitute a breach of international law on several accounts (alongside the potential for abuse), I honestly don't see why we should keep an arcane practice such as well. I see even less why our Constitution should read like this from time to time, considering we're certainly not in 1776.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am surprised this funny quirk made it through the con-con back in 2015/2016, especially after it was removed in the third Constitution less than a year prior to such.

[Lumine]

I am surprised this funny quirk made it through the con-con back in 2015/2016, especially after it was removed in the third Constitution less than a year prior to such.

Same. I get the impression people may have just pasted there rather than put care in each phrase, because otherwise I can't explain why it was left there.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am surprised this funny quirk made it through the con-con back in 2015/2016, especially after it was removed in the third Constitution less than a year prior to such.

Same. I get the impression people may have just pasted there rather than put care in each phrase, because otherwise I can't explain why it was left there.

I can.

It was an Easter egg for the SPC/Kalwejt/Ben Kenobi crowd. The buccaneering jokesters who have often bandied about Atlasia engaging in hijinks. The desire by several was that it would be latched onto and utilized in similar fashion, but so far that has not happened.

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Seems like it's just getting rid of a useless and irrelevant line in the Constitution, I will support this.

[Mr. Reactionary]

I think we should maintain the power just in case. While it wasnt handled through bills of marque, bounties have helped in the past. They are how we got Uday and Qusay. In many ways skyjackers are air pirates and having different tools to address such concerns rather than just a war declaration is important.

[Lumine]

I think we should maintain the power just in case. While it wasnt handled through bills of marque, bounties have helped in the past. They are how we got Uday and Qusay. In many ways skyjackers are air pirates and having different tools to address such concerns rather than just a war declaration is important.

I think there's just too much of a difference there with the example you just provided. Bounties are one thing, and I'm pretty sure I'm not outlawing those in this Amendment, but to issue actual letters of marque and reprisal and encourage different forms of privateering seems awfully outdated and irresponsible, even for a hawk such as myself. Furthermore, my War Powers Amendment contemplates a new constitutional mechanism to handle threats which aren't a foreign state (an Authorization of Force), so I really question why do we really need an outdated constitutional power which hasn't been formally used in over two hundred years.

[Lumine]

I'll wait for some extra input (should there be outstanding concerns or questions) here.

[Lumine]

Right, I motion for a final vote. 24 hours for objections.

[Lumine]

With no objections, we move to a final vote. Senators, please vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN:

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Article III, Section 8 of the Constitution is amended as follows:

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[_]

Aye!

[Lumine]

Aye!

[Pericles]

Aye!

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Nay!

[Lumine]

This has enough votes to pass, Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Sestak]

Oh boy, I didn't see this.

With the advent of space exploration, I think there is actually an argument for keeping this line in there...

[Lumine]

With 3 votes in favor this Amendment passes the Atlasian Senate:

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Article III, Section 8 of the Constitution is amended as follows:

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[/quote]

People's Regional Senate:
Passed 3-1-1 in the Atlasian Senate assembled

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[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

MY MONE.... I mean I look forward to debating this in the House.