[Proposal] Assembly Powers Amendment

[Atlantica]

@"Atlantica", @"Cormac"​

Preamble

This amendment to the Constitution empowers the Assembly with respect to electing government officials and, to a lesser extent, the enactment of legislation.

Section 1. Amendment of the Preamble

Section 2. Amendment of Article I

Section 3. Amendment of Article II

Section 4. Amendment of Article IV

 

[Deleted Couper 1]

[font=Comic Sans MS,cursive]I LOVE DEMOCRACY. I LOVE THE REPUBLIC.[/font]​

I am in favour of the spirit of the proposal and it is well written. Might the Prime Minister not benefit from being given some authority over the rest of the cabinet? Could it be more clear that the number of cabinet seats and their responsibilities shall be determined by law? Could the length of the Speaker's term be doubled from three to six months?
You might want to reformat "IV. Cabinet of Lazarus" so it's bold and spaced in Section 4 and the title of Section 5 needs fixing.

 

[Legalist Zombal]

I still think a challenge system, or using NR's Proposed system alongside Election Procedures Act, would be beneficial over this.

In this almost EVERYTHING has to be approved by the citizens, and while I can see why and agree on the thought of it... it's clunky. However I do agree with adding in a fully elected cabinet and a PM... however I don't see why the PM is added in like this. It reads as if the PM has no real power greater than the other ministers? However I would support this bill if NR's was removed.

 

[Elarien]

I'd suggest that the Prime Minister be further defined.

Generally, some questions I have over this:

1) Is the Prime Minister in this, head of government? As that might be a good idea to establish in the constitution, since it establishes the Delegate as head of state.

2) How is the Prime Minister elected? From their number, or as separate position by the Assembly like you would a Cabinet member?

3) Does the Prime Minister hold a 3 month term, or is it indefinite?

I'd propose something like this to make it easier to understand regardless:

Section 4. Amendment of Section IV

(4) Section IV shall be amended to read:

IV. Cabinet of Lazarus
(1) The number of Cabinet members shall be determined by law, but must include at least three members: the Prime Minister of Lazarus, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lazarus, and at least one minister responsible for internal Lazarene affairs.

[...]

The Prime Minister

OR alternatively, if the Prime Minister doesn't have the same term as general Cabinet:

IV. Cabinet of Lazarus
(1) The number of Cabinet members shall be determined by law, but must include at least three members: the Prime Minister of Lazarus, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lazarus, and at least one minister responsible for internal Lazarene affairs.

[...]

The Prime Minister

 

[Deleted Couper 1]

Section 4. Amendment of Section IV

(4) Section IV shall be amended to read:

IV. Cabinet of Lazarus
(1) The number of Cabinet members shall be determined by law, but must include at least three members: the Prime Minister of Lazarus, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lazarus, and at least one minister responsible for internal Lazarene affairs.

[...]

The Prime Minister

But this isn't in the same spirit as the proposal, as it is the Assembly decides who is going to be prime minister, not the cabinet. It should read:

Section 4. Amendment of Section IV

(4) Section IV shall be amended to read:

IV. Cabinet of Lazarus

(1) The number of Cabinet members shall be determined by law, but must include at least three members: the Prime Minister of Lazarus, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lazarus, and at least one minister responsible for internal Lazarene affairs.

[...]

The Prime Minister

(5) The Prime Minister shall set the course of the Cabinet, serving as head of government.

or something to that effect.

 

[Elarien]

But this isn't in the same spirit as the proposal, as it is the Assembly decides who is going to be prime minister, not the cabinet. It should read:

That is a confusing definition, as that removes the part that clearly identities that the Cabinet in that situation is selected among the Cabinet. Also if you read above that would incorrect:

(3) The Cabinet may issue executive directives to set, amend, or repeal public policy for executive ministries, programs, and activities by majority vote.

The Prime Minister only

 

[Deleted Couper 1]

But this isn't in the same spirit as the proposal, as it is the Assembly decides who is going to be prime minister, not the cabinet. It should read:

That is a confusing definition, as that removes the part that clearly identities that the Cabinet in that situation is selected among the Cabinet. Also if you read above that would incorrect:

(3) The Cabinet may issue executive directives to set, amend, or repeal public policy for executive ministries, programs, and activities by majority vote.

The Prime Minister only

In which case the PM already has all of the powers they're going to get and it should simply read "The Prime Minister shall serve as the head of government".

 

[treadwellia]

Three month turnover on major positions feels perhaps too short. Would we have enough folks interested in top level control to be able to maintain that pace?

 

[Elarien]

Three month turnover on major positions feels perhaps too short. Would we have enough folks interested in top level control to be able to maintain that pace?

I think at least four months would be better.

Generally you need to take into account seven days of platforming, and seven days for voting, which is basically 14-15 days all up.

So that means 3 months really means 2 1/2 months, 4 months means 3 1/2 months and so on.

 

[Atlantica]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ap55GZAoWzGS4R68JaDqc0Pd9z6mNLTCiClZgEZlcSM/edit#

 

[Imaginary]

I'd like to motion Atlantica's edited draft to vote. ^^

 

[Elarien]

So from this:

(6) The Prime Minister shall be considered a Cabinet Minister and shall, therefore, be elected via instant-runoff voting for a four-month term, or until resignation, removal from office by the Assembly, or automatic removal from office.

To basically this:

(6) The Prime Minister shall be considered a Cabinet Minister and shall, therefore, be elected via voting for a four-month term, or until resignation, removal from office by the Assembly, or automatic removal from office.

On Instant-Run Off

https://www.nslazarus.com/thread-851.htmlhttps://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymakermath4libarts/chapter/instant-runoff-voting/