Security of Succession

[Eluvatar]

(A Party discussion)

The current setup is Delegate > Vice Delegate > Speaker.

It ends there. We are somewhat nervous about this, so there is discussion as to what to do about it.

My favorite idea is to have the constitution allow the Senate to make a law which specifies a succession beyond that point, where invocation of the further line of succession would cause emergency elections.

Thoughts?

[Limitless Events]

it would help to have it go farther down than just a couple places. especially in the event that NS has another one of its errors and things get a bit wacky

[Gulliver]

Well, I am not sure that any major Constitutional amendment is necessary other than the elimination of the Special Elections where they currently exist. I see nothing stopping the Senate from passing a law defining further the line of Succession.

[Eluvatar]

Yes, exactly. A Constitutional amendment should allow for a flexible legal determination of the line of succession.

[Gulliver]

Then I suppose I ought to get to drawing up the necessary laws and amendments necessary to reform the line of succession.

[Sovereign Dixie]

Hmm, how about, a 4th in line, the Delegate Pro Temore or whatever, which would fall to the senior most member as defined by longest held citizenship?

[Gulliver]

Hm, I'd rather not. That troubles me. Instead, I think it might be better to define some ministries and have a list of ministers instead.

[Sovereign Dixie]

That would work as well, I wasn't married to that idea lol, was just throwing it around. We could specify a hierarchy of ministeries and in which order they'd ascend to the delegacy.

Maybe...

MoEA
MoD
MoRS
MoC
MoIA
MoF

?

[Khablan]

Please forgive the intrusion.  I was tempted to post a thought of my own, but as I'm not a member of this party, I'm hesitant.  Is this thread open to non-members as well?  If not, I understand.

[Eluvatar]

This is a party discussion parallelling this one but frankly I don't know if you should be allowed to post here while not being a member of our Bull Moose party. What do you all think?

[Sovereign Dixie]

Doesn't bother me any.

[Talmann]

Nor mich. Although, I guess it would depend on the person. Mama Khab, I would trust anyday.

[Khablan]

Much appreciated.  But I also don't want to complicate things, so I'll just bow out here.  My thanks, though.   

[Gulliver]

Well, putting together some formal proposition as to how to alter the rules of succession:

1. The Delegate shall be the supreme executive authority of Taijitu.

1. The Delegate shall be elected by a Condorcet vote every third month by all Registered Voters.

2. The Delegate shall not be allowed to serve in excess of two consecutive terms.
3. Any nation, having held citizenship for ninety or more days, having accumulated three hundred or more posts on the regional forum, in possession of a nation whose population equals or exceeds one billion with which to campaign, and having received the nomination of a member of the Senate shall be free to run for the office of Delegate, provided that they have not already served two consecutive terms previously or hold the office of Speaker of the Senate or Justice of the Supreme Court.
4. The Delegate may hold membership in the Senate, but shall not be permitted to hold the office of Speaker of the Senate or Justice of the Supreme Court and shall not be permitted to vote except in the event of a tie, wherein they shall cast the deciding vote.
5. The Delegate shall swear by the oath provided by the Senate.
6. Procedures for the election of the Delegate shall be initiated immediately following the ratification of this document.

2. Candidates for the office of the Delegate shall when they accept their nomination select a candidate to run as their Vice Delegate.

1. Candidates for the office of Vice Delegate shall have met all the requirements and of the office of the Delegate, except for having received the nomination of a Senator.
2. Should the Delegate be unable to perform their duties or their office be left vacant the Vice Delegate shall assume the dutiesoffice of the Delegate until a new one has been elected. The term of Delegates elected in special elections shall endure only until the next normal Delegate election.for the remainder of the term.
3. Should the Vice Delegate be unable to perform their duties or their office be left vacant the Delegate shall appoint at their discretion a new Vice Delegate.
4. Should both the Delegate and the Vice Delegate be unable to perform their duties or both their offices be left vacant then the Speaker shall assume the duties[/st]office of the Delegate until a new one has been elected. The term of Delegates elected in special elections shall endure only until the next normal Delegate election.for the remainder of the term.
5. The Vice Delegate shall swear by the oath provided by the Senate.
6. The Senate may define through either the code of laws or its internal procedures the line of succession beyond the Speaker.

3. The Delegate shall a Cabinet to aid them in executing their duties.

1. The Delegate shall have the power to create Cabinet ministries at their discretion.
2. The Senate shall have the power to create Cabinet ministries through the Code of Laws.
3. The Delegate shall have the power to abolish Cabinet ministries not required by the Code of Laws.
4. The Delegate shall have the power to appoint and dismiss ministers of the Cabinet at their discretion.
5. Members of the Cabinet shall swear by the oath provided by the Senate.

4. The Senate shall have the power to remove the Delegate or Vice Delegate from office if they in their opinion have violated the Constitution and laws of Taijitu, broken their oath or failed to fulfill their duties, by a two-thirds majority vote.

5. The Senate shall have the power to remove from office any member of the executive other than the Delegate or Vice Delegate who in their opinion has violated the Constitution and laws of Taijitu, broken their oath or failed to fulfill their duties, by a vote of no confidence.

6. Any Citizen who has held Citizenship for 30 days and possessing a UN nation may apply to be registered as a Voter.

i: Registered Voters may have their status revoked if they are convicted of having violated the laws or Constitution of Taijitu by the Supreme Court.
ii: All Senators shall automatically be registered as Voters.
iii: The Registration of Voters and maintenance of all relevant records shall be the duty of the Speaker of the Senate.

Item I: Procedures for Simple Legislation

1: Any Senator may propose a bill within the Senate Chambers, wherein all Senators may freely debate and propose modifications to the bill.
2: Should a third of Senators nominate the bill, it shall be move to the Senate floor for a vote not to exceed a week in duration.
3: Should two thirds of Senators motion to dismiss the bill debate on the bill shall be closed, and the bill may not be reintroduced until a week has expired.
4: Debate on a proposed bill shall be open for the duration of a week or until the bill has garnered sufficient nominations to be moved to the floor, whichever comes first.
5: The period for debate may be extended by the duration of a week should a third of Senators motion to extend the period for debate.
6: Should a bill fail to garner sufficient support to be moved to the floor after a week has expired and no motion to extend debate has succeeded debate shall be closed and the bill may not be reintroduced until another week has expired.
7: The Speaker may request new nominations for a bill should in their opinion the content of the bill have changed sufficiently.
8: Absent Senators shall not be taken into consideration when determining whether a bill has accrued enough nominations to be moved to the floor or if a motion to dismiss a bill or extend the period for debate is successful.
9. A simple majority shall be necessary for the passage of simple legislation.

Item II: Procedures for Constitutional Amendments

1: Any Senator may propose an amendment within the Senate Chambers, wherein all Senators may freely debate and propose modifications to the amendment.
2: Should a half of Senators nominate the amendment, it shall be move to the Senate floor for a vote not to exceed a week in duration.
3: Should a half of Senators motion to dismiss the amendment debate on the amendment shall be closed, and the amendment may not be reintroduced until a week has expired.
4: Debate on a proposed amendment shall be open for the duration of a week or until the amendment has garnered sufficient nominations to be moved to the floor, whichever comes first.
5: The period for debate may be extended by the duration of a week should a third of Senators motion to extend the period for debate.
6: Should an amendment fail to garner sufficient support to be moved to the floor after a week has expired and no motion to extend debate has succeeded debate shall be closed and the amendment may not be reintroduced until another week has expired.
7: The Speaker may request new nominations for an amendment should in their opinion the content of the bill have changed sufficiently.
8: Absent Senators shall not be taken into consideration when determining whether an amendment has accrued enough nominations to be moved to the floor or if a motion to dismiss an amendment or extend the period for debate is successful.

Item III: Procedures for Senate Applications

1: Should a citizen who has met the requirements enumerated within the Constitution request entrance to the Senate a review shall be opened within the Senate Chambers.
2: Reviews on applicants will be open to all Senators for the duration of a week, after which the review shall be concluded and a vote to confirm the application shall be opened on the Senate Floor for the duration of a week.

Item IV: Procedures for the Election of the Delegate

1. General elections for the Delegate shall be held in the months of January, April, July and October, with the Speaker of the Senate acting as election official.
2: Election proceedings shall begin on the tenth day of the month, at which point nominations will be opened within the Senate Chambers.
3. Nominations shall be concluded on the seventeenth day of the month, at which point candidates may campaign for the office of Delegate within the Senate Chambers for the duration of a week.
4: Campaigns shall be concluded on the twenty fourth day of the month, at which point a votes shall be opened on the floor for the duration of a week.
5: Voting shall be concluded on the thirtieth day of the month, and the Delegate Elect shall be sworn into office on the first day of the following month.

Item V: Procedures for the Election of the Speaker of the Senate

1. General elections for the Speaker shall be held in the months of January, May and August, with the Delegate acting as election officer.
2: Election proceedings shall begin on the tenth day of the month, at which point nominations will be opened within the Senate Chambers.
3. Nominations shall be concluded on the seventeenth day of the month, at which point candidates may campaign for the office of Speaker within the Senate Chambers for the duration of a week.
4: Campaigns shall be concluded on the twenty fourth day of the month, at which point a votes shall be opened on the floor for the duration of a week..
5: Voting shall be concluded on the thirtieth day of the month, and the Speaker of the Senate Elect shall be sworn into office on the first day of the following month.

Item VI: Procedures for the Confirmation of Justices of the Supreme Court

1: Should the Delegate nominate a Justice of the Supreme Court a review shall be opened within the Senate Chambers.
2: Reviews on nominees will be open to all Senators for the duration of a week, after which the review shall be concluded and a vote to confirm the nomination shall be opened on the Senate Floor for the duration of a week.
3: A simple majority shall be necessary to confirm a nomination for the office of Justice of the Supreme Court.

Item VII: Procedures for the Emergency Election of the Delegate

1: Should the office of the Delegate be vacant nominations shall be opened within the Senate Chambers for the duration of seven days.
2: Nominations shall be closed after the seventh day and a vote shall be opened on the Senate Floor and nominees may campaign within the Senate Chambers for the duration of a week.
3: After a week has expired campaigning shall be concluded and the vote closed, and the Delegate Elect shall be sworn into office within the following three days.
4. Should the period for emergency election procedures for the Delegate extend into the period for the general election of the Delegate, no emergency election shall be held.

Item VIII: Procedures for the Emergency Election of the Speaker of the Senate

1: Should the office of the Speaker of the Senate be vacant nominations shall be opened within the Senate Chambers for the duration of seven days.
2: Nominations shall be closed after the seventh day and a vote shall be opened on the Senate Floor and nominees may campaign within the Senate Chambers for the duration of a week.
3: After a week has expired campaigning shall be concluded and the vote closed, and the Speaker of the Senate Elect shall be sworn into office within the following three days.
4. Should the period for emergency election procedures for the Speaker extend into the period for the general election of the Speaker, no emergency election shall be held.

Item IX: Procedures for the Removal of Members of the Executive

1: Any Senator may motion for to remove from office any member of the Executive within the Senate Chambers.
2: Should a Senator motion to remove a member of the Executive a vote shall be opened on the Senate Floor for the duration of week.

Item X: Procedures for a Vote of No Confidence

1: Any Senator may motion for a vote of no confidence within the Senate Chambers.
2: Should a Senator motion for a vote of no confidence a vote shall be opened on the Senate Floor for the duration of week.
3: A simple majority shall be necessary for a vote of no confidence to pass and for the Speaker to be removed from office.

Item XI: Procedures for the Removal of Senators

1: Any Senator may motion to remove from the Senate any of its members.
2: Should a Senator motion to remove a Senator from office a vote shall be opened on the Senate Floor for the duration of week.
3: A simple majority shall be necessary for a Senator to be removed from office.

Item XII: Procedures for the Removal of Justices of the Supreme Court

1: Any Senator may motion for to remove from office a Justice of the Supreme Court within the Senate Chambers.
2: Should a Senator motion to remove a Justice of the Supreme Court vote shall be opened on the Senate Floor for the duration of week

Item XIII: Procedures for Leaves of Absence and Missed Votes

1: Senators may request a leave of absence, not to exceed two months in duration, and shall be obliged when they do so to provide the dates of their absence.
2: Senators may not apply for a leave of absence within a week of having completed another.
3: Should a Senator miss five consecutive votes without having applied for a leave of absence in advance a vote on the removal of the Senator from office shall be opened on the Senate Floor, except where the Senator in question was serving as Delegate at the time of the votes.

Item XIV: Procedures for Abstentions, Absences, and the Vote of the Delegate

1: The votes of Senators who abstain, are absent, whether with or without previous notice, or are serving as Delegate shall not be considered when determining the outcome of a vote, except when the vote of the Delegate is cast to break a tie.

Item XV: Senate Scrutiny

1: Any senator may motion for a member  of the executive to be called to account for their actions or lack thereof in the Senate Chambers.
2: Should a Senator motion to call a member  of the executive, a thread shall be opened in the Senate Chambers for the duration of week.
3: The thread in the Chambers  shall outline questions or a topic which the Senator feels the member of the executive should address.
4: If the  motion is nominated by at least one third of  all active Senators,  the Speaker shall open a thread in the Senate Chambers or the Senate Private Area at their discretion and the member of the executive summoned shall appear within three days to address the questions asked of them.
5: Senators shall have  seven days to question the member of the executive as they see fit.

XVI: The Speaker pro Tempore

1: The Speaker shall have the power to appoint at their discretion any number of Senators, to be ranked in whatever order of preference they choose, to the office of Speaker pro Tempore.
2: Should the Speaker be unable to perform their duties or their office be left vacant the highest ranked Speaker pro Tempore of those present shall assume the duties of the Speaker until a new Speaker has been elected.
3: The Speaker may not appoint the current Delegate or the Vice Delegate to the office of Speaker pro Tempore.

XVII: Condorcet Voting Supplementary Rules

1: Should there be a loop of preference and no Condorcet winner at the conclusion of voting, the loop shall be resolved by removing the victory of candidate over another in a pairwise contest which occurred by the smallest margin of votes.

[Eluvatar]

This seems to make sense. A question: is it your intend to eliminate entirely all special elections?