The Two Cents Amendment

[Gaglhen Fortaleça]

Whereas Article III Section II of the Organic Law currently reads:

The King is the symbolic head of the nation. The nation democratically grants the King and his successors certain Royal Powers: The right to declare national holidays, grant titles of nobility, make the annual Speech From the Throne on the 26th of December (or at other times when events warrant), to veto bills (or Prime Dictates), to issue Writs of Dissolution and Warrants of Prorogation for the Cosâ, to grant pardons and commute sentences, to confer awards and decorations, to appoint the Seneschál after elections, and to appoint Governors of Territories upon the advice of the Seneschál.

Shall be amended to read:

The King is the symbolic head of the nation. The nation democratically grants the King and his successors certain Royal Powers: The right to declare national holidays, grant titles of nobility, make the annual Speech From the Throne on the 26th of December (or at other times when events warrant), to confer awards and decorations, and to advise the Seneschál on the appointment of Governors of Territories.

AND Whereas Article XI Section II of the Organic Law currently reads:

The King appoints the Seneschal. If a single party occupies a majority of the seats in the Cosâ, the King shall choose as PM whichever individual shall be designated by that party. If no single party has a majority, the King shall appoint a Seneschál after consulting party leaders with the objective of finding a PM who can be sustained in subsequent Votes of Confidence by a majority of seats in the Cosâ. The King must appoint a new Seneschál or announce the continuation of the incumbent in office within one month of the end of elections, or, if after one month no candidate can be appointed with the support of a Cosa majority, dissolve the Cosa after the first Clark and call for new elections.

Shall be amended to read:

The Seneschal is elected by the citizens of Talossa during the election of the Cosa. Seneschal candidates will be selected within parties and be voted for during the previously stated time frame.

AND Whereas Article XI Section IV currently reads:

The Seneschal has State duties. He may advise the King to dissolve the Cosa and to appoint and remove members of the Cabinet. His advice to the King on these matters may not be refused. The Seneschal may issues Speeches to the Nation in writing, declare war pending the approval of the Cosa, write treaties pending the approval of the Cosa, expedite the Ziu's consideration of legislation, and issue Prime Dictates. 

Shall be amended to read:

The Seneschal has State duties. He may dissolve the Cosa and appoint and remove members of the Cabinet. The Seneschal may issues Speeches to the Nation in writing, declare war pending the approval of the Cosa, write treaties pending the approval of the Cosa, expedite the Ziu's consideration of legislation, and issue Prime Dictates.

AND Whereas Article XI Section V currently reads:

Prime Dictates (PD's) are public declarations which affect government policy and have the force of law. They take effect upon their countersignature by the King, function as laws for all purposes, and may be repealed by a majority vote in the Cosâ. If a Prime Dictate is vetoed by the King, the Cosâ may introduce the text of the PD as a regular bill and, if it receives two-thirds of the vote, it becomes law over the King's objection. A PD may never be used to amend the Organic Law. PD's shall be published at the earliest possible opportunity in the Clark.

Shall be amended to read:

Prime Dictates (PD's) are public declarations which affect government policy and have the force of law. They take effect upon proclamation function as laws for all purposes, and may be repealed by a majority vote in the Cosâ. A PD may never be used to amend the Organic Law. PD's shall be published at the earliest possible opportunity in the Clark.

AND Whereas Article XI Section VI currently reads:

Should a petition supported by members of the Cosa holding more than half the seats therein be presented to the Crown instructing the King to replace the Seneschal, the King shall accede to the petition, and shall replace the Seneschal with any specific person named in the petition, or, lacking any specific recommendation for a successor, with any person who the Crown believes will command the confidence of the Cosa.

Shall be amended to read:

Should a petition supported by members of the Cosa holding more than half the seats therein be presented to the Crown instructing the King to replace the Seneschal, the King shall accede to the petition, and shall replace the Seneschal with any specific person named in the petition. After declaration of the new Seneschal a 48-hour period will be given so that the citizens of Talossa may petition against the assignation of the new Seneschal. If a majority of citizens petition a new election must be held and new candidates chosen. If no petition arises the Seneschal shall remain.

AND Whereas Article XII Section I currently reads:

The King appoints and dismisses members of the Government (Cabinet), and their subordinates, on the advice of the Seneschál. The Government consists of the Seneschál, the Distáin, the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Immigration Minister, and Minister of Stuff. Various other ministries may also be appointed as the Seneschál sees fit.

Shall be amended to read:

The Seneschal appoints and dismisses members of the Government (Cabinet), and their subordinates. The Government consists of the Distáin, the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Immigration Minister, and Minister of Stuff. Various other ministries may also be appointed as the Seneschál sees fit.

AND Whereas Article XII Section VIII currently reads:

The King shall appoint a member of the Government to be Distáin (Deputy Prime Minister) on the advice of the Seneschál. The Distain shall act in place of the Seneschal in the event of the latter's death, resignation, absence, or disability, until a new Seneschal shall be appointed. The Ziu may by law establish procedures for determining the absence or disability of the Seneschal.

Shall be amended to read:

The Seneschal shall appoint a member of the Government to be Distáin (Deputy Prime Minister). The Distain shall act in place of the Seneschal in the event of the latter's death, resignation, absence, or disability, until a new Seneschal shall be appointed. The Ziu may by law establish procedures for determining the absence or disability of the Seneschal.

AND Whereas Article XII Section IX currently reads:

The King shall appoint a Member of the Cosa to serve as Speaker of the Cosa (Talossan: el Túischac'h), on the advice of a simple majority vote in the Cosa for the upcoming term. The Speaker shall preside, direct and maintain order during Living Cosas, in an unbiased fashion. Otherwise, his function will be to advise Members of Cosa of appropriate decorum. He is considered the honourable President of the Cosâ and shall be awarded all due veneration when serving as such. (47RZ4)

Shall be amended to read:

The Seneschal shall appoint a Member of the Cosa to serve as Speaker of the Cosa (Talossan: el Túischac'h), on the advice of a simple majority vote in the Cosa for the upcoming term. The Speaker shall preside, direct and maintain order during Living Cosas, in an unbiased fashion. Otherwise, his function will be to advise Members of Cosa of appropriate decorum. He is considered the honourable President of the Cosâ and shall be awarded all due veneration when serving as such. (47RZ4)

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

I see what you´re trying to do and I approve of it in principle - an entirely ceremonial monarchy. However, giving the Seneschál power to dissolve the Cosâ is a bad move. It would mean the government being able to keep itself in power indefinitely by not allowing the Cosâ to ever remove it.

We should look at how the German Constitution does it - given how the Presidents of the Weimar Republic misused their reserve powers (like letting Austrian monorchid maniacs take over the government), the Federal President of the Bonn/Berlin Republic is a purely ceremonial role.

[Françal Ian Lux]

We might have to hold off on making this an official bill until the next cycle begins

[Ian Plätschisch]

This is a lot, some of which I agree with and some of which I don't. Restricting monarchial powers is good, but ridding them altogether is a step I don't think that I, or other MRPTers, would be willing to take.

Perhaps we could split this up and debate the different parts separately.

[Gaglhen Fortaleça]

Jun 3, 2015 20:40:25 GMT -6 Ian Plätschisch said:

This is a lot, some of which I agree with and some of which I don't. Restricting monarchial powers is good, but ridding them altogether is a step I don't think that I, or other MRPTers, would be willing to take.

Perhaps we could split this up and debate the different parts separately.

Thanks for the input, yes i don't want to rid the monarchy of all its powers but i figured we could start from the bottom and see what powers we want the King to retain and which should be left out.

[Gaglhen Fortaleça]

This is the Hopper, as far as you all and I am concerned this idea is merely floating around and is free to ideas from everyone and every party, including the RUMP. So, what are your ideas in editing/removing/adding things to this half-baked idea?

[C. Carlüs Xheraltescù]

This would give the Seneschal way too much power, IMHO.

[Françal Ian Lux]

Jun 4, 2015 4:44:27 GMT -6 Gaglhen Fortaleça said:

This is the Hopper, as far as you all and I am concerned this idea is merely floating around and is free to ideas from everyone and every party, including the RUMP. So, what are your ideas in editing/removing/adding things to this half-baked idea?

In my opinion, you cannot start from the bottom up and see what powers you can give the monarch. That's a bit contradictory to the purpose of the royals. If we eliminate his political powers and make him a PURELY ceremonious and advisory player, that, in my opinion, would be the BEST compromise between the democrats and monarchists.
As far as redistributing the powers clipped off from the King, I suggest some of them be eliminated entirely. We cannot grant the PM much power because the extent of his powers must stem from what the Cosâ is willing to give to him.
I would personally prefer a strong central legislative branch. After all, we lawmakers are supposed top represent the will of the people.

[Gaglhen Fortaleça]

Alright, I will have an edited and revised version soon. What powers do you all think should be removed in their entirety?

[Txosuè Éiric Rôibeardescù]

As someone in a party of monarchel agnosticism I have to say that you are trying to hard, to much too quickly. I know your know and your learning but even meistra didn't try and form the Republic as soon as she got into the cosa. Democracy is like lego, brick by brick you build a better future, not by letting you dog demolish it as soon as it sees it on coming into the room...

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

Also, may I suggest that you look at how amendments are actually phrased? An example for amendments:

WHEREAS [build-up and explanation of the existence of this bill], and
WHEREAS [you would want to keep one point per "WHEREAS", because... you just do], and
WHEREAS [pay attention to how cross from the explanatory part over to the action-taking part], now

THEREFORE [state what is to be done, e.g.: "the Ziu enacts following", or for amendments mostly: "the Ziu decrees that following amendment be put before the citizenry for approval and ratification". The wording is entirely up to you, as long as the meaning is understood]:

[exact name of the current law], which currently reads:
"[QUOTE_CURRENTLAW]"

shall be amended to read (or: shall be stricken in its entirety; or: shall be replaced with):

"[Whole current law with proposed changes. Mostly, in order for the MZs and the voters to be able to reconstruct the changes, sections added will be marked differently, for example in a bold font]", and

FURTHERMORE [if this amendment shall affect something ELSE]

this and that is agreed upon.

Uréu q'estadra så (a bill is to end with this sentence, which translates to "I pray that this be so")
[NAME OF AUTHOR] ([capacity of author])
[NAMES OF CO-AUTHORS] ([capacity])
[NAMES OF CO-SPONSORS] ([capacity])

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

Moreover, please be aware that "Shall be amended to read" is not a full sentence. "It shall be amended to read" is, however, a full sentence.

The reason that you do see only "shall be amended to read" written, is because this is not a new sentence but rather follows the sentence that came before the quote:

"Law XYZ which reads this, shall now be amended to read that."