Post by Sir C. M. Siervicül on Feb 22, 2008 11:32:03 GMT -6
Fellow Maricopans, it's high time we started working on a constitution for our fair province. I can't think of any better way to start discussion than by posting the last real constitution proposed for Maricopa, which was written by former PM Dale Morris back around 1999, and never (so far as I know) formally adopted. I haven't updated the Talossan bits from the 1997 orthography, but here's the document:
Art. 1. The Sovereign Province of Maricopa is an autonomous and self-governing member of the federal Talossan nation and pledges eternal allegiance to His Royal Majesty, and the Regipäts Talossán.
Art. 2. The name of the state is la Provînçù Soverán da Maricopa. In English, it is the Sovereign Province of Maricopa.
Art. 3. The sacred and irremovable territory of the Sovereign Province of Maricopa shall consist of the cantons of Buffoniâ, Frédéricville, Murphysboro, Prachelion, Schneideriâ, and Weserniâ.
Art. 4. The capital of the Province is McGarriton, after the province’s first Governor-General.
Art. 5. The sole historic and national language of the entire Talossan people, and therefore of the Maricopan Province, is the Talossan language (el glhetg Talossán). The Maricopan government shall also recognise English as a useful working second language.
Art. 6. The Provincial flag shall consist of a triple cross, green upon white upon orange, on a white field.
Art 7. Legislative power in the Sovereign Province of Maricopa is invested in a Casâ da Maricopa. The Casâ shall consist of all Maricopan citizens who wish to have membership in the body.
Art 8. The Casâ shall have power to pass any bill into law by a simple majority vote of its members. The Premiéir shall send out a notification of voting period, to be determined by law. Each member shall have a proscribed amount of time in which to cast his vote before voting closes.
Art 9. The Premiéir shall be the majority leader in the Casâ. He shall have the power to issue proclamations which have the force of law. These proclamations may be appealed or amended as regular laws.
Art 10. The Governadéir-Xhenerál is the representative of the King of Talossa, and as such, shall have veto power over all laws of the Casâ. The Governadéir-Xhenerál is appointed by the King, but must be a citizen of Maricopa, of at least one year.
Art 11. Maricopa’s delegate to the Senäts shall be known within the Province as el Domnul-Senätsesc. He shall be appointed by the Premiéir, on the advice of the Casâ, which cannot be refused.
Art 12. So that no conflict of interest may occur, or that no one individual may take over the province in a hostile attempt, no-one may hold any of the offices of Premiéir, Governadéir-Xhenerál, or Domnul-Senätsesc simultaneously, without express consent of the Casâ.
Art 13. All cases shall be heard by Tribunals of not less than 3 Maricopans created at need by the government. Their verdict may be appealed, if not unanimous, to the Talossan Cort Inalt.
Art 14. This Constitution may be altered by a Casâ resolution, which must be passed into a referendum of the people, attaining the favour of three-fifths of those who vote.
Art 15. We, the people of Maricopa, do hereby endorse this constitution for the government of our great Province and do therefore ordain it to be the highest law of our land!
I would like to use this historic draft as a starting point for Maricopa's new constitution. Obviously, though, there are a few things that need to be changed. Here are what I see as the biggest problems:
There are other issues, but I think these are the big ones. Thoughts?
CONSITUTION OF THE SOVEREIGN PROVINCE OF MARICOPA
As Proposed by Citizen Dale Morris
The State
As Proposed by Citizen Dale Morris
The State
Art. 1. The Sovereign Province of Maricopa is an autonomous and self-governing member of the federal Talossan nation and pledges eternal allegiance to His Royal Majesty, and the Regipäts Talossán.
Art. 2. The name of the state is la Provînçù Soverán da Maricopa. In English, it is the Sovereign Province of Maricopa.
Art. 3. The sacred and irremovable territory of the Sovereign Province of Maricopa shall consist of the cantons of Buffoniâ, Frédéricville, Murphysboro, Prachelion, Schneideriâ, and Weserniâ.
Art. 4. The capital of the Province is McGarriton, after the province’s first Governor-General.
Art. 5. The sole historic and national language of the entire Talossan people, and therefore of the Maricopan Province, is the Talossan language (el glhetg Talossán). The Maricopan government shall also recognise English as a useful working second language.
Art. 6. The Provincial flag shall consist of a triple cross, green upon white upon orange, on a white field.
La Casâ
Art 7. Legislative power in the Sovereign Province of Maricopa is invested in a Casâ da Maricopa. The Casâ shall consist of all Maricopan citizens who wish to have membership in the body.
Art 8. The Casâ shall have power to pass any bill into law by a simple majority vote of its members. The Premiéir shall send out a notification of voting period, to be determined by law. Each member shall have a proscribed amount of time in which to cast his vote before voting closes.
El Premiéir
Art 9. The Premiéir shall be the majority leader in the Casâ. He shall have the power to issue proclamations which have the force of law. These proclamations may be appealed or amended as regular laws.
El Governadéir-Xhenerál
Art 10. The Governadéir-Xhenerál is the representative of the King of Talossa, and as such, shall have veto power over all laws of the Casâ. The Governadéir-Xhenerál is appointed by the King, but must be a citizen of Maricopa, of at least one year.
El Domnul-Senätsesc
Art 11. Maricopa’s delegate to the Senäts shall be known within the Province as el Domnul-Senätsesc. He shall be appointed by the Premiéir, on the advice of the Casâ, which cannot be refused.
Distribution of Power
Art 12. So that no conflict of interest may occur, or that no one individual may take over the province in a hostile attempt, no-one may hold any of the offices of Premiéir, Governadéir-Xhenerál, or Domnul-Senätsesc simultaneously, without express consent of the Casâ.
Justice
Art 13. All cases shall be heard by Tribunals of not less than 3 Maricopans created at need by the government. Their verdict may be appealed, if not unanimous, to the Talossan Cort Inalt.
Amendments
Art 14. This Constitution may be altered by a Casâ resolution, which must be passed into a referendum of the people, attaining the favour of three-fifths of those who vote.
Ratification
Art 15. We, the people of Maricopa, do hereby endorse this constitution for the government of our great Province and do therefore ordain it to be the highest law of our land!
I would like to use this historic draft as a starting point for Maricopa's new constitution. Obviously, though, there are a few things that need to be changed. Here are what I see as the biggest problems:
- I don't think the restriction on the appointment of the Governadeir-Xheneral ("must be a citizen of Maricopa, of at least one year") in Article 10 can be enforced on the King. It'd also be good to point out that this is our provincial term for the Cunstaval.
- The method of selection for Maricopa's senator conflicts with the OrgLaw.
- Article 13, establishing ad hoc tribunals to try judicial cases on a provincial level, is probably unworkable.
There are other issues, but I think these are the big ones. Thoughts?