So as I'm sure you're all aware, I'm running for Vice Delegate alongside mcm's run for Delegate! We have chosen to run together because we have a strong working relationship, our strengths complement each other well, and we share similar goals and ideals for the region.
While mcm will be working to build strength and activity in the executive branch, my focus will be on two things: transparency and security.
Transparency
Transparency of government is something I believe very strongly in. While some element of privacy is required for the government to function properly, and some element of secrecy is required to protect, well, secrets, by and large the citizenry should never be forced simply to wonder what their government is doing behind closed doors. There ought to be strong, robust mechanisms for discovering this, and at least in my opinion, default behavior on the government's part toward openness as much as possible.
During my term as Chief Justice, I was able to institute transparency reforms on the Court - a body which is historically closed off, and which is legally not required to release its documents. I proposed we adopt a policy of releasing all records which were older than one year, and later drafted an amendment to the Adopted Court Rules that requires future Courts to do the same.
During a term as Vice Delegate, I would like to investigate the possibility of similar reforms within that body - another one which is historically very closed off and, at least as of recently, not legally required to release its documents. I will seek to ensure that that matters of genuine secrecy remain secret, while still allowing the general public to get a better idea of what the SC does, how it operates, and what it's been up to for the last few years.. or, well, ever.
Additionally, I will be pursuing massive reforms to the existing Freedom of Information Act, to reverse the power dynamic. In a region like ours, where transparency is one of the cornerstones of our Bill of Rights, it is utterly backwards to demand the average citizen to justify why they want the government to be transparent on an issue - made even more difficult because, due to the lack of transparency, the citizen is usually unable to make a coherent case for something which they have no access to. Instead, given our commitment to transparency, the burden of justification ought to be on the government whenever it chooses to hide and conceal. There are reasons to do so - but it should never be the default.
Security
The Vice Delegate chairs the Security Council, and as such they are the higest ranking government official responsible for regional security. It is therefore the VD's responsibility to ensure that the SC does its job well, and that it has all of the tools and authorities it requires for that purpose. Tools we are pretty well set on, thanks to our tireless turtle, but authorities is an area that can, in my opinion, use some improvement.
While r3n's reforms to the line of succession are an excellent step in this direction, there is still more that needs work. Once I have gotten a feel for how the SC operates and what it needs, I will be looking to overhaul both the Regional Security Law and the SC Procedure - both for legal improvement and verbal clarity. The vast majority of Vice Delegates during my time in the region have stumbled over the law in some way - from disagreements over whether COE is correct to remove SC members who don't log onto the forum, to questions under Aba over whether the SC/VD is subject to FOIA, to both FOIA and security block court cases under DD... Enough is enough. It's time to tackle this nonsense.
To be clear, I am interested in pursuing these reforms (both security and transparency) regardless of whether I am elected. They are important to me. They matter. It is my strong belief that they will make our government and our region better. However, these particular issues are tricky to get right. What I believe is best for the region as a citizen, an RA member, is informed without deep knowledge of the Security Council's needs and requirements. Serving as Vice Delegate will allow me to work closely with the Security Council to gain an inside perspective, in order to ensure that the reforms ultimately streamline and improve the processes they go through, rather than complicate, impede, or obstruct.