Vivanco for Speaker I - Vox Populi

[Vivanco]

VIVANCO FOR SPEAKER
Vox Populi
​

As time goes on and on, there are things that never change and stay in, perhaps we a still, but for sure stable progress, like Great A'Tuin forever drifting across a sea that's never meant to be swam. And that is no different of the highest position for the chamber of representation of the nations in our region, a fair keeper of the rules of the parliamentary method, orderly and systemically managing the different aspects that the Legal Code and procedures impose to them.

Some people may think that I am a complete newcomer to the office of the speaker, and such people would be absolutely wrong given the fact that I have been part of the Speaker's staff in the past, most notably working in the "Know your Laws" project back when the Speaker's office had its own Discord server.

It's been a long journey for me in the region, five years and soon to be six. I'm not the oldest one, that's for sure, but I'm not a newcomer anymore, I'm no longer a new face that nobody would recognise. I have been Attorney General, Chief Justice, Deputy Minister in quite the occasions, and what I can say is that I have done nothing but show attention and pride in the region and the obligations I have for it.

And that sense of pride and of duty has made me go ahead and run for the Speakers office, with a knowledge and liking of procedural law such as is the procedures of the Regional Assembly to ensure debates are held as best of my abilities, and to keep the needed records such as is citizenship and residence, and the needed updates that the RA deem necessary to our Legal Code to be applied in the text as soon as I find able to.

And thus, I will put myself subject to the will and questions of the people.

May the voice of the people be heard, as it's our prideful democratic tradition!

 

[St George]

I am excited to potentially see you in an elected role again! I know you to be a dedicated and capable member of the region. I have some questions, however:

1. What is Blue Day and how does it effect Regional Assembly votes? What is Delegates Day and how does it effect Regional Assembly votes?

2. What is the current number of votes required to achieve quorum?

3. How long does a delegate have to sign a Treaty after it passes before it becomes law?

 

[Vivanco]

1. What is Blue Day and how does it effect Regional Assembly votes? What is Delegates Day and how does it effect Regional Assembly votes?

Blue Day is the 23rd of November, to celebrate the establishment of the first ever forum for the region. It is regulated under Section 9.3.15 of the Legal Code as a Memorial Day.
The effect in this day, as with any other Memorial Days, affects in the way that no vote should be cast in the RA, having to close for that day the votings as per the rules establishes.

2. What is the current number of votes required to achieve quorum?

Section 6.3 of the Legal Code rules that "the number of votes required to achieve quorum for any legislative vote is equal to one third of the number of citizens who have voted in at least one of the three most recent legislative votes. A legislative vote is a vote of the Regional Assembly to enact, amend or repeal laws."
Due to the voting for the Motion to Uphold the Rejection of Madeline Valois' Citizenship Application not being finished yet, I will not be counting such.

Spoiler: Breakdown of the votes

The list of unique people who have voted at least once in the three most recent legislative votes are a total of 39, the following:
Praetor
DiamondComodo
Rewan Demontay
QuietDad
Cretox
Koon Industries
Dreadton
Peeps
galom_dasir
St George
Great Bights Mum
Zheng
Aerilia
Chipoli
Treekidistan
Yuno
Pallaith
Ellbonnia
Empty
Caius
Inven
Katyarda
Fregerson
Skaraborg
Oracle
Kronos
Owenstacey
Dar Es Saalam
Sir Kasto
Sil Dorsett
Rocketdog
Gorundu
Healiopolis
Nimarya
Plembobria
Bobberino
Siwale
Loh
Lord Dominator

39/3 = 13.
Thus, in order to reach quorum it'll be needed 13 votes.

3. How long does a delegate have to sign a Treaty after it passes before it becomes law?

The delegate has 7 days to sign or veto the treaty. In the case of no action taken, the legislation will become law and become accepted.

 

[Cretox]

Your graphics, as always, are amazing.

Some people may think that I am a complete newcomer to the office of the speaker, and such people would be absolutely wrong given the fact that I have been part of the Speaker's staff in the past, most notably working in the "Know your Laws" project back when the Speaker's office had its own Discord server.

Is there a reason you haven't been involved with the Speaker's office since then, for example as a deputy speaker? Especially since it's been some time since the office had its own discord server and things have no doubt changed since then.

And that sense of pride and of duty has made me go ahead and run for the Speakers office, with a knowledge and liking of procedural law such as is the procedures of the Regional Assembly to ensure debates are held as best of my abilities, and to keep the needed records such as is citizenship and residence, and the needed updates that the RA deem necessary to our Legal Code to be applied in the text as soon as I find able to.

How well do you think the Speaker's office is currently running? Is there anything you would improve? Is there anything you would try doing that isn't currently being done; any new projects you would undertake?

What would you say the ideal relationship between a Speaker and legislation is? Is it okay for the Speaker to write legislation? To vote on it? To lobby for or against a bill? Do you see yourself being a neutral speaker, or one more aggressively engaged with writing and passing new laws?

 

[St George]

The delegate has 7 days to sign or veto the treaty. In the case of no action taken, the legislation will become law and become accepted.

You were correct on the first two (but avoided answering my question about Delegate's Day, which is a Celebration Day), but the delegate does not sign treaties into law, they become law upon passing the Regional Assembly.

 

[Vivanco]

You were correct on the first two (but avoided answering my question about Delegate's Day, which is a Celebration Day), but the delegate does not sign treaties into law, they become law upon passing the Regional Assembly.

Two out of three!
And more than avoided, I didn't quite see properly. I'll answer fully tomorrow

 

[Vivanco]

Is there a reason you haven't been involved with the Speaker's office since then, for example as a deputy speaker? Especially since it's been some time since the office had its own discord server and things have no doubt changed since then.

Because I have been involved in other parts of the goverment of the region. I believe an essential part of a responsible person is knowing the limits and how to manage their time. I have been with a tight schedule and I would have not been able to be as effective as deputy speaker as I could have. So, it has been my own restraint that I have not been involved further with the Speaker's office from my own vision that if I'm in a position of work, that I will have to be the best of myself.

How well do you think the Speaker's office is currently running?

I have no complains on how the office is currently being ran, other than the curious case of Madeline Valois' Citizenship Application.

Is there anything you would improve? Is there anything you would try doing that isn't currently being done; any new projects you would undertake?

There are always room for improvement, that's for absolute certainty, being the division between Speaker staff and Deputy Speaker being confusing at best. It may be time to solidify one of the two as official workers of the Speaker office, without having to juggle between terminology from term to term.

What is Delegates Day and how does it effect Regional Assembly votes?

Delegate's Day is the 9th of September, regulated in the Legal Code, section 9.2.9, to praise the work of previous delegates and their contributions to the region.
It does not affect RA votes as it is not a Memorial Day.

 

[Comfed]

the curious case of Madeline Valois' Citizenship Application.

So what's your take on that?

 

[Vivanco]

What would you say the ideal relationship between a Speaker and legislation is?

Due to the nature of the office, I would say that the ideal relationship would be of the Speaker as the guardian of the legislation. Not a guardian in the same effect as the judicial branch in which they guard by safekeeping its validity and effect, but as a guardian of how the laws are born. I would say that if the legislation is a newborn, the Speaker would be the matron, the one making sure it's delivered properly, keeping the debate formal and making sure the Regional Assembly works as intended.

Is it okay for the Speaker to write legislation? To vote on it? To lobby for or against a bill? Do you see yourself being a neutral speaker, or one more aggressively engaged with writing and passing new laws?

I am not one to judge whenever a Speaker should write legislation or not, since before a Speaker they are a citizen, and as citizen they are allowed to act accordingly with the rights of their citizenship with the voting of laws, to the writing of legislation.
However, I will make myself clear of my moral point of view as I have done in the past.
As the Speaker, I see myself as a neutral one, preffering to stay in the verge of debate for bills and act when it's needed to avoid the manners of the Regional Assembly of respect and personal attack from plaguing legislative debate.

 

[Vivanco]

So what's your take on that?

We're humans, we all make mistakes. I have nothing more to say.

 

[St George]

Would you ever use the Speakers power to stop a matter from being debated? If so, in what situations could you see yourself using it?

 

[Vivanco]

Would you ever use the Speakers power to stop a matter from being debated? If so, in what situations could you see yourself using it?

If push comes to shove, I would use such powers.
Let's take in consideration the following hypothesis, in the marvelous realm of theory and make-believe. An act is being pushed foward that may be detrimental to the region's core values such as democracy (if such case could even happen), and it's being debated.
It is not only that it's my choice as Speaker to act, but my duty and obligation.

Quoting the Court's ruling on "On the Use of the Speaker's Power to End Debate"

If, at any point, the Speaker determines that allowing a debate to continue is not in the best interests of the region, we concur with the previous Court that they have an obligation to put an end to it.

So, I would not be scared to act as Speaker and the powers within the position, as it is what's expected of me in my position.

 

[Comfed]

If push comes to shove, I would use such powers.
Let's take in consideration the following hypothesis, in the marvelous realm of theory and make-believe. An act is being pushed foward that may be detrimental to the region's core values such as democracy (if such case could even happen), and it's being debated.
It is not only that it's my choice as Speaker to act, but my duty and obligation.

Suppose I proposed an amendment to make the Vice-Delegate an office of the Security Council, appointed by the SC itself. Is that detrimental to the core regional value of democracy, and if so would you shut it down?

 

[Zyvetskistaahn]

Suppose three bills: the Court Reform Bill; the Crime and Punishment Bill; and the Regional Assembly Procedure Bill. The Court Reform Bill amends the Constitution and the Legal Code. The Crime and Punishment Bill amends the Legal Code only. The Regional Assembly Procedure Bill amends the Legal Code and the Regional Assembly's Rules. None of them include the clause required for omnibus bills.

Suppose each bill receives 17 Aye votes to 13 Nay votes with 5 Abstentions. Do they pass?

Which of them, if any, need to be presented to the Delegate for signature or veto?

Suppose the Delegate vetos any that are presented, what is their fate?

 

[Vivanco]

39/3 = 13.
Thus, in order to reach quorum it'll be needed 13 votes.

Small update before I answer all of the questions
I believe I have counted wrong, so I will count again tomorrow to double check.

 

[Pallaith]

What’s your plan for managing and scheduling deputies? How will you take care to make sure votes are actually started and ended on time?

 

[Vivanco]

Small update before I answer all of the questions
I believe I have counted wrong, so I will count again tomorrow to double check.

I have done three different votings and neither give me the same results, nor from my initial count, nor my most honorable opponent.

The closest of them is taking in consideration the voters from the failed Empowering Proactive Officeholding, the Citizenship Reform Act and The Foreign Affairs Toolbox Expanison Act, composed of 44 unique voters, making it 14,66 (rounded up to 15).

Spoiler: Breakdown list of voters

Hulldom

Peeps

Treekidistan

Rewan Demontay

Kronos

Chipoli

Tree of Wisdom

Sir Kasto

Caius

Rocketdog

Lord Dominator

Darani

Pallaith

Filibustra

Sil Dorsett

QuietDad

Oracle

Dreadton

Great Bights Mum

Loh

Pathoal

mcmasterdonia

Siwale

Holy Marcus Empire

Ellbonnia

Pauline Bonaparte

Sanjurika

Praetor

St George

Fregerson

Bobberino

Empty

Dictators

Owenstacey

Nimarya

Cretox

Dar Es Saalam

Gorundu

Dinoium

bootsie

Blue Wolf II

Katuda

Tringapore

Yuno

This is mostly to @Zyvetskistaahn , who asked to me in the first time about from where I got the voters lists, prompting me to revise.

 

[Vivanco]

Suppose I proposed an amendment to make the Vice-Delegate an office of the Security Council, appointed by the SC itself. Is that detrimental to the core regional value of democracy, and if so would you shut it down?

Taking in consideration that such amendment wouldn't be possible due to the fact that only the SC members can nominate new members, I wouldn't see it necessary to shut it down, for I believe the citizens would be made aware of this mistake in the legislative (and I see members of the Security Council with influence and determination with the regional stability actively discussing and shutting down such proposal), I fail to see how this potential failure in the legislative could be detrimental to democracy.

 

[Vivanco]

What’s your plan for managing and scheduling deputies? How will you take care to make sure votes are actually started and ended on time?

There's a poem of a spanish author that I'd like to quote before answering.

Wanderer, no roads lie waiting,
roads you make as you explore.
Step by step your road is charted,
and behind your turning head
lies the path that you have trodden,
not again for you to tread.

You may ask why do I quote this for this question. It has a very simple answer: Learning from past mistakes.

I can't ignore the past, just as nobody can, and since the topic of administration of deputies has risen, it's obvious to some of the members who've known me for a while that in the past that hasn't exactly been my forte, and it's clear as day how my time as Attorney General went. A mistake, a path that I have trodden, not again for me to tread, and that I will promise.

For managing and scheduling deputies, I will make sure, first and foremost, that they will be wiling to act, and I will do my best to try to be as little dependant on them as possible. But as any human being, I deserve some rest, so if a week has 7 days, we could say that out of them, 5 I will be in ready to tackle stuff first-hand, passing by availability the tasks that come by to the deputies. And if one has done something already and other that hasn't is available, the latter will be the one chosen to work, making sure everyone gets to do their part.

And for the start and end on time, I have this curious case of sometimes not being able to sleep properly, so I would be able to set up alarms myself to do it in case none else has done it already.

 

[Vivanco]

[Edit, sent it too soon]

 

[Vivanco]

For Zyvet's questions, I will be tackling them one by one in a systematic manner.

The Court Reform Bill amends the Constitution and the Legal Code

None of them include the clause required for omnibus bills.

The Court Reform Bill should not be taken to vote in the first place.

Standing Procedures:
Legislative Proposal Procedure
5. No proposal will be scheduled for a vote that includes changes to more than one document, unless it includes the following clause or a functional equivalent

For that reason, I will ignore their results, for their voting wouldn't have been done per procedure.

---

The Crime and Punishment Bill amends the Legal Code only

each bill receives 17 Aye votes to 13 Nay votes with 5 Abstentions. Do they pass?

A quorum of citizens has been achieved, and assumimng they have mantained citizenship for the entire duration of the voting period, since they achieved majority support, they would pass.

---

The Regional Assembly Procedure Bill amends the Legal Code and the Regional Assembly's Rules

None of them include the clause required for omnibus bills

For the same reason as the Court Reform Bill, this bill would not have been gotten to a vote even.

---

Which of them, if any, need to be presented to the Delegate for signature or veto?

The only one that would be presented to vote and pass it; The Crime and Punishment Bill.

---

Suppose the Delegate vetos any that are presented, what is their fate?

In the case of a veto, their fate would be of not being turned into a law. However, the Regional Assembly wan bypass such veto with an override of the Delegate's Bill, needing a qualified majority (two thirds of the votes) to pass, making the veto null and making sure that The Crime and Punishment bill turns into law.

 

[Sil Dorsett]

1. For Zyvet's "Three Bills" question, assume that, because you're the Speaker, you already allowed all of these procedural violations to occur and that you are taking the results as is. How does this change your answer?

2. Assume instead that one of your deputies did this, that the bills already went to vote, and that the results were already finalized. Does this change your answers?

 

[Gorundu]

Taking in consideration that such amendment wouldn't be possible due to the fact that only the SC members can nominate new members, I wouldn't see it necessary to shut it down, for I believe the citizens would be made aware of this mistake in the legislative (and I see members of the Security Council with influence and determination with the regional stability actively discussing and shutting down such proposal), I fail to see how this potential failure in the legislative could be detrimental to democracy.

I'm assuming that when you said that this amendment wouldn't be possible, you mean it from a legal point of view rather than a political point of view. I don't quite understand your reasoning for why it wouldn't be possible. Can you explain it further?

 

[Cretox]

There are always room for improvement, that's for absolute certainty, being the division between Speaker staff and Deputy Speaker being confusing at best.

Do you think there should be a speaker's staff outside the deputies? I don't think there's really any confusion at this point, considering the Staff has been defunct for a while.

Though that does make me think of another question: currently, deputy speakers are forbidden from being government officials in other branches. If a deputy speaker appoints a staffer (similar to a minister appointing a deputy minister), that restriction wouldn't apply. Would you ever use this quirk?

I am not one to judge whenever a Speaker should write legislation or not, since before a Speaker they are a citizen, and as citizen they are allowed to act accordingly with the rights of their citizenship with the voting of laws, to the writing of legislation.
However, I will make myself clear of my moral point of view as I have done in the past.
As the Speaker, I see myself as a neutral one, preffering to stay in the verge of debate for bills and act when it's needed to avoid the manners of the Regional Assembly of respect and personal attack from plaguing legislative debate.

When do you think it's acceptable for a speaker/deputy to perform clerical tasks regarding their own bill? Opening? Closing? Counting? Etc.

For managing and scheduling deputies, I will make sure, first and foremost, that they will be wiling to act, and I will do my best to try to be as little dependant on them as possible.

Roughly how many deputies do you see yourself appointing? Would you try to primarily handle the office's work yourself instead of delegating to them?

 

[Zyvetskistaahn]

I have done three different votings and neither give me the same results, nor from my initial count, nor my most honorable opponent.

The closest of them is taking in consideration the voters from the failed Empowering Proactive Officeholding, the Citizenship Reform Act and The Foreign Affairs Toolbox Expanison Act, composed of 44 unique voters, making it 14,66 (rounded up to 15).

Spoiler: Breakdown list of voters

Hulldom

Peeps

Treekidistan

Rewan Demontay

Kronos

Chipoli

Tree of Wisdom

Sir Kasto

Caius

Rocketdog

Lord Dominator

Darani

Pallaith

Filibustra

Sil Dorsett

QuietDad

Oracle

Dreadton

Great Bights Mum

Loh

Pathoal

mcmasterdonia

Siwale

Holy Marcus Empire

Ellbonnia

Pauline Bonaparte

Sanjurika

Praetor

St George

Fregerson

Bobberino

Empty

Dictators

Owenstacey

Nimarya

Cretox

Dar Es Saalam

Gorundu

Dinoium

bootsie

Blue Wolf II

Katuda

Tringapore

Yuno

This is mostly to @Zyvetskistaahn , who asked to me in the first time about from where I got the voters lists, prompting me to revise.

This is very close but is slightly off, quorum is currently 14, being one third of the 41 legislatively active citizens.

One issue is because quorum is determined by reference to the number of citizens who have voted in the last three legislative votes, those who are no longer citizens no longer count towards determining quorum (Blue Wolf is only a resident now). There is perhaps an interesting question about Tringapore, who lost citizenship between the most recent legislative vote and now but has regained it; practice has been not to count such citizens towards quorum but whether you do or do not makes no difference to quorum at the moment (a third of 41 or of 42 would give 14 as quorum).

The other is that you have double counted Caius, as they and Dictators are one and the same.