Skaraborg For Speaker - The Hamster is Back!

[Skaraborg]

Hello again! The hamster is back and running for Speaker for a third time! I lost with the smallest of margins last time, but I hope that the third time is the charm! I have decided to keep my campaign short and concise so I do not bore you to death.

Who Am I?
I am Skaraborg, a nation that has been in TNP for nearly 3 years now and during that time, I have served as Deputy Speaker, Minister of Home Affairs, Gameside Advocate and Deputy Minister. Some random facts about me is that my favourite animal is the hamster and I am a big fan of Mexican and Indian cuisine. I love football (soccer) and support Newcastle United! My intention was not to run this term since I was expecting @Sil Dorsett to run again. Since Sil will not be running, I have had to re-evaluate my decision and chosen to instead run this term.

My goals for the term:
In my previous campaigns I've racked up a lot of targets and ideas for my terms. This will not be happening this term. However, since my last campaign, I am pleased to see that a Speaker Guide has become reality, something I have previously campaigned for. Doing the main duties of the Speaker (Citizenship checks, counting votes and handling the RA) will always be my first priority, but completing the Speaker Guide will also be a target.

Summary:
I am Skaraborg, a nation with a lot of experience within the RA as a Deputy Speaker. During my term, I will ensure that the RA has a 4 month period of stability and that votes and threads are delivered on time, plus citizenship checks are properly done. I will be continuing the great work Sil Dorsett did in the previous term!

Thank you for taking your time to read my campaign and feel free to ask any questions! (And sorry for my crazy image)

 

[Fregerson]

You got my full support, I think you have potential to be an excellent Speaker

 

[St George]

I think you've been an adequate deputy especially in this term and would do well in the office.

I do have several questions:
1. What steps should you take when the citizenship sheet indicates that a citizen has not posted in the last 30 days?
2. What is the current number of voters required for quorum?
3. The Regional Assembly has passed a law that amends Section 4.3 of Chapter 4 of the Legal Code, renaming it. What steps are required of you to ensure that the Legal Code reflects this change?
4. A citizen opens a topic in the Regional Assembly to ask that a bill of attainder is passed against another citizen. What are your duties and responsibilities to the Regional Assembly and the region in this scenario?
5. How many deputies would you plan to appoint? What do you think makes a good deputy?
6. What is the effect of Celebration days on the business of the Regional Assembly?

 

[Magecastle]

Is this accurate? If so, unfortunately this information is sufficiently incriminating that I would not be able to vote for your candidacy in good conscience.

 

[Simone]

Support. Will see what happens when it goes to vote.

 

[Skaraborg]

I think you've been an adequate deputy especially in this term and would do well in the office.

I do have several questions:
1. What steps should you take when the citizenship sheet indicates that a citizen has not posted in the last 30 days?

Always double check so that the sheet is correct since it doesn’t count profile posts on the forum. Once you’ve confirmed that a nation hasn’t posted on either the rmb or forums for the last 30 days they shall be removed from the citizenship registry and placed on the resident registry. This change shall be announced in the forum thread “Loss of Citizenship/Residency Notifications”.

2. What is the current number of voters required for quorum?

The Legal Code reads as followed:

Chapter 6: Regional Assembly Statutes
Section 6.3: Voting
23. 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.

After following the law I can confirm that 17 is the quorom. 51/3= 17

3. The Regional Assembly has passed a law that amends Section 4.3 of Chapter 4 of the Legal Code, renaming it. What steps are required of you to ensure that the Legal Code reflects this change?

I'm a little afraid I might have misunderstood the question,

Article 3. The Delegate and Vice Delegate
5. When a proposal of the Regional Assembly to enact, amend or repeal a law is passed, the Speaker shall promptly present it to the Delegate, and it shall take effect immediately upon their signature.
7. The Regional Assembly may override such a veto by a two-thirds majority vote, which shall cause a proposal to take immediate effect.
8. If a proposal of the Regional Assembly to enact, amend or repeal a law has not been signed or vetoed by the Delegate, it shall take effect seven days after being passed.

Basically, once a law has been passed the Speaker's duty is to present it to the delegate. If the delegate doesn't veto it, but signs it or fails to do either within 7 days, the law takes effect. It's the speaker's duty to apply the changes in our law page on the forum and provide a link to when it was amended below the legal code in this case.

Since I have not served as a Speaker before and couldn't find anything in the current standing procedures or any law I assume there is not a step I've missed. But correct me if I'm wrong!

I will be continuing to answer your questions tomorrow morning, but leave you with this for now as a "starter"

Apologies for potential spelling errors. I'm writing too quick for my hands to cope.

You got my full support, I think you have potential to be an excellent Speaker

Support. Will see what happens when it goes to vote.

Thank you very much!

Is this accurate? If so, unfortunately this information is sufficiently incriminating that I would not be able to vote for your candidacy in good conscience.

Actually it's the other way around. I hope that is okay....

 

[Bobberino]

You have been a very competent Deputy Speaker for the time I've seen you in office. Best of luck, my friend!

 

[Skaraborg]

You have been a very competent Deputy Speaker for the time I've seen you in office. Best of luck, my friend!

Even if I were to lose I know the speaker’s office will be in safe hands which is a great feeling. I know you’d definitely live up to the expectations of the speaker’s office and do a great job so I wish you the best of luck too in this election.

 

[Simone]

https://forum.thenorthpacific.org/topic/9196548/post-10547858

Since this is still election season, I want to ask every candidate for every office if they have a view on this matter? Not necessarily if you it's within your purview (or if you want to push this issue to another person), but just a view.

 

[Skaraborg]

4. A citizen opens a topic in the Regional Assembly to ask that a bill of attainder is passed against another citizen. What are your duties and responsibilities to the Regional Assembly and the region in this scenario?

In my personal opinion all bill of attainders is unlawful since it could prevent the accused of having a fair trial. The "trial" should not be done in the RA, but in the courts and I would therefore not allow such a bill to be able to pass. A bill of attainder proposed by a government official is completely stopped by the BoR and so should all bill of attainders be. Something I am surprised isn't stated in our current laws.


Since the law clearly states that where there are no rules the speaker may use their discretion, my responsibilities are to always make sure that what I as a speaker do is lawful, but also what I do does not harm the interest of the region. Although I would like to remain as objective as possible in all scenarios I would personally interfere and stop such law from passing. Everyone has a right to a fair trial conducted in the courts and not a bill of attainder in the RA.


I do believe the chances of this happening is slim to none though.

5. How many deputies would you plan to appoint? What do you think makes a good deputy?

I have no specific number although I believe that the more who are interested in serving as a deputy, the better. I will be asking all current deputies whether they would like to continue and then I will be reaching out to ones I feel could do a good job as a deputy.


My ideal deputy has the ability to take their own initiatives. If there's been a while since the speaker or another deputy hasn't done the citizenship checks, it's great to have someone who can jump in and just cover. Doing citizenship checks is not that difficult and as long as you're able to follow steps and procedures anyone has the ability to become a deputy! That's the great thing about that governmental position, everyone has the potential to excel

6. What is the effect of Celebration days on the business of the Regional Assembly?

Nothing, only memorial days have effect on the business of the RA.

https://forum.thenorthpacific.org/topic/9196548/post-10547858

Since this is still election season, I want to ask every candidate for every office if they have a view on this matter? Not necessarily if you it's within your purview (or if you want to push this issue to another person), but just a view.

I believe the forum rejection appeal has been a good solution to the problems many today have with not passing the forum check. How we're supposed to improve the forum checks and adapt to the way people use technology today is beyond my knowledge. I am terrible with technology and trust in what the admins do. I therefore don't really have an opinion on this matter.

 

[Gorundu]

A bill of attainder proposed by a government official is completely stopped by the BoR and so should all bill of attainders be. Something I am surprised isn't stated in our current laws.

I think your interpretation of the bill of attainder clause in the Bill of Rights is a bit off. The exact wording of the relevant sentence is "No governmental authority shall have power to adopt or impose an ex post facto law or a bill of attainder as to any act for purposes of criminal proceedings." The Regional Assembly is a governmental authority - it's the legislative branch of the government. The Regional Assembly is the body that adopts laws, and the Executive government imposes the laws. So they are both covered by this prohibition.

 

[Skaraborg]

I think your interpretation of the bill of attainder clause in the Bill of Rights is a bit off. The exact wording of the relevant sentence is "No governmental authority shall have power to adopt or impose an ex post facto law or a bill of attainder as to any act for purposes of criminal proceedings." The Regional Assembly is a governmental authority - it's the legislative branch of the government. The Regional Assembly is the body that adopts laws, and the Executive government imposes the laws. So they are both covered by this prohibition.

Oh I misread it as government official and not authority. Makes a lot more sense now and as you say means that a bill of attainder is illegal.

 

[Comfed]

Since the law clearly states that where there are no rules the speaker may use their discretion, my responsibilities are to always make sure that what I as a speaker do is lawful, but also what I do does not harm the interest of the region. Although I would like to remain as objective as possible in all scenarios I would personally interfere and stop such law from passing. Everyone has a right to a fair trial conducted in the courts and not a bill of attainder in the RA.

Would you use your powers to end debate?

 

[Skaraborg]

Would you use your powers to end debate?

Depends on what debate you mean. A debate on an illegal proposal will be ended.

In all other cases I believe in being patient and giving off warnings if the debate becomes uncivil or off topic. I think that’s enough and I can’t see myself ever having to use my powers to end a debate.

 

[Comfed]

Depends on what debate you mean. A debate on an illegal proposal will be ended.

I meant if you would use your powers to shut down a bill of attainder.

 

[St George]

To clarify what @Comfed said and what I was looking for in an answer further, @Skaraborg, the Speaker has an obligation to end discussion on a topic that they believe is not in the best interests of the region. In the instance of someone proposing a Bill of Attainder - or even proposing a law to allow the Regional Assembly to vote to remove someone's citizenship (as has previously occurred), I'd look to the Speaker to shut down such discussion due both to that previous ruling, and to a moral objection on the point being raised.

 

[Skaraborg]

To clarify what @Comfed said and what I was looking for in an answer further, @Skaraborg, the Speaker has an obligation to end discussion on a topic that they believe is not in the best interests of the region. In the instance of someone proposing a Bill of Attainder - or even proposing a law to allow the Regional Assembly to vote to remove someone's citizenship (as has previously occurred), I'd look to the Speaker to shut down such discussion due both to that previous ruling, and to a moral objection on the point being raised.

I meant if you would use your powers to shut down a bill of attainder.

I stated that a debate on an unlawful proposal will be ended which means that yes, I would use my powers to stop a bill of attainder.