The Encouragement of Debate Resolution

[areyoua (OP)]

January 1, (starting date)

Observing that votes can and will be cast for a course of action prior to active debate.

Concerned that these votes will be regretted in the future because of powerful arguments

Concerned that filibusters become tools to prevent the passage of important laws

Observing the informal nature of resolutions proposed in the past

Concerned that their format may have a negative effect on

I propose that all resolutions have a mandatory 24 hour period lasting from their proposal to the opening of polls during which debate will be allowed

that this period of discussion can be lengthened to 48-72 hours by either the President's approval or the support of a plurality of voting senators

that the voting period will extend for 24 hours after debate ends

that votes will be placed in a separate area from the area of disscusion

that resolutions in the future are recommended to follow this structure in proposing future proposals for the Senate to debate

that new proposals will have the term "bill" as their last word and should be called as such

that bills will consist of a body similar to this one that will contain both the purpose and the effects of the bill

that bills will have the name of the person who wrote the bill and the person who seconded the bill

that bills will include "[vote]" after the word "bill" when voting is commenced until it is ended

that bills will be termed "resolutions" when they are approved and their last word changed at that time

that bills may not be edited once voting has commenced

that resolutions in the future are recommended to only have two options, For or Against.

Writer: George Payne
Seconded by: Charles Winston
OOC: Present time: May 29, 2011 12:55 PM (GMT)

[ardem]

Here Here

I would like to second your Debate bill, I also think Bills should be formatted in such as fashion they are shown as a Bill, such as your above.

I would like to see all bills have a favour or not in favour ability. Rather then multiple choice, if it does not pass and debate has been strong for some changes a bill can be amended and resubmitted.

Only the author of the suggest bill can make changes then request for call for the vote, which the Senate speaker (Detjen) open voting, this is after a period of minimum debate.

Senator Winston
Minister for Survey

OOC: you can edit your post.

[areyoua (OP)]

Out of courtesy and ease to reading, any changes to the original document should be put in bold so as to highlight changes and prevent any changes from being added surreptitiously as I have done. I do agree that there should only be two options in a bill, and that change has also been made. A senate speaker, however should not be Detjen but rather a position that can be filled by an election every 5-year cycle.

[ardem]

OOC: Senator speaker was a in character term he is a moderator and able to make the voting change on the forum

[areyoua (OP)]

OOC: ah, Yes, sorry about that, but I still believe that a speaker should be a position and that he or she would simply ask Detjen to make the change.

[Sheb]

I believe that somewhere should exist a Code of Laws, where all our laws are stored. I also thing that no law should be voted until our constitution or charter is in place.

[Panopticon]

These all work for me

[Detjen]

OOC:  bah I need to work out some way to Icly mention the passage of time so youll have to excuse my lack of character in this part, but I wish to remind everyone that the current format of the game will see a turn pass each Monday,  the average time of a turn is intended to be a month, more or less depending on activity in the game.
So for time sensitive issues if you wait too long to post your Resolution you may end up missing the window,  just keep that in mind.

IC:  I believe there will be no issues with the proposed resolution, though I do worry some about potential gridlock in constant debates being extended, but this is a concern that is unfounded until tested.  perhaps a standard format for presenting Proposals should be drafted as well,  to ensure uniform understanding of the person making the statement the subject concerned and the proposal that this resolution aims to pass.    my final concern is that some resolutions may not be as simple as a yay or nay.  90% of all resolutions maybe but there will come a time where allowing a multi vote resultion may be the best option

away from the subject on the resolution and responding to a comment about a Code of Laws,  our charter will be posted shortly with our initial rules and settings.   as amendments change the body of this Charter  they will be updated

[ardem]

Here Here

President Casey makes a valid point about standards. The Senate should be held to a high account for the people's sakes, a bill and voting should have a consistency from one bill to the next.

I recommend some slight changes to your Bill Senator Payne,

 - A Subject similar to your Bill, mentioning the word 'Bill' at the end.

 -Within the Bill,
     -the body of the bill,
     - the writer,
     - a person who will second the bill, a bill must be seconded before going to voting stage.

 - When the bill going to voting stage,the subject line exact the same as the bill with a (vote) in brackets, included is the body of the final text which cannot be change during the voting stages.

Senator Winston

[areyoua (OP)]

President Casey, your concerns about a debate going on for too long is a very valid concern. However, I believe I  accounted for that when I limited a discussion to 72 hours at the maximum.

OOC: I originally had planned to include a clause mandating that a poll be started at the same time the bill was introduced with two options: extend or do not extend. This didn't occur as I couldn't think of a way to get that IC, and I actually forgot to put that in to this bill.

Your concern about the lack of an allowence for a multi vote bill is noted, but with a bill format similar to the one I have introduced, I see no real way to let there be more than two options, but I will change the word "must" in the clause to "recommend"

Senator Winston, I really had written the format of the Bill as a format that should be followed not one that must be held to in all aspects, hence my use of "recommend" rather than must, but I see the point that bills should have consistency and a clear structure so your edits will be made.

All changes this time around be underlined

Senator Payne

[Detjen]

OOC Note and question.   I dont seem to be able to modify a current thread into a poll.   are polls start able by other players or only the moderators?  should we suggest that all resolutions start as a poll but with the poll options locked for the debate period  or should we simply start another thread for the actual vote.  should I then make two more sub boards within the senate to avoid the clutter of discussion and then voting.   one final thing I just caught, how long will the voting period last we have a 24-72 debate period but no lenght of time on voting.

[Sheb]

I'd suggest 24 hours of voting time, and a separate board for the polls.

[ardem]

OOC: Detjen the bill calls for a separate post, created by you, this way there can be no last minute changes while the bill is in progress, you need to add "bill vote" to the end of the subject with the same subject name

[areyoua (OP)]

OOC: I would agree with the two board idea. A thread should be posted in the board for voting when the debate time has ended by the original writer of the bill and a 24 hour voting time seems right as most people would will be on once a day. The changes have been made to the bill, this time in italics (running out of new ideas though), and if no one has any objections I'll post a poll for this tomorrow as that would when 72 hours is over in the second board if there is one or just in the Senate board if there isn't.

[ardem]

Senator Payne, I believe it should be the speakers (Detjen) right to call the vote, this way, and I mean no offence when I say this, no funny business goes on while the vote is in progress, a slight edit here a slight edit there, by the author.

I say this to show the people we have a legitimate and legal way with proceeding, with fear their may be corruption.

Senator Winston