I'm not sure what the ettiquette is on double posting here, but to be safe I'll add this post with my character account (that counts right?) I realized after posting above that I didn't offer my own general thoughts on the structure of the Senate here at Chaos.
Let me preface with saying that I am actively involved in local and state politics in the United States and have experience with federal politics under my belt. I also studied administrative law, which essentially deals with governance.
On The Role of the Senate, Historically:
The Senate as we first see it was essentially modeled on the modern day Westminster system, acting as both the legislative and executive bodies. In essence, almost ALL power was vested in the Senate as a collective. When we first see the Senate in the canon (DIsney recently nullified the expanded universe so I'm referring to only the movies etc) the Senate retains the majority of the power, having stripped the Supreme Chancellor of all pratical authority.
However, under Palpatine's rule the office of Supreme Chancellor grew to its original power and then greatly exceeded it. Upon the restructure of the Republic, fear of this happening again drove them to return much of the power to the collective which led to the split between military and political leadership. Beyond this I am not well versed.
My Vision of the Senate:
I am a huge fan of the Westminster system so I am in favor of returning a very large amount of power to the Senate with a few differences from its original conception.
For me, the Senate should in fact be the do all, say all becaue they are the directly elected representatives of the citizenry and this is the structure that most planets would probably approve. I am in favor of it retaining both the legislative power (aka making laws) and th executive power (aka. electing the 'Leader of the Republic' in whatever form that takes.)
Organization of the Galactic Republic:
THE EXECUTIVE
-Leader of the Republic- Elected by the Senate is a central figure who is vested with limited executive authority (I would like to change this position from the current Prime Minister title.)
-Cabinet - A group of Senators who serve as committee chairman and subsequently act as cabinet members for the Leader and advise him on executive actions.
THE LEGISLATIVE
------The Senate - The Senate would be a body composed of both Senators and Representatives. The Senators as a whole are vested with all law-making powers, though other components of the GR could also create laws in a certain manner of speaking. However, the Senate has the final word by majority or in some cases 2/3. Only a vote of the entire Senate can create a black letter, on the books, enforceable, budgetable, LAW.
-Speaker of the Senate - Politically neutral, similar to the Speaker of the House of Commons, chairs the Senate and oversees its operations seperately from the executive leadership of the Leader of the Republic.
-Senators - Elected officials from each plant/system that serve as legislators, ambassadors of the Republic (in a limited capacity), and surrogate leaders of their individual systems/planets. ONLY planets or systems with planetary constituency would be eligible for admittance as a Senator.
------Committees - The entire senate (given the current membership) would be divided into a fixed number of permanent committees with at least one senator in each commission. These committees should be drawn from real life examples and IC realities. They would be primarily responsible for overseeing those areas and starting initiatives in those areas on the forums, but would not be vested with direct or complete oversight OR law making power. Senators could still suggest any bill they wanted, but in practice could be required to have at least one committee members sign off on the bill.
- Rules - Committee charged with ensuring all IC Senate members are following ettiquette and approves bills to change IC senate rules (aka. how debates happen and such.) Also the committee in charge of holding trials for public officials. Chaired by the Speaker of Senate and does not count toward the cabinet level chairs.
- Security - Committee overseeing the military, approving bills to change the structure of the military, etc.
- Finance - Committee overseeing budgetary matters, proposes the Budget for the entire Republic which is then voted on by the entire Senate. Basically, every part of the government is funded through this budget.
- Welfare - Committee overseeing public health, education, housing, general welfare initiatives. (Including the Environment.)
- Diplomacy - Committee overseeing diplomatic initiatives, helping draft treaties and agreements with other factions or accepting planets to join the GR.
- Commerce - Committee overseeing trade, infrastructure, the economy, and labor initiatives.
- Jedi Affairs - Committee overseeing relations with the Jedi Order exclusively and also what sort of financial support etc the Republic gives to the Jedi.
- Ad Hoc and Others - Other committees may be formed temporarily on request to address special issues.
-Representatives - Non-voting members of the Senate who are either attached to a Senator's delegation (let's say from another planet in the Senator's system) OR in the event an organization like the Trade Federation arose again and sought representation.
Powers
EXECUTIVE
The Leader:
- Signs or vetoes bills at their discretion, can be overriden with a 2/3
- Appoints all unelected positions (judges, generals IC only, etc)
- IC only commander in chief on advice of the Senate and the Security Chair
- Spokesperson, face of, and official ambassador of the Republic (aka. only person authorized to speak on behalf of the entire government) but may only speak with the voice of the senate (aka he cant got around saying 'the republic stands for this' if the senate has said 'we stand for that.)
- Executive Orders are directives to executive level agencies for example a Bureau of Starport Management. These are Grey Letter Laws, they have the force of law as long as they do not DIRECTLY violate Black Letter Laws (senate) and as long as the senate does not vote to override them.
- Signs all treaties, contracts, etc...
- May submit legislation to the senate
- May call special sessions and speak before the senate but may not vote or force a vote.
- In times of extreme emergency, they may ask for emergency powers in conjunction with the Speaker, but these powers are shared and neither may make a decision without the other.
- May be impeached by a vote of NO confidence which requires a 2/3 majority.
- May serve as long as they are elected.
- OOC requires approval by head faction leader
Cabinet Leaders:
- Chairman of their respective committee, but does not vote in committees. Simple presides over meetings
- IC and OOC person in charge of keeping areas of oversight under their perview active. So they will initiate, as often as possible, discussions, role plays, etc concerning their area.
- IC head of their "Department" and thus oversee all agencies
- Both elected and may be impeached by the Senate from members of the Senate. Election is majority, removal is by 2/3
- May also be removed if the Leader calls for their removal, in which case it only takes a simple majority.
LEGISLATIVE
Speaker:
- May not belong to any political party and does not vote or show bias.
- Presiding officer of the senate (rulings in the senate may not be challenged by senators)
- Decides who speaks, may cut off senators, recommend senators for discipline, etc
- Chairs the Rules Committee
- Communicates with the Leader on behalf of the Senate
- Appoints committee MEMBERS only, no power over chairs
- Approves representatives IC
- OOC monitors senator activity.
Senators
- May propose laws
- Serves on committees
- Enforcing GR-wide laws in their own sector as it pertains
- Official ambassador between the GR and their sector/planet
- May serve as ambassadors of the republic when called upon by the Leader
- Are always considered sacrosanct when acting in the capacity of a Senator, they may not be arrested or detained by any government without directive given by the Rules Committee, Speaker or Senate as a whole.
- May be recommended for removal from the Senate by the Rules Committee. The Senate may send a Senator back to their planet and request new representation with a 2/3
- A home planet may remove a Senator under their own codes and laws.
Committees
- Help oversee activity OOC through their own initiatives
- Preliminary 'approval' of laws in their area of oversight
- Make strong recommendations to the government
Representative
- May not vote
- As many as is approved by the Speaker IC
- May serve on and vote in committees
- May not speak unless given permission by their Senator
- May not act outside of the interest of their delegation
LAWS
Constitutional Laws - There needs to be a constitution with all of the stuff we want struck in stone written down. These laws can only be changed by 2/3 vote of the Senate and then approval from each planet represented by referrendum in their planetary legislature or other council.
Black Letter Laws - Laws that are not consitution level which are passed by the Senate.
Red Letter Laws - Laws made by the Supreme Court or Galactic Court if one is so established. They basically work off of precedent and can only be over ruled by a constitutional amendment.
Grey Letter Laws - Executive Orders
HOW CHANGES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED
Unless there is a document that says we can't implement these changes because X,Y,Z then ANY change can be made by a simple vote of active Senators IC.
ONLY if it is written as a constitutional law or otherwise states it would take a 2/3 majority to overturn does the 2/3 rule apply.
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