The Military Expansion Act [PASSED]

[Terras Zordok]

Bill Name: The Military Expansion Act

Purpose: To take adequate measures to increase the ability of the Republic military to counter the forces of the One Sith and other enemies in the present or the future.

Content:

Section 1 - Investigates how much additional spending is needed on the Republic's army, navy, and other agencies within the Republic military to more effectively counter forces, and allocates expenditure into the military based on the investigation

Section 2 - Reaffirms the Republic's commitment to updating, expanding, and further developing its military technology for both the army and the navy

Section 3 - Builds new and developed training academies to better train cadets for the military

Section 4 - Encourages able, adult citizens of the Republic to join the military, and promotes recruitment by:
a. Providing the existing military with a more efficient and organized merit-baesd system for advancement and promotions
b. Offering more generous terms of military service

Section 5 - Encourages all youth citizens, aged between 14 to 18 years of age, to join youth military academies as a cadet if he or she possesses the mentality, ability, and skills needed for military training and service, and provides full scholarships for the academies to those who excel in academic or physical disciplines

---

Alena thought that the Republic needed to have enacted such measures a long time ago, back when the old Sith Empire was still around. Regardless, many planets have realized the need for such measures due to the recent growth of the One Sith.

"I would like to hear some arguments for and against before we proceed to voting," the senator stated.

"Amendments will be made based on discussion."

 

[Jessu]

It was Senator Ozio of Carida that spoke first.

"I detest the drafting of citizens. I strongly believe it is the citizens own right and choice to decide whether he, she or they will participate in military training and preparation for combat. If we're training our citizens to aid in preventing foreign incursions, then I suggest other measures more suitable than stripping civilians of another freedom. Being eligible to buy yourself out of it does not make it a freedom. If we begin drafting our people, we will become no better than the current occupants of Coruscant."

 

[Terras Zordok]

Alena gave a nod of respect to Senator [member="Nitram Ozio"]. She had not seen the senator before, but Beswin trusted that the man knew what he was talking about.

"Senator, I too am an advocate and a strong supporter of our citizens' freedom. However, in times of such crisis, we must be ready to make difficult decisions. That difficult decision today is to sacrifice the freedom of a few to preserve and defend the freedom of all." she stated plainly.

"Besides, senator, the draft system will also provide training and education for citizens who may otherwise be unable to receive such without it. After serving their terms within the military, they would be able to choose professional careers such as pilot, police, mechanic, and much more."

 

[Torill Holgor]

[member="Alena Beswin"] [member="Nitram Ozio"]

Torill looked over the proposal before the floor noting points of it only looking up to hear what the Senator from Carida said.

When he finished Torill spoke softly.

"Is it not the personal responsibility of each and every member of a government from it's average citizen all the way up to it's senior leadership to ensure the safety and security of it's people?" "If anything I think it is the ability to buy your way out of your obligations that is deplorable." "The poor should not have to carry the burden of responsibility alone just because the rich can buy their way out of harm."

 

[Terras Zordok]

Alena glanced over at Senator [member="Torill Holgor"], calmly listening to him speak, before speaking herself. She had also anticipated heated arguments on that part of the bill.

"Senator Holgor, I understand that it may seem unfair to you. However, think of it this way. Would you rather fight to have one additional draftee in our military, or also 120,000 credits that we could use to help improve the living conditions and training for the other draftees?"

"I believe in giving choices, senator. Regardless of economic disparities, this bill will ensure for all members of our Republic to contribute to defending ourselves from our enemies."

 

[Torill Holgor]

Torill looked over at [member="Alena Beswin"] with a polite nod.

"What I would rather have is a situation where the citizens of a government have enough faith and trust in their government that they would voluntarily fight for it instead of even needing this bill at all."

Torill sighs.

"Alas it does not seem to be the case." "So to answer your question bluntly I would rather have the extra soldier." "The amount is insignificant next to the true cost of warfare." "That cost being the lives and livelihood of the people."

"I realize we are facing a numbers game here that we must balance over the moral slippery slope we are on in the discussion of forcing people to what could very well be their deaths." "I would just much prefer we did not add the effect of trying to put a credit value on the lives of our citizens."

 

[Terras Zordok]

Alena returned Senator [member="Torill Holgor"] a polite nod.

"I see, senator." she replied. "I would like to add however, that in the case a draftee buys his or her way out of being drafted, he or she would still need to place a replacement in the draftee spot. Thus the choices were either one draftee, or 120,000 credits and one draftee."

"Regardless, I understand fully what your argument is. Would you be willing to place your support in this bill if I were to remove the option of being able to buy your way out of a draft?" she questioned politely. Alena was willing to make compromises and changes if she had to.

 

[Torill Holgor]

[member="Alena Beswin"]

Torill looked thoughtful for a moment at her offer.

"I would say it would a step in the direction of a compromise in regards to your bill." "On principle I don't support forced conscription."

"That being said the removal of said buy out option would please me yes." "If I may I would like to put forth the amendment to combine the draft systems under the age range of 18 to 21." "As well as a wording change from Military camps to Military Academies." "Unless we are drafting vagrants and criminals exclusively."

 

[Terras Zordok]

[member="Torill Holgor"]

"Certainly, I would be happy to change the wording from military camps to academies. However, I am reluctant to combine the draft system to make it for ages between 18 to 21, since we need cadets who are trained from a younger age. Is there a reason why you would like to see the age range changed, senator?"

 

[Jessu]

Senator Ozio spoke briefly, beginning to it back down, "I must agree with you, Senator Beswin. You have a way with words. I will retract my given opinion and give you my full consent with this bill."

 

[Torill Holgor]

[member="Alena Beswin"]

Torill smiled slightly with a nod at her question

"I see no reason or benefit to take a man or woman from their home before they are old enough to have known the love of another and toss them into the harsh rigors of military service."

"If we are to prove ourselves better than our adversaries we must show some respect for the innocence of youth and not tear children from their homes." "I am sure that pushing conscription back 3 years will not doom the efforts of the Military to defend the Republic."

Torill paused

"After all what is the point in defending the ideals of freedom and democracy if we suspend those ideals to save our own skin."

 

[Terras Zordok]

"Thank you very much, Senator [member="Nitram Ozio"], for your support. If you have anything you would like to see done to improve the bill, please do not hesitate to let me know."

Alena then pondered what Senator [member="Torill Holgor"] had said. Perhaps child conscription was a bit too radical, she noted. "You make a sound argument, senator." she began. "Perhaps we can offer up joining youth military academies as an option, even though we don't enforce a draft? I agree it may be wrong to draft cadets, but I still do want to offer up skilled and ready cadets a chance at training at military academies."

"Anyways, I will remove cadet conscription from the bill for now. I have added a new section 5, however." Senator Beswin informed.

 

[Torill Holgor]

[member="Alena Beswin"]

Torill nodded looking over the proposed changes to the bill slipping into silence to allow others to voice their opinions and concerns for the bill.

 

[Persephone Callas]

"The Hapes Consortium will not stand for a military draft of its citizens." came the Ducha own voice, clipped and with a tone that suggested there would be no argument with her.

"There are worlds who will refuse to allow their citizens to be put into a draft for a war in which they have no desire to join." The Hapes Consortium was known for their isolationist policies, and really had no desire to be part of Galactic affairs.

"Dare you force every planet into such an ordeal and you will find yourself with more infighting than with the One Sith."

 

[Jessu]

"May I say," Senator Ozio rose his voice to be heard by Persephone. "The One Sith have conquered planet after planet, and rarely seen defeat. The Sith have always been a steamroller. Slow to start but nigh impossible to stop, the One Sith are now this more than ever. I have revoked my expressed opinions and firmly stand with Senator Beswin. One must make hard decisions to achieve that which is the greater good."

 

[Aurelia Saelari]

[member="Alena Beswin"]

"I must agree with Senator [member="Persephone Callas"] on this matter," Aurelia commented.

"There are many areas of this bill which I contest the usefulness of. I will discuss my objections briefly. Firstly, doubling the military expenditure is a considerable step. I wonder where funding for this will come from? Will services be cut, or will taxes be raised to cover this? I will come back to exemptions later.
Secondly, What details do we have on these training academies? Who are they for? Are they scholarships or only open to paying students, and if so, are we not elitising the military even more so? Are these the youth academies mentioned later?
Thirdly, and my main points. A draft is objectionable enough, Senator, but an exemption fee will hardly help matters. All it will do is push home to folks that this is a rich man's war, but a poor man's fight. The vast majority of people cannot afford 120,000 credits, and although it varies from system to system, on Pylos that equals two years average wages. No one but the top 5% could afford to do such a thing, so the income stream from this will be minimal. And how is this draft to be handled? By random ballot or by automatic enlistment by planet? With the economic troubles we are all facing, is it wise to start removing so many of the productive members of society and forcing them into uniform?"

"I have a counter offer though. Make enlistment more attractive. Conscripts make poor soldiers given to desertion and bad morale. So offer enlistment bounties instead, make terms of enlistment and pay more attractive by means of campaign service bonuses. Done well, you can create a smaller, better quality force than a conscripted rabble of resentful citizens...."

 

[Terras Zordok]

Alena gave Senator [member="Nitram Ozio"] a grateful nod for his rhetorics against the firm objections of Senator [member="Persephone Callas"]. Before Senator Beswin could get a chance to speak on that matter, Senator [member="Aurelia Saelari"] also spoke up.

"So first on the military expenditure, senator..." Alena began. Her writer highly doubted that the Republic had a set out detailed budget plan that gave numerical values and percentage on its expenditures. "The commitee handling the Republic's expenditures and budget will ofcourse be responsible in seeing how the doubling of military expenditure is to happen. But one thing for sure, Senator Saelari, is that our current military spending was simply not enough to counter the forces of the Sith at Coruscant and Alderaan, and our minimalistic spending on the military has been no doubt the leading cause for the Republic to rely so heavily on the Jedi Order to be the Republic's primary soldiers in the frontlines."

"Secondly, on the training academies. Both the youth and adult military acadmies will be paid for wholly by the Republic, if we were to initiate the draft. And as I may have hinted earlier, the benefits thus of the draft system would be that it gives those who may have never had the chance to attend the military academies due to financial reasons an opportunity to train there for absolutely no cost, and thus giving them training and education for future professional careers that they otherwise could have not hoped for."

"Now onto your third argument regarding draft and exemption fee, senator. So on the exemption fee... you talk of the top 5% who can afford the exemption fee on Pylos. The fact is, this top 5% economic elite you speak of, are the ones who make the most money for themselves and rest of society, logically speaking. Thus through the exemption fee we can guarentee continued economic prosperity by allowing the rich top 5%, the productive and money-making members of society as they are in our capitalistic society, to be exempted from military service. And as for the draft..." she said turning to glance at Senator Callas as well. "As I have said before, we sometimes must sacrifice the freedom of a few to protect the freedom of all."

"As for the counter offer you have proposed, Senator Saelari, I will be happy to entertain such a notion if you could provide us with greater details on the idea."

 

[Torill Holgor]

[member="Alena Beswin"] [member="Aurelia Saelari"] [member="Persephone Callas"] [member="Nitram Ozio"]

Torill listened as Senator Callas interjected with great points but an overall blatant rejection of the bill. It was enough to cause Torill to smile a bit to himself giving the Senator a small nod.

When Senator Saelari spoke Torill found her arguments mirrored a lot of his own. He was even intrigued by her mention of a counter offer.

"I too would be interested in hearing Senator Saelari's counter offer on this matter."

 

[Persephone Callas]

That is when Persephone raised her eyebrows.

" Sacrifice the freedom of a few to protect the freedom of all." she repeated, then stated, "Really, how Imperial of you, Senator Beswin.

Perhaps due to the fact that Kuat is so far the only sanctioned planet allowed to have their slaves that you have this particular outlook, but let's say if it didn't.

How would your planet fare then? Are you willing to send in and draft your slave population for such an endeavor? " Her eyebrows rose in challenge then.

 

[Torill Holgor]

[member="Persephone Callas"] [member="Alena Beswin"] [member="Aurelia Saelari"]

Torill smirked just a little before clearly his throat.


"Senators please we do no service to ourselves or our people if we take focus away from the task at hand to take shots at each other regardless of how much factual information they may or may not be based on."

"I am sure we all want simply what is best for those we represent." "However we must put aside independent differences aside for the good of the whole of the galaxy." "Sure the topic of conscription is an unpopular one for a fair number of us for as many different reasons as their are people in the Senate."

Torill smiled softly.

"For the moment shall we here out Senator Saelari on an alternative to a position we are collectively not ready to consider at this time."