Code of Laws Proposal (complete replacement)

Strider

In Retrospect
Joined
Jan 7, 2002
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Here we go:

Code of Laws

Element A. The Government
The Government shall consist of the Executive Branch, Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch. These branches and the Citizenry as a whole are responsible for the management of the nation.

Element B. The Executive Branch
The Executive Branch of Government shall consist of the Office of President, as well as the several Advisors. These Advisors post discussions and polls over duties they are charged with as listed below.

Section 1. Office of the President
The President shall be the Head of State of the nation, as well as the leader of the Executive Branch of Government. Specifically, the President shall be responsible for coordinating the efforts his various Advisors. The President shall also be responsible for any duty not specifically assigned to any of the Advisors, including the management of the budget and of the slider, as well as Civic choices for the nation.

Section 2. Office of War
The foremost priority of the Office of War in both peacetime and war shall be the defense of the nation. The War Advisor shall be responsible for the management of all offensive and defensive units. The Advisor shall also be responsible for tactical and strategic planning during war. The Advisor may assign military units to the Office of Foreign Affairs as the Advisor shall see fit.

Section 3. Office of Culture
The Cultural Advisor shall be responsible for the movement of settlers, as well as planning for city placement. The Advisor shall also be charged with the formation of national boundaries and the monitoring of national culture levels. The Office of Culture shall also be tasked with placement of Wonders of all types, as well as overseeing the spread of religion, though the Cultural Advisor shall not initiate Civic changes. The Advisor shall also monitor Great People Points, and shall control all Great Artists and Great Prophets.

Section 4. Office of Foreign Affairs
The Foreign Affairs Advisor shall be charged with the negotiation of treaties, as well as all espionage-related activities. The Advisor shall also be responsible for all exploration activity, and therefore shall control all non-military scouting units (including Scouts, Explorers, Caravels, etc., and other units that may be assigned to the Office of Foreign Affairs by the Office of War as the War Advisor may see fit). The Advisor shall be responsible for all trading activity (including trading of technology and resources). The Advisor shall also control Great Merchants.

Section 5. Office of Research and Development
Research and Development Advisor shall control all worker units of the nation, and shall also direct technological research. The Advisor shall also control all Great Scientists and Great Engineers.

Section 6. The Office of the Censor
The Censor of the Assembly shall be tasked with validating polls, managing elections, and determining the census. Within two days of initially taking office, the Censor shall post Procedures for polling, which must define procedures for Initiative, Referendum, and Recall. Polls shall always be validated based on the Procedures in place when the poll was initially posted. The Censor shall also be responsible for polling the names of cities, units, geographic regions, as well as polling for the nation’s name and national symbols.

Section 7. Designated Players
The Designated Players shall be responsible for physically playing the saved game. Designated Players must first follow the posted current instructions and goals of a leader. Should no posted instruction exist, the Designated Player during his session may take guidance from polls. Should no such relevant polling data exist, the Designated Player may take guidance from discussion within the Democracy Game forum. Should no such relevant discussion exist, the Designated Player may take guidance from other citizens in the Democracy Game chatroom, should the session be online.

Section 8. The Governors
The Governors of the States shall be charged with the management and specialization of a single city or state. In cities assigned to that Governor, a Governor may specify certain A.I. specialization, or may individually place population to work certain tiles and hire specialists. The Governor may also set the build queues for all assigned cities.

Element C. The Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch shall consist of The Senate.

Section 1. The Senate
The Senate is formed by all Citizens of the nation. The total number of Citizens in the Assembly shall be determined by the Census. The Assembly shall be charged with the formation and passing of laws.

Element D. The Census and amending the Code of Laws
The average of the number of votes cast in each of the most recent contested elections shall constitute an active census of citizens. The highest vote total of these elections shall constitute a full census (the House). A simple majority of the house must be achieved for an amendment to pass. An amendment must pass a Judicial Review and be open for discussion for 72 hours before a poll may be posted. The poll must remain open for 48 hours.

Element E. The Election process
Elections shall decide who among the citizenry are trusted to manage the game. The President, the Advisors, Judiciary, Governors, and Designated Players are all elected. Each of these poistions, excepting the Judiciary, shall have a deputy chosen by the winning citizen. The Election process shall be made up of Nominations, Debates, and the Elections themselves. No citizen may hold the same office for 2 consecutive terms.

Section 1. Nominations and Debates
Nominations shall be posted atleast 8 days before the end of the term, debates will last through the duration of the nominations. Nominations will be closed when the election polls start.

Section 2. Election Polls
Election Polls shall be posted atleast 4 days before the end of the term, and will be set to run for 3 days (72 hours). The candidate with the highest number of votes at the end of the 3 days is considered the winner. If two candidates tie, then a run-off poll, lasting 2 days (48 hours) is posted with just those two canidates which will continue as needed. The election for designated players shall be multiple choice, and list all of the possible candidates. Any candidate that recieves over 50% of the vote is a designated player for that term.

Section 3. Judicial Terms
The Judiciary shall remain in power one week after the election of a new Judiciary. At this time, the newly elected Judiciary shall take over.

Element F. Vacant Poistions
An advisor or Justice may declare themselves to be Absent for a period of time. This period may not exceed 2 weeks. During this time, the deputy or pro-tem will act with all power and duties of that office, surrendering them to the official or Justice when they return or at the end of the planned absence, whichever comes first. If this period exceeds one week, then the deputy or pro-term may keep the power and duties of the office, unless they decide to give it up. Should an official fail to post in the DG forum for 3 days in a thread related to their area without prior notice, the Judiciary may declare that office Vacant.

Section 1. Filling Vacant Offices:
The President will appoint a citizen to any vacant office. The appointment is subject to a conformation poll, set to run for 3 days. If the Presidential seat is vacant then the Advisor of Foreign Affairs appoints a President.

Section 2. Judicial Absence's
If a Justice has not posted on any active Judicial matter for seven days, the remaining Justices may declare the Justice Vacant. If all three Justices fail to post on any active Judicial matter for seven days, the President may declare all Judicial offices Vacant, and immediately appoint a new Chief Justice. The remaining members of the Judiciary appoint a replacement for a vacant Justice.

Element G. Recall
Any citizen may request a recall for an elected official by posting a thread in the Citizens forum, citing the reasons for the recall. If two or more citizens support the recall, the Chief Justice must post a recall poll. The poll must run for 3 days, be private, and be set up in a Yes/No/Abstain. If 2/3 of the census votes to recall an official, then the official is removed from office, and the office becomes vacant. In the case of a Judicial recall, the President will handle the recall poll.

Element H. Referendum
A referendum is the submission of a proposed public measure or a decree to a direct popular vote, it is the second highest form of decision making. A referendum must comply with all polling procedures. Referendums are a direct result of an elected official carrying out their duties.

Element I. Initiative
An initiative is executive legislation created, proposed, and approved by the citizens. It is the highest form of decision making, and over-rides any other decisions, excempting a decision tasked to do so.

Section 1. Proposing an Initiative
Any citizen of the democracy game can propose an initiative. An initiative must receive atleast 3 days of discussions and two days of polling. Initiatives only hold power during the term they are approved, unless otherwise stated.

Element J. Sunset Clause
A sunset clause is an emergency legislative act. It must be discussed for 48 hours, and receive 24 hours of polling. A simple majority of the house is required to pass the clause. A sunset clause will automatically be removed at the end of the term it was passed in, or during a other pre-determined time. At this time changes made by the sunset clause will revert back to it's original state.

Element K. Turnchats
All irreversible game actions must progress during a scheduled game session called a turnchat. Reversible game actions (i.e. build queues) that adhere to legal instructions can be prepared offline before the scheduled game session.

Section 1. Turnchat Instruction Thread
A Designated Player shall post a turnchat instruction thread 3 days before the scheduled turnchat. All executive advisors shall post instructions, based on citizen approval, in the instruction thread. These instructions are then used by the Designated Player to play the save. Advisors must post their instructions appro. 2 hours before the turnchat. The turnchat instruction thread is the only legal method of giving instructions to the designated player.

Element L. Liberare of Information
The Liberare or Library is a collection of game, save, and constitutional information. The Library is headed by a Director who is appointed by the President. The Director can then dictate additional tasks to Bureau Chiefs, who then take charge of a Bureau. The Library shall keep a record of all Bureau's and their purpose. The Director is charged with supplying save information at the citizens discretion.
 
:confused: Is this a proposal to get rid of the CoL? I don't understand?
 
Swissempire said:
:confused: Is this a proposal to get rid of the CoL? I don't understand?

It says Code Of Laws at the top....
 
a tad simplistic, doesn't mention recall, or a number of other things, but by and large looks ok. As you said you were running out of time, so presumably that'll be fixed.
 
I think it would be very difficult to transition from the government we have under the current CoL to the one proposed here. Would it not be much easier to deal with problems in the current CoL as we find them? We found two problems this term:

1) What do we do with offices (especially the presidency) when run-off elections leave the office unfilled at the start of a term?

2) What are the specific rules we want the president to follow when appointing a Chief Justice?

We could wait for a JR on number two but that would not be quite as good as discussing how we want this process to actually work and then drafting the amendment needed to make it so.

As for number one, the judiciary would have to stretch interpretations to the limit to solve this problem so why don't we discuss what we want to happen and then pass a law to make it so?

I understand Strider's frustration but hink we'd all be better off leaving the CoL in place and drafting laws to address the two quesitons listed above.
 
Some comments:

1. Perhaps give the control of Great Artists to the office of culture
2. Civics aren't assigned to anyone, maybe you intended the president to have this job?
3. Judiciary doesn't need to be in it because its defined by the constitution
4. I'm not sure I quite understand the CoL amending thing, it states the average and the highest number of votes in elections, but are census and congress the same?
5. As stated early recall is needed
6. Style: I prefer Articles and Sections over Elements and Branches, but thats just me
 
donsig said:
I think it would be very difficult to transition from the government we have under the current CoL to the one proposed here. Would it not be much easier to deal with problems in the current CoL as we find them? We found two problems this term:

1) What do we do with offices (especially the presidency) when run-off elections leave the office unfilled at the start of a term?

2) What are the specific rules we want the president to follow when appointing a Chief Justice?

We could wait for a JR on number two but that would not be quite as good as discussing how we want this process to actually work and then drafting the amendment needed to make it so.

As for number one, the judiciary would have to stretch interpretations to the limit to solve this problem so why don't we discuss what we want to happen and then pass a law to make it so?

I understand Strider's frustration but hink we'd all be better off leaving the CoL in place and drafting laws to address the two quesitons listed above.

Woo, long list of things that are wrong with this CoL. I'll go over some of them that come to the top of my head.

Let's see, throughout the entire CoL, it is implied that leaders are the ones who make gameplay decisions and changes. Did you know that the triumvirate can change the cabinet duties WITHOUT citizen approval?

The Triumvirate and mobilization ideas are hugely complex, to no purpose. The citizens should decide, in the end, what is going to happen. Why the hell do we need to swap duties around during war then?

Way to much detail in something that can be described in ONE sentence. Then on the things that might need some extra detail, there is little. Elections are four sentences long, and explains almost nothing. Okay correction, it basically tells you who gets elected. Yep, sounds interesting.

The format for the CoL drives me insane, I've been yelling for years about the use of the damned indents. THEY DO NOTHING, SO STOP USING THEM! No wonder why it's such a piece of crap, they spent more time formatting the damned thing then writing it. Hell, the indents actually make it hard to create amendments and makes it harder to read them.

IB. Legal Exploits

1. Any Legal Exploits pertaining to Article E section 4 of the Constitution will go here.

That is one of our laws.... yep. It's a law, do you know what it means? I sure as hell don't. Why are we reserving spots in the Code Of Laws? Can I pay 10 bucks and get my name in here somewhere?

Judges may not be impeached. Yeah... says it in that exact wording. Why is our Judges (they people who interpret the law) also above it?

Black_Hole said:
1. Perhaps give the control of Great Artists to the office of culture
2. Civics aren't assigned to anyone, maybe you intended the president to have this job?
3. Judiciary doesn't need to be in it because its defined by the constitution
4. I'm not sure I quite understand the CoL amending thing, it states the average and the highest number of votes in elections, but are census and congress the same?
5. As stated early recall is needed
6. Style: I prefer Articles and Sections over Elements and Branches, but thats just me

1) Oh... yeah. Forgot about that one. I'll make the change. Also, should Engineers go to Research and Development?

2) I did intend for the President to have this duty. Do you think it should be listed as a presidential duty, or just leave it the way it is?

3) Whoops, didn't notice it was in the Constitution.

4) That's a result of me not finishing the entire thing before posting it. That and calling the house the congress. I've written way to many of these things.

5) It'll be added.

6) I got tired of constantly seeing Articles and Sections, so I decided to switch it up some. Of course, it was only after that I realized we seperate our government in branches. So I'll cut you a deal... we keep the elements, but change the branches back to sections ;).
 
Strider said:
Woo, long list of things that are wrong with this CoL. I'll go over some of them that come to the top of my head.

Let's see, throughout the entire CoL, it is implied that leaders are the ones who make gameplay decisions and changes. Did you know that the triumvirate can change the cabinet duties WITHOUT citizen approval?

The Triumvirate and mobilization ideas are hugely complex, to no purpose. The citizens should decide, in the end, what is going to happen. Why the hell do we need to swap duties around during war then?

Way to much detail in something that can be described in ONE sentence. Then on the things that might need some extra detail, there is little. Elections are four sentences long, and explains almost nothing. Okay correction, it basically tells you who gets elected. Yep, sounds interesting.

The format for the CoL drives me insane, I've been yelling for years about the use of the damned indents. THEY DO NOTHING, SO STOP USING THEM! No wonder why it's such a piece of crap, they spent more time formatting the damned thing then writing it. Hell, the indents actually make it hard to create amendments and makes it harder to read them.



That is one of our laws.... yep. It's a law, do you know what it means? I sure as hell don't. Why are we reserving spots in the Code Of Laws? Can I pay 10 bucks and get my name in here somewhere?

Judges may not be impeached. Yeah... says it in that exact wording. Why is our Judges (they people who interpret the law) also above it?



1) Oh... yeah. Forgot about that one. I'll make the change. Also, should Engineers go to Research and Development?

2) I did intend for the President to have this duty. Do you think it should be listed as a presidential duty, or just leave it the way it is?

3) Whoops, didn't notice it was in the Constitution.

4) That's a result of me not finishing the entire thing before posting it. That and calling the house the congress. I've written way to many of these things.

5) It'll be added.

6) I got tired of constantly seeing Articles and Sections, so I decided to switch it up some. Of course, it was only after that I realized we seperate our government in branches. So I'll cut you a deal... we keep the elements, but change the branches back to sections ;).
it would make more sense to have great engineers under control of research and development
 
donsig said:
I think it would be very difficult to transition from the government we have under the current CoL to the one proposed here. Would it not be much easier to deal with problems in the current CoL as we find them? We found two problems this term:

1) What do we do with offices (especially the presidency) when run-off elections leave the office unfilled at the start of a term?

2) What are the specific rules we want the president to follow when appointing a Chief Justice?

We could wait for a JR on number two but that would not be quite as good as discussing how we want this process to actually work and then drafting the amendment needed to make it so.

As for number one, the judiciary would have to stretch interpretations to the limit to solve this problem so why don't we discuss what we want to happen and then pass a law to make it so?

I understand Strider's frustration but hink we'd all be better off leaving the CoL in place and drafting laws to address the two quesitons listed above.
The Triumvirate is the most complicated CoL I have seen and I have been here since Civ3DG4, there is so much extra beuracray and laws there just to make things more formal
 
What about preventing duplicate offices and stuff? I think that need to be in there also.

The FA position is charged with espionage, do they have the right to delegate part of the responsability to someone else? So they're in charge of espionage and other thing, but could appoint someone to a position like DoI?
 
The Director of Intelligence (and the National Agency for that matter) is not an instructional office. So there really is no purpose to put it in. It is a informational resource and poistion, so it must remain, regardless if it no longer exists in our laws.
 
Lets just leave it..we have everything covered. If we switch what happens in the next months whn we find somthing missing.

What I am about to say may not make me any friends and I may never win an election again...but since I speak my mind here goes: Why dump all the work put into the CoL so quickly especially since it looks to me at least that your doing this as sour grapes for not getting your way for co-presidents. Fix whats needs fiing and move on. You losing or withdrawing is the only reason you are even worried about this. You didnt state any problems about it till after the election......
 
I just edited the recall element into the proposed CoL.

Can anyone think of anything else?
 
robboo said:
Lets just leave it..we have everything covered. If we switch what happens in the next months whn we find somthing missing.

What I am about to say may not make me any friends and I may never win an election again...but since I speak my mind here goes: Why dump all the work put into the CoL so quickly especially since it looks to me at least that your doing this as sour grapes for not getting your way for co-presidents. Fix whats needs fiing and move on. You losing or withdrawing is the only reason you are even worried about this. You didnt state any problems about it till after the election......

Well Robboo, you won my vote;) I agree. There is a solution for almost everything without starting over. But I think it is inherent with the game we are playing that starting over or rebooting seems like the good way out. This happened with the Flex, will happen here, and will continue to happen throughout the game.

Also, does this propostion have a name yet.
 
Swissempire said:
Well Robboo, you won my vote;) I agree. There is a solution for almost everything without starting over. But I think it is inherent with the game we are playing that starting over or rebooting seems like the good way out. This happened with the Flex, will happen here, and will continue to happen throughout the game.

Also, does this propostion have a name yet.

This isn't starting over... it's just a replacement for the Code of Laws.
 
Some things I want to discuss also:

The sunset clause. Daveshack and I discussed this alittle bit in past demogames, but nothing ever really came from it. We both thought it was a great idea, and I'd like to add it in the proposed Code of Laws. Thoughts?

The ability of some elected officials to load up the save and take unrepeatable actions, in only particular circumstances. I've proposed this idea before, and it was shot down from the possibility of to much abuse. I think we can manage it in this game though. Basically, the idea is to allow the official in charge of tech trading to load up the save, and make the trades (or any other similiar circumstance). If we only allow it to happen in certain circumstances, then I think it will work out fine.

Pre-Nominations, it's been in past constitutions, why the hell was it taken out?
 
I don't like the idea of the CJ deeming a recall has enough support... How about the recall has to be supported by two other citizens?

edit: 3000th Post, w00t!
 
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