Motion: Great Reforms of 2020

[Dekks]

This act will remain up for discussion until the 5th of april 2020, after which it shall move to a vote.

Motion: Great Reforms of 2020

Category: Miscellaneous (Non-Binding Motion)

Author: Dekks

Chapter I: General Provisions

1. This act may be cited as the 'Great Reforms of 2020 motion'

2. This act will act as the vision which the congress has for the DSA by the end of 2020

Chapter II: Statement + Framework

The current government system in the Democratic Socialist Assembly, with some notable changes through the year, has existed since we broke off from the Democratic Socialist Alliance and has seen our region go through good and bad time through the years, through our highest highs and our lowest lows. However ever since the Cabinet Crisis, with many active government members leaving in the chaos, and the administration of the discord server being changed from the Cabinet to a dedicated discord administrator and moderation team, the focus of the regional community has shifted away from the regional government to roleplay and chatting, and the governing philosophy going from taking the regional community nearly as seriously as a real government towards seeing it as just a game and an online community. As such I hold the belief that the current governing system is not working for our community and will eventually just become more and more ineffective and marginalized.

To make sure that the organization of the DSA both as an online community and a nationstates region is kept alive and effective, and that the organization of the region is in line with the will of the community, I propose this framework for reforms:

- The cabinet and it's ministries shall be replaced by a group of unions/assemblies/syndicates that are independent from and do not interfere with each other. Their decision making process will be consensus based, each Member of Congress automatically being a participating and voting member of each 'assembly', but with the abilitity to engage even more or opt-out all together and opt-in later should they want, each 'assembly' will also have an agenda they will decide on every 3 months and will elect an 'assembly' overseer, who is like a minister but has much less power, instead being responsible for the administration and organization of the 'assembly' so that they remain functional and their agenda is met. The congress will elect a secretary-general of the congress every 3 months, who administrates the congress and all elections, but has no hard power either. 'Assemblies' can for example be: 'Assembly of Culture (current Ministry of Domestic Affairs)', 'Assembly of Role Play (current Ministry of Role Play)', 'Assembly of Gameplay (World Assembly Delegate and WA Affairs)' and 'Assembly of Residential Affairs (current Ministry of Justice). The Congress shall manage all other crucial parts of the DSA government through consensus based decision making, think of Foreign Affairs, in which they will decide on embassies, stance on diplomacy, and ambassadors for example.  

- All current legislative packages will be abolished and the charter will be severly cut down, in favour of a charter which is a concise but functional constitution + the current discord laws. Each 'Assembly' shall have their own laws.

- The Discord Administrator and Forum Owner positions shall remain unchanged, and be nominated by the Secretary-General of Congress. The High Judge shall remain largely unchanged, with decentralization towards Congress where possible and practical, and other changes that will be necesarry for the High Judge to function after the reforms. 

Chapter III: Motion

1. The Congress and Cabinet of the Democratic Socialist Assembly will move towards creating and supporting appropriate legislation to generally execute the framework of the proposed reforms by the end of 2020.

[Deleted]

epic

[Alvero]

I like this idea, and I definitely think this is something we should explore. My concern is with the implementation. We shouldn't rush into this system, we need a trial period of sorts to make sure this is a good fit for us. I have two ideas for how to do so: 1. We turn one ministry into an assembly and try that out for a cabinet term. 2. We have an opt-out clause where we can repeal the reform with a simple majority where we can try it for say half a year. I think that if we were able to pass this because 2/3 like the idea on paper, but in practice the majority of the region doesn't like it, we shouldn't be held hostage to 1/3+1 votes. So I think if a trial like those are included with this, I'll vote yes, otherwise I'll likely abstain.

[Deleted]

I think this is very much worth exploration and rigorous discussion and debate, but I do think this may be a little needlessly complex. Very open to explanation and persuasion otherwise though, sounds like a very fascinating concept and I be all about that decentralization and redistribution of power.

[Deleted]

Also what Dank said, I'm confused as this seems more like a New Years resolution than anything else.

[himerostdos]

I plead to all members to boycott this motion until a clear set of plans in arranging the new constitution and the status of the current constitution and the implementation of the new constitution and the mechanism of the transfer of power is set out by the author of the motion explains it.

[studentloandebt]