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Bill: National Government Etiquette and Customs Act
Details
Submitted by[?]: Social Progressive Party of Mordusia
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This bill is a resolution. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: July 3307
Description[?]:
| The following Resolution, if passed by appropriate means, shall have the power of tradition and is meant to join the Cultural Protocol. This does NOT CARRY THE FORCE OF LAW. It should be seen merely as suggested guidelines for Party interaction. The aim of this act to to normalize the fashion and etiquette of the behavior of our Legislature in Mordusia and the terms used to describe them. We shall leave this bill open for debate for a sufficient time and then unless there is overwhelming opposition to the spirit of this law, we will automatically advance it to a vote to conclude before the next regularly scheduled Election. 1) Official terminology is as follows: a. Legislative Party- Any Party that contests in Mordusian Elections. These Parties have full privileges within the Law in Mordusia's Legislature b. Seat-Earning Party- Any Party that has at least one seat in Mordusia's Legislature c. Majority- Any Party which receives more than 50% of the seats in the Legislature d. Plurality- A Party who earned the most seats in the election, in the event that there is no Majority Party. e. Minority Party- Any other Party (not the Majority Party nor a Plurality Party) f. Government- The collective name for all Parties who have at least one Cabinet Ministry; A Party IN the Government is called a Government Party g. Opposition- All Parties who have no ministries in the Cabinet; All Parties not possessing a seat in Government are individually called "Opposition Parties" though they may not actually be allied with each other or even oppose the efforts of the Government h. Coalition (or Bloc)- Any configuration of Parties whether in Government or Opposition, who work together and could form a government potentially. All Government Parties automatically form a bloc, though this bloc can be weak. i. Grand Coalition- A bloc in Government representing significantly more votes than necessary to barely pass legislation, or a Government made up of all legislative Parties j. Minority Government- A Government made up of Parties which combined contain less than a bare majority of the seats in the Legislature. k. Head of State- The ceremonial and functional Leader of Mordusia, representative of Mordusia to the world l. Head of Government- Leader of the Government Bloc. m. Government Collapse- Not a revolution, but a situation where the Government is unable to pass legislation BY ITSELF because it has become a minority coalition. n. Omnibus Legislation- A Bill which contains more than 4 related of unrelated proposals under one title. o. Censure- A formal condemnation of a Party's, or a member of a Party's actions either on the Floor of the Legislature or in Public. p. Floor of the Legislature- The place where our Legislature debates bills under consideration and up for a vote. q. The National or Public Forum- The Forum on our Nation's main Website, considered outside the process of making law, where Parties issue Press releases and RP's. r. Grief Majority- A Majority or a Plurality obtained by a Party, not by legitimate RP or Legislative success, but by returning to the Country after a long absence and suddenly regaining all the seats they had when they went inactive at the expense of all the other Parties who had been playing in the meanwhile. These Majorities or pluralities are not to be seen as legitimate, but they are unavoidable, given the Game mechanics. 2) Forming a Government- A government is formed by the passage of a "Cabinet Bill" a. Following an election, the Head of State may, at his or her initiative form a government on his or her own. The Head of State should have first crack at forming a Government. Parties which are not the Party of the Head of State should extend the Head of State the courtesy of forming the Government. b. If the Head of Government neglects to do so for six months following an election, the prerogative should go then to the Majority or Plurality Party (if not the same as the Head of State's.) c. Parties should, out of courtesy, reject Cabinet proposals from Parties whose prerogative it is not. A minority Party attempting to form a government should be seen as a grave breech of etiquette, and should signify a condition of great political turmoil and instability. d. If a Minority Party attempts to form a Government, the only other Parties who should support that are members of that Party's own bloc. All other Parties should, out of courtesy, abstain. e. The only exception to this rule is when the Head of State, within the first six months following an election, extends the right to some other Party to form a Government. At this point, the Government proposal made by that Party should be considered as if it were being made by the Head of State. f. If the Majority/Plurality Party is the same Party as the Head of State's, the privilege of forming the government after 6 months should go to the next largest seat earner. g. It is not required that the Head of State form a new government with each election. If the Head of State continues to hold confidence in the current cabinet configuration, the Head of State should issue a public statement of confidence. If, following such a statement, some other Party decides to attempt to form a different government, the proper etiquette is for all Parties to follow the vote of the Head of State's Party. 3) Faction Leaders a. Leader of the Plurality or Majority Party shall be called "Speaker of the States General" when in Government b. Leader of the Largest Opposition Party shall be called "Leader of the Opposition." c. Out of respect, when addressing either of these two Parties on the Floor of the Legislature, comments should be addressed to these two individuals using these titles. For example, "Mr/Ms. Speaker..." or "Mr./Ms Leader..." d. These titles only last until an election shall intervene, and then will switch as the election requires. 4) Tradition of Separation of Powers a. This tradition requires the Head of State and the Head of Government be of different Parties. b. The Head of Government, whoever this happens to be, should always be the largest Seat-earner who is not the Party of the Head of State. c. An additional stipulation of separation of powers suggests that seats in Government be apportioned in accord to seat percentages WITHIN BLOC. d. There is NO REQUIREMENT, in this tradition that ALL seat-earners receive at least one seat in Government. The only Parties who should be in Government are those seats in the Governing Coalition. All other Parties should constitute a loyal opposition. e. If an eligible Party does not wish to join the Government, it is entirely appropriate that they state as much, and are under no pressure to offer an explanation for desire to remain in the opposition. 5) Support of Government Policies a. Governing etiquette dictates that if a Ministry sponsors or endorses a particular bill, that endorsement should put additional pressure on other Government Parties to support those bills. For example, if the Socialists propose a bill, no other Party is under any obligation to support that bill. But if the Minister of Foreign Affairs sponsors a bill, it should be considered a minor breech of etiquette if other Government Parties openly or directly oppose it with either public speeches denouncing the bill or a no vote. Enough of these breeches will justify a Party exiting a Government. b. If a Government Party does not want to support a Ministry supported bill from another Government Party, they should signify their disagreement with silent abstention. After all, a Government is a Government because they wish to promote a coalition platform, and like and can rely on other Government Parties for votes on moving their agenda. If Government Parties oppose important legislation (i.e. those bills endorsed by Ministries), it is bad form to openly campaign against that legislation, and represents a failure of the trust necessary to hold a coalition together. c. If the Head of Government Endorses a Bill, open opposition by another Government Party should be seen a serious breech of etiquette and justifies that Party being thrown out of Government. d. No opposition Party is ever under any obligation to support any bills by any Government Party, and may openly oppose anything and everything proposed by the Government. e. If an opposition Party votes with the Government more often than opposes it, they should be seen as making a move to join the Government, sooner rather than later and should be considered the next time a government is formed. 6) Leaving the Government- A Party leaves the Government by resigning ALL of its seats in the Cabinet. The Party must also, by etiquette announce its departure from Government, as well as a reason for doing so. a. If a Party is justified in leaving the Government (for example, repeated and open opposition to key legislation endorsed by the Party's Ministries) the opposition should welcome that Party as much as practical into the Opposition. b. If the Party leaves the Government arbitrarily (without justification) the Opposition should shun that Party. c. If a Party leaves the Government, and the Majority of seats in the legislature are still controlled by those Parties left in Government, the Government stands. d. If a Party leaves the Government and the Government no longer represents a majority of seats, the Government, by etiquette falls. The Party that left the Government, causing its collapse, is then, by etiquette, entitled to form a Government of Opposition Parties. If the Party is able to form a Government within 6 months following the collapse, the Government which successfully survived the collapse becomes a caretaker Government made up of a Minority Coalition. Any Party then has the right to attempt to form a government until the next election. e. In either event, the Head of State is required, by etiquette to attempt to form a Government within six months following the next regular election. f. In order to prevent repeated attempts to build a Government following a collapse, The Head of State OR Head of Government MAY, at his or her discretion, preempt the process by calling for early elections. All Parties are absolutely free to choose whether or not to support such a call. 7) Calls for Early Elections a. By etiquette, calls for early elections should only be supported when the Government has collapsed, either through defection OR through Government Parties going defunct AND there is more than 18 months until the next elections. b. In all other circumstances, calls for early elections should be opposed by all Parties. 8) Passage of Legislation and Use of Omnibus a. Courtesy suggests that Parties leave bills open for at least 6 Months (IRL 1 full day) for debate. b. There is no requirement for any Party to actually do so. c. Omnibus Bills should be used sparingly, and should be seen as an attempt by the proposing Party to either define its own positions or to mess everyone else's up. In either case, Omnibus bills often contain "poison Pills" which are designed to force a vote one way or another by others, and so Parties are free to decide how to vote on omnibus bills, even if it is called a "key" bill by a Government Party, without any sort of breech of etiquette. d. A Party who repeatedly offers omnibus legislation should be censured by a Formal Resolution sponsored by either the Head of State of the Head of Government. That Party should be viewed as conducting a form of legislative warfare on other Parties. e. A Government Party who repeatedly violates omnibus etiquette should be removed from Government at the next opportunity. f. Out of Courtesy, Parties should always make suggestions on legislation of other Parties in good faith, assuming the best motives of other Parties. Grandstanding for an audience of (OOC: Three or four people) should be avoided. g. Out of Courtesy, a Party should offer at least some legislation that at least some other Parties should reasonably be willing to vote for. h. Out of Courtesy, Parties should make a good faith effort to compromise and see legislation passed, even if an acceptable compromise is not ultimately achieved. i. Members of any given bloc should coordinate support for both legislation and for elections off list, between themselves. Members of the same bloc should not try to undermine one another in either legislation nor in elections. 9) Foreign Speakers a. The ONLY people who credentialed to speak on any matter on the Floor of our Legislature are Mordusian Citizens. No person lacking that distinction has any right to appear on the floor, unless he is asked there by a Minister of the Government to provide direct answers to specific questions. Any other Government Minister possesses the right to veto even that testimony, without question. b. No member or representative of a Foreign Government should ever be entitled to issue candid or ad lib comment on Mordusian legislation from the floor of our Legislature, regardless of the content of their speech. This speech interferes with our Government liberty to associate and deliberate with itself without being influenced by the opinions of foreign powers. c. Doing so is tantamount to a violation of state Sovereignty, and the agent should be considered to be conducting espionage against our Government. d. The proper method for dealing with said agent is to warn them of the violation of our sovereignty, advise them of the penalty and invite them to return to the gallery and issue their comments in the public (National) forum rather than in the debate on our Bills. If they persist in their activity, they are to be immediately removed, detained until such time when they can be expeditiously deported from Mordusia, back to their home on the next bulk cargo freighter leaving our shores and skies. While in custody, they should be treated humanely, as we would treat our own citizens, so that they may not go back and use their summary deportation as a martyr cause in their own country. e. If said foreigner is invited to speak, they must be restricted to answering direct questions put to them, and saying nothing more. f. Any foreign national is invited to issue comment in the Public, or National Forum, without any sanction whatsoever, on any topic that they like, even laws which are currently being debated by our legislature. But the Floor of our Legislature is sacrosanct ground, only to be trodden by those who have the privilege and honor to call themselves Mordusian Citizens. 10) Conservation of Law a. The Law is what the last law passed says it is. b. The Law should stand unless there is a good reason to change it. c. Parties should avoid rapid or radical alterations of law. d. Radical alterations of law should be viewed as internal revolutions. The Government itself, unless formerly the opposition, should not engage in these radical alterations of the law. e. Incrimentalism in change should be the rule for a stable society. One that is in great turmoil should expect to see massive shifts in the character of the law. f. If a law is changed in one term, it should not be changed back to what it was previously the first chance that those opposed to that law get. This rapid oscillation in the law is neither realistic, nor does it lend to political stability, and it is incredibly aggravating to OOC players. Parties who engage in this back and forth oscillation in the law should be censured by other Parties. g. Parties should not promote treaties which allow for only one option in legislation. Such treaties lock laws in place, deny other Parties an opportunity to change the law in accord with a changing electorate, and limit the ability of Parties to define their positions. This sort of behavior should be opposed in the form of opposition to the Treaty, and if that does not stop the Treaty, public censure of the Party itself. h. Grief Majority Parties who return from an extended period of absence and gain a sudden Majority or Plurality should be opposed in their efforts to alter laws in their first and perhaps second terms by other Parties. These Parties should be seen as exploiting a (OOC: glitch in the Game algorithm,) rather than as possessing a legitimate majority. These Parties should suffer a RP penalty to compensate for the advantage the (OOC: Game gives them for such behavior.) Nor should they be permitted to sit in government for at least one term, nor should they be supported for Head of State for at least one term by any other Party. Legislation passed in the first two terms by a Grief Majority Party of this fashion is fair game for being overturned and the status quo restored as soon as possible by any and all other Parties when such behavior is possible, without any penalties for violation of the Conservation of Law. i. Parties that return after a long period of inactivity, but do not obtain a legislative Majority or Plurality, should not be under any such penalty as that described above. 11) Party (and OOC: Personal) Etiquette a. Party Speakers should always treat other Parties with the utmost respect and dignity. b. Condescension should be avoided. c. Fighting words should be kept to a minimum, and should be reserved only for the most heated debates. d. It is entirely inappropriate to hyperbole and superlatives to describe a Party's position on most legislation. Use of strong language should be kept to a minimum. e. Personal and ad hominem attacks (attacks against the person and or his or her motives) should be kept out of the Legislative record. f. It is entirely appropriate to challenge or disagree with the ideology of a Party. g. OOC personal disputes should be dealt with as much as possible, in messages and IM's rather than in public. h. Charges of Godmodding in RP should be dealt with in IM or in messages, not in public. i. All RP of other Parties' actions must be pre-approved. j. RP of international Conflict or massive internal disorder, except entirely within the boundaries of one's own Party, should be accepted by all OOC players with seats in the Legislature. k. RP of individual Party's actions in international forums need not receive the approval of any other Party. However, when representing Mordusia, the etiquette should be to put the action to a vote, explaining what the RP is, where it is going down, and what the Player wants to do there. If other Parties oppose that, they can express their displeasure there. Once Passed, this bill should be established as the prevailing mode of legislative etiquette in Mordusia. When someone violates these standards of etiquette, other Parties are duty bound to call them on it, publicly, and where the breech occurs. The only way to maintain legislative discipline is to constantly practice it. Any Additions or deletions to this list, if it is passed by a simple legislative majority, should be made in supplemental resolutions as addenda to this one. |
Proposals
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 05:43:03, May 20, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | We will move this to a vote no later than July 3306 unless there is significant discussion on its various provisions. |
| Date | 20:39:51, May 20, 2012 CET | From | Agrarian Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | We would support this. However, would you perhaps make a provision for the faction leaders in the States-General For instance thefaction leader of the plurality party would be called the Speaker or Chairman, the faction leader of the largest opposition party the Speaker of t je Oppositionele &c. Sorry for spelling, stupid smartphone... |
| Date | 21:49:05, May 20, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Provision added as #3. |
| Date | 00:10:52, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Mordusian Freedom Group | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | very well written |
| Date | 02:59:57, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Thank you. We put some thought into it. We are not sure, but as far as we know, only one other country has an etiquette Bill. It is unlikely that only two of us have it, but we have only found evidence of one other state with one. So we will be on the cutting edge in Terra. |
| Date | 09:50:40, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Agrarian Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Very much appreciated. Nice work, colleague. |
| Date | 15:34:55, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Please add to the Cultural protocol upon passage. |
| Date | 16:08:44, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Amendment 2.b. Pen Change: "If the Head of Government neglects to do so for six months..." Should read "If the HEAD OF STATE neglects to do so for six months..." |
| Date | 16:18:22, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Amendment 6.d. Pen Change "If the Party is able to form a Government within 6 months following the collapse, the Government..." should read "If the Party is UNABLE to form a Government within 6 months following the collapse, the Government..." |
| Date | 16:18:22, May 21, 2012 CET | From | Social Progressive Party of Mordusia | To | Debating the National Government Etiquette and Customs Act |
| Message | Amendment 6.d. Pen Change "If the Party is able to form a Government within 6 months following the collapse, the Government..." should read "If the Party is UNABLE to form a Government within 6 months following the collapse, the Government..." |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 750 | |||||
| no | Total Seats: 0 | |||||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 0 |
| Random fact: The influence a bill has on elections decreases over time, until it eventually is no longer relevant. This can explain shifts in your party's position to the electorate and your visibility. |
| Random quote: "The best political weapon is the weapon of terror. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us, but we don't ask for their love, only for their fear." - Heinrich Himmler |