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Senate: Misc [OOC] Constitution Discussion

Approve the Constitution?

  • Abstain

    Votes: 2 11.8%

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 76.5%

  • No

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • Total voters
    17
  • Poll closed .
As this is, it looks as though the Empress and the Senate lack sufficient power over the Army. The Army's Commander can manage the Army's finances and funding, state who the enemies of the Empire are, and even declare war.

We have the military controlling all aspects of its own operation, even determining when a war is to be fought, without need for approval from other branches of the Empire's government. That oversight can cause serious issues.

The only person who can manage the Army's commander is the Empress, vaguely defined as 'directing', but that seems insufficient for this. Also, the Imperial Senate has no power or collaboration with the military at all. What makes the Army comply with the treaties that the Imperial Senate signs?

I see some key issues here...and I'm not quite sure how to fix them. Besides -- historically it is the Army which conducts even diplomatic measures. The Premier may find her right to do this to be undermined in practice.
 
+1 on what Toshiro says, especially about the Premier.

If that is the limit of the Premier's powers, she might as well be folded out. She has no power of her own, as she cannot provide a check to the power of any other enumerated body in the Constitution.

The Senate should have an "override veto" power, in my mind.

But I think we should step back, as I said in the IRC, and figure out just what the YSE really is. What kind of government do we want it to look like? Should there be checks and balances, or do we keep power with the Empress and, moreover, with the military? Do we need a judiciary? Etc. The idea of a combination state, where the Senate and Empress supposedly have lots of overlapping and equal powers, while the Army does its own thing, is kinda strange.

But the document is pretty close to how the YSE works right now. If all we're doing is codifying that ...
 
Based on suggestions from here and in the chatroom, the document has been updated.
 
I've added new content to the top section.
 
National Oversight Agency needs to fall under the Monarchy and not the Premier. As it stands the 'check and balance' for the majority of the government is under the same branch and head.
 
Updated. If there are no further changes, I'm thinking we should make it official.
 
I would suggest that since this affects all Yamataian players, that a vote be held to ratify it. Since you want the will of the people to figure into Yamatai.
 
I've added a poll to the topic. Yamataian players have 7 days to vote!
 
Minor notes:

"V. The Emperor or Empress and all other government officials are the committed servants of their citizenship and reject tyranny. To divide the power, no person shall hold more than one of the following offices: Emperor or Empress of Yamatai, Imperial Senator, Imperial Premier, and Commander of the Star Army of Yamatai."

Please specify if this is "at any given time" or overall. If the latter, Yui and Yuumi would have to surrender their current positions, having already served as Empresses.



"2. All sapient beings have the right to become a citizen of Yamatai."

Should this be "the right to apply to become"? We don't want criminals thinking they can commit a crime some other race's space, flee here, and we have to allow them to change citizenship.
 
The constitution is passed! November 5th is officially declared Constitution Day in the Yamatai Star Empire.
 
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