A New Nation (Character/Political Party RP) - OOC

[Republic of the Cristo]

think it should be presented in RP, it allows for interesting discussion and arguments like that of the Continental congress.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

think it should be presented in RP, it allows for interesting discussion and arguments like that of the Continental congress.

Yeah, but... There should already be some sort of constitution in place, or else there is no congress. There should be a framework.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I've took some time to make a first draft around the Bir Tawil constitution. This is by no means finished, nor is it something I would want to implement. I meant it as a platform for possible discussion. After all, it is easier to add and remove than it is so begin from the ground up. Tell me what you think! Section V, by the way, is going to list the inalienable rights.

Bir Tawil Constitution
First Draft

Chapter I
Government

Section I
Foundations

Article 1
Bir Tawil is founded on the principle of republicanism, liberty, respect for individual rights and freedom for all.

Article 2
The State shall only perform the duties given to her by the constitution of Bir Tawil and the mandate of her people.

Article 3
The power of the state shall be divided into three categories, being:
a. Executive
b. Legislative
c. Judiciary

Article 4
The Executive power of the government rests in the hands of the President and his Secretaries.

Article 5
The Legislative power of the government rests with the elected bodies of the Bir Tawil Congress.

Article 6
The Judicial power of the government rests with the Constitutional Court and all the lower courts as appointed by this constitution.

Article 7
The separation of the three powers, being the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, shall only be affected by the mandate of the constitution, and shall only be changed via constitutional amendment.

Section II
Executive Power

Article 8
The President of Bir Tawil shall be elected by a majority of the eligible voters in Bir Tawil.

Article 9
The President presides over the Council of Secretaries. He appoints and dismisses these secretaries with regards to the principles of good governance and public order.

Article 10
The President has the power and the responsibility to execute the laws put forth by the judiciary at the utmost of his capacity.

Article 10
The President, if born before the 9th of June 2015, must be a citizen. If born on or after the 9th of June, the President must be born within the borders or jurisdiction of the state of Bir Tawil.

Article 11
The President shall take no further action than is necessary to perform his duties, nor shall he take any lesser action than required.

Article 12
The President appoints a Vice President as second in command.

Section III
Legislative Power

Article 13
Congress shall make laws to further the wealth, freedom, liberty, safety and standing of the people of Bir Tawil, or to protect and strengthen the state of Bir Tawil.

Article 14
Congress shall make no laws infringing on the basic principles as put forth in Section V of this constitution

Article 15
Congress shall consist of 100 representatives, as elected by the people.

Article 16
A member of Congress may not at the same time fulfil the role of:
1. President
2. Vice President
3. High Judge
4. Court Judge
5. Regional Judge
6. Secretary
7. Commander of the Armed Forces

Article 17
Congress is presided over by the Chancellor of Congress, elected by the representatives. He is the 101st member of Congress.

Article 18
Congress shall establish a code of conduct for her convening and debate on the grounds of fairness, equality and respect.

Section IV
Judiciary

Article 19
Free and open courts shall be established in Bir Tawil, open to all her citizens and those present within her borders.

Article 20
No laws shall be made hampering, subverting or in any way altering the ability of an appointed judge to make a fair and honest judgement, based on law and legal precedent.

Article 21
There shall be a Regional Court, a Council Court and a Constitutional Court, of which the latter two shall be levels of appeal.

Article 22
Regional Courts shall be presided over by Regional Judges. Council Courts shall be presided over by Court Judges. The Constitutional Court shall be presided over by the High Judges.

Article 23
There are five acting High Judges in Bir Tawil.

Article 24
The courts shall, at all levels, strive to execute the law as close to her intent as possible. Reasonability, effectiveness and justice shall be core principles of this execution.

Article 25
No judge shall execute a law if this law is deemed unjust or unconstitutional by the High Court or common decency.

Article 26
A judge can only be removed from office by resignation, incapability or gross misconduct of criminal nature.

Section V
Rights

Article 27
All those within the borders of Bir Tawil have the same rights and duties as any other within these borders. There shall be no distinction based on race, political affiliation, nationality, country of origin, language, sex, sexual orientation or physical capacity. Discrimination of any kind is prohibited.

Article 28
All citizens have the right to their own opinion. They shall have every right to express these opinions, be it by word of speech, writing, broadcast, literature, art, or any other means of expression. Freedom of print shall not be hampered, unless necessary for an orderly society.

Article 29
None within the borders of Bir Tawil shall be punished without due process in a court of law, nor shall cruel or unusual punishment be inflicted on anyone convicted. A person is innocent of a deed until proven guilty of that deed.

Article 30
All citizens have the right to their personal sphere and the right to withhold information. The rights to family, friendship and general attachment shall not be infringed upon, nor shall this sphere be violated by the government without judicial consent.

Article 31
All citizens have the right to live, to own property, to participate in the political process. No decision by the Executive, the Legislative or the Judiciary can take these rights in their entirety.

Article 32
All those within the borders of Bir Tawil have the right to practice their religion, or lack thereof. Observers of these religions have a duty to diminish the intrusion into other people’s living spheres when practicing their religion. This article shall not give any individual the right to disregard other articles of this constitution.

[Skappola]

Name: John Highshore
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Backstory/Biography:
John Highshore was born in the state of New York in November 7, 1980 to a middle class family. He attended Catholic schools his entire life, graduating with a joint bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering and Political Science from Notre Dame in 2001. He worked in the private sector for a number of companies, most notably Boeing, where he was moderately successful, achieving a mid-level management position in only a couple years. During this time, he also attained his Masters in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton. In 2006, he left for politics, gaining a position as Mayor of Kansas City under the Democrats for a number of years. Upon learning of the creation of Bir Tawil, he immediately obtained citizenship, beginning his new life as a career politician in the new country.
Appearance:

Political Ideology: Civil Libertarian
Political Party: The Progressive Party
Position: Senator
Other Information:
RP Example:
I ran this old RP, which was rather successful at the start:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?t=325913

I Co-ran this RP, and helped write the OP:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopi ... 1&t=330265
This was done on my old Siaos account:

Palace of Victoria, Kampala, 2090

Firing people is great fun for King Adin. Getting to see their tears, realizing that they no longer get to live in luxury as guards or Councillors or whatever they do inside the Palace of Victoria. The problem is, sometimes they don't cry. Like when Adin fired his chef, he ran off into the distance screaming happily that he wasn't going to be executed for under-cooked lasagna. Of course, he was later hunted him down and burnt on a stake in front of the populace of Kampala - but you get the point. He was HAPPY that he had to leave King Adin's glorious presence. This troubled King Adin greatly, until he realized why they were so happy. THEY WERE STEALING FROM HIM!

It was the only answer. His staff was obviously stealing from them - and are currently being broken down by the guilt that they stole from such a magnificent person! That's why the staff always look so nervous when they get near him! That's why his Iguana mysteriously disappeared!

This could not stand. The fact that they stole Bobo the Iguana and sold him was bad enough, but the fact that they lied and said Bobo was killed by his albino tigers is even worse! But how would he punish them? It would have to be a special punishment. Stealing from the perfect king is worthy of a punishment much worse than death by being burnt on a stake.

Perhaps he would lock them all up in the dungeon where he could personally torture every one of them! But wait, his dungeon was completely full after he went on that imprisonment spree during his vacation in Zanzibar. Those prisoners just don't die off quickly enough...

In that moment, a brilliant idea struck King Adin. One so brilliant that he jumped, yelled Eureka, and banged his head on the ceiling. In the most spectacular act of instant Karma, this caused him to fall down three flights of stairs and get seven stitches. His plan was to make them truly pay for selling Bobo the Iguana, in a way that would actually benefit him for once. He would use his staff and the prisoners as slave labor! This plan would grant him huge amounts of free labor for the railroads, and definitely wouldn't be immoral in anyway whatsoever. Many historians would look back at this accident and wish that it did kill King Adin, partly because he was about to implement slave labor, and partly because he also implemented a law banning all historians on the same day.
Last edited by Siaos on Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:54 pm,

213 (So I can find applications easily.)

[Neo-Chicago]

Will we write the constitution before the RP starts or will that be the first thing we do? It would make more sense to write it before and start with the opening of the new government.

I'm going to let you guys decide when the constitution will be implemented, be it before or after the IC is created. Speaking of which, that should be up by or before Wednesday.

-snip-

Constitution looks good, aside from a couple of typos, although I'd recommend making some clarifications about the hot-button issues of today, since the founding fathers IRL apparently didn't see them coming.

Name: Karl Müller
Gender: Male
Age: 65
Backstory/Biography: Karl Müller… What is there to say about him? Born in Berlin to two loving parents. Parents who financed his legal education, seeing the atrocities that lawlessness could bring. Parents who supported him in every move. Karl Müller really didn’t have a hard childhood, nor was he in trouble during his young adult years. He picked up the legal profession quite well, became a lawyer in Brandenburg after finishing, until finally becoming a judge in that same Brandenburg. He developed a strong sense of right and wrong, and had an interest in the law of treaties, international law and governmental and constitutional law, on the topic of which he wrote many a book. These books were what drew Andrews to him, inviting Müller to form a new state with him in Bir Tawil. Any normal man would have refused, but Müller, having gathered enough money to finance himself royally for the rest of his life, felt something for this experiment. He joined Andrews, had a hand in the constitution, and founded a new legal system out of the blue based on the continental German, French and Dutch legal codes. For himself, he secured the position of High Judge, the prime voice in the judiciary of the country.
Appearance: (Image)
Political Ideology: Liberal-ish, centrist, progressive, continental
Political Party: Neutral
Position: High Judge of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of our nation
Other Information: Müller is a man of principle, but also someone who can value some ends above others. He loves democracy, but there are some things he loves even more. Effective government control, for instance. He is willing to put one ideal over the other if they come into conflict, rather choosing one than letting both slip. He doesn’t always agree with president Andrews, and has many disagreements with him, but he knows his place as head of the judiciary. He has close connections with many politicians, him being the head of the Constitutional Court.
RP Example: All over.
213

Accepted.

Do I detect a coup heading my way? Come on guys, you can wait until the next election. btw, how often do you think elections should be? I'm thinking between every one and two weeks.



Alright, you're accepted now.

I gave the military two brigades, a battalion, and a company, that enough or is that too much?

I'd have to know how many soldiers were in each.

Name: John Highshore
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Backstory/Biography:
John Highshore was born in the state of New York in November 7, 1980 to a middle class family. He attended Catholic schools his entire life, graduating with a joint bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering and Political Science from Notre Dame in 2001. He worked in the private sector for a number of companies, most notably Boeing, where he was moderately successful, achieving a mid-level management position in only a couple years. During this time, he also attained his Masters in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton. In 2006, he left for politics, gaining a position as Mayor of Kansas City under the Democrats for a number of years. Upon learning of the creation of Bir Tawil, he immediately obtained citizenship, beginning his new life as a career politician in the new country.
Appearance:

(Image)

Political Ideology: Civil Libertarian
Political Party: The Progressive Party
Position: Senator
Other Information:
RP Example:
I ran this old RP, which was rather successful at the start:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?t=325913

I Co-ran this RP, and helped write the OP:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopi ... 1&t=330265
This was done on my old Siaos account:

Palace of Victoria, Kampala, 2090

Firing people is great fun for King Adin. Getting to see their tears, realizing that they no longer get to live in luxury as guards or Councillors or whatever they do inside the Palace of Victoria. The problem is, sometimes they don't cry. Like when Adin fired his chef, he ran off into the distance screaming happily that he wasn't going to be executed for under-cooked lasagna. Of course, he was later hunted him down and burnt on a stake in front of the populace of Kampala - but you get the point. He was HAPPY that he had to leave King Adin's glorious presence. This troubled King Adin greatly, until he realized why they were so happy. THEY WERE STEALING FROM HIM!

It was the only answer. His staff was obviously stealing from them - and are currently being broken down by the guilt that they stole from such a magnificent person! That's why the staff always look so nervous when they get near him! That's why his Iguana mysteriously disappeared!

This could not stand. The fact that they stole Bobo the Iguana and sold him was bad enough, but the fact that they lied and said Bobo was killed by his albino tigers is even worse! But how would he punish them? It would have to be a special punishment. Stealing from the perfect king is worthy of a punishment much worse than death by being burnt on a stake.

Perhaps he would lock them all up in the dungeon where he could personally torture every one of them! But wait, his dungeon was completely full after he went on that imprisonment spree during his vacation in Zanzibar. Those prisoners just don't die off quickly enough...

In that moment, a brilliant idea struck King Adin. One so brilliant that he jumped, yelled Eureka, and banged his head on the ceiling. In the most spectacular act of instant Karma, this caused him to fall down three flights of stairs and get seven stitches. His plan was to make them truly pay for selling Bobo the Iguana, in a way that would actually benefit him for once. He would use his staff and the prisoners as slave labor! This plan would grant him huge amounts of free labor for the railroads, and definitely wouldn't be immoral in anyway whatsoever. Many historians would look back at this accident and wish that it did kill King Adin, partly because he was about to implement slave labor, and partly because he also implemented a law banning all historians on the same day.
Last edited by Siaos on Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:54 pm,

213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Accepted.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I've took some time to make a first draft around the Bir Tawil constitution. This is by no means finished, nor is it something I would want to implement. I meant it as a platform for possible discussion. After all, it is easier to add and remove than it is so begin from the ground up. Tell me what you think! Section V, by the way, is going to list the inalienable rights.

Bir Tawil Constitution
First Draft

Chapter I
Government

Section I
Foundations

Article 1
Bir Tawil is founded on the principle of republicanism, liberty, respect for individual rights and freedom for all.

Article 2
The State shall only perform the duties given to her by the constitution of Bir Tawil and the mandate of her people.

Article 3
The power of the state shall be divided into three categories, being:
a. Executive
b. Legislative
c. Judiciary

Article 4
The Executive power of the government rests in the hands of the President and his Secretaries.

Article 5
The Legislative power of the government rests with the elected bodies of the Bir Tawil Congress.

Article 6
The Judicial power of the government rests with the Constitutional Court and all the lower courts as appointed by this constitution.

Article 7
The separation of the three powers, being the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, shall only be affected by the mandate of the constitution, and shall only be changed via constitutional amendment.

Section II
Executive Power

Article 8
The President of Bir Tawil shall be elected by a majority of the eligible voters in Bir Tawil.

Article 9
The President presides over the Council of Secretaries. He appoints and dismisses these secretaries with regards to the principles of good governance and public order.

Article 10
The President has the power and the responsibility to execute the laws put forth by the judiciary at the utmost of his capacity.

Article 10
The President, if born before the 9th of June 2015, must be a citizen. If born on or after the 9th of June, the President must be born within the borders or jurisdiction of the state of Bir Tawil.

Article 11
The President shall take no further action than is necessary to perform his duties, nor shall he take any lesser action than required.

Article 12
The President appoints a Vice President as second in command.

Section III
Legislative Power

Article 13
Congress shall make laws to further the wealth, freedom, liberty, safety and standing of the people of Bir Tawil, or to protect and strengthen the state of Bir Tawil.

Article 14
Congress shall make no laws infringing on the basic principles as put forth in Section V of this constitution

Article 15
Congress shall consist of 100 representatives, as elected by the people.

Article 16
A member of Congress may not at the same time fulfil the role of:
1. President
2. Vice President
3. High Judge
4. Court Judge
5. Regional Judge
6. Secretary
7. Commander of the Armed Forces

Article 17
Congress is presided over by the Chancellor of Congress, elected by the representatives. He is the 101st member of Congress.

Article 18
Congress shall establish a code of conduct for her convening and debate on the grounds of fairness, equality and respect.

Section IV
Judiciary

Article 19
Free and open courts shall be established in Bir Tawil, open to all her citizens and those present within her borders.

Article 20
No laws shall be made hampering, subverting or in any way altering the ability of an appointed judge to make a fair and honest judgement, based on law and legal precedent.

Article 21
There shall be a Regional Court, a Council Court and a Constitutional Court, of which the latter two shall be levels of appeal.

Article 22
Regional Courts shall be presided over by Regional Judges. Council Courts shall be presided over by Court Judges. The Constitutional Court shall be presided over by the High Judges.

Article 23
There are five acting High Judges in Bir Tawil.

Article 24
The courts shall, at all levels, strive to execute the law as close to her intent as possible. Reasonability, effectiveness and justice shall be core principles of this execution.

Article 25
No judge shall execute a law if this law is deemed unjust or unconstitutional by the High Court or common decency.

Article 26
A judge can only be removed from office by resignation, incapability or gross misconduct of criminal nature.

Section V
Rights

Article 27
All those within the borders of Bir Tawil have the same rights and duties as any other within these borders. There shall be no distinction based on race, political affiliation, nationality, country of origin, language, sex, sexual orientation or physical capacity. Discrimination of any kind is prohibited.

Article 28
All citizens have the right to their own opinion. They shall have every right to express these opinions, be it by word of speech, writing, broadcast, literature, art, or any other means of expression. Freedom of print shall not be hampered, unless necessary for an orderly society.

Article 29
None within the borders of Bir Tawil shall be punished without due process in a court of law, nor shall cruel or unusual punishment be inflicted on anyone convicted. A person is innocent of a deed until proven guilty of that deed.

Article 30
All citizens have the right to their personal sphere and the right to withhold information. The rights to family, friendship and general attachment shall not be infringed upon, nor shall this sphere be violated by the government without judicial consent.

Article 31
All citizens have the right to live, to own property, to participate in the political process. No decision by the Executive, the Legislative or the Judiciary can take these rights in their entirety.

Article 32
All those within the borders of Bir Tawil have the right to practice their religion, or lack thereof. Observers of these religions have a duty to diminish the intrusion into other people’s living spheres when practicing their religion. This article shall not give any individual the right to disregard other articles of this constitution.

Added Section V.

Will we write the constitution before the RP starts or will that be the first thing we do? It would make more sense to write it before and start with the opening of the new government.

I'm going to let you guys decide when the constitution will be implemented, be it before or after the IC is created. Speaking of which, that should be up by or before Wednesday.

-snip-

Constitution looks good, aside from a couple of typos, although I'd recommend making some clarifications about the hot-button issues of today, since the founding fathers IRL apparently didn't see them coming.

Name: Karl Müller
Gender: Male
Age: 65
Backstory/Biography: Karl Müller… What is there to say about him? Born in Berlin to two loving parents. Parents who financed his legal education, seeing the atrocities that lawlessness could bring. Parents who supported him in every move. Karl Müller really didn’t have a hard childhood, nor was he in trouble during his young adult years. He picked up the legal profession quite well, became a lawyer in Brandenburg after finishing, until finally becoming a judge in that same Brandenburg. He developed a strong sense of right and wrong, and had an interest in the law of treaties, international law and governmental and constitutional law, on the topic of which he wrote many a book. These books were what drew Andrews to him, inviting Müller to form a new state with him in Bir Tawil. Any normal man would have refused, but Müller, having gathered enough money to finance himself royally for the rest of his life, felt something for this experiment. He joined Andrews, had a hand in the constitution, and founded a new legal system out of the blue based on the continental German, French and Dutch legal codes. For himself, he secured the position of High Judge, the prime voice in the judiciary of the country.
Appearance: (Image)
Political Ideology: Liberal-ish, centrist, progressive, continental
Political Party: Neutral
Position: High Judge of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of our nation
Other Information: Müller is a man of principle, but also someone who can value some ends above others. He loves democracy, but there are some things he loves even more. Effective government control, for instance. He is willing to put one ideal over the other if they come into conflict, rather choosing one than letting both slip. He doesn’t always agree with president Andrews, and has many disagreements with him, but he knows his place as head of the judiciary. He has close connections with many politicians, him being the head of the Constitutional Court.
RP Example: All over.
213

Accepted.

I gave the military two brigades, a battalion, and a company, that enough or is that too much?

I'd have to know how many soldiers were in each.

Name: John Highshore
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Backstory/Biography:
John Highshore was born in the state of New York in November 7, 1980 to a middle class family. He attended Catholic schools his entire life, graduating with a joint bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering and Political Science from Notre Dame in 2001. He worked in the private sector for a number of companies, most notably Boeing, where he was moderately successful, achieving a mid-level management position in only a couple years. During this time, he also attained his Masters in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton. In 2006, he left for politics, gaining a position as Mayor of Kansas City under the Democrats for a number of years. Upon learning of the creation of Bir Tawil, he immediately obtained citizenship, beginning his new life as a career politician in the new country.
Appearance:

(Image)

Political Ideology: Civil Libertarian
Political Party: The Progressive Party
Position: Senator
Other Information:
RP Example:
I ran this old RP, which was rather successful at the start:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?t=325913

I Co-ran this RP, and helped write the OP:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopi ... 1&t=330265
This was done on my old Siaos account:

Palace of Victoria, Kampala, 2090

Firing people is great fun for King Adin. Getting to see their tears, realizing that they no longer get to live in luxury as guards or Councillors or whatever they do inside the Palace of Victoria. The problem is, sometimes they don't cry. Like when Adin fired his chef, he ran off into the distance screaming happily that he wasn't going to be executed for under-cooked lasagna. Of course, he was later hunted him down and burnt on a stake in front of the populace of Kampala - but you get the point. He was HAPPY that he had to leave King Adin's glorious presence. This troubled King Adin greatly, until he realized why they were so happy. THEY WERE STEALING FROM HIM!

It was the only answer. His staff was obviously stealing from them - and are currently being broken down by the guilt that they stole from such a magnificent person! That's why the staff always look so nervous when they get near him! That's why his Iguana mysteriously disappeared!

This could not stand. The fact that they stole Bobo the Iguana and sold him was bad enough, but the fact that they lied and said Bobo was killed by his albino tigers is even worse! But how would he punish them? It would have to be a special punishment. Stealing from the perfect king is worthy of a punishment much worse than death by being burnt on a stake.

Perhaps he would lock them all up in the dungeon where he could personally torture every one of them! But wait, his dungeon was completely full after he went on that imprisonment spree during his vacation in Zanzibar. Those prisoners just don't die off quickly enough...

In that moment, a brilliant idea struck King Adin. One so brilliant that he jumped, yelled Eureka, and banged his head on the ceiling. In the most spectacular act of instant Karma, this caused him to fall down three flights of stairs and get seven stitches. His plan was to make them truly pay for selling Bobo the Iguana, in a way that would actually benefit him for once. He would use his staff and the prisoners as slave labor! This plan would grant him huge amounts of free labor for the railroads, and definitely wouldn't be immoral in anyway whatsoever. Many historians would look back at this accident and wish that it did kill King Adin, partly because he was about to implement slave labor, and partly because he also implemented a law banning all historians on the same day.
Last edited by Siaos on Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:54 pm,

213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Accepted.

What hot-button issues would we be talking about? Are we talking US-hot, or general hot?

[Neo-Chicago]

-snip-

Article 27 contradicts Article 28, in that insulting someone could be seen as discrimination. My suggestion is to define "discrimination". Besides that, the constitution lacks the right to bear arms, whether that was intentional or not.

By hot-button issues, I mean both U.S. and General.

[The BaRen]

Tag

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

-snip-

Article 27 contradicts Article 28, in that insulting someone could be seen as discrimination. My suggestion is to define "discrimination". Besides that, the constitution lacks the right to bear arms, whether that was intentional or not.

By hot-button issues, I mean both U.S. and General.

A right to bear arms is a strange addition to a constitution, mainly because it is already protected under the right to own property. It does not warrant an entire article in a constitution. Legally, the US 2nd amendment is a strange quirk. So, the right to arm bears is still protected, be it not so straight forward.

Also, insulting someone is never discrimination. Discrimination involves someone making a decision based on race or gender, and so on. While an insult might be racist, it can never be discriminatory. I will, however, add an article regarding hate speech, I think.

Also, laws always contradict a little bit. It is the job of the corts to decide on those contradictions. They are not that much of a problem.

Hot button. So, homosexuality? Immigration? Monetary deficit?

[Skappola]

Article 27 contradicts Article 28, in that insulting someone could be seen as discrimination. My suggestion is to define "discrimination". Besides that, the constitution lacks the right to bear arms, whether that was intentional or not.

By hot-button issues, I mean both U.S. and General.

A right to bear arms is a strange addition to a constitution, mainly because it is already protected under the right to own property. It does not warrant an entire article in a constitution. Legally, the US 2nd amendment is a strange quirk. So, the right to arm bears is still protected, be it not so straight forward.

Also, insulting someone is never discrimination. Discrimination involves someone making a decision based on race or gender, and so on. While an insult might be racist, it can never be discriminatory. I will, however, add an article regarding hate speech, I think.

Also, laws always contradict a little bit. It is the job of the corts to decide on those contradictions. They are not that much of a problem.

Hot button. So, homosexuality? Immigration? Monetary deficit?

The right to own property does the not mean the government cannot ban specific items, such as drugs. Without an additional Article regarding the protection of the Right to Bear Arms, the government could theoretically ban guns, could they not?

[Protestant England and Germany]

Name: Dietrich Williams von Staubsburg
[b]Gender: Male
[b]Age:33 years old
[b]Backstory/Biography: Born in Dusseldorf, Germany to Henrietta and Franz Williams von Staubsburg. Lived in his village all his life, and attended the local Gymnasium (or for those who don't speak german; AP High School). Studied in the University of Berlin where he played Field Hockey and Soccer. Majored in Politics and Military Studies. Served in the German Armed forces for 5 years and was deployed to Yugoslavia (where he was wounded in a mine incident and suffers from "mild" PTSD) and served as security to German Embassy in Washington DC. Left Germany to join the OOC as an Training Officer in the local Militia, then cut all ties with Germany to become a full citizen and start his own political party: Aristocratic Union for the Advancement of Yeoman and Gentry (AUAYG)
[b]Appearance: 6'5", large build, 250 lbs, large Scar on his face from shrapnel from a S1 Anti-Personnel Mine, Dirty Blonde Hair, Hazel Eyes.
Political Ideology: Independent Aristocrat
Political Party: AUAYG (See backstory)
Position: Colonel in OOC National Guard and leader of the AUAYG
Other Information: Suffers from PTSD and is prone to fits of rage resulting in heavy berating of his subordinates.
RP Example: None on Nationstates (I play a lot of D&D and Shadowrun)
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

[Protestant England and Germany]

Shortened Name/Nickname:AUAYG
[b]Official Name: Aristocratic Union for the Advancement of Yeoman/Gentry
[b]Leader: Dietrich Williams von Staubsburg
[b]History: Formed by Dietrich Williams, the party aims to advance the Yeoman and Gentry class as he views them as the necessary and abused classes in the OOC society. He argues for higher wages for them, Government Benefits, and the option to go strait to OCS if they enlist in the military (after going to basic training)
Emblem: Prussian Eagle surrounded by Businessmen, Soldiers, and Manual Laborers.
Main Political Beliefs: Equality and better treatment of the White and Blue Collar worker as well as the right to earn a fair wage for the work that is done
Compass: Just right of center
Other Information: Newly formed party. 1 member so far.

[The BaRen]

Name: Cedric Peeters
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Backstory/Biography: Cedric was born to a working class family in a run down, urban area of *ENTER NATION NAME HERE*. His family was heavily involved in the Jin Soc Party. Both of his brothers serve in the armed forces, his mother was a head of the local Women's Jin Soc Division, and his father was one of the first 100 members of the party. Cedric served in the armed forces as a mechanic, and following his tour, became involved in politics, eventually becoming a senator.
Appearance: Sen. Peeters 6'2, 170 lbs
Political Ideology: Jingoistic Socialism
Political Party: Jingoistic Socialist Party
Position: Senator
Other Information: (Anything we need to know besides what was covered above)
RP Example: ANO RP, Order of the Hunt, My Sci Fi Rp from a while back
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Shortened Name/Nickname: Jingoistic Socialist Party "Jin Soc" (Pronounced "Gin-soash")
Official Name: Jingoistic Socialist Party of *ENTER NATION NAME HERE*
Leader: None. Party decides collectively.
History: The Party was established by various members of the working class, the military, and "true born" nationals to protect the three tenets of their collective beliefs: Strong military, strong workers, strong state.
Emblem: Symbol (It would have been this, which is a symbol of social democracy, but is now used by Nazis.
Main Political Beliefs:

It's basically Socialism, with the nationalization of most of the country's economy, although allowing some corporations build up the State's and the People's well being. The State will crack down on the privately wealthy, to distribute the wealth to the people. A Jingoistic Socialist state is Patriotic, believing that their country is best, therefore see a duty to absorb other, lesser countries, into their own to show them their country's superiority, and to involve them in that. They try not to relate and consort with other states, to prevent any Capitalist or other undesirable ideologies to grip the People, and lead them astray. They believe in the buildup of the military to support the glorious revolution of the Jingoistic Socialist Movement. The State is Atheist, but does not force that ideology on it's People.
It's economy is a mix of Protectionism and Market Socialist.

Compass: I honestly don't know.
Other Information:
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

[Marsisian]

Will we write the constitution before the RP starts or will that be the first thing we do? It would make more sense to write it before and start with the opening of the new government.

I'm going to let you guys decide when the constitution will be implemented, be it before or after the IC is created. Speaking of which, that should be up by or before Wednesday.

-snip-

Constitution looks good, aside from a couple of typos, although I'd recommend making some clarifications about the hot-button issues of today, since the founding fathers IRL apparently didn't see them coming.

Name: Karl Müller
Gender: Male
Age: 65
Backstory/Biography: Karl Müller… What is there to say about him? Born in Berlin to two loving parents. Parents who financed his legal education, seeing the atrocities that lawlessness could bring. Parents who supported him in every move. Karl Müller really didn’t have a hard childhood, nor was he in trouble during his young adult years. He picked up the legal profession quite well, became a lawyer in Brandenburg after finishing, until finally becoming a judge in that same Brandenburg. He developed a strong sense of right and wrong, and had an interest in the law of treaties, international law and governmental and constitutional law, on the topic of which he wrote many a book. These books were what drew Andrews to him, inviting Müller to form a new state with him in Bir Tawil. Any normal man would have refused, but Müller, having gathered enough money to finance himself royally for the rest of his life, felt something for this experiment. He joined Andrews, had a hand in the constitution, and founded a new legal system out of the blue based on the continental German, French and Dutch legal codes. For himself, he secured the position of High Judge, the prime voice in the judiciary of the country.
Appearance: (Image)
Political Ideology: Liberal-ish, centrist, progressive, continental
Political Party: Neutral
Position: High Judge of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of our nation
Other Information: Müller is a man of principle, but also someone who can value some ends above others. He loves democracy, but there are some things he loves even more. Effective government control, for instance. He is willing to put one ideal over the other if they come into conflict, rather choosing one than letting both slip. He doesn’t always agree with president Andrews, and has many disagreements with him, but he knows his place as head of the judiciary. He has close connections with many politicians, him being the head of the Constitutional Court.
RP Example: All over.
213

Accepted.

I gave the military two brigades, a battalion, and a company, that enough or is that too much?

I'd have to know how many soldiers were in each.

Name: John Highshore
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Backstory/Biography:
John Highshore was born in the state of New York in November 7, 1980 to a middle class family. He attended Catholic schools his entire life, graduating with a joint bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering and Political Science from Notre Dame in 2001. He worked in the private sector for a number of companies, most notably Boeing, where he was moderately successful, achieving a mid-level management position in only a couple years. During this time, he also attained his Masters in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton. In 2006, he left for politics, gaining a position as Mayor of Kansas City under the Democrats for a number of years. Upon learning of the creation of Bir Tawil, he immediately obtained citizenship, beginning his new life as a career politician in the new country.
Appearance:

(Image)

Political Ideology: Civil Libertarian
Political Party: The Progressive Party
Position: Senator
Other Information:
RP Example:
I ran this old RP, which was rather successful at the start:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?t=325913

I Co-ran this RP, and helped write the OP:
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopi ... 1&t=330265
This was done on my old Siaos account:

Palace of Victoria, Kampala, 2090

Firing people is great fun for King Adin. Getting to see their tears, realizing that they no longer get to live in luxury as guards or Councillors or whatever they do inside the Palace of Victoria. The problem is, sometimes they don't cry. Like when Adin fired his chef, he ran off into the distance screaming happily that he wasn't going to be executed for under-cooked lasagna. Of course, he was later hunted him down and burnt on a stake in front of the populace of Kampala - but you get the point. He was HAPPY that he had to leave King Adin's glorious presence. This troubled King Adin greatly, until he realized why they were so happy. THEY WERE STEALING FROM HIM!

It was the only answer. His staff was obviously stealing from them - and are currently being broken down by the guilt that they stole from such a magnificent person! That's why the staff always look so nervous when they get near him! That's why his Iguana mysteriously disappeared!

This could not stand. The fact that they stole Bobo the Iguana and sold him was bad enough, but the fact that they lied and said Bobo was killed by his albino tigers is even worse! But how would he punish them? It would have to be a special punishment. Stealing from the perfect king is worthy of a punishment much worse than death by being burnt on a stake.

Perhaps he would lock them all up in the dungeon where he could personally torture every one of them! But wait, his dungeon was completely full after he went on that imprisonment spree during his vacation in Zanzibar. Those prisoners just don't die off quickly enough...

In that moment, a brilliant idea struck King Adin. One so brilliant that he jumped, yelled Eureka, and banged his head on the ceiling. In the most spectacular act of instant Karma, this caused him to fall down three flights of stairs and get seven stitches. His plan was to make them truly pay for selling Bobo the Iguana, in a way that would actually benefit him for once. He would use his staff and the prisoners as slave labor! This plan would grant him huge amounts of free labor for the railroads, and definitely wouldn't be immoral in anyway whatsoever. Many historians would look back at this accident and wish that it did kill King Adin, partly because he was about to implement slave labor, and partly because he also implemented a law banning all historians on the same day.
Last edited by Siaos on Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:54 pm,

213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Accepted.

A hundred in the company, 4.400 in the first brigade, 4,700 in the second brigade, and 600 in the battalion. They mostly have old Soviet tanks and equipment.

[Kazarogkai]

Personally I think Section V is a little bare, specifically I am referring to enumerated rights. Also in my opinion it should be split dividing up between Personal, Economic, and Political rights.

[Republic of the Cristo]

here are some critiques I have to the constitution. Instead of no discrimination, I think it should be no institutionalized discrimination. That way, business and religious leaders can choose whom they service without violating their beliefs.

And as to the incursion of beliefs by the religious onto those whom do not want it. It should be clearly stated when enough is enough.

[Nasaira]

Tag

[Cainesland]

Honestly, the military is leaning toward the Imperialist Party. They seem like the kind of people we want to be ruling the nation.

Thank you for the support.

[Terrelis]

Here's my version of the constitution.

Constitution of the Commonwealth of Columbia

We the people in order to promote the welfare of the people, establish and promote the tenants of justice and equality, and form a more perfect state, hereby establish this constitution of the Commonwealth of Columbia.

Article I
Basic Rights of Citizens

The following inalienable rights shall be afforded to all citizens of the Commonwealth;
A. The right to express oneself through speech, religion, and sexual orientation;
B. The right to purchase, own, and trade property freely;
C. The right to vote and participate in elections;
D. The right to a fair and impartial trial, and to be afforded legal defense representation;

Article II
The Legislature

A. The powers to establish the laws of this state shall solely be vested in the national legislature known as the Commonwealth Senate, hereby referred to as the Senate;
B. The powers of the Senate shall never be removed for as long the Commonwealth remains to exist;
C. The Senate shall be comprised of 100 Senators directly elected by the citizens of the Commonwealth every three years (2 weeks);
D. The Senate shall have the sole power to approve the national budget, approve presidential executive and judicial appointments, and impeach government officials;
E. The Senate shall be led by the Speaker of the Senate elected from within the Senate at the beginning of every term; the Senate Speaker shall be responsible for presiding over the Senate while it is in session; the speaker shall set the agenda, allocate time for debate and voting on bills, preside over debate and count votes;
F. Senators must be at least 30 years of age upon their election, and be a citizen of the Commonwealth;

Article III
The Executive

A. The powers to execute laws and administrate the government shall be vested in the President; who will serve as Head of State and Government of the Commonwealth;
B. The President shall have the duty of signing legislation passed by the Senate into law or vetoing it; if the President vetoed legislation it must be passed by at least 2/3 of the Senate; if the President does not sign or veto legislation within 48 hours of its passing it automatically becomes law;
C. The President shall serve as Chief Executive of the Comminwealth and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces; if the President mobilizes Commonwealth Defense Forces outside of the territory of Columbia they must first attain Senate aproval;
D. The President must be at least 35 years of age upon their election; and be a citizen of the Commonwealth;
E. The president shall be assisted in their duties by a cabinet appointed by them and serving at their pleasure, the composition of which is to be set by the Senate;

Article IV
The Judiciary

A. The power of the judiciary shall be vested in the Supreme Court and all lower courts;
B. The Supreme Court shall be the highest court in the Commonwealth responsible only for hearing cases they deem necessary; consisting of 5 justices appointed by the President to serve until death, or their 75th birthday, whichever comes first;
C. The Supreme Court shall be led by a Chief Justice; the Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President at the start of their term;
D. The next highest court shall be the Commonwealth Court of Appeals; a system of five courts in five region, one per region, east, west, north, south, and central; each consisting of three justices appointed by the Presudebt serving 25 year terms;
E. City Trial Courts and City Appeals Courts shall rank below the Supreme Court and Commonwealth Court of Appeals;

Article V
Amendments

Amendments to this document shall only be made with a 2/3 majority of all Senators.

[Marsisian]

We should come up with an actual name for the nation instead of Bir Tawil. In RL, the guy called it North Sudan.

[Neo-Chicago]

Here's my version of the constitution.

Constitution of Bir Tawil
(2nd Draft)

We the people in order to promote the welfare of the people, establish and promote the tenants of justice and equality, and form a more perfect state, hereby establish this constitution of the Commonwealth of Bir Tawil.

Article I
Basic Rights of Citizens

Article II
The Legislature

A. The powers to establish the laws of this state shall solely be vested in the national legislature known as the Commonwealth Senate, hereby referred to as the Senate;
C. The powers of the Senate shall never be removed for as long the Commonwralth remains to exist;
A. comprised of 150 Senators directly elected by the citizens of the Commonwealth every 3 years (2 weeks IRL);
B. The Senate shall have the sole power to approve the national budget, approve presidential executive and judicial appointments, and impeach government officials;
C. The Senate shall be led by the Speaker of the Senate elected from within the Senate at the beginning of every term;
D. The Senate Speaker shall be responsible for presiding over the Senate while it is in session;
E. Senators must be at least 30 years of age upon their election, and be a citizen of the Commonwealth;

Article III
The Executive

A. The powers to execute laws and administrate the government shall be vested in the President; who will serve as Head of State and Government of the Commonwealth;
B. The President shall serve as Chief Executive of the Comminwealth and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces;
C. The President must be at least 35 years of age upon their election; and be a citizen of the Commonwealth;
D. The president shall be assisted in their duties by a cabinet appointed by them and serving at their pleasure, the composition of which is to be set by the Senate;

Article IV
The Judiciary

A. The power of the judiciary shall be vested in the Supreme Court and all lower courts;
B. The Supreme Court shall be the highest court in the Commonwealth; consisting of 5 justices appointed by the President to serve until death or their 75th birthday;
C. The next highest court shall be the Commonwealth Court of Appeals; a system of five courts in five region, one per region, east, west, north, south, and central; each consisting of three justices appointed by the Presudebt serving 25 year terms;
D. Trial Courts and Appeals Courts shall rank below the Supreme Court and Comminwealth Court of Appeals;

[b]Article V
Amendments

Amendments to this document shall only be made with a 2/3 majority of all Senators.

I feel like that's probably a more clear and concise version than the other one. By the way, I don't see why we shouldn't include the rights of the people in the original document. Personally, I never saw a point to the Founding Fathers enacting the Bill of Rights only after the constitution was enacted.

We should come up with an actual name for the nation instead of Bir Tawil. In RL, the guy called it North Sudan.

I'd have to agree with you there, although in my opinion, Sudan kind of has a negative connotation. We could call it Acirema, or East Columbia. (Not Colombia, Columbia as in the District of Columbia.)

Name: Dietrich Williams von Staubsburg
[b]Gender: Male
[b]Age:33 years old
[b]Backstory/Biography: Born in Dusseldorf, Germany to Henrietta and Franz Williams von Staubsburg. Lived in his village all his life, and attended the local Gymnasium (or for those who don't speak german; AP High School). Studied in the University of Berlin where he played Field Hockey and Soccer. Majored in Politics and Military Studies. Served in the German Armed forces for 5 years and was deployed to Yugoslavia (where he was wounded in a mine incident and suffers from "mild" PTSD) and served as security to German Embassy in Washington DC. Left Germany to join the OOC as an Training Officer in the local Militia, then cut all ties with Germany to become a full citizen and start his own political party: Aristocratic Union for the Advancement of Yeoman and Gentry (AUAYG)
[b]Appearance: 6'5", large build, 250 lbs, large Scar on his face from shrapnel from a S1 Anti-Personnel Mine, Dirty Blonde Hair, Hazel Eyes.
Political Ideology: Independent Aristocrat
Political Party: AUAYG (See backstory)
Position: Colonel in OOC National Guard and leader of the AUAYG
Other Information: Suffers from PTSD and is prone to fits of rage resulting in heavy berating of his subordinates.
RP Example: None on Nationstates (I play a lot of D&D and Shadowrun)
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Accepted.

[Marsisian]

Here's my version of the constitution.

Constitution of Bir Tawil
(2nd Draft)

We the people in order to promote the welfare of the people, establish and promote the tenants of justice and equality, and form a more perfect state, hereby establish this constitution of the Commonwealth of Bir Tawil.

Article I
Basic Rights of Citizens

Article II
The Legislature

A. The powers to establish the laws of this state shall solely be vested in the national legislature known as the Commonwealth Senate, hereby referred to as the Senate;
C. The powers of the Senate shall never be removed for as long the Commonwralth remains to exist;
A. comprised of 150 Senators directly elected by the citizens of the Commonwealth every 3 years (2 weeks IRL);
B. The Senate shall have the sole power to approve the national budget, approve presidential executive and judicial appointments, and impeach government officials;
C. The Senate shall be led by the Speaker of the Senate elected from within the Senate at the beginning of every term;
D. The Senate Speaker shall be responsible for presiding over the Senate while it is in session;
E. Senators must be at least 30 years of age upon their election, and be a citizen of the Commonwealth;

Article III
The Executive

A. The powers to execute laws and administrate the government shall be vested in the President; who will serve as Head of State and Government of the Commonwealth;
B. The President shall serve as Chief Executive of the Comminwealth and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces;
C. The President must be at least 35 years of age upon their election; and be a citizen of the Commonwealth;
D. The president shall be assisted in their duties by a cabinet appointed by them and serving at their pleasure, the composition of which is to be set by the Senate;

Article IV
The Judiciary

A. The power of the judiciary shall be vested in the Supreme Court and all lower courts;
B. The Supreme Court shall be the highest court in the Commonwealth; consisting of 5 justices appointed by the President to serve until death or their 75th birthday;
C. The next highest court shall be the Commonwealth Court of Appeals; a system of five courts in five region, one per region, east, west, north, south, and central; each consisting of three justices appointed by the Presudebt serving 25 year terms;
D. Trial Courts and Appeals Courts shall rank below the Supreme Court and Comminwealth Court of Appeals;

[b]Article V
Amendments

Amendments to this document shall only be made with a 2/3 majority of all Senators.

I feel like that's probably a more clear and concise version than the other one. By the way, I don't see why we shouldn't include the rights of the people in the original document. Personally, I never saw a point to the Founding Fathers enacting the Bill of Rights only after the constitution was enacted.

We should come up with an actual name for the nation instead of Bir Tawil. In RL, the guy called it North Sudan.

I'd have to agree with you there, although in my opinion, Sudan kind of has a negative connotation. We could call it Acirema, or East Columbia. (Not Colombia, Columbia as in the District of Columbia.)

Name: Dietrich Williams von Staubsburg
[b]Gender: Male
[b]Age:33 years old
[b]Backstory/Biography: Born in Dusseldorf, Germany to Henrietta and Franz Williams von Staubsburg. Lived in his village all his life, and attended the local Gymnasium (or for those who don't speak german; AP High School). Studied in the University of Berlin where he played Field Hockey and Soccer. Majored in Politics and Military Studies. Served in the German Armed forces for 5 years and was deployed to Yugoslavia (where he was wounded in a mine incident and suffers from "mild" PTSD) and served as security to German Embassy in Washington DC. Left Germany to join the OOC as an Training Officer in the local Militia, then cut all ties with Germany to become a full citizen and start his own political party: Aristocratic Union for the Advancement of Yeoman and Gentry (AUAYG)
[b]Appearance: 6'5", large build, 250 lbs, large Scar on his face from shrapnel from a S1 Anti-Personnel Mine, Dirty Blonde Hair, Hazel Eyes.
Political Ideology: Independent Aristocrat
Political Party: AUAYG (See backstory)
Position: Colonel in OOC National Guard and leader of the AUAYG
Other Information: Suffers from PTSD and is prone to fits of rage resulting in heavy berating of his subordinates.
RP Example: None on Nationstates (I play a lot of D&D and Shadowrun)
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Accepted.

Why East Columbia if we're in Africa?

[Neo-Chicago]

I feel like that's probably a more clear and concise version than the other one. By the way, I don't see why we shouldn't include the rights of the people in the original document. Personally, I never saw a point to the Founding Fathers enacting the Bill of Rights only after the constitution was enacted.


I'd have to agree with you there, although in my opinion, Sudan kind of has a negative connotation. We could call it Acirema, or East Columbia. (Not Colombia, Columbia as in the District of Columbia.)


Accepted.

Why East Columbia if we're in Africa?

James Nicholas Andrews based the nation on an early America.

[The BaRen]

Name: Cedric Peeters
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Backstory/Biography: Cedric was born to a working class family in a run down, urban area of *ENTER NATION NAME HERE*. His family was heavily involved in the Jin Soc Party. Both of his brothers serve in the armed forces, his mother was a head of the local Women's Jin Soc Division, and his father was one of the first 100 members of the party. Cedric served in the armed forces as a mechanic, and following his tour, became involved in politics, eventually becoming a senator.
Appearance: Sen. Peeters 6'2, 170 lbs
Political Ideology: Jingoistic Socialism
Political Party: Jingoistic Socialist Party
Position: Senator
Other Information: (Anything we need to know besides what was covered above)
RP Example: ANO RP, Order of the Hunt, My Sci Fi Rp from a while back
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

Shortened Name/Nickname: Jingoistic Socialist Party "Jin Soc" (Pronounced "Gin-soash")
Official Name: Jingoistic Socialist Party of *ENTER NATION NAME HERE*
Leader: None. Party decides collectively.
History: The Party was established by various members of the working class, the military, and "true born" nationals to protect the three tenets of their collective beliefs: Strong military, strong workers, strong state.
Emblem: Symbol (It would have been this, which is a symbol of social democracy, but is now used by Nazis.
Main Political Beliefs:

It's basically Socialism, with the nationalization of most of the country's economy, although allowing some corporations build up the State's and the People's well being. The State will crack down on the privately wealthy, to distribute the wealth to the people. A Jingoistic Socialist state is Patriotic, believing that their country is best, therefore see a duty to absorb other, lesser countries, into their own to show them their country's superiority, and to involve them in that. They try not to relate and consort with other states, to prevent any Capitalist or other undesirable ideologies to grip the People, and lead them astray. They believe in the buildup of the military to support the glorious revolution of the Jingoistic Socialist Movement. The State is Atheist, but does not force that ideology on it's People.
It's economy is a mix of Protectionism and Market Socialist.

Compass: I honestly don't know.
Other Information:
213 (So I can find applications easily.)

[Marsisian]

Why East Columbia if we're in Africa?

James Nicholas Andrews based the nation on an early America.

Alright. Let's just call it Columbia.