[DRAFT] A Convention on National Economic Freedoms

[Cute Puppies]

The "National Economic Freedoms Replacement Bill" coincides with my repeal of the original General Assembly resolution, National Economic Freedoms. My goals in creating this proposal were to improve GAR#68's weaknesses and emphasize member nations' right to manage their own economy. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the proposal.

National Economic Freedoms Replacement Bill
Category: Free Trade || Strength: Significant || Proposed by: Cute Puppies

The World Assembly,

Recognizing that these hallowed halls host a diverse membership of nations with unique economies and a various assortment of economic systems including capitalism, syndicalism, communism and socialism;

Believing that General Assembly Resolutions that micromanage economies and restrict domestic and free trade, in some cases, threaten the stability and growth of member nations’ economies as observed by the now-repealed GAR#422, "Promoting Sustainable Timber," a resolution that crippled the fruitful, prosperous timber industries of many member nations;

Desiring to protect member nations’ economic prosperity and their sovereign right to independently govern their own economies without the overburdening legislation imposed by the General Assembly;

Hereby,

1) Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, “National Sovereignty,” as the right of member nations to manage certain aspects of their domestic affairs without the intervention and interference of the World Assembly;

2)Formally recognizes member nations’ local commerce and economic affairs as an issue of national sovereignty;

3) Mandates that member nations must financially compensate the owner(s) of physical property seized by the member nation’s government. Member nations’ governments, however, will not be responsible for financially compensating the owner if the physical property was:

1. Considered illegal contraband by the member nation;
2. Stolen or acquired through other illegal means including the black market;

4) Thoroughly discourages these hallowed halls from establishing future legislation that seeks to regulate local commerce of member nations unless it intends to:

1. Address an enterprise(s) which presents a very real and severe health hazard to populations including waste disposal of industrial byproducts, pollution, and CO2 emissions;
2. Regulate the sale of hazardous materials including but not limited to dangerous drugs, invasive species, and weapons;
3. Resolve international disputes over trade;
4. Protect workers’ rights and improve working conditions that pose an extreme danger to workers’ welfare;

5) Clarifies that the World Assembly reserves the authority to regulate commerce within member nations for any reason by primary or secondary legislation.

[Cute Puppies]

National Economic Freedoms Replacement Bill
Category: Free Trade || Strength: Strong || Proposed by: Cute Puppies

The World Assembly,

Recognizing that these hallowed halls host a diverse membership of nations with unique economies and a various assortment of economic systems including capitalism, syndicalism, communism and socialism;

Believing that General Assembly Resolutions that micromanage economies and restrict domestic and free trade, in most cases, threaten the stability and growth of member nations’ economies;

Desiring to protect member nations’ economic prosperity and their sovereign right to independently govern their own economies without the overburdening legislation imposed by the General Assembly;

Hereby,

1) Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, “National Sovereignty,” as the right of member nations to manage certain aspects of their domestic affairs without the intervention and interference of the World Assembly;

2)Formally recognizes member nations’ local commerce and economic affairs as an issue of national sovereignty;

3) Mandates that member nations must financially compensate the owner(s) of physical property seized by the member nation’s government. Member nations’ governments, however, will not be responsible for financially compensating the owner if the physical property was:

1. Considered illegal contraband by the member nation;
2. Stolen from another individual or group;

4) Clarifies that the purpose of this resolution is to allow member nations' to retain control of their local economy from overburdening GA resolutions and shall, under this resolution, still possess the freedom to follow any economic system desired by the nation.

5) Further clarifies that the World Assembly reserves to itself the power to regulate commerce in member nations for any reason by primary or secondary legislation.

National Economic Freedoms Replacement Bill
Category: Free Trade || Strength: Strong || Proposed by: Cute Puppies

The World Assembly,

Recognizing that these hallowed halls host a diverse membership of nations with unique economies and a various assortment of economic systems including capitalism, syndicalism, communism and socialism;

Believing that General Assembly Resolutions that micromanage economies and restrict domestic and free trade, in most cases, threaten the stability and growth of member nations’ economies;

Desiring to protect member nations’ economic prosperity and their sovereign right to independently govern their own economies without the overburdening legislation imposed by the General Assembly;

Hereby,

1) Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, “National Sovereignty,” as the right of member nations to manage certain aspects of their domestic affairs without the intervention and interference of the World Assembly;

2) Recognizes member nations’ local commerce and economic affairs as an issue of national sovereignty. Member nations retain the right to manage them without the interference of future General Assembly legislation;

3) Prohibits the establishment of future legislation by the General Assembly regulating local and international commerce unless it seeks to:

1. Address an enterprise(s) which presents a very real and severe health hazard to populations including waste disposal of industrial byproducts, pollution, and CO2 emissions.
2. Regulate the sale of hazardous materials including but not limited to dangerous drugs, invasive species, and weapons.
3. Resolve international disputes over trade.
4. Protect workers’ rights and improve working conditions that pose an extreme danger to workers’ welfare.

4) Mandates that member nations must financially compensate the owner(s) of physical property seized by the member nation’s government. Member nations’ governments, however, will not be responsible for financially compensating the owner if the physical property was:

1. Considered illegal contraband by the member nation
2. Stolen from another individual or group

5) Clarifies that the purpose of this resolution is to allow member nations' to retain control of their local economy from overburdening GA resolutions and shall, under this resolution, still possess the freedom to follow any economic system, whether it be laissez-faire capitalism or communism.

[The New Nordic Union]

Clause 4b seems redundant in the light of clause 4c.

[Cute Puppies]

Clause 4b seems redundant in the light of clause 4c.

Thanks for point that out. I'll fix it.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

Recognizing that these hallowed halls host a diverse membership of nations with unique economies and a various assortment of economic systems including capitalism, communism and socialism;

"We wouldn't mind a shout-out to syndicalism in this paragraph, but it's not a deal-breaker."

2) Recognizes member nations’ interstate commerce and economic affairs as an issue of national sovereignty. Member nations retain the right to manage them without the interference of future General Assembly legislation;

"Ambassador, is it your intent to completely block off further WA regulation requiring trade liberalization going forward? Or did you mean 'internal' rather than 'interstate?"

"The rest of this, I'm not sure I see how this improves on NEF. Willing to listen, but you've got an uphill battle."

[Cute Puppies]

Recognizing that these hallowed halls host a diverse membership of nations with unique economies and a various assortment of economic systems including capitalism, communism and socialism;

"We wouldn't mind a shout-out to syndicalism in this paragraph, but it's not a deal-breaker."

"My apologies, ambassador. It was my intention to list some of the diverse economic systems to explain how this resolution seeks to protect all nations' sovereign right to managing their nation, regardless of whether they possess a communist or capitalist system. I will be sure, however, to add syndicalism into that list."

2) Recognizes member nations’ interstate commerce and economic affairs as an issue of national sovereignty. Member nations retain the right to manage them without the interference of future General Assembly legislation;

"Ambassador, is it your intent to completely block off further WA regulation requiring trade liberalization going forward? Or did you mean 'internal' rather than 'interstate?"

"My bad. Thank you for pointing that out. Yes, I meant to say 'internal.'"

"The rest of this, I'm not sure I see how this improves on NEF. Willing to listen, but you've got an uphill battle."

"This proposal has a long way to go, and it's far from being a complete and proper resolution to submit to the GA. However, I hope with the help and input of the great, ambassadorial community, and by communicating with nations of various economic systems, an effective resolution can be made to address NEF's weaknesses and properly recognize and protect nations' economic sovereignty."

"I understand that many believe that a repeal and replacement bill of NEF is unnecessary. However, while I strongly commend the intentions of GAR#68, there are a number of flaws that I feel inhibit its ability to accomplish its goals. Although most of my grievances are in the repeal, I would like to emphasize two. Firstly, GAR#68 prevents all future General Assembly regulations affecting trade and economic affairs unless an 'enterprise causes an extreme hazard to national populations.' Although I strongly support preventing the GA from creating legislation that places a burden on the economy, I believe this is too extreme, and that there should be some exceptions for instances including pollution, the sale of hazardous or illegal contraband, etc. Secondly, as we all know, the last thing the World Assembly needs is another committee in its alphabet soup of committees! GAR#68 creates the Impartial Mediation Foundation. If it were a productive committee dedicated to a good cause, I would not find any issue with it, but because its ill-defined purpose is to "investigate, mediate, and arbitrate any conflicts that arise," I find it more logical to remove it from the GA rather than reestablish it and give it a purpose unless there's a genuine need to in this replacement bill."

[Kenmoria]

"In clause 5, there should be a comma after “system”."

[Cute Puppies]

OOC: I made some minor edits to the draft. I added syndicalism into the preamble's "recognizing" clause as Sierra Lyricalia's ambassador asked, and replaced "interstate" with "local." Thank you again, Sierra Lyricalia, for catching that wording mistake.
And as the king of grammar pointed out, I added a comma to clause 5.
Thank you all for your suggestions and constructive criticism!

[Kenmoria]

"The semicolon at the end of the proposal should be a full stop as it is the final sentence."

[Imperium Anglorum]

We will not support any limitations on the World Assembly's power to regulate commerce.

[Cute Puppies]

We will not support any limitations on the World Assembly's power to regulate commerce.

"I believe that it is vital for the protection of nations' economies to create some limitation on the World Assembly's power to regulate commerce. Otherwise, we may have to face the consequences of the passage of a proposal which can possibly handicap a fruitful and prosperous industry. GAR#422, 'Promoting Sustainable Timber,' for example, hurt nations' timber industries significantly. After its passage, it was met with harsh criticism and a litany of drafts of its repeal. Many nations complained that their local timber industry was destroyed. 'Promoting Sustainable Timber' essentially crippled member nations' timber industry while putting non-WA nations at a massive advantage. While the members of the World Assembly may now be more prudent of these threats to the economy, there is always a risk that another resolution like this can pass. It's these instances that I want to avoid with a limitation on General Assembly legislation concerning economic issues. However, I did include a list of exceptions. I can always add more if you believe there should be more topics that the GA should retain the ability to legislate."

[Kenmoria]

"I believe, though this is a sticking point that has confused most of the delegation, that the full stops at the end of clauses 3a, 3b and 3c should be commas or colons. This is because they do not have a subject contained within them, and the verb cannot inflect to show it is the World Assembly being referred to."

(OOC: Above may be untrue, I haven't done much research on this.)

[Imperium Anglorum]

Let me rephrase that. It is bad for the game to restrict the ability for the World Assembly to regulate or legislate on commerce. I will not support a proposal which does that.

[Edrarin]

Edrarin too does not support a proposal which brings limitations on the Assembly's power to regulate commerce.

[Imperial Polk County]

"The words 'Replacement Bill' don't belong in the title. Particularly the word 'bill', which in our government means a law that hasn't been ratified yet. Once this passes, it won't be a bill. Right now, it's just a bill, yes it's only a bill, and someday it will be a law, at least it hopes and prays that it will, but today it is still just a bill. But once it's a law, it won't be a bill anymore."

[Cute Puppies]

OOC: If I removed the clause limiting the GA's ability to make economic legislation, would this replacement bill be more acceptable? Or would it be preferable to replace it with an "urging" clause that recommends against the GA making economic legislation?

[Wrapper]

I can't recall any previous legislation urging/recommending the GA do something, only member nations. I don't see the point.

[Cute Puppies]

I'll remove the clause limiting the GA's ability to legislate commerce.

[Imperium Anglorum]

I can't recall any previous legislation urging/recommending the GA do something, only member nations. I don't see the point.

Repeals do it all the time.

[Wrapper]

I can't recall any previous legislation urging/recommending the GA do something, only member nations. I don't see the point.

Repeals do it all the time.

Not what I meant. Aside from repeals and even the occasional preambulatory clause, I can't recall an active clause that urges or recommends the WA or GA to do anything, only member nations. It doesn't carry the same weight nor any stat effect that the urging/recommending of member nations does.

[Cute Puppies]

OOC: If I removed Clause 3 on limitations to GA legislation on economic affairs, would people be supportive of the repeal and replacement bill?

And how does everyone feel about Clause 4?

[Kenmoria]

OOC: If I removed Clause 3 on limitations to GA legislation on economic affairs, would people be supportive of the repeal and replacement bill?

And how does everyone feel about Clause 4?

(OOC: 4a and 4b should have some form of finishing punctuation, but the clause looks good to me in terms of actual content.)

[Cute Puppies]

OOC: If I removed Clause 3 on limitations to GA legislation on economic affairs, would people be supportive of the repeal and replacement bill?

And how does everyone feel about Clause 4?

(OOC: 4a and 4b should have some form of finishing punctuation, but the clause looks good to me in terms of actual content.)

OOC: Thanks. I'll edit clause 4a and 4b, and remove clause 3 when I can get to my computer

[Cute Puppies]

OOC: Draft 2 is out. I discarded clause 3, and made some minor grammatical and formatting changes.

EDIT: I'm going to make a new poll to see how everyone thinks of Draft 2

[Kenmoria]

"I don't see the need for national sovereignty to be defined."