Cuomo's PAUSE "I swear it's not a shelter-in-place because reasons" Order hasn't even gone into effect yet (just shy of three hours), I just got back to my apartment and I'm already in full cabin fever mode.

In any event, New York is apparently now the epicenter (at least in the US) because of the high numbers of cases, but that's not really considering how much New York is out-testing other states. Say what one will about Cuomo (and I disagree with him a lot even though I voted for him), but he's the Governor NY needs at the moment.

Also, I have no particular interest is being a Senator/MC given my role on the Cort. I'm just trying to think in terms of what can help Talossa overall.

Quote from: Lüc on March 19, 2020, 12:58:02 PM

Quote from: Viteu on March 19, 2020, 12:13:57 AMMy present proposal removes MZs from the list. Can we find common ground?

@Ian Plätschisch and @Glüc (from the other bill): It's not a matter of power; it's just that at the very least some positions should probably be nonpartisan as much as practicable - Justices, the King, the SoS; sitting in the Senate does not take away from nonpartisanship, sitting in the Cosa, by definition, does. Hence why I would favor the SoS and Justices being admitted to the Senate but barred from the Cosa.

I don't disagree per se. My concern is limiting participation. What if we included language that the Ziu may restrict MZs from serving as a Justice by statute (prospective only). That way there's some flexibility here. If down the line we have more active people, let's ban MZs. But if we're only a handful of people...

I'm not opposed but I still want to keep odd numbers.

My present proposal removes MZs from the list. Can we find common ground?

I live in NYC and work in Westchester, the county just north of the Bronx. So I'm in the middle of this epicenter. There's been several attorneys and court staff at courthouses I've been in the last few weeks who have tested positive. And an employee at a shake shack I visited last week. But so far I'm fine.

Our courts are closed for non-essential appearances, which is giving me a much needed repreave to catch up on outstanding work. People are generally staying in, which is good, and I'm not too worried about getting sick.

I'm more worried about the world we will wake up in after this ends. But I'll save that for another time.

Quote from: Açafat del Val on March 02, 2020, 03:15:48 PM
This is bulky but is intended well, and ultimately it should be put to referendum before the summer. May I personally request that this not be clarked until at least April or May? I would like some time to suggest edits.

It's not bulky in and of itself. It has the Amendment and Statute portions. The Amendment, I note, has been around, in some form, since the last Government. The Statute part is newer. I have no control over when it will get clarked; I would prefer we not let it languish simply because we're only in week one of March, and then make edits at the last minute. So perhaps you can suggest your edits, as well as everyone else, sooner?

Citizens of the United Provinces of Vuode and Dandenburg,

On March 1, 2020, I posted a Notice of Intent to Appoint a Senator, which you can find at https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=154.msg884#msg884. 

As Premier of the United Provinces, and in accord with Organic Law article III § 7 (former article IV § 10), I appoint @Eðo Grischun to fill the vacant seat of Senator for the United Provinces of Vuode and Dandenburg for the remainder of its term to the fullest extent permitted under the Organic Law.

My congratulations to @Eðo Grischun. 

On another note, I am excited to have done this under the new Organic Law, which only came into force in the last few days.

Sincerely,

Viteu Marcianüs

Citizens of the United Provinces of Vuode and Dandenburg,

In accord with the proscription in the Organic Law, yesterday I resigned as your Senator on account of my elevation as a Justice to the Uppermost Cort of Talossa.  This tracks with my commitment to retire from public life on the national stage.  However, I intend to continue my services in the Estats Xhenerais and as your Premier. 

As Premier, Org.L.IV.10 requires that I appoint a Senator for the United Provinces to serve the remainder of my term, which expires at the end of the 54th Cosa, within a fortnight of the vacancy (i.e. until March 14, 2020) lest the mandate falls to King John or his appointed Custaval. 

I have informed @Eðo Grischun of my intent to appoint him Senator, which is not all that unexpected.  However, the Rt. Hon. Grischun expressed to me that he needs to wrap up some issues in his role as head of the PNP party in the Cosa.  As such, I am merely stating my intent to appoint the Rt. Hon. Grischun but am not formalizing the appointment quite yet.  I imagine that formal appointment will be made and transmitted to the national government within the next week.

In the interim, I ask all citizens of the United Provinces to come forward and help us figure out what we can do to get you active, to get you wanting and committed to helping the United Provinces, and to ensure that you remain active.  I understand extra-Talossa life happens, but Talossa and the United Provinces will be more fun with your contribution. 

Thank you.

Conversations in Vuode and, from what I can see, M-M, are underway to determine possible merger. 

But I will stress that Vuode and M-M must be free to chart their own course at this time absent outside influence.  Right now, we need to figure out, individually, if there is popular support for merger.  Then we need to figure out what each province desires and discuss it among ourselves.  Once we have that, Vuode and M-M can work together to figure out what a new province will look like. We will then present that to the National Government for approval.

As Premier of Vuode, I will say that any merger with Vuode will require a new constitution.  Vuode will not be absorbed into another provinces, no matter how much larger they may be.  We will merge as equals, and a constitutional convention with equal representation is required to proceed.

I agree with everything Etho said in the other thread.

I would say that we invite M-M to an accord to address whether there is a desire in both provinces to proceed forward and an outline on how to proceed.  Two individuals shall represent each province, and we will issue a joint report to the Governments of each province advising of how discussions on a merger should proceed. 

Hopefully, this will set the tone for negotiations and what a new constitution will look like. That, of course, is a redline for me--a new constitution that is written by an equal number of representatives from both provinces. We are not being absorbed into another provinces, but merging as equals.

Senators,

A short time ago, I noticed the citizens of the United Provinces of Vuode and Dandenburg that I intended to resign my seat their Senator effective immediately due to my appointment to fill the vacant seat as a Justice to the Uppermost Cort of Talossa. I have transmitted my resignation to King John, the Prime Minister, the Lord President, the Secretary of State, and the Premier of Vuode accordingly. 

Perhaps I did that out of order because I wanted to formally address this Chamber.  I hope the Lord President will afford me some latitude in this one instance and allow me to briefly state the following.

I have enjoyed working with each and every one of you, even when we have disagreed.  I want to acknowledge the hard work of the Lord President.  It should be obvious to all that the Lord President values this Chamber, its work, and its Organic mandate. There are few, in my estimation, that strive to protect an institution in the way that he does, and that is something admirable and should be a lesson to many of us.

I depart with one final observation--we all have personal issues with others, but do not let those personal issues get in the way of your Organic mandate as Senators.  You must continue to listen to ideas, even from those you may personally dislike. You must continue to set aside your egos and vote for the best interests of your constituents and Talossa as a whole.  And you must realize that your commitment to your constituents and Talossa will, at times, be in conflict, and you must balance how you will vote but what will do the overall good. I realize that I have not always lived up to this, but I have, even if not obvious, tried to, notwithstanding my hyperbole.

With that said, thank you all for your hard work, and thank you for keeping the Senate above the partisan fray.

Sincerely,

Viteu Marcianus

Citizens of the United Provinces of Vuode and Dandenburg,

It has been my distinct pleasure and privilege to serve as your Senator. But, as you know, the Ziu nominated me to fill the vacant seat on the Uppermost Cort.

By operation of law, my appointment occurred when King John did not exercise his veto prior to today. This requires me to resign my seat as your Senator.

In my time as your Senator, I sought to serve everyone in Talossa, and to vote in what I viewed would be the best interests of all of you and for Talossa as a whole. I have no doubt our next Senator will do the same. Of course I will continue to serve the United Provinces on a local level.

With that said, with the posting of this notice, I shall transmit my resignation to the Lord President of the Senate, the Seneschal, the Crown, the Secretary of State, and the Premier of the United Provinces of Vuode and Dandenburg.

I have it on good authority that the Premier will appoint my replacement within a few days so that our province will continue to be fully represented in the Senate.

Thank you all for your trust in me as your Senator.

Best Regards,

Viteu Marcianüs

I do not intend to clark Judiciary Reform of 2020 for the March Clark for those reasons given above and discussed elsewhere.

Okay, I won't Clark it then.

I forgot to address the "increase to two" question. The amendment reduces the number of Js to one Senior and two Puisne.

For flexibility, the number can be increased to nine, but for clarity with titles, the actual wording is that there shall only be one Senior but the Ziu can increase the number of PJ to 8, only in even intervals to keep an odd number of overall J's.

So why have the statute? Well, if we're reducing to three, but we have five sitting, and for the ability for a GC to work, I figured keep all five and just increase the number now. If, say in two years, we find we have a significant number of active citizens and don't want UC Js to sit as a trial judge, we can reduce the number and update the lower cort by statute.

My overall goal here is to maximize flexibility for growth, so we don't need to reform the UC a third time in ten years.