The Free Democrats of Talossa will be holding our Convention, our supreme policy-making meeting, in February 2021. All party officials will be re-elected and the Constitution and the Platform of our Party will be up for any amendments.

It seems as good a time as any to announce that I do not intend to stand for a renewed term as Party President. The Free Democrats have reached the dangerous point that the Moderate Radicals reached a few years ago; that is, we have accomplished the majority of our historical programme, and the question becomes: "What now? What is the basis of unity of our party?" The disturbing thought has occurred to me that the de facto basis of unity is personal loyalty to me, which is good neither for Talossan democracy nor my ego.

It has gotten to the point where I feel the need to balance "competing factions" within the Party who jockey for my support, and I honestly can't be arsed about that. This Convention will have to set out a clear political vision if we want to lead the next Government for a 4th term; we need full and honest debate among the membership to let that happen; and it'll be best for me to step aside from the party's political leadership for that reason. This is also the reason why the Convention will happen after the Ranked Choice Referendum results will be made known; that will give a strong signal as to which of several alternative paths for "maximising democracy and liberty" in Talossa we should follow.

(Please note that I intend to complete my 3rd term as Seneschál and may well stand for a 4th, if the Free Democrats and I agree that that's the best way forward. This is a question only of the future of the FreeDems as a Party.)

If you want a say on the leadership, platform and very existence of Talossa's dominant political party, please let me or Party Secretary @GV know to become a member and get a vote at the Convention. Grült méirçi.

The Attorney-General, Açafat dal Vàl, is on leave at the moment, so I just thought I'd announce that I'll be personally taking on his portfolio in an "Acting" capacity until he gets back. Just in case we need to sue someone at short notice, lol

QuoteIf the Government is serious about desiring the return of the people making this complaint (and I am not sure that they are), they willhave to put in some serious effort.

To do what? You don't give any examples, because you're too honest to pretend that there is anything that I personally, or my government, could actually do for those people.

I think you are unbelievably naive to think that, for the kind of people who say that they would come on Wittenberg specifically to warn prospective citizens away, and complain about how Talossan discourse is now entirely ruled by the "far Left" (something that will come as a surprise to GV, among others), there is anything that I or my Government could do, apart from "commit Talossan suicide", that would encourage these people back.

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on November 30, 2020, 08:02:44 PM
Do we still think it is right for an unelected Monarch or Regent to be wielding a legislative veto or to even be wading around in the Hopper? 

Er, to butt in here: the Hopper is free to all citizens. And I would honestly prefer that - as long as the Regent wields a legislative veto - he informs us of any issues he has with legislation in plenty of time.

In any case: if we're agreed that a Head of State elected to a defined term, rather than for life, can still be called a "King", we're still within the realms of Option 4. We are only debating titles.

Prüm Citaxhien was the title we used for the President of the Talossan Republic, so of course I'd like that, though it might set others' teeth on edge.

Any thoughts on how a Regent/First Citizen should be elected? Free popular vote? Irish-style popular vote (where candidates need to be nominated by legislators or local government)? German-style electoral college? Supermajority of the Ziu?

With the Regent taking the democratically-correct option of not exercising his veto, the Ranked-Choice Referendum on Talossa's Constitutional Future will take place at the time of the 3rd Clark, i.e. January (unless we go for a month of recess, which I don't think we will).

Neither the Free Democrats nor the Government will be taking an official "side" in this referendum, since there are supporters of all four options within those bodies (taken together). It is therefore appropriate to launch a stand-alone campaign for supporters of the option "the King of Talossa shall be replaced by an elected Head of State.".

Note that the details of this option will be fleshed out (by Cabinet) only if it wins. It might mean a "New Talossan Republic", at one end of the scale; at the other end, it might mean a minimalist solution, that Talossa remains a Kingdom a permanently-empty Throne and a periodically-elected Regent. But this is the campaign for you if you think Talossans should choose their Head of State - for a shorter or longer term of office, renewable or not, via popular vote, legislature or Electoral College, with sizeable powers or none, whatever their title.

This is a thread for you to post your vision of an Elected Head of State, and to make suggestions for the campaign. Thank you.

I certainly hope that something does come from it and I oppose the suggestion from Maritiimi-Maxhestic. I have an allergy to "legal box-ticking exercises". That said, I wonder whether the Minister has any conception of what might come from it? Are we going to discuss mergers again, or anything like that?

So if you've read the upcoming Budget, you'll know that the Government proposes to raise up to 325 louise (just under $500 US currency) to fund our programmes for the coming term, either by selling Talossan coins and stamps, or simply through "voluntary taxation" (i.e. donations from citizens, given freely).

I should note that, if these campaigns are successful, they will offer evidence in favour of cutting back on other costs or fees, including the current fees for Cosa and Senäts campaigns. I've never been a great fan of these because they're "pay-to-play democracy", but an alternative has not been successfully established yet.

So my vague plans for how this will run will be to run a kind of self-reported League Table. I.e., every time a citizen buys coins/stamps or pays voluntary taxes, they pass their receipt on to the Ministry of Finance. We'll keep a running table updated, and whoever is at the top when the 55th Cosa is dissolved gets some kind of Royal or Seneschál's honour.

What do others think?

The bills passed on the First Clark have enabled us to cut down on the vacant, sometimes long-vacant, positions on the Seneschál's list. The only ones outstanding right now are President of the Council of Governors, and head of BHAID. (Although since the Foreign Minister didn't ask for an allocation to BHAID in the budget, it's tough to figure out what such a head would do anyway.)

Thank you, Sir Alexandreu. One of the issues I had with King John's use of the legislative veto is that he would just use it against things he didn't like. If my Talossan language skills aren't deceiving me, you are not going to assent to 55RZ12 but not veto it either, so it will come into law automatically at the end of the month. Thank you very much for exercising your duties responsibly in that regard.

If it's going to win, then yes

... I have no idea how that happened. As you can see I've been working too hard for the people of Talossa and my brain is melting.  :-[

Hello, yes. Please to be clarking The 55th Cosa Budget.

WHEREAS the Organic Law directs that each government submit a budget by the second Clark of their Cosa term,

AND WHEREAS this bill has been approved by all members of the Cabinet; so

PART A: Appropriations Request

His Majesty's Government hereby submits to the Ziu a request for the appropriation of funds from the Royal Treasury totaling 356¤46 ($535.15) for the specific purposes and subject to restrictions as outlined herein:

STUFF:

• Webhosting costs for nine months with DoRoyal: 53¤26 ($80.15)
• Promoting Talossa's social media posts,  ℓ20 ($30)

FINANCE:

for fees for a Registered Agent to represent Talossa as an Unincorporated Association under the laws of the State of Wisconsin, to enable us to formally hold property, 66¤40 ($100)

CULTURE:

• Prizes for cultural contests, 66¤40 ($100)
  
• Honoraria for writers of articles for a new Talossan cultural magazine,  ℓ150 ($225)

FURTHERMORE, notwithstanding the above allocations, no funds shall be disbursed without a notice of disbursement having first been transmitted to the Ziu at least fourteen days prior to the disbursement, except that disbursements solely for the purpose of postage may be made with no less than 24 hours notice. Notices shall contain details of the purchase and a cost estimate for the purchase, or the total amount paid if seeking funds for reimbursement. Copies of receipts and/or invoices will be provided upon request to Members of the Ziu.

FURTHERMORE, any funds allocated by this section shall be retained in the central fund by the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue until such time as they are disbursed. Funds not disbursed prior to the end of the government term shall remain in the central fund.

PART B. Fundraiser, Minting, and Other Authorizations

FURTHERMORE, the Minister of Finance, or her appointed deputy shall undertake to create manage and promote a voluntary fundraising campaign,  to the citizens of Talossa and other interested parties over the course of the term,. The targeted amount for the campaign shall be ℓ325 ($487.50). The proceeds of seignorage, sales of stamps, TalossaWare proceeds, and other voluntary contributions shall be included in this total except as provided elsewhere. The expected income for the term is as follows:

    Proceedings of sales (Coins/Stamps/Talossaware) + Donations to the Kingdom: ℓ325 ($487.50)
    Registration fees for Cosa election: ℓ20 ($30)
    Registration fees for Senäts election: ℓ10 ($15)
    Interest on Talossa's bank accounts: ℓ5 ($7.5)

Total: +ℓ360 (+$540)


PART C: Investment Policy

FURTHERMORE, His Majesty's Government hereby directs the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue to invest all held funds into an interest-bearing savings account unless or until otherwise directed or advised by act of the Ziu.