video

[highhealplz]

Hi! Hi again, to people I know already, hello for the first time, to anyone I haven't met yet. I'm Ashraf Salib, one of the heads of the clinic, high priest, snazzy dresser… [ He waves a hand. ] General things like that.

So, I'll get straight to the point. In the wake of the mutiny, I've seen a lot of talk on the network that I haven't seen before. Establishing a code of conduct, uniting… there was even some discussion of who you personally look to as a leader. Whatever your opinion of the mutiny may be, you have to admit that it's sparked some new subjects for us. And I'd say they're things we've been needing to talk about.

It isn't just a matter of wresting control from the Initiative, I think that was overly hasty and shortsighted. I think what we should be looking at is how to take control of ourselves. We're a really big group up here, with over three-hundred of us. That's a lot of voices to be heard at once, especially when none of them have much in the way of a recognized authority.

So, I think that should change.

My suggestion would be a council, voted on by the entire Transport body from a number of nominations. The people that we most trust are the ones we should have speaking for us — deciding for us. Because someone needs to. That we're still locked in this base after over two months up here should be evidence enough that it's difficult to achieve much of anything with no one calling the shots.

I've got some specific ideas about the organization of this council, which I wrote down and can attach here, but I want to hear from you. How should we organize ourselves? How can we decide who to listen to? This won't work if we don't all agree to it, and we need to agree on something. We're in a precarious position up here that frankly can't last, and it's past time that we take it into our own hands to change that.

{attached: councilnotes.txt}

Choosing Council Members
- 11 members total, to allow for tie-breaking (do we need more?)
- Members should be elected from nominations (should it take 2 votes to nominate? maybe 3…)
- Every 3-4 months (more often? less?) we vote again, which is meant to keep our current members or replace them with new ones

Council Voting
- Anyone can propose an issue to the Council for voting
- Voting on routine issues should be monthly
- Emergency issues should have immediate votes

Potential Issues
- Being sent home by the Transporter! Members can be replaced in the quarterly(?) election, but if the group falls under a certain number (7?), we can hold an emergency election
- Decisions made the majority doesn't agree with: should a majority vote in the Transport population overturn a Council decision? Or only make the Council revote after open debating of it?
- What if someone is nominated and voted in, but unwilling to take the position?
- What should be done with those who refuse to acknowledge the authority of a Council?
- What boundaries can be placed on what the Council has the power to decide on, to avoid a tyranny of the majority?
- Can we perform audits, to be sure our Council members aren't becoming corrupt?

Suggestions received so far:
- Designated seats for established groups? DITR, clinic, non-humans, etc. This would assure they're given a voice, respectively as experts and those with different values
- Nominations should fit an agreed-upon criteria
- Background checks should be run before a Council member is accepted
- A 60% vote by the Transport population can overrule a Council decision
- Should voting on Council members be mandatory? We want as varied a vote as possible, but uninformed votes are worse than fewer votes
- Elections could run on cycles, replacing (or keeping) only 3-4 Council members at a time
- Pending return to Exsilium, this should be used as a civilian council, and a military council can be arranged as well
- A code of conduct: no one can be tried for a crime committed at home


red = ideas recently added from this post, thank you to everyone for them!

Comments

[ensorceler]

They most certainly would not in my time.

Permatext

[wilder]

Right. We definitely need to make sure the non-humans are represented at the council. We can't have every race represented, but there's gotta be some way to make sure they all justly get a voice without another non-human race blocking them out.

[a pause as he thinks]

Maybe if we could have some sort of census of non-humans, and if one race takes a certain percentage of the population- they get a representative. And then the non-humans that don't have enough to reach that percentage vote for a couple representatives that represents the remaining non-humans as a whole?

Does that work? Or is that too complicated? I'm used to pure human courts.

voice

[thephix]

How do we ensure that people follow whatever decisions the council may make? It's easy to forget you voted for someone when they do something you dislike, and there's hardly the structure here to enforce any decisions.

not here;

[5055034455]

[But wow what is going on here.]

[highfrequency]

Yeah... you're right, it's just....

I don't want to see anyone fighting because of this. Just have to make sure whoever's elected can keep sight on the bigger picture.

still not here;

[biwinning]

[saul get out]

[governorkang]

[He frowns.]

That still runs the risk of silencing some of the races. I think it would be helpful to know just how many different races we have present, and how many of each, in deciding how to handle that problem.

[wilder]

Yeah, you're right. But would everyone come forward? A lot of people aren't so eager to say what they are because of baggage from their world.

[HIMSELF INCLUDED]

[governorkang]

We shouldn't force anyone that has that luxury to come forward.

[One that he wouldn't have if he were so inclined to hide what he is, with his physical appearance.]

What other way can they be guaranteed a voice, though?

Voice;

[wilder]

Well, they can either learn to say no, or subtly throw their election by promising things like raising taxes and banning alcohol.

[wilder]

It's true...

I guess we can just hope that if this council works, more non-humans will be okay with coming forward with census to make sure they get represented.

[governorkang]

I think that's all we can do.

[highhealplz]

A few seats could be doable, but 11 isn't a very big number. I'll keep the matter of how many seats in mind, I think it'll take a lot more than just us two to work that one out.

I don't know that any organization should choose their own representative — that might work better put to group vote as well. I can't see it sitting well with people to have anyone on the Council that they hadn't chosen as a group.

[firstgoldson]

An even number doesn't always correlate with to granting a voice to the minority, it merely enhance its chances. There's no guarantee of it. Infrastructure and politics go hand in hand, especially where money and resources are concerned; it is with these exchanges of money and policies that can allow a minority to obtain such voices and influences. At worst, they can be a pariah political party with no voice whatsoever. At best, they are a party worthy of tolerance, even if their core ethos and political say-sos are not valued by the public at large.

With the votes in one seat at a tie, you have to remember that not everyone votes. Some individuals will simply forget the voting process, others would too busy to consider and there are some who are too apathetic or cynical to even think about taking part. You have to take those in account, unless you want to force everyone to vote and I'm not sure if that move is wise at this time.

I would recommend that the Council to take the final vote if the recount comes to another tie.

[highhealplz]

That's a grim scenario. But, you're right, not impossible.

[ He's quiet for a few seconds, considering it. ]

I still think we would have the power to back ourselves up, if we had to. And if we ran into an Initiative that wasn't willing to listen to decisions we made for ourselves, well... that's not an Initiative I'd want to help win any wars.

[highhealplz]

Let me take this one issue at a time — like I said, I'm new. About granting voices to minorities, what is it about an even number on the council that relates to it?

[highhealplz]

[ distractedly: ] Yeah, but also the place run by me. And Kirian's the one in charge of paperwork—Kirian, with the ears? He's good.

Anyway, [ BACK ON TRACK ] someone mentioned that it would be impossible to encapsulate all non-human voices with just one — or even a handful — of representatives. What are your thoughts on that?

[highhealplz]

[ he smiles, because how can he not. KOLTIRA, YOU DEBBIE DOWNER. ]

And me, too. But they will. It's going to take a lot of time and work, but it's the right time for it — we don't have any other option anymore.

[highhealplz]

We do, definitely. So far I've heard the DITR, the clinic, non-humans, although that one's still in progress, and possibly the Welcoming Committee. Would you and anything to that?

[highhealplz]

That's true. It's not a bad idea. I'll bring that one up when we discussion which groups to have represented, and see what others think of it.

[highhealplz]

Really? [ no wait that's not the issue at hand ] —Well, they do here. We want to hear from everyone, including a seat dedicated to any established groups.

[ensorceler]

Which groups have you decided on thus far?

[bodilesswarrior]

Goes without saying we'll want both - or all - genders in there. People who aren't humanoid - our dragons, robots, and so on. People from different worlds, different times.

[highhealplz]

its alright! i brought boots

and by boots i mean i have the support of good people who know more about these things than i do. i hope im right in counting you in that group.

[highhealplz]

It sounds like we definitely have a job for some of our people good with technology, then. Or at least those of us who count as thorough investigators.