Consitution is the backbone

[Ranma Tardis]

The Constitution of any government is the guiding force, reason and purpose. It protects the people mainly the minorities from populist movements and the tyranny of the majority. it is very hard to change for the purpose of protecting these groups. The Constitution of the Japan and the United States are very hard to change and this is a very good thing. In Japan there is a populist movement wanting to remove Japans renouncing of war as a mean of settling differences. At this time it will not happen but just think what would of happened if the Japanese Constitution could be changed by a 2/3s vote of the lower house of parliament? Japan could very well be on the path to what it was.
I attended a meeting of the CDS RA in which what was passed was either a bill or constitutional change depending on the vote. What a joke! Any government needs stability to mean anything. The ease of change means any bill or Constitution change can be done away with as easily as done. The Act of Union is very funny since it is meaningless unless one can assume it will last. It and all of the bills could be gone in a very few votes, this is not an attack but a statement of fact. I believe in the rule of law not a government run by the fancy of the government members. Oh the complexity of the bills is another sign in which America shares. Thank God we have our Constitution! It acts as a guild from generation to generation and a backbone to how the US Government treats its Citizens. America also has conflict between the different branches ensuring the right thing gets done. Having the government members going "ya ya" is not the best course of actions. Supporting something just because the rest of the people are doing this. It is also a sigh of fear and wanting to get along at all costs and is wrong.
Lastly I am deeply offended when I hear in the CDS that something is "too American". It is disrespectful to the nation of my citizenship and to me as well as a person. I have never heard that something is "too European" The roots of the United States Government is based largely upon the United Kingdom heritage. English common law dominates in 49 states with Louisiana having the Napoleonic code. The Congress of the United States is based directly on England's Parliament and the Executive branch is based on a combination of the Monarch and the ministerial powers of Parliament. So when a person says it is "too American" it shows their lack of knowledge. I understand it is a "cute phrase" but again I find it deeply offensive. Perhaps what is meant from that statement is something is too Commonwealth of Nations. While not a formal member America has a lot in common.

[Ranma Tardis]

I was hoping an intelligence response to tell me why my position is incorrect. This is not a griefer thread but one of understanding. Please defend your position, it is the mark of a representational democracy that debates happen instead of a no you are wrong. Responsible governments are always defending themselves from critics, it is a good not bad sigh.

[Sonja Strom]

Ranma, basically I agree with what you posted above, except for one thing. In my experience it has been very difficult to pass changes to the CDS Constitution. I can't remember how many changes have been made to the Constitution since I have been in the CDS, but I don't think very many. Some of the changes that were made took years from the time they were first brought up until the time they were passed in the Representative Assembly and approved by the Scientific Council, and that almost always after having a lot of revisions made to them.

I have never said the CDS government is too American. It seems to me like some people think of it as being American in design when actually it is not - it has its own structure, not quite like any RL government I know of.

[Cindy Ecksol]

Ranma, basically I agree with what you posted above, except for one thing. In my experience it has been very difficult to pass changes to the CDS Constitution. I can't remember how many changes have been made to the Constitution since I have been in the CDS, but I don't think very many. Some of the changes that were made took years from the time they were first brought up until the time they were passed in the Representative Assembly and approved by the Scientific Council, and that almost always after having a lot of revisions made to them.

I don't think we're doing too badly on this score. After all, the Founding Fathers of the United States created a constitution in 1787....and then immediately amended it 10 times Some pretty critical stuff in those first 10 amendments too!

Cindy

[Ranma Tardis]

Ranma, basically I agree with what you posted above, except for one thing. In my experience it has been very difficult to pass changes to the CDS Constitution. I can't remember how many changes have been made to the Constitution since I have been in the CDS, but I don't think very many. Some of the changes that were made took years from the time they were first brought up until the time they were passed in the Representative Assembly and approved by the Scientific Council, and that almost always after having a lot of revisions made to them.

I don't think we're doing too badly on this score. After all, the Founding Fathers of the United States created a constitution in 1787....and then immediately amended it 10 times Some pretty critical stuff in those first 10 amendments too!

Cindy

It still took more than just a vote from the congress to amend the Constitution. A lot more since both houses have to pass it by 2/3s and then have 3/4s of the states ratify the bill (very hard). In the CDS it just takes 2/3s of the RA actual number of people not a lot epically since there are 3 factions and am pretty positive these all have the same view on the important issues.
However to be simple the CDS would never work in real life being overly complex and subject to special interests and back room dealing. Makes me wonder why I bother? Oh how is the CDS better? It has some rather odd practices...