Liserett wrote:
While I perfectly understand and agree that I have no right to vote, I still want to be part of the discussion when changes are discussed. I am part of this community and it's changes affect me too. I want to share my thoughts, my suggestions and concerns until the bills are finalized.
Absolutely! This is an integral part of our community process and
isn't being threatened. If language threatens this, let's fix that.
I should chime in here, as I was a proponent of tightening the forum guidelines language and drafted the proposed legislation currently in Parliament.
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To take a step back, we have a Diplomatic Court with 6 subforums with which to conduct diplomacy in Hermertia:
Imperial CourtThis is, as Liserett stated, the imperial channel for
any kind of diplomacy that
any member of Hermertia wishes to bring to the Empire's attention. Proposals for land claims, trade agreements, politics, report of questionable behaviour of players, you name it. This will always be open to everyone, from Serfs to Kings - everyone has the right to present ideas and opinions to the Empire.
Council of the CrownedAn area reserved strictly for discussion between members of the Council . It will probably always be used sparingly, for issues such as internal Council decisions or discussions.
House of DukesAn area reserved strictly for discussion and legislation by the Dukes of Hermertia. This area has been used overwhelmingly for legislative purposes, either reacting to bills passed by the Council or passing those of our own; however, it is also there for general discussion purposes between those of that rank.
ParliamentThe location where legislation is proposed, discussed, debated, and voted on by the Council of the Crowned.
It is absolutely a place where the community can and should debate and offer opinions on legislation as it is proposed and being drafted. It has recently become custom to have
one thread for proposed legislation that contains the idea behind a new law or a change to an existing one, and includes all debate and discussion, and allows the community to work together to draft legal language,
then a second thread containing the finalized language, that is voted on by the Council of the Crowned. See
this thread as an example for discussion and debate, and
this thread for the voted-upon finalized language, for an example of how I feel we can most effectively execute parliamentary debate and legislation.
I think this about illustrates my opinion on how the parliament should function: a place for discussion and debate by all on proposed ideas, and voting by the Council on what the community ends up with after that process.
NOTE: I say community, but my current proposed language states that serfs should be excluded from Parliament. I think this is almost certainly a mistake and regret including that prohibition. The language came about during a discussion between myself and Vaethra, and I initially saw it as justified given that to attain the rank of Count an individual must have proven themselves invested in Hermertia. Of course, this is enormous potential for serfs to be gretly invested in Hermertia and absolutely able to comment on proposed legislation - Caeser is but one example, and my dear late friend Biakko was herself a serf for a great part of her life in which she prover herself an incredibly committed Hermertian. Let's hear some thoughts on this, but I'm ready to change the language at a moment's notice.
CabinetThe offices of the Cabinet Ministers. The distinction on what should go where has been raised in another thread and is a great question: I'm of the opinion that the library will clarify matters by absorbing both things that go in Scholars and Mystics's "history" section and much of the Ministry of History.
Judicial CourtUsed for War Declarations, requests for international support, and criminal investigations and trials. This will proably always be fairly sparse as Hermertia is generally fairly conflict-averse. NOTE: Some war declarations have been posted in the Imperial Court - this is wrong and should be modified by forum mods if it occurs.
------------I hope this clarifies things somewhat.
Please let me know your thoughts, all, on if you agree with this or if you feel other changes are ripe to be made.