OOC [OOC] - Senate of Yamatai Discussion

Just remember that every time someone implies that DATASS = "International Peace" they're being dishonest. Peace can be achieved without it, and it couldn't have stopped a war even if it was still valid. When people say that Yamatai has chosen "against peace" because we didn't ratify the treaty, they're just blowing a bunch of smoke. The reason it's total bull is Yamatai is immediately and obviously trying to make new mutual defense treaties (e.g. maintaining peace), so any implication that Yamatai is anti-peace (with the other player factions) is not only wrong, it's probably a deliberate lie intended to stir up OOC fear, uncertainly, and doubt. Don't fall for it.

I wouldn't quite say that it is accurate to say that they're being dishonest. After all DATASS while it was in effect did provide peace and relative stability to the international stage of SARP. I think it would be more accurate to say that it is dishonest to imply it is the only option, just at this time it is the only example people can point to. Perhaps soon a new arrangement will be set up and things will continue being peaceful among the major factions as players and GMs seem to prefer and we can continue pursuing cooperative stories like the Val'ta, the attempts with the Sledge Mama plot, or the plotship of the JTF Kaguya that @paladinrpg has been planning for months.

I only express worry, and by extension dismay in relation to the present political circumstances because it is something that I truly care about. If it wasn't important to me I'd probably be off playing Minecraft or drawing blissfully. Both sides so far have made statements that have worried me, and until a resolution occurs I'm not likely to be able to relax or find myself able decide what to do for the future.

I greatly appreciate the effort you have taken to try and clear things up to prevent my opinions and feelings from being coloured by biased opinions, and I'll be sure to keep it in mind going forward.

It wiped the possibility of war with Nepleslia and Lor off the OOC and IC table for two years, at a time when there was a lot of saber-rattling and bad blood.

It also kept you in check, Wes.

That's peace, and it works better than any mutual defense treaty you or I could concoct. It's a great treaty. @Fian did a great job.

Back to W.

I don't think Fian did a bad job, I'm just saying that it's not our only hope for peace. We can find another horse to ride, so to speak.

It's the best hope for a peace that keeps everyone on their best behavior. That Yui can't be deigned to ask before eradicating a coming menace to everyone in the galaxy is supremely her. If Nepleslia holds up its end of the bargain and Yamatai's senate is appropriately excluded from the process, then we're still in the treaty and Yui won't have much to say about it.

Unless Himiko sides with the eldest sister instead of her elected Premier. There's some IC drama for you.

If you look at the Senate Article, you will find that I have been pouring over the archives and trying to assemble a complete list of the various proposals that the senate has dealt with (apparently we screwed up the numbering at least once!) for reference. I'm hoping to add more detail over time. Some of the proposals have been really difficult to find. I even got some of them from our old ezBoard.

@Wes Very cool! If you like, I could invent a bill #111 to fill that gap, involving something like funds or land for building the new PAINT hub at the fleet depot for operation in Yugumo Cluster or such. It would be a retroactive rubber stamp thing though.

JTF border patrol idea can't really come to the floor because DATASS is now nullified... so I'm going to do some bilateral RP instead when that gets going.

From my Nationstates account:



I thought we settled that already, lol.

Thought about putting this question in Setting Discussion, but Senate OOC seems to be an acceptable place to ask for these Constitutional clarifications.

Section 2, subheading IX of THE IMPERIAL PREMIER outlines the Yamataian Department of Justice. That organization's wiki page outlines the three agencies under it, the National Police, Municipal Police, and Yamatai Security Agency. The Premier appoints ministers to lead her departments, meaning the Minister of Justice would be the chief governmental officer of these organizations.

But wait! Section 8, subheading II of THE EMPEROR OR EMPRESS OF YAMATAI specifically says the Empress is the de-facto head of the YSA and something called the National Oversight Agency.

Questions:

1. What is the National Oversight Agency? Is it a paramilitary organization or a group of bureaucrats?
2. If the NOA is paramilitary, why? The Ketsurui Samurai exist and have offices that theoretically perform Imperial oversight.
3. (I edited this out but Wes's reply doesn't make sense without #3)
4. Given the Empress specifically controls the YSA and NOA, shouldn't the YSA be listed under the other agencies heading of the Justice Department wiki? Or does the Justice minister still oversee the YSA unless the Empress steps in and says otherwise?
5. Also, since the constitution specifically mentions that she can directly control only these two organizations, plus direct the Taisho of the Star Army, does that mean the Empress cannot technically give lawful orders to other Yamataian ministries? She can't tell the chief of the Yamatai National Police what to do?

@Wes - Mind if I claim Elysia Novus (New Elysia)?

Sure.

Thanks @Wes~

Why do Yamatai's tributary states (which are autonomous as far as internal policy goes) get voting seats in the Senate? If the Empire is systemically barred from directing internal policy in its tributaries, why would they get voting power to impact the lives of purely Yamataian citizens?

I'm not here to argue, but it politically makes no sense to include what are essentially foreign nationals in our representative legislature. Token non-voting seats? Sure. But it's a little unfathomable that these areas that have been cordoned off — both IC and OOC — can influence Yamatai. With the previous generation of disloyal rabble-rousers gone, it'd be a shame to just re-introduce the same attitudes again.

EDIT: ArsenicJohn's post above mine requesting Kotoku was deleted right after I made this post, but my inquiry still stands.

I would request, if suzerains are allowed, to claim/elect a senator from Kotoku.

I agree with @raz, @Wes, and - provided that Asteria is told to do the same - have no OOC issues with being told to "give up" Elysia's seat in the Yamataian Senate.

I know that maximum participation is the end goal, so what happens doesn't really matter in either case. But from every standpoint other than "this is an online roleplaying experience," I don't think it makes much sense.

After discussion with Bullroarer I deleted my previous message. Instead of Kotoku I would like to claim Gashmere.

@raz you'll just have to bear with it.

I'll wait for Wes or Nashoba's answer, thank you.