Politician Archive

Right now the Politician profession is limited to being elected to a single type of office; that of mayor. This leaves citizens open to abuse and restricts governments' options. A Constitution and City Council will help to protect the rights of citizens and allowing flexibility in government styles.

We need to begin expanding this. I propose the following additional changes:

- Add a Constitution document that will be pubvlicly visible to all prospective citizens before they move in. The Constitution would be a simple template that has modifiable values. These values should include at least the following: [A] Thenumber of City Council members, [B] a toggle for whether the mayor will be a position elected by the general populace (as in a traditional mayor), or elected by the City Council members (an appointment such as a City Manager), [C] the maximum income tax and property taxes that will be imposed on citizens. The Constitution can only be modified by a 2/3 vote of the City Council.

- The mayor will be restricted in the taxes that can be collected based on the maximum values outlined in the Constitution. The mayor will keep all current powers, but will be subject to removal from office by a 2/3 vote of the city council, to protect the citizens from corruption.

- Add the City Council office. The person who places the City Hall will initially be the Mayor and the sole City Council member. City Council members will always be elected by the general populace. City Council members have the ability to modify values in the Constitution with a 2/3 vote of the council. If the mayor is set in the Constitution as a City Manager (elected by the City Council, not the general populace), then the council will elect the mayor with a simple majority vote. Regardless of the means for electing the Mayor, the City Council will be able to remove the mayor from office with a 2/3 vote within 24 hours. This is to protect the city in case of a corrupt mayor. In this case, elections for a new mayor will start immediately.

The basic duties of the city council involve oversight of the mayor/city manager and management of the Constitution. The Constitution exists to protect the rights of the citizens not to be extorted by the mayor with high taxes. It should also serve to protect against abuse by the mayor for any new control features given to the mayor in the future.

Thoughts?

-Raystonn

I think a constitution is more of an RP thing. If you want to have a constitution, you can periodically email it to citizens, post it on a website, or post it on a board. I don't think cities should be required to have a constitution, because if they did, it would impede upon the amont of felexibility a city can have. I personally wouldn't mind a constitution, but I don't "want" one. I mean I don't RP, and I really don't need it. My needs really aren't the point though, the point I am trying to make is a constitution is something so easily done out of game or out of game systems because it is an RP device, and like I said, if it was put in it may force cities who don't want them to have them. Keep it simple.

A Constitution is not a role-playing tool. It is a contract with the citizens and future citizens, ensuring them rights that cannot be easily taken away.

-Raystonn

But this is just a game. By saying "not having their rights taken away" you are implying that there is some system of government. I don't think a constituion is necessary, as reasons stated above. A constitution *IS* an RP tool, becasue it doesn't do anything except organize mayoral rights into a document. The mayor can just have his rights set, and viewable by everyone. No constitution has to be present for his rights to be set.

"But this is just a game."

And we want a good game, not a dictatorial game by which you as mayor can do whatever you want.

"By saying 'not having their rights taken away' you are implying that there is some system of government."

There is. The system of governmetn thusfar is hard-coded as a single mayor who acts in any fashion he likes with no oversight until the next election. This should be expanded to allow for more choices.

"I don't think a constituion is necessary"

Then set your Constitution to use the maximum values and it will become irrelevant. Just because you do not want it, that does not mean everyone does not want it.

"A constitution *IS* an RP tool, becasue it doesn't do anything except organize mayoral rights into a document."

The Constitution, and hence the restriction of mayoral rights is not a role-playing tool. Is it a game mechanic to ensure nobody gets defrauded by the mayor and to allow more options for government styles. A game mechanic that is a) required to eliminate fraud, and b) allows for better government flexibility and separation of powers, is not a role-playing tool. It is a valuable profession-based game mechanic.

-Raystonn

What was I thinking asking a forum full ofwant-to-be-mayors to share power with City Council members and offer a hard-coded guarantee of rights to citizens? I am going to take this to another forum where the actual citizens read threads. It's obvious the mayors are concerned only with their own political power.

-Raystonn

I am not going to get into a "Yes it is" and "No it isn't" argument.

The fact is, you cannot tell people how to run their cities, or organization for that matter. Just becase YOU like Democracy (and I do too) doesn't mean everyone should have to follow it. I think voting every week is important, but you shouldn't tell people they can't play the role of a dictator because you think it will make the game better - some people just like to play the role of what they choose, even if you disagree. The "rights" of players aren't taken away, becasue as a player the only rights you have are those given to you inside of the game. You don't NEED a constitution to ensure that rights aren't violated - maybe in the real world, but you don't have to over complicate it.

The system as it is now, in this respect, is fine. The mayor CAN'T defraud the players. He can't deny them freedom of speech or tax them too high. The developers put all this in to make it fair. There is nothinga mayor can do that can't be changed, especially since he can just get voted out and the new player can fix something he screwed up.

You asked for thoughts, these are mine. Expect support and critisism.

I'd probably use the term Town Charter rather than Constitution; a Constitution typically has further reaching effects than one city. A charter is defined as "An act of legislative body creating a municipal or other corporation and defining its powers and privileges ..." by Webster's.

"The fact is, you cannot tell people how to run their cities, or organization for that matter."

Excuse me Mr. Mayor, but that's not your city. That city belongs to the citizens that live there, not you. You are only their elected representative. Lose the delusions of grandeur.

"Just becase YOU like Democracy (and I do too) doesn't mean everyone should have to follow it."

The way it's coded right now, the only thing wehave *is* democracy. I'm simply expanding on theconcept to add accountability and separation of powers.

"you shouldn't tell people they can't play the role of a dictator"

That is beyond the scope of this thread. SOE has already made it impossible to have a dictatorship. The mayor is an elected position. The city belongs to the citizens. The ideas expand on this to add some good ideas.

"You don't NEED a constitution to ensure that rights aren't violated"

Yes, you do. Are you going to take the word of the person in power not to abuse the citizens? Heck no. Especially not in a computer game. I trust a mayor as far as I can throw him.

"There is nothinga mayor can do that can't be changed, especially since he can just get voted out and the new player can fix something he screwed up."

Riiiight. So what happens when the mayor steals 350K from the city coffers? Are you content to sit there and wait,watching him take out money every day, knowing he's just going to ditch your city? What if he starts acting on personal vendettas and bans a person or two unfairly? Are you going to be able to get the majority of people in the city to care enough to vote him out of office? Highly unlikely. You need a city council to keep this in check.

-Raystonn

Like I said, I wouldn't MIND a charter or constitution, however I don't think it is necessary unless you want it.

Then make the Constitution optional. Just make it visible to everyone moving in that there is no Constitution in place and that they are at the mercy of the Mayor.

-Raystonn