The Clean Slate

[Quest] GIVEN that a recent survey of the Houses of Eridanus indicated that a significant portion of same elected for there to be no Constitution, it is hereby moved that the Constitution of Eridanus be repealed from the date this motion is passed.

In place of the Constitution, any legal power not determined by Senate derived law shall be at the Emperor's fiat.

Giovanni Geronimo

[Slick Ink] So just for further clarification. Could you list the laws you say will still be in effect. This way thier will be no arguments later it will be perfectly clear.

[Quest] Certainly.

CANPA

Anti-Crony Act

Campaign Finance & Construction Act

Confirmation of the Inherent Rights of Nobility.

The office of the Prime Minister would remain since it is the rump remaining of the failed Provinces initiateve which was mostly repealed. However, the Emperor would be able to appoint or remove the Prime Minister at his fiat, or remove the position altogether, if the Constitution is repealed.

Giovanni Geronimo

[Quest] I thank you for the clarification. Better to have it now before the vote then to of waited till someone said this was or was not in effect.

J.S.

[De Payne] And other than those listed, there is no law? Everything is up to the Emperor, unless the Senate trumps him?

[Slick Ink] My only concern is why keep the prime minister? They will have no powers and be nothing more then a fancy title. Since the constitution is what gave them thier power.

[De Payne] Because House Quest could never take anything from their dear friends in House Boudicca, that's why.

I care not for the Prime Minister title. I have directed my senators to vote for this motion.

-Heulfryn Boudicca

[Malvolio] I and my fellows cannot vote in favour of /any/ motion that removes plague quarantine regulations. ~ Morotoki Richmond, Senator for Procyon

[Quest] I realise that House Malvolio has been vigilant in eliminating quarantine-breaking facilities and that the good Senator is concerned about anything that might change the status quo in this regard, but consider - if the Constitution is dissolved, that will not make the Emperor any less diligent in wanting to stamp out possible contagion. In fact it may even expedite the process of having Renegade status removed.

Giovanni Geronimo

[Quest]
If the Prime Ministership is no longer required, it can be easily eliminated by the Emperor should the Constitution be dissolved.

Giovanni Geronimo

[Malvolio] That's not good enough, Geronimo. We need a defined quarantine period and a guarantee of Imperial pardon. Anything less and quarantine enforcers will fear to tread. And then plagues will spread.

Hmm. I would point to the last time plague spread unchecked to Procyon, but your employers clearly did not give a whit back then, choosing petty family links over the lives of millions of their own followers. Perhaps I am arguing with the wrong man.

~ Morotoki Richmond, Senator for Procyon

[Quest] If you want definitions and guarantees, you can always propose a new law specifically for that purpose. In the meantime, House Quest will happily take on the burden of enforcing quarantine. The rest of your statement is nothing more than slander and not worthy of a response.

Senator Giovanni Geronimo

[Malvolio] It's good of you to call the death of millions of my constituents 'slander'. No, wait, not good. The other one.

Even one month without protection is a month too long. The Malvolio senators will still be voting against this motion.

~ Morotoki Richmond

[Quest] Are you calling my employer a mass murderer? If you are, come out and say it.

Giovanni Geronimo

[Malvolio] No, and my apologies if I gave that impression. House Sunfell were the murderers. House Quest merely helped them get away with it.

~ Morotoki Richmond

[Quest] Then why, I ask you, is your employer still allied to House Sunfell?

Giovanni Geronimo

[Malvolio] I cannot speak for my employers on that matter, though you will note that House Sunfell are not the only members of that alliance.

~ Morotoki Richmond

[Quest] Well, that's a non-sequitur if ever I've heard one. Your House is either allied with a mass murderer or it isn't. I choose to believe that House Sunfell are not mass murderers, so I can only conclude that your recalcitrance is based on factors other than those you espouse; but have it your own way.

Giovanni Geronimo

[Invernigon] "It would appear that debate on the matter is fruitless anyway, as the Boudiccan, Questian and Inkian Senators control forty-five votes, a slim majority in the Senate."

- Sen. Victoria Shope -

[Quest] "Since a two-thirds majority is needed, debate is most certainly not fruitless."

[De Payne; to Quest, RE: Your House is either allied with a mass murderer or it isn't. I choose to believe that House Sunfell are not mass murderers...] Of course you would.

Houses Sunfell and Quest are only able to ignore such crimes against humanity because of their wealth and power. If a "commoner" had commited /half/ the atrocities that have been unleashed by House Sunfell, they'd have been executed a dozen times over.

[Quest] "Produce your evidence and get Houses Quest and Sunfell declared renegade, or put that tired subject to rest forever, whoever the hell you are. This is a debate about repealing the constitution, not a soapbox."

Giovanni Geronimo

[De Payne] Eugène stands up in the back of the room so he can be seen. "The evidence /was/ presented. It was iron-clad, but you voted to pardon your wealthy and powerful ally anyway." He shrugged.

"But you're right. That's not why we're here. My only question about this repeal is why you're only going halfway? Repeal the damn thing. Repeal /all/ of it. Drop the Prime Minister, the anti-crony law, the commoner registry. All of it should go as one if we're going to do this."

"Bring back the Golden Rule of Constantine and give the Senate a clean slate to work with."

[Quest] Giovanni sighs. "Thank you, Chairman De Payne. Unfortunately, based on the projected tally of votes I've been working out on this napkin here, I believe we're going to fall short of the number of votes needed to repeal in whole /or/ in part."

[De Payne] Eugène makes no attempt to hide his contempt as he sneers back at Giovanni. "With leadership like /that/, you're probably right." He leaves his seat and steps into the aisle, raising his hands with the practiced flourish of a seasoned showman.

Addressing the Senators and the assembled crowd, he raises his voice to be heard. "Let's forget about the character failings of this bill's author for a moment. The only real complaint I've heard about this is that the quarantine law will be repealed. Who bloody cares? We've already seen just how strong that law is, haven't we? Leave it to the Emperor from now on, along with any House with the balls to do what's right without worrying about the consequences, I say."

He pauses and flashes a look at the guards nearby, wondering if he's about to get arrested again.

[Slick Ink; to Quest, RE: "It would appear that debate on the matter is fruitless anyway, as the Boudiccan, Questian and Inkian Senators control forty-five votes, a slim majority in the Senate."] First of all i do not belive my house has said yea nor nae on the subject. We did ask for clarification of some things. But that was to give us all the facts before deciding. So if you have a debate on it then speak your mind and be heard.

J.S.

[Godwinson] Senator Bernal Marrone stands, "Ladies and gents, I've been instructed to inform the Senate that me and those votes I've got representation of, are gonna be in support of this motion, and would also support the extension of the motion to include the entire body of laws at this time. Its clear that the laws as they stand right now are only tolerated begrudgingly, or merely serve to straightjacket people."

[Slick Ink] I belive it to be wrong to suddenly change what the vote is for. It was stated by the proposer weeks ago what was covered. To change with only 10 days of debate would make some vote no to it just becouse thier unsure of what thier voting on.

[Godwinson] Bernal turns to, and says "Yeah, you gotta point. I'll vote yeah on this, and lets say if it passes muster, I put forward an emergency motion to repeal all the rest. As the rest is just normal laws, the simple majority of an emergency motion will suffice.

"Does that work for you?"

[Slick Ink] If its passes then do what you wish. After all thats what the vote entails. The emporer being able to do as he wishes.

[Godwinson] "And the senate too, don't forget."

[Slick Ink] Yes yes sorry cant forget that 2 houses can do as they please also. Besides the emporer.

[Godwinson] "Hey, that there is somethin' that's been brought up time and time again, but the senate ain't never had the balls to put down limitations on that. Besides, how much different is that from how things are now?"

[Slick Ink] Well i guess we shall see wont we. Its amazing that so many want no laws to govern them. Its like giving out candy to the big kids and slapping the small kids.

[De Payne] "No difference at all. This isn't much of an improvement, but at least it'll be /honest/. I'm sick of the charade about Constitutions and laws. If we're going to be ruled by the richest and most powerful, than let's just admit it, eh?"

[Slick Ink] Ah but you see my good man. We were not being ruled by the richest nor most powerfull. The laws kept them somewhat in check. With thier removal im sure it will be the rich and powerfull dictating things.

[Pershing] Maybe some poor sucker will actually try and be good. ~ Senator Mossman

[Godwinson] "I ain't never called my boss a sucker before, but if anyone would do that, it's him."

~ Bernal Marrone

[Slick Ink, to Pershing, RE: Maybe some poor sucker will actually try and be good. ~ Senator Mossman] Well if were putting dreams out there. Maybe inverigon will stop smuggling. Me i dont forsee either happening.

[Godwinson] "Hey, after this vote, we're gonna see the Invernigons made renegades for their smuggling. That comes around and anyone whose taken offense at them can get a chance to vent it at them, yeah?"

~ Bernal Marrone

[De Payne] "Invernigon's in the wrong alliance. Maybe The Big Two will enforce the 'law' for old time's sake."

[Pershing] Someone has to think of the children...and their illegal drug habits...and slave needs. ~ Senator Mossman

[Godwinson] "And, as I said I would, I've put forth a motion to repeal everything else that wasn't repealed. I guess we can call these the 'Clean Slate Acts' or some other frufru politico name, yeah?"

~ Bernal Marrone

[Quest] "As it is clearly the Emperor's wish that a tabula rasa be established, we will vote in favor of the Emergency motion."

Giovanni Geronimo

[Godwinson] "Yeah, Table-a Rasha, whatever. Means we ain't gotta worry about any of the old laws or crap coming to bite us in the ass."

~ Bernal Marrone

[Godwinson] "And that, as they say, is that, ladies and gents. Blank slate, nuthin but Crown and Senate. Start of a new age..."

~ Bernal Marrone

[Vaarklan] "A new age..." Senator Jules Lieb muses to himself, at the head of the newly instated Vaarklan delegation. "Oh, the Overlord is going to /love/ this..."

[Quest] Geronimo surreptitiously tears up a cocktail napkin, shaking his head in bemusement. "Never thought that'd get through", he mutters.

[Pershing] *Senator Mossman looks about a little before grinning rather strangely*

"So...no laws forcing us to wear clothes in here now?"

[Boudicca] Germanus Lackner clears his throat. "Madam, I think that is still covered by local statutes regarding public decency."

[Pershing] "This is an imperial building however."

[Quest] Geronimo is seen to don his peril-sensitive sunglasses.

"Mister Lackner's got it. Even with the revocation of all /Imperial/ laws and precedents, local laws are unaffected. And as I'm the governor of Mebsuta Magna, I'm making it illegal for you to take your clothes off in public.So keep your shirt on. For all our sakes."

~ Bernal Marrone