Mayoral Malfeasence; a call for Checks and Balances
Day 304, 17:00
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Published in USA 
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by
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by Dillan Stone
Editorial
With the Sacramento Bee [a url=http://www.erepublik.com/article-658681.html]calling for a lawsuit against their mayor[/a] for allegedly stealing large amounts of funds from the people of Sacramento, the time seems particularly apt to discuss the long-term needs of good government, and the place of the legal system within our nation.
I write this, knowing full well that Mayoral elections will be ending soon. I believe it very likely, however, that as the game takes off, Local Governments will return as a vital part of the game - both for efficient local administration, and as a political stepping-stone to higher office.
The first point is that local government should consist of more than just a Mayor. There's a term for a system of government where one person makes all the decisions without any checks and balances; despotism. Most of our Mayors appear to have, at least, been enlightened despots. That does not mean we can rely on that to be the way of the future.
Mayors should, therefore, be responsible to a small legislature of their own; a City Council, if you will. (I'd prefer the game allowed us to rename "Cities/Regions" to "States" and then the positions to "Governor" and "State Legislature," but that's a matter for another day.) It wouldn't have to be a large body; 5 would suffice. But it would provide a political check on a Mayor who decides to randomly give the people's money elsewhere without adequate reason or explanation. City Councils would approve tax rates and spending proposals, and be able to recall the Mayor from office with a supermajority vote (4/5 perhaps). And the City Council position would be an in-game stepping stone to the Mayoral and/or Congressional levels, expanding opportunity as the game expands.
Beyond this reform, however, it is clear that as the game grows, we will need a dedicated legal profession, and an independent judiciary, to ensure the tyranny of the majority does not result in the unreasonable oppression of the political have-nots. It is for this reason that a rudimentary judicial and legal system needs to be implemented; either officially, or by the players themselves, and based on the premise that no man, be he Mayor, President, Congressman, Businessman, Lawyer or Citizen, is above the law.
With the Sacramento Bee [a url=http://www.erepublik.com/article-658681.html]calling for a lawsuit against their mayor[/a] for allegedly stealing large amounts of funds from the people of Sacramento, the time seems particularly apt to discuss the long-term needs of good government, and the place of the legal system within our nation.
I write this, knowing full well that Mayoral elections will be ending soon. I believe it very likely, however, that as the game takes off, Local Governments will return as a vital part of the game - both for efficient local administration, and as a political stepping-stone to higher office.
The first point is that local government should consist of more than just a Mayor. There's a term for a system of government where one person makes all the decisions without any checks and balances; despotism. Most of our Mayors appear to have, at least, been enlightened despots. That does not mean we can rely on that to be the way of the future.
Mayors should, therefore, be responsible to a small legislature of their own; a City Council, if you will. (I'd prefer the game allowed us to rename "Cities/Regions" to "States" and then the positions to "Governor" and "State Legislature," but that's a matter for another day.) It wouldn't have to be a large body; 5 would suffice. But it would provide a political check on a Mayor who decides to randomly give the people's money elsewhere without adequate reason or explanation. City Councils would approve tax rates and spending proposals, and be able to recall the Mayor from office with a supermajority vote (4/5 perhaps). And the City Council position would be an in-game stepping stone to the Mayoral and/or Congressional levels, expanding opportunity as the game expands.
Beyond this reform, however, it is clear that as the game grows, we will need a dedicated legal profession, and an independent judiciary, to ensure the tyranny of the majority does not result in the unreasonable oppression of the political have-nots. It is for this reason that a rudimentary judicial and legal system needs to be implemented; either officially, or by the players themselves, and based on the premise that no man, be he Mayor, President, Congressman, Businessman, Lawyer or Citizen, is above the law.
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Comments
Mayors are gone after this month.
I fully agree with the idea of a city council/State Legislature if/when local elections are reintroduced.
http://www.erepublik.com/article-613112.html
Though as we have seen at the national level not long ago, a legislative check is not enough to prevent embezzlement.
I know. But I believe they will ultimately be re-implemented, and it is a relevant controversy ongoing within the US.
Mayors are insignificant.. sorry to have to be the one to break it to you.
@ TGM
Congress is just as irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. They can either vote yay or nay regarding the president\'s tax changes, etc.
In the end, like Congress, being a mayor is just another time filler in this game depending on your level of commitment.
I have to agree with Jack. Many of the responsibilities are what you bring to the job. You can coast, get the points and do whatever. Or you can make the position a rallying point and a vehicle of action.
The Federal Government is seizing power and turning our Nation from being a Federal Republic into a Parliamentary Republic in a Month.
Power to the People, I say. Scrap the Parliament, we Americans love our Republic, I say we rename Mayors, \"Governors\". And that regional elections are held to send 1 member per region to Congress. The Party\'s can still nominate the President, but the Congress is represented by 1 Congressman from each region within the Republic.
But you know the European Admins, they love their Parliament.