[C] The Puffin Papers

University of the East Pacific
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The Puffin Papers

This project is about some free-floating (legal utility) and NS governmental studies.

Major and minor regional legal and governance items I’m bored with, tired of, and pissed at. So I hope you’re ready for a little random teaching! – Paraphrased from the unparalleled George Carlin.

So I’ve done a little work as Magister, Arbiter, UTEP Chancellor, Delegate, … and all that in this region.

I’ve got some experience with some of our TEP laws here and there. I’ve taught in UTEP (our university) before. And I’d like to randomly rant teach about our laws, our government, and our institutions.

Maybe a basic course on TEP law and government might help some of you getting around. Who knows. Read on and find out.

These are the Puffin Papers.

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Regional sources of useful information

Rule #1 of succeeding in life: you should [redacted] know what you’re talking about.

TEP Law: Laws of the East Pacific - The East Pacific - Tapatalk
Library: Bachtendekuppen Memorial Library - The East Pacific - Tapatalk
Standing Orders of the Magisterium (hereinafter, for ever and ever, called SOM):Standing Orders of the Magisterium - The East Pacific - Tapatalk
Standing Orders of the Conclave: Standing Orders of Conclave - The East Pacific - Tapatalk
Standing Orders of the Vizier:http:// Standing Orders of the Praesidium - The East Pacific - Tapatalk
Standing Orders of the Executive: [SOE] Standing Orders of (the) Executive - The East Pacific - Tapatalk

This might be updated from time to time.

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Inter-regional sources

TNP laws: Laws | The North Pacific
TNP assembly: Regional Assembly | The North Pacific
TSP laws: https://tspforums.xyz/forum-31.html
TSP assembly: The South Pacific

TP laws: /
TP assembly: /
(These [redacted] don’t share their stuff publicly)

TRR assembly + laws: https://rejectedrealms.com/viewforum.php?f=95&sid=0de196435ad8f354cd5d6ed624640948
Lazarus assembly + laws: https://nslazarus.com/forum-166.html
Balder stuff: https://balder.boards.net/
Europeia laws: https://forums.europeians.com/index.php (see top menu).

This might be updated from time to time.

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Referring to this: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18544 (How To Magister).

Being a Magister requires, aside from the method I describe in that little essay, the mastering of the arcane art of reading law.

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Puffin Papers

[Essay]

Since it’s still relevant, I’m reposting my essay on How to be a Magister:

“How to Magister”, a Puffins guide to the Magisterium

I. Basics of TEP law
Being a Magister is all about law. TEP has meritocratic, democratic government under a system of law. The sovereignty of the region lies with the people who, through the Concordat, determine the power of government. The Concordat has supremacy. The government can only (legally) do things that it is sanctioned to do by the Concordat. The Concordat tells us who in the government can do what. A safe approach to interpreting the Concordat is to assume that if anything does not fit within any of the powers given by the Concordat, it is probably not legal for the government to do so.

The Magisterium can make the laws. The laws either tell (a) Citizens how (not) to behave; and (b) our government how (not) to behave. It also determines the consequences if laws are violated. The Magisterium (dis)approves treaties, and (dis)approves several appointments proposed by the Delegate.

II. The Standing Orders (of the Magisterium)
This tells the Magisters how to conduct their business. The most important parts are the sections on how to make legislative proposals, how to motion them to vote, how to vote and count votes.

Any Citizen in TEP is allowed to participate in discussions in the Magisterium’s forum, and any Citizen of TEP can start a discussion or propose a change to a TEP law (a person doing so is the sponsor of the proposal). There is free debate in the Magisterium. When the debate is over, the Sponsor can motion for a vote (a vote requires a bill, i.e., a written proposal for a change of law, a treaty or a change to the Concordat or Standing Orders). Only a Magister can second that motion. If there is a second, the Provost shall conduct a vote.

Only Magisters can vote. Any Magister voting must include the name of their TEP nation and their WA nation in their post (exceptions exist). The Provost will count the votes when the voting period is over. If the required majority is present and in favor, the bill is adopted into TEP law.

III. Making law and making sausages
Choosing your battles
Otto von Bismarck once compared making legislation to making sausages. You don’t want to see how it’s cooked up. Most of it is nitty-gritty writing, negotiation, and compromise. It takes determination and patience. Small amendments to rectify errors or simple elements in existing laws will not take a lot of work nor discussion. But if you want to make your mark on TEP law, enact sweeping reforms to TEP, or put your name in TEP’s history books, you’ll need to put in a lot of time and effort. Choose your battles. You can’t do everything at once.

First, you decide what you want to change. Maybe you’ve noticed that something doesn’t work like it should. You see a Conclave decision that highlights insufficiencies in TEP law. Or the Executive has taken some action you think needs to be addressed. You have a bright vision for how TEP should handle something in the future. Maybe you found an error in TEP’s laws.

Great! Let’s get started.

Preparing the charge
The first step is to think. What is the issue you selected? Why is it an issue? What is the result you want? And how do you get there - what changes are needed to TEP law? Compile a list of actual changes to TEP law you need to achieve the result you want. Next: determine who in TEP is crucial to this issue. Consult with them, ask them for their feedback. This is invaluable insight as to the issue, and it will inform you about the chances of your proposals.

Preliminary bombardments
So now you have an explanation of the issue, why it is an issue, how you would solve it and why. You have a list of needed changes, and you have feedback from crucial players.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is when we draft. A tip: just write. Your first draft will probably be the worst writing ever put to paper in the written history of mankind. That’s okay. What makes your writing good is editing. There are three very important steps to lift your creation from the gutter of useless drivel to the elevated heights home to Hemingway and the like: 1) revise; 2) revise; and 3) revise.

And so there you are. You have a draft. Now show it to people, and preferably the same people you’ve bothered before. Ask them feedback. And revise. Again. Revise.

Once more in to the fray
When you feel like you’ve done all the revising you need to do, you go for the jugular: posting your draft in the Magisterium. Include a nice table of changes, or something else that gives Magisters an easy way to understand what you are changing in the existing legislation. Add an explanation as well.

Now, remember, legislation that doesn’t pass is useless. You might think you have the best ever proposal in the history of NS. But if it doesn’t pass, it’s generally not worth the pixels it’s displayed on. Listen to feedback, and adapt. “Compromise” is not a dirty word. Compromise is what gets things done. Be respectful, analyze what your fellow Magisters and Citizens have to say, and work it out.

When all is said and done, you motion to vote. Congratulations, you just joined a very select club of lawmakers in TEP.

IV. The Puffins way
This small essay tries to clarify how I see the primary part of my job as Magister. We are a diversified bunch in TEP, everyone has their own priorities and opinions. Regardless of your goals, the method in this essay has served me well. I think I can say that I’ve made, in my own way, my mark on TEP legislation over the years. I’m not saying you have to do it like this. But it is my sincere hope that this small essay might help some Citizens, or Magisters, enjoy the Magisterium and the art of crafting legislation.

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The Puffin Papers

[Breaking News] – TEP citizens REJECT removal of Identity and Emblem clauses from the Concordat – Fate of Identity and Culture act hangs in the Balance

The Magisterium of TEP had proposed – and passed – a new “Culture and Identity Act". It defined the official names, various characteristics, symbols and holidays of TEP, and amendment the Concordat to remove the identity and Emblem sections. This would have given the Magisterium the power to control these elements by common law, rather than a Concordat Amendment.

The ratification however struck an iceberg: requiring a 2/3rds majority for ratification, the Citizenry voted with only 9 votes in favour, FAILING the vote.

This now leaves the Magisterium’s “Culture and Identity Act” fate in the Balance.

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The Puffin Papers

[REGIONAL NEWS]

Loose lips sink Ships

It’s a tale as old as time: a high-ranking official gets too chatty, spills the beans to the wrong people, and brings their world crashing down. In this case, the official in question is none other than Hulldom, former Delegate of The North Pacific (TNP).

As you may have heard, Hulldom recently resigned from his position following a series of missteps that led to a major shake-up in TNP’s government. It all started when Hulldom shared some sensitive information with Lone Wolves United (LWU), a raider organization that TNP had a “relationship” with.

Apparently, Hulldom had been ‘negotiating’ with a defender bloc - read: TSP, 10000 Islands (XKI), The Order of the Grey Wardens (TGW), and The League and Concord (TL) - about TNP’s position on a proposal to condemn LWU member Chef Big Dog. Hulldom spilled the beans to LWU which, after being rubbed the wrong way by TNP’s flailing positions, released a statement detailing their “frustration” with its leadership and the events that had transpired.

According to LWU, the defender bloc was threatening TNP to get them to vote against said condemnation. Hulldom compromised and crossed a line that he couldn’t come back from.

Side note: the ‘defender bloc’ all but confirmed in subsequent statements that they did indeed strong-arm TNP. As they say: choose your friends wisely.

TNP Minister of Foreign Affairs Wymondham resigned from his post, citing “warnings being constantly ignored” and Hulldom himself eventually resigned from the WA and his position as Delegate, leaving TNP in disarray.

In line with TEP’s foreign affairs policy, TEP’s government has ignored the entire affair.

Failure to Feed

It’s been over two months since Altys was elected as the Delegate of The East Pacific, but – after a kerfuffle with accidentally resigning from the World Assembly after just grasping the Delegate seat – the first time TEP Delegate is just now inching closer to actually occupying the seat again.

Despite naming a cabinet and making some updates to the region’s World Factbook Entry (WFE), Index and STEP-pages, as well as the REWARD-program, Altys’ administration has yet to make any major moves or policy changes.

Admittedly, the Executive has moved back to the main TEP Discord server, which was a platform promise by the Delegate-elect.

Yet, after Altys renomination of Wallenburg as Arbiter was rebuked by the Magisterium, he has not yet announced a new nominee.

With half of his term already gone, time will be of the essence for Delegate Altys to cement a firm result in this term.

No Time To Rule

The Conclave ran out the clock on the Judiciary Review of the Conclave act, as lodged by petitioner A Mean Old Man.

Stating on April 11th, 2023, on the forum, the Viceroy acknowledged that the Arbiters could not get to a Verdict within the time allowed by the Standing Orders of the Conclave.

The Conclave Act therefore remains on the books and unchallenged, despite a lengthy petition raising a lot of thorny questions about said Act and the Magisterium’s power to enact it.

Questions remain about the Conclave’s ability to rule within the self-imposed time limit of the SOC, and whether or not a change to those rules is in order.

One more judicial review is currently on the docket, due for a Verdict by April 13th, 2023, on the Provost’s power to edit errors in legislation.

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Puffin Papers

TSP, The Sorry Pacific

Hold onto your hats, folks, because the South Pacific is Sorry (NationStates • View topic - Embassy of the South Pacific).

They apologized for their role in a major scandal ([C] The Puffin Papers) involving their allies, the League and Concord, the Order of the Grey Wardens, and 10000 Islands, in a shakedown the North Pacific.

The South Pacific issued threats to Hulldom and The North Pacific on behalf of their allies involved in the matter. This was especially egregious since the South Pacific and The North Pacific have been allies for over a decade.

The Sorry Pacific now emphasises that they’re committed to moving forward with renewed respect for the voices of citizens of The North Pacific.

But let’s be real, this apology is just a PR move to save face. The Sorry Pacific transparently puts their own interests ahead.

But you know, this apology might suffice. The North Pacific has already indicated that they’ll be throwing a temporary diplomatic tantrum, whereafter everything will be fine and dandy again (NationStates | Dispatch | Response to Recent Defender Transgressions).

The Conclave Giveth, the Conclave Taketh away

It’s not easy being Provost these days. One day you get nay unlimited discretionary editing powers, and the next this power has already been evaporated by these uncanny Arbiters.

In a re-review on a previous review of Section B.11 of the Concordat (yes, if you don’t like the Conclave’s ruling, you can order a new one – if that isn’t service I don’t know what is), the Conclave has ruled that no, the Provosts discretionary powers to edit clerical errors in legislation is not unlimited.

The Concordat’s Article B, Section 11 allows the Provost to make such edits to correct spelling, grammar, naming, or formatting errors, if they do not alter the legal effect of the legislation. Formatting errors only insofar as related to the specific piece of legislation concerned.

However, the ruling does raise questions. For example, what is the definition of formatting-related errors? Does formatting have no legal effect on legislation, considering that Magisters propose laws with specific formatting intentionally? The Conclave’s response to these questions is vague. Section B.11 does not define what constitutes formatting errors, and questions remain about the legal effect of formatting.

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