Ask  Coruscant Motion: Integration & Cooperation between Sectors

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Gideon was nervous, very very nervous, for today would be the first time he had spoken in the Protectorates Legislative Chamber, and - according to the secretariat at least - the first time a motion had been introduced by his intake of Senators. He clutched his datapad in his hands, the text of his motion there, alongside the text for his introduction speech, and fell silent as on of the Deputy Speakers called the House to Order.

"Order! Order!" the large sentient began, punctuating his words by driving his speakers staff into the floor of his podium, mustering a wave of silence about the room as he did so. "The days business will commence with the second reading, and debate, of Motion number one, put by Senator Hask-Starr, or Anaxes. Order!"

With that, the Speaker fell silent, and Gideon found all eyes turn to him, as his pod floated out into the open air, a single spotlight illuminating him, buzzing camera drones floating all around. "Mr Deputy Speaker," the new Senator stopped, referring to his notes. "The motion before us today, which you had before you on your screens, is one that I feel will re-affirm the driving cause of this Protectorate, as we begin this legislative term." he paused again, as the motion was sent to Senators datapads.

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Motion: Integration & Cooperation between Sectors.

A motion to ensure that the United Protectorate, at all levels of Government, seeks to break down barriers between Sectors within its borders, enabling for the good and safe movement of people, goods, services and capital between planets, regardless of former or current sectoral affiliation.

• Recognises that there exists potential for disunity within the Protectorate, if Sectors see themselves as soveriegn, and not part of a greater whole.
• Recognises that in order to ensure stability in the Protectorate, people, goods, services and capital must be able to move without hinderence between the sectors.
• Compels the Executive to ensure that favourable terms of trade are not locked up between factionally aligned sectors, and that all Protectorate Sectors are treated as equals (regardless of factional affiliation) when it comes to agreements between planets and sectors.

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It was not a complex motion, but it was one that Gideon felt would serve two purposes. Firstly, should it pass, it would enshrine a set of key values at the heart of everything the Protectorate would strive to do and secondly, it would allow him, the press and all those assembled, to see just what motivated his fellow Senators - unity, or further division.

"We each of us, have been given an opportunity that has not been heard of in over five centuries, the chance to represent our worlds, with a mandate born not of war, but of Democratic choice. With that honour comes a duty, a duty to ensure that the voices of the people who voted for the bold new future presented by this Protectorate, may live to see it. We cannot guarantee that, unless we enshrine at the heart of everything we do, the desire to work together," he placed emphasis on his last word, playing to the cameras just as his press advisors had told him to.

"This motion achieves that, the first of I hope many steps to a closer union between the worlds of this Protectorate. This motion starts to build a truly united Protectorate, that does not cling onto old rivalries, pushing for a brighter tomorrow, one in which all of us, and the trillions of people we represent, can work, live, and serve as one people. I open this debate, the first of many in this bold new future, and I commend this motion to the house."

A smattering of applause greeted him from the Imperial faction as he sat back down, and waited for others to enter the fray.

OOC - This is a motion, approved by the admins for debate. Tagging @gatekeeper should they wish to jump in. Senators will have 48 hours to post, much like in PvP. The @storyteller will then post to move to round two of the debate, at the end of each post in this round votes must be made and tallied, by me I assume! No stupid shennigans, or dear gatekeeper will turf you out please.

Press posts about this thread are welcome, as the thread is being 'recorded' by news agencies. As a note, I have used an NPC 'the deputy speaker' for my opening post, so that the 'Speaker' is left for the admins to use.

 

Integration & Cooperation between Sectors​

Senator Roselle Lely didn't have any set stance on the open borders policy which her colleague was proposing. Paying little attention to his first few lines of fluff after having been given the motion, she read through the proposed text a number of times instead. Sitting at the back of her pod with her three aides at the sides, she looked up at the current speaker "That one didn't come unprepared." she whispered, leaning forth towards the one aide to the left. "And even better, I haven't had the chance to let this lot bore me too much yet" she continued and produced a wrinkled smirk before leaning back at her seat.

Allowing her eyes to linger on the current speaker for a moment, the old Senator let out a content sigh before returning to studying the motion. Despite it being a relatively short and concise text, it included several wide and imprecise goals and points of recognition which could have a considerable impact on in which direction the Protectorate would go. It was an ambitious proposal and considering the conservative forces in play, a bold one. Once Senator Hask Starr finished his short speech, the elder clapped along lazily.

Roselle had finally reached the conclusion that Balmorra had more to gain from the open internal market which was being proposed than to loose from it. Deciding that she better speak her mind, she slowly rose to her feet. Being a lawyer and not a politician nor a historian, the old lady didn't have much of a clue as for whether she was supposed to have her pod float out to the chamber or if it were to stay in place. With that, she simply steered the pod a decimeter away from its original docked position - now, it was floating freely, but still close enough to the dock to blend in well with the other pods.

Standing up at the front, she spoke with a delicate but stable tone "Mr. Speaker, I have my reservations about this motion. The first point is too liberal on sectorial autonomy and I question if the free movement of people is truly a necessity for stability." Her words, enhanced by the microphone and speakers, boomed through the large chamber. Senator Lely almost had herself convinced that it would be for the best to vote No for this particular proposal but knew that the function of the motion was more akin to that of a guideline. It was a regulatory framework, not a sharp law - the parts which she didn't like could be opposed at a later date. "But, Mr. Speaker, the people of Balmorra see the need for trade without friction and a ordered removal of trade barriers. We see the anti-discrimination clause as inherently good and the spirit of Senator Hask Starr's proposal to be sound. Therefore, we will vote Yes, to the motion introduced by the Senator from Anaxes." After watching the other senators from her standing position at the front of the pod for a few moments, Roselle returned to her seat at the back of the pod. Short after, one of the aides brought the pod back to its docked position.

OOC: I referred to the Speaker since I feel like anyone currently holding the role in the current session should be referred to as such. Can edit if asked to.

@Norbaal Fanth

 

Truthfully, Mida didn't see any downsides to this motion. After all, it only committed its members to an intention and not actual enforceable law. Considering that his adopted homeworld was wealthy based on trade and the exports of its famous brandy, he knew that it could only benefit when Imperial-aligned worlds treated Commenor-based aliens the same as Coreworld humans when it came to trading in their sectors. Realistically, with this bill a planet who wasn't inclined to open its borders would make a minor inconsequential change to law and broadcast it as a great show of intent, while at the same time retaining its autonomy to bar whoever they wished.

It was, like the Senator Hask-Starr had correctly stated in his speech, only the first symbolic step towards the eradication of Xenophobia and the tyranny of the Core.

Once the Senator from Balmorra was finished speaking, Mida claimed the floor by pressing the button on his microphone. "Commenor applauds the intent of the senator from Anaxes-" he nodded towards Senator Hask-Starr in the distance, "-and hopes that the entire protectorate joins him in taking a stance against unfair prejudice. Let us show that change born from armed conflict will always be inferior to change born from honest intent." He paused to spare the audience of trillions a monotone monologue before giving his vote on the matter, "Commenor thus votes in favor of the motion."

Having said his part and made his vote, Mida released the button on his microphone and sat back down. Usually these things took hours to complete and to avoid dozing off during a live-feed he grabbed his datapad and began taking notes.

 

Studying Senator Starr's notion as the other senators starting with Lely. The humanoid honestly liked what he is reading. It has a lot of potential. As it will give planets that are seen as inferior due to whatever prejudice that was passed onto them a chance to enjoy fair trade.

Now it is the Senator from Commenor speaking. Muith started to gather his words. However it was not long before it is his turn to speak and cast his vote.

Stepping up to the microphone the Senator Muith looked across to Starr. Nodding to both him and the speaker as he began, "The people of Neimoidia applauds the honest motion of Senator Starr. It will allow those who have not had the privilege of experiencing good and fair trade." Muith paused to let the words sink. Feeling that is enough talking for one day, "Therefore Neimoidia votes in favor of the motion."

Having said what he felt needed to be said as well as cast his vote. Muith took a seat. Picking up his datapad the reptilian will start taking notes as well as studying the motion some more.

@Nor'baal

 

It was Mara's first time taking part in a Senate motion—as was the case for most of the other Senators here—and she was, unsurprisingly, not nervous. It was rare that she was apprehensive about something; she just felt a vague smugness at the thought of her deadbeat dad seeing her representing their planet—and she had gotten there without his help.

Stifling a grin, she looked down at her datapad to read the current motion being proposed—something about integration among sectors. She was surprised to find it reasonable, especially considering it had been submitted by an Imperial Senator. It spelled great change for the independent sectors—really, that's who the motion was most beneficial toward—so she already knew what she'd vote before voting even began. Though Zeltron had remained, for the most part, isolated from the rest of the Galaxy, serving as a sort of vacation world for rich sentients, their introduction to the Protectorate was the first of many motions to get out there and take charge of their own destiny.

Balmorra were the only ones who had any issues, but even those were not glaring enough to necessitate a nay. The only problems Mara had were with the vagueness of the motion, but she did have to recognize that it was just that: a motion. Leaning forward, she pressed the button to activate her microphone as silence fell over the chamber.

"Zeltron votes aye on the commendable motion pushed by the Senator from Anaxes—bearing in mind that it is highly likely further efforts will need to be made to ensure the vagueness of this proposition is not taken advantage of." Having said her piece, she shut off the microphone and leaned back in her seat, taking a sip of energy drink from the fancy cup they'd given her. Mara had never found that speaking formally fit her very well, but she knew that it was necessary in a setting like this, especially so early into the term. She just couldn't wait for the actual debates though. Those would be fun.

 

Gideon was somewhat taken a-back at the positive reception he had recieved for the motion, and more shocked at the ease with which it was being voted through. He waited until invited, and then rose to his feet to make his closing statement:

"Mr. Deputy Speaker. I want to start by thanking the House for showing a willingness to embrace the spirit of cooperation that I hope to see spread across the Protectorate. It is people such as those gathered, and those who have so overwhelmingly expressed their support for this motion today, who show the Galaxy, and the people within it, that the path of peace and democracy is one worth striving toward. I of course, vote aye on this motion, and thank the House, and move the motion."

He sat down, the strike of the Deputy Speakers staff hitting the floor sounding him out as the incumbents roaring voice broke across the room.

"Order! Ordeeeeer! Motion number one has now been read a second time. The motion is being moved to vote. Those in favour, aye!"

A loud chorus of 'Aye!' echoed around the room.

"To the contrary, no!"

The room was silent.

"I think the Ayes have it, the Ayes have it! The motion carries!"

The Deputy Speaker struck the floor once more with his staff, ending the session, as his podium decended into the ground below.

OOC - Motion closed with permission from @Nefieslab. Thread will remain open for reactions as warranted.