The Federal Post | Face the Region #1 | Snalland

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZooYu4U.png[/img][/center][hr][center][font=futura][size=150][b]Week One[/b] | Featuring Speaker of the House, Snallland[/size][/font][/center][hr]
[box][font=georgia][size=125][I]In the first edition of Face the Region, Federal Post founder Actias sits down for a candid conversation about the state of our parliament, the coming term in the House of Commons, and the future of Thaecia with long-time M.P. and freshly selected Speaker of the House - Snalland. This interview is a part of a series and its presented in full.[/I][/size][/font][/box]

[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]Snall, welcome to Face the Region. You're the fresh Speaker of the House, with broad support in that chamber - how do you plan to differentiate your speakership from those of the past?[/b][/I][/size]

[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]I intend on putting things up for debate that will actually inspire discussion. I’ve done 10 or 11 terms I don’t remember at the moment, but in all of those terms there’s not been a fully active house. I want to create a house full of activity and discussion, and the best way I see to do that is to put up bills with some controversy. Of course we’ll do regular business too, but I want to interweave some actual discussion into the chamber. I said some of the bills I want to in my election campaign, but for those who didn’t read that, some highlights include mandatory recruitment and unicameralism. Even if those bills are doomed to fail, which I think they are, they will at least inspire discussion.‏‏‎[/color][/size]

[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]You said that the house [url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=rmb/postid=50670652]"can and should be aggressive"[/url] with the legislative schedule - what do you mean by that? Does an aggressive legislative schedule help foster the debate and activity you wish to see in the house or does it hinder the time members can engage?[/b]
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[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]I said that we should be aggressive with the bills that garner little to no discussion. If we have waited sufficient time for discussion, which will be a judgement call by myself. I do recognize that my judgement isn’t perfect. I think trying to force debate on bills that are minor fixes or insignificant changes is more detrimental than the possible benefits.[/color][/size]

[size=125][color=#101d47]I do recognize that there may be cases in which possible discussion may be delayed due to extenuating circumstances, in which case, assuming I am properly informed, there will be extensions granted. If it does become an overwhelming demand, I will slow down, return to the monotony of previous terms, and give excessive time for discussion.‏‏‎[/color][/size]

[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]There have been concerns in some corners of the region that we are fast approaching a legislative cliff - in the sense that there are so many things the region can do, and we've done them. Do you see us approaching such a situation? Are there solutions to address or prevent this?[/b]
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[floatright][box][img]https://i.imgur.com/GfxThZb.png[/img]
[I]House Intern [nation]Celca[/nation] cleaning in preparation
for the new House term.[/I][/box][/floatright]
[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]I think that in the long term, we’ve always known this would happen. There are some workarounds, I think it may come time where we pass bad bills intentionally in order to amend them or repeal them just to give the legislature something to do. Of course, my preferred solution is to end the elected legislature and replace it with a citizen’s legislature or otherwise known as direct democracy. If we do neither of the above, then we will eventually run out of things to do, honestly we’d probably run out of things to do even if we did either or both of the above.[/color][/size]

[size=125][color=#101d47]I do not think we will run out of things to do this term though.
We may be able to skirt along for a while, actually. I think if we really try we can pull out another solid year.[/color][/size]

[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]How do we continue to encourage immigration and interest in running for parliament when we see long-termed elected officials predicting when the region will run out of legislative initiatives to pursue?
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[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]We need to shift our focus from the legislature to the community aspects of the region. I think our current executive has made good steps towards that shift. It might be difficult for long time members to get accustomed to the lessened influence and pull of the legislature, but I think it’ll be necessary for the long term health of Thaecia.
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[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]So - its safe to say then - you envision a different Thaecia in coming years?[/b][/I][/size]

[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]It’s difficult to say how different it’ll really be. I think we’ll have an elected legislature for a while longer, we might keep it for as long as I stay here (which I plan to be for a long while). I do think it’ll be downsized though, and I find myself more and more incapable of finding non-ideological reasons why it should stay the same size. The executive will largely be the same, structurally and culturally. So actually, I think it’ll largely look the same. If a small shift from a legislature focused region towards a community focused region is a big change, then sure, it’ll be different.
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[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]Does Thaecia have a distinct culture? Or do we fall generically in contemporary regional cultures?
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[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]I wouldn’t know, I’m only involved in Thaecia.
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[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]That is fair, so rather, what stands out about Thaecian culture to you?
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[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]I think it’s good to point at the executive here and say that we generally only see long time members, or the old guard, be at the head and in the most important ministerial positions. Those being FAM, and HAM, in my opinion. In the legislature there’s this idea that the house is the inferior chamber of congress and the Senate is the superior chamber. I don’t mind this belief personally. I think the thing that stands out the most is our commitment to fun. I think we try very hard to make sure that as many people can have fun here as possible. I like that.
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[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]What is your ultimate ambition in this region? What moment will you feel fulfilled in your Thaecian career?
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[size=125][b][nation]Snalland[/nation][/b] | [color=#101d47]Achieving direct democracy would be great. I think being elected PM as a direct democrat would also be great. I have no real interest in being PM any time soon, although if there is only a single candidate I will run as I have in the past when there was only one candidate. Although that was only once, back when Andy ran for president.‏‏‎[/color][/size]

[size=125][color=#101d47]Basically, I’ll be content once I no longer have any policy proposals that haven’t been achieved.
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[size=125][b][nation]Actias[/nation][/b] | [i][b]Thank you for this insightful interview, it’s been a pleasure
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