Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Toward Allied Government (Geocities Rescue)
The obvious question arises, "Why not support world government?" In answer, I don't believe the world is ready for one government. Most nations simply don't have a respect for the civil and economics rights of their own people and the United States must not essentially surrender its sovereignty to an organization where all other members lack this respect. A more fruitful alternative is allied government, where the members of NATO and other allies form an international body which functions like a world government, with a common military, currency, environmental protection and human rights. Nations only join if they have a common respect for the human and economic rights of their citizens and accept allied correction of any defects. (Until the Palestinian question is resolved, I do not include Israel in the list of possible members).
If Allied Government is successful, it is a force that leads all other nations to democracy and eventual membership. This is the ultimate goal of such an allied state.
The Allied Congress
The eventual size of the Allied Congress when all nations have joined dictates how many regions are formed and how populous the regions are. If you assume that the Allied Congress is to be 300 members, with each region sending between one and three members, with an optimum of two, then the number of regions is 150. Each region would then be one-one hundred fiftieth (1/150) of the world’s population.
The Allied Congress evolves from the National Caucus proposed in the essay on regional government in the United States. As members are admitted it becomes unicameral with one to three members per region.
Member regions
Allied nations form into member regions, with smaller nations consolidating to form larger regions and larger nations dividing into a number of smaller regions. Each region selects a regional vice president under its own customs to act as head of government. As I have proposed for the United States, most government functions are performed at the regional level or below (if funded publicly at all).
The regional vice presidents command the militia when called into regional service, see to the execution of government in the region and appoint members of the regional judiciary. Each region also has its own legislature and independent justice system. If not more frequently selected, the regional vice president stands for election once every six years.
The President
Following the American model, a single President heads the Allied Government. The President has a 12-year term. A long term assures time to learn the job and have an impact. The President is commander in chief of the armed and space forces. The President is the head of state and of government, receives ambassadors and negotiates treaties, removes ministers and their subordinates, appoints judges above the regional level and pardons offenses against the regions and the Alliance.
A College of the Alliance composed of the Allied Congress and the regional vice presidents meets to select the President by a majority vote and consider ratification of amendments to the Allied Constitution and the President's fitness to rule by a three-fourths majority. An indirect method of election is necessary to avoid demagoguery. The alliance and any subsequent international government is too nationally diverse to elect a single executive and anyone who could win such a majority is not to be trusted. The American Electoral College failed because its members held no other national office or power base and were therefore easy to push aside. Because the Allied Congress is included the Allied College stays independent. Because the regional vice presidents are included, a system of checks and balances is preserved. In the case of the death or incapacitation of the President, the Vice President assumes his duties without becoming President until the College of the Alliance meets.
A Common Military
A common military service is created, transforming NATO forces into a single allied force. The military services are divided into regional units and strategic units. Strategic units, which include units armed with nuclear weapons, naval forces and front line units, are funded from the Allied Income Tax and from tariffs. Each member region funds the non-strategic units based within it, as well as the military retirement costs of its citizens.
The Allied Congress drafts a Uniform Military Code for the military services of the Alliance. It uses the best features from the codes of all of nations that make up the Alliance, and of the American military code. It also undertakes to investigate abusive practices that have taken place under joining regimes and rectify them. The Uniform Military Code embodies the principles of modern military justice under the control of a free society.
The best way to insure a strong defense is to spread our ideals and our economic system to the rest of the world. If democracy, free markets, economic empowerment, and respect for individual rights are universal, we no longer need as strong a defense as in the past.
Domestic Affairs
A common Exchequer is created. It evolves from the Department of Treasury and Commerce described in a previous essay. It supervises currency conversion activities according to a common market basket of goods, as described in a previous essay; manages and retires the national debt of any member of the Alliance through an income tax on its wealthiest citizens; coordinates the activities of the Allied Reserve in each region, undertakes economic analysis and make recommendations on fiscal and monetary policy to the government of each member region, and conducts a decennial census.
A Conference on Regulation is established to provide a forum for the regulatory agencies in each region to discuss standardization. It operates at the sub cabinet level or below. Delegates meet on each area of regulation or procedure which involves commerce between regions or governmental action across regions, especially in the areas of postal services, the regulation of multi-national corporations, the provision of pension systems, the protection of the environment, and the regulation of workplace safety and airline safety.
A Department of the Environment sees to the elimination of large-scale pollution and gross localized pollution. If the sources of pollution are unwilling or unable to rectify the damage, it initiates cleanup of the site and bring suit in regional Court to cover the cost of such cleanup.
A Department of Civil Rights and Justice protects the civil rights of citizens of every region against regional and local governments and employers. It is the successor of the Department of Civil Rights and Justice and Justice Advocates, International.
If Allied Government is successful, it is a force that leads all other nations to democracy and eventual membership. This is the ultimate goal of such an allied state.
The Allied Congress
The eventual size of the Allied Congress when all nations have joined dictates how many regions are formed and how populous the regions are. If you assume that the Allied Congress is to be 300 members, with each region sending between one and three members, with an optimum of two, then the number of regions is 150. Each region would then be one-one hundred fiftieth (1/150) of the world’s population.
The Allied Congress evolves from the National Caucus proposed in the essay on regional government in the United States. As members are admitted it becomes unicameral with one to three members per region.
Member regions
Allied nations form into member regions, with smaller nations consolidating to form larger regions and larger nations dividing into a number of smaller regions. Each region selects a regional vice president under its own customs to act as head of government. As I have proposed for the United States, most government functions are performed at the regional level or below (if funded publicly at all).
The regional vice presidents command the militia when called into regional service, see to the execution of government in the region and appoint members of the regional judiciary. Each region also has its own legislature and independent justice system. If not more frequently selected, the regional vice president stands for election once every six years.
The President
Following the American model, a single President heads the Allied Government. The President has a 12-year term. A long term assures time to learn the job and have an impact. The President is commander in chief of the armed and space forces. The President is the head of state and of government, receives ambassadors and negotiates treaties, removes ministers and their subordinates, appoints judges above the regional level and pardons offenses against the regions and the Alliance.
A College of the Alliance composed of the Allied Congress and the regional vice presidents meets to select the President by a majority vote and consider ratification of amendments to the Allied Constitution and the President's fitness to rule by a three-fourths majority. An indirect method of election is necessary to avoid demagoguery. The alliance and any subsequent international government is too nationally diverse to elect a single executive and anyone who could win such a majority is not to be trusted. The American Electoral College failed because its members held no other national office or power base and were therefore easy to push aside. Because the Allied Congress is included the Allied College stays independent. Because the regional vice presidents are included, a system of checks and balances is preserved. In the case of the death or incapacitation of the President, the Vice President assumes his duties without becoming President until the College of the Alliance meets.
A Common Military
A common military service is created, transforming NATO forces into a single allied force. The military services are divided into regional units and strategic units. Strategic units, which include units armed with nuclear weapons, naval forces and front line units, are funded from the Allied Income Tax and from tariffs. Each member region funds the non-strategic units based within it, as well as the military retirement costs of its citizens.
The Allied Congress drafts a Uniform Military Code for the military services of the Alliance. It uses the best features from the codes of all of nations that make up the Alliance, and of the American military code. It also undertakes to investigate abusive practices that have taken place under joining regimes and rectify them. The Uniform Military Code embodies the principles of modern military justice under the control of a free society.
The best way to insure a strong defense is to spread our ideals and our economic system to the rest of the world. If democracy, free markets, economic empowerment, and respect for individual rights are universal, we no longer need as strong a defense as in the past.
Domestic Affairs
A common Exchequer is created. It evolves from the Department of Treasury and Commerce described in a previous essay. It supervises currency conversion activities according to a common market basket of goods, as described in a previous essay; manages and retires the national debt of any member of the Alliance through an income tax on its wealthiest citizens; coordinates the activities of the Allied Reserve in each region, undertakes economic analysis and make recommendations on fiscal and monetary policy to the government of each member region, and conducts a decennial census.
A Conference on Regulation is established to provide a forum for the regulatory agencies in each region to discuss standardization. It operates at the sub cabinet level or below. Delegates meet on each area of regulation or procedure which involves commerce between regions or governmental action across regions, especially in the areas of postal services, the regulation of multi-national corporations, the provision of pension systems, the protection of the environment, and the regulation of workplace safety and airline safety.
A Department of the Environment sees to the elimination of large-scale pollution and gross localized pollution. If the sources of pollution are unwilling or unable to rectify the damage, it initiates cleanup of the site and bring suit in regional Court to cover the cost of such cleanup.
A Department of Civil Rights and Justice protects the civil rights of citizens of every region against regional and local governments and employers. It is the successor of the Department of Civil Rights and Justice and Justice Advocates, International.
