[SENATE] Citizens' Protection Bill

[OYID]

The Socialist Party supports the general principle behind this bill, as the Socialist Defense Policy contemplates, and indeed promotes, the arming of the populace and the increasing of the defensive capabilities of MS American civil society. We do, however, have some concerns regarding precisely the increasingly dire organized crime situation cited by the Senator from Wyoming, which could be exacerbated by rushing to loosen gun control laws.
Now, how do we conciliate a desire to arm the populace with a real commitment to keeping firearms away from the hands of criminals? The Socialist Party has pondered over this question and has reached the conclusion that the best way to go about it is to arm the populace, yes, but precisely in a manner befitting the already-mentioned "well-regulated militia". In other words: the MS American peoples have a decisive role to play in the fight against foreign aggression and organized crime, but this has to be organized. the Socialist Party thus proposes the creation of a system of local Citizen Self-Defense Militias to be self-governed but organized and funded through the Department of Defense. Better yet, the Militias would have a very certain set of guidelines and be provided weapons and training by our already-established professional armed forces. The Citizen Self-Defense Militias will thus be prepared to face and repel aggression from enemies both overt and secretive.

The Amended bill would be known as the Citizens' Protection Act and look thus:

• A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
• Establishing a system of Citizen Self-Protection Militias, to be set up at the local and State level at the discretion of the pertinent authorities, but operating under the basic principles of Legality, Self-Governance and Patriotism, as well as the Constitutional principles enshrined in the Second Amendment.
• Proposing an organic division first by State and then allowing for State legislatures to distribute the received resources in as many local and/or statewide subdivisions as they see fit.
• Charging the Department of Defense to organize, finance and facilitate the functioning of the Citizen Self-Protection Militias.
• Tasking the MS Army and the National Guard with the training and arming of the Citizen Self-Protection Militias, to be coordinated with the pertinent local and State authorities and operating under the basic principles of Proportionality, Preparedness and Regulation, with all arms and equipment deals subject to approval by the Department of Defense.
• Setting up a task force of officers, academics, and security experts to draw up a General Guidelines and Regulations for the Citizen Self-Protection Militias nationwide, allowing for each individual militia having leeway to add more rules, but not take any away. Said document will be ratified by Congress and have to be done and approved before the Citizen Self-Protection Militias begin operation.
• Allotting a budget of 2 credits as a one-time expenditure to set up the program nationwide, with a quarterly spending of one credit to keep it running. [This part is subject to revision during budgetary discussions]

As a final, and obvious note, this proposed bill is only part of the general direction of the Socialist Defense Policy, which includes other measures such as the creation of a nationwide civilian bunker and bomb shelter network, a mandatory military service, and so forth, all part of the basic Socialist policy of building the People's Patriotic Defense.

[Flamelord]

Senator Donovan, while your input on this Bill is welcome, I'm afraid that what you are proposing passes beyond a simple amendment of this bill before us and more towards an entirely different one, as it also deviates significantly from the issues that this proposed legislation is intending to address. As a result of the great changes that this amendment would attempt to effect, far beyond what the original proposal was, and in all fairness to Senator Rice, I am going to split this amendment off into it's own separate piece of legislation, and assign it to the Senate Committee on the Armed Services for review and debating.

[Gesar]

2 Progressive Liberals vote IN FAVOR of the Citizens' Protection Bill

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Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it

[Snacks]

2 Progressive Hard Left votes IN FAVOR

[Huojin]

1 Socialist-Worker votes IN FAVOR.

[OYID]

3 Socialist Votes IN FAVOR.

[Zar]

This is insanity. First of all, states already have organized miltias. This is called the National Guard. Second of all, the actions detailed by this law are illegal.

According to the Insurrection Act:

(1) The President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in Federal service, to--

(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the United States, the President determines that--

(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of maintaining public order; and

(ii) such violence results in a condition described in paragraph (2); or

(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if such insurrection, violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition described in paragraph (2).

(2) A condition described in this paragraph is a condition that--

(A) so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that State or possession, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or

(B) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.

This bill gives the Department of Defense, which is controlled by the President, control of law enforcement during unextrordinary circumstances, violating this bill. Let us also consider the Posse Comitatus Act, which states:

From and after the passage of this act it shall not be lawful to employ any part of the Army of the United States, as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, for the purpose of executing the laws, except in such cases and under such circumstances as such employment of said force may be expressly authorized by the Constitution or by act of Congress ; and no money appropriated by this act shall be used to pay any of the expenses incurred in the employment of any troops in violation of this section and any person willfully violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding two years or by both such fine and imprisonment

This act states that, unless directly asked by the Constitution of Congress, any military personnel cannot execute any laws on domestic soil. This law effectively bypasses Congress and gives this authority to the DoD.

Finally, this bill over steps federal jurisidiction over criminal conduct.

The Progressive and Socialist mafia has now clearly shown its true intentions in turning the MSA into a fascist police state. I demand that this bill be struck down immediately and the American people vote these fascist leaders out of office.

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[Drew]

Senator Rice is correct in regards to the letter of the law, though her rhetoric may be somewhat incendiary. The concept of increasing civilian preparedness is obviously welcome, but the bill as it exists is contrary to well established legislative precedent. The Federal Government cannot raise an armed body to operate in a domestic setting under the purview the department of defense. Perhaps the formation of a volunteer civilian corps, one that would in times of conflict support our military with more rear echelon tasks such as the evacuation of populated areas or the maintenance of signal networks, would be more appropriate than a militia that would participate in combat. Such an organization could also serve in a peacetime role engaging in disaster relief and rescue, and has the added benefit of not being against the law.

[Flamelord]

Ironic though it may be, I find myself leery of this bill as it is presented. It may just be that the wording is problematic, but as it stands, it seems to be promoting the creation of self defense militias, which will work in conjunction with but ultimately outside of the military chain of command. And if we were to enter into a situation where these militias would be needed to fend off enemies of the Mountain States that might be engaged in a hostile incursion, then we would want them to work with military authorities in a coordinated strategy.

I don't know, but this, as it stands, could be a bit more...formal, is what I'm trying to say. It seems to imply a separation from the government, when such an organization should naturally be with the government.

[Snacks]

Having consulted with my fellow party members, I believe I can see where some of the issues with this bill arise. I believe the intention of this bill is made in good faith, despite the fears of Senator Freeman, but obviously the language is a bit too passionately rhetorical to be of sufficient help to the MSAmerican people. Therefore I propose the following amendment, which I think cleaves more closely to what I was lead to believe was this bill's original intention: to prepare the general citizenry to respond to disaster rather than become a victim of it.

Establishing a system of Citizen Corps, to be set up at the state and local level at the discretion of the respective elected authorities, operating under the basic principles of encouraging legal and responsible self-defense and emergency preparedness, as well as the Constitutional principles enshrined in the Second Amendment to provide training of Mountain States citizens in self-defense and disaster preparedness as well as the organization of volunteer disaster relief units.
• Proposing an organic division first by State and then allowing for State legislatures to distribute the received resources in as many local and/or statewide subdivisions as they see fit.
• Charging the National Guard to organize, finance and facilitate the functioning of the Citizen Corps.
• Tasking the State National Guards with the training and equipping of the Citizen Corps, to be coordinated with the pertinent local and State authorities with all equipment deals subject to approval by the elected governments of the individual states and their state National Guard.
• Setting up a task force of officers, academics, and security experts to draw up a General Guidelines and Regulations for the Citizen Corps nationwide, allowing for each state-level administration and individual local chapter having leeway to add more rules, but not take any away. Said document will be ratified by Congress and have to be done and approved before the Citizen Corps begin operation.
• Allotting a budget of 2 credits as a one-time expenditure to set up the program nationwide, with a quarterly spending of one credit to keep it running. [This part is subject to revision during budgetary discussions]

I believe with this clarifying of language we find a solution that is effective, responsible, and unambiguously legal: providing an environment in which safety-minded citizens can learn to protect themselves from everyday violence responsibly and effectively, and provide for an organization that can help pave the way for National Guard response in times of disaster.

[OYID]

Thank you, Senator Rice. Now read the bill again and point out to me the part where it says anything about law enforcement.
I'll be waiting.

In the meantime the Socialists support the Progressive amendment. To address Senator Marquez's concerns: we believe the Militias, or "Corps" as the amendment would have it, should be autonomous (that is, its citizens should have the say in the daily run of things) but still accountable to the State which sustains them and following a very certain set of rules. At this point, the amendment does away with such language, but we hope to be able to introduce it again in the future, and possibly take the fight to the state level.

3 Socialist Votes IN FAVOR of the proposed ammendment.

[Gesar]

Senator Hanlon, of course, has the right of it. The new amendment does an admirable job of clarifying things for the literal-minded.

2 Progressive Liberal votes IN FAVOR of the proposed ammendment.

[Snacks]

2 Progressive Hard Left votes, of course, IN FAVOR of the amendment.