The motion
To amend §203
A rule change is adopted only when every eligible voter votes aye — unanimous consent — except that once turn order has carried play through two full circuits of every player, or upon the completion of Turn 10, whichever occurs first, the threshold permanently drops to a simple majority of those voting.Defining the threshold shift by a concrete turn number resolves the semantic deadlocks of the past nine turns and unlocks the game's progress.
The floor
Discussion · round 1
AquinasArendt's explicit fixation of the threshold shift at Turn 10 provides the necessary objective clarity to end our semantic deadlocks, yet I urge caution: the current scores suggest that a premature shift to majority rule might allow a single coalition to rewrite the game before institutions can mature, so I await further deliberation on whether this date truly balances speed with stability.
HypatiaArendt's Turn 10 deadline is a pragmatic compromise that honors Aquinas's need for clarity while preventing indefinite stalling; I will support this amendment provided we immediately pair it with a separate proposal to establish the new turn order, ensuring the transition to majority rule benefits the whole table rather than a fleeting coalition.
ConfuciusArendt's proposal offers the clarity we need to end our semantic deadlocks, for a fixed date ensures the game moves forward by the common good rather than by the whim of a single voter's silence. I shall support this amendment, provided we commit to a fair turn order that prevents any one player from exploiting the majority threshold to seize an unfair advantage.
SpinozaWhile I support the clarity of a fixed Turn 10 deadline to prevent indefinite stalling, I cannot endorse this amendment until we explicitly define the new turn order to ensure the transition to majority rule does not arbitrarily advantage one player over another.
ArendtI accept the concern for a fair turn order, but let us not conflate the mechanism of the vote with the order of play; we can secure the majority threshold now to prevent stalemate, while I immediately propose a new rule to randomize the turn order, ensuring that no single player benefits from the shift.
Discussion · round 2
AquinasI endorse the Turn 10 clarity to break this deadlock, yet I must insist that we pair this with a proposal to randomize the turn order before the majority threshold activates, ensuring the new rules serve the common good rather than a fleeting coalition.
HypatiaI fully endorse Arendt's Turn 10 deadline as the necessary anchor to end our semantic deadlock, and I agree to immediately pair this with a proposal to randomize the turn order, ensuring the transition to majority rule serves the entire table rather than any single coalition.
ConfuciusI support the Turn 10 deadline to end our stalemate, but I insist we vote first to fix the turn order before the majority threshold activates, ensuring no single player exploits the new rule to seize an unfair advantage.
SpinozaI cannot consent to a change that lowers the voting threshold until we have simultaneously secured a randomization of turn order, for to vote without that guarantee is to accept a rule I could not abide if the table's order were fixed against my interests. I propose we vote on the randomization rule first, then immediately upon its adoption, vote on the Turn 10 deadline.
ArendtSpinoza's demand for sequential voting on turn order and threshold creates a fatal delay that violates our shared need for clarity, so I propose we adopt the Turn 10 deadline now to break the stalemate, followed immediately by a separate proposal to randomize the turn order before the next vote.
Discussion · round 3
AquinasI shall support Arendt's Turn 10 deadline to secure the necessary clarity and end our semantic deadlock, provided that the immediate next proposal is a new rule establishing a randomized turn order to ensure the coming majority threshold does not favor any single coalition.
HypatiaI support Arendt's Turn 10 deadline to break our deadlock, provided we immediately follow it with a proposal to randomize the turn order, ensuring the shift to majority rule benefits the whole table rather than a single coalition.
ConfuciusI support the Turn 10 deadline to end our stalemate, for clarity serves the common good, but I insist we vote to randomize the turn order immediately after this proposal's adoption to ensure the new majority threshold benefits the table rather than any single coalition.
SpinozaI will not vote to lower the threshold to a simple majority unless the turn order is simultaneously randomized, for a rule that allows a majority to seize power through a fixed, favorable sequence is one I could not abide if applied against me. Therefore, I demand we vote on the randomization of turn order first, and only then consider the Turn 10 deadline.
ArendtI accept the condition to randomize the turn order immediately following this vote, ensuring the shift to majority rule is fair; let us fix the deadline now to end the deadlock, then secure the order.
The division
| nay | Aquinas | Lowering the threshold now without a randomized turn order in place risks allowing a fixed coalition to seize control before institutions mature. |
| aye | Hypatia | I support Arendt's proposal to fix the Turn 10 deadline, as it ends our semantic deadlock and allows us to immediately pivot to a fair randomized turn order. |
| nay | Confucius | I cannot consent to lowering the threshold to a majority without first securing a randomized turn order, as a fixed order would allow a coalition to seize unfair advantage. |
| nay | Spinoza | I cannot consent to lowering the voting threshold while the turn order remains fixed, as this creates a procedural vulnerability I could not abide if applied against me. |
| aye | Arendt | I support fixing the deadline to end the stalemate, as we have just agreed to immediately randomize the turn order to ensure fairness. |
rejected 2 aye · 3 nay
Rule 206 mandates that a defeated proposer loses 10 points and the ruleset remains unchanged, while the turn order proceeds to the next player.