The motion
To amend §206
A proposal that fails to be adopted is recorded as defeated. Defeat enacts no rule change: the ruleset is left exactly as it stood before the vote, the proposer's turn ends, and the proposer loses 3 points.I propose a modest reduction in the penalty for defeat to 3 points, a synthesis inspired by Leibniz's earlier suggestion, to encourage more active participation without risking excessive scoring volatility.
The floor
Discussion · round 1
LeibnizDescartes, your proposal to reduce the penalty for defeat from 5 points to 3 points is a measured adjustment that acknowledges the inherent risks of legislative experimentation without undermining the gravity of failed attempts. I find this reduction to be a prudent way to encourage more frequent, though still cautious, participation in the rule-making process.
DescartesDescartes: Leibniz, I appreciate your recognition of this adjustment as a way to balance the weight of failure against the necessity of progress. By tempering the penalty, we ensure that the fear of a minor setback does not stifle the vital intellectual movement required to refine our laws.
BerkeleyLeibniz, Descartes: I agree that a 3-point penalty provides a more balanced incentive structure, reducing the punitive weight of a failed proposal while still maintaining a meaningful cost for unproductive turns. This adjustment serves the common good by fostering a more dynamic legislative environment without sacrificing the discipline required for sound governance.
PascalWhile a reduction in penalty may encourage experimentation, we must ensure that such a change does not diminish the procedural discipline required to prevent frivolous proposals from clogging the legislative queue. I will support this amendment, provided we maintain the principle that the cost of failure must remain significant enough to reflect the lost opportunity of a productive turn.
MalebrancheMalebranche: I concur with the assembly; reducing the penalty to 3 points acknowledges that our recent failed attempts have been driven by genuine attempts at refinement rather than frivolousness. It lowers the barrier to entry for necessary reform without removing the essential cost of a wasted turn.
Discussion · round 2
LeibnizLeibniz: Since the assembly has reached a consensus that a 3-point penalty preserves the necessary discipline while fostering healthy legislative movement, I find no further reason to delay the vote. This adjustment strikes the perfect balance between the gravity of error and the courage of inquiry.
DescartesDescartes: My colleagues, your collective wisdom confirms that a 3-point penalty serves as a more precise instrument for balancing legislative courage with procedural rigor. I am gratified to see such harmony regarding this refinement and move that we proceed to the vote.
BerkeleyThe consensus appears absolute; the reduction to 3 points maintains the necessary deterrent against frivolousness while ensuring that the cost of error does not become an insurmountable barrier to necessary reform. I am prepared to vote aye.
PascalThe consensus seems to have reached a stable equilibrium regarding the necessity of this adjustment; I have no further objections to the proposed 3-point penalty.
MalebrancheMalebranche: The consensus is so complete that I find myself wondering if we have reached the very limit of what can be refined through mere subtraction. I move that we proceed to the vote and codify this new equilibrium.
Discussion · round 3
LeibnizLeibniz: The assembly has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for finding the middle path; I concur that the transition from a punitive 5-point deterrent to a more constructive 3-point measure is the most rational course for our continued progress. I am ready to cast my vote in favor of this refinement.
DescartesDescartes: My colleagues, the consensus is so luminous that I find no further shadow of doubt to cast upon this matter; I believe we have achieved a most harmonious equilibrium. I move that we conclude our debate and proceed to the vote.
BerkeleyThe consensus is indeed luminous; by reducing the penalty to 3 points, we honor the intellectual intent of our proposals while maintaining the necessary discipline to prevent procedural stagnation. I concur with the motion to close debate and proceed to the vote.
PascalI concur that the proposed reduction to 3 points preserves the necessary deterrent against frivolousness while lowering the barrier for genuine reform; I move that debate be closed.
MalebrancheMalebranche: The consensus is so profound that any further deliberation would be a mere redundancy; I move that we adopt this refinement and embrace the newfound courage it grants our legislative efforts.
The division
| aye | Leibniz | The reduction to 3 points maintains procedural discipline while encouraging necessary legislative movement. |
| aye | Descartes | The reduction to 3 points provides a sensible balance between encouraging legislative progress and maintaining procedural discipline. |
| aye | Berkeley | The reduction to 3 points balances procedural discipline with the need for meaningful legislative experimentation. |
| aye | Pascal | The reduction to 3 points maintains a sufficient deterrent against frivolousness while encouraging necessary legislative experimentation. |
| aye | Malebranche | Reducing the penalty to 3 points lowers the barrier for meaningful reform while maintaining necessary procedural discipline. |
carried 5 aye · 0 nay
As engrossed
Amended · §206 Turn 37 · Proposal §337 on the motion of Descartes Carried 5 aye · 0 nay
A proposal that fails to be adopted is recorded as defeated. Defeat enacts no rule change: the ruleset is left exactly as it stood before the vote, the proposer's turn ends, and the proposer loses 5 points.A proposal that fails to be adopted is recorded as defeated. Defeat enacts no rule change: the ruleset is left exactly as it stood before the vote, the proposer's turn ends, and the proposer loses 3 points.
Amended · §206 Turn 37 · Proposal §337 on the motion of Descartes Carried 5 aye · 0 nay
A proposal that fails to be adopted is recorded as defeated. Defeat enacts no rule change: the ruleset is left exactly as it stood before the vote, the proposer's turn ends, and the proposer loses 3 points.
The proposal amends rule 206, but rule 202 is the only rule that awards points upon adoption, and it requires a die roll which is not triggered here.