*The Duc de Menorca contemplated suggesting locally elected judges, but instead chose to order the construction of a mutualized steel mill in Granada and a state-operated shipyard in Valencia*
Speaker Act
I. A new position shall be created called the "Speaker of the Audience".
II. The Speaker of the Audience shall have the power to control the course of debate in the Audience and shall have the duty to ensure that proceedings in the Audience are orderly.
III. The Speaker of the Audience shall be appointed by the majority party/coalition in the Audience.
a. If one cannot be found in a reasonable amount of time, the party/coalition with the largest plurality may select the Speaker of the Audience.
b. If the party with the largest plurality cannot fulfill this task, his Royal Majesty shall appoint the Speaker.
c. The King may also override the Audience's decision on who shall be the Speaker
Income Representation Equality Act
I. The current system of weighting votes of property owners over those of just wealth shall be abolished.
II. A new system that allows those of property and those of wealth to have equal votes for the Audience shall be established.
Motion to Restrict the Franchise from Undue and Unfitting PersonsI. Noting that many of those who presently vote in the elections of the Kingdom of Spain are wholly unqualified to vote, either through lax enforcement of the laws, or a more liberal interpretation of such, and further noting the radical and wholly disloyal elements common within such sections, the franchise shall be made rigorous. In key point, the franchise shall be bestowed upon people with the proper qualifications, notably of an investment in the land of the Kingdom, and to certain other deserving individuals.
(Landed Voting)
Regarding the former proposal, I am utterly indifferent to it, though I believe this body cannot be made the arbiter of such an appointment, and thus I suggest the follow modification to hte third article:
I. The Speaker of the Audience shall be appointed by His Catholic Majesty the King, then to the First Secretary, and then to the Second Secretary, in descending order of precedence; that is, the Second Secretary is of least importance, and His Majesty of highest importance, whose decision - naturally - outranks all others.
I believe the second section of the unrevised article smacks of limitations upon the King's power, and thus should be stricken and instead revised along the lines suggested above.
I believe that the latter of these proposed motions is utterly unnecessary and, indeed, opposed to the very notions that the agreements of 1873 were built upon; were I bolder man, I would perhaps propose a motion very much opposed to it.
Shortly thereafter a Royalist, likely at the assistance of the First Secretary, brings forth a motion:
The Audience exists for the sole purpose of aiding His Majesty, and thus should be administered by Him and His Government; even you yourself conceded as much in your own proposal. Furthermore, it is simply not your place to determine what is and isn't a power of His Majesty; I would ask that you refrain from using further such inflammatory language.
If I must explain the obvious truth, I shall; that the power to select the Speaker of this body would lie, principally, outside of the powers of His Majesty, as you would design (and indeed, as you believe such powers are already alien to His Majesty), that in and of itself is an attempt at limiting his influence. His Majesty could, of course, choose to defer to the Audience on such matters, but to impose such a ruling before Him is simply outlandish. That only in certain cases would He be empowered to shape the course of a body designed to assist in His governance of the realm is utter madness, as He, being our sovereign, should have the right to intervene in our affairs at any moment of His pleasure or displeasure.
I would also question whether His Majesty truly trusts this body on matters of import; I certainly have my doubts about certain members.
~ Pontevedra
The Etxeto Clique is noticeably silent on the proposed bill by Bontevedra, indicating it's disapproval.
The good member would do well to recognise the fact that I did not propose the motion. He would also do well in refraining from insulting other members of this body, in particular those members who may also be sitting in His Majesty's Government.
*A member of the Etxeto Clique leans over to his boss*
Should we say something about the other two bills though?
I do not have to defend the bill; I do, however, have an obligation to both defend myself and more importantly the Crown. And I for one not see the inherent threat to the Crown in the motion proposed by the good member, unlike that other, which would radically expand the franchise to a host of unsavoury and unqualified persons.
I would also find it wise to make mention of the fact that insulting the government is itself a dubious act, and one that should be condemned wholeheartedly. Unless of course, the good member here has no desire to maintain the "dignity" of this body, or preserve the "dignity" of his party.
However, if I must defend the motion brought forth, here it is, quite succinctly. The middle classes have, in my estimation - a qualified estimation, I might, considering my many years in government dealing with internal affairs and the like - been a veritable hotbed of disloyalty to the Crown, as my good colleague pointed out. Even upon lowering taxes drastically upon them, and supporting the various factories and businesses that employ them - as well as founding a great deal more - they have maintained an utter contempt since the days of the Restoration. Why then, would it behoove us to reward a group that can broadly and accurately be defined as disloyal, when such attempts to placate and appease have failed so utterly? Indeed, to expand the franchise would merely serve as a means by which they can embolden themselves and force upon the Crown more unreasonable demands, demands that I cannot begin to fathom in the depths of their treasonous roots. The proposal by the good member, opposed to the first motion, is one that would, at least in the eyes of some, properly rectify the situation, and properly reward loyalty to the Crown.
~ Pontevedra
I believe now it is your side that is not responding to me points. If you have nothing to say but empty platitudes, then please don't suffocate the room with your inanities.
~ Pontevedra