United Republic: Government
The Old Worlds
The Old Worlds possess the largest economies in Inhabited Space. They are considered coequal. Initially the Old Worlds comprise the United Nations of Earth, the Federal-Imperial Republic of Mars, and the Cytherean Commonwealth (Venus), however Arda (formerly Proxima Centauri b) is commonly considered an Old World, which is cemented during the late 22nd Century with the formation of the United Republic of Sol-Centauri. During the 26th Century, Luna, Galilea, Saturnia, and Poseidon are elevated in status as additional Constituent Republics. This has little structural effect, however the political implications become apparent as their independent identities develop.
Solar Federation
The Old Worlds of Cytherea, Earth and Mars together form the Solar Federation following the conclusion of the Third World War on Earth and the wider First Interstellar War. The Federation joins together these three worlds for the purposes of unitary defense, and unified policy, both foreign and domestic. It is, by far, the most powerful single entity in Inhabited Space.
Executive Representatives Council
The Solar Federation is administered by an Executive Representatives Council comprising the Secretary of State of the United Nations, the Chancellor of the Republic of Mars, and the Executor of the Cytherean Commonwealth.
United Republic of Sol-Centauri
The United Republic is officially known in several languages other than English, reflecting its cultural diversity: French as the République-unie de Sol-Centauri, German as the Republik Sol-Centauri, Italian as the Republicca Unita di Sol-Centauri, Spanish as the República Unida de Sol-Centauri, Latin as the Reipublicae Sol-Centauri, and Chinese as the 联合共和国
(Liánhé gònghéguó). Its legislation, policies, and other documents are produced primarily in all of these languages. Despite these official designations, the United Republic has no official language. However, English is dominant, and the primary language in which government documents originate.
The United Republic is commonly known as simply the United Republic or UR, although RSC, while less common, is the official abbreviation. The government is designed around shared principles most strongly represented on Earth and Mars. It has a greatly expanded Social Safety Net, which supersedes the individual planetary programs and in part redistributes wealth among the Constituent Republics.
History
Following the Second Interstellar Wars, the Solar Federation is expanded and reformed into the United Republic of Sol-Centauri. As the second world colonized, with the largest economy and military outside of the Solar Federation, Arda has long been a de facto Old World, but is now officially given de jure coequal status with Earth, Mars, and Cytherea. With the advent of the Interstellar Union, the United Republic gains additional Senators for Earth’s Luna and the Martian Provinces of Galilea, Titan, and Poseidon.
During the Coalition Wars, the United Republic further centralizes. While Martian Imperial Armed Forces remain largely administratively independent, heavily-integrated joint commands are established.
In the mid 2530s, suzerainty movements in the Territory of Luna and the Martian Provinces of Galilea, Saturnia, and Poseidon succeed and they become new full Constituent Republics. The New Lunar Republic is given special status at the heart of the Federal Capital Space. The Republic of Galilea comprises Ganymede, Io, Europa, and Callisto. The Saturnian Commonwealth includes the moons of Titan and Enceladus. The Principality of Poseidon is centered around the Neptunian moon Tritan and the twin dwarf planets of Pluto and Charon. The Farer Imperial Princes retain their titles and influence, as the heads of state of the new Republics, but are essentially powerless. The primary effects are in the bureaucracies of the new Constituent Republics as they localize. Otherwise it is mostly a matter of respect and recognition.
Constituent Republics
The Federal Capital of the United Republic is Shackleton City, Luna. Except for Luna, each Constituent Republic maintains a distinct capital.
United Nations of Earth - McMurdo, Ross Island Special District, Antarctica
New Lunar Republic - Shackleton City
Federal-Imperial Republic of Mars - Olympia City, Olympus Mons, Olympia
Commonwealth of Cytherea - Neu Konigsberg, District of Euler, Europa Nova
Ardan Republic - Freisberg, Freilande
Republic of Galilea - District of Troy, Ganymede
Saturnian Commonwealth - Titan City, Titan
Principality of Poseidon - City of Atlantis, Triton
Society
There are five officially recognized legal residency statuses under the laws of the United Republic:
Visitor - foreign citizen visiting for a short time on a passport
Guest - foreign citizen visiting for an extended time on a visa
Immigrant - a foreign born individual granted conditional residency
Resident - a foreign born individual granted full legal residency
Citizen - a natural born or naturalized individual with full legal rights
Rights include:
Life - food, water, shelter, healthcare
Liberty - autonomy, property, privacy
Justice - independent judiciary, right to representation, juries of peers
Expression - voting, faith, language, activism and protest
Utilities - electricity, communications, sanitation
Arms - Self-Defense Clause
Social Safety Net
Guaranteed Omni-Health Program (GOHealth)
Fundamental Assured Income Regulation (FAIR)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Housing Open and Mandatory Equality (HOME)
Basic Universal Water Ration
Basic Universal Power Ration
Guaranteed Waste Disposal
Citizenship
There are several paths to citizenship:
Immigrants may become residents by applying after five (5) years of residency.
Residents may become citizens by applying after five (5) additional years of residency.
Immigrants who enlist in the Armed Forces ALL receive residency, serve for five (5) years AND may apply for full citizenship after two (2) years of service.
Residents who serve in the Armed Forces ALL serve for at least three (3) years AND may apply for citizenship after completing basic and specialty training, and approved upon reaching an assigned unit.
Fast-Track Programs
Immigrants may also apply for other special fast-track programs:
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM; Academia) - those wishing to study, research, or teach STEM fields at Martian institutions are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after five (5) years of residency AND attendance of a school OR employment as faculty at a Martian institution.
Those studying at Martian institutions under the immigrant fast-track program will receive grants equal to average local cost of living calculated annually.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM; Industry) - those with secure offers of employment by a Martian corporation are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after five (5) years of residency AND cannot be unemployed at any time for a period longer than six (6) months.
Education
Education (Employment) - those with secure offers of employment by an academic institution of any level are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after three (3) years of residency AND cannot be unemployed at any time for a period longer than one (1) year.
Education (Attendance) - those with, or who have children with, secure offers of enrollment at a Martian academic institution of any level may enroll as residents and apply for citizenship after five (5) years of residency.
Arts
Arts (Employment) - those wishing to practice the arts, working for a Martian institution OR corporation are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after seven (7) years of residency.
Arts (Entrepreneurship) - those wishing to found a Martian institution OR corporation for the arts must have a business plan approved by committee AND will receive grants of varying value AND are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after five (5) years of residency.
CHAP
Commerce, Horticulture, Agriculture, and Production (CHAP; Employment) - those with secure offers of employment in a CHAP field are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after five (5) years of residency BUT cannot be unemployed at any time for a period longer than one (1) year.
Commerce, Horticulture, Agriculture, and Production (CHAP; Entrepreneurship) - those with secure business plans in a CHAP field, approved by committee, will receive grants of varying value AND are fast-tracked to apply for citizenship after three (3) years of residency.
Government
Election and Selection
Assembly Members are elected biennially by popular vote.
Chamber Representatives are elected quadrennially by popular vote.
Senators are elected every sexennially, on a rotating basis, by popular vote.
Supreme Court Justices are elected by the Senate and are term-limited. They may be impeached and recalled by a two-thirds majority of all three chambers of the Congress
The President and Chancellor are elected by an anonymous popular vote, with the election certified by the Congress.
The members of the Cabinet are approved by the Senate after Presidential nomination.
The executive and legislative leaders of the Constituent Republics and their individual States are all popularly elected.
Executive
A popularly-elected President of the United Republic serves as head of both state and government with the assistance of a popularly-elected Chancellor, an appointed Consul, the Executive Representatives Council, the Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Security Council, in addition to various advisors.
Executive Representatives Council
The Executive Representatives Council comprises the leader of each Constituent Republic.
Secretary General of the United Nations of Earth
Chancellor of the Republic of the Federal-Imperial Republic of Mars
Chancellor of the Cytherean Commonwealth
President of the Ardan Republic
Secretary General of the Republic of Galilea
President of the Saturnian Commonwealth
Prime Minister of the Principality of Poseidon
Cabinet
The members of the Cabinet, except the Chancellor, are nominated by the President and approved by the Senate.
Chancellor - also called the Senior Vice President
Consul - also called the Junior Vice President
Principal Secretary - functions as Chief of Staff
Secretary of State - chief of diplomatic affairs
Secretary of Defense - in charge of the military
Secretary of Finance - manages the treasury and financial regulations
Attorney General - principal prosecutor
Inspector General - provides centralized internal oversight
Secretary of Homeworlds Security - oversees primary federal law-enforcement and security agencies
Secretary of the Interior - regulates natural resources and reserves
Secretary of Infrastructure - oversees development of various forms of infrastructure
Secretary of Health - heads healthcare regulation and manages state medical facilities
Secretary of Education, Science, and Research - heads educational and research institutions
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Marshal of Martisia
Director of Surface Operations
Director of Aerospace Operations
Director of Fleet Operations
Director of Military Justice
Director of Domestic Security
Security Council
The Security Council is a group of chief officials responsible for national security.
Chancellor
Consul
Secretary of Defense
Secretary of Homeworlds Security
Minister of War (Imperial)
Minister of Security (Imperial)
Director of Surface Operations
Director of Aerospace Operations
Director of Fleet Operations
Director of Military Justice
Director of Domestic Security
Director of the State Integrity Service
Director of the Republic Guards
Chief of the Republic Guards Special Operations Bureau
Marshal of Martisia
Director of Imperial Intelligence
Director of Naval Intelligence (Imperial)
Chief of the Imperial Investigative Service
Director of State Integrity (Imperial)
Director of the Cyber and Information Security Agency
Presidential Succession
The Presidential Succession consists of the Principal Executive Officers and the President Pro Tempore, a Senator elected by the Congress specifically to serve in the succession.
Chancellor
Consul
Secretary of State
Secretary of Defense
Secretary of Homeworlds Security
Attorney General
Chair of the Executive Representatives Council
Vice Chair of the Executive Representatives Council
Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - requires issuance of the Final Decree
Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - requires issuance of the Final Decree
President Pro Tempore
Legislative
The Legislative branch of the Government of the United Republic of Sol-Centauri, called the Congress, consists of an Upper Chamber, commonly called the Senate, a Middle Chamber, known as the Chamber of Representatives or simply Chamber, and a Lower Chamber, called the General Assembly or simply Assembly. The arrangement is modeled on that of the United Nations of Earth.
The Senate’s principal special duties are to confirm executive appointments and hold trials of officials impeached by the Assembly. The Senate’s control over executive appointments makes it extremely powerful and to be a Senator is considered a great prestige. It consists of two Senators from each of the major regions of each world. Every two years one third of the Senate seats are up for reelection.
The Chamber’s special duty is to craft the budget. The Chamber consists of two Representatives from each of the minor regions - typically corresponding to a small country or a state/province - of each world. Every two years half of the Chamber seats are up for reelection.
The Assembly is especially focused on oversight, and its special power is to impeach government officials from any of the three branches. Assembly seats are distributed proportionally by population according to community groups, and do not conform to regional borders. Every two years all of the Assembly seats are up for reelection.
Leadership
In addition to the leaders of each party’s delegation to each chamber, each elects its own chief officer. As a committee those leaders also elect chief officers. Congress elects one Senator as President Pro Tempore, a special position assigned to the Presidential Succession. The President Pro Tempore is typically the senior-most Senator of the ruling party.
Chair of the Congressional Leadership Committee
Vice Chair of the Congressional Leadership Committee
President Pro Tempore
Principal of the Senate
Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives
Secretary General of the General Assembly
Permanent Conference Committees
The Permanent Conference Committees function similarly to the Martian Joint Congressional Inter-house Committees. They consist of the majority and minority leadership from the relevant committee in each chamber and are chaired by the senior Senator from the majority party.
Congressional Committee on Ethics and Professional Conduct
Enforces rules of ethical conduct by members of the Congress.
Executive Oversight Conference Committee
Formally the Conference Committee on Executive Oversight of the United Republic Congress, it has numerous subcommittees providing oversight on almost all aspects of the Executive.
Joint Armed Services Committee
Provides specific oversight on the Armed Forces of the United Republic, including both Departments of Defense and Homeworlds Security.
Judicial Conference Committee
Formally the Conference Committee on the Judiciary of the United Republic Congress, this committee provides oversight on all aspects of the judiciary.
Rules Committee of the Congress
Reviews, revises, and enforces the rules of conduct within joint sessions of the Congress.
Select Conference Committees
Select Conference Committees are temporary committees formed to address specific issues. Typically they are investigatory in nature, but they are also formed to craft particularly important legislation. Examples include:
Congressional Committee on the Independence Coalition
Congressional Committee to Investigate the Devolution Crisis
Judiciary
The Judiciary is independent and largely elected by the communities they are to serve. The exceptions are the Justices of the Supreme Court, who are elected by the Senate.