While I respect the idealistic rhetoric of some candidates from the English District, there are a number of steps we must accomplish before Asgardia may exist as we dream it may. Using my experience, legal and practical, I hope to resolve some of the earliest, and most pressing, concerns ...
While I respect the idealistic rhetoric of some candidates from the English District, there are a number of steps we must accomplish before Asgardia may exist as we dream it may. Using my experience, legal and practical, I hope to resolve some of the earliest, and most pressing, concerns that are facing Asgardia TODAY so that the future of a truly space faring nation can be realized TOMORROW. To such an end, we must first operate as a legitimate state. I want to lend my expertise to three main issues:
1. A functioning judiciary system.
To be operational as a State, we should establish a collection of norms and a procedure for their enforcement. One major obstacle, unique to Asgardia, is that our populace simultaneously exists under one body of law in an Earthbound nation and under the law we determine for the spacecyber territory of Asgardia. This could threaten one cohesive body of law for our nation as each member is familiar with their own legal traditions and may not easily conform to others' assumptions.
I have studied comparative law and have written on issues arising between the conflicting legal schemes of Earthbound nations. Such experience, and the willingness to cooperate with others, will help us draft and improve laws and procedures for our judiciary.
2. A functioning and equitable Constitution.
While I assent to, and applaud, many of the provisions in our current Constitution, the Parliament should be ready to amend this founding document to make it more accessible and realistic for our short term goals. Procedurally, the Constitution is unclear on the supremacy of one legal instrument over another. This complicates how different branches can contribute to the formation of our nation without providing a resolution. Additionally, the age restrictions on State officers (40 and 50 y/o) are functionally arbitrary and ignorant of our current demography; most digitally literate citizens will be beneath these ages. In the U.S., a leading State in internet access, 20% of people over 50 do not even have access to the internet. Moreover, those that remain, consistently under-perform in computer literacy against adults around age 30.
I would enable MORE of our members to contribute to the governance of Asgardia by pushing for lower age limits on officers. Moreover, by reviewing the Constitution early in our life as a nation, we can resolve supremacy issues and logistics of our human services that can be realistic for our short term goals and long term existence.
3. Self sufficient government.
An issue that compromised Sealand, another experimental State building project, was the inability of the State to materially continue after the founding members had stopped tending to it. Operation Atlantis was abandoned after their first failed voyage because the founding members lacked the funds and will to continue. The Republic of Rose Island became a method for tax evasion just years after its independence and was destroyed by its neighboring State.
My efforts in government would be centered on establishing election and administrative procedures which would enable meaningful participation for generations of Asgardians. Simultaneously, our governance should be appropriate for the many thousands of current Asgardians, but should also be adequate in case the popularity of our project dwindles in the near future. Having a realistic view of our population, as well as being aware of other failed state building projects, would help us grow Asgardian governance to a size appropriate for the population it supports without opening itself up to the same failures of others.
Though I set out to mend these issues above, I am willing to work with our citizens on any task necessary to establish a respectable Asgardia. Through the cyber nature of this project, cooperation will be the easiest it ever could be. Using the Asgardia website, forums, and other social medias, this government has the possibility to hear all citizens' concerns and to facilitate international discourse.
I believe in the potential of Asgardia. But to realize this potential, we must first lay the foundation necessary to support our highest aspirations. Else, we risk crumbling under our own weight and the skepticism of Earthbound nations.