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The SE4 by Committee Forum
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Join up with your shrapnel names, or tell me who you are in this thread.
I will then add you, as applicable, to the senators, ministers, and officers Groups.
Ministers will get offices, and moderator powers there for taking calls and having meetings.
Officers have a lounge, and Senators are allowed to vote.
(Note: Ministers and Officers are Senators too)

Originally posted by Krsqk:
The one concern I have right now is the level of involvment of the Senate. How much influence do they have in the day-to-day affairs of every planet or transport or exploration ship? Do they really even care if Planet X has enough fighters or System Y has a plague (unless that's where they're from)? I guess the gist of my question is, does the Senate vote on every action, or are some actions only subject to the planet/system/fleet/whatever leaders?

The senate could certainly grant some independence to certain colonies and ministers. They could simply not bring up certain issues to vote on, and ignore them.
If a Minister or Officer wishes to do something against a senate decision, they would be privately warned that it may be considered treason. If the senate fails to notice, no problem, otherwise they may be voted a traitor and forcibly removed from office as a rebel.

One more question. Do I as finance minister have a say in the "invisible" financial matters, like worker or government payrolls? For example, could I get a 25% block to cut the research budget (by scrapping research facilities)? Just wondering exactly how far I can push my boundaries.

[edit-styoopid smileys][/QB]

Well, Construction Minister Skulky would get one of the blocks for build orders. And the other block would probably fall to the local governor of the planet in question.
Science Minister Arkcon might have a word or two for you as well

You could get a majority block on a vote for a budget plan "The empire needs to add six more rads facilities, and 20,000 mineral storage this next year"
If the construction minister then scraps rads miners and mineral storage facilities, him and the planetary governor/system lord in question may be branded traitors.
I suspect you will find you have more direct control over the out-going resources than the incoming. New ship construction would definitely be a finance concern.

That brings up the question of the social structure of the Empire... does the bigger minister get the majority vote, or the local governor?
Can there be a declared state of emergency where the priorities reverse?
Can local governors authorize construction,scrappings and other orders on their own?
If the local governor and the immediate minister agree, does a senate vote have to be taken?