Response to an Emerging Dangerous and Immoral Practice

A sketch of likely events, from invention to planetary ban, on Nonesuch

Background: Nonesuch is governed by the a seven-person Fools' Council and a Congress. The Congress is chosen by lot, each to serve a six-year term, and the Council is elected from among the Congress at the end of the six years time.

1. Kidnappings are on the rise, especially from day care centers, and rumors of slave trade and gangs of kids working as thieves are on the rise.
2. Complaints lodged with the police. 20 such complaints within a two-week time-frame gets the matter automatically forwarded to the local city alderman.
3. Alderman, as well as private citizens, contact members of the Congress, to raise issue awareness. Any member that has been contacted by 1,000 individuals, or 100 aldermen, must raise the issue in Congress during the current session.
4. News media covers all stories that involve new issues being introduced by Congress. Public outrage over the incidents and testimonials rise, and advocacy groups form. Issue ads are taken out, depicting children being lured off into dark alleys by charming-but-menacing-looking individuals, and sleeping babies being snatched from their cribs. Websites and bloggers start relating testimonials and horror stories. Links to the advocacy groups allow payments to "help save our children!"
5. Advocacy groups lobby members of the Congress to pass a resolution. Members of Congress generally take a 1,000 aster donation to vote in favor of an issue that they have not already declared a stance on. Alternatively, a petition with 10,000 signatures is enough to warrant a vote in favor.
6. Once 10 members of Congress have raised the issue in session, a subcommittee of 5 is formed and tasked with investigating the issue. They must report back in thirty tick's time, or ask for an extension to probe deeper.
7. The subcommittee delivers their report to the Congress, and proposes a course of action. Said course of action must be supported by at least three of the five subcommittee members. Failure to get three votes means a recommendation of no action.
8. If the subcommittee recommends passing a law (in this case, making the drug itself illegal; adding stricter reporting standards to companies that make precursors of the drug; and implementing background checks and tighter security on day care centers), the Congress must allow a week of public comment. Public comment takes place in the Congress hall, and is basically a free-for-all, with individuals and groups being assigned performing spaces to do with as they wish. Members of Congress roam around talking to people. Some groups hand out flyers, others make fiery speeches with megaphones; others perform stylized versions of crimes in modern dance and movement; others offer bribes.
9. At the end of the week of public comment, the Congress holds a voting session. Amendments and alternate propsosals may be offered if they have the support of at least 20 members of Congress.
10. At the end of the session, a vote on all the proposals is offered, using preferential balloting. The highest ranked proposal, if it has at least 51 votes in favor after redistribution, is passed up to the Fool's Council.
11. The Fool's Council must come to exactly 6/7 agreement on whether to turn the proposal into law. The one person left out is the law's Fool, and it is their job to be the Voice of the Opposition for the law, taking all the flak (including public ridicule in any relevant press releases/news stories) if it goes well, or getting good press and gloating if the law goes badly.

6 successes on Planetary Politics.