The
Constitution
of the
United Federation
of Watersheds
e, on September 17, 2087, representatives of all Watershed Management Units on planet Earth, met online and ratified the Constitution of the United Federation of Watersheds of Earth modeled on an early version, with Articles 6 through 15 added, as we were working under a time constraint.
The short of it:
The Federation exists to set global policy to manage & protect the planetary commons and define limits during transition to a viable form of civilization. Member Watersheds accept Federation policy and limits while non-members reject both and Federation assistance/benefits. Membership is voluntary and secession from the Union is aloud. Watersheds support a shared mobile military force, a militia, collaboratively able to protect any member from conquest by any non-member (or rouge former member) empire builder as the history of humanity, pre-Federation, had been a history of empire building, of pulsing unto collapse. Non-members may continue to repeat the Business-As-Usual pattern and those choosing to continue repeating it may continue to become ever fewer.
The Constitution defines a democratic meritocracy consisting of Congressional, Judicial, and Executive branches. The Executive branch, like the English Monarchy by the twentieth century, is depreciated to a largely ceremonial function, though to deal with emergency issues, Executive Function powers are retained as are veto powers.
The Judiciary enforce the rule of law, i.e. natural law, and serve to correct congressional policy errors and cognitive dysfunction through a close reading of natural law coupled with critical thinking and exercise of foresight intelligence. Members of the supreme Court are appointed by the Federation Academy of Evidence and Reason, whose members are voted in by consensus of scientists and evidence-based scholars whose mandate is to serve posterity and the biosphere (not short-term self interests).
The Congressional branch consists of Watershed Biota Representatives, one from each Watershed, who represent the interests of the environment upon which the community of plants and animals, including humans, depend within a designated watershed area with human services focused on Nature Restorancy. The Senate serves to manage Interwatershed eco-nomic relations, especially transportation and trade, children/vulnerable adult policies, travel policies, and mutual aid issues.
We the Organisms
We (the Representatives of) the Organisms of Biosphere Earth, in Order to form a more Sustainable Life Support System, establish Long-term Prosperity, insure Diversity, provide for the Planetary Commons, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Long-term Blessings of Maximum Empower to Life, ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United Federation of Watersheds of Earth.
Article I
(Article 1 - Legislative)
Section 1
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United Federation of Watersheds, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Watershed Representatives.
1: Senators and Representatives of each Watershed Management Unit (e.g. 20,756 senators and 20,756 representatives) shall each form groups of twelve other senators/representatives in a region (e.g. 1,728 groups of 12), the number of each equal to the number of Watershed Management Units (human ecology units).
2: Each Group (e.g. one of 1,728 groups in each branch of Congress) of Twelve shall recognize one member at any given time to represent the group who will stand down if six or more of the eleven withdraw support at any time.
3: The senators/representatives of twelve watershed management units (e.g. the 1,728) shall form groups of twelve (e.g. 144 groups of Senators and Representatives each representing 144 watershed management units within a bioregion).
4: The 144 groups (aka the 144) will form groups of twelve each to have a representative at any given time.
5: The 12 groups (aka the 12) will have one representative on the High Counsel for the purpose of making Executive Function decisions of an ad hoc emergency nature and otherwise provide ceremonial services.
6: At any given hour, one member of the High Counsel will be able to make Executive Function decisions in times of an extreme emergency prior to the other eleven being able to consider the situation.
7: Each Group level shall tender a vote of Executive Function Confidence at any time and select a new Executive Officer to represent them as needed.
8: Males shall not be barred from serving in Congress despite their limitations.
9: Each Member of Congress shall be accorded no other compensations than provided by the Citizens of the Watershed they represent.
Section 2
1: The House of Watershed Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year from among the People of the Watersheds most qualified to serve based on their assessed merit and history of system service.
2: Representatives shall serve the interests of the Watershed Biota, and the Watershed Representative shall not serve more than two Terms.
3: No Person shall be a Biota Representative who has not attained to the Age of twenty-five for a male and twenty Years for a female, and been seven Years a Citizen of the Watershed she represents.
4: Biota Representatives, though selected from among humans, are bound to uphold natural laws that transcend all human laws.
5: When vacancies occur in the Representation from any Watershed, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
6: The House of Watershed Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section 3
1: The Senate of the United Federation of Watersheds shall be composed of one Senator from each Watershed, chosen from among the Watershed citizen thereof to serve the Interwatershed Human Interests thereof for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote; and each Senator may serve one Term.
2: Senate elections shall be staggered such that one third of Watersheds select a new Senator when Representatives are selected; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any Watershed, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Watershed Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
3: No Person shall be a Senator who has not attained to the Age of twenty five Years for a female and thirty Years for a male, and been a nine Year resident of the their Watershed.
4: The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore from among the High Counsel, or when she shall exercise the Office of President of the United Federation of Watersheds.
5: The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When a High Counsel of the United Federation of Watersheds is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
6: Judgment in Cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United Federation of Watersheds: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
Section 4
1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Selections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each Watershed by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of choosing Senators.
2: Congress shall rarely assemble in one place. Members shall vote from home, host public committee meetings Online and share legislative drafts in an Open Forum.
Section 5
1: Each House shall be the Judge of the Selections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members with Judicial Oversight, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.
2: Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings by vote of a majority of the whole number of its members, provided that such Rules shall take effect three years following their enactment.
3: Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and daily publish the same on the Info-ether, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.
4: Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be convened.
Section 6
1: The Senators and Representatives shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
2: No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which she was selected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United Federation of Watersheds, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United Federation of Watersheds, shall be a Member of either House during her Continuance in Office.
Section 7
1: All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
2: Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the acting President of the High Counsel of the United Federation of Watersheds; If she approve she shall sign it, but if not she shall return it, with her Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the High Counsel within ten Days (Fridays excepted) after it shall have been presented to her, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if she had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
3: Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the High Counsel of the United Federation of Watersheds; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by her, or being disapproved by her, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section 8
1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United Federation of Watersheds; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United Federation of Watersheds and will apply only to Watersheds and not the Citizens thereof;
2: To borrow emDollars on the credit of the United Federation of Watersheds for emergency Watershed aid use;
3: To regulate Commerce between Watersheds, and pay for Nature's services through Nature Restorancy programs;
4: To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United Federation of Watersheds;
5: To coin Pons, regulate the Amount per capita thereof, and regulate the Standard of SI Weights and Measures;
6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United Federation of Watersheds;
7: To establish the Info-ether and Internet thereof;
8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by Open Sourcing the fruits thereof;
9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Ways and high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Watersheds;
11: To protect by military force any member Watershed from external attack;
12: To raise and support a defensive mobile Army, one Unit per Watershed, for defense, enforcement of Federation Policy, and to provide overland commerce;
13: To provide and maintain a shared Navy for defense and Interwatershed sailing barge commerce;
14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, and repel Invasions;
16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United Federation of Watersheds, reserving to the Watersheds respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District as may, by Cession of particular Watersheds, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United Federation of Watersheds, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the Watershed in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And
18: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United Federation of Watersheds, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section 9
1: The Migration of such Persons as any of the Watersheds now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress.
2: The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
3: No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
4: No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.
5: No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one Watershed over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one Watershed, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
6: No emDollars shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all Watershed emDollars shall be published from time to time.
7: No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United Federation of Watersheds: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign Watershed.
Section 10
1: No Watershed shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin emDollars; emit Bills of Credit; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
2: No Watershed shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any Watershed on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United Federation of Watersheds; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.
3: No Watershed shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another Watershed, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
Article II
(Article 2 - Executive)
Section 1
1: The executive Power shall be vested in the High Counsel of the United Federation of Watersheds of America who shall hold Office per vote of Confidence by the 144 (number determined by number of Watershed Management Units).
2: Before a High Counsel member shall enter on the Execution of her Office, she shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—“I do solemnly affirm that I will faithfully execute the Office of Counsel of the United Federation of Watersheds, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Environment of Watershed Members including Posterity, Earth's Life-support System for all Organisms, and the Constitution of the United Federation of Watersheds.”
Section 2
1: An acting President of the High Counsel shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United Federation of Watersheds, and of the Militia of the several Watersheds, when called into the actual Service of the United Federation of Watersheds; she may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and she shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United Federation of Watersheds, except in Cases of Impeachment.
2: An acting President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Section 3
She shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the Watersheds of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as she shall judge necessary and expedient; she may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, she may adjourn them to such Time as she shall think proper; she shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; she shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United Federation of Watersheds.
Section 4
The acting President and all civil Officers of the United Federation of Watersheds, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, serving Special Interests, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Article III
(Article 3 - Judicial)
Section 1
The judicial Power of the United Federation of Watersheds for Natural Law, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Federation Academy of Evidence and Reason may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation of Enough, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section 2
1: The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Natural Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United Federation of Watersheds, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;—to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to which the United Federation of Watersheds shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more Watersheds;—between a Watershed and Citizens of another Watershed; —between Citizens of different Watersheds, —between Citizens of the same Watershed claiming Lands under Grants of different Watersheds, and between a Watershed, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign Watersheds, Citizens or Subjects.
2: In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a Watershed shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Natural Law and Likely Fact.
3: The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by a well trained volunteer Jury of Merit; and such Trial shall be held in the Watershed where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any Watershed, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section 3
1: Treason against the United Federation of Watersheds, shall consist only in levying War against a Watershed member, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
2: The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
Article IV
(Article 4 - Watersheds' Relations)
Section 1
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each Watershed to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other Watershed. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.
Section 2
1: The Citizens of each Watershed shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several Watersheds.
2: A Person charged in any Watershed with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, may remain within any Watershed who knowingly provides sanctuary.
Section 3
1: New Watersheds may be admitted by the Congress into this Union provided a majority of its members vote to; but no new Watershed shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other Watershed; nor any Watershed be formed by the Junction of two or more Watersheds, or Parts of Watersheds.
2: The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United Federation of Watersheds; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United Federation of Watersheds, or of any particular Watershed.
Section 4
The United Federation of Watersheds shall guarantee to every Watershed the right of self-organization, and shall protect each of them against Invasion.
Article V
(Article 5 - Mode of Amendment)
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several Watersheds, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several Watersheds, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no Watershed, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
Article VI
(Article 6 - Democratic Meritocracy)
The Vote of each citizen of the United Federation of Watersheds to establish local governance shall be prorated for merit. Relevant understanding and cognitive function as mutually agreed upon, that relates to an issue being voted on shall be assessed by independent means applied equitably. Merit shall be assessed on a scale of 0 to 100. The vote of those rated 100 will count 100%. Those rated under 70 will be discounted, and those in between prorated from 1% to 99%.
Section 1
The vote of Senators, Representatives, supreme Court members, and all lesser bodies shall also be prorated.
Section 2
In matters of taste or opinion merely (non-evidence based), all votes will count equally, but in matters of truth (evidence) or policy, shall be prorated.
Article VII
(Article 7) - Watershed Boundaries
Watershed size shall be limited to distance an average fit human can travel by human-powered wheel from a Border to the Central Region in one day of travel, approximately 100 km or 3.141593 million hectares or less. Variants shall be allowed for small islands and for low population areas, limited by extreme dryness or cold, which may be too large to travel across in a few days, e.g. Australian Outback. High population areas, centered about high energy sources, will have no size limit apart from usage limit of 20 percent.
Section 1
Large geographical watersheds (e.g. Amazon, Mississippi) shall be subsheded. Each side of a river may be treated as a shoreline, so each side may be considered separate Watersheds.
Section 2
Along lake or ocean shorelines, Watershed boundary may extend 2 km into the aquatic area as a buffer area of limited usage specified by the House of Biota Representatives. Areas beyond Watershed boundaries are under Federation monitoring and protection within which only travel is a permitted use without permit.
Article VIII
(Article 8 - Human Footprint)
The Citizens of each Watershed may claim up to 20 percent of it for their use, their industry, their plant and animal mutualists to treasure or destroy as they see fit.
Section 1
The reduction of the human footprint to 20 percent is a transition point from rapid to gradual degrowth. Once a 20 percent limit is achieved, future generations will question whether one species should claim so much, and decide to slowly contract further to perhaps 2 percent as the millennia pass.
Section 2
Given that over half of Earth's species live in soil, no more than 20 percent of a watershed's arable land can be claimed, e.g. in a desert watershed with a river flowing in or through it, 20 percent of riparian land could be claimed.
Section 3
Usage does not include air or water to take or pollute as only land area can be claimed. Water flowing through a claimed area, above or below ground, may not be taken or altered measurably.
Section 4
Once the 20 percent area is claimed, boundaries may not be changed without Federation approval. The remaining 80 percent is for Nature and will be under Federation protection "in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired" by human use including recreation.
Section 5
Claims upon shoreline, of ocean, sea, lake, estuary, or river, limited to 20 percent extending at most 2 km from the shore towards midline or middle of a waterbody to leave room for Nature.
Article IX
(Article 9 - Watershed Buffer Area)
Any portion of a Watershed used for Human Habitation shall have a 5 km buffer area between it and Nature's Portion. All roads shall include a 2 km buffer area on each side. Railroads, used only for material transport, shall include a 10 meter buffer on each side and trains shall not travel faster than wildlife or domestic animals can get out of their way except in time of War. Per the management practices of each Watershed, buffer areas may be used or not used for human recreational use, for domestic animal grazing, for hunting of such wildlife as may enter the buffer area, for fishing, and for dryland farming. The buffer area is included within the claimed 20 percent.
Article X
(Article 10 - Child Protection)
The Federation shall view the Children within a member Watershed as Federation Citizens unable to protect themselves from abuse. Citizenship begins with the severing of a newborn's umbilical cord, which allows infanticide. If Watershed members treat Children in a manor the Senate with supreme Court oversight judges by two-thirds majority to be abusive, then Watershed members will comply with Senate directives or secede from the Union, severing all connections and benefits. Protection is extended to adult Citizens who are medically/mentally judged to be vulnerable.
Section 1
Children may not consent to self-harm, including but not limited to:
1: Genital mutilation, including male circumcision.
2: Skin mutilation, including tattoos and piercings.
3: Non-medical psychoactive recreational drug use, including alcohol and tobacco use.
Section 2
Children may not be deprived of base-line medical care or Bliss-based education access.
1: Schools, if any, must operate during hours of normal adult working within Watershed.
2: Schools must provide student access to autodidact learning resources via Info-ether where possible and time to access information resources.
3: Schools must provide access to physical learning materials such as instrumentation, tools, workshop areas, lab areas, which may involve field trips.
4: Teachers, who may be retired elders, must be present to assist learning and teach skills.
5: In Watersheds supporting nomadic bands, medical and educational services shall be provided by the centrally located Federation Embassy.
Section 3
Learning opportunities are to include all life skills necessary to function within a Watershed, including but not limited to;
1: Food production, processing, and preservation;
2: Crafts;
3: Maker skills;
4: Art working;
5: Dance and Music making;
6: Sports;
Section 4
Children shall not be told what to think, how to live, nor be subjected to such firmly held beliefs such as adults may still be subsumed by. Victims of belief abuse must be provided belief therapy to restore free inquiry. Perpetrators must agree to belief counseling or to attend self-help group counseling secessions.
Section 5
Children shall not be raised in urban environments. They may visit cities and urbanized areas with long-term populations exceeding 50 Humans during the transition to a demonstrably viable form of Civilization, but to leave room for Nature, Children must be raised in communities of less than 50 residents that live within Nature as Environment, and not within a humanscape, to avoid the behavioral sink thereof. As Adults they may live in urbanized areas and become urbanized, to live as if Nature is an externality, but such may not reproduce therein.
Article XI
(Article 11 - Constitutional Rewrite Option)
Following the 2500 year transitional renormalization period, each generation shall consider the option of rewriting this Constitution at 20 year intervals in part or in whole by voting to hold a Constitutional Convention and if deemed desirable by two-thirds majority of Congress to so convene and rewrite.
Section 1
To allow for variation and testing on less than a global scale, ecolates may rewrite and adopt admendments or alterations that apply only to one ecolate provided representatives of other ecolates agree.
Section 2
Sublates, bioregions, ecoregions, and watershed management units may propose policies that apply only to their region, with Federation oversight for testing purposes.
Article XII
(Article 12 - The Right to Associate and Fail)
Each Watershed shall be managed as a Federation of Communities of village size (15-50 population) not exceeding 50 in number that are self-organized and self-directed within established norms and limits of their Watershed. Self-governance is to be maximized. Individuals may live near but otherwise not in a village.
Section 1
Urban areas that may exist within a Watershed shall consist of neighborhoods of village size, shared resources, and self-organization, thus making for a City of Communities clustered about work and service areas.
Section 2
As entire Watersheds have the right to fail secondary to mismanagement and poor choices, the freedom of self-determination for Communities entails the possibility of failure. Watersheds will serve their Communities as the Federation serves Watersheds. Each Watershed may write their own Constitution and make its own laws providing they are consilient with Federation Policy. Each Village may similarly write their own Constitution that does not contravene the Federation Constitution.
Article XIII
(Article 13 - Declaration of Eternal Hostility against every form of tyranny over the Mind of hu-mans)
All forms of ideology, superstition, belief-based certainty, non-fideist faith-based assertions, and pseudo-certitudes are to be forever separated from Federation policy making (aka the Separation of Fake and State).
Section 1
All candidates for public office are to run as Independents standing on their own merit without allegiance to any special interest, faction, or party. Party politics, like religious sects, are separate from Governance, and non-virulent strains are to be tolerated yet marginalized as science and scholarship once was.
Section 2
To achieve eternal hostility all shall be encouraged, especially children, to embrace eternal doubt and inquiry; to subject all claims to the flames of an all consuming doubt, and see what is left. Know that we humans know nothing, apart from the Tautologies of Mathematics and Logic, with certainty. Humility must therefore be embraced as must the eternal endeavor to think well.
Article XIV
(Article 14 - Bill of Personal Rights and Responsibilities)
Section 1
Personal Rights (archaic historical term, used herein for 'allowed by policy' as social construct, there being no intrinsic rights as asserted, i.e. 'rights' has no political or religious, e.g. 'God given', connotation herein)
1: Freedom of Inquiry; of Expression and Freedom from ideology.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or politics, or requiring the exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, of doubt, or of the page; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition their Government for a redress of grievances.
2: Bearing Arms
A well regulated Militia, possibly being necessary to the security of a free Watershed, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed when serving in the militia.
3: Quartering Soldiers
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
4: Search and Seizure
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
5: Rights of Persons
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
6: Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial trained and vetted jury of the Watershed and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.
7: Civil Trials
In Suits at common law the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United Federation of Watersheds, than according to the rules of the common law.
8: Further Guarantees in Criminal Cases
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
9: Unenumerated Rights
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
10: Reserved Powers
The powers not delegated to the United Federation of Watersheds by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the Watersheds, are reserved to the Watersheds respectively.
11: Citizen Rights
No Watershed shall deprive any person of life, liberty, education, baseline medical care, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
12: Voting Rights
The right of Citizens of the United Federation of Watersheds to vote shall not be denied or abridged by Watersheds on account of color, age, sex or gender identity.
13: Emigrant Rights
The right of Citizens to vote with their feet, to emigrate to an accepting Watershed, shall not be abridged; travel across intervening Watersheds may be limited to the time needed by the elderly to walk or be pushed across on designated corridors, but not otherwise restricted.
14: Travel Rights
Travelers having the means may travel the world at a slow walking speed, but to reproduce, travelers must return to their Home or to an accepting Watershed within which they spend half their life such that months/years of travel do not exceed months/years of residency.
15: Migrant Rights
Travelers may support themselves by migrant labor within Watersheds that provide seasonal labor or by earned perpons; but may not be accompanied by children or dependents without an accepting Watershed as destination.
16: Educational Rights
All children and adults will have ready access on a daily basis to Rosetta Bliss and to at least one volume of the 99 volume Encyclopedia Bliss. The right to self-education shall not be restricted. Admission to the Federation Academy will be based on merit only.
Section 2
Responsibilities
1: For the air breathed, a place to stand, and water that falls: to serve public works programs to aid Nature Restorancy; that is — find glory in being an Agent of the Earth.
2: To connect with Nature, to love and understand your Maker, to know you are the Environment: spend permitted time within Nature's eighty percent as a visitor.
3: For a tolerable planet to put a home on, support the evolution of Federation policy by study, work, and voting or volunteering for office.
4: While the spreading of misinformation is a Misdemeanor and the fabrication of disinformation is a Felony crime against Reality, to promote open governance: the sharing/exposure of proprietary information of an economic or political nature, as well as the revelation of Machiavellian machinations/corruption, shall, when proved, be celebrated as a public service.
5: Watershed management units are responsible for feeding their citizens. Failure to feed children, such that there is a greater than five percent increase in child mortality, will result in a watershed being declared a failed state and its children will be viewed as refugees.
Article XV
(Article 15 - Watershed Senescence)
Those within a watershed management unit may live long and prosper within the biophysical and K-cultural limits of place. A society may persist for centuries to millennia, and climax as a mature society for centuries, yet fade from a youthful vibrancy to a well regulated persistence that finally fades away apart from information left behind. A monument containing their information package will be constructed in memorial, and the watershed left to Nature to reclaim. After a passing of enough years (300-500 years), the monument will be the only apparent remains. When there is no more of the human occupiers 20 percent left for Nature to recover, to reclaim, the Federation will have been able the assess whether the human presence had had a significant impact on preventing news species from evolving within the watershed. With this knowledge, the watershed may again be considered for human occupancy. Proposals will be evaluated, and one may be implemented. If the average lifespan of a watershed management unit is two thousand years, then among 24 thousand, 12 may pass away each year. This is needed if humans are to evolve. Those who may be able to persist unchanged as the epochs pass, would not be selected to occupy a vacated watershed. If a scientist were to "cure" individual human aging, they would be put to death if they were to impliment the cure on themselves or others, who would also be made to pass away. Thanophobia and technology are a potentially lethal threat to an evolvable, viable species.
Done in Online Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the Watersheds present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of the Common Era two thousand and Eighty seven for the Union of the United Federation of Watersheds of Earth.