#that forced the government to actually honor the treaties they signed

[laelior]

Happy 50th Anniversary of the Boldt Decision, to those who celebrate!

[the-last-kenobi]

*kciks down door* ReQuEsTs?!??! uh, 18. “Is it all right if I hug you?” with Obi-wan and character of your choice (please, this boy needs a hug so bad)

Hugs!!!! What an excellent ask.

Took me forever to pick a character though. I came this close to writing multiple hugs throughout the years but it would’ve been very long...

It’s still long. Whoops.

Note: I skipped the actual sentence and instead went for ✨vibes only✨

(From this various prompts list.)

_

Obi-Wan is twenty-three standard years old, very nearly twenty-four.

It is a delightful stage of life. (It’s awful.)

He’s growing in independence, so close to Knighthood he can almost taste it. (Is he? Nobody seems to have a clear opinion.)

He’s receiving more and more solo assignments, and on his missions with Master Jinn, the older Jedi makes an effort to at least await the Padawan’s input before making a decision, sometimes even deferring to Obi-Wan’s word. (Only in public, though, is there a sense of equality. Behind the scenes, Obi-Wan is still very much the learner.)

He longs to be free. (He doesn’t want to be alone.)

The confusing clash of thoughts and emotions is, in and of itself, a creator of more clashing emotions, all resulting in a bundle of self-doubt that crouches near his heart, like a greedy bird, picking away at his strength and certainty when he most needs it.

Doesn’t your doubt show you that you’re truly not ready? the pestering creature asks.

Doesn’t your longing for freedom prove you don’t deserve it? it says, tapping against the veins of ice and fear that lie right against the heat of his heart.

Doesn’t your need to be reassured tell you that you’re too hesitant, too weak to be alone?

His desire to fly is wrong. His desire to be sheltered, even more so.

Both together, coexisting in his heart and mind, could quite possibly mean the one thing he had been dreading for over a decade now, the thing older Jedi, real Jedi, had put into words and addressed to his face when he was only twelve, only eleven, only ten.

You are too emotional, they said.

You are overeager, they said.

You are not destined to be a Jedi, Qui-Gon had told him. I will not train you.

He had, in the end, and Obi-Wan has been wondering in the depths of his heart for all these years of it had not been a dreadful mistake. As much as the Force sings in his ears Jedi, Jedi, Jedi, endure, Jedi, Jedi, it felt like everything he touched, everything tangible, argues back failure, weak, selfish, foolish, unwanted, not fit.

Obi-Wan is twenty-three, almost twenty-four, and he is years into adulthood and light years away from proving that he’s capable of handling it.

When will he be Knighted?

Nobody seems to be expecting it from him.

Do they know, he wonders, have they known since the beginning that I am doomed to fail? Has this all been a gracious attempt, a thank you for my actions on Bandomeer, and they have drawn this out and out and out as long as they can?

How much longer can this go on?

Still, there are moments when he is at peace, when Obi-Wan is sure. When he meditates, when he accomplishes something new, when he walks away from an assignment feeling unashamed when he translates his memories into a tidy mission report.

When he has one of his long talks with Master Yoda, or Master Windu, who despite their revered status have taken to talking to him more like a friend than a child, outside of the Council chambers.

When he remembers the Force whispering inside, Jedi Jedi Jedi Jedi, endure, Jedi...

And then, on one of the missions assigned to both himself and his Master - still the overwhelming majority of his assignments - he and Qui-Gon are separated during a violent uprising.

There are bodies in the streets and buildings are aflame; children weep over the bodies of their parents and parents cradle the bodies of their children and scream as if the sound is their only companion left in the world. The standing government has a point, the rebellion has a point, the civilians caught in the crossfire don’t say which point they agree with because they’re too busy screaming and perishing, and Qui-Gon is simply gone.

Obi-Wan, faced with the threat of further bloodshed right here and right now even as the air is still clogged with ash and flame and as another body topples from a rooftop in front of his feet, raises his hand in surrender and calmly proposes a truce, offering himself as a legal hostage against the government that brought the Jedi here.

Obi-Wan is led away with his hands bound behind his back and his lightsaber taken away, and though his face is calm, the furrow between is brow speaks of his inner turmoil, which sounds like tapping against the cracks in his heart and Qui-Gon, where is Master Qui-Gon, I don’t know what I’m doing, if I fail more people will die, if I fail it will be my fault, is this taking charge or stepping aside, am I a leader or a victim?

He spends not days, not weeks, but three standard months as a hostage. He spends a terrible amount of time sitting in a cell and pondering his uselessness, the gravity of his foolishness, but every time someone opens the door and escorts him out to hold parley with the leaders of the rebellion and the ministry of the planet, he holds his head high, tempers his fear, and speaks to them with all he has.

Which is honesty. Humility.

You don’t know what to do, he says. Neither do I.

We all know we must do something. No matter how much blood you spill and how much earth you scorch you will eventually come back here to this table to have this same discussion until either both of you are broken beyond belief or one of you has been crushed, and half your planet’s voice stolen away. And you will have sacrificed two of the Republic’s Jedi along the way, a black mark against whichever victor is left standing.

Or, he says, we choose to pass over the violence and talk here and now, and choose this again and again and again. You have already had your fighting. Your people are already hoping for negotiation.

Are you here for their sakes or to kill them for show?

He does not use these exact words.

He sews them into his brief speeches, hammers in the point sharply when he must, weaves the common thread over and over again.

He knows they fight while he is locked away.

But he believes, from the growing respect in the eyes of these people who hold him both by his and against his will, that he is making a difference. He must be.

And Obi-Wan is twenty-three, very very nearly twenty-four, when he finally walks free to witness the signing of a treaty like this planet has never had before, to witness the formation of a new government, and he discovers not ashes and mass graves when he sees daylight for the first time in three months — but instead, a city and a planet marred only by scattered battlefields, and marked more clearly by the way its people have fought to keep it clean, to keep it safe.

Children race through the streets, unafraid, because they have had real shelter during the war. It has not entered their homes since that first terrible day.

Neighbors from opposing sides of this fight and friends who staked no claim in this war mingle freely. Their smiles are a little hesitant, but they are there.

The dead are all honored equally.

It is leaps and bounds, it is a civilization that propelled itself through years of struggle in three months, and Obi-Wan is awed by them.

He knows it cannot be this way everywhere.

He knows that there will be wars where no one wants to surrender, or where one side will be so certain of their point of view that they would rather raise hell than cease, and he knows there will be people who resist them.

But today it is real.

Obi-Wan looks at his pale and clammy hands, the marks around his wrists where he was so often bound, and feels the way his limbs shake from months of too little sunlight, not quite enough food, and more than his share of fear and doubt and self-recrimination.

As he smiles for a camera that will record this moment forever, he glimpses Qui-Gon amongst the crowd.

Someone explains to him, when he asks, that his Master had been injured during the uprising and spent the first three weeks of Obi-Wan’s captivity in convalescence. The remaining time, he has spent on the sidelines, forced there by his Padawan’s actions. With Obi-Wan a willing hostage, playing negotiator and leverage both, Qui-Gon had no role except to mingle with the people, offer them comfort and aid.

Something Obi-Wan knows his Master loved, but — he had still stolen his Master’s role.

He had thrown himself into a stupid, foolish situation, and how many times had Qui-Gon teased him about playing damsel in distress? And here he has gone and surrendered of his own accord. What would Qui-Gon have done if Obi-Wan had led them all to ruin?

Obi-Wan slowly loses his confidence, his relief, his silver tongue, as the press and the people recede, and he and his Master walk to a room that has been prepared for both of them, as honored guests by this new government.

Qui-Gon says nothing to him.

They walk in silence for twelve minutes.

And then, as soon as the door has shut behind them, Obi-Wan finds himself pulled into a fierce embrace, one of his Master’s hands buried in his hair, Qui-Gon’s chin resting atop his head.

Obi-Wan hesitates.

Does his Master think him a child?

Perhaps Qui-Gon senses his thoughts, because the man pulls away briefly, still holding his Padawan by the shoulders, as if unwilling to let him go completely, else he vanish like smoke.

“Padawan,” Qui-Gon says, and his voice is loud and strong and brimming with warmth that washes over Obi-Wan like sunlight, like water, like an embrace. “Well done, my Padawan.”

And then he is pulled again into Qui-Gon’s comforting arms, and Obi-Wan breathes in and gives in, folding against his teacher like a child, and if a few tears stain Qui-Gon’s robes or drop into Obi-Wan’s hair, neither of them speaks of it.

Obi-Wan lets his Master hold him, lets go of fear and pride and doubt, and finds that he is safe.

~

[emilysidhe]

So sometimes I rewrite book summaries to try to more accurately reflect what they’re about rather than what the publishers think will attract the most people likely to enjoy the book even if it mischaracterizes it a little (Red, White, and Royal Blue meets Ancillary Justice is a terrible description!), but I’ve never been happy with my take on Winter’s Orbit, so trying this again:

Count Jainan - hereditary noble of the planet Thea and post-graduate scholar with a PhD in engineering - may not have the charisma and people skills most desired in a diplomat, but he does have an intense and unshakeable sense of duty.  So five years ago, he was honored to represent his planet in an arranged marriage with an Iskaat royal that symbolized Thea’s relationship as a vassal planet to the Iskaat empire.  And now, when the Empire has decreed that Jainan remarry, to a man he’s never met, merely a month after his husband of five years died unexpectedly in a shuttle accident, with only one day’s notice, Jainan not only complies, but agrees with their reasoning.  The Iskaat Empire’s treaty renewal with the larger Galactic Powers that govern its trading wormhole is coming up quickly, and if all the smaller treaties that determine the relationships between the member planets (including the symbolic marriages that bind them) are not in tact when that happens, the consequences for every planet in the Empire will be dire.  It doesn’t matter whether he’ll have anything in common with Prince Kiem, whom the newslogs characterize as charming but irresponsible. Mutual respect should be enough to satisfy the Galactic Auditor that their marriage (and therefore the treaty) is sound, and there’s no reason why that should be beyond them.  (If, when they actually meet, the problem turns out to be that Kiem is devastatingly charming and attractive and also totally unwilling to touch him, well - there are worse traits in a husband.)

But when the Galactic Auditor rejects their suitability on the grounds that Iskaat Imperial Security seems to believe that not only was Jainan’s late husband Taam’s death no accident, but that Jainan himself is involved, they have mere days to uncover the truth and prove to the Auditor that Iskaat and Thea are both ready to sign off on the treaty without complications. And somehow, this stranger he’s married is the only person who seems to wholeheartedly believe in Jainan’s innocence.

~

Prince Kiem, a minor royal trying to rebuild his reputation with charity work after a wild and scandal-filled youth, has a stronger sense of duty than most Imperials would believe.  But not enough that he isn’t horrified on a personal level that his new husband is being forced into this relationship in fresh mourning, and he’s determined to make this easier on Jainan by giving him as much space as he possibly can, no matter how much he’d like to get close to this beautiful man under happier circumstances.  But as the cloud of suspicion hovers over his new spouse, Kiem finds himself the only person who can support Jainan through the dark questions that now surround them.  What really happened to Prince Taam?  Why was Internal Security monitoring Jainan’s calls to his family even before the accident?  Does this have anything to do with the student protests on Thea against membership in the Empire?  The mining operation Taam was overseeing in Thean space?  The mysterious, reality-altering “galactic remnants” that Iskaat is supposed to hand over to the Galactic Powers in return for their worm-hole governance?  And what darkness is in his past that makes Jainan jump at his own shadow?  If he’d known all of these complicated issues would be in his future, maybe Kiem would have thought twice before dropping out of college.

[whetstonefires]

mcu ethics bad

The thing is that, while I was angry at Tony during Age of Ultron, particularly when he rode over Bruce’s compunctions about building a giant combat super-robot and pressured him into the project like a very very bad friend who happened to also be wrong...

...and when he equipped Hulkbuster armor and fought the Hulk in the middle of a city rather than attempting de-escalation or attempting to haul the Hulk out into the giant adjacent desert....

(And my suspension of disbelief snapped like a frayed cable when he brought down a skyscraper that had had no time to be evacuated on a street full of fleeing people and the only reason we were given to believe he hadn’t just cold-bloodedly created massive civilian casualties was that he told his AI to find the impossible magic angle where doing this wouldn’t kill anyone...)

While I was angry with him then, and unspeakably relieved that he recognized his own damage and retired at the end, haha psych, I was revolted by him during Civil War.

It’s supposed to make us sympathize with a character more, spending so much time with them, getting into their heads, being shown their emotional drives and reactions to things, and we spent so much time with Tony during that film, understanding his point of view. And...I did understand him. He’s not complicated. I even sympathized with his emotional state.

But in the context of his actions, throughout the film, I gazed into that understanding the way I did into Kylo Ren’s face in the seconds after he first unmasked. I see you, I know you, everything you are is written here, and the lines of your shame and self-revulsion are so thick upon you, and you should be ashamed but your self-destruction does not expiate or justify one jot of the harm you do.

Because everything Tony did in Civil War came from a place of selfishness. He was selfish all throughout that movie down to his very spine.

And selfishness isn’t itself necessarily bad--you need a little, to get through life, you have the right to your own portion of it. Your boundaries and your needs. But the type of selfishness that is forcing other people pay dearly for your emotional comfort and sense of control: no.

That is tyranny. That is not acceptable.

And you know how I know he was being selfish? Because his motive for pushing the Sokovia Accords was his personal guilt for the destruction of Sokovia.

But the Accords didn’t address that at all! They were tangential to the issue! None of the terms of the Accords would have saved Sokovia--in fact, the existence of them could easily have prevented the evacuation and harm-reduction the Avengers managed there, without saving a single soul.

The Ultron crisis was something Tony did, not as Iron Man but as Tony Stark, with Bruce Banner’s help, and which Wanda as criminal fugitive later helped exacerbate, and which all the other Avengers were involved in only to mitigate harm.

Legislation, or...treaties, idk, the UN isn’t actually empowered to pass laws so who knows what this thing was...aimed at preventing another Sokovia would mandate constant ethical oversight of billionaire science man’s mad science. At the very least! He never has to run things by ethics boards because he’s self-funded, at the very least let’s invent a mechanism to make up for that.

That would address the actual Sokovia issue, both in terms of risks and in terms of Tony’s personal guilt feelings.

But no one suggests that! It’s not even on the table! Because no one, certainly not any government, can tell Tony Stark what to do unless he lets them, that’s been a clear matter of record since Iron Man 2.

And because no one writing this legal instrument of whatever description was actually motivated by wanting to avoid another Sokovia, or even another ‘Wanda tries to neutralize a suicide bomber but merely gives him a different, smaller victim pool’ incident.

They didn’t care! They blatantly didn’t care! The entire thing was a ghoulish use of the dead to gain enough political leverage over the Avengers to put a leash on them!

(Which might not be a bad thing in principle, everything needs its checks, but when the last quasi-governmental organization you worked for turned out to be Nazis who were only prevented from staging a mass slaughter of undesireables by the skin of your teeth, I think you’re well within your rights to be very choosy about who you agree to obey, and to be firmly against pledging your honor to follow people whose first move was dishonest coercive tactics.

Actually you’re well within your rights to demand to negotiate the terms of even a much less sweeping contract, even without the Nazis. The whole approach to this thing stank to high heaven.

The fact that it was written by the UN like a treaty, expected to be signed by private individuals like a contract, and then enforced like a law except not because 1) laws are for everyone 2) if you break a law you get a trial not extrajudicial incarceration and 3) being pressured to consent to a restriction and then punished for refusing consent is hypocritical circular logic and in fact police corruption at its finest, all continues to show it was a bullshit nonsense franken-document.)

The whole movie is people ghoulishly using the dead to manipulate Tony into making bad decisions in response to his emotional pain. That’s. The plot of the film.

Then Zemo staged T’Chaka’s assassination and framed Bucky for it to raise the tension, ramp up the pressure, and prevent any sitting-down and talking reasonably through this, which might have allowed for the recognition of how extremely bullshit the entire concept was.

Tony was being used. Tony was a tool of bad people for most of that movie, and while Zemo banked on using his wrath for it, the politicos were leaning on his guilt.

And there’s honestly little I hold in deeper scorn than going out and hurting other people to assuage your own guilt and treating this as having the moral high ground. No. You don’t have the moral high ground on account of your guilt motivation. You have it if the actions you took were just, or at least could reasonably be assumed to have been so at the time.

And Tony fucking knew they weren’t. He didn’t even last to the end of the movie before recognizing that he’d been manipulated and fucked up, and doubling back.

That he then walked into a different manipulation, turned on a dime, and had to be stopped from doing a murder doesn’t unwrite that.

And it drives me nuts that people will say Tony was acting out of principle while Steve was acting out of personal attachment. Because sure, the Bucky thing was important, was the reason he was walking forward against all opposition instead of standing still to argue, but it wasn’t the reason Steve said no, while...

Tony wasn’t acting out of principle. Tony isn’t...very good at having principles. That’s not even a criticism or condemnation, it’s just how he functions. Since Iron Man he’s been substituting good intentions and emotional investment, which has worked out to varying degrees. It works best for huge, difficult, very straightforward decisions like ‘ride the nuke through the portal and save my hometown.’ It works less well for nuanced situations.

Tony was, as usual, acting out of emotion. And some awful shitheads who’d figured out where his levers were had calculated how to jiggle his emotion switches in the right places to make him do exactly what they wanted.

And you can tell he wasn’t acting out of principle because, for example, someone who was trying to get the superhero community under outside control for the sake of harm mitigation...

...well, firstly wouldn’t have chosen to stage a massive battle? But it’s possible someone in the UN specifically told him to do that, and in theory they at the very least signed off on it, presumably for its PR value of making Captain America look deranged and violent since it’s a deranged decision from every other angle, so yay, he can pass that responsibility up the chain and not have to angst about it, as promised.

But I was going to say would not have approached a minor who (this timeline takes pains to show us) had no prior experience of battle or even, somehow, serious violent crime, to recruit him to go be a government child soldier on another continent, without his guardian’s knowledge or consent. There were overtones of blackmail in Tony’s approach, before it turned out Peter was such a big fan he didn’t need that. What the fuck frankly.

That is not the action of someone who wants to start doing things by the letter, scaling the violence down, keeping within the law and putting the power of decisionmaking in other people’s hands because he’s realized he can’t trust his own.

And frankly even if he did act like that I wouldn’t necessarily support his choices, in particular his snap decision to behave coercively toward other Avengers with vastly less social power and security than he has.

And that’s the other thing! Everything about ‘Tony + Accords BFFs’ rings so hollow because he has never thought rules applied to him, and he knows perfectly well the entire time he’s fighting to force this surrender of agency down other people’s throats that he is going to be practically immune.

This man was technically a terrorist, proabably the most prolific single terrorist in world history until his rogue android exceeded his body count, but he was immune to prosecution because he was in tight with the United States military-industrial complex and basically untouchable due to his status within capitalism, and pursuing their international goals anyway. In the time between Iron Man and Iron Man II he was basically a one-man upgrade of the US drone program, and so good at it that the crest of blood he carved through the Middle East allowed him to announce he had ‘privatized world peace.’

(You are never going to get a world peace worth anything on the basis of a giant flying gun, okay.)

He went to war as a private individual, against non-state actors who were not directly threatening him, which is very much defined as ‘mass murder’ in all domestic and international law, and the US army in response sued him for control of his weapon. And lost! Lost.

No one attempted to press charges. No one. Because Tony Stark is above all that. And he knows it.

And like. I’m willing to accept the mass murder under the heading of ‘superheroing’ within the terms of this setting! Even if, after his vengeance rampage on his specific kidnappers, this violence was kept strictly off-screen for a reason. I did that! I bent that far! Genre convention!

But this history is kind of vitally important to any analysis of what he thought he was doing, and what he actually was doing, when he decided to become the iron gauntlet of the Sokovia Accords.

The currently active member of the Avengers who needed muzzling most was very manifestly Iron Man, and he knew even as he jammed the muzzle on all his comrades to make himself feel better that it would affect him the least, even if he didn’t finally retire for real this time. You don’t force Tony Stark. Not if you want anything out of it but blown up. You persuade him.

And once you have...oh, look at what he can do.

[kuramirocket]

MEXICALI, Mexico — Lucía Laguna carries her fate tattooed on her face — from the corner of her mouth to her chin, black lines surf across her coppery skin — the tribal art honoring her people will also serve an important function later on.

“After my death, it will be guide me to my ancestors. With the tattoo, they will recognize me and can take me where they are," she said, as she talks on the banks of the Colorado River.

But under the merciless sun, Laguna, 51, worries about the fate of the river and its impact on the Cucapá, her Indigenous people. A searing drought is exacerbating the deadly heat in a region that long ago saw its river flow diminished, after almost a century of U.S. engineering projects.

"Cucapá means people from the river, that's why we are fighting for it," she said, pointing to a decrease in the river's flow she is seeing every year. “We cling to the river and fight because it gives us water so that the fish can arrive and we can earn our livelihood. But it is a fight that seems that we will never win," she said, disheartened.

Mexico is experiencing the worst drought in three decades. NASA images from the recently released Landsat 8 satellite showed the extremely low levels of the Villa Victoria dam, one of the capital's main water reservoirs.

According to meteorologists, three quarters of the country suffers from drought; in 16 of the 32 states, it affects their entire territory. Thus, 60 large reservoirs, especially in the north and the center, are below 25 percent of capacity.

"Over the past 70 years, the temperature in Mexico has a clear and conclusive increasing trend. In the last decade, it increased very rapidly and that rise is even higher than the average for the planet," Jorge Zavala Hidalgo, general coordinator of the National Meteorological Service, said.

Rainfall has always fluctuated, he explained, but now the rain is concentrated in fewer days. "And that is bad because we all want it to rain — but nobody wants it to flood, especially the farmers, because that destroys the crops. That is why we are studying everything that is happening."

The increase in temperature especially affects the forests, which go from being a paradise of greenery to time bombs for fire risks. As of May 5, 562 forest fires had been registered, 27 percent more than in 2020. And the burned area grew 69 percent, reaching almost 900,000 acres.

"There is more drought and therefore the vegetation is waiting for someone to arrive, light a leaf and from there, the fire begins," said César Robles, deputy manager of the Fire Management Center of Mexico's National Forestry Commission. "The area affected by fires is directly correlated with the increase in temperature and the decrease in rainfall."

An area resident, Imelda Guerra Hurtado, 43, pointed to the barren lands of El Zanjón, an arid, semi-desert enclave that reaches the banks of the Colorado River delta.

She remembers her grandparents taking her fishing — and points to areas that used to have water.

"Sometimes we feel that we are dying of thirst. Although many deny it, the climate has changed," she said. "We have always lived off the fish in the river, since I can remember. Now we can only fish once a year and it is our main livelihood."

U.S. engineering and their consequences

The Cucapá are one of the five native tribes of Baja California, and they descend from the Yuman people. According to official data, there are now only between 350 and 400 members of the Cucapá people but, in the 19th century, Western colonizers documented between 5,000 and 6,000 nomads who organized into clans.

"You have to understand that these Indigenous people see the entire region, both the part of Mexico and the United States, as their territory. In their traditions, it is remembered that they received a lot of water and, little by little, they were running out of that flow," said Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta, director of the Coastal Solutions Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The history of the Colorado River, and the problems it suffers today, is an ode to progress and engineering that tried to tame nature. It is the most important water system in northwestern Mexico. It is essential for farming in a semi-desert region.

In the 19th century, the river reached Mexico with a wild power of about 42,000 cubic feet per second. At the beginning of the 20th century, however, the United States began struggling to convert the arid regions of the Southwest to arable land, thus undertaking engineering works to divert water to the Imperial Valley of California.

"From 1922, everything started badly," Hinojosa-Huerta said. The United States did a study to divide the water from the Colorado River and, coincidentally, it was the 10 wettest years in the basin." Thus, a distribution was made on paper that included more water (16 percent) than there actually is. And then the reservoirs began to be built.

Treaties, dams — and then climate change

In 1936, the Hoover Dam was inaugurated, between Nevada and Arizona, which lowered the flow to 164 cubic meters per second for Mexico. In 1944, a bilateral treaty was signed that guaranteed Mexico about 1.8 million cubic meters of water per year, but most of it goes to agriculture.

The agreement did not consider the rights of the Cucapá people and their ancestral relationship with the river. But it affected their traditional ceremonies, causing a shortage of fruits and grains, and the trees and shrubs used to make houses, boats and clothing. "Nobody asked us anything," Guerra said. 

In 1966, the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona was erected, and the river's flow decreased to 8 cubic meters per second. But what no one seemed to count on, between treaties and dams, was climate change.

"In Mexicali, it has never rained," Hinojosa-Huerta said, "the flow that reaches the region and that supports agriculture comes from snowfall 2,600 kilometers [1,600 miles] in the Rockies."

It all depends on precipitation in Wyoming and Colorado, but since 2002 snowfall has been below average, depleting the river and resulting in a "desolating panorama," he said.

Years of warmer temperatures, a failed rainy season last summer and low snow cover have combined to cause Mexico's Baja California rivers to decline.

Hell on Earth

But heat also kills. In 2019 there were at least eight deaths in Mexicali associated with high temperatures; in 2020, they were 83.

"People cannot live with those temperatures, that is, people die", Zavala said, "although they are used to the heat, even small increases break the threshold for the human body to survive."

On Aug. 14, 2020, Mexicali registered 122 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the record of 121 that dated from August 1981.

Froilán Meza Rivera, a veteran journalist and writer from northern Mexico, consulted the archives of the Secretariat of Hydraulic Resources. It appears that in July 1966, in Riíto, a Mexicali community, a thermometer reached an unprecedented figure of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. And that was its limit: the mercury rose to the top and could not measure any more.

It would be the highest figure in the world: according to the World Meteorological Organization, the highest recorded temperature is 134 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10, 1913, in California's Death Valley.

The region is exposed to the worst possible scenarios in terms of a climate emergency, according to Roberto Sánchez Rodríguez, an academic from the Colegio de la Frontera Norte. "Governments have mismanaged resources, and that is why there is less water available," he said.

Fishing

Since 1993, the fishing territory of the Cucapá has been included in the Upper Gulf of California and the Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve, which has a surface area of ​​2.3 million acres. This protected area was created to preserve the flora and fauna, such as the vaquita porpoises and the totoaba, which are at the brink of extinction.

"We abide by the rules, we know that species have to be protected because we are an Indigenous people, we use the nets and equipment that the government asks of us and we do not go out when it's not our turn," said Rubén Flores, captain of a panga, a boat used for traditional fishing.

An earthquake in 2010 also affected fishing. "It left us huge cracks that got bigger, and that doesn't allow us to fish like before," said Hilda Hurtado Valenzuela, 68, president of the Sociedad Cooperativa Pueblo Indígena Cucapá, one of the associations that groups together the people who are still fishing.

Sitting on a plastic chair near the patio of her home in El Indiviso, a semi-desert piece of land, she said she likes to get away from the sun. For a long time, she has not seen the sun as a source of life but as a tough enemy who takes out her tribe, destroys the river and forces them to forces them to do their chores and work at night during the harshest moments of summer.

"Unbearable"

"The heat here is unbearable, we have never experienced this. There are even people living on the streets who die because they cannot stand the temperatures," Valenzuela said. "And it also affects the animals because less water arrives from the river and the fish breed with the mixture of fresh water and salt, so there are fewer and fewer fish."

The townspeople insist that they do not fish the totoaba, whose swim bladder is considered a delicacy in the Asian market for its supposed medicinal and aphrodisiac properties (when it reaches China it costs $55,000 or $60,000).

But the intense demand leads to fishing with professional nets, thus also trapping the vaquitas and leaving them on the brink of extinction.

Various environmental and journalistic investigations have pointed to the Dragon Cartel, a criminal network with Mexican, American, Chinese and other intermediaries who conspire to exploit and fish the totoaba in that region.

Flores said that just by looking at the sky, he knows what the weather will be like. That's why he shakes his head disapprovingly every time he sees the relentless sun.

"Something strange is happening here. It is as if the sun lasts longer, so the fish do not like that heat. They are born less and weigh less." It used to take them two days to fish for curvina, now it takes them a whole week, he said, looking at the river.

The intense drought also has affected the fish's reproduction, so they must go further and further out, with poorly prepared boats, with small engines and without much fuel.

"We comply with everything, but the people of the surrounding towns also fish and don't (comply) —and many times we're punished for that, said Paco, a veteran fisherman with more than 25 years of experience.

"And we must also be careful because the narco is there, they follow our routes through the area and they fish in order to hide tons of drugs underneath. We tell the police, but nobody does anything," said Paco, whose last name is being withheld for fear of retaliation.

"I want the river to stay"

Lucia Laguna considers herself a guardian of the Cucapá, keeping alive their language, customs and traditional clothing to preserve them. Her memory is one of the most important reservoirs of the Cucapá past.

Kneeling on the banks of the Colorado River, she touches the dark water with special devotion while reciting an ancient song. Two little girls are with her.

"My tata [grandfather] fishes because without that we cannot eat. I too would like to be a fisherman, because I really like the river and being here," Marleny Sáenz, 10, said.

"I want the river to stay, to have our traditions," she said. "I like to sing because it is part of me, I feel very proud to be part of this town."

It is a ritual that they used to celebrate on the banks of the river. From time immemorial they burned the cachanilla, a wild plant with a fresh aroma, while chanting their songs so that the fishermen would be lucky in their long expeditions at sea.

"It is about opening paths, so that everything goes well," Laguna said.

"We are paying the consequences of the pollution of other people. The people of the cities have to understand that we are affected by what they do. They do not live alone in the world," she said sadly, touching the water and singing to the river.

[rjzimmerman]

President Biden’s Executive Order: “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad”

As predicted, today (January 27, 2021) President Biden signed and issued his Executive Order on the climate crisis. I just read through it, and note that a whole lot of it consists of the creation of task forces, commissions, working groups, committees and other groups within the executive branch to study the issues raised in the Executive Order and deliver reports and recommendations on those issues within designated time frames. I don’t see a lot of pure directed actions in the Executive Order; rather, I see a lot of “this is our policy” and “you need to tell me how we do these things” sort of language. In addition, whenever I see the language, “to the extent consistent with applicable law,” I see a huge loophole, which can be used by the group or person charged with the responsibility to do something to be squishy, or by a lawyer suing the US Government for doing something that is alleged in the lawsuit to be “inconsistent” with law.

Actually, all this is to be expected. President Biden is essentially painting his administration broadly with a “climate change brush.” We haven’t experienced an integrated analysis and approach to climate change at the federal level; in fact, we’re experienced little in the way of policy or analysis of the issue from the federal government at all. President Obama did what he could, in a limited amount of time with an aggressively hateful Congress and Senate, but that wasn’t good enough. So, I suppose we have to be patient and wait for these various task forces, commissions, committees and other groups to do their jobs and deliver the deliverables. Then we have to watch the sausage get made: will this be a regulation, another Executive Order, proposed legislation, or something else?

I’m encouraged by the people already involved who have gone through the climate change gauntlet already, and have the experience of bitter lessons. They know how to connect the dots and color within the lines, and as a consequence, they can be effective. People like John Kerry, Gina McCarthy, Brian Deese, Tom Vilsack, Janet Yellen and others.

The Executive Order has a substantial foreign affairs, international focus and scope. Considering the challenges and concept of climate change as a global phenomenon, this is welcomed and to be expected.

I’m putting aside the description of all the task forces, commissions, committees, working groups and others that are established and given specific research and reporting requirements. Trust me when I say: many and voluminous, and all with honorable goals and objectives. But where are the “thou shalt do this” things, particularly those picked up in the national media? They are limited, but here they are:

Immediate development of an updated commitment of the US to do x, y and z under the Paris Climate Accord [Section 102(e)] and an international climate finance plan, to be developed within 90 days, geared toward developing nations [Section 102(f)].

Within 90 days, the Secretary of State is to present a plan to present to the US Senate a proposal to approve, as a treaty, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which governs the use of HFC’s (refrigerants). [Section 102(j)].

Within 120 days, the Secretary of Defense is to present an analysis of the national security implications of climate change. [Section 103(c)].

An objective of  “net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050.” [Section 201].

A goal: a carbon pollution-free electricity sector no later than 2035. [Section 205(b)(i)].

A goal, without specifying a date for that goal: clean and zero-emission vehicles for Federal, State, local, and Tribal government fleets, including vehicles of the United States Postal Service [Section 205(b)(ii)], manufactured by union labor. A report on the union labor aspect to be delivered within 90 days. [Section 205(d)].

The Secretary of the Interior to figure out how to increase generation of renewable energy on public lands, with one measurable objective to double generation of off-shore wind energy by 2030. As she does all this, she has to take into consideration protecting land and biodiversity and producing union jobs. [Section 207].

The Secretary of the Interior to pause new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices and figure out how to adjust royalties associated with coal, oil, and gas resources extracted from public lands and offshore waters, or take other appropriate action, to account for corresponding climate costs. [Section 208].

Identify federal subsidies of the fossil fuel industry and try to eliminate those subsidies for federal fiscal year 2022 and thereafter. [Section 209].

Within 90 days, a report outlining how to create a Civilian Climate Corps Initiative. [Section 215].

The Secretary of the Interior to submit a report within 90 days recommending how to achieve the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030. [Section 216(a)].

Within 90 days, the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report making recommendations for an agricultural and forestry climate strategy. [Section 216(b)]. Think carbon sequestration, regenerative agriculture, wildfire control and prevention.

Within 60 days, a group established to pay attention to the needs of communities adversely affected by conversion to a green economy and  to deliver a report on revitalization of those communities. [Section 218(b)].

An Environmental Justice Advisory Council is established with a substantial “to do” list. One objective is that at least 40% of investments in clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, the remediation and reduction of legacy pollution and the development of critical clean water infrastructure must go to disadvantaged communities. [Section 223].

[banrionceallach]

So. 

I don’t normally do this, but I know these people through my family and their situation is outraging to me.

Here goes:

The Good Friday Agreement, which is the basis for peace in Northern Ireland, has provisions which allows those born in NI to identify as Irish citizens, British citizens or both, if they so choose. 

Emma De Souza identifies as Irish. She holds an Irish passport and does not consider herself British. 

Emma is married to Jake De Souza who is American. In order to allow Jake to stay in Northern Ireland with Emma, they went through the whole mind-numbingly tedious immigration legal stuff. All good so far.

Then they hit a roadblock

Because Emma does not identify as British and had never acquired a british passport (as again is her right as someone from NI under the GFA - a binding international treaty) the Britsh Home Office took the position that unless she did those things then Jake could not emigrate to NI as Emma’s foreign born spouse. Essentially, the Home Office disputed Emma’s right (as set out in the GFA - again, a binding international treaty to which the USA is a guarantor) to identify solely as Irish.

Emma & Jake took the Home Office to court. And after much, much legal wrangling, Emma & Jake won and not only were they able to sort out Jake’s situation,but because of their fight for their rights, the people of NI will still hold the rights of EU citizens after Brexit, because as Irish citizens they are entitled to them.

The Home Office tried to suggest that since Emma and Jake began the court case (which the Home Office lost for, and I’ll say it again, trying to avoid it’s obligations under International law,) that Emma and Jake should pay both sides costs.

Does that sound ridiculous? Good. It should. The court agreed and more or less told the Home Office to bog off.

(The Home Office, by the way, knew they were in the wrong and dragged things out to a ridiculous degree in order to win by bankrupting Emma & Jake and (I’d think if I was a suspicious person) in order to punish them for challenging the british government to uphold the obligations that it agreed to when it signed the GFA.)

Finally my point: As a result of having to go to court to force the british government to actually honor its word instead of once again screwing over irish people, Jake and Emma are currently deeply,deeply in debt. They have a gofundme and if you have a spare couple of quid and feel like spiting the british government, they would greatly appreciate any help.

[eretzyisrael]

The ICC is Nothing but a Pack of Cards

There is no world government based on international law, and there should not be one. That seems like something that should be understood and agreed to by everyone, but apparently it is not.

Today, Israelis, from the Prime Minister to almost any IDF soldier, are in legal jeopardy as a result of the overreach of arrogant international institutions and an overly-expansive idea of international law.

In its simplest form, international law is based on the (supposedly) universal acceptance of the principle that a nation should honor its agreements with other nations. If, for example, Iran signs the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and then develops nuclear weapons, it is in violation of international law. When a country joins the UN, it agrees to be bound by the UN Charter (which, for example, forbids the “threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state”), and by certain kinds of Security Council resolutions. In these contexts, international law depends on consent: a nation is not bound to follow any laws that it hasn’t agreed to.

There is also something called “customary international law.” That refers to principles that are not covered by treaties, but are unwritten rules based on the customary behavior of states and a subjective opinion of obligation. One area in which it is applicable is where non-state actors are concerned, who are not members of the UN and have not signed any treaties. So Hamas’ use of human shields can be considered a violation of customary international law even though Hamas is not a member of the UN and has not signed any of the protocols of the Geneva Conventions. Here there is no consent. But even when customary international law is applied to states the question of consent can become murky, since there are no agreed-to treaties to refer to.

The difference between the laws of states and international law is most pronounced when you consider interpretation and enforcement. States establish domestic courts that interpret their laws and determine when someone is in violation of them. They have jurisdiction over all the residents of a country and their decisions are binding. A state can use force to enforce them. For international law, jurisdiction is limited by the principle of consent and enforcement is more complicated.

There are international courts. The UN has established an International Court of Justice (ICJ), which can adjudicate disputes between nations in the framework of international law. In order for the ICJ to do so, either the nations involved must explicitly consent, or they must have signed treaties that include clauses that require such adjudication of disputes. The ICJ can also give advisory opinions to various UN agencies when asked to do so. Such opinions are not binding on the nations involved. For example, in 2004, the ICJ produced a highly politicized advisory opinion for the UN General Assembly, holding that Israel’s security barrier violated international law and construction of it should stop. Israel cooperated with the court by providing testimony, but was not required to do so or to accept its judgment.

There is also an International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is not a part of the UN; it was established in 2002 by a multilateral treaty called the Rome Statute and is financed by contributions from its member states. The ICC can try individuals (not states) who are accused of serious crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. The ICCs jurisdiction is limited to crimes committed within the territorial area of states that have adopted the Rome Statute or declared their acceptance of its jurisdiction; or crimes committed by nationals of those states; or in special cases referred by the UN Security Council. 123 states have signed on to it and 42 (including the US and Israel) have not.

Note that the criterion for jurisdiction seriously undermines the principle of consent. The court can prosecute a citizen of a particular country whether or not that country is a member of the Rome Statute, as long as the offense was committed in a country that is a member.

The ICC can prosecute someone only if it decides that “national justice systems do not carry out proceedings or when they claim to do so but in reality are unwilling or unable to carry out such proceedings genuinely.” It can prosecute anyone, even if they are a head of state or a soldier who is required to follow orders. So far it has indicted 44 people, mostly for crimes committed in several African conflicts.

The ICC can issue arrest warrants which may be executed by member states, or any state that cooperates with it. Arrested persons can be tried at the Court’s headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. If convicted, they can be sentenced to prison terms up to and including life imprisonment, which can be served in cooperating countries.

As you probably know, the ICC’s head prosecutor has announced that the Court would initiate a criminal investigation against Israelis and (presumably) Hamas members for war crimes committed during 2014’s Operation Protective Edge and the defense of the Gaza border, as well as Israel’s settlement policy. The prosecutor claims that the Court has jurisdiction over Gaza and Judea/Samaria, even though “Palestine” is not a sovereign state and Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute.

A pre-trial panel of judges decided that “The State of Palestine” had joined the Rome Statute in 2015, and that therefore – although the Court didn’t wish to decide the question of whether “Palestine” is a state – the very fact that it had joined the statute implies that it can be treated as a “state party” to the Statute. Once a “state party,” it would be unfair to deny it any of the rights and privileges accruing to one! (See pars. 89-113 of the decision linked above). Sometimes an argument is so bad, it’s hard to even restate it.

But since “Palestine” isn’t actually a state with borders, how do we know that the “crimes” were committed within its borders? Easy, say the ICC judges: UN General Assembly Resolution 67/19, which admitted “Palestine” to the UN as a “Non-member Observer State” in 2012 says that “Palestine” includes the Gaza Strip and the “West Bank.” QED.

Regarding the UNGA, I don’t think I have to add anything to Abba Eban’s well-known comment, “If Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions.”

The Kafkaesque ICC decision, 60 pages of mumbo-jumbo intended to obscure the intention to pillory Israel and punish Israelis, proves that the ICC is “nothing but a pack of cards,” in the words of Lewis Carroll’s Alice.

And this illustrates how, at least in the realm of nations, politics trumps law. It illustrates why the expansion of international law beyond the principle of consent is dangerous. And – as if any more such illustrations are needed – it shows how important international institutions are viciously biased against one particular country, which just happens to be the one Jewish state.

Abu Yehuda

[sepublic]

Zakaz

          Weapons manufacturing and the war industry is Xia’s most lucrative source of profits, so it stands to reason; Once materials are gathered in Voymari, crafted into weapons in Tametru, and shipped from Stelt… Where do they go?

          While many of them are shipped out to various crimelords, smaller governments in Xia’s more developed districts, and so on and so forth, the vast bulk of destructive machinery has one common destination in mind; The chaotic desert wasteland, home to various developing countries and nations, the designated district of Zakaz.

          A generally arid region with varying levels of heat intensity and dryness, the Zakaz District lagged behind the rest of Xia due to its poor, brutal conditions making development both difficult and ‘nonproductive’ in the eyes of various Xian corporations and nobles. As a result, while areas such as Voymari or Artidax were sought out for their environmental conditions that assisted the sectors that’d be built within them, the scattered clans, tribes, and kingdoms of Zakaz were left on their own to continue fighting. As other parts of Xia readily participated in its industrial revolution, willingly or otherwise, the people of Zakaz were left behind and left mostly ignorant of the new progress, busy fighting over what few resources were present in Zakaz.

          Inevitably, Xian weapons manufacturers, including the esteemed Vortixx Industries, recognized that a wartime economy was incredibly profitable to them. Massive sales were made towards various groups in Zakaz, who were eager to get any advantage they could over their enemies; In turn, the powerful weapons they used further devastated Zakaz, throwing back any attempts to develop the region to the urban and technological standards of the rest of Xia. This vicious cycle continued, and because many Xian corporations found it in their best interests for Zakaz to remain war-torn, wanting to sell weapons, the conflict would continue.

          Many nations in the Zakaz District are hosted by puppet leaders with corporate ties, while others remain independent. Because Xian weapons manufacturers desired the continued existence of war for profits, any attempts to organize Zakaz’s nations into a tense equilibrium and ceasefire have ended, deliberately fueled by corporate sabotage, political assassinations, and of course the nationalism, prejudices, and attitudes found in the Zakaz District.

          Whereas the rest of Xia’s districts are mostly cohesive (or were in Nynrah’s case), Zakaz is viewed as the back-water, third-world region where the ‘barbarians’ of Xia reside, although such a perspective fails to capture the socioeconomic reasons behind Zakaz’s conflicted state. Regardless, Zakaz consists of various, scattered groups, ranging from nomadic tribes and clans, to bandit gangs, mercenary groups, cults, small nations and kingdoms, and so on and so forth. The intense, dry desert heat has evaporated almost all water, save for Lake Tajun; Xia’s primary source of clean, untouched water.

          Because clean water is both so rare and so precious for Xians, everyone on the island has come to the mutual, ceasefire agreement to regard Lake Tajun and its shores as a place of neutrality. No destruction or warfare is to happen here, because it is in everyone’s best interests for Lake Tajun to remain pure and pristine. The shores along Lake Tajun are pristine oasises, and many Xian nobles travel to luxury resorts on vacation there. A few cities and villages have been built along the shore of Lake Tajun, harvesting water and selling it across Zakaz to the needy and thirsty. It is not uncommon to find ‘Water Merchants’ travelling across the Zakaz desert, selling their wares while also being armed against potential bandits, such as the roaming Bone Hunters.

          Aside from Lake Tajun, Zakaz is not an entirely homogenous desert; While its arid conditions somewhat vary, the effects of various Xian Hearts and their destructive capabilities can be felt. Areas where a Xian Heart of Fire has been detonated are scorched, burning plains of glass that can blind at a glance; A Xian Heart of Water mixed with sand has resulted in a hazardous Sea of Quicksand that seems to be spreading at a slow, yet definite rate.

          Because Lake Tajun is neutral ground where peace treaties and other agreements are signed, all other sources of water and fertile soil are brutally fought over. Nations and clans will fight not only over resources, but also ideological disputes related to Nationalism, with upstart dictators promising order and a new law, but only if citizens devote their minds, bodies, and lives to expanding their cause. Most countries in Zakaz usually last shortly before they either collapse, or undergo a radical change of leadership, either due to corporate interests, rebellion, or some other coup or the victory of a superior nation. Many leaders have sold out their own nation and its precious resources, from Thornax crops to oil fields, to corporate interests who will pay the dictators themselves much and the citizens very little.

          Travelling across brutal areas of Zakaz, such as the Baran Desert, travelers may sight an oasis and even a tavern beside it, although sometimes these are illusions, mirages from impending heatstroke and the scorching light. Sandstorms and hazardous wildlife, such as the massive Sand Bat, are constant threats, amidst the risk of heatstroke, starvation, and thirst. Bone Hunters will stalk after victims amidst their Rock Steeds, often hiding within the cover of sandstorms to ambush prey.

          Zakaz’s politically unstable nature means that Dume and other Powers That Be have little hold and authority there, and Vahki presence is practically minimal. As a result, many upstart tyrants and power-hungry warlords and criminals escape to Zakaz to flee the repercussions of the law, or to conduct business that would be seen as ‘suspicious’ and shut down quickly by the Vahki. Cults are common, such as the Sisters, a group of enigmatic telepaths who worship a figure named ‘Annona’; Or the Kraahl, a mysterious coven of cloaked, masked figures who have been sighted at one moment, only to suddenly disappear at the next.

          Besides bandits, there are also mad inventors, political dissidents fleeing other districts (or Zakaz itself), refugees, etc. Slavers frequently roam Zakaz, picking off travelers or refugees and selling them off to brutal owners. Zakaz is Xia’s primary source of slaves. Many Bioweapons are deployed in combat within the Zakaz District, with some becoming free of their masters and roaming the wastes. While some inevitably die, others continue to thrive, with one notable example being the Tesara, a massive carnivorous plant that lives in symbiosis with a village of Xians within the Baran Desert.

          In spite of Zakaz’s wartorn state –or perhaps BECAUSE of it- the district is also Xia’s primary form of ‘entertainment’. In a more developed region near Lake Tajun is a series of film studios and theaters, most owned by the famous Kratakal, where shows, big-budget movies, and plays are performed, filmed, and broadcast to the rest of Xia. Tickets are frequently sold out, with packed audiences eagerly watching Kratakal’s various performances and programs as Xia’s primary, beloved form of escapism. Luxurious casinos promise massive gains but only provide losses, with many becoming indebted thanks to their own gambling addictions and sold into slavery as punishment, or forced on the run to avoid consequence.

          Elsewhere across Zakaz are various arenas where gladiators brutally fight, often to the death. Fighters can consist of just about anything, from regular Xians, slaves, outlaws, animals, and even outright Bioweapons. With Gladiator fights of so much entertainment to disenfranchised Xians, the sport is broadcast to other districts, and has spread to them as well; However, Zakaz has the most gladiator fights of all. Particularly famous fighters with a long streak of victories can even be rewarded with the title of ‘Glatorian’ to honor their legendary prowess. Particularly famous Glatorian who garner many views will even be invited to participate at the Atero Magna, the massive coliseum deep within the heart of Xia itself. Bets are held, often with dire consequences for losers, and mercenaries will enforce these bets at the betting offices.

          In some areas of Zakaz, such as the Baran Desert, gladiator matches aren’t just used for sport and entertainment, but also to settle conflicts and disputes; With some tribes not wanting to be blown into oblivion by conflict, nor further scar the environment, they resort to proxy individuals to settle disputes in favor of actual armies. Started by the legendary Glatorian known as Certavus, this regional system of gladiator matches is closely regulated and has many laws, but such rules are not always strictly followed. Tribes arguing over claims to a resource can send forth their best fighter –or a hired gladiator- to fight and win on their behalf.

          While many of these gladiators get benefits, others are given the short end of the stick, especially slaves sold into combat. Unsurprisingly, some gladiators, unhappy with their end of the deal, have begun to conspire with one another, forming a network of connections and alliances. Such alliances involve deals from intentionally losing matches for personal gain, recommending one another and new recruits to be used, and so forth. Growing gladiator alliances will agree to set higher prices for one another, and brutally defeat and out-compete others who aren’t with them. The former slave Tuma is rumored to be at the heart of this emerging ‘Glatorian Monopoly’ that seeks to put the power into the hands of the fighters themselves; Those wary of Tuma have sent in Baterra model Exo-Toa to spy on him, just in case.

          Aside from duels and death-matches, there are also brutal death-races. Zakaz races are poorly regulated and often impromptu, not necessarily done by official organizations, but nevertheless used as a means of entertainment, prize-money, fame, and occasionally to settle disputes. Famous racers include Kirbraz, Scodonius, Reidak, Perditus, Crotesisus, etc. Sabotage and violent crashes are of course, common. And if racing isn’t one’s personal cup of tea, there are also other sports, such as Akilini, a disk-throwing sport with far too few safety regulations.

          Many groups vie for power and control in Zakaz. There is the Skakdi Clan, led by Nektann and consisting of Xians modified by the rogue Nynrah Ghost Spiriah; or the mad inventor Telluris, who sees just about anyone and everything as an enemy, frequently rampages around mindlessly on his Skopio XV-1. The Iconox Clan is located within the frosty ruins of a Xian Heart of Ice, and frequently competes with the Vulcanus and Agori clans. Paramilitary death squads are often put into conflict with rebel cells in guerilla warfare. But despite all of this conflict, Zakaz has yet to see a clear, definitive ‘winner’.

[brightquang]

House Democrats Subpoena Justice Department Whistleblowers

(86) The United Nations: - Treaty Series No. 13295 - Chapter V- Article 15 – paragraph a, b, c, & d. and that is why the Government of the United States of America did not only enforce the Geneva Conference on July 20, 1954, but also has had solemnly signed on Paris Peace Accords again, but both treaties were shredded by the American Government. Why does America have a modern civilized nation, but the United States of America has deceived the weak Vietnamese people because America hatched secretly conspiracy with the North Government to use the Army forces to overthrow South Vietnam without had respected both agreements treaties when America approved sovereignty of the Republic of Vietnam, America had not had approved North Vietnam?  

For that reason, we would like to ask the Senate a few questions: How should have whether the Senate of America independently kept the

         ____________

(86) Chapter V says, “The Reunification of Vietnam and the relationship between North and South Vietnam-“Article 15 says, “The reunification of Vietnam shall be carried out step by step through peaceful means on the basis of discussion and agreements between North and South Vietnam, without coercion or annexation by either party and without foreign interference. The time for reunification will be agreed upon in North and South Vietnam. Pending reunification to see paragraph (a), (b), (c) & (d)

American dignity of super values of this settlement case of the Southern officers’ prisoners of war without having made an influent of the great power of America? How does the Senate of America self- rethink to enact H.R. 7885 for the Vietnam War in 1963? (87) Actually, the masterminds of the proxy war of America in which the American-leaderships (88) were self-confessed their aggression war in the Republic of Vietnam to be wrongful actions. Even truth, the threats of American President Nixon has had to force Southern President Nguyen Van Thieu to sign the Paris Peace Accords to let the American Government have cut and run out of the Republic of Vietnam without had the war compensation for any Vietnamese victims of the proxy war of America should be compensated by the customary law of war (89).

In the same way, first, President John Kennedy secretly endorsed the assassination of South President Ngo Dinh Diem (90) during the United States Constitution has never had this Chapter. However, the American leaders did not only violate American law (91) but also violated the Charter I Article1 paragraph 1, 2, 3, & 4 of the United Nations, when, the Government of the United States of America has organized the United Nations Council meeting in San Francisco on 26 June 1945, which is why the Government of the United States of America has violated Charter II

_____________

(87) 28 USC § Ch. 171: TORT CLAIMS PROCEDURE

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title28/part6/chapter171&edition=prelimTitle IV of act Aug. 2, 1946, was substantially repealed and reenacted as sections 1346(b) and 2671 et seq. of this title by act June 25,

(88) President Nixon threatens President Thieu - HISTORY

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-threatens-president-thieuPresident Richard Nixon warns South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu in a private letter that his refusal to sign any negotiated peace agreement would..

(87) 35 U.S. Code § 183 - Right to compensation | U.S. Code ...

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/35/183

The head of the department or agency is authorized, upon the presentation of a claim, to enter into an agreement with the applicant, his successors, assigns, or legal representatives, in full settlement for the damage and/or use. This settlement agreement shall be conclusive for all purposes notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary. If full settlement of the claim cannot be effected, the head of the department or agency may award and pay to such applicant, his successors, assigns, or legal representatives, a sum not exceeding 75 per centum of the sum…

(88)http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/25/kennedy.tapes (89)Kissinger: Vietnam failures `we did to ourselves’ | The ...

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/... and 28 USC §1346b-June 25,      1948 Chapter171-Tort Claims Procedure…

(89) To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take     effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by  adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;

(91) Mr. Kissinger is confessed one’s self when he has quoted.

Article 2 paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7.(92) that is why America has used

the right of veto to prohibit the Republic of Vietnam to join a member of the United Nations - after that, America has freely been receiving the Republic of Vietnam to be the allied partnership in order to mobilize South Vietnam to fight against communism which is why America did not respect the sovereignty of South Vietnam, but, the United States Congress has been approved American law enacting for assistance the Republic of Vietnam. In the war ended, America has strongly betrayed the Republic of Vietnam by the saying of Kissinger, "Vietnam failures we did to ourselves” when he is self-confessed wrongful war actions, "he said,” The Vietnam War required us to emphasize the national interest rather than abstract principle, what President and I tried to do was unnatural. And that is why we didn’t make it. (93)”

What would have America carried on the justice of the American Government to join with the United Nations of the International Court of Justice, and of the Republic of Vietnam?

(94)

In conclusion, for both the United States Treaties above were the inhuman wars game of the lack of contributes ought to build in the Southeast Asian peace of the American Government because of 1 U.S.C. § 112 b (a) (b) (c)

(95)

in which American law has ordered the US Department of Foreign Affairs to should be editing formatted the text and then, it ought to submit to the United States Congress within 60 days. Let Congressional enact the law. That is why the Department of Foreign Affairs has no had enforced, but America has waited for on 13 May 1974, America has registered with the United Nations. So both the United States Treaties above were not efficacy for peaceful Vietnam

(96).

Therefore, we would like to ask for the Senate of America to review the ethical conscience of America in the Vietnam War. Especially, the compensation of the prisoners of war of America must enforce because we were hired servicing war by the law of the United States of America. Let us prove the law's S 484- 106-Congress-1999-(2000): Bring Them Home alive

(97)

if we were not the paid soldiers of America to why did America ______________

(92) President Nixon threatens President Thieu - HISTORY

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-threatens-president- thieu

Jan 15, 2020 · Again, President Thieu refused to sign the Accords, but Nixon promised to come to the aid of South Vietnam if the communists violated the terms of the peace treaty, and Thieu agreed to sign.

(93) 1 U.S. Code § 112b - United States international agreements ...

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/1/112b

(94) No.13295-Agreement on ending the war restoring peace in Vietnam Signed at Paris on 27 January 1973-Registered by the USA on 13 May 1974

(95) https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/484Bring Them Home Alive Act of

(96) 28 USC § 1502-Treaty case: Except as otherwise provided by Act of Congress, the United States Court of Federal Claims shall not have jurisdiction of any claim.

(97)   b. solutions of international economic, social, health, and related problems; and international cultural and educational cooperation; and

bring us back the American home that means that America is a super trader's own of the war, whilst our home is a wonderful national Vietnam, but not the right home in the United States of America. For the United States of America was aggressive war when it has been occupying the Republic of Vietnam from 1954 to 1975 in which was not the customary law of war of the supreme law of the land of our modern civilized Age, but based on the modern weapons of America occupied a small country like the Republic of Vietnam. In fact, the first time America came to South Vietnam when the United States of America has mobilized us to fight anti-communism, but the ended, America secretly shook hands with mainland China to live in peace. Why did a Great Power’s America fool the Republic of Vietnam in the war? Where was the American justice pushing for worldwide place? (98) 28 The U.S. C. § 1346. (a)(b)(c) (d)(e)(f)(g) United States as the defendant (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat.

(99) 28 USC § 1346 the United States as the defendant.

According to this statute is the exact defendant America that does not only compensate for his real property, his small business, and his injury imprisoned but also America came to occupy the Republic of Vietnam by the American laws, the American Armed Forces, and bilateral treaties, and multilateral treaties. That is why America had not to respect the entire international for relation protocols with the Republic of Vietnam to include the benefits of taxation of the plaintiff when America has signed a bilateral treaty with the Republic of Vietnam in which is the exchange of notes at __________

(98) Recognizes the significance of the 42nd anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Honors:

the contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the United States over the last 42 years and their tireless commitment to upholding freedom and democracy in Vietnam;

the service of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and of the South Vietnamese forces who fought in Vietnam, including those who gave their lives; and

the memory of the Vietnamese who lost their lives while attempting to flee Vietnam.

Encourages all U.S. citizens to join in remembering the Fall of Saigon, honoring the contributions of the Vietnamese American community, and calling for freedom and democracy in Vietnam.

(99) IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES-April 10, 2019-Mr. Lowenthal (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Correa, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Rouda, and Ms. Lofgren) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Saigon March 31 and May 3, 1967. Entered into force on May 3, 1967. 18 UST 546; TIAS 6262; 685 UNTS 207 (100)which is why was self America torn shred with the Republic of Vietnam by this bilateral treaty? Because America and the Republic of Vietnam had agreed to pay the taxation to each other, the American people and the Vietnamese people are equal to each other. So the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Vietnam are too, no one government violated crime to each other.

(101) H.RES 293- Recognizing the 42nd anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on 30, 1975 -

According to this bill of the shameful of the United States Congress sending for the all of the Southern officers of prisoners of war a bitter-source scold because the US Congress has enacted H.R. 7885 Foreign Assistance Act in 1963 to persuade the Republic of Vietnam to fight against communism, but the end, the Government of the United States of America did not enforce this bill when America has sold off the Republic of Vietnam to communism. So the bill’s H.R 7885 had sold off the human rights, the Freedom, the sovereignty, and all of the sacred dignity of the Vietnamese people, and the Republic of Vietnam to communism during America has deprived rights of the life of the Southern people and the Southern officers. Let America play the inhuman war in South Vietnam. In contrast, America has forcefully forced us to cut and run out of the Republic of Vietnam when we, the Southern Officers, did not only betray our ancestors but also had the treason our fatherland to let us follow behind the American Armed Forces. Even worse, the Government of the United States of America has sold us to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Therefore, the North Government did not only imprison us but also nationalized all of our properties and small business. Let us come to the United States when we did not have earned any benefits of prisoners of war but also had some years nearby, the United States Congress has enacted for a few of the bills dug up so many conditional ashamed of both sides. One is the great power of America has   ___________

(100) the agreements listed below were in force between the United States and the Republic of Viet-Nam (South Viet-Nam). The status of these agreements remain under review by the United States

(101) Honors: the contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the United States over the last 42 years and their tireless commitment to upholding freedom and democracy in Vietnam; the service of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and of the South Vietnamese forces who fought in Vietnam, including those who gave their lives; and the memory of the Vietnamese who lost their lives while attempting to flee Vietnam. Encourages all U.S. citizens to join in remembering the Fall of Saigon, honoring the contributions of the Vietnamese American community, and calling for freedom and democracy in Vietnam

fooled a small national Vietnam and second is an American modern civilized and progressive playing a trick on America's ally, which is the Republic of Vietnam-however, the rich of America gloriously has millionfold the Southern officers of prisoners of war, but the United States Congress has still deceived the Southern Officers of prisoners of war by American law again. Bills to honor us to be enriching for our second mother of American because no army of the whole world had followed with the military occupier in order to betray their nation and people like America has strongly forced the Republic of Vietnam Army Forces to surrender a barbarous enemy when our enemy did not have any international relations and international protocols with America and the Republic of Vietnam.

(102) H.Res 309 - the 44th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, America within H. RES. 309 Recognizing the 44th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The ethical conscience of this express bill of the respectful lack of the law of war on the Hague Convention in 1901, since the American President and the US Senate, was approved by the American law. Even good, the US Congress has forcefully enacted the law to the Foreign Assistance Act for the Republic of Vietnam. In the meanwhile, the Government of the United States of America has been signing for a few multilateral treaties and bilateral treaty for the   Republic of Vietnam in which did not only endorse the self-determination of the Southern people but also approved the sovereignty of the Republic of Vietnam by those treaties, by American law which is why a modern civilized and progressive America did not keep the solemn promises with a small country. But America has abuses for the atomic power and the powerful missiles one's self to force the Republic of Vietnam that's unconditional surrenders. In the meanwhile, the American Government has distorted all of the super values of great power and all of the super values of American honors to exchange a little core of interests in the Republic of Vietnam to get the national interests with Communism. Especially, America is a super trader when America looked at the Southern Officers who looked like the slaves of prehistoric America. Therefore, the text of this bill has contained the full enslaved smell without had little human rights of American humanism because on the playing war yard does not only have equally but also one side was lost defeated, so the lost war ought to compensate for the injured war. That is why the United States Congress has fooled us for a second time. In the meanwhile, the United States Congress has fully understood the Southern officers of prisoners of war were sacrificed our wonderful life to protect the core of interests of America by the invaded war of America which is why the richest of the

____________

(102) Shown Here: Introduced in House (04/10/2019) This the resolution recognizes the significance of the 44th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The resolution honors the contributions of Vietnamese Americans and honors the service of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and the South Vietnamese forces who fought in Vietnam, including those who gave their lives.

American Government is trillion-fold of the Southern officers of prisoners of war which is why the United States Congress has still fooled us.

(103)H.R 7885 Pbl.L 88_205 - Approved December 16, 1963, so the quick orders of American President sent the American Armed Forces to the Republic of Vietnam together with the same day- In condition, Secretary Defense William Westmoreland who is an excellent hero of World War Two during he led the strong American Armed Forces and the American Alliance of the Southeast Organization Treaty to come to the Republic of Vietnam in order to occupy the Republic of Vietnam after the thirty years in the war. And then, America has begun to betray the Republic of Vietnam after America has been consumed the oldest weapons of World War Two. So America has sold off the Republic of Vietnam to communism. Because America has borrowed the law of war to shake hands with Mainland China, America, after that, has trafficker humans with communism and arrested so much slave war to come to America. As a result, the Southern officers run to follow with America on 30 April 1975, the United States Congress has enacted this bill. Let America praise them to easily listen to the American occupier when they were easily treason for their ancestors and their wonderful fatherland. Moreover, they demeaned to work so many jobs when the jobs of the Native Americans have never worked these jobs. Why do our high military ranks and pundits of the Republic of Vietnam change to work these jobs in the US? Why did the US Congress enact this to scold us but no compensated any pennies of the prisoners of war because we have listened to ear America by the lost nation? How would we explain our treason for our ancestors and our fatherland and our Vietnamese people when we were betrayed in all by the United States Congress?

(104) 28 USC § 1502 Treaty case because of the fifteen five years have gone by, our petition was from the low courts to the US Congress, but they have never resolved the prisoners of war benefits and the real property. Therefore, I would like to carry out our case to the Senate of the United States because the Government of the United States of America has been endorsed all of the multilateral, bilateral treaties, American laws, and international of relation protocols that enforced in force by the United States Congress.

         ___________

(104) The agreements listed below were in force between the United States and the Republic of Viet-Nam (South Viet-Nam). The status of these agreements remains under review by the United States Agreement for mutual defense assistance in Indochina, with three annexes. Signed at Saigon December 23, 1950. Entered into force December 23, 1950- 3 UST 2756; TIAS 2447; 185 UNTS 3 Parties: Cambodia France Laos United States Vietnam - 2019-Treaties-in-Force-Multilaterals-7.23.2019.pdf

[lukeskywaker4ever]

1st Regnant Queen and 26th Monarch of Portugal (6th of the Bragança Dynasty): Queen Maria I of Portugal, “The Pious The Mad”

Reign: 24 February 1777 – 20 March 1816 Acclamation: 13 May 1777 Predecessor: José I

Maria I (17 December 1734 in Lisbon – 20 March 1816 in Rio de Janeiro) was Queen of Portugal from 1777 until her death in 1816. Known as Maria the Pious in Portugal and Maria the Mad in Brazil, she was the first undisputed queen regnant of Portugal and the first monarch of Brazil. With Napoleon's European conquests, her court, then under the direction of her son João, the Prince Regent, moved to Brazil, then a Portuguese colony. Later on, Brazil would be elevated from the rank of a colony to that of a kingdom, with the consequential formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.

Maria was born at the Ribeira Palace in Lisbon and baptized Maria Francisca Isabel Josefa Antónia Gertrudes Rita Joana. On the day of her birth, her grandfather, King João V of Portugal, appointed her the Princess of Beira.

When her father succeeded to the throne in 1750 as José I, Maria, at age 16 and as his eldest child, became his heir presumptive and was given the traditional titles of Princess of Brazil and Duchess of Bragança.

Maria grew up in a time when her father's government was dominated completely by the first Marquis of Pombal. Her father would often retire to the Palace of Queluz which was later given to Maria and her husband. The Marquis took control of the government after the terrible 1755 Lisbon earthquake of 1 November 1755, in which around 100,000 people lost their lives. (The palace of her birth was also destroyed in the disaster.)

After the earthquake, Maria's father was often uncomfortable at the thought of staying in enclosed spaces, and later suffered from claustrophobia. The king had a palace built in Ajuda, away from the city center. This palace became known as Real Barraca de Ajuda (Royal Hut at Ajuda) because it was made of wood. The family spent much time at the large palace, and it was the birthplace of Maria's first child. In 1794 the palace burned to the ground and the Palace of Ajuda was built in its place.

In 1760 Maria married her uncle Pedro, younger brother of her father Jose I. They had six children, of whom the eldest surviving son succeeded Maria as João VI on her death in 1816.

In 1777, Maria became the first undisputed queen regnant of Portugal. With Maria's accession, her husband became king as Pedro III. Despite Pedro's status as king and the nominal joint reign, the actual regal authority was vested solely in Maria, as she was the lineal heir of the crown. Also, as Pedro's kingship was jure uxoris only, his reign would cease in the event of Maria's death, and the crown would pass to Maria's descendants. However, Pedro predeceased his wife in 1786. Maria is considered to have been a good ruler in the period prior to her madness. Her first act as queen was to dismiss the popular secretary of state of the kingdom, the Marquess of Pombal, who had broken the power of the reactionary aristocracy via the Távora affair, partially because of Pombal's Enlightenment, anti-Jesuit policies. Noteworthy events of this period include Portugal's membership in the League of Armed Neutrality (July 1782) and the 1781 cession of Delagoa Bay from Austria to Portugal.

Queen Maria suffered from religious mania and melancholia. This acute mental illness (perhaps due to porphyria) made her incapable of handling state affairs after 1792.

Maria's madness was first officially noticed in 1786, when Maria had to be carried back to her apartments in a state of delirium. Afterward, the queen's mental state became increasingly worse. In May 1786, her husband died; Maria was devastated and forbade any court entertainments. According to a contemporary account, state festivities began to resemble religious ceremonies. Her condition worsened after the death of her eldest son (and heir-apparent), aged 27, from smallpox, and of her confessor, in 1791.

In February 1792, she was deemed mentally insane and was treated by Francis Willis, 

the same physician who attended King George III of Great Britain. 

Willis wanted to take her to England, but the plan was refused by the Portuguese court. Maria's second son (eldest surviving) and new heir-apparent, João, took over the government in her name, even though he only took the title of Prince Regent in 1799.

When the Real Barraca de Ajuda burnt down in 1794, the court was forced to move to Queluz, where the ill queen would lie in her apartments all day. Visitors would complain of terrible screams that would echo throughout the palace.

In 1801 Spanish Prime Minister Manuel de Godoy 

sent an army to invade Portugal with backing from Napoleon, 

resulting in the War of the Oranges. Though the Spanish ended their invasion, the Treaty of Badajoz on 6 June 1801 forced Portugal to cede Olivença and other border towns to Spain. (This cession is not recognized by the present Portuguese government, and the country officially considers those territories still to be Portuguese possessions.) On 29 September 1801 João VI signed the Treaty of Madrid (1801), ceding half of Portuguese Guyana to France, which became French Guiana.

The refusal of the Portuguese government to join the French-sponsored Continental Blockade against Britain culminated in the late 1807 Franco-Spanish invasion of Portugal led by General Junot. 

The ultimate Napoleonic plan for Portugal was to split it into three sections. The northern parts of Portugal, from the Douro to the Minho, would become the Kingdom of Northern Lusitania, and its throne was promised to King Louis II of Etruria. 

The Alentejo Province and Kingdom of the Algarve would be merged to form the Principality of the Algarves, of which Spanish Prime Minister Manuel de Godoy would be sovereign. The remaining portion of Portugal would have been directly ruled by France.

At the urging of the British government, the entire Bragança Dynasty decided to flee on 29 November 1807 to establish a government in exile in the Portuguese Viceroyalty of Brazil. Along with the royal family, Maria was transported aboard the carrack Príncipe Real. During her move from the royal palace to the docks she was heard screaming throughout the trip, in the middle of the crowd and in the carriage. The queen's dementia was so great that she feared that she was going to be tortured or robbed during her movement by her servants.

In January 1808 Prince Regent João and his court arrived in Salvador da Bahia. Under pressure by local aristocracy and the British, the prince regent signed a commercial regulation after his arrival that opened commerce between Brazil and friendly nations, which in this case represented the interests of Great Britain above all. This law broke an important colonial pact that had previously allowed Brazil to maintain direct commercial relations only with Portugal.

On 1 August 1808 British General Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington) 

landed a British army in Lisbon to initiate the Peninsular War. The impact of Wellesley's initial victory over Junot at the Battle of Vimeiro (21 August 1808) was wiped out by his superiors in the Convention of Cintra (30 August 1808), which allowed the defeated French troops to evacuate peacefully from Portugal.

Wellesley (now as Lord Wellington) returned to Portugal on 22 April 1809 to recommence the campaign. Portuguese forces under British command distinguished themselves in the defense of the Lines of Torres Vedras (1809–1810) and in the subsequent invasion of Spain and France. In 1815 the government of the Prince Regent João elevated Brazil to the status of a kingdom, and Maria I was proclaimed the Queen of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. When Napoleon was finally defeated in 1815, Maria and her family remained in Brazil.

Maria lived in Brazil for a total of eight years, always in a state of incapacitation. In 1816, she died at the Carmo Convent in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 81. After her death, Prince Regent João was acclaimed the king of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves and his mother's body was returned to Lisbon to be interred in a mausoleum in the Estrela Basilica ( Basilica da Estrela), which she had helped found.

Maria is a greatly admired figure in both Brazil and Portugal due to the tremendous changes and events that took place during her reign. In Portugal, she is celebrated as a strong female figure. Her legacy shines at Portugal's Queluz Palace, 

a baroque-roccoco masterpiece that she helped conceive. A large statue of her stands in front of the palace, 

and a pousada near the palace is named in her honor. 

A large marble statue of the queen was erected at the Portuguese National Library in Lisbon 

by the students of Joaquim Machado de Castro.

In Brazil, she is admired as a key figure in the eventual independence of Brazil. It was during her reign, albeit through the government of her son's regency, that many of the national institutions and organizations in Brazil were created. These institutions were the precursors to their modern-day equivalents and granted large degree of power to the Brazilian colonials. While she is often called A Louca (the Mad) in Brazil, Brazilian and Portuguese historians hold her in high esteem.

Maria married her uncle, Infante Pedro of Portugal on 6 June 1760. At the time of their marriage, Maria was 25 and Pedro was 42. Despite the age gap, the couple had a happy marriage. Pedro automatically became co-monarch (as Pedro III of Portugal) when Maria ascended the throne, as a child had already been born from their marriage. The couple had six children and a stillborn baby.

José, Prince of Brazil (20 August 1761 - 11 September 1788) José Francisco Xavier de Paula Domingos António Agostinho Anastácio married Infanta Benedita of Portugal and had no issue. His death led to his younger brother becoming heir-apparent and later king.

João de Bragança (20 October 1762 - 20 October 1762) João was a still born baby, born at the Ajuda National Palace.

João Francisco de Bragança (16 September 1763 - 10 October 1763) João Francisco de Paula Domingos António Carlos Cipriano was born at the Ajuda National Palace.

João VI (13 May 1767 - 10 March 1826) João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael married Carlota Joaquina of Spain and had issue. He was King of Portugal and Titular Emperor of Brazil.

Mariana Victoria de Bragança (15 December 1768 - 2 November 1788) Maria Ana Vitória Josefa Francisca Xavier de Paula Antonieta Joana Domingas Gabriela married Infante Gabriel of Spain and had issue.

Maria Clementina de Bragança (9 June 1774 - 27 June 1776) Maria Clementina Francisca Xavier de Paula Ana Josefa Antónia Domingas Feliciana Joana Michaela Julia de Bragança was born at the Queluz National Palace.

Maria Isabel de Bragança (12 December 1776 - 14 January 1777) Maria Isabel was born at the Queluz National Palace.

[carp0nastick]

The Secret Clanstone Pt.6

“Are we invading the Mutilaxians?”  The voice called out of turn.

Senator Khorik Sollchin of the Systems League Congress looked at the Dubachi reporter, imagining what his blood might taste like.  A free press was crucial for a democracy to function.  He reminded himself of that as he inhaled to answer what was, contrary to the common saying, a very stupid question.

“The mobilization of Systems League Armed Forces is being not, I the repeating, being not in preparation for an invading of Mutilaxian, or any other sovereign systems territory.  The troops are being the mustered at duty stations as a precautioning measure, but no sorties into neutral or contested territory is being the planned or the authorised at this time.  In brief, we are wanting our soldiers the ready no matter how the situation unfolding.”  The aged Choraki said evenly.  One of his eyes swiveled towards his aide as they motioned for his attention.  He paused for a moment as the assistant made the limb signal he had been hoping for.  “Thanking you all for your times, my secretary will the continuing this briefing.”

Khorik ignored the clamoring of the reporters.  Reassuring the masses was important, but only if things were actually reassuring.  He followed his bodyguards, humans all of them, out of the conference room and into a secure part of the Systems League Congress building.  Most of his staff was already present in the room.  Unlike most Senators, Khorik had members of all the sapients of the Systems League on his staff.  It was important to have a perspective aside from just the ones of his own species when deliberating.  Khorik had learned this the hard way as an infantryman during the Mutilax wars.  

The Cariz’n aide who had given him the signal to leave the conference took a quick headcount as the door to the secure and signal isolated room closed.  A quick wall of light washed over the gathered group, scanning for recording devices.  Only when all the scanning was done, and the door sealed, creating a Faraday cage of a meeting room, did the Cariz’n begin speaking.

“The asset is secured and the intel has been scrubbed.  Capt. Brixas confirms data containment.”  The Cariz’n said through its mandibles.

“This is being the good news.  Marreg, what is the happening with the snots?”  Khorik said, turning to a Dubachi.  The placid creature looked up from his screen with one eye.

“Their net is a giant mess.  The hawks are using every trick in the book to silence the doves, from simple smear campaigns to outright brute force hacks on any servers broadcasting what they don’t want heard.  Local assets are giving us a mixed picture, anti-war riots in some places, while their radical right has replaced local police with their thugs in others.  The industry and corporate sector is split about having another war.  The whole thing could tip either way.”  Marreg replied in the monotone drone common to his species.  The calm delivery of the strife within the territory of the Mutilaxians somehow made the news more troubling, as if the worst was inevitable.

“And the two main concerns?”  Khorik asked, almost worried to hear the answer.

“They still hate each other.”  Marreg replied, his eyelids curling into crescents in a charming Dubachi version of a smile.  Khorik’s tongue flicked with happy relief, even the stoic human bodyguards were baring their predator teeth in smiles.  There was a chance.  There was hope!

“Thanking you all, for your hard workings.”  Khorik said, rising from his seat. “I am wanting all of you to getting the good rest tonight, as real workings being happening the soon.  Go seeing your families for now.”

Khorik exited the room, and even though he had indeed dismissed his bodyguards, he was not at all surprised to see them dutifully accompany him to the meeting hall for the Systems League Security Council.  His secretary, apparently done feeding the reporters the official line on current events also fell in step.

“You should being with your mate, Jeremy.  The hatchling will be coming the soon, yes?”  Khorik said to the young human.

“Maybe by the way you tell time, sir.  She’s only four months in, and she knows what’s going on.  She told me to stick it out and be useful.  ‘No point in helping me bring a baby into this world if it’s covered in Sno… in Mutilax acid.’  She said.”  The human gave a wry smirk at his politically correct edit of his spouse’s words.  Even half a century after the Mutilax wars, the distrust and hatred of the Mutilaxians ran deep.  The slur was technically illegal by the terms of the treaty, but was still in common usage, as nobody cared to attempt enforcement.

Khorik nodded his head at the human woman’s wisdom.  Another war would see another generation of Systems League citizens killed and driven from their homes.  While the League was ready this time, there was no winning a war of that scale without losses in the billions.  Khorik had lost his sire, and two of his own hatchlings to the last war.  As he had watched his commanding officer sign the Phalz treaty, he had silently sworn that he would never allow such a tragedy again.

“Now entering, the venerated Senator Khorik Sollchin of Thonril IV”  The computer announced as Khorik entered the Security Council meeting.  The other council members stood as Khorik took his seat as part of the council triumvirate that chaired the meeting of 50 Senators.  His fellow triumvirates, Penuffinar Thax and Leslie Foxworth greeted him as the rest of the council gathered.  Thax was a good natured Cariz’n, easy to discuss with, and his party were very much aligned with Khorik’s own on many issues of state.  Foxworth was another matter altogether.  The human woman was always bringing up angles to problems that Khorik hadn’t thought of.  While Khorik knew she had the League’s best interest at heart, he was worried the human might come at his proposal in a way he hadn’t considered to defend against.  Still, this whole plan was an old human trick he had learned from his studies and the WENO units under his command.  How odd that he was worried about a human foiling his human hatched plan.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”  Penuffinar commented.  The Cariz’n settled his thorax into the tall chair that let him sit at eye level with the other two senators.

“I may have finding a way out of this trouble.”  Khorik said to the set of large eyes that looked back at him.  The smaller grasping limbs in front of the Cariz’n Senators mandibles passed over said eyes in a spontaneous grooming that indicated surprise.

“I never took you for an optimist, Khorik.”  Leslie said.  The human’s face was much more expressive, but Khorik had found his primate counterpart impossible to read over their tenure as council beings.

“I am being the realist.  I only feeling the hopeful, if there is being the something to hoping about.”  Khorik replied as the computer announced all members present and the sessions beginning.  Leslie raised an eyebrow, but said nothing further as the minutes were read, updates were given, and the first motion of the agenda was set forth.  This session, like every session before it for months, was almost entirely focused on the issues of the looming war.  Early strings of refugees were causing problems as smugglers switched to the lucrative cargo of living beings wanting to get away from the border worlds.  Extremist militia groups were forming on many worlds and ignoring the government's authority.  There had even been an attack on an armory by a particularly bold group of activists.  Even the peace movements were becoming a problem as they became targets of those less tolerant.  Each case was heard and solutions were deliberated upon before voting, all the while Khorik waited patiently.  Let everyone feel the stress and the burden of a nation's periled agony.  They needed to have what was at stake weighing on them when he offered a plan this bold.

“Now we come to the main issue of the evening, our stance on the current situation within the mutilaxian government.”  Leslie said, introducing the next item on the agenda.  “The situation is complicated to say the least.  According to what little news comes out of the Mutilaxian sector, the populace and about a third of the government wants peace, but the majority of their government and a sizeable portion of their industry is seeking another conflict.  No official communiques have been sent from the Mutilaxian government, and so we must decide our official stance in a vacuum.”

“Not being necessarily.”  Khorik said, now standing to address the assembly.

“We aren’t at war yet, your pet spies can’t help us here.”  Penuffinar objected, but Leslie cut him off.

“Information doesn’t just win wars, honorable Thax.  I want to hear what they know.”  The elder human stateswoman said evenly.  Khorik licked his eyeballs in relief, getting his very illegally acquired intel onto the floor was only the first hurdle.

“I am the thanking you, honorable Foxworth.”  He said, then turned to address the rest of the chamber.  “The news that is the leaking out of the Mutilaxian sector would have you believe there are being a faction for war, and being a faction against.  This is not being the truth.  There are actually existing the two separate, and rival factions doing the advocating of war.  The larger  Totalist faction is being the one supported by members of the older Mutilaxian government and the military.  Their leader, Gallin Wroxef, is a name most of you will be remembering.”  There was indeed a low murmur in the senate at the hated name.  Gallin Wroxef was directly responsible for much of the sorrow during the Mutilax wars.  From war crimes to prolonging the war another year with scorched earth tactics, the name Wroxef was synonymous with evil in the League.  

“The Reactivists are being the much more bold and radical of industry and civilian leaders.” Khorik continued.  “They are doing the much of agitating of civilian centers and the demonstrations of the violence.  The Reactivists seem to be the trying to make up for their lacking of influence and numbers with the energy and frequency of action.  Their leader is being a younger Mutilaxian demagogue named Tiller Lodf.  He is being the driving force behind the groups racist ideals, and is having the charisma to attracting the disenfranchised to his cause.”

“How is that better?”  Thax asked.

“You’re certain of this?”  Foxworth prodded.  Khorik turned to each in turn.

“I am the certain.  We are having the reliable intel from a malcontent being within one of their factions.  The two groups are both the advocating violence, and the practicing it on each other.  Each is thinking that they will be the seizing power once the populace is being cowed by Mutilaxian wartime laws.”  Khorik explained.

“I fail to see the relevance, that’s still a great deal of their influential individuals working towards tragedy.”  Thax said, his mandibles clicking fast with nervousness.

“No…  I see where you’re going with this.”  Leslie said, and if Khorik had lips, he would have kissed the woman.  “You plan to force a deeper wedge between the war factions.  Divert their attention to each other and give those who want peace an edge because of their unity.”

“It is being as you have said, and it is just so happening that the pro-war factions are the meeting to attempt a unified planning.  Their two leaders are having the personal grudges against each other, and having pledged the violence between them many times.  There will being no better chance to sowing the confusions among them than this!”

“That would require one of the factions to have some egregious slight to blame upon the other.  Even if your spies can find so much information, how could we manufacture such a convenient scizm?”  Thax said, his posture now much less nervous and more charged with thoughtful consideration.  Khorik might have kissed the furry arachnid too, he was already thinking in the right direction.  The Cariz’n twitched and went still for a moment, and Khorik knew the poor being had just had the same horrible thought that Sollchin himself planned to put to vote today.  He looked over at Leslie, who was giving him a sad, but determined look.

“Which one do we want to kill?”

[donnnoir]

Alien Invasions...

Alien Invasions…

Starting in 2020-2021, Non-Terran entities will set upon our world to claim what was promised to them by “Treaty”.  It will be as an orchestrated “invasion” and “war”.  Since the probability is that the population of the world is NOT going to go along with giving away portions of the Earth in pursuit of the agendas of the Ultra-Elite, principally those of the Blood Occultic Families.  As per the terms of this “Treaty” these beings are to receive the “Pacific”; from the Aleutian Islands down to the equator including the coastlines anywhere from twenty to hundred miles inland. I suspect that that will just be the beginning of the process. Eventually these invaders will want to take possession of the entire world.  This is why in the media we are being presented “trans-humanistic” thought and that it will require us leaving the Earth to survive.  The realities associated with this is that it calls for a very small fraction of less than one percent that get to leave.  And should this initial “invasion” fail there are others planned which are scripted very differently...

Anyone acquainted with UFO / Flying Saucer mythology and lore will be familiar with the allusion of a predecessor to NASA.  It is commonly referenced when dealing with several presumed technological advancements or anomalies circa Roswell and before.  Without going too far afield of the focus of this essay; it should be noted that “visitors” have interacted with the human race continuously for the majority of our time upon Earth.  Much like from the old “Star Trek” series there are varying rules to the types of interactions, think “Prime Directive”.   It needs to be recognized that Not all visitors are the same, nor of benevolent intent.  Shocking as that may seem to some of the New Age crowd.  Nor are they necessarily from Our Reality, Realm, or Dimension.  Some of the entities we meet and interact with are not even representative of the beings we presume they are.  Rather they are actually a bio-mechinoid entity that is piloted or driven by its host from a great distance away; as is the case with the classic “Greys” that populate UFO mythologies (previously addressed in another essay).  

At the turn of the last century before our present, as the world industrialized and prepared for war.  The majority of the world leaders and governments, or rather those of the industrial powers and the West had at least been visited by Non-Terran entities and felt like they had the initial footing to develop an ad hoc diplomatic envoy.  At least that is what they were lead to believe.  Soon enough the world was embroiled in WWI, and the horrors of war in an industrialized era were unleashed.  Following the cessation of hostilities and the signing of an armistice.  WWI had been a slug-fest with both sides slaughtering each other, never to gain the advantage.  Human nature as it is did Not learn to beat their swords into plow-shears; instead we rushed headlong into finding better means of slaughter.  The blame and thereby reparations for WWI fell on Germany.  Strangely something called the League of Nations was formed in 1920.  People were told it was for the purpose of preventing further conflicts, as if that has ever worked.  Or at least that is what they would have us believe.  I say The League of Nations’ actual and sole purpose they accomplished within the first twenty-four months and as it became increasingly irrelevant it subsequently disbanded.

We created this “International World Governing” body with its power to enter into a “treaty” with any foreign power (even of Non-Terran origins).  As in this particular case the foreign power was a group of Non-Terran visitors.  Principally represented by the “Greys”.  The Bio-mechinoids whose drivers / pilots are from a lower harmonically resonating Realm / Dimension.  These beings are possessed of a hive mind.  Our ancestors in times past usually referred to them as “demons”.  Admittedly though their warrior class has a highly ritualized sense of combat giving them an appearance of “honor” when engaged, in single combat.  It is as close to the concept as these beings are capable.  

The nations of the world sought accelerated access to the technologies these Non-Terrans had displayed during their interactions with said world leaders.  For us the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve there is a loophole in the operations of the “Prime Directive” as it were.  The visitors are barred from giving or offering to give us their technologies of their own volition.  We, however may choose to barter our lives and birthright away.  It is the sum of free agency, and election.  We get to weave plenty of new rope, tie it off into a hangman’s noose, place it around our necks and jump off the roof.  And so we did, entering into a treaty with these beings.

As a consequence of WWI, with Germany being unjustly burdened with the blame for WWI and the associated reparations; their National Pride was injured.  With the rise of the National Socialist Party and their underlying Occultic beliefs and perspectives they readily pursued acquiring any advantage they could.  Thus the NAZIs were more effective at manipulating access to this alien technology.  Setting up a military base in antarctic and quite possibly the moon.  The “urban myth” of which is the bases of the recent cult classic “Iron Sky”.  A delightful case of Art imitating Life.

I have Not seen a copy of the actual “treaty”.  I have been able to deduce some of the terms of the “treaty”, if that is what we can call it (since the general population of the world, whom it impacts the most were NOT a party to the process).  For Americans and those of Western Culture and thought, we have a problem with issues where we lack representation; having fought wars over that principle. Nonetheless as to the “time period” prior to the terms and transfer of possession (the transfer of ownership to the new owners) is the standard 99 year time frame.  Which means 2020–2021 promises to be a watershed year of fun.  The terms oblige us to DE-Terra Form our world making it more habitable for the new owners.  These new residents prefer a much higher background radiation than do humans. The biosphere must be degraded to accommodate them, otherwise the microbes of a health ecosystem could readily defend our world (think “War of the Worlds”)  Additionally, We are suppose to DE-Tune the resonance of our world.  The Earth rings with its own unique pitch and tone, that favors us, humans.  It tends to make beings from other places ill, especially over time.  If you understood these requirements of the “treaty”.  You would understand why global powers have elected the courses of actions they have over the past nearly one hundred years.  Why we as a species have always selected and done the worst possible when given choices.  Worse yet why we have so obsessed with perpetuating and compounding our stupidity in some doomed attempt at trying to save our world.

These Demons are to receive for their participation – basically the entire Pacific.  Most countries have written off their coastal populations; or as is the case in America we are seeding the coastal areas as sacrifice zones.  Those that survive the initial wave and onslaught, will be a ready food source, labor pool and hosts for the invaders.

Understanding this also explains the unnecessary fifth column actions currently destabilizing Europe.  And why the current administration is attempting to mitigate a similar situation here.  Granted the administrations attitude and means generally needlessly aggravates the process.  Not that Trump is the Great American Hero; he just represents a particular faction that is uncomfortable sacrificing America for this process.  Because as amazing as it may seem there are elements that do NOT trust these Demonic “aliens” to hold to the terms as agreed.  Some of this opposition within the ranks basically disagree with the treaty.  They can NOT openly ferment their dissent, as it would violate their oaths and subject them to “treason” charges.  So they hedge their bets, and wait for the inevitable.  

“Crazy” and “Fantastic”, yeah I know.  Do you and yours a favor and simply look to the night skies.  Those are NOT satellites or sky-lab you see, they are an alien invasion force.  Elements of the Sky Warden Force have been fighting them for close to a decade.  If you have access to fourth generation night vision and some powerful optical binoculars or telescopes.  Look to the night sky, know that the long black triangles are Our forces fighting these aliens and their crafts.  Good Luck and G-dspeed to us all...

[londonrumbler]

Human Trafficking: An Epidemic

Although it is universally viewed as morally repugnant, human trafficking continues to grow at an alarming rate. Human trafficking is becoming an epidemic worldwide, with over 800,000 people trafficked across international borders every year and over 160 countries identified as being either involved or affected by human trafficking. Poverty and lack of economic stability or opportunity makes many individuals, most of whom are women and children, extremely vulnerable to human traffickers; many accept promises of work and housing in other countries only to have their documents destroyed, their lived indebted to their captors, and their bodies used as payment. Though women and children are the most vulnerable to human trafficking for the sex trade, bonded servitude, or labor purposes, human trafficking is not limited to only these forms of exploitation.

The use of child soldiers is increasing worldwide, with approximately 250,000 children under the age of 18 thought to be fighting in conflicts currently, hundreds of thousands more are known to be members of armed forces who could be sent into combat at any time. Child soldiers are defined as a person under the age of 18 who directly or indirectly participates in an armed conflict as part of an armed force or group. While most of these children are wielding rifles, AK47′s, grenades, and rocket launders on the front lines others are being put to use behind the scenes in supporting roles such as messengers, spies, cooks, mine-clearers, and sex slaves. The issues of child soldiers clearly overlaps with that of human trafficking because many nations are kidnapping, coercing, and recruiting children into their military regimes and rebellion groups where the children are then abused, starved, and manipulated into committing horrific crimes for their captors.

The issue of child soldiers is as internationally widespread as human trafficking but, unlike the covert actions of human traffickers, most countries don’t hide the fact that they are exploiting the youth of their nation. The problem is most critical in Africa, where children as young as seven have been involved in armed conflicts. However, children are also used as soldiers in various Asian countries and in parts of Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. In many cases, children are recruited into a country’s armed forces when the country in question is in a state of peace. Similarly, military schools are a common feature across Latin America, Asia, and Africa. It is blatantly apparent that no area of the world is immune to this issue.

There are many plausible causes for this epidemic of child soldiers, all of which involve conflict and exploitation. In many developing countries, colonial legacies have led to weak economies and unstable political climates; this in turn has led to the exacerbation of rich, natural resources for desired political and economic control, which results in prolonged armed conflicts and the widespread use of child soldiers. Furthermore, in countries where the standard of living has declined beyond point of feasible recuperation, many parents will offer their children to recruiters in return for basic needs for themselves or for the children. Also, in some cases, the children will become soldiers in order to protect themselves or their families from harm. Yet, in other cases, the children will voluntarily sign up because they have been brainwashed with, or feel a connection to, the ideology of their recruiters and see no other options available to them. Whatever the reason for the recruitment, the fact of the matter is that these children are vulnerable and can be manipulated too easily into becoming ruthless and unquestioning tools of war. 

If this problem were to be solved, the dehumanized children around the world would be guaranteed their freedom and safety as well as offered support in reintegrating into society to ensure productive, healthy adult lives. Despite the efforts of the United Nations and smaller advocates for the ban of child soldiers, there has been little progress made in the numbers of child soldiers active in warfare. Though the United Nations has created a legal framework to protect children from armed conflicts, its actual implementation is painfully slow. This is partly because international human rights treaties typically bind states, not non-state activists such as the armed rebel groups largely to blame in these situations; this fact limits the reach of human rights law. Furthermore, even if the laws were to be implemented and agreed to by the countries and states involved, whether they would honor their agreement is whole separate issue.

The issue of child soldiers doesn’t present many viable alternatives except for the obvious banning and prosecuting of those responsible. The prosecution of child soldier recruiters may serve as a deterrent to other armed groups in the future. Some armed groups are currently seeking international legitimacy and support for their political objectives and use of child soldiers, but with negative publicity arising everywhere about child soldier use, their efforts could be undermined and their support eliminated. Furthermore, if pressure from the governments supporting these armed groups’ activities (i.e. the United States) were to be applied, no doubt the use of children would significantly decrease in combat situations. In some cases, armed groups may be open to negotiations with governments or the United Nations aimed at demobilizing child soldiers if the correct terms and conditions were applied. The most plausible alternative is simply to increase awareness and continue to apply pressure to the governments of the countries known to harbor child soldiers; only in this way can we hope to contain the situation in order to eventually eliminate it. 

Similarly, there is no clear solution to, or means of implementation, for the issue of child soldiers; it is a messy matter that requires a lot of cooperation and funding that realistically will probably never be granted without drastic measures. However, some positive steps have been taken and the smaller agencies and advocates for these exploited youth never stop working towards a solution. Despite the legal challenges court systems face with these non-governmental groups, child soldier recruiters may face prosecution by the International Criminal Court, which was established in 1998. Other acts, laws, and court systems have been established in recent years to combat child soldiers as well; for example, the Child Soldier Prevention Act of 2007 implemented by the US Senate and Special Court for Sierra Leone, which was established in 2002. The most plausible solution right now is simply to increase awareness of these acts, laws, and organizations. In doing so, the level of outrage will increase in the global population which will increase the levels of funding and amount of aid to these groups and organizations that are doing the most good for the victims. This can be implemented through any media source: magazine, book, newspaper, television, pamphlet, social media, film, etc.

Despite the easily accessible data and facts about child soldiers, as well as human trafficking in general, the number of victims continues to increase annually. The exact causes of this epidemic are difficult to define, but they involve conflict and exploitation of vulnerable populations. If this problem were to be solved, the dehumanized victims around the world would be guaranteed their freedom, dignity, and safety. Though these issues don’t present many viable alternatives or solutions except for swift eradication and punishment of the perpetrators, preventative steps are being taken and hopefully, with enough publicity and knowledge circulating, there will be an end in sight soon. Knowledge needs to be circulated about the atrocities taking place all over the world, because with knowledge comes power and with power comes change. Hopefully people will take their newfound knowledge about human trafficking and all its exploits and turn it into the changes that need to happen.

[queen-scribbles]

Steady as Stars: Tragen Meta

So time to ramble about Tragen because I am overly attached to this goober and have TOO MANY FEELINGS. Quick note, everything about his home planet is my own headcanon bc canon and Legends diverge pretty sharply so I just said “Screw allll of it” and am doing my own thing  😎 Also, i tried to keep some sense of order to it, but did not 100% succeed. Lots of parenthetical asides incoming. 

Brief backstory, for anyone who’s not familiar with my wonderful paladin son, Tragen is from Stenos, which is in the Outer Rim, right on the edge of Imperial space. They remained neutral during the Great Galactic War, but did host several Imperial supply lines. These supply lines eventually wound up integral to Stenosi economy, which the Empire used to blackmail them into actually joining shortly before the Treaty of Coruscant was signed.

Tragen’s love of the stars goes back to his childhood, but up until about 10 years old, it was just typical child’s awe and wonder at how many there were all the different places you could go among them, that sort of thing. Around ten is when the Empire started really pressuring Stenos to join, making threats, etc. This wasn’t common knowledge, but since Tragen’s parents were both high ranked government officials/nobility(the two are somewhat linked on Stenos; there’s the king/queen, their inner circle, and then a moderately-sized parliament of sorts drawn from the nobility. I’m still hashing out all the details, but that’s the basics), he’d hear them talking behind closed doors or after they thought he and his sister were asleep. They were worried the Empire would actually attack or invade or something like that, based off the displeasure the Imperial diplomat was conveying.

With the planet/culture’s future uncertain, Tragen started really appreciating the stars’ constancy. They’re always there, always the same, even if you can’t see them or are looking from a different angle. They’ve been there for ages and will be for ages more, and he finds that comforting.

Even moreso after the Imperial diplomat discovers how important the supply lines are to the economy and blackmails Stenos into joining the Empire with that knowledge. There are assurances things won’t change, of course, or at least won’t change much, but they do. And that’s before the Sith start looking for Force Sensitives. It’s very disconcerting for an acquaintance to be there one day and not the next. There are so many rumors about what happens to the people who go with the Sith(willing or no), it’s impossible to figure out the truth. With all the uncertainty, and his parents working even longer hours trying to merge Imperial statutes with Stenosi culture, Tragen finds even more comfort in the stars. Everything else might be changing, but they don’t.

And then the Sith find him. It takes a little over two years from winning Stenos to the Empire for the Imperials to work their way bottom of society to top looking for potential Sith, but Tragen’s one of the first they find when they finally get to the nobility/officials. By this point, the Imperials have abandoned all pretense of this ‘honor’ being optional, and so off Tragen goes to Ziost at thirteen years old. (He doesn’t want to, but loyalty/honor/duty are so central to Stenosi culture his father uses those to talk him down from a full-on freakout and into at least accepting this new path for his life, even if he doesn’t love it)

Tragen is not particularly gifted with the Force. It’s there, he has a decent enough connection to... amplify other things(ala Force scream, etc), but his real saving grace talent is martial combat. He’s been trained with a blade since he could hold one, is extremely observant and good at reading body language, and has a good head for strategy/thinking on his feet. The Sith training is where he’s introduced to the idea of dual-wielding(he’s ambidextrous, which is why one instructor suggests it), which is the only enjoyable thing about it.

Right from the start, Tragen has to hide his true self, bury it beneath a mask of anger and hatred he doesn’t really feel. He knows if he lets it slip he’s dead. He’s watched it happen; decent people who couldn’t ‘get over’ their scruples fast enough fall in duels to fellow acolytes who did, or are cut down by trainers as an example. He skates the edge of discovery the entire seven years he’s there; beating opponents to unconsciousness(so he doesn’t get stabbed in the back) but never killing anyone if can be avoided, claiming it’s so they have to wallow in the humiliation of defeat and/or “I rather like them owing me their life”. Still, he gets lectured multiple times about this merciful “flaw” he has.

During this time, he clings to the stars; to knowing that even when they’re hidden they’re still there, still shining bright, still the same. Just like him, sometimes their true nature is obscured or the constellations aren’t where you expect. bc you’re looking at them from somewhere different. None of that changes them, just how/if people see them.

Tragen’s survival tactic of hiding behind a mask of expected emotions he doesn’t really feel gets tested to its limit once Tremel summons him to the Academy for his trials, especially after Baras takes an interest in him. He’s constantly trying to outfox one of the most paranoid and brilliant Darths around, and sweats bullets the first few times he’s near the man. Once it starts to seem like Baras isn’t suspicious of him, Tragen relaxes ever so slightly. Not enough to do anything stupid, just enough he’s not a mess of suspicious tension every time he’s in his master’s presence. (And let’s not get into how hard the whole ‘wish the Jedi found you instead of the Sith’ thing with Dorgis hit him bc I’ll get too emotional to function. So many feeling for this dork.)

It’s a little easier once he picks up Vette. He doesn’t entirely drop his guard or his mask around her, but she at least is okay when he does nice/reasonable things, instead of lecturing about how he’s a terrible Sith yada yada. The two of them strike up a friendship pretty fast(she reminds him of his sister, actually), and Vette is usually the one to tag along when Tragen leaves the ship, even after Quinn joins.

It’s a still-tricky balancing act to accomplish enough of Baras’ objectives he doesn’t get suspicious while not violating his own code, but somehow Tragen manages. He leaves everyone alive he can, trotting out the ‘yes, but now they owe me their lives, giving me power and humiliating them’ excuse when needed. The entirely of looking for Jaesa, he’s adamant and upfront that he just wants to talk to her, leaves everyone alive(even makes Master Yonlach question his view of Sith :3) and resolves things as peacefully as he can. Even when faced with Jedi who are raring to fight and operating with the bias Sith = evil(tbf, he’s a rare exception...), Tragen always tries to talk things out first. He’s found pointing out he’s acting more Jedi-like than them works really, really well. On the whole, his conscience is pretty happy with how the search for Jaesa is going, though it does make him uneasy when he hears Baras got his hands on her parents. There isn’t really anything he can do at that point, so he just has to hope for the best and keep going.

While he is happy with the increased freedom and decreased oversight of having his own ship and underlings to do his job, it’s still lonely. He can’t completely relax on the ship, and he’s so used to having his mask up, he can’t bring himself to drop it around people, even Vette. Quinn there’s the obvious reasons(the man’s born and bred Imperial AND owes Baras his career; there’s no way Tragen’s trusting him with this), but Vette it’s more... worrying she’d accidentally spill the beans. She’s such a chatterbox and very impulsive, so even though he thinks she’d try to keep his secret, he’d rather not take chances with something this dangerous. This means the only time Tragen can drop the facade and be himself is when he’s alone, in his cabin, with only the stars for company. This adds a layer to his love of them; alone with the stars is the only place he can be honest, and living this lie is so exhausting he treasures those moments more than he can say.

He’s very used to opponents(especially Jedi) jumping to conclusions about him based purely on him being Sith, so Nomen Karr’s reaction on Hutta is.. expected At least, the initial hostility is. Tragen tries and tries and tries to be reasonable and just talk to the man, but Karr doesn’t cooperate. That he starts calling on the dark side is a bit of a surprise(not a huge one, though; a lot of the Jedi Tragen’s met have been hypocrites, and he could sense Karr’s pride and anger from the start), but Tragen is a skilled enough swordsman(I guess swordsman still applies to lightsabers??) he handles it.

Then Jaesa shows up. Tragen sends Vette to check in with the soldiers outside, and for the first time in eight years, drops his facade. If Jaesa can sense a being’s true nature anyway, there’s no point fighting it, and he hopes a gesture of trust like this will convince her(I did a lot of flashpoints/side quests etc with him, so he’s Light II by this point, better than a lot of my SWs). Dropping his guard like this makes him feel exposed, vulnerable. Naked, almost. He’s been so hidden for so long behind that mask, it’s mildly terrifying to let go of it.

*ahem* (But trusting Jaesa feels right, and safe, and this was the best course of action, right?)

(Wrong. She’s confused this Sith reads as merciful and compassionate against Master Karr’s arrogance and rage, and attacks him anyway)

During their fight, Tragen can’t help but admire her form; he knows dualsabers are tricky to wield and she’s very good. Good enough that it’s a challenge to beat her without hurting her(too much). By this point, Vette’s brought the Imperial soldiers back in, so he has to hide how giddy he is when Jaesa agrees to join him and help change the Empire from within. 

(Having her along is like surfacing for air after much too long underwater.)

It’s a little bit... cautious at first--they can’t speak freely enough on the ship to really connect. Tragen does encourage her to have confidence in herself; she’s grown since her days as a handmaiden, and understands all too well her struggles with pretending to be something she’s not. A lot of the advice he gives her  is the same things he’s clung to for years(”Keep your eyes on the goal” and “masks worn for survival are different than those worn for personal gain”) Jaesa has a million questions and Tragen’s dying to talk to someone he can be himself around, but they don’t get a chance until Taris. Tragen marks a couple firsts for me there; minorly, he’s my first male toon who did the planet arc but didn’t flirt with Thana, and more importantly: first Sith Warrior to talk every. single. War Trust target into surrendering. He didn’t kill a single one. (which I didn’t know was possible until him; I thought at least one of them[Frelka] fighting was unavoidable, but he did it.) This is where Jaesa starts accompanying him pretty much everywhere(she’s his apprentice, why shouldn’t she?) and they start building up trust and friendship and she gets a real look at his character.

Tragen keeps his word to the Siantide miners, shows restraint, and is basically the least Sith-y Sith Jaesa’s ever seen, let alone met. This is what brings her curiosity out in Shining Bright. That conversation opens the floodgates and they talk freely as they work their way through Taris, a freedom both miss once they’re back on the Empire Dawn. But even if Pierce’s quarters weren’t right next to Jaesa’s, being more open is not a good idea. Too much risk.

It is, however, very difficult to keep their conversation quiet when Jaesa tells him about the other light-leaning Sith. Tragen’s ecstatic (and relieved) to know he’s not the only one(also, impressed by how much stronger + more skilled Jaesa’s gotten with her power). He’s very eager with his encouragement she keep looking, and so giddy when she actually finds them, they’re both equally to blame for Pierce almost catching them. (It’s very hard for a pair of excited 21 year olds to keep their voices down) He sends her to make contact with these light-leaning Sith and paces his cabin in antsy, impatient circles until she gets back.

Thanks to their Force bond, Tragen can tell even before Jaesa boards the Dawn that something’s wrong. When she tells him how badly her attempt went, the first words out of his mouth are reassuring her this wasn’t her fault. She tried, and no matter the outcome, that was the right thing to do. (He does hug her, even if it’s risky, just for a moment. She’s his friend and she’s hurting, he doesn’t care if it raises suspicions)

(side note: this is where the first seeds of Jaesa falling for him are planted, when her feelings matter more than her failure, even if she doesn’t realize it until years later)

Disappointed as they might be by this setback, there’s not much they can do about it(both somehow find solace in the stars, though neither mentions it), so they soldier on. Both improve in combat prowess, Jaesa’s strength with her power grows, they become uncannily good at working as a team. (this is part experience and part Force bond--Tragen might barely be decent at most Force stuff, but he and Jaesa bond STRONG)

It’s almost a relief when Baras tries to kill him. He can stop even pretending loyalty. Though he does find it deeply ironic the Emperor’s Hand reaches out to recruit as Wrath someone so diametrically opposed to Sith values. He shares Jaesa’s excitement for potential influence he can wield, being so high-ranked and even less subject to oversight bc who’s gonna be brave enough to question the Emperor’s Wrath? Between that and Lord Emmoridg reaching out to Jaesa, Tragen’s actually feeling good about their chances at reforming the Empire. It turns out a bit more complicated than he’s anticipating--while there’s less oversight, there’s also a stricter and more definite set of expectations placed on the Emperor’s Wrath than on a run of the mill Lord. Expectations that are harder to look like he’s fulfilling while actually subverting.

Belsavis, for example. Tragen has no problem or qualms about killing Ekkage. And he knows Jaesa’s not going to tell anyone how readily he partnered with a Jedi(who he not only let live, but parted on good terms with) to achieve his goals. But he didn’t kill Col. Trill for not helping him, and he lets Lord Melicost walk away, and he has no guarantee those actions won’t raise eyebrows. Sure he can argue he doesn’t want to weaken the Empire/Sith in their war with the Republic, but a) it doesn’t stop other Sith and b) he has a history of being less brutal than a Sith should. With being Wrath now, Tragen’s starting to really stress over the balance and his facade is straining him to the breaking point.

The stars remain a huge comfort to him. He spends a lot on his time on the ship just sitting in his cabin and staring out the viewport(he calls it meditating if anyone other than Jaesa asks). The stars are still there, still the same. The constellations and which ones he can see might be different depending on where in the galaxy he is, but even when he can’t see them, he knows they’re still there. Still magnificent and beautiful no matter what happens. That thought is one of the few things that keeps him going strong.

Another is his friends. Tragen is all too happy to help Vette find her family(it makes him miss his even more) and backs her up in her reluctance to seek revenge for her mother’s death. The two of them are pretty close, and Vette always manages to make him smile, so helping her is no trouble at all. There are times Tragen wonders if she suspects how truly un-Sithy he is, but he can never quite bring himself to admit it to her for sure. That mask is such habit, it stays on around everyone.

Except Jaesa. Even if their Force Bond and her power didn’t make hiding things an exercise in futility, they’re a team and Tragen a) trusts her and b) is eternally grateful to have someone he can be himself around. Completely himself. And he feels like no matter how daunting this goal of reforming the entire Empire is, with her as his partner it’s possible. Jaesa found the light-leaning Sith, Jaesa reached out to them. Despite the initial disaster, she’s the one Lord Emmoridg reaches out to and she’s the one who keeps in touch with him.

Tragen is feeling very good about about their goals and actually starting to hope he won’t have to hide forever when they learn about Cendence. Jaesa is so distraught  when relaying her encounter with the tortured and dying apprentice, Tragen shuts and locks the door under the pretense of meditating so he can comfort her without being disturbed. Knowing there’s a Sith out there hunting down ‘their kind’ is more than a little troubling(terrifying is the word he would use), but Tragen’s too busy with the Hand’s assignments to do anything about it, so he entrusts this foe to Jaesa. He knows she can handle it. She a gifted Force-user, skilled saberist, and stronger than she realizes. He’s so proud of her when she goes face to face with Cendence and beats him bc he knew she could do it.

Regarding the Quincident--bc how do you meta a Sith Warrior without touching on the Quincident?--Tragen of course forgives him. Has to dress it in the usual ‘Your life is mine now’ rhetoric, but he’s secretly amused at the irony. Baras is the Proper Sith(TM) between the two of them, is more in line with Sith values and would technically be the right choice by that metric. Tragen’s just more powerful--even if it’s still more combat skill instead of the Force. (He’s better with the Force than he used to be, but still largely relies on lightsabers. He’s more comfortable with blades)

After defeating Baras(which is a relief) and being confirmed as Wrath by the Dark Council(which is stressful af), Tragen takes a long time wrestling with how to balance his goals and his new position. Yes, he has more influence, but people will also be more wary/skeptical that the EMPEROR’S WRATH is light-leaning and trying to change things,and he’s pretty sure the more times he’s merciful, the more questions will be raised. If he and Jaesa thought what Emmoridg is doing is dangerous, training LS Sith right under the Council’s nose, this is.... too perilous for words. He actually talks to the Emperor. Tragen interacts with Vitiate; pure, remorseless evil and incredibly powerful, who he’s actively working to undermine. It makes the next few years extremely harrowing, but at least things are never boring(and most of his orders--what few there are--come through the Hand, so he doesn’t talk to Vitiate MUCH). The only thing that keeps all his plans from crashing down and totally wasting the years of wearing his mask, is that the Wrath is allowed to maintain autonomy rather than being bound to Vitiate’s will via dark side rituals. That would have led to his discovery and torture/execution, Tragen is 100% sure. Even as things stand he has to be incredibly careful.

It helps him immensely that Jaesa’s sticking around; both for her help with their goals and just bc Tragen values her as a partner. He admires her growth and resilience, she admires his bravery and sacrifice(both admire the other’s inner strength), they work fantastically well as a team--by the SoR prelude they can practically read each other’s minds, and his future plans rely heavily on her being there. Which she’s all too happy to do.

(both of them are halfway in love at this point and both are completely oblivious to it. There’s no pining--yet--bc neither has a clue the true nature of their feelings-- largely bc they both come from planets where marriages are usually for politics over love, and then their respective orders; the Sith encourage lust, not love, and the Jedi ofc with their acting like Love Is Bad Bc Attachments)

I’m toying with headcanon-ing that Tragen’s acquaintance with Lana and Theron starts with the Depths of Manaan flashpoint, bc I’m verrryyyy conflicted about him doing Attack on Tython. It feels OOC for him(I played him through it, but it didn’t sit right >.>).Whatever I do there, his familiarity with Vitiate’s nature makes him all the more frantic to stop Revan bc seriously, man, you don’t know what you’re doing, this is going to end so very VERY badly. He is, of course, right, and he hates it.The disgust he’s always felt for Vitiate multiplies exponentially at the end, when Mr. Embodiment of Pure Evil and Dickishness escapes and promises to consume his Wrath last since Tragen’s “special” to him(which makes his skin crawl; he doesn’t want to be valued by something so evil). And like all my Force-users, Ziost hits him really hard. He’s more familiar with how evil Vitiate is, so on that score he’s braced himself. But even with his mediocre Force connection, all of that terror and death so fast hits him hard--though not as hard as it hits Jaesa. She goes catatonic for a little bit, which scares Tragen half to death. It’s only about 5-10 minutes, but he recovered in under a minute, so it still feels like an eternity. And she’s quiet and closed off the rest of the day.

The one good thing to come out of SoR-RotE (aside from new friends), is Tragen can now openly, full-throttle oppose Vitiate and it’s okay. More than okay, Darth Marr himself approves. And being the Empire’s Wrath instead of the Emperor’s has him back with the increased leeway to do his own thing which makes it possible to work(still subtly) toward reforming the Empire. And he’s more sure they need it than ever now; with Vitiate out there as a threat, he’s pretty sure the Empire and Republic will have to ally again to deal with him. That’ll be much easier to do it they aren’t so wildly different. His progress may be measured in inches, but he has time; he’s not going anywhere.

Or so he thinks.

(KotFE onward coming soon in a separate post)

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Constitution of the United States

Constitution of the United States

Constitution of the United States

Preamble   Article I   Article II   Article III   Article IV   Article V   Article VI   

Article VII      AMENDMENTS   

Introduction

The Constitution assigned to Congress responsibility for organizing the executive and judicial branches, raising revenue, declaring war, and making all laws necessary for executing these powers. The president is permitted to veto specific legislative acts, but Congress has the authority to override presidential vetoes by two-thirds majorities of both houses. The Constitution also provides that the Senate advise and consent on key executive and judicial appointments and on the approval for ratification of treaties.

For over two centuries the Constitution has remained in force because its framers successfully separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the federal and state governments. More a concise statement of national principles than a detailed plan of governmental operation, the Constitution has evolved to meet the changing needs of a modern society profoundly different from the eighteenth-century world in which its creators lived. To date, the Constitution has been amended 27 times, most recently in 1992. The first ten amendments constitute the Bill of Rights.

Annotated Constitutions

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation (popularly known as the Constitution Annotated) contains legal analysis and interpretation of the United States Constitution, based primarily on Supreme Court case law.

The Constitution of the United States of America, S.PUB.103-21 (1994) (pdf), prepared by the Office of the Secretary of the Senate with the assistance of Johnny H. Killian of the Library of Congress in 1994, provided the original text of each clause of the Constitution with an accompanying explanation of its meaning and how that meaning changed over time.

Italicized text indicates words and passages of the Constitution that were changed or affected by amendments.

Original Text

Preamble

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Article I

Section 1   Section 2   Section 3   Section 4   Section 5   Section 6   Section 7   

Section 8   Section 9   Section 10   

Section 1

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section 2

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

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 States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section 4

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Section 5

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, 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.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, 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.

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 sitting.

Section 6

The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They 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.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.

Section 7

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.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States: If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his 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 President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

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 President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, 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

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

  To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

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 States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And

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 States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Section 9

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

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.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money 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 public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: 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 State.

Section 10

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, 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

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representatives from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice-President.

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Section 2

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he 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 he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The 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

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he 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, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section 4

The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article III

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2

The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, 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 States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more States;—between a State and Citizens of another State;—between Citizens of different States;—between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State 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 Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Section 3

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, 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.

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

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. 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

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.

Section 3

 New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

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 States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Section 4

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

Article V

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 States, 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 States, 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 which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

Article VI

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any state to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Article VII

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In Witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,

                                Go. Washington—Presidt.

                                And deputy from Virginia 

                New Hampshire               John Langdon

                                                                Nicholas Gilman

                 Massachusetts                  Nathaniel Gorham

                                                                Rufus King

                 Connecticut                        Wm. Saml. Johnson

                                                                Roger Sherman

                 New York                            Alexander Hamilton

                 New Jersey                        Wil: Livingston

                                                                David Brearley

                                                                Wm. Paterson

                                                                Jona. Dayton

                 Pennsylvania                     B Franklin

                                                                Thomas Mifflin

                                                                Robt Morris

                                                                Geo. Clymer

                                                                Thos. FitzSimons

                                                                Jared Ingersoll

                                                                James Wilson

                                                                Gouv Morris

                 Delaware                             Geo: Read

                                                                Gunning Bedford jun

                                                                John Dickinson

                                                                Richard Bassett

                                                                Jaco: Broom

                 Maryland                             James McHenry

                                                                Dan of St. Thos. Jenifer

                                                                Danl Carroll

                 Virginia                                 John Blair—

                                                               James Madison Jr.

                North Carolina                   Wm. Blount

                                                                Richd. Dobbs Spaight

                                                                Hu Williamson

                 South Carolina                   J. Rutledge

                                                                Charles Cotesworth Pinckney

                                                                Charles Pinckney

                                                                Pierce Butler

                 Georgia                                William Few

                                                                Abr Baldwin

                 Attest William Jackson Secretary

AMENDMENTS

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II (1791)

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III (1791)

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.

Amendment IV (1791)

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.

Amendment V (1791)

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 offence 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.

Amendment VI (1791)

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State 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 defence.

Amendment VII (1791)

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, 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 States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII (1791)

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X (1791)

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Amendment XI (1795/1798)

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

Amendment XII (1804)

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;—The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;—The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President—The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

Amendment XIII (1865)

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XIV (1868)

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Amendment XV (1870)

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XVI (1913)

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Amendment XVII (1913)

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

Amendment XVIII (1919)

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Amendment XIX (1920)

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XX (1933)

Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

Section 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

Amendment XXI (1933)

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2.  The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3.  This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Amendment XXII (1951)

Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XXIV (1964)

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XXV (1967)

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Amendment XXVI (1971)

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XXVII (1992)

No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.