11 replies to this topic

[Ilithi Dragon]

Circumventing and then eliminating all together the Home Defense Act, these two acts unquestionably represent a shift in power to the Captain-Generalcy and the House Marik banner. But is this a good thing? The Home Defense Act was designed to bolster regional defense, and though it lead to regionalization and gridlock in Parliament, the sacking of this act also nullified a lot of the local autonomy of all League worlds, save those of Regulus and Oriente. For the first time in our history, the FWL can now act as a unified whole without gridlocking ourselves, but so much power has been concentrated into a single office held by a single man, a dangerous precedent.

What are your opinions?

[Sal Trebov]

It's dangerous. I've long been wary of House Marik; they are constantly a wild card within the League that they lead. One Marik helped orchestrate the old Star League, another pushed for it's dissolution. They've had their share of butchers and saviors.

I guess it's just as well that Thomas is pushing for these measures, rather than his deposed cousin, Duncan. So far, Thomas seems level-headed enough that, in the 10+ years since the Addendum to the Incorporation was passed, he has yet to abuse his power. Still, the biggest problem lies in getting another 'tyrant' Marik somewhere down the line. If that happened, the FWL would tear itself apart; Regulus wouldn't stand for it, and there are plenty of smaller groups willing to side with them. But Thomas proved what he can do when he ended the Andurien Crisis if given a free hand. It all depends on the Marik in question, it seems.

[Seabear]

Once power is consolidated - for any reason- there is almost no chance it will ever be defused again. Witness the "short lived emergency resolution that put a capitan-general in power!

[HereticTLL]

It's a sign of the changing League, and we should not fear the changes, it's proof that our democracy is still alive.

The Home Defence Act was always a 2-sided sword.....yes it meant that all League worlds could heavily garrison themselves but it also meant that the Militias were fewer in number than we have needed to progress anything more substantial than raids on our enemies. The Home Defence Act might have saved the League from the worst ravages of conquest by our opponents but it also hindered our efforts to reduce that threat.

The League is changing, our Navy grows with every passing year as mothballed ships return to service and ancient shipyards are retooled. The modern FWLM needs the Navy covering our worlds, with our 'mech regiments concentrated.for quick and decisive deployment, the days of heavy garrisons are gone now our Navy is unchallenged amongst the House Fleets.

So the Home Defense Act was a good thing, but it's now time to modernise our forces, solidifying their command is a good start. And I have no worries as to any infringements on the liberties of individual Worlds....if there's one thing we leaguers are good at it is making known the things we do not like 8) And I just don't see any real level of opposition to this program of FWLM modernisation, just a few dusty nepotists in Parliament protecting their bloated garrison contract interests.

[Gun Bear]

I think that with being surrounded on three sides by factions that can mobilize their whole force at any time to send after the Free Worlds an act like that was totally necessary, the Andurien Crisis and War of 3039 should have taught all of us that we need a unified military force, and guys like me, to help defend the autonomy enjoyed by every planet in the Free Worlds.

Beside that; we have seen how under Thomas's rule the league has had more prosperity and more peace than at any point since the star league era.

[Major Bill Curtis]

Clearly, unequivocally, this is not a good thing.

Andurien for Anduriens!

[Gun Bear]

Do I have to leg you again?

[Jefferson Davis McMasters]

I will reserve my opinion and take a wait and see attitude only time will tell, I serve the League not the Office.....

[Randalf Yorgen]

With reguards to allowing us to respond faster to anyone who threatens our FWL then it is a good thing as for the rest of it, I doubt you will see much change, the Central Government will download as much as it can to the regional governments who will in turn download as much as they can to each world. The Planetary Governors will have their hands full but will have a centralized government that they can call upon should they need assistance. House Marik will want to be able to maintain the freedoms that they enjoy and won't want to be tied down by all this extra work. As always we will adapt and survive and maybe in the end, we may even come out of top.

[The Justicar]

With an Empire the size of the FWL, at some point consolidated power is almost a necessity. So long as the Captain-General doesn't crush civil liberties (which have so far been largely untouched and in the hands of local authorities), I think the pros outweigh the cons.

That being said, the instant the Captain-General oversteps his authority, we may very well have the largest civil war the FWL has ever seen. As has already been said, I serve the league, not the Captain-General.

[deshamus]

Local autonomy of individual League worlds is all very well, but at some point a line must be drawn in the sand to say that we, as a League of Free Worlds, will accept no incursion of our rightful boundries and are prepared to do what we must to prevent this.

We accept that to facilitate timely and rapid responses to the fluidly changing nature of the Inner Sphere a centralised power with the ability to instantly mobilise our unique and special blend of worlds to action had to occur.

We can only count our blessings that a man such as Thomas Marik, with his true and proven skills, is available and willing to take up the burden for his people.

I much rather the velvet touch of a master statesman than the feel of a Lyran Jackboot on my neck.

[BigRed40Tech]

It is the right of the Captain General to bring these reforms ahead, as needed. He is our leader and head of our State of Free Worlds. And if we wish to be free, and not under the boots of some fedcom scum, we'd best all remember that. What freedom can there be under a Star League formed by the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns? For us there would be slavery.

Better to dig in now, follow our leader, and push them back now. Remember, the enemies outside are far worse then the enemies within.