Role and powers of the EGB:
To demarcate and modify (when deemed necessary) the 100 local electorates to safeguard the central democratic aspect of the Epistocracy – i.e., the elections of Representatives to champion the needs and opinions of the citizens
To undertake elections for the Local and National Representatives
To undertake the election process for replacements to the Executive Council, including the application process
To assiduously fulfil the dictates of legislation and cooperate with the Executive Council to ensure the smooth running of government
To set up and operate the courts of adjudication for the interpretation of the nation’s laws and to appoint the judges and staff
- The court system will be based largely on the current U.S. judicial system, up to the level of the Supreme Court. As this Epistocracy’s constitution only maps out the structure, powers and mechanisms of the system, laws made by the Executive Council cannot be declared illegal/unconstitutional
- The EGB must ensure a free and fair selection process and aim to reflect the demographic makeup of society in the appointment of judges
To oblige the Executive Council to operate according to a current budget stipulated in legislation and that ALL expenditure can be justified with reference to the budget. The head of the EGB should be consulted as the budget or modifications to budgets are being formulated so that he/she can alert the government to any ambiguities or areas in which the bureaucracy’s work will need clarifying budgetary legislation
- There are to be mandatory and discretionary programs in the annual budget. The Executive Council can make changes to its budget as it likes, but every piece of legislation needs to be clearly funded
- The EGB needs also to publish the government’s receipts and expenditures on an annual basis
To ensure the equitable transfer of funds to regional and local governments. To ensure that all regions and municipalities are equitably invested in by the Executive Council
- The head of the EGB can peg back the transfer of budgetary revenue for local and regional governments if the Executive Council is deemed to be favoring some local/regional governments over others
- The head of the EGB can stall the Executive Council’s investment plans in any given region/municipality if deemed to unfairly favor it over other regions/municipalities. The head of the EGB needs to be assured by the Executive Council that commensurate spending will occur in the rest of the regions/municipalities as soon as practicable
To ensure that the purview of the local and regional governments is not unreasonably infringed on by the Executive Council
- If a law/decree by the Executive Council is deemed to infringe on the rights of a/some/all local and regional governments, the EGB can advise the Executive Council that it will not implement it
The Head of the EGB:
How Elected?
2/3 of the National Representatives and the Arbiter must agree on the appointment of the head of the EGB. Once appointed, the person is given a single, two year term, unless a) three quarters of the Chamber of Representatives chooses to oust him/her before the full term expires or b) the Arbiter accedes to the Executive Council ‘legislation’ to oust him/her. The same process is followed if the Chamber of Representatives or the Executive Council want to oust specific employees of the EGB
For two years after the end of the Head of the EGB’s term of employment, it will be illegal for him/her to serve in any position that capitalizes on his/her connections/networks in government.
Role & Powers:
The head of the EGB is formally responsible for the smooth running of elections and the demarcation of electorates
The head of the EGB is formally responsible for the hiring and firing and the actions while in employment of all the EGB’s staff and for the precise administration of the law
If any EGB head of department or even an employee in the lower ranks of the bureaucracy feels that they have been instructed by the head of the EGB to do something that they think is illegal (meaning, beyond the purview of legislation), they can and must officially advise the head of the EGB. The head of the EGB must then reconsider the matter and decide whether he concurs and must, consequently, alert the Arbiter and Executive Council that the EGB will not execute the order until clarifying legislation has been passed
- No EGB employee can be penalised or fired for making such an appeal. A civil court can determine in the employee’s favor if such a situation is proved to have occurred and the employee must be justly compensated