Difference between revisions of "South Nashville"

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Commonwealth of South Nashville

The Official Flag of Nashville
Motto: "Any displaced peoples, anywhere in the world, will always be welcome in South Nashville."
National Anthem: "God Save the South"
Region	Wysteria
Capital	South Nashville Station
Largest city	Brentwood
Official Language(s)	English, Southern English
Government	Liberal Democracy
- Ambassador to the United Nations	John Xavier III of South Nashville Station
- Governor of the Commonwealth	Daniel Ayansh of Fed Res
- Speaker of the Senate/Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth	Henry C. Wilder of New Hamilton
- Speaker of the House	Alphonso Avalace, Jr. of South Nashville Station
- Attorney-General of the Commonwealth	M. B. Talent of Nashville
Population	100 million
Currency	Tallent
Timezone	GMT-5
- Summer (DST)	GMT-5
NS Sunset XML

The Commonwealth of South Nashville is a nation located in the Southern hemisphere of Wysteria. It is the largest nation on the Shaharazia continent. The capital is South Nashville Station and the largest city is Brentwood.

It is a liberal democracy with a generally free market economic policy. Its currency is the Tallent.

Constitution

South Nashville is governed by its Constitution which guarantees the protection of life, liberty, and property.

The Consitution establishes four independent branches of government in pursuit of this goal. They are the legislative, executive, judiciary, and monetary branches.

Legislative

The legislative branch is composed of a bicameral legislature made up of a House and Senate. The House is composed of 99 Represenatives who are elected from single-member districts and serve two-year terms. Each district has roughly the same number of people. At the beginning of each session the House elects a Speaker who is third in line to become Governor.

The Senate is composed of 24 members who are elected to six-year terms and divided into three staggered classes. Each region elects 3 Senators. The Senate also elects a Speaker who also serves as Lt. Governor and is second in line to become Governor. In the event of a tie, the Speaker casts the tie-breaking vote. This allows for the rare occasion of the Speaker voting twice on a bill.

The Congress also has the power to over ride the Governor's veto with a 2/3 vote in the House and 50%+1 (13 votes) in the Senate.

Executive

Executive power is vested in a Governor, with an Attorney-General acting as the chief law enforcement and anti-corruption officer. The Governor serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, however he cannot send the military into another country without the approval of both the Ambassador and Congress. The Governor is popularly elected nationwide to a four-year term for a maximum 2 terms. Similarly, the Attorney-General is popularly elected nationwide to a two-year term for a maximum of 5 terms. The Attorney-General is also fourth in line to become Governor after the Speakers of the Senate and House, respectively.

The Governor appoints four Cabinet level positions established by the Constitution. These include the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, and Energy and the appointments are subject to confirmation by the entire Congress. There are also lesser Cabinet positions such as Education, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, etc. that the Governor appoints and are not subject to confirmation. The Governor is also responsible for appointing Supreme Court Justices who are subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Judicial

The judicial branch is composed of a Supreme Court made up of nine Justices. The Court elects the Chief Justice from amongst its members every session. Justices are appointed to lifetime tenures by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The Chief Justice is also fifth in line to become Governor.

Monetary

The monetary branch is composed of the Central Bank led by a President. The bank is charged with protecting the integrity of the currency, the Tallent, and monitoring monetary policy, much like the Federal Reserve of the United States. The President is appointed to a six-year term by the Secretary of the Treasury and is subject to approval by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate.

Ambassador

The Office of the Ambassador is the office that represents South Nashville in the United Nations and the Wysterian General Assembly. He is also responsible for appointing Ambassadors to various nations. He has the authority to declare war, subject to approval by the Governor and Congress. He is popularly elected nationwide to a three-year term. Potential candidates are nominated by members of Congress and then voted on by the entire Congress. They require an affirmative vote of at least 1/3 of Congress to make the ballot. The top two candidates then face off in the general election.

The Constitution originally established the Ambassador position to be elected by a 2/3 vote of the entire Congress to represent South Nashville in the Wysterian General Assembly. The first Ambassador, Adam Marion of Nashville, one of the framer's of the Constitution, enjoyed generally unanimous support from Congress serving 8 consecutive terms until his death. With no clear successor and no candidate able to achieve a 2/3 majority, the Ambassador position remained vacant for an entire session of the Assembly. This constitutional crisis led to the passage of the first Constitutional Amendment introduced by then-freshmen Senator David Marion of Nashville which passed in a popular referendum and established the current electoral process. After South Nashville's admittance to the United Nations, it was once again amended to its current form.

The Ambassador has his own office in the Capitol. While technically not having any constitutional authority to do so, Ambassadors have historically used their popular authority to exercise considerable influence over domestic politics. The current Ambassador is John Xavier III of South Nashville Station.

Political Subdivisions

The nation is divided into 8 historic regions, each with its own unique identity. They are Canton, Brentwood, Tennessee, Cumberland, Jackson, Fogle, Marion, and Young-Dunn. Regions vary in size and each is represented by three Senators. Each region has a "home city" that serves as the seat of the regional government. In every region except Canton, it is the largest city of the region.

Each regional government is determined by its individual charter and has authority over many local functions including education, health care, and housing. The rules of each Assembly are determined by its individual charter. Interestingly, seven of the eight regions have unicameral assemblies and only 3 have futher subdivisions.

History

Early History

For nearly ten millennia before the arrival of settlers, the only permanent settlement which existed on the entire continent was a small subsistence fishing village located at the northern tip of the continent.

Early explorers started coming to the region primarily from the Aldaron Isles, Perspectif, Neue Kanadia, and Ayansh continents in Wysteria roughly nine centuries ago. Soon after, a trading post called Brentwood was established along the northern coast attracting a variety of settlers from those continents. Explorers continued deeper into the continent and within two centuries the settlements of Nashville and South Nashville Station were established.

Early on, settlers embraced the idea of the "unlimited creative potential that exists in humanity best exhibited in something they own," put forth by a young columnist named Anthony Locke of the Brentwood Banner. He later published his columns in a book called the Treatise of Human Tendency, asserting that the fundamental human rights of man were the right to life, right to property, and right to self-determination. It was a widely influential book influencing many of the framers of the Constitution of South Nashville.

A few centuries later, stories of the cities to the west and their conflicts started to make their way to South Nashville Station. Realizing the common identity they shared with the cities of Brentwood and Nashville, leaders of South Nashville Station reached out to their northern neighbors and proposed a summit between the cities in Nashville with the goal of protecting that identity.

The three cities indeed had much in common. All three had established forms of represenative government, with Brentwood actually electing who was going to represent it at the summit. Additionally, all cherished the idea of private property and the mutual gains to be had from trade.

The summit was regarded as a huge success. They agreed to jointly establish a defesive fort at the northern terminus of the Cumberland-Tennessee river called Ft. Tennessee and to meet again the next year in Nashville. The next year's summit, this time attended by represenatives from the new Ft. Tennessee resulted in the Cumberland Charta, the first signed document between the cities and precursor to the Constitution of South Nashville. They agreed to send represenatives every year to meet in Nashville and to gaurantee the right of represenative democracy to its citizens in the form of local elected assemblies. Within the next century, as Fed Res began to develop it's own identity, it too signed the charter.

Constitutional Era

The Great Rail Era

Governor David Marion's vision. Industrialization and manufacturing take hold in Brentwood and Fed Res.

Cartesian-Praetoria Common War

At the outbreak of the Common War in Cartesian Praetoria, displaced refugees began pouring across the southwestern border at an alarming rate. This set off a heightened state of anxiety across South Nashville. While everyone felt compassion for their war torn neighbors, many also feared that this massive influx of immigrants would erode the national identity. There was also a fear that the war could come east and many began to urge involvement in the war.

Governor Andy Jackson of South Nashville Station, recently elected to his first term, took a decisive stance famously declaring that "any displaced peoples, anywhere in the world, will always be welcome in South Nashville" while taking a stance of neutrality on the outcome of the war itself. He, however, remained silent on the issues of arms sales. He instead devoted resources and took steps to modernize and integrate the refugee camp East Argonne that had developed between Argonne and South Nashville Station.

After the war finished, Governor Jackson was determined to bring an end to the tensions that escalated with Hecktoria during the war and normalize diplomatic relations. Having met Leslie Bordjaw of Hecktoria at the Eastern Defense Accords and the Treaty of Chatham negotiations, and convinced he was a man of reason, he proposed a summit between the two nations with both men acting as the lead negotiators. Going better than expected, both nations agreed to exchange embassies and eliminate trade barriers between the two countries in the next decade. Governor Jackson also agreed to become the first Ambassador to Hecktoria to help lead the transition, becoming the only man in the nation's history to ever hold two offices concurrently. While some questioned the constitutionality of this, most chose to trust their Governor's leadership who was in the last year of his second term anyway. The Supreme Court later ruled that the diplomatic branch was indeed a seperate branch of government even though not explicitly defined as such, and that no one could hold a position in both. Ties between the two countries have continued to grow closer ever since, recently acheiving a full economic and monetary union.

Fed Res Plague

The Fed Res Plague was a major plague that devastated the Fed Res (now Young-Dunn) and Brentwood regions shortly after the Cartesian-Praetoria Common War. Caused by poor sanitary conditions onset by a corrupt regional government and a national government distracted by war, 75% of the cities' population died within months of the outbreak. In the face of fear and major government failure, many longtime residents of Brentwood and New Hamilton left the region for the Cumberland. West Fed and other boomtowns along the rail could no longer sustain themselves and residents began emigrating west and south.

The plague raged for a little over a year, when a plant from the Canton region showed promise. Bender Fleming of Vandenberg National Labratory observed the Cantonillan mold inhibiting bacterial growth. Applying the mold to the Fed Res bacteria, it was successful in inhibiting growth. Manufactured on a widescale, it completely irradicated the disease. Today it persists as a major export popularly known as Cantonbus.

The impact of the plague was devastating. A little more than 50% of the Brentwood region population had died or emigrated. Economic activity and exports dropped 50% in the Brentwood region and 90% in Fed Res itself, bankrupting the regional economy. Historians speculate that if the Brentwood Regional Railroad had not been completed at this time, the economy in Fed Res would have completely collapsed. Brentwood's agricultural industries and fishing industries were nearly bankrupt. The shipbuilding and infant banking industries in Fed Res were completely bankrupt.

The next year brought to power a more progressive government. Led by Governor Winfield Young of South Nashville Station and Ambassador Cameron Dunn of Canton Lake they made rebuilding the Brentwood region and saving Fed Res their top priority. Initiating a massive public works project. The Young and Dunn Government offered a combination of tax incentives to attract a cautious banking and financial industry to Brentwood and Fed Res. Within two decades, both the Brentwood and Fed-Res regions had surpassed their pre-plague growth the Fed Res region elected to rename themselves Young-Dunn in honor of the leaders known to locals as the "saviors of Fed Res."

High-Speed Corridor

In the the last few decades, as industry surged and the automobile began to take hold in the north, the Brentwood government took steps to integrate the transportation infrastructure resulting in the construction of the Brentwood Regional Interstate System linking the sister cities of Brentwood. The resulting economic integration pushed annual growth to historical highs in the Brentwood and Young-Dunn regions. However, it also began to exaggerate their dependency on the automobile and resulted in a "car culture". As the northern regions began to surge ahead in growth, the need to integrate the Cumberland and southern regions to Brentwood became clear. Thus began one of the most heated debates in modern political history.

South Nashville needed a high-speed corridor. The options were building a high-speed highway or a high-speed railway. Both options had their advantages and drawbacks.

Opponents of the railway argued that high-speed railway techonology was still in its infant stages and would require large investments in research and development. They estimated that the rail development would cost up to three times as much as the highway. Proponents argued that the costs were exagerated and that no one knew how much research and development would actually cost. Addtionally, they pointed out that the majority of the rail right-of-ways were already in place and that, with the exception of connecting connecting Nashville directly to South Nashville Station, investment in infrastructure would be minimal.

Opposition to the highway came largely from environmental groups. Increasingly concerned by the car culture which was taking over the northern part of the nation and the effects on the environment and the health of its citizens, opponents argued that the highway would quicken the pace of environmental degradation and bring those ill effects experienced in the north to the Cumberland and southern parts of the nation. Additionally, the highway would require a large investment in infrastructure that would blow right through forests and the Cumberland River's wetlands and lowlands destroying these treasured natural habitats. They also alrgued that the recurring costs for upkeep of a highway were far greater than a rail. Proponents pointed to the rapid development experienced by the Brentwood and Young-Dunn regions as a result of the Brentwood Regional Insterstate System linking the sister cities of Brentwood

Predictably, a more industrialized north favored the highway while a more environmentally conscious Cumberland and southern regions favored the rail. Governor John Xavier, Sr. of South Nashville Station wanted the railway and said he would veto any highway bill. Speaker Henry Wilder of New Hamilton and Speaker Jason Jones of Brentwood defiantly drafted a highway bill and in one of the closest votes in legislative history (12-12 in the Senate with Speaker Wilder breaking the tie and 51-48 in the House) passed it. Governor Xavier vetoed the bill as promised, and began working to get the rail bill brought to a vote. He appealed to Ambassador James Locke of South Nashville Station who was known to be in favor of the rail for help. Ambassador Locke pressured Speaker Wilder and Speaker Jones to bring the rail bill to a vote. Unable to further hold out in face of this political pressure, Speakers Wilder and Jones brought it to a vote. Because many legislators just wanted the corridor built, it easily passed.

The high-speed railway has widely been agreed to be a huge a success. Citizens can get from South Nashville Station to Brentwood in the same time it takes to get from South Nashville Station to Davidson; and to Nashville from either city in half that time. It has allowed for a degree of economic integration previously unbeknownst to South Nashville and the annual growth of the Jackson and Cumberland regions has nearly doubled. There has been renewed talk of integrating the Brentwood Regional Interstate System in light of the recent development, though it has not gained any traction.

Major Cities

Brentwood

Brentwood is the largest city in South Nashville. It's a thriving metropolis and the major center of commerce in the nation. It exhibits strong characteristics of both a rail town and a harbor town. It has been compared to both Boston and Atlanta.

It is also home to the military base Ft. Campbell. An early foundation of the city, it has served various military purposes including as an army base, naval base, and today in its current function as a joint army and air force base, home to the 101st Airborne. It has had several locations around the city, moving as the city continued to outgrow its limits.

Brentwood is the home city of the Brentwood Tri-City Region which includes Marion and New Hamilton anchored by the Brentwood Bay area. The bay is rich in fishing and has long been the engine of growth for the region.

South Nashville Station

For much of it's history South Nashville Station was a town defined and anchored by the flagship university of the nation, the University of South Nashville. Founded by settlers from Nashville led by William Xavier, they followed the Cumberland River to its terminus establishing the city where the "river meet the 'cean," in the area now known as the Southern Lowlands at the spot where the Cumberland meets the Gulf of Shaharazia. It has been compared to other river delta cities such as New Orleans.

In addition to drawing people from all across the nation, it is also became a popular destination for emigrants, notably refugees displaced from various war. The region and its leaders have historically been champions of immigration.

This has helped South Nashville Station develop one of the most distinct and eclectic mixed cultures in the world. Widely regarded as the culturual center of the nation, it is known for its rich tradition in music and arts. It is as the birthplace of blues, jazz, rap, and a jam band scene that incorporates the wide range styles of music and instruments brought by immigrants from all over the world. Its residents also tend to have dinstinct accents, despite it being such a cosmopolitan city.

Currently, South Nashville Station is the seat of government, home to the Capitol, Governor's mansion, Central Bank of South Nashville, Supreme Court, the University of South Nashville and all international embassies.

Fed Res

Known to most as the birthplace of the plague, Fed Res is the home city of the Young-Dunn Region. It is considered a sister city to the Brentwood Tri-City Region cities and is the third largest city in the nation.

First established by settlers from Brentwood in the generation after Ft. Hamilton, it was to play a first line of defense role for Brentwood like Ft. Hamilton. However, its settlers early on took advantage of commerce. While it's rocky shores made for poor fishing, it was able to focus on shipbuilding industries, which became the foundation of its early economy. With the completion of the Brentwood Regional Railroad, the agricultural sector began to develop rapidly and still a staple of the economy. Following the Fed Res Plague, the shipbuilding industries were replaced by banking and financial industries.

Nashville

A quaint and sprawling city, Nashville bears a striking resemblance to its namesake.

Historic and Smaller Cities

Canton/Canton Lake

Canton Lake, referred to by most as simply Canton, is a small town located between Nashville and South Nashville Station. Canton technically refers to the entire Canton Region encompassing the lake, river, mountains, and forest. Canton Lake is both the official name of the city and the lake itself.

Davidson

Davidson is known as the birthplace of bluegrass music.

Davidson's Gap

Davidson's Gap was an early mining town located in the Shaharazia desert that has been abandoned since the mine's collapse. It is now a national historical landmark and one of the best preserved ghost towns on the continent.

East Argonne

East Argonne was the very first refugee city, established during the Cartesian-Preatoria Common War. It is the fifth largest city in the nation and the largest city in the Canton Region. It is considered a sister city of South Nashville Station.

As refugees fled their homes to escape Cartesian-Praetoria Common War, an impromptu camp sprung up on the route between Argonne in Cartesian Praetoria and South Nashville Station, the intended destination for most refugees. The camp quickly became the destination as many refugees preferred to stay close so they could return home after the war.

After Governor Andy Jackson's famous declaration, the camp quickly evolved into a formal city as federal money flowed to the region to develop local infrastructure and consolidate local authority. As the war drug on and the quality of life in East Argonne increased, many refugees began to call East Argonne home. The camp became East Argonne and is still today the most popular destination for immigrants, consistently having the highest immigration rate of any city in the nation.

Fogledonia

Fogledonia is a small, cozy resort town located at the northern tip of the nation known for it's slower pace of life more akin to its neighbors to the South. It began as a fishing town, but now tourism is its main source of revenue. It is known for it's temperate weather, averaging 76 degrees most of the year. It was one of the first cities founded on the entire continent, and predates the development of nations. However, it has largely remained isolated from national politics, although the recently built high-speed highway has begun to bring more development to the region.

Ft. Tennessee

Ft. Tennessee is the largest city in the Tennessee region.

It has generally been represented by current or former high-ranking military officers in Congress and all of its Senators have been military men. They generally keep a low profile in Congress and have only produced one Speaker of the Senate, four Attorney-Generals, and one Governor.

Marion

A rail town established during the Great Rail Era, Marion serves as an important hub between the cities of Davidson, Fed Res, and Brentwood. With a diversity of goods being moved through the city at any given time, a large transport industry emerged which still exists today.

New Hamilton

Once known as Ft. Hamilton, New Hamilton was first established by settlers from Brentwood. Increasingly concerned about security, Brentwood set out to protect themselves and establish an early line of defense. Established where the cliffs meet the beach, Ft. Hamilton provided good periphery in all directions.

During the Great Rail Era, its location would provide ideal for facilitating commerce. The first city to have a rail built to it from Brentwood, it's rich farmland made it the primary source of agriculture for Brentwood. It was also during this era that the city changed its name from "Ft. Hamilton" to "New Hamilton".

West Fed

West Fed was one of the first of many boomtowns that sprung up along the railroad during the Great Rail Era. Established a few years before Marion, it competed with Marion for a rail junction. When it lost out in the bid for the rail junction, many of the residents moved onto Marion for the better opportunities. A few years later, the devastating Fed Res plague wiped out most of the remaining residents and the town aptly earned its ghost town title. While not as well preserved as Davidson's Gap, it is a national landmark.