Vitalinia
| |
| Flag of Vitalinia | |
| Motto: "Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." | |
| |
| Region | Sovereign Nations of Quagmire |
|---|---|
| Capital | Liberty City |
| Official Language(s) | English |
| Leader | President John Vitaliz |
| Population | 370 million plus |
| Currency | The Liberty |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Contents
Introduction
The Democratic Republic of Vitalinia is a continually growing nation in the region of the Sovereign Nations of Quagmire in the world of Nationstates. On 2005-10-11 a group of 5 million nationless people fleeing their native countries from religious and civil persecution banded together with a dream to form a nation "United Under God." The people were led by an intrepid group of young lawyers, scholars, philosophers, and clergymen, who named John Vitaliz, a newly graduated NYU economist as its first president.
System of Government
The Democratic Republic of Vitalinia functions much like the United States government. Government is made up of three branches, with the Executive Branch headed by the President. The Legislative Branch of Vitalinia is referred to as the Grand Council consisting of two Houses, the House of Elders (equivalent to the Senate) made up of 18 Elders from the 9 provinces of Vitalinia, presided over by the President of Elders, who is also the Vice-President of Vitalinia, and the House of Deacons (equivalent to the House of Representatives) consisting of 435 Deacons, which is presided over by the Chairman of the Deacons. The Supreme Court of Vitalinia is the highest court in the land which consists of nine Supreme Court Justices, one of whom is the Chief Justice, who presides over deliberations in matters of interpretation of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vitalinia.
Although the Constitution calls for a separation of Church and State, the founding fathers of Vitalinia have recognized the nation's Judeo-Christian heritage and recognizes the Almighty God as its divine ruler over the land.
Senior Ministers of Government
John Vitaliz, President
Born: 1984, New York University, 2006. President Vitaliz was an economist who was chosen to lead the initially nationless people by the co-leaders. His political leanings are mostly towards classical liberalism or libertarianism.
Michael Janzen, Vice President & President of Elders
Born: 1981, Vale University, 2003. Vice President Janzen has a doctorate in Philosophy and was one of the co-leaders of the nationless people of Vitalinia. His political leanings are mostly conservative.
James Figueroa, Chairman of the Deacons
Born: 1987, St. Saviour University, 2009. Chairman Figueroa is known for his bipartisan approach in the House of Deacons. His political leanings are mostly moderate.
John Souter-Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Born: 1981, Harvard University, 2007.
Graduating from one of the most prestigious law schools in the world, Chief Justice Souter-Rehnquist was also one of the co-leaders of the nationless people of Vitalinia and has advised the Grand Council in constructing Vitalinia's constitution. His interpretation of the Constitution is usually conservative.
Hakim Zilativ, Secretary of State & Ambassador General
Born: 1994, National University of Vitalinia, 2016. Ambassador General Zilativ was one of the first students to receive a Ph.D in International Relations from NUV, one of the four most prestigious institutions in the nation. His political leanings are mostly moderate.
Frank Patton, General of the Vitalinia Military
Born: 1990, Liberty Military University, 2012. General Patton is the the deputy supreme commander of the Vitalinia armed forces directly under the President. Receiving a Ph.D in Military Strategy at LMU, he is credited for building a small, primitive army into a regional power.
The Executive Branch
The Executive Branch is headed by the President of the Democratic Republic of Vitalinia. The post of the President is designated as both the head of state and the head of government. Furthermore, the President is named as the Commander-in-Chief of the Vitalinian armed forces and is given executive privilege to wage war for 60 days without the official permission from the Grand Council. The President is elected to serve four-year terms, with no term limits. The President also selects members of the Presidential Cabinet to advise in political, domestic, and international affairs. The Cabinet is comprised of the following:
Hakim Zilativ, Ambassador General and Secretary of State
Kenneth Kennedy, Attorney General
Stephen Aquino, National Security Advisor
Sebastian Cohen, Secretary of Defense
Gail Sayers, Secretary of the Interior
Michael Rice, Secretary of the Treasury
John McCain, Secretary of Commerce and Labor
Madeleine Mineta, Secretary of Transportation
Gerald Carter, Secretary of Veterans' Affairs
Lisa Owens, Secretary of Education
The Legislative Branch
The function of the Legislative Branch is to set laws and policies for the entire nation. The House of Elders and the House of Deacons are the two houses that make up the Grand Council of the Democratic Republic of Vitalinia. Members of both houses convene the first week of each month to discuss policy issues pertinent to national interests and taxation laws and policies. Amendment proposals to the Vitalinian Constitution can be brought forth from members of either the House of Elders or the House of Deacons with a 10% member approval from both Houses to achieve quorum on the Grand Council floor. Majority in both Houses must be reached for the Amendment Proposal to pass. Finally, the Proposal must be ratified by the President to become law. If the President vetoes the proposal, a 2/3 majority vote can override the veto. The Grand Council is also responsible for creating a budget for total federal spending for each fiscal year.
Furthermore, the Elders and Deacons from each of the nine provinces of Vitalinia assume the responsibilities of the Provincial Council, the executive body that oversees and regulates provincial/local taxation and provision of public goods to the residents of their respective provinces.
The Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch is comprised of the government courts with the Supreme Court as the highest in the land. The primary role of the Supreme Court is to interpret the Constitution according to the spirit and letter of the law to base verdicts to the civil and criminal suits brought before the Court, as well as functioning as the third check and balance to the Executive and Legislative Branches that both branches exercise authority within the limits mandated by the Constitution.
The Supreme Court is comprised of nine Justices nominated by the President and confirmed by majority vote by both Houses in the Grand Council to serve lifetime terms.
Higher Education: The Pride of Vitalinia
The Democratic Republic of Vitalinia prides itself in its world-renowed institutions of higher learning. The four most prestigious universities in the country (known as the Venerable Four) specialize in various fields of occupation.
THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF VITALINIA: The NUV is the first established institution of higher learning in Vitalinia. Founded around the same time as Vitalinia itself, the NUV specializes in the area of the humanities and social sciences, especially law and politics. Many graduates of the NUV have accepted top positions in government. The admissions process is extremely competitive with 30,000 students applying for only 3,000 spots available.
LIBERTY MILITARY UNIVERSITY: LMU is the highly prestigious military academy of the Democratic Republic of Vitalinia. LMU mandates a highly rigorous academic and physical workload with most graduates entering military service. All prospective students need a letter of recommendation from their federal deacons in order to gain admission.
LIVINGSTONE UNIVERSITY: Livingstone University, named after the famous Dr. David Livingstone, specializes in the natural sciences and has a highly renowned medical school, whose professors and students are continuing to pave the way in the field of neurosurgery.
VITALINIA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS: The VCB is the most prestigious business school in the country. Graduates of the VCB have gone on to become CEOs and political officials in the Treasury and State Departments as well as business consultants for neighboring countries and regions.
