On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 2:59 AM, Jim Vassilakos <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
Richard,

I'm very impressed with the Imperial Constitution you've developed.

Thanks! But I can't claim all that much originality. I just sat down with a copy of the U.S. Constitution and "Marc Miller's Traveller: Milieu 0 Campaign" and let my imagination take off.
 
It seems like something that could potentially come about in the OTU if the Parliamentary Monarchists and Republicans in the Moot were to combine forces (http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Imperial_Moot). I'm particularly pleased with Article 5, Section 13, which seems to effectively block the Imperial government from trampling around in many key areas.

Section 13 is an almost word-for-word copy of the equivalent section of the U.S. Constitution, only with a slightly-reworded Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments) added in.
 
Strangely, however, this article seems to have two sections 3, 4 & 5. You might want to edit it a bit.

Oops! Yeah. I need to fix that. Thanks! I think the duplicates came from me having to add in clauses I thought needful in the course of reimagining the U.S. Congress as a body of nobles instead of elected representatives.
 
A few minor concerns:

1. The interests of small-population planets seem to be treated equally to those with large populations. Or maybe I'm reading this wrong. Is the moot more like the Senate or the House? Nowhere do I see any indication that a noble's vote carries a weight proportional to the population he "governs" or the revenue he "raises", but it could be the case that I just missed it.

No effort was made a proportional representation on the basis of population because this is not a democracy. And while there is no direct apportionment based in higher tax revenues, High Nobles with higher tax revenues generally have quite a large number of LICs - and even Member Worlds - in their various tax fiefs. Also over time the "one vote per Member Worlds" rule has been reinterpreted to mean "one vote per Imperial High Noble title," with powerful High Nobles successfully petitioning for the creation - and their fellow Moot members to allow such creation - from the Emperor of subordinate High Noble titles for moons and asteroids and even space stations within existing tax fiefs.
  

2. Likewise, is it possible to stack the moot by creating lots of Imperial corporations?

Yes. Which early Emperors sometimes did, until the practice out of hand during the reign of Cleon The Mad. Subsequent Emperors have acted more subtly, by arranging transfer of ownership shares of existing corporations from uncooperative High Nobles to cooperative ones under the table.

For example, if a noble gets to keep 1% of the money he taxes as personal wealth, that's potentially a lot of personal wealth. Ditto for the admiral who gets the keep that money.

This lets them both (noble as well as admiral) have their own small private armed forces - both on and off the books - which they can then use with much more flexibility that the regular IN or official Reserve Fleet. 
 
However, if the Navy is expected to operate on such a low percentage of GDP, I'm not sure it's going to be able to repel a significant threat, should one arise.

I like a "small ship" Empire. And 3% of GDP is not really a small amount when it comes to financing a military machine. According to Forbes.com . . . 

(http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2015/06/25/the-biggest-military-budgets-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-infographic-2/)

. . . the entire current U.S. military budget amounts to only 3.5% of US GDP. And that 3.5% covers EVERYTHING, from pensions to base construction to complete weapon systems donated to overseas allies.

--
Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident."  Robert A. Heinlein
"A word to the wise ain't necessary -- it's the stupid ones that need the advice." - Bill Cosby
"We know a little about a lot of things; just enough to make us dangerous." Dean Winchester