Populists

> "An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied."
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-Rako Barai-

The Populist Party of the Republic stands for, the ideal, the ideal of

taking power away from established elites and placing it in the hands of all people across the galaxy, no matter their race, or sexuality or any other personal quality. To free the Galaxy from oppression, and give people the tools themselves to build a better future. As such, in general terms we stand for the liberation from oppression of all people, and in particular the weak, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. That is the core of the party, to free the people from tyranny.

### The Manifesto

#### Power to the People

We believe in giving people the power to directly oppose laws they believe are unjust, and hand people the tools to dismantle their own oppression, with access to education and advice.

* We will introduce a mechanism for the population of a given planet to call for a public vote that will be overseen by the Republic Electoral Commission, on any law or issue.
* We will introduce a mechanism for the population of a planet to sue for any perceived breaking of Republic law by any planetary government.
* We will guarantee free access to legal advice and the text of Republic law to any citizen of the Republic.

* We pledge to increase educational opportunities for all across the galaxy through Republic investment in planetary school systems. With the assurance for planetary curriculums, so long as they are based in the truth. Knowledge is power.

* We will reform the Republic to operate under clear Popular Sovereignty.

#### Freedom from Tyranny

Slavery is a scourge across the galaxy, one that lives on to this day. Though slavery extends beyond mere bondage to an owner, anyone who is unable to have no control over their own lives, can be said to be a slave. Be it to poverty, to familial ties, or superstition, or to substances, without their consent, we wish to liberate the people from tyranny.

* We pledge to pass farming subsidies for outer rim worlds, and support planetary administrations in establishing their own system of subsidies.
* We pledge to give support to social services, to allow children an opportunity to make their own way in life.
* We pledge to take harsh action on slavery, and should we be elected we will ban any slavery ‘contracts,’ such as are used in Ryloth.
* We will imprison any officials that are found to be colluding in slavery in any way.
* We will encourage local planetary defence forces and work to create a central framework, so planets can band together to collectively defeat slave armadas and pirates
* We will reform drug penalties and place an emphasis on drug issues as a public health rather than a judicial issue.
* We pledge to invest in the senate judicial forces.
* We will, use economic policies to undermine the causes of slavery by giving economic support to the poorest worlds in the galaxy.
* We will introduce harsher corruption sentences, and encourage the Jedi to be used to proactively investigate and combat corruption within the Republic.

#### A Fairer Republic

The Republic is tilted away from giving opportunity to those who are oppressed, with the poorest planets in the galaxy often being overlooked for investment opportunities relative to core worlds. The current taxation policy of the galaxy, equally serves to disenfranchise poorer worlds, by not accounting for the local economic and social factors, and merely taking money from income, it means income that is needed to develop poorer worlds is siphoned away and invested into wealthier ones. This cannot stand.

* We pledge to institute a fairer taxation that accounts for off world factors.
* We pledge to invest in medical tech, as well as subsidise healthcare costs for poorer worlds.
* We pledge to fund housing projects in poorer worlds and give direct support to those in need.

### Faction Structure

The Populists run under a system of internal party democracy, following from the principle of democracy that flows through the policies and ethos our party supports. As such no action can be taken by the Party Chairperson to centralise power. Equally all positions in the party are open to any and all sentient life, with any party member able to run for any party position provided there is an election.

* The ruling body of the Populists shall be a ruling council composed of four members and a chairperson.

* The chairperson is no more than a first among equals, and the technical party leader for any and all meta purposes.

* Outside of that any party decisions can only be decided in consultation with the Ruling council.

* There shall be additional party roles created on an ad hoc basis, to provide spokespeople for various different issues, as well as party discipline and press.

* These roles may be held by members of the ruling council.

* The ruling council, including the chairperson are subject to periodic elections once every 3 months, or upon the resignation of any member.

* Elections take place one month after the results of an election have been announced so as not to lead to confusion and stress during electoral campaigns.

* Should any member of the ruling council resign, the seat will remain open until elected on the shortest possible time frame.

* Any member of the faction is eligible to vote in internal party elections.