Seattle City State

History
Founded in 2012 after all established control of Seattle had collapsed after the Boar Plague, the Seattle City-State is a prominent power of the Pacific Northwest. It was founded by one Charles Edwards, an aerospace engineer from Tacoma, after leaving the city as it dove into chaos in the hopes of carving out a comfortable life in Seattle. Edwards joined a number of other survivors that had taken refuge in the Seattle Colombia tower. The Colombia tower had become a vertical town in many ways, as had many of the other commercial sky scrapers of Seattle. Small makeshift shacks were constructed on various floors out of old cubical walls, and people lived in relative safety above the streets of Seattle. Edwards, upon arriving at the Colombia tower began to make a living as a salvage and repair expert. Having survived the hoards of Tacoma, Edwards was experienced in getting what he needed and not getting killed doing it. Selling and repairing everything from computers, guns, engines, and water treatment systems. Edwards quickly became the most powerful man in the Colombia tower, and began to take more control of the tower, increasing security on the lower level, and hiring mechanics and electricians to begin to retrofit the tower to be self sustaining. Water collectors were constructed on the roof and placed adjacent to salvaged wind turbines to provide energy and water for the tower. Filters were constructed along the pipes leading to reservoirs out of several life saver bottle filters, providing clean water for the whole tower. Edwards owned the water and the electricity, but ensured that it was free for all residents. Solar cells were eventually installed along the sides of the tower to bolster the small energy grid. Fiber optics were salvaged from various labs and colleges around the city to provide fiber optic internet for the whole tower. Edwards eventually placed a small tax on the tower's residence for these various services, and in May of 2013 Edwards formed an internet forum that eventually created the Constitution of the Seattle City-State. In July of the same year, the Colombia tower constructed a sky bridge to the Seattle Municipal Tower and began to build the same services as Colombia. Of these reforms was the conversion of much of the Seattle Municipal Tower into vertical farmland. The Seattle Municipal Tower became the first agrarian hub of Seattle, and its produce fed the city's relatively large population. In 2014 the Seattle City-State held a conference with leaders of various camps and settlements around the city, ceded themselves to the government of the Seattle City-State. Today the Seattle City-State is the most technically advanced nation in the Pacific Nortwest, and has been reborn as the trading hub it once was.

Health Care
Seattle has a hybrid system of universal healthcare, where the largest health insurance provider is the Sea-Care, the government run public healthcare insurer, with a number of special private companies that provide healthcare for those who can afford plans that provide for health spas and optional treatments. Seattle has also fully legalized all forms of medical research that, "Do no harm to non-consenting intelligent life." This effectively legalizes all forms of research on most embryos.

Eugenics
Seattle requires by law a license to conceive at age 18; and that license is based on the genetic potential of the citizen. Those who receive these licenses are encouraged to have as many children as possible through tax incentives. Those fetuses with defects (brain damage, blindness, deafness, etc.) are paid to be aborted before they, "achieve sentience." Those who do not meet the genetic muster to have a conception license (diabetics, the mentally challenged, STD carriers, those with IQs below a minimum of 120) are rendered sterile. Many have protested these laws, but the Forum has so far been in support of the Eugenics programs.

Economy
The Seattle economy is largely focused on domestic development and sustainability, like many other new societies. The Seattle Forum has placed various taxes on businesses and incomes to fund reconstruction, and recently a cap on all incomes over 1,000,000 USD a year was placed to prevent the creation of a particularly wide rich/poor divide like before the Flu. Seattle has a booming fishing industry as well as a vertical farming industry. Recently Sea-Tac Airport was modified to allow Dynalifters to dock. Many of Seattle's major companies have been salvaged after the Boar Flu pandemic, most notably Amazon.com, Boeing Corp. and Microsoft. Boeing is currently being subsidized by the Forum to produce a series of new heavy lift helicopters and fixed wing aircraft for reconstruction; the largest of which are the 797 based off of the An-225 Mriya.

Religion
Seattle is a secular state, religious institutions are illegal, however private worship is not. This has led to strong backlash by the city's few remaining gnostic theists, however they are a very small minority when stacked up against the rest of Seattle's population. Most Seattlites are Agnostic Theists, Gnostic-Atheists or Agnostic Atheists, with 34% of the city being Agnostic theists. Religious fundamentalists are not nearly as tolerated as it was in the former United States; they are either considered outspoken fools at best, or mentally ill at worst. This consideration of religious fundamentalists has lead Seattle mental institutions to have levels dedicated solely to those who suffer from schizophrenia specifically related to a deity; i.e those who claim to have actually heard a deity or higher power speak to them are considered mentally ill. Christmas, Easter, and various other religious holidays are still celebrated by most of Seattle, but most children think of God in the same way they think of Santa Clause. Seattle's largest religious groups are:


 * Agnostic Theists 34%
 * Agnostic Atheists 32%
 * Gnostic-Atheists 17%
 * Buddhists 9%
 * Roman Catholics 6%
 * Wicca 1%
 * Other 1%

Education
Seattle public education is operated by the city and municipal governments, regulated by the Seattle Department of Education through restrictions on federal grants. Children are required to attend school from the age of four or five (generally, pre-school or kindergarten) until they turn 21 (generally bringing them through their second year of college, their associates degree). About 12% of children are enrolled in parochial or nonsectarian private schools. Just over 9% of children are home schooled. The Seattle City-State has many competitive private and public institutions of higher education, as well as local community colleges with open admission policies, all of which are funded by the Seattle City Student Loan fund which ensures anyone seeking higher education funding should they maintain satisfactory grades during the course of their enrollment. Of Seattlites twenty-five and older, 78.7% graduated from high school, 62.6% attended some college, 59.2% earned a bachelor's degree, and 49.6% earned graduate degrees.The basic literacy rate is approximately 100%. This great rise in education is the result of the Universal Education Act. Seattle has outlawed religious schools, and has mandated teaching evolution in biology classes; the only place where religious history is taught specifically are in Theology classes.

Culture
Seattle has always been a culturally rich city, mixing a rich cosmopolitan life with the traditions of a shipping and fishing town.

Music
Seattle is still home to countless indie and garage bands, though the style has moved to a far more somber neo-grunge after the pandemic. Heavy metal has seen a rebirth in the city. Caucasians are the largest ethnic group in the city with various peoples of the far east and African Americans coming in second and third respectively.

Government and Politics
The Seattle City-State is the world's only known digital democracy. It is a constitutional democracy and follows the principle of the former United States, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law." It is fundamentally structured as a true democracy, with a fairly weak central government regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the Seattle Constitution, which serves as the city-state's supreme legal document. In the Seattle digital democratic system, citizens have total control of the passing of laws and provisions; the federal government's duties are reserved strictly for administrating those laws. Administrative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district. The people represent themselves and act as the legislative branch of government. Judicial and cabinet officials are nominated by the executive branch and approved by the people through popular vote.

The federal government is composed of three branches:
 * Legislative: The Forum, officially made up of Seattle's entire population as a means of online debate and legislation, makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government. It is considered the most powerful branch of government.
 * Administrative: The Consul General is the commander-in-chief of the military, cannot veto legislative bills before they become law, and appoints the Cabinet and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies. As the elected bureaucracy of Seattle, administrative officers are nominated by the Consul General and are approved by committee vote.
 * Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Consul with Forum approval, interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional.

Coalitions, Ideologies and Politics
The Seattle City-State has at least 19 political parties and 4 major political coalitions. For elective offices at all levels, online primary elections choose the coalition party nominees for subsequent general elections. Since the general election of 2012, the major coalitions have been the Liberal Coalition, and the Socialist Coalition, the Libertarian Coalition, and the Conservative Coalition.

Within Seattle's political culture these coalitions are broken down as such:
 * Conservative Coalition: Center-Right
 * Seattle First Party: A paleoconservative party dedicated to ending Seattle's unlimited immigration policy.
 * Republican Party: A neoconservative party in favor of Seattle military expansionism.
 * Christian Democratic Party: A party dedicated to integrating Church and State.
 * Conservative Democratic Party: A party of former moderate RHINOs.
 * American Unity Party: A party dedicated to restoring the United States of America.


 * Libertarian Coalition: Socially liberal/Economically far-right
 * Seattle Libertarian Party: A party emphasizing limited government and personal liberty.
 * Capitalist Party: A party dedicated to reforming Seattle into a Corporate State.
 * Seattle Independence Party: A party totally against all forms of foreign contact.
 * Paulist Party: A party based on the ideology of US Congressman Ron Paul.


 * Liberal Coalition: Center-Left
 * Populist Party: A party based off of popular opinion.
 * Democratic Party: A branch of the old US democratic party.
 * Green Party: A party dedicated entirely towards environmental protection and social liberty.
 * Progressive Party: A party dedicated to advancing social liberty.
 * Liberal People's Party: A party in favor of larger government and lower taxes for the working class.
 * Rooseveltian Party: A New Deal liberal party.


 * Socialist Coalition: Socially moderate/economically far-left
 * Party for Socialism and Liberation: A party for the reform of Seattle into a Social-Democracy.
 * Seattle Workers' Party: A party representing farmers and manufacturers.
 * Seattle Communist Party: A party for the creation of a Seattle Communist State
 * Labor Party: A party for larger government programs and wealth redistribution.


 * Independent Candidates: Every coalition has a number of candidates that are independent of a direct party.

The winner of the 2014 Consul Election, Conservative Don Steele, is the 2nd Seattle consul. The winner of the 2014 Forum election (for committees and monitor positions) for Speaker of the Forum was once again founder and Liberal Coalition candidate Charles Edwards. The Seattle Forum, on average, consists of 44% Liberal Coalition members, 22% Libertarian Coalition members, 18% Socialist Coalition members, 16% Conservative Coalition members.

List of Consuls and Speakers

 * 2012-Present: Speaker Charles Edwards (Independent, Liberal Coalition)
 * 2012-2014: Consul General Robert Cavin (Populist, Liberal Coalition)
 * 2014-Present: Consul General Don Steele (Republican, Conservative Coalition)

Constitutional Amendments
Note: The Seattle Constitution contains already most of the amendments made in the US constitution. These Amendments pertain more as a ceremonial Bill of rights and additional changes.

Municipalities

 * Seattle
 * Tacoma
 * Renton
 * Everett
 * Snohomish
 * Pierce

The Republic of Man
The Seattle Forum recently approved sending 500 military personnel and a number of helicopters and ammunition to the Republic of Man. With the promise of additional aide, Seattle has begun to send funds to Boeing corp and Everett Airships to begin constructing additional aircraft, as well as new ones.

Panama
Seattle is currently occupying and co-administering the Panama Canal Zone with the Republic of Man.

Crime & Law Enforcement
Law enforcement in the Seattle City-State is primarily the responsibility of local police and sheriff's departments, with administrative officials providing oversight services. Federal agencies such as the City Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Seattle Marshals Service have specialized duties. At the federal level, jurisprudence operates on a common law system. Municipal courts conduct most criminal trials; federal courts handle certain designated crimes as well as appeals from municipal systems.

Among surviving and rebuilding societies, the Seattle City-State has average levels of violent crime, gun violence and homicide. Gun ownership rights are the subject of contentious political debate, with gun licenses being required to purchase ammunition, which is regulated and price controlled to be relatively expensive.

Capital punishment has been abolished in the Seattle City-State, but public humiliation (the Pillory, and public whippings, and a man-sized plexiglass box) is perfectly legal. Prisoners for small crimes are kept in Arpaios, prisons modeled after Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. More dangerous criminals are kept in old supermax prisons.

Seattle prisons are aimed more towards rehabilitation than punishment, and so far the system has been effective at reducing the percentage of multiple offenders.

Seattle has legalized all drugs that are not inherently poisonous, and taxes and regulates their sale. Most non-violent crimes (theft, larceny, tax evasion) are punishable by the pillory or public wiping. Police officers are under heavy regulation, and any infraction of the law by a police officer while on the job is punishable to as much as twice that of a civilian. Privacy is extremely valued, and all forms of wiretapping or surveillance within a person's private property is completely illegal. Seattle only has two law enforcement divisions, the Municipal police departments, and the Seattle Revenue Service.

Military
The Seattle Military is composed of three branches:
 * The Seattle City Guard is the army reserve of Seattle. Police officers are automatically drafted into the force upon becoming officers, but otherwise is entirely volunteer. Originally the force was armed mainly with old M-4s, M-16s, and a few soldiers carried AK-47s. Recently Seattle has begun a military build up to strengthen their relatively small military, and is deploying new technology to the field. Presently a standard Seattle Guard soldier is equip with the MAR-1 Modular Assault Rifle, an electronically fired modular rifle that is lightweight easy to modify in the field, and cheap to produce. Soldiers have next generation Dragon Skin Armor as well as full helmets with built in HUDs and long range communications. Seattle still uses Strikers as well as Bradley tanks, but is currently developing a much lighter City Fighting Vehicle, affectionately known as the "Tumbler" for its resemblance to the Bat-mobile.
 * The Seattle Coast Guard is the naval reserve of Seattle. Its two largest ships are the SCS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and SCS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), both of which are former US Aircraft carriers. Seattle also has the most Ohio class "boomer" subs of the former United States: the USS Ohio, USS Michigan, USS Henry M. Jackson, USS Alabama, USS Nevada, USS Jimmy Carter, USS Kentucky, and the USS Louisiana. All of which were had home ports in Kitsap, Washington.
 * The Seattle Air Force is the air corps of Seattle. It was originally made up of largely salvaged US air force fighters, but as of late has become the largest unmanned air-force in the world. Utilizing brand new Boeing MQ-45 Birds of Prey, MQ-46 Sea Hawk, and the MQ-48 King Fisher; Seattle is able to send its unmanned bombers anywhere in the world from Seattle or onboard one of its carriers. Recently Seattle began to employ the D-29 Assault Airship, a massive Hindenburg-size Dynalifter intended for steady air to ground support and intelligence gathering; it is outfitted with ten 20 mm EF Machine guns, six 40 mm EF Cannons, and two massive 105 mm howitzers. Seattle is in possession of several nuclear weapons.