The Martian Federation Society
Copyright 2017 by Raul E, Lopez, MD
Constitution
PREAMBLE - THE MARTIAN DECLARATION
In order to preserve and promote the traditional western values of freedom and opportunity secured through personal responsibility, through representative democratic government with limited powers, and through the rule of law based on Judeo-Christian principles, and in order to secure to ourselves and our posterity the economic, political and spiritual benefits afforded by the equitable development of extraterrestrial resources, we the concerned and invested people of Earth do establish this Martian Federation Society and charge it with the task of establishing the first permanently inhabited human settlements on or near Mars and the asteroids using private funds donated by individuals with the goal of establishing free, independent and sovereign republics on these celestial bodies. (Original 12-12-01, modified 2017, REL)
ORGANIZATION
Points will given for each donation including payment of membership fees and these points will be compounded daily at a rate of ten percent per year starting on the day the donation is processed. The Martian unit of mass will be the yotta which is the mass of a piece of gold containing one septillion nuclear particles (1.66026 g). Point are determined by dividing the value of the donation by the sum of the value of one eighth gold yotta and five silver yotta (currently $21.2 USD) based on the publish value of gold and silver on the day the donation is processed. All future profits will be divided equally according to the number of points each member owns. Once certain milestones are achieved, such as placing a lander on a Martian moon, the interest on the points may change. The society will honor transfer of points to other individuals. In order to vote and receive profits a person must be a full active member. The full annual membership quota will be approximately the value of one eighth gold yotta and five silver yotta. Members may make extra donations and receive special membership privileges and extra points using the same formula. There may be limited memberships for less than the price of full membership but these friends of the society will not receive voting rights nor points.
The board of the society will initially consist of two groups of seven members. One group will be elected by the members voting according to their points. The other group will be elected by the members using one vote per member. However, the two groups will act as a single body and resolutions will be passed by the body voting as a joint group together. Accepted rules of order will be used and may be modified based on generally accepted criteria.
In keeping with the fact that organizations, goals and dreams rise and fall on leadership and in keeping with the profit motive and the idea that every successful risk deserves to be rewarded, and in order to provide a consistent vision to the society, the founder and president of the society, in addition to points acquired through personal donations, will have an amount of points equal to 20% of all points outstanding and will be able to transfer such points to his heirs. Furthermore he will hold the position of president unless he is removed by a 2/3 vote of both groups of board members. He will also be the president of the board. This is consistent with the practice of for-profit corporations.
The board will have the task of overseeing and approving activities of the society and of local chapters and special chapters of the organization which might be formed as opportunity permits.
The society may function without a board for several years until there is sufficient membership to warrant such a board. From time to time the membership might be asked to opine on a course of action.
