2017
MARIA’S MODEL
UNITED NATIONS
UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION 2020
(Secretary General’s Committee)
Maria’s Model United Nations, 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. A
letter from the Executive Board
2. About
3. Rules
the committee
of Procedure
4. Overview
of the Elections
5. Political
Parties involved
6. Election
procedure
7. Timeline
of Events
8.
9.
Sample position paper
Perambulatory and operative clauses
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Dear delegates!
With immense pride, we cordially welcome you to join us for the 3rd
Inter-Maria’s Model United Nations Conference 2017. We have put in
countless hours of work to ensure that this year’s conference lives up to
your expectations and our promise of taking this MUN up a notch and
creating a memorable experience.
Welcome to United States Presidential Election 2020, a committee that
shall put your knowledge understanding of the modern world economy,
society, and major international events to test. The US presidential
elections have always been of significance to most countries, albeit
controversial at times; right from the 1876 Hayes vs Tilden election, to
the very recent Trump vs Clinton election of 2016. These elections have,
however, become more significant today than ever before, due to the
hegemony that the United States of America enjoys in world politics
today. In the light of recent economic and geopolitical developments in
the world, right from Donald Trump's election win to the bombings
occurring in Syria, this committee shall inspect your knowledge of these
events and how, according to you, these events (along with possible
events of the near future) could shape the world order. You will need to
bear in mind that every decision taken in this committee shall not only
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affect the United States of America, but also its relation with the rest of
the world. The power of starting a Third World War or of establishing
world peace, the power of taking strong steps to curb climate change or
questioning its very existence, shall all lie in your hands. You are
expected to wield this power wisely, in this highly demanding
committee. The word 'politics' is derived from the Greek word 'polis',
which refers to an ideal state, and we hope that you all shall contribute
to the creation of such a state, through this committee.
With regards,
Anurag Baruah
Chairperson, USPE 2020
Padmanav Baruah
Deputy-Chairperson, USPE 2020
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The idea behind this committee is to bring in the concept
on Indian Political committees to an election which is often
touted as the world’s most important and biggest election,
the United States Presidential Election. As it is a futuristic
committee, a timeline has been given to give the delegates
an idea about the events leading up to the 2020
presidential election. Further updates maybe provided to
the delegates during the committee sessions.
The committee will go through three separate phases
during the 3 days of committee sessions, as follows:
Phase One
Phase one covers the events which will take place during
the first day of the committee.
During phase one, the delegates from the respective
parties, who are all campaigning to become the nominated
candidates of their party, will present their arguments on
why they should be elected. Discussions will mostly take
through means of cross fire sessions, one-on-one debates,
moderated conferences and challenges.
At the end of the first day an election will be held to
determine the presidential candidates from the respective
parties, the results of which will be declared during the
first day one itself.
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Phase Two
During the second day of committee proceedings, the
respective candidates will commence debates in support of
their representative candidate and against the opposition.
The presidential nominees will have special one-on-one
debates. The delegates will have to debate on a wide range
of issues and agendas.
Phase Three
During the third day of committee proceedings, the finals
debates will take place and will be followed by the
presidential election. After the election results are declared,
the president-elect will take the oath of office.
Delegates are requested to keep in mind the following:
1. The election results will be via a lucky draw. Therefore all
delegates have an equal opportunity of being selected. As a results,
delegates must keep in mind that being selected as the nominee or
the president will not be taken into consideration during score
tabulation, but the votes given by the candidates themselves will be
kept in consideration.
2. The delegates will be representing the assigned delegate, hence
they must refer to themselves and the committee members in first
person.
3. Any factual statement made by a delegate must have sufficient
proof to back them and only the HMUN accepted sources will be
acknowledged.
4. Delegates are required to prepare a campaign slogan.
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Special rules of procedure pertaining to this committee:
Ladies and Gentlemen, in this year's UNDESA, we shall
have delegates representing countries from all around
world, with a multitude of opinions on how an issue can be
best solved. It is advised that all delegates go through the
following guidelines carefully to assist smooth functioning
of the committee.
To facilitate discussion, we will follow a special set of
procedures
I. Delegates must use English as a medium of discussion.
All official documents shall be presented in English only.
II. Delegates can be either dressed up in Western or Indian
formals/Ethnic attire
III. The time allotted for the General Speakers list shall be 2
minutes. After every speech, question to the Delegate on
the floor shall be in order, if the speech lasted for less than
2 minutes in duration. This question shall pertain to the
delegate's.
IV. However, a member may be selected at random from
any party to present his or her party's stance on the issue,
at any point during committee proceedings.
The Chair shall be present to moderate debate and also can
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present developing / breaking news /crisis update
pertaining to the issue, which can alter the flow of debate
for a while. The Chair is ready to be advised by you on
changes to Committee procedure which shall be allowed
after an overwhelming majority.
General Speakers List
The Chair shall open the General speakers list for each
topic to be discussed at the request of a delegate. Any
delegate wishing to be added to the speakers list shall
indicate so by raising their placards when asked by the
Chair or shall submit such a request in writing to the dais.
Setting the time for the General Speakers list
By default the time set for the GSL is 2 minutes. However,
delegates can motion to increase or decrease the speaking
time, which will be voted upon by the committee or council.
When a delegate exceeds his or her allotted time, the Chair
may call the speaker to order without delay.
Yielding Time
The delegate, who has been recognized by the Chair to
address the body on a substantive issue/General Speakers
List, may yield any time following their remarks after their
speech. Yields may be made in three ways:
To Another delegate -Yield to another delegate.
His/her remaining time shall be given to another delegate)
To points of information- Yield to questions.
Delegates shall be selected by the Chair to ask one
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question per speech. The Chair has the right to call order
to any delegate whose question is, in the opinion of the
Chair, not designed to elicit information. Answers to
questions are limited to the time remaining in a delegate’s
speech.
To the Chair- Yield to the Chair.
Such a yield should be made if the delegate does not wish
his/her speech to be subject to comments. The Chair shall
then move on to the next speaker. Once a delegate yields
his/her time, the second delegate (the one who has been
yielded to) may not yield any remaining time.
Right to Reply
The Chair may recognize the Right to reply only in
instances of a grave personal insult. A delegate can use the
Right of Reply to interrupt a speaker only if his or her
country’s sovereignty has been hurt. However the chair has
the discretionary power to decide when to entertain a right
to reply.
Appeal to the Chairs Decision
An appeal is made when a delegate feels that the Chair has
made an incorrect ruling. The delegate can formally
challenge the Chair in writing by sending a note to the
dais, moving to appeal the Chairs decision. The appeal will
be taken to the Secretary General who will decide if the
appeal will be considered. Once the motion is
acknowledged, the Secretary General will hear from both
the delegate and the Chair before making a decision
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POINTS
Point of Personal Privilege
During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may raise a
Point of Personal Privilege, and the Chair shall immediately
address the point. A Point of Personal Privilege must refer
to a matter of personal comfort, safety and/or wellbeing of
the members of the committee. The Chair cannot refuse to
recognize a Point of Personal Privilege.
Point Of Order
During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may raise a
Point of Order and the Chair shall immediately consider the
request. A Point of Order must relate to the observance of
the rules of the committee. A delegate may also raise a
point of order to specify any factual mistakes made by any
other delegate. The Chair may refuse to recognize a Point of
Order if the delegate has not shown proper restraint and
decorum governing the use of such a right, or if the point is
dilatory in nature.
Point Of Information (Question to other delegates)
After a delegate gives a speech, and if the delegate yields
their time to Points of Information, one Point of Information
Can be raised by delegates from the floor. The speaker will
be allotted the remainder of his or her speaking time to
address Points of Information. Points of Information are
directed to the speaker and allow other delegations to ask
questions in relation to speeches and resolutions.
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Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
A delegate may raise a point of parliamentary enquiry to
know about the committee proceedings at any moment.
The delegate may also be requested to approach the dais.
MOTIONS
Suspend Debate (Motion to Caucus)
Upon the recommendation of the Chair or any delegate, the
committee may consider a motion to Suspend Debate for
the purpose of a moderated or un-moderated caucus. This
motion requires a majority vote.
Moderated Caucus
The recommendation for a moderated caucus must include
a time limit for delegate remarks and a time limit for the
entire caucus (e.g. The nation of [country name] moves for
a five minute moderated caucus with a 3 0 second
speaking time. During moderated caucus, the chair shall
recognize delegates for remarks without the use of a
speakers list and yields shall be out of order.
“I ______________ would like to raise a motion to suspend
formal debate and move into a moderated caucus on the
topic ______________ for a time period of ___________ with
individual speaker’s time being __________”
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Un-moderated Caucus
The recommendation for an un-moderated caucus requires
a time limit to be made. Un-moderated caucuses allow
delegates to have informal discussions, negotiate with other
delegates and come up with working paper/ draft
resolutions. “I __________ would like to raise a motion to
suspend formal debate and move into an un-moderated
caucus on the topic for a time period of ___________”.
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Overview of the Presidential
Elections
An election for President of the United States occurs
every four years on Election Day, held the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The
next Presidential election will be held on November
3, 2020. The United States presidential election of
2020 will be the 59th quadrennial U.S. presidential
election. Voters will select presidential electors who
in turn will either elect a new president and vice
president through the Electoral College or re-elect
the incumbents.
The election process begins with the primary
elections and caucuses and moves to nominating
conventions, during which political parties each
select a nominee to unite behind. The nominee also
announces a Vice Presidential running mate at this
time. The candidates then campaign across the
country to explain their views and plans to voters
and participate in debates with candidates from
other parties.
During the general election, Americans head to the
polls to cast their vote for President. But the tally of
those votes—the popular vote—does not determine
the winner. Instead, Presidential elections use
the Electoral College. To win the election, a
candidate must receive a majority of electoral votes.
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In the event no candidate receives the majority, the
House of Representatives chooses the President and
the Senate chooses the Vice President.
U.S. Constitutional Requirements for Presidential
Candidates
The President must:
•
Be a natural-born citizen of the United States
•
Be at least 35 years old
•
Have been a resident of the United States for 14
years
Any person who meets these requirements can
declare his or her candidacy for President at any
time. Candidates must register with the Federal
Election Commission (FEC) once they receive
contributions or make expenditures in excess of
$5,000. Within 15 days of reaching that $5,000
threshold, candidates must file a Statement of
Candidacy with the FEC authorizing a principal
campaign committee to raise and spend funds on
their behalf.
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Major Political Parties:The major political parties of the USA are listed
below:The Democratic Party
Tracing its heritage back to Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison's DemocraticRepublican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party
was founded around 1828 by Andrew Jackson,
making it the world's oldest active party.
The Democratic Party has changed significantly
during its more than two centuries of existence.
During the 19th century the party supported or
tolerated slavery, and it opposed civil rights reforms
after the American Civil War in order to retain the
support of Southern voters. By the mid-20th century
it had undergone a dramatic ideological realignment
and reinvented itself as a party supporting organized
labor, the civil rights of minorities, and progressive
reform. Since President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New
Deal of the 1930s, the party has also tended to favor
greater government intervention in the economy and
to oppose government intervention in the private
noneconomic affairs of citizens.
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The Democratic Party officially renamed itself as
such in 1844.
Upon foundation, the Democratic Party
supported agrarianism, and the Jacksonian
democracy movement of President Andrew Jackson,
representing farmers and rural interests, and
traditional Jeffersonian democrats. Since the 1890s,
the party has favored liberal positions. In recent exit
polls, the Democratic Party has had broad appeal
across all socio-ethno-economic demographics.
The Democratic Party, once dominant in
the Southeastern United States, is now strongest in
the Northeast (Mid-Atlantic and New England), Great
Lakes region, and the West Coast (including Hawaii).
The Democrats are also very strong in major
cities (regardless of region). Barack Obama is the
most recent Democrat President of the United
States.
The Republican Party
Republican Party, also known as the Grand Old
Party (GOP) was founded in 1854 in Wisconsin.
During the 19th century the Republican Party stood
against the extension of slavery to the country’s new
territories and, ultimately, for slavery’s complete
abolition. During the 20th and 21st centuries the
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party came to be associated with laissezfaire capitalism, low taxes, and conservative social
policies.
The party acquired the acronym GOP in the 1870s.
The party’s official logo, the elephant, is derived from
a cartoon by Thomas Nast and also dates from the
1870s. The term Republican was adopted in 1792 by
supporters of Thomas Jefferson, who favored a
decentralized government with limited powers.
Although Jefferson’s political philosophy is
consistent with the outlook of the modern
Republican Party, his faction, which soon became
known as the Democratic-Republican Party evolved
by the 1830s into the Democratic Party, the modern
Republican Party’s chief rival. Abraham Lincoln
remains one of the most famous Republican
presidents till date, having signed the Emancipation
Proclamation to end slavery, in 1863.
Many contemporary Republicans voice support
of strict constructionism, the judicial philosophy
that the Constitution should be interpreted as close
to the original intent as is practicable. The current
President of the USA, Donald Trump, is a member of
the Republican Party.
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The Libertarian Party
The Libertarian Party was established
in Westminster, Colorado, in 1971 and fielded its
first candidate for the presidency in the next year’s
elections. In 1980 it achieved its height of success
when it was on the ballot in all 50 states, and its
presidential candidate, Edward E. Clark,
a California lawyer, received 921,199 votes.
Although this vote represented only about 1 percent
of the national total, it was enough to make the
Libertarian Party the third largest political party in
the United States. The party generally promotes
a classical liberal platform, in contrast to
the Democrats' modern liberalism and progressivism
and the Republicans' conservatism.
Current fiscal policy positions include lowering
taxes, abolishing the IRS, decreasing the national
debt, allowing people to opt out of Social
Security, and eliminating the welfare state, in part
by utilizing private charities. Current cultural policy
positions include ending the prohibition of illegal
drugs, supporting same-sex marriage, ending capital
punishment, and supporting gun ownership
rights. Many libertarians believe in lowering the
drinking age to 18.
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The Libertarian Party contends that a
completely free market is a necessary economic
condition for prosperity and liberty. Wes Benedict is
the current Chief of the Libertarian Party.
The Green Party
The Green Party is a green and progressive political
party in the United States, founded in 2001 as the
evolution of the Association of State Green
Parties (ASGP), which was formed in 1996. After its
founding, the GPUS soon became the primary
national green organization in the country.
The party, which is the country's fourth-largest by
membership, promotes environmentalism, nonviolence, social justice, participatory grassroots
democracy, gender equality, LGBT rights, antiwar and anti-racism. On the political spectrum the
party is generally seen as left-wing, and anticapitalist.
The Greens gained widespread public attention
during the 2000 presidential election, when the
ticket composed of Ralph Nader and Winona
LaDuke won 2.7% of the popular vote, and allegedly
spoiled the election campaign of the democrat
candidate Al Gore. The GPUS follows the ideals
of green politics, which are based on the Four Pillars
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of the Green Party: Ecological wisdom, Social
justice, Grassroots democracy and Nonviolence.
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Election Procedure
The Presidential election process follows a typical
cycle:
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
Spring of the year before an election
– Candidates announce their intentions to run.
Summer of the year before an election through
spring of the election year – Primary and caucus
debates take place.
January to June of election year – States and
parties hold primaries and caucuses.
July to early September – Parties hold
nominating conventions to choose their
candidates.
September and October – Candidates participate
in Presidential debates.
Early November – Election Day
December – Electors cast their votes in the
Electoral College.
Early January of the next calendar year –
Congress counts the electoral votes.
January 20 – Inauguration Day
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Presidential Primaries and Caucuses
Before the general election, most candidates for
President go through a series of state primaries and
caucuses. Though primaries and caucuses are run
differently, they both serve the same purpose—to
allow the states to help choose the political parties’
nominees for the general election.
•
•
State primaries are run by state and local
governments. Voting occurs through secret
ballot.
Caucuses are private meetings run by political
parties. In most, participants divide themselves
into groups according to the candidate they
support, with undecided voters forming into a
group of their own. Each group then gives
speeches supporting its candidate and tries to
persuade others to join its group. At the end of
the caucus, party organizers count the voters in
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each candidate's group and calculate how many
delegates each candidate has won.
•
Both primaries and caucuses can be conducted
as “open,” “closed,” or some hybrid of the two.
o During an open primary or caucus, people
can vote for a candidate of any political
party.
o
o
During a closed primary or caucus,
participants must be registered with a
political party to vote for one of its
candidates.
“Semi-open” and “semi-closed” primaries
and caucuses are variations of the two main
types.
Awarding Delegates
At stake in each primary or caucus is a certain
number of delegates, or individuals who represent
their states at national party conventions. The
candidate who receives a majority of his or her
party’s delegates wins the nomination.
The parties have different numbers of total delegates
due to the complex rules involved in awarding them.
The requirements combine national and state
political party rules and practices with aspects of
federal and state election laws.
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•
•
In 2016, a Democratic candidate had to receive
2,383 of the estimated 4,765 delegates to
become the party’s nominee. Democratic
candidates must win at least 15 percent of the
votes earned in a primary or caucus to receive
any “pledged” delegates. Candidates generally
receive pledged delegates on a proportional
basis.
The 2016 Republican candidate had to receive
1,237 of the estimated 2,472 delegates to win
the party’s nomination. Depending on the state,
delegates may be awarded proportionally, on a
winner-take-all basis, or using a hybrid system.
The percentage of primary or caucus votes a
candidate must win to receive delegates varies
from state to state.
Each party also has some unpledged delegates, or
superdelegates. These delegates are not bound to a
specific candidate heading into the national
convention.
When the primaries and caucuses are over, most
political parties hold a national convention during
which the winning candidate receives a nomination.
National Conventions
After the primaries and caucuses, most political
parties hold national conventions to finalize their
choice for their Presidential and Vice Presidential
nominees.
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2016 National Convention Dates and Locations
•
•
•
•
•
The Constitution Party Convention was held in
Salt Lake City, Utah, beginning April 13.
The Libertarian National Convention was held in
Orlando, Florida, beginning May 26.
The Republican National Convention was held in
Cleveland starting on July 18.
The Democratic National Convention was held in
Philadelphia beginning July 25.
The Green Party Convention was held in
Houston, Texas beginning August 4.
The national conventions typically confirm the
candidate who has already won the required number
of delegates through the primaries and caucuses.
However, if no candidate has received the majority of
a party’s delegates, the convention becomes the
stage for choosing that party’s Presidential nominee.
Types of Delegates involved:
There are two main types of delegates:
•
•
Pledged, or bound, delegates, who are required
to support the candidate to whom they were
awarded through the primary or caucus process
Unpledged, or unbound delegates, or
superdelegates, who are free to support any
Presidential candidate of their choosing
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Brokered and Contested Conventions
If no nominee has a party’s majority of delegates
going into its convention, then the delegates pick
their Presidential candidate in a brokered or
contested convention. Pledged delegates usually
have to vote for the candidate they were awarded to
in the first round of voting, while unpledged
delegates don't. Pledged delegates may be allowed to
choose any candidate in subsequent rounds of
voting. Balloting continues until one nominee
receives the required majority to win.
General Election Campaigning
General election campaigning begins after a single
nominee is chosen from each political party, via
primaries, caucuses, and national conventions.
These candidates travel the country, explaining their
views and plans to the general population and trying
to win the support of potential voters. Rallies,
debates, and advertising are a big part of general
election campaigning.
Electoral College
Unlike in other U.S. elections, the President and Vice
President are not elected directly by the people.
Instead, they’re chosen by “electors” through a
process called the Electoral College.
The idea of using electors comes from the
Constitution. The nation’s founders saw it as a
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compromise between electing the President by a
popular vote among citizens and electing the
President in Congress.
The Electors
The number of electors each state gets is determined
by how many members of Congress (House and
Senate) the state has. Including Washington, D.C.’s
three electors, there are a total of 538 electors in all.
U.S. territory residents don’t vote in the Presidential
election and are not represented in the Electoral
College.
Each state’s political parties choose their own slate
of potential electors. Who is chosen to be an elector,
how, and when varies by state.
After you cast your ballot for President, your vote
goes to a statewide tally. In 48 states and
Washington, D.C., the winner gets all of the electoral
votes for that state. This means his or her party’s
electors in that state will vote in the Electoral
College. Maine and Nebraska assign their electors
using a proportional system called the Congressional
District Method.
A candidate needs the vote of at least 270 electors—
more than half—to win the Presidential election.
Although the actual vote of the Electoral
College takes place in each state on December 19, in
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most cases, a projected winner can be announced on
election night.
The Constitution doesn’t require electors to vote
according to the popular vote of the people they
represent. But it’s rare for an elector not to follow
the people—and their party’s—choice.
Special Situations
Winning the Popular Vote but Losing the Election
Though uncommon, it is possible to win the
Electoral College, but lose the popular vote. That
means that a candidate can win a combination of
states and reach the 270 electors mark without
winning the majority of votes across the country.
This has happened five times in American elections,
most recently in 2016.
When No Candidate Gets 270 Electoral Votes?
In the rare event that no candidate gets the needed
270 electoral votes, the decision would go to the
House of Representatives, who would vote to elect
the new President from among the top three
candidates. A similar process would take place in
the Senate to elect the Vice President from among
the top two candidates. The only time this has
happened was during the 1824 election when John
Quincy Adams received the most votes in the House
of Representatives after no candidate won a majority
of the Electoral College.
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2016 Presidential Election Results
The official results of the 2016 Presidential election
will be available from the Federal Election
Commission sometime in mid-2017. The FEC
surveys the states to gather and compile each state’s
results into one report.
Each state’s unofficial results should be available
from its state election office shortly after the
November 8 general election. Each state must have
its official results finalized before December 19,
when the electors meet in their state and vote for
President and Vice President on separate ballots.
On January 6, 2017, the current members of
Congress meet to count the electoral votes. The
current Vice President then announces the results of
the Electoral College vote.
Inauguration Day
Inauguration Day occurs every four years on
January 20 (or January 21 if January 20 falls on a
Sunday) at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington,
DC. On this federal holiday, the President-elect and
Vice-President-elect are sworn in and take office.
The Vice-President-elect is sworn in first, and
repeats the same oath of office, in use since 1884, as
Senators, Representatives, and other federal
employees:
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"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I
take this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well
and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on
which I am about to enter: So help me God."
Around noon, the President-elect recites the
following oath, in accordance with Article II, Section
I of the U.S. Constitution:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully
execute the office of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution of the United States."
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Timeline of Events
2017April: US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State
Rex W. Tillerson visit Mexico. Private talks are held
between Donald Trump and his Mexican counterpart
Enrique Pena Nieto. President Trump declares the visit a
follow up to Tillerson’s visit in February. However, a visibly
flustered Trump is photographed leaving the conference
building hours after the beginning of the meeting.
May: The US Government releases a statement announcing
the beginning of the building of ‘A large physical barrier on
the Southern border (shared with Mexico)’. The Mexican
president vehemently condemns the building of such a
structure, insisting that doing so would hurt the integrity
of his country, and worsen the ties between the two
nations. The name of the designer of the wall prototype,
however, is not revealed.
June-July: Democrat leaders criticize the building of the
wall on the Mexican border openly. Massachusetts senator
Elizabeth Warren denounces the building of the wall,
calling it ill conceived, offensive and disruptive. The
funding source of the wall is still not revealed by the
government. Amid tensions, protests against the
construction of the wall break out in the border towns of
San Diego and Otay Mesa, California.
August: The US government continues to remain silent over
protests near the Mexican border. Meanwhile, the US
embassy in Karachi and Islamabad are simultaneously
bombed, killing 17 officials and injuring many more. The
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US government calls for an immediate investigation by the
Pakistani government.
Octobers-November: Twin blasts rock Washington DC, the
capital of the United States. Above 300 civilians are killed,
along with 3 gunmen. FBI investigations reveal the
identities of the gunmen, who turn out to be natural born
citizens of Pakistan. As a result, President Donald Trump
reintroduces the visa ban on all the 6 countries (excluding
Iraq) that had had it imposed on them earlier this year,
along with Pakistan, for an indefinite period of time. UN
ambassador Nikki Haley reaffirms the country, along with
the United Nations Security Council of the Republican
Party’s determination to end radical Islamist terrorism. On
the other hand, Democratic Party senior leader Hillary
Clinton condemns the new travel ban, terming it
‘unnecessary’ and ‘hurtful’ to the refugees living in the
banned countries.
December: Canadian energy company TransCanada
submits a reapplication to start constructions on the
Keystone XL pipeline. The President’s assent, along with
the permission of the Secretary of State, are given within
two days. Constructions begin in Hardisty, Alberta on
Boxing Day. President trump is heard approving of this
development and saying, “This will be brilliant for the
economy of the United States. Thousands of jobs will be
created by the time the pipeline is completely built.
Politically, too, we will become stronger.”, on a Fox News
programme. Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren
responds by saying, “It is high time we work for a green
future. Plans like the new pipeline project should be made
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with a lot of planning, keeping in mind the needs of the
environment. Clean energy is the need of the hour.”
2018January-February: President Donald Trump vows to make
the New Year ‘more interesting than ever before’ on Fox
News. The BBC (UK) and Al Jazeera report news of a fresh
chemical attack on the rebel controlled town of Idlib, Syria,
by the Syrian army. These media houses report the use of
the deadly chemical sarin, supplied by Russia, on the
rebels of Idlib. The Syrian president Basher Al Assad
refutes all allegations against him. Russia vetoes against
yet another US resolution criticizing the attacks on the
rebels in Syria, in the UNSC. Democrat leaders come out in
protest to criticize the weak attitude and policies
implemented by the US government towards Russia.
March: Incumbent Russian president Vladimir Putin is re
elected to the post of Russian president for another term.
In the presidential victory address, he promises the world
of a new era of ‘terror against terrorism’. His American
counterpart, President Trump declares full support and
coordination for this endeavor. However, the Syrian issue
and how the problems in Syria can be solved are not
brought up in any of the president’s speeches. A visibly
irritated Michigan attorney Geoffrey Fieger is reported to
have said, “It is important all forms of humanitarian aid is
provided to the civilians and refugees living in Syria. The
policies our current president seems to be following go
against the very ideals on which this great country of ours
was built. President Trump’s attitude towards the refugees
of Syria and increasing friendliness towards the Russian
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president seem to be proving the same.”, in a press
conference, hours after the election win of Putin.
May: CNN reports reveal the gruesome murder of three
persons of Latin American origins at the hands of the Texas
police, in a bar in El Paso. Democrat leader Roque De La
Fuente leads a series of protests in the capital Washington
DC, in response to the crime. He is reported saying, “The
incident in El Paso is not an isolated one. Hate crimes
against various ethnicities have been on the rise ever since
President Trump’s election victory. We the Democrats
demand a strong official statement from the government
and President Trump condemning such attacks, especially
by our own police, instead of choosing to remain silent.
Occurrences like this must be discouraged. We demand
justice for the fallen.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation
takes over investigations from the El Paso Police
Department.
July-August: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is elected the
new president of Mexico. FBI investigations reveal that one
of the three killed in the attack in El Paso in May was a
known drug smuggler. However, the other two persons
killed are revealed to be US citizens. Speaker of the House
of Representatives Paul Ryan publicly speaks out in favor
of the shootings. He is reported to have said, “We the
Republicans have full faith in the American police. The
battle against drug cartels entering the United States must
be won at all costs.” These comments spark a furious reply
from Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, who says, “Each
and every citizen of the United States must be protected.
The government should not try to alienate its own citizens.
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It is intolerable if the citizens of the country are treated as
collateral damage.”
September-October: The US government declares the end
of Phase-I of the building of the wall on the Mexican
border, declaring the wall ready to function in the states of
California and Arizona. However, the New York stock
exchange reports tremendous crash in exchange rates,
falling by 100 points. The US government records a loss of
$500 billion since the initiation of the construction of the
wall. Widespread protests across the country gain
momentum, with the government put under flak for not
revealing the source of funds used to build the wall.
Republican politician Jack Fellure makes a speech on Fox
News, stating, “The economic losses we have been
incurring for the past few years are direct results of
redundant laws passed during the presidency of Barack
Obama, which has made the government incur heavy
losses.”
November: The mid-term Senate Elections and the House
of Representatives elections are held. In the latter, 230
seats are won by the Republican Party, while the rest are
all won by the Democratic Party. In the Senate elections,
19 seats are won by Republicans, while 14 are won by
democrats, out of the 33 seats contested. Ted Cruz is
elected from Texas, while Jeff Flake is elected from Arizona.
Democratic Party politicians Martin Heinrich and Dianne
Feinstein win from New Mexico and California respectively.
Republican leader Paul Ryan vows to raise the USA to a
higher level ‘economically, socially and politically’.
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January-February: New session of the Congress begins.
Texas senator Ted Cruz introduces a bill to repeal The
Patient and Affordable Care Act, 2010, without replacing it.
Addressing a press conference, Cruz is reported saying,
“The ACA is a scam that has been draining the nation of its
wealth. It is high time to open up the medical market of the
United States. Increased competition between medical
companies will only help decrease healthcare costs and
boost the healthcare sector. Meaningless governmental
insurance should not be forced upon the people.” President
Trump gives his assent to the bill, which is to be
implemented from May 2019, after both the houses of the
Congress vote for the new bill. Democrat leaders remain
unimpressed with this development. Rhode Island
politician Lincoln Chafee is reported to have said, “The
Democrats only demand a proper replacement if
Obamacare is removed. It will be very confusing if it is
removed so hastily, without introducing a better law to
replace it. It only used to exist to serve the people of the
country and help all the citizens receive insured healthcare
.”
March: President Donald Trump declares completion of the
border wall in the state of New Mexico, and announces that
construction would begin in Texas by August. Republican
Party supporters respond to the statement with wild fervor.
Supporters are heard saying that the wall being this close
to completion within 2 years has crossed all their
expectations and that they expect the wall to complete
within a few months. However, Democrat leaders remain
skeptic. Former Maryland governor Martin O’ Malley is
reported saying, “It is a shame that the wall along the
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Mexican border is being built in such a hurry. It is unlikely
that the Texan part of the wall will be completed in time.
The only golden patch of sky in this storm is that we will
have a chance to stop such divisive policies again, in about
a year or two.” O’Malley declares his intentions to run for
President in 2020
May-June: Obamacare is finally repealed. The national
medicine markets open up. People are no longer required to
pay insurance money to the government, which has
stopped directly insuring healthcare. New taxes introduced
by the ACA 2010 are all scrapped. Many employing firms
are forced to change their plans and policies regarding
healthcare. Overall healthcare costs are greatly reduced.
July: Final phase of the Keystone XL is completed on the
3rd of July, in Houston. It begins operations from the 18th of
July. President Trump’s Counselor Kellyanne Conway hails
in a new era of economic development. President Trump
declares the pipeline to be ‘a small taste of what the
concept of Make in America’ can do for the nation.
However, Green Party leader Jill Stein is reported saying,
“The new pipeline could be disastrous; a single leak could
lead to loss of thousands of gallons of oil, not only harming
the economy, but also destroying tracts of habitat. The
pipeline has to be carefully monitored.” TransCanada
reveals the direct employment of 10,000 people since the
beginning of the functioning of the pipeline.
August: According to a NASA report, CO2 emissions cross
450 ppm, with the USA accounting for 18.34% of the global
CO2 emissions in 2018. Canadian Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau publicly urges President Donald Trump to
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implement sustainable policies, similar to the ones he had
scrapped. There is uproar among the Democrats. Lincoln
Chafee declares his intentions to run for president in 2020,
stating, “This is the only way in which the environment can
be protected, and global warming be reduced. President
Trump evidently does not care about the environment one
bit, and so he has already forfeited his place as the
President of the greatest country in the World.” Meanwhile,
construction of the wall has not yet begun in Texas, which
has been hit by a series of tornadoes. The date of initiation
of construction has been set to 5th October, 2019, well past
the tornado season.
September-October: The Presidential race picks up
momentum as four Republicans declare their intention to
run for President, namely Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush,
and surprisingly, South Carolina senator Tim Scott.
Democratic Party leaders Elizabeth Warren and Terry
McAuliffe also declare their intentions to run for President.
In the meantime, construction of the Mexican Wall begins
in Texas
November: Explosions rock the Pint Café, Newark, a bar
known to be frequented by members of the LGBT
community. 14 civilians are killed, causing a huge hue and
cry. New Jersey senator Cory Booker is reported by CBS
news to have stated, “President Trump’s government has
always ignored the needs of the LGBT community, which
has always been underrepresented. Hate crimes like these
need to stop immediately. Corrective measures are
required, and hopefully, such instances will be a thing of
the past within the next 2 years.” So saying, Booker
announces his intentions to run for the President’s post in
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2020. Hours after Booker makes his declaration, UN
ambassador Nikki Haley also declares her intentions of
running for president on Fox News.
December: Incumbent president Donald Trump reveals that
he will be running for President again in 2020. The wall
remains unfinished in Texas. President Trump wishes his
rivals in the presidential race luck on his official Twitter
handle.
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SAMPLE POSITION PAPER
Delegate: XYZ
Country: Syrian Arab Republic
Committee: Economic and Social Council
Agenda: Regulating refugees flow: National and International financial support
“Syria has become the tragedy of the century”
– Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Refugee flow is the movement of disadvantaged people from their own
countries to host countries due to tension in their own land, war crimes, fear of
persecution, human rights violation, intolerance etc. These people flee their
countries in search of the most minimal of necessities such as shelter and food. Over
the years the number of refugees has risen from 42.5 million to 59.5 million at the
end of 2014. Internally displaced people or IDPs have also sought amnesty but
haven’t been able to make a move. As humanitarian and financial needs grow, the
economic instability in the host countries has also taken a toll along with other
social implications which include child trafficking, rape, xenophobia, smuggling
etc. Refugees are economically viable people forced into desperate circumstances,
however these people have not been welcomed as such because of the religion they
follow or the country they hail from, mainly Islamic territories, this prejudice is
based on Islamophobia or dislike towards Muslims and Islam.
Even though monetary aid has been supplied to various vulnerable regions, the
money has either not reached the roots or has been diverted from its route. At
times, refugees after crossing the borders, loose navigation and some countries on
arrival of the refugees are responsible for further deterioration of their conditions.
Effective asylum must be provided to these people who have been rendered
homeless and stateless. Some refugees have been pushed back to their respective
homelands or not been allowed to register themselves, this has led to the violation
of international law.
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Syria which is in a state of disturbance has been fighting a ground battle with
its people and the internationally recognized jihadist militant group; the
Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, an unprecedented threat to international
peace and security and the Al-Nusra Front operating within the territory. Along
with international pressure to suppress the IS, it has drawn the attention of
countries such as Russia, The United States of America, Iran, Turkey, Gulf Arab
states and other Western countries who have evidently formed two varying blocs
to profess their views and prove their allegiance. The Syrian refugee crisis is into its
6th consecutive year becoming the biggest humanitarian emergency of the era, while
the number of refugees and IDPs keeps on increasing. The Assad led government has
made efforts in association with the UNHCR, the World Bank, the Arab
Development Bank and Amnesty International to give out the necessary aid and
relief to the civilians. However use of force and illegal airstrikes being held in Syria
has made matters worse. The government of Syria has appealed to the Russian
Federation to conduct military activities to counter the terrorist threats of ISIS and
other likeminded groups within the country along with the Syrian Arab Army. The
Syrian army has been in continued conflict with the ISI since 2011 which has thereby
resulted in the mismanagement of governance of the state activities, its civil war and
its foreign relations with neighboring countries.
The Syrian Arab Republic looks forward to finding feasible solutions to the
issue of refugee crisis and refugee flow and regulation and other associated
matters of concern, as the question of refugee crisis is an alarming indication of the
humanitarian, socio-economic and financial needs of the affected people with the
backdrop of terrorism and international interventions, be it legal or illegal. It is also
willing to acknowledge other diversified views and solutions to the issue to attain
a comprehensive approach to the same.
1. Urges the United Nations Security Council to back up all military
interventions in affected regions such that countries abide by the
international law and no amount of explicit use of force be levied upon any
country.
2. Encourages the transparency in the flow of monetary aid to ensure that the
money reaches the masses and corruption doesn’t take place.
3. Urges the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to look
after social matters of human trafficking, smuggling etc. also to make
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improvements in the navigation system for the people to reach their
destination safely.
4. Urges all willing nations and states to respond to the call of refugee flow
without making discrimination on grounds of religion, especially Islam.
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PREAMBULATORY CLAUSES
The preamble of a draft resolution states the reasons for which the committee is
addressing the topic and highlights past international action on the issue. Each
clause begins with a present participle (called a perambulatory phrase) and ends
with a comma. Perambulatory clauses can include:
1. References to the UN Charter;
2. Citations of past UN resolutions or treaties on the topic under discussion;
3. Mentions of statements made by the Secretary-General or a relevant UN
body or agency;
4. Recognition of the efforts of regional or nongovernmental organizations in
dealing with the issue; and
5. General statements on the topic, its significance and its impact.
Affirming, Alarmed by, Approving, Bearing in mind, Believing, Confident,
Contemplating, Convinced, Declaring, Deeply concerned, deeply conscious,
Deeply convinced, Deeply Disturbed, Deeply Regretting, Desiring Emphasizing
Expecting, Emphasizing, Expecting, Expressing it’s appreciation, Fulfilling, Fully
aware, Further deploring, Further recalling, Guided by Having adopted, Having
considered
Having examined, Having received, Keeping in mind, Noting with deep concern,
Nothing with satisfaction, Noting further, Observing, Reaffirming, Realizing,
Recalling, Recognizing, Referring, Seeking, Taking into consideration, Taking
note, Viewing with appreciation.
OPERATIVE CLAUSES
Operative clauses offer solutions to issues addressed earlier in a resolution through
the perambulatory section. These clauses are action oriented and should include
both an underlined verb at the beginning of your sentence followed by the
proposed solution. Each clause should follow the following principals:
1. Clause should be numbered;
2. Each clause should support one another and continue to build your
solution;
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3. Add details to your clauses in order to have a complete solution;
4. Operative clauses are punctuated by a semicolon, with the exception of
your last operative clause which should end with a period.
Accepts, Affirms, Approves, Authorizes, Calls, Calls upon, Condemns, Confirms,
Congratulates, Considers, Declares accordingly, Deplores, Designates, Draws the
attention, Emphasizes
Encourages, Endorses, Expresses its appreciation, Expresses its hope, Further
invites, Deplores, Designates, Draws the attention, Emphasizes, Encourages,
Endorses, Expresses its appreciation, Expresses its hope, Further invites, Further
proclaims
Further reminds, Further recommends, Further requests, Further resolves, Has
resolved, Notes, Proclaims, Reaffirms, Recommends, Regrets, Reminds, Requests,
Solemnly affirms, Strongly condemns.
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