South Pole Council

The South Pole Grand Krytocric Legislative Council, or just the South Pole Council, is the presiding legislative branch of South Pole City and the United States of Antarctica. The other branches are the executive branch, which is controlled by President Megg in South Pole City as well, while the other branch is the judiciary, which is maintained by the far-off GourdZoid Council Hall in Trans-Antarctica. They meet up in the Capitol Building in South Pole City discuss and debate controversial topics and governmental decisions whenever an important issue arises.

The council was founded in 2000, shortly after the independence of the USA. Back then, the South Pole Council had a majority of people who wished to annex or invade all of the neighboring countries into the United States of Antarctica. However, during the War of 2002, Freezeland invaded the United States of Antarctica and captured South Pole City, forcing a peace treaty in the war. As a result, the extremists within the South Pole Council were forced to resign by the Antarctican people and replaced with the more peaceful members of the council that are known today.

Background
South Pole City was originally administrated by a group of penguins called "The Club", from its founding in 1997 to 2000, after the founding of the United States of Antarctica. After "The Club" left to establish the port city of Club Penguin, they left Judge Xavier as the leader of a dictatorship which exists over the city to this day. To the surprise of many, Xavier never went dictatorial with his powers and continues to remain a great and democratic leader, as he is considered by most in the United States of Antarctica.

However, the other council members notably became corrupt and power hungry, wishing to add more territories to the United States of Antarctica by any means possible. In the subsequent War of 2002, Freezeland managed to invade the United States of Antarctica, and a peace treaty was signed after the Freezelandians and their allies captured South Pole City. All the members considered to be corrupt were forced to resign by the Antarctican people, and new members were appointed or elected. Today, there are 55 members of the South Pole Council, including 20 members from the Free Republic Union.

Involvement
The Council rarely holds any kind of committee, debate, or voting session except on extremely important matters, so Xavier mostly spends most of his time there walking around in circles and petting his miniature chair. To make matters more wacky and complicated, the South Pole Council competes against the GourdZoid Council in a rather rough game of paintball every weekend. Even weirder, they face off against skuas every Wednesday, in a game of Laser Tag.

Since the council only meets during crucial times, there is no set period of time when the South Pole Council is in session. There can often be a period of many months in a year where the South Pole Council does not meet at all. Delegates are usually called into the council when an issue arises and there needs to be a vote on it.

Delegates
States are provided with an at-large delegate representing the whole state, in addition to regional delegates who represent the cities in the state that are a part of the list of the twenty largest cities in the country. The addition of new regional delegates is subject to statutory appropriations made by the Council. Free Republics are allotted one seat only regardless of population. Delegates from Free Republics are not allowed to participate in votes of no confidence or amendments to the Constitution of the United States of Antarctica, but otherwise can do so.

As of November 2017, there are a total of 55 current delegates - 34 from the states, 20 from the Free Republics and 1 from Polaris. To see a list of past and present Delegates, look here. Additionally, despite not being one of the twenty largest cities in the United States of Antarctica, the cities of Mattress Village, Snellville, and Ternville in Eastshield and the city of GourdZoid in Trans-Antarctica are given seats in the South Pole Council due to their importance, while the islands outside of Club Penguin are given one collective seat.

The current presiding Speaker of the Council is Judge Xavier, who represents the Polar District, in which South Pole City and some other smaller towns and cities are located, in the South Pole Council.

States
Bold represent at-large state representatives. Italics represent regional representatives from each state.

Note: ≠-Denotes Elections are taking place
 * †-Denotes resignation or a death while in office

Free Republics
All Free Republic Union members automatically gain a seat in the Council upon entry.

Non Voting Members
These nations are invited to the Council and can voice their opinions, but ultimately do not have voting rights as they are not a member of the Free Republic Union. Only one non-voting seat is taken as of 2016.

Notable Debates and Bills

 * 1337 Bill Regarding Government Secrecy and Classification (Classification Code), March 3, 2000


 * New Identity Cards, Exciting! (NICE) Act


 * Determine an heir for the Pengolian Throne, 2003


 * Vote on the Request of Statehood of Penguin Plains, 2005


 * New states of the USA: The council debated for a very long time to decide what states to include in the USA. They decided to exclude any new land-based states that come forth as of 11/04/08, with the exceptions of water-based territories (like Weddell) or existing free republics that wish to gain the rank of statehood. New free republics are also allowed.


 * The Humana Cathedral Papers: The council, especially Barkjon, Explorer, and Xavier, have debated long hours to decide what to do with the papers and 90-150 Island. The decision was to not return the papers to their original resting place (a vault deep beneath South Pole City) and to watch 90-150 Island carefully. Very carefully.


 * Mabel: The council has debated over whether they should ban/expell Mabel from the USA, due to her antics. They decided not to, but have assigned "Prank Mabel Days" devoted entirely to annoying, mocking, aggravating, and pulling pranks on Mabel. Happyface141 is still debating and wants her to be banned from the world. Mabel is a serious issue though as she drove former Weddell delegate Hot Pocket84 criminaly insane.


 * Bill HZ1337 was passed in the Council, forming the HazMat Commission to classify and rate various Hazardous Materials.


 * The LiquidFence Scandal: The council agreed to archive the LiquidFence Tapes in the exact same vault that The Humana Cathedral Papers were put in.


 * The Sapie Brothers are two very strange penguins. The Council decided to start Project Tracker to see what they are up to.


 * The Troublesome Trio is hilarious but evil. Seeing as all three of them were in the Council, Judge Xavier let the Trio be and denied any cases that came in after.


 * Link: Link is a very mysterious penguin. They sent a search warrant out, and the project to capture him was Project Link. It ended shortly after Link was capture by Ford Car on December 31, 2008.


 * Happyface141 had mysteriously been blocked. The South Pole Council and ALL penguins worked diligently to find a way to un-block him.


 * FredX: A bill was passed stating that all schools in the USA must have at least one emergency rock band hired to fend off the evil X-Antibody.


 * Many penguins in the Doble Islands wanted to secede from Weddell and form their own state. Penguins opposed to them say that the sea must remain one state. Hot Pocket84 spent a long time debating this issue. A vote for Etanan statehood failed on March 27th, 2009. This issue settled down after New North Etana was defeated in the Etana Conflict.


 * Geezer Fund: The Protection of Antarctican Seniors Act of 2010 was passed to ensure Social Security for old Penguins in the USA.


 * The Act to Procure Objects of Supernatural Abilities was proposed by Mitchell Agroster in early November of 2013. When resolution to the bill appeared to him not to be in reach, he locked the council members into the building and forced the bill to be debated on. He was immediately after arrested by the South Pole City Police Department, and his job suspended temporarily.


 * The Hobo Next Door: Outside of the Capitol front gate is a poor, homeless penguin. At the end of every meeting/session, the council has a 5-minute debbate over whether they should give food and money to the penguin. Mabel is the prime debater on the side of not feeding the penguin, mostly because if she loses her case, she has to personally shop for the food. They are usually fed by tourists to the Council Building.


 * The Council also debates and votes on all proposed Amendments to the Constitution, many requests for Statehood in the US or to form Free Republics out of US territory, as well as all requests from foreign countries to join the Free Republic Union.

Trivia

 * Ford Car was always telling the same joke (before he died). Other members tried to kick him out of the council various times.
 * Xavier has numerous psychological flaws. He has a nasty habit of screaming at mirrors, spinning in circles, and attempting to eat his gavel. His right eye has Amblyopia, and for some reason he has a pointy tooth he never bothered to remove.
 * Xavier named his miniature chair "Jonesworth".
 * Despite being a freak, Xavier somehow manges to preside over the town (when something happens) with a fair, steady flipper. It's really odd because of his quirks.
 * Judge Xavier tends to bang his gavel for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Sometimes, he does it at home, and even in his sleep. He always follows with "ORDUH!! OORRRRRRDUHH!"
 * Judge Xavier sleeps with Jonesworth on one side of the bed, and his gavel in his flippers. Sometimes, he sucks on it (like a chick sucks their flipper).
 * Judge Xavier has never been seen without his judicial robes. In fact, no one completelty knows what he looks like because of it.


 * The council is always in a bad mood when Mabel substitutes for Explorer 767, mostly because she always argues and is very picky. Judge Xavier has frequently attempted to shave Mabel bald, and Penghis Khan has attempted to slap her with a fish. The Great Snailzini from Snellville usually is the peace-keeper between the penguins and the puffle.


 * Explorer 767, Barkjon, and Happyface141 are the most mischevious penguins on the council. Their antics range from throwing ice cream at 24Keyser, playing loud and interruptive chords on their electric guitars (especially when Mabel is talking), and setting off firecrackers underneath the council table.


 * Every 2nd Friday in October is special to the council. This day, known as D-Day to the council members, is the day when the "Annual Demolition of the South Pole Council Table" occurs. Explorer 767, Barkjon, and Happyface141 set firecrackers under the table. BOOM! You know what happens next.


 * The South Pole Council is rivaled against the GourdZoid Council, and plays Paintball with them every weekend.


 * Tails6000 is known to get up and set the tables at the crack of dawn. He also gives everyone a free waffle.


 * Swiss Ninja finds it boring and sleeps through the whole thing.


 * Flystar has been known to have destroyed the main council building while in his Star Beast form with Evilface. He told the council, "Sorry, I can't channel my evilness when in Star Beast form. I have enough money to make it even BETTER than it was before!" He recieved his council seat by doing this. But sadly, Evilface didn't get a council seat, even though the work on the council was 50-50. Flystar is currently figuring out a way to make Evilface a council member as a city in Flystarland.


 * Doctor Aye-Que was at one point a delegate, but he lost his position when Tails6000 beat him and revealed his evil plot to the world.