On the Delegate's DM campaign

[Picairn]

I have recently received this from one of my voters on my campaign trail, private messages that the incumbent Delegate @Chipoli has been sending to convince my voters to change their votes:

As you know, we are currently holding elections here in TNP, and I noticed you voted for Picairn. I would like to give you some more information that may or may not change your mind about who you will vote for. A couple months ago, Picairn was the Delegate and the region was not doing well - not a lot of stuff in government was getting done, he broke his promises, and we angered our allies. However, I ran against him to fix our issues, and we've made a lot of progress so far. We got a lot of huge projects like the FA Digest and TNS done. Our military was also in the largest liberation in the history of NS and has been growing in activity. The point is - we’ve made so much more progress in the last four months and I want to continue it because it’s made TNP a lot better as a region. As for the new things, if I’m elected I will also make the RMB a lot better place to be in. I'll be bringing all sorts of new cool things to the RMB, like games, activities, and events that you guys can participate in. It won't be just mainly the people from the government in it, but it will be everyday citizens too! I talk about it more in my platform here: https://forum.thenorthpacific.org/topic/9199178/ (It's pretty long so you don't have to read it). Let me know if I can answer any more questions you may have.

A couple months ago Picairn was the Delegate and we were not moving in the right direction. Our region had a lot of issues and our activity was going down and he only talked with a few people which slowed down how the government worked. All in all he wasn’t that good because the region declined in activity and engagement. He also made some blunders such as quorum raiding a region allied to one of our friends which made them angry.

After I took over I solved a lot of these issues - I rebuilt relations with the regions that Picairn had angered and I also increased activity in the executive and our military - we got a lot of huge projects like the FA Digest and TNS done. Our military was also in the largest liberation in the history of NS just a few days ago. Point is - we’ve made so much more progress in the last four months and I want to continue it because it’s made TNP a lot better as a region since Picairn took over.

What I am surprised at is not the fact that the Delegate is DM campaigning - so am I, but rather the fact that he has chosen to paint an overly negative picture of my Delegacy while conveniently burying the faults of his own. A lot of the things that Chipoli has asserted in his private messages to my voters - that I "broke my promises", that "not a lot in government was getting done", that "the region declined in activity and engagement" can be applied to his Delegacy tenfold.

I can point out the fact that, among many other broken promises, Chipoli has failed to issue biweekly executive reports to the region, despite it being a central promise in his January campaign. I can also note that our manpower and activity issues have considerably worsened this term with no sign of urgency by the government to address them. He has also made blunders in our foreign affairs, by notably participating in the extortion incident with the NPO, AA and LWU before ultimately reversing course. Yet my mistake, despite being resolved with a formal apology same as his, was treated as a grave blunder while his own errors went unmentioned. His claim of accomplishing TNS as a "major project" also hides the fact that his government has only completed one edition this term, while mine finished two.

It is simply an objectively untrue sequence of events to portray his Delegacy as an improvement compared to mine, especially considering our rapidly deteriorating manpower and activity issues. Not to mention, my Delegacy had a strong start: we started off September and October strong with general activity in government revived, particularly in Home Affairs, before the winter slump arrived.

Now compare these messages to mine, which hardly digs up my opponent's past to smear them like Chipoli did:

Hello [name]!

I'm Picairn, sitting Justice of the Court. While working in TNP's government, I have noticed that in addition to low morale, it is losing far more people than it can replace. The result of this loss so far has been a significant decline in government and regional activity. I believe that if left to continue unabated in summer, the government will soon struggle to perform basic services for the region. Terrible, isn't it?

But there is a solution. I'm running for Delegate in this upcoming election, and I need your help in rebuilding TNP! With your support, I will be able to make things right and turn the ship around on our government before it's too late. Will you vote for me in the election?

I remain available for any questions that you have.

Yours sincerely,
Picairn

I question why the Delegate has chosen to attack me in this manner, by cherry-picking events from my Delegacy to portray me as an overwhelmingly negative character compared to him. I patiently await for his answer.

 

[Jinkies]

As someone deeply and painfully familiar with the LWU/AA/NPO incident, Chipoli's involvement can hardly be called extortion, regardless of how the rest of us involved ended up participating and how that was perceived. He was deeply misled as were a number of people involved, but he rectified those misunderstandings quickly and deftly. I understand your frustration with being campaigned at negatively but conflating Chipoli's name with the word 'extortion' (which I have come to believe is often overused in NSGP after my personal misuse of the term in the related statement, albeit for a different region's government) is inaccurate at best.

I can identify many issues with Chipoli's government, foreign affairs was not one of those issues. At all times, he was even-headed, professional, and respectful to all parties involved in every situation.

 

[Halsoni]

Why are you offended Chipoli pointed out the things that went wrong during your Delegacy when your entire campaign shits on everything this administration has done and all the people who’ve contributed to it?

 

[Vapia]

I don’t really care what this is all about. I hate DM campaigns.

 

[Picairn]

Why are you offended Chipoli pointed out the things that went wrong during your Delegacy when your entire campaign shits on everything this administration has done and all the people who’ve contributed to it?

Because they are not fully true?

 

[Lamb]

I think the only way to resolve this is to have a public debate tomorrow. Will these candidates agree???

 

[Just a Lore]

You created a new thread for the sole reason that you decided not to create a convincing DM campaign, instead just placidly asking for votes with no substance. While your opponent decided to actually try to campaign.

I'm sorry but creating a whole new thread just for this and not just bringing it up in your own or their campaign thread comes off as a being butthurt, and really doesn't sit well on being able to maintain composure when your upset about something.

 

[AraFuttio]

Well well, the Charge of the Light Brigade has arrived. This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. Frankly Picairn, you have simply made yourself look desperate with this - an immature and pointless act of political point-scoring. Are you really going to try and make this election come down to who has the most convincing DM campaign?

 

[Halsoni]

Because they are not fully true?

They're pretty true actually. You just can't deal with the fact that your Delegacy was premature and a failure. This text wall is crazy talk and your attempts to attack the Delegate fall very short. Again, this is a clear attempt to undermine Chipoli's campaign one last time before the electorate votes you poof gone once again, and I find that both immature and hypocritical.

 

[mcmasterdonia]

I have been the victim of an untrue DM campaign before and it is deeply frustrating. Unfortunately those kinds of DM campaigns are part of our political life, especially when elections are close. They’re usually guided by highly experienced players who identify which voter should be targeted and which one shouldn’t be. I think we just need to cop it on the chin, sometimes.

Rather than focus on the past, I’d suggest that any retaliatory campaign focuses on what will get done in the next few months.

That said it was more fun when @St George managed to convince people to share what their DM campaign said. People voluntarily exposed themselves and I personally enjoyed that.

 

[Fachu]

So, you're pointing out supposed misinformation whilst spreading it yourself? This is the pot calling the kettle black, sorry.

 

[Picairn]

You created a new thread for the sole reason that you decided not to create a convincing DM campaign, instead just placidly asking for votes with no substance. While your opponent decided to actually try to campaign.

I'm sorry but creating a whole new thread just for this and not just bringing it up in your own or their campaign thread comes off as a being butthurt, and really doesn't sit well on being able to maintain composure when your upset about something.

My DM campaign doesn't try to paint my opponent as a terrible leader using cherry-picked mistakes from his past, no. As for maintaining composure, I question why exactly the Delegate is frantically trying to paint me as a bad leader with a full pack of lies and half-truths.

Well well, the Charge of the Light Brigade has arrived. This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. Frankly Picairn, you have simply made yourself look desperate with this - an immature and pointless act of political point-scoring. Are you really going to try and make this election come down to who has the most convincing DM campaign?

The Charge of the Light Brigade is when you point out your opponent is attempting to smear you in his DM campaign? Would you be fine if your election opponent does this to you?

They're pretty true actually. You just can't deal with the fact that your Delegacy was premature and a failure. This text wall is crazy talk and your attempts to attack the Delegate fall very short. Again, this is a clear attempt to undermine Chipoli's campaign one last time before the electorate votes you poof gone once again, and I find that both immature and hypocritical.

Not true at all, and I have already explained why. If one uses "broken promises" and "inactivity in government" as the marks of a bad leader, Chipoli is objectively worse than me.

 

[Picairn]

So, you're pointing out supposed misinformation whilst spreading it yourself? This is the pot calling the kettle black, sorry.

What part of my campaign was not true, exactly? I didn't cherry-pick my opponent's mistakes and attempt to paint him as a bad leader.

 

[AraFuttio]

The Charge of the Light Brigade is when you point out your opponent is attempting to smear you in his DM campaign? Would you be fine if your election opponent does this to you?

My point is, it’s clear you’ve run out of options - instead of trying to challenge Chipoli on his policy positions, or his general ability to govern, you’ve created a new thread to complain about a DM campaign, which, considering is trying to convince people not to vote for you, is probably going to contain things you don’t agree with or like.

The idea that your delegacy didn’t go very well or any of the other things that Chipoli claims in his DM campaign are largely subjective opinions, so I don’t know why you’re playing the victim card and pretending to be some persecuted political opponent. Chipoli hasn’t said anything completely factually untrue - I would only go so far to say some of it may be misleading.

 

[Picairn]

My point is, it’s clear you’ve run out of options - instead of trying to challenge Chipoli on his policy positions, or his general ability to govern, you’ve created a new thread to complain about a DM campaign, which, considering is trying to convince people not to vote for you, is probably going to contain things you don’t agree with or like.

The idea that your delegacy didn’t go very well or any of the other things that Chipoli claims in his DM campaign are largely subjective opinions, so I don’t know why you’re playing the victim card and pretending to be some persecuted political opponent. Chipoli hasn’t said anything completely factually untrue - I would only go so far to say some of it may be misleading.

This is patently untrue. I have challenged Chipoli on his policy positions and his general ability to govern in my platform, my answers, and my debates to his Cabinet. I'm not playing a "persecuted political opponent", nowhere did I claim I was being oppressed in this entire thread.

 

[Gorundu]

Chipoli hasn’t said anything completely factually untrue - I would only go so far to say some of it may be misleading.

Since when is that the standard we hold our elected officials to?

I was under the impression from many opponents of DM campaigning that the main issue with it is the ability for candidates to attack their opponents without an opportunity for the opponents to respond. Is this not exactly what Chipoli has done?

 

[Halsoni]

Since when is that the standard we hold our elected officials to?

Plenty of people in the region voted for Simone, so maybe not.

Is this not exactly what Chipoli has done?

Sure, but that’s the risk you take as a candidate when you initiate this new trend of DM campaigning. Picairn knew this could happen, so perhaps he should stop forcing his opponents to DM campaign and say things he doesn’t like instead of crying about it on the forums.

 

[Picairn]

Plenty of people in the region voted for Simone, so maybe not.

Sure, but that’s the risk you take as a candidate when you initiate this new trend of DM campaigning. Picairn knew this could happen, so perhaps he should stop forcing his opponents to DM campaign and say things he doesn’t like instead of crying about it on the forums.

"We will stoop so low as to falsely attack our opponents with lies and half-truths when they go DM campaigning." Only the most high-minded of morals on display.

 

[Fachu]

What part of my campaign was not true, exactly? I didn't cherry-pick my opponent's mistakes and attempt to paint him as a bad leader.

Your campaign, numerous times actually, misrepresents the current administration.

 

[Picairn]

Your campaign, numerous times actually, misrepresents the current administration.

Can you name a specific example instead of vagueposting? And point out also where I dug up Chipoli's past mistakes to smear him?

 

[Halsoni]

"We will stoop so low as to falsely attack our opponents with lies and half-truths when they go DM campaigning." Only the most high-minded of morals on display.

Chipoli hasn’t nor have I. The faults of your administration were accurately and fairly pointed out, but you simply can’t handle that. Maybe don’t DM campaign next time and avoid the issue altogether? Oh wait, I forgot you can’t win an election without resorting to such tactics. Never mind then.

 

[Picairn]

Chipoli hasn’t nor have I. The faults of your administration were accurately and fairly pointed out, but you simply can’t handle that. Maybe don’t DM campaign next time and avoid the issue altogether? Oh wait, I forgot you can’t win an election without resorting to such tactics. Never mind then.

Except both you and Chipoli did. Didn't you say earlier I did nothing for the region this term except obstructing the government? Apparently you can't go 5 minutes without resorting to lies and attacks.

 

[Fachu]

Can you name a specific example instead of vagueposting? And point out also where I dug up Chipoli's past mistakes to smear him?

Essentially everything you have said about what has happened in Foreign Affairs this term, which include the events in the Outback.

 

[Picairn]

Essentially everything you have said about what has happened in Foreign Affairs this term, which include the events in the Outback.

"Essentially everything" is not a real argument.

 

[Halsoni]

Except both you and Chipoli did. Didn't you say earlier I did nothing for the region this term except obstructing the government? Apparently you can't go 5 minutes without resorting to lies and attacks.

All you’ve been doing is whine and cry about the consequences of your own actions. There’s nothing to respect about this attitude and the supposed great things you’ve done for this region are completely nullified with this anti-TNP behaviour. Instead of trying to be cooperative and reliable and not attack everyone in the administration for two seconds you start whining about the consequences of your own actions and rhetoric when it doesn’t go your way.

"Essentially everything" is not a real argument.

It is when that’s what you’ve been doing. By misrepresenting this administration you’re creating a false image as that’s the only way you could feasibly challenge Chipoli. By attacking an administration that doesn’t exist.

 

[Picairn]

All you’ve been doing is whine and cry about the consequences of your own actions. There’s nothing to respect about this attitude and the supposed great things you’ve done for this region are completely nullified with this anti-TNP behaviour. Instead of trying to be cooperative and reliable and not attack everyone in the administration for two seconds you start whining about the consequences of your own actions and rhetoric when it doesn’t go your way.

It is when that’s what you’ve been doing. By misrepresenting this administration you’re creating a false image as that’s the only way you could feasibly challenge Chipoli. By attacking an administration that doesn’t exist.

It is neither "whining" nor "crying" to say that it's bad for the Delegate and his officials to engage in personal attacks on his opponent by digging up his past mistakes. Is it now "anti-TNP behaviour" to have some morals and integrity in campaigning? Is it now "anti-TNP behaviour" to ask your opponent not to lie about your record or your contributions? I have been cooperative with this administration several times in the past four months despite its repeated dismissiveness of my concerns and now its attempted character assassination of me in public. And no, vagueposting is still not a real argument.

 

[Fachu]

I pointed to a specific incident you misrepresented. And even if I was "vagueposting", why does that matter if it is correct?

Either way, I do not see how pointing out starting DM campaigning opened the floodgates for this is an argument that should be disregarded.

 

[Halsoni]

It is neither "whining" nor "crying" to say that it's bad for the Delegate and his officials to engage in personal attacks on his opponent by digging up his past mistakes.

Yes it is because you’re complaining about something that’s completely and utterly your own fault. If you didn’t try to shit on everything the Delegate has done this term to the extent that you did, maybe we wouldn’t be talking this way, but alas. You started this. Not the Delegate. Not me. Not any other officials.

Criticising your past mistakes is completely valid if we’re supposed to elect you to lead us for the next four months. Absolutely crazy to suggest otherwise. I’m not whining about the fact that people might not vote for me because of mistakes I’ve made in the past. Absolutely crazy.

Is it now "anti-TNP behaviour" to have some morals and integrity in campaigning? Is it now "anti-TNP behaviour" to ask your opponent not to lie about your record or your contributions?

It’s laughable to suggest you have morals and integrity while engaging in shady DM campaigns. There have been zero lies from the Delegate. Let’s go through the claims he made and back them up, shall we?

Claim 1: Not a lot of stuff in government was getting done.
True. How surprising. Your administration suffered from a severe lack of direction as you were too busy starting FA fires and subsequently spent your time putting them out. As Minister of Culture I received zero support from you even when I was clear about the fact that I couldn’t handle the pressure due to real-life.

Claim 2: He broke his promises.
True as well! Oh wow. I could go through your entire September campaign and point out how you didn’t do certain things or didn’t deliver. If you’d like me to do that, let me know and I will. I also think it’s funny that you’re upset Chipoli pointed this out even though your campaign is centred around the promises that Chipoli may or may not have broken. Hypocrisy strikes again!

Claim 3: We angered our allies.
Under your watch we raided an ally. Absolute buffoonery. You’re an interregional joke and your efforts to “shake things up” and destabilise the region by constantly changing governments makes it harder for our allies to have a consistent and stable relationship with us. Obviously you don’t understand that because you have the FA competence of a piece of plywood, but this is in fact the truth.

I have been cooperative with this administration several times in the past four months despite its repeated dismissiveness of my concerns and now its attempted character assassination of me in public.

Oh wow! You did three things for the government this term. Congrats! You’ve repeatedly complained about NPA inactivity yet done nothing to help us resolve the issues nor have you every tried to execute the Delegate’s agenda on that front. You complained about TW having to go out and camp in The Wellspring while you were gone the entire term in Vibonia or Carcassone. Hysterical.

 

[AraFuttio]

It is neither "whining" nor "crying" to say that it's bad for the Delegate and his officials to engage in personal attacks on his opponent by digging up his past mistakes.

So we can’t criticise our politicians for their previous mistakes and track record anymore? That’s a dangerous path to go down.

 

[Halsoni]

So we can’t criticise our politicians for their previous mistakes and track record anymore? That’s a dangerous path to go down.

I completely agree. I’ve had to defend myself and take accountability for the actions that I’ve taken, but Former Delegate Picairn apparently thinks that’s unfair. I guess I wouldn’t have suffered any consequences if I pulled an EBC drunktivity during his Delegacy.

 

[Picairn]

So we can’t criticise our politicians for their previous mistakes and track record anymore? That’s a dangerous path to go down.

How in the world is that your takeaway from this.

 

[Picairn]

Yes it is because you’re complaining about something that’s completely and utterly your own fault. If you didn’t try to shit on everything the Delegate has done this term to the extent that you did, maybe we wouldn’t be talking this way, but alas. You started this. Not the Delegate. Not me. Not any other officials.

"You started this." No, I did not. If I did, I'd have pulled Chipoli's inactivity as MoFA and VD as ammunition to blast him with.

Criticising your past mistakes is completely valid if we’re supposed to elect you to lead us for the next four months. Absolutely crazy to suggest otherwise. I’m not whining about the fact that people might not vote for me because of mistakes I’ve made in the past. Absolutely crazy.

This is utterly unhinged. Are you trying to be intentionally obtuse or insane?

It’s laughable to suggest you have morals and integrity while engaging in shady DM campaigns. There have been zero lies from the Delegate. Let’s go through the claims he made and back them up, shall we?

Claim 1: Not a lot of stuff in government was getting done.
True. How surprising. Your administration suffered from a severe lack of direction as you were too busy starting FA fires and subsequently spent your time putting them out. As Minister of Culture I received zero support from you even when I was clear about the fact that I couldn’t handle the pressure due to real-life.

Again, no, this is a lie. My Delegacy started off very strong with the revival of our government Ministries, particularly Home Affairs, after the summer slump.

Claim 2: He broke his promises.

True as well! Oh wow. I could go through your entire September campaign and point out how you didn’t do certain things or didn’t deliver. If you’d like me to do that, let me know and I will. I also think it’s funny that you’re upset Chipoli pointed this out even though your campaign is centred around the promises that Chipoli may or may not have broken. Hypocrisy strikes again!

I'm amazed at your apparent hypocrisy here that I'm personally responsible for my broken promises whilst Chipoli's is because due to systemic factors beyond his control. Which is it?

Claim 3: We angered our allies.
Under your watch we raided an ally. Absolute buffoonery. You’re an interregional joke and your efforts to “shake things up” and destabilise the region by constantly changing governments makes it harder for our allies to have a consistent and stable relationship with us. Obviously you don’t understand that because you have the FA competence of a piece of plywood, but this is in fact the truth.

That was not intentional and you know it. Sadly you can't hold off on lying. The buffoonery and joke here is your feeble attempts to smear me as a bad leader while being an active FA liability.

Oh wow! You did three things for the government this term. Congrats! You’ve repeatedly complained about NPA inactivity yet done nothing to help us resolve the issues nor have you every tried to execute the Delegate’s agenda on that front. You complained about TW having to go out and camp in The Wellspring while you were gone the entire term in Vibonia or Carcassone. Hysterical.

What have you done for the NPA exactly except yelling at me for expressing my concerns?

 

[Picairn]

I pointed to a specific incident you misrepresented. And even if I was "vagueposting", why does that matter if it is correct?

Either way, I do not see how pointing out starting DM campaigning opened the floodgates for this is an argument that should be disregarded.

"Essentially everything" isn't a real argument because you pointed to nothing. "We will stoop so low as to falsely attack our opponents with lies and half-truths when they go DM campaigning." isn't the winning argument you think it is.

 

[El Fiji Grande]

I don't think this thread is a productive use of anyone's time. People will just get more blunt and feelings will be hurt. The votes have been cast, no more needs to be said.