Lewis and Clark for MoEA

[Westwind]

Greetings Friends and Citizens!

I hope you will forgive this hurriedly written post, as I am about to get in the car and begin my vacation.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and my candidacy for Minister of External Affairs. Some of you recognize Lewis and Clark from the days of the NPD and the Constitutional discussions, some will recognize me as Westwind of Equilism, and some of you are thinking, "Westwind Who? Lewis and Clark who?"

I have been active in TNP on and off for about 3 1/2 years. Sometimes as an ally, sometimes as a visiting Ambassador. Sometimes as a Citizen, and sometimes as a Legislative member. I have always held TNP in as my second home, my feeder home.

I have seen many phases of TNP History. There have been glorious times, frustrating times, confused times, cooperative times, and now we face a time of decline, stagnation and inactivity. It is time we tried to changed the current status quo.

I support a complete reform of the existing system, structure, Constitution, and Laws of the region. We need proactive leadership, and a pool of idea oriented people, to move the region out of the tar pits of stagnation and into a new and dynamic future. I beleive that the proclaimations of the death of NS are premature. Players throughout NS await new opportunities for participation and interest. NS has moved on from past dynamics. This is an opportunity for us to make a game of NS once again.

But we cannot do this in a vacuum. We cannot simply look inward and stand isolated from the larger NS world. We need to reach out to our fellow Feeder regions, and engage the active players and regions throughout NS. I beleive that I have the experience and ability to serve TNP well as MoEA. I have worked closely with regions and players across NS, in Feeder and player created regions alike. I have experience in negotiation and discussion. I have worked to established a number of treaties and alliances over the years, including co-negotiating the peace treaty between Ireland and ADN, that ended a war which came close to starting WWIII in NS.

I recognize the political nuances that are part and parcel of differing philosophies and positions. I have always worked to seek a greater consensus between opposing positions, in order to arrive at an outcome that meets the needs of all involved.

We have an opportunity, here at the crossroads of crisis. I hope that you will join me in working for the betterment of TNP, towards a bright and active future.

Thank you!

 

[Fulhead Land]

Do you think NS would be more interesting had you not stopped wars?

 

[Westwind]

Do you think NS would be more interesting had you not stopped wars?

Preface: the connection at this motel is awful. My cursor keeps jumping around in the message box, long time to load pages.....*grumbles*

I presume that you are referring to the ADN/Ireland war. In that case, I would say the answer is no. NS was a different place then, and there was enough conflict to go around.

The NS situation has changed drastically since then. The old conflicts and divisions have passed, and the invader/defender game has faded into a background routine. But it seems that we have forgotten the interregional philosophical and political aspects - or perhaps we've backed away from them as regions became introspective and introverted.

Your question does present an insightful note: Conflict does breed interest, which in turn breeds activity. It is an undeniable factor of human nature, and the current state of NS.

 

[Monte Ozarka]

Along those lines, given your knowledge of and connectedness with various regions, where do you think the greatest conflict in NS lies? I guess this could be a battle between physical locations or an ideological battle.

How do you think TNP should face that conflict, if at all?

 

[Westwind]

I think that part of the floundering of NS is the lack of great conflicts - whether they are invader/defender conflicts, political conflicts, or philosophical conflicts.

The old ADN/NPO conflict is long gone, and the invader/defender conflict no longer has the impact on the game that it once had. Some nations and regions have moved to a model of Imperialism. With some working that model through conquest and some through establishment. And in the process, there has been a trend towards fewer pure democracies, and greater recognition of the ingame authorities of Delegates and Founders.

Imperialists, and those that oppose them is one conflict that exists, but it is not a major dynamic in NS. Another dyanamic is the philosophical and political polarization of Feederites and Userites. The Pacific has built upon this long established philosophy and further established in within their judicial system as the Ordo Hereticus.

TNP has in many ways withdrawn from the conflicts in NS, with some exceptions (Lexicon comes to mind).

As for how TNP should face conflict - it is a decision that the region and it's leadership need to make together. Being introverted and withdrawn from the greater NS world just leads to inactivity. We need to engage other regions, and choose our positions as the opportunities arrise. Unless we are engaged in the wider world, we'll not have those opportunities.

 

[Emperor Matthuis]

Well said.

How would you run the Diplomatic Corps?

I tried so very hard and I warn you they are plagued with inactivity.

 

[Westwind]

I would like to provide a training program, and I would allow each Ambassador to maintain up to three posts. I would prefer that each Ambassador take one major post, and two less active posts. That way we can focus our limited resources on the most important areas, while maintaining a wider presence.

The Diplomatic Corp members must be willing to accept the responsiblities of the position. That means that it is expected that any announcements, statements or updates will need to be posted regularly and as promptly as possible.

Participating in the establishment and maintenance of Interregional relations is an excellent oppportunity for anyone to become involved in the wider NS world, and become more familiar with game mechanics, political dynamics, and to get to know players all around. The opportunities that the MoEA presents to players must be promoted and publicized. It is basic public relations, that should also be a responsibility of members of the Corp.

Of course, being Lewis and Clark, make that the Diplomatic 'Corp of Discovery'.