Campaign rally

mcmasterdonia

Just like a queef in the wind, so is life
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TNP Nation
McMasterdonia
Campaign Rally
Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleturtles! Today I stand to announce that I will be contesting the January 2015 Election for Delegate of the North Pacific.

After much consideration, and after consulting with my wife and family :lol: ,I believe that a McMasterdonia Delegacy will offer the best course for the region over the next four months of Government.

If elected, my government will aim to continue the good work of the last 16 months. r3naissanc3r has served this region excellently, and it has been my great pleasure to have worked with him both as Delegate and as a Minister. The Executive staff reform has revolutionized the way new members in our region interact with the government and has massively expanded the opportunities for participation in our regional government.

This election, we pledge to campaign differently. Our election campaign is going to be built from the grassroots up. We will be using this campaign as a platform to not only show our vision for the next four months of government, but to promote the Regional Forum and our Regional Assembly. This election presents an opportunity for us, as candidates, to promote the democratic system of government for which our great region is known - to promote that link between forum and game-side community, and to greatly expand and appeal to the electorate.

This campaign will be conducted in a number of platforms - on the regional forum, the regional IRC channel, the regional message board, and of course, through personalised telegrams to nations within the region. While some scripting may be used for general campaign telegrams, we will primarily be aiming to develop stronger in-game connections with the nations of TNP, to encourage them to join the regional forum, and to ultimately go on to contribute there and to exercise their rights as TNP nations to vote in our elections.

Additionally, there will be a role play aspect to our campaign. As part of our outreach efforts to nations in the region, seeking to encourage them to join the forum and the Regional Assembly, we will be offering an RP incentive to interested nations in the form of state visits from national leadership to commemorate the occasion and welcome them.

Throughout this post, I have said “we” instead of “I”. This is because of the final aspect of my campaign - I am not standing alone. My vision for the upcoming term is for my Vice Delegate to serve also as my Deputy, to assist me in running the executive branch, to have an active role in the creation of policy and a strong partnership when implementing projects and ideas. I want someone who can be my foil, who will bring their own strong ideas and personality to the table and never simply agree with me when I’m wrong. Therefore, I wish to stand for office alongside the vice delegate candidate whom I am most excited to work with and who shares my goals and vision for the term ahead of us.

After much discussion and reflection all around, I am pleased to announce that none other than SillyString has agreed to run for Vice Delegate at my side. We will campaign together, and offer our ideas together, and if elected we will obviously work closely together to bring our platform to fruition.

SillyString is a legendary legislator, a perfect project manager, and a respected member of the region, with her previous service as a charismatic Chief Justice and as a delightful deputy Speaker. If elected, SillyString will serve as my second-in-command and trusted advisor, with a key role in the executive government.

Together, we commit to carrying out a strong four month term, dedicated to continuing the good governance of the region and maintaining our strong position in the World Assembly, Foreign Affairs and military gameplay. Additionally, we commit ourselves to pursuing reforms which will improve governmental transparency, and to running an open, transparent government to the utmost practicable extent. We firmly believe that TNP citizens should never be left to wonder what their government is doing behind their backs.

This is not our campaign platform, which we will be releasing in more detail later. Rather, it is a notice of our intent to run for the offices of Delegate and Vice Delegate. Our campaign begins today, and we strongly encourage other candidates to consider stepping forward, to make this an enjoyable and competitive election.
 
Nierr:
Oligarchy approved democracy! :P

mcmasterdonia:
This campaign will be conducted in a number of platforms - on the regional forum, the regional IRC channel, the regional message board, and of course, through personalised telegrams to nations within the region. While some scripting may be used for general campaign telegrams, we will primarily be aiming to develop stronger in-game connections with the nations of TNP, to encourage them to join the regional forum, and to ultimately go on to contribute there and to exercise their rights as TNP nations to vote in our elections.

Additionally, there will be a role play aspect to our campaign. As part of our outreach efforts to nations in the region, seeking to encourage them to join the forum and the Regional Assembly, we will be offering an RP incentive to interested nations in the form of state visits from national leadership to commemorate the occasion and welcome them.

I am referring to the introduction of canvassing, registration drives, and advance campaigning to The North Pacific political process. :tb2:
 
Eluvatar:
I am referring to the introduction of canvassing, registration drives, and advance campaigning to The North Pacific political process. :tb2:
If the citizenship bill passes, this may be the future of TNP delegate and vice delegate campaigns :)
 
Naturally, I am thrilled to be running alongside Mcm! I approached him when I began thinking about standing for the office of Vice Delegate, and he encouraged me to do so. Even if we do not win, I think our campagin will offer something new and different and I'm excited to be a part of it and to see how it goes!
 
You have the Blessing of Flemingovia, and the support of the Flemingovian church*.


*Other religions are available.
 
Crushing Our Enemies:
Eluvatar:
I am referring to the introduction of canvassing, registration drives, and advance campaigning to The North Pacific political process. :tb2:
If the citizenship bill passes, this may be the future of TNP delegate and vice delegate campaigns :)
I'd like to think so. This is not to say that I am not somewhat hesitant about the reform (But I am just like that), but I'd like to think that this type of campaign would become the norm and be a highly effective campaign for those who are willing to put the effort in.
 
I hope this early campaign announcement encourages others to think of their future election campaign. I hope that the next election is very competitive and that others will join us in that endeavour.
 
I would run a troll campaign but I'm planning on re-running for Speaker again come next election :(
 
Eluvatar:
I am referring to the introduction of canvassing, registration drives, and advance campaigning to The North Pacific political process. :tb2:
I used the RMB for campaign adverts, tried to get the rmb/gameside community involved engaged and interested. And was limited to 1 in a 24 hour period :( and also certain tnpers did in fact snicker and make snide remarks about how ineffective rmb campaigning was.

Hopefully the attitudes toward this has changed and mcm is more successful engaging the game created side.
 
You have the support of Syrixia. It appears you have been Delegate before, and your Delegacy appears to have been very popular amongst the NS community. It would be good to have you back in office. Though, and this is just my opinion, I think we should keep COE in the Vice Delegacy for now until his term runs out; maybe then SS can ascend to the office. It wouldn't be fair to him if SS takes office without COE finishing his term.
 
Syrixia, COE will still serve out the length of their current term until the next election.
 
nlY2tjF.gif
 
I have a few questions.

First, a systemic problem in many past TNP elections since the adoption of a Delegate-controlled executive in late 2007 has been candidates for Delegate promising appointments to Ministries to induce support from their fellows. What systematic approach would you take to avoid this problem?

More specifically, what measures are you taking to avoid the appearance of such an approach in your campaign, what measures are you taking or considering to address the possibility of other candidates doing so, and what reforms to our system might be sensible to reduce this risk?

Second, what is the capital of Burkina Faso?

Third, currently The North Pacific enjoys a large and active group of residents, a vibrant legislature, diplomatic credibility, and a powerful military. How would you balance the maintenance and further improvement of these several successes? What other fields of endeavor do you believe The North Pacific should excel in, and how would you seek to advance them in your administration?

Fourth, why is the Earth more like an oblate spheroid than a perfect sphere?

Fifth, from to time, candidates for Delegate have engaged in public debates. When would it be appropriate to begin holding such, in your opinion?

Sixth, what is the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka?

Seventh, for each of the other four Pacific regions, do you think they could be described as democratic, why do you think they are or are not this way today, and what does this tell us about how we should pursue our regional governance?

Eighth, is Australia democratic? Why is it (or isn't it?) Do you need to pursue changes in this regard?

Ninth, is The North Pacific democratic? Why is it (or isn't it?) Do we need to pursue changes in this regard?

Tenth, this question deliberately left blank?
 
"consulting with my wife"

You consulted me? Was this before or after you showed me the amount you'd spent at the casino or on "business trips to Lazarus"?
 
Eluvatar:
Second, what is the capital of Burkina Faso?
Are we allowed to use google to get the answer?

If not, could you please give me the Across clues crossing this clue, as well as the difficulty from Monday-Saturday of the puzzle as a whole?


Also, for the moment I am taking questions alongside mcm in this thread. If people wish, I am happy to open a second thread of my own! :)
 
To SillyString: What makes you think you are primed to be SC Chief?

To McM: What is the most radical change from the r3n delegacy you forsee yourself implementing?
 
Lord Nwahs:
To SillyString: What makes you think you are primed to be SC Chief?
Qualifications-wise, I've worked a bunch on security stuff in the past!

I've been involved in a bunch of coup fighting efforts, including sitting high on the chain of command during Milograd's coup of TSP, and, as legal Vice Delegate, being the point-nation during Douria's coup of Osiris. I don't expect to see this kind of action during the upcoming term, of course, but I've done it before, I know how to coordinate (people, time, armies), and I keep my head in a crisis.

I would also say that I have one of the best understandings of influence around - not just the raw mathematics, but also the impacts that those numbers have on gameplay dynamics. While I was in Osiris, the delegate sat at around 150 endorsements, and the regional endorsement cap was 20. I developed, pushed for, and eventually saw implemented the "Pschent" system, which was basically a smaller, more limited precursor to r3n's recent WA push for TNP. Osiris was far too small to open up to free endotarting, but members of the forum could apply to join the Pschent, which allowed them to tart up to a higher count (40-50 IIRC) in order to build influence. I had identified the biggest threat to the region to be a rogue delegacy ( :mellow: ) and this system was designed to lessen the impact that one would have.

I also, in coordination with UIAF leadership, was instrumental in developing the warplan for the liberation of Osiris, using subterfuge to exploit certain mechanics of influence that would, ultimately, checkmate the delegate.

Basically, I'm good at conceptual things and working through analyses of different situations, so I can't really imagine a scenario arising where I wouldn't be able to figure out how best to respond.

I would also, of course, see the position as a chance to learn more about how TNP's SC in particular works and perhaps propose ways to improve or streamline things, which the SC Chair is uniquely positioned to do.
 
SillyString:
Eluvatar:
Second, what is the capital of Burkina Faso?
Are we allowed to use google to get the answer?

If not, could you please give me the Across clues crossing this clue, as well as the difficulty from Monday-Saturday of the puzzle as a whole?
You're supposed to know already. :fish:

A hint: it sounds like wag the dog.
 
mcmasterdonia:
I hope this early campaign announcement encourages others to think of their future election campaign. I hope that the next election is very competitive and that others will join us in that endeavour.
I'd say coming out this early is likely to do the opposite. This may scare away some candidates.
 
Lord Nwahs:
To SillyString: What makes you think you are primed to be SC Chief?

To McM: What is the most radical change from the r3n delegacy you forsee yourself implementing?

I'm not a radical person. Given that R3n and I have worked together now for a good 12 months, we are of a similar mind on a wide range of matters. There are areas where we differ, but the approach we take has always been productive in deliberating on those areas. I wouldn't necessarily say that there is anything that I would radically change, but there are areas that require some improvement and where I would make changes that I believe are necessary. You will have to wait for more detail in the campaign platform.

punk d:
mcmasterdonia:
I hope this early campaign announcement encourages others to think of their future election campaign. I hope that the next election is very competitive and that others will join us in that endeavour.
I'd say coming out this early is likely to do the opposite. This may scare away some candidates.
It has encouraged people to campaign early, but we haven't seen another delegate candidate emerge yet - that is true. We did consider if that would be an issue or not, but ultimately the way we want to run our campaign in game meant that we needed to announce early.
 
Eluvatar:
I have a few questions.
Of course. I apologise for not answering these earlier, I have had some connection issues.

First, a systemic problem in many past TNP elections since the adoption of a Delegate-controlled executive in late 2007 has been candidates for Delegate promising appointments to Ministries to induce support from their fellows. What systematic approach would you take to avoid this problem?

More specifically, what measures are you taking to avoid the appearance of such an approach in your campaign, what measures are you taking or considering to address the possibility of other candidates doing so, and what reforms to our system might be sensible to reduce this risk?

I think that this would be a problem in any region with a Delegate controlled executive, I'm not 100% sure what could be done to address this. The power of patronage is a significant one for senior offices at the executive level. Even if the cabinet were elected, the promise of support by a popular Delegate or senior member of the region, could be very significant in swaying the election result. As a general rule, I try not to endorse other candidates in general elections when I was serving as Delegate, but that really does depend on the circumstances.

We could possibly make it illegal to discuss cabinet appointments during an election campaign. That would require honesty on the part of candidates and appointees, and I think it is wholly unnecessary to go down that path. Candidates for Delegate should be considering the make up of their executive team. The quicker this is decided, the quicker the work can begin.
I hope that answers your question.


Second, what is the capital of Burkina Faso?
Ouagadougou
Can I ask, why this question is always asked?

Third, currently The North Pacific enjoys a large and active group of residents, a vibrant legislature, diplomatic credibility, and a powerful military. How would you balance the maintenance and further improvement of these several successes? What other fields of endeavor do you believe The North Pacific should excel in, and how would you seek to advance them in your administration?

Firstly, I would surround myself with an active and vibrant cabinet. A cabinet made up of highly reliable individuals, who consistently and regularly share their honest viewpoint and actively pursue new ideas and proposals to improve the regional government. Over the years consecutive Government's of the North Pacific have continuously worked to improve the region. The executive staff has greatly widened the number of individuals who are contributing to the brainstorming of further ideas and proposals to keep our community vibrant.

I believe that we have demonstrated that we have the opportunity to excel in other areas - including roleplay, regional influence, the engagement of in-game nations in the regional message board and other methods of communication, and I would be aiming to continue to focus my attention on these areas.

Fourth, why is the Earth more like an oblate spheroid than a perfect sphere?
I'm not 100% sure. I think it is because it is a rotating body.

Fifth, from to time, candidates for Delegate have engaged in public debates. When would it be appropriate to begin holding such, in your opinion?
I believe in early January would be the best time.

Sixth, what is the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka?
Pidurutalagala

Seventh, for each of the other four Pacific regions, do you think they could be described as democratic, why do you think they are or are not this way today, and what does this tell us about how we should pursue our regional governance?
No. I do not think that every Pacific region can be described as Democratic. I would describe the East Pacific and the South Pacific as democratic game-created regions in the same sense that we are. We actively seek to encourage regional elections, and we actively aim to involve as many members of our on-site community in the offsite community and regional government. We offer tremendous opportunities to the new and ambitious player - who wish to improve their region, and wish to make a name for themselves. We have many experienced hands in the game, who are willing to assist, mentor, and encourage new players in the pursuit of their goals in our region.

I believe (I could be wrong), that it was you Eluvatar, who said that ambition was nothing to be feared in a region like ours. I believe that the democratic regions recognise this, and that we aim to support and encourage that in our regional governments.

The Pacific, I would describe as a dictatorship. Their leader is chosen by the previous leader, and the Senate is made up of individuals appointed by the Emperor. The Pacific is that way as a result of the coup of Francos Spain, and the fact that the NPO has managed to maintain power for the better part of a decade.

I would describe the West Pacific as an oligarchy. They have a very active regional message board and in-game community, but their off-site community is considered secondary and is rarely used. The Guardians hold most of the power and the Delegacy moves between those who the Guardians believe should hold it.

I believe that we are taking all the right steps and that we remain firmly on the democratic path that works for us. It is important that we continue to work with our new players and that we never forget the importance of the onsite community from which the forum would be nothing without. As Delegate, I continued to take a very active involvement in both sides of the game, and I believe, that I helped to mentor and support new players - both in TNP and abroad. If we continue to consider those issues to be significant for the next few years, I hope that all Delegate's will take the role that they have in our community very seriously.

Eighth, is Australia democratic? Why is it (or isn't it?) Do you need to pursue changes in this regard?
Australia is Democratic. We ranked 12th on the World Global Democracy index in 2012. We have regular, free, fair, meaningful, and fully franchised, elections at local, state and federal level. Our constitution cannot be amended without going through an exhaustive process and extensive public consultation. We do not require a piece of paper with our rights written on them, in order to protect them.

That said, there have been some 'minor' corruption issues in recent years. We have had serious instability in federal leadership for a number of years. Our Government is not always transparent, and seems willing to support torture, genocide, and violence in foreign lands as long as it is not in the public mind/site and as long as our ally is the one doing it. Not too unlike the United States. Vested interests, including corporate, mining, and media interests have held far too much power in our politics in recent years. Our media is strongly controlled by Rupert Murdoch and other Mining Billionaires who brought down our elected governments when they start to question how much money the state and our people actually receive for our resources. I could keep going for days.

Ninth, is The North Pacific democratic? Why is it (or isn't it?) Do we need to pursue changes in this regard?
The North Pacific is democratic. We have free, fair and meaningful elections for various offices. We have a very open border policy and welcome as many new nations into our region and regional assembly as apply. Obviously there are areas for improvement, and although I am hesitant about the citizenship reform in some ways, I believe it is an important one for the region and that it is the right time to make that reform.

We decided to take a different approach with our campaign this time around. We are going to actively engage with the onsite community and use our elections and campaign as a method of recruitment for the forum and assembly. It is my hope, that in future elections, all candidates will take an active role in getting out the vote from our onsite community. That would greatly improve the level of representation in our elections and result in a more active and vibrant region.

Tenth, this question deliberately left blank?
It would appear that the question is not blank at all.

I hope I've answered all of your questions.
 
mcmasterdonia:
Eluvatar:
I have a few questions.
Of course. I apologise for not answering these earlier, I have had some connection issues.

First, a systemic problem in many past TNP elections since the adoption of a Delegate-controlled executive in late 2007 has been candidates for Delegate promising appointments to Ministries to induce support from their fellows. What systematic approach would you take to avoid this problem?

More specifically, what measures are you taking to avoid the appearance of such an approach in your campaign, what measures are you taking or considering to address the possibility of other candidates doing so, and what reforms to our system might be sensible to reduce this risk?

I think that this would be a problem in any region with a Delegate controlled executive, I'm not 100% sure what could be done to address this. The power of patronage is a significant one for senior offices at the executive level. Even if the cabinet were elected, the promise of support by a popular Delegate or senior member of the region, could be very significant in swaying the election result. As a general rule, I try not to endorse other candidates in general elections when I was serving as Delegate, but that really does depend on the circumstances.

We could possibly make it illegal to discuss cabinet appointments during an election campaign. That would require honesty on the part of candidates and appointees, and I think it is wholly unnecessary to go down that path. Candidates for Delegate should be considering the make up of their executive team. The quicker this is decided, the quicker the work can begin.
I hope that answers your question.
It is your answer to it, I imagine!

mcmasterdonia:
Second, what is the capital of Burkina Faso?
Ouagadougou
Can I ask, why this question is always asked?
Tradition! (But more seriously: because it's a funny name, and it's become a habit).
mcmasterdonia:
Third, currently The North Pacific enjoys a large and active group of residents, a vibrant legislature, diplomatic credibility, and a powerful military. How would you balance the maintenance and further improvement of these several successes? What other fields of endeavor do you believe The North Pacific should excel in, and how would you seek to advance them in your administration?

Firstly, I would surround myself with an active and vibrant cabinet. A cabinet made up of highly reliable individuals, who consistently and regularly share their honest viewpoint and actively pursue new ideas and proposals to improve the regional government. Over the years consecutive Government's of the North Pacific have continuously worked to improve the region. The executive staff has greatly widened the number of individuals who are contributing to the brainstorming of further ideas and proposals to keep our community vibrant.

I believe that we have demonstrated that we have the opportunity to excel in other areas - including roleplay, regional influence, the engagement of in-game nations in the regional message board and other methods of communication, and I would be aiming to continue to focus my attention on these areas.
Those sound like solid priorities.
mcmasterdonia:
Fourth, why is the Earth more like an oblate spheroid than a perfect sphere?
I'm not 100% sure. I think it is because it is a rotating body.
:winner:
mcmasterdonia:
Fifth, from to time, candidates for Delegate have engaged in public debates. When would it be appropriate to begin holding such, in your opinion?
I believe in early January would be the best time.
Very good, very good.
mcmasterdonia:
Sixth, what is the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka?
Pidurutalagala
You are correct.
mcmasterdonia:
Seventh, for each of the other four Pacific regions, do you think they could be described as democratic, why do you think they are or are not this way today, and what does this tell us about how we should pursue our regional governance?
No. I do not think that every Pacific region can be described as Democratic. I would describe the East Pacific and the South Pacific as democratic game-created regions in the same sense that we are. We actively seek to encourage regional elections, and we actively aim to involve as many members of our on-site community in the offsite community and regional government. We offer tremendous opportunities to the new and ambitious player - who wish to improve their region, and wish to make a name for themselves. We have many experienced hands in the game, who are willing to assist, mentor, and encourage new players in the pursuit of their goals in our region.

I believe (I could be wrong), that it was you Eluvatar, who said that ambition was nothing to be feared in a region like ours. I believe that the democratic regions recognise this, and that we aim to support and encourage that in our regional governments.

The Pacific, I would describe as a dictatorship. Their leader is chosen by the previous leader, and the Senate is made up of individuals appointed by the Emperor. The Pacific is that way as a result of the coup of Francos Spain, and the fact that the NPO has managed to maintain power for the better part of a decade.

I would describe the West Pacific as an oligarchy. They have a very active regional message board and in-game community, but their off-site community is considered secondary and is rarely used. The Guardians hold most of the power and the Delegacy moves between those who the Guardians believe should hold it.

I believe that we are taking all the right steps and that we remain firmly on the democratic path that works for us. It is important that we continue to work with our new players and that we never forget the importance of the onsite community from which the forum would be nothing without. As Delegate, I continued to take a very active involvement in both sides of the game, and I believe, that I helped to mentor and support new players - both in TNP and abroad. If we continue to consider those issues to be significant for the next few years, I hope that all Delegate's will take the role that they have in our community very seriously.
A clear and thorough answer, thank you.
mcmasterdonia:
Eighth, is Australia democratic? Why is it (or isn't it?) Do you need to pursue changes in this regard?
Australia is Democratic. We ranked 12th on the World Global Democracy index in 2012. We have regular, free, fair, meaningful, and fully franchised, elections at local, state and federal level. Our constitution cannot be amended without going through an exhaustive process and extensive public consultation. We do not require a piece of paper with our rights written on them, in order to protect them.

That said, there have been some 'minor' corruption issues in recent years. We have had serious instability in federal leadership for a number of years. Our Government is not always transparent, and seems willing to support torture, genocide, and violence in foreign lands as long as it is not in the public mind/site and as long as our ally is the one doing it. Not too unlike the United States. Vested interests, including corporate, mining, and media interests have held far too much power in our politics in recent years. Our media is strongly controlled by Rupert Murdoch and other Mining Billionaires who brought down our elected governments when they start to question how much money the state and our people actually receive for our resources. I could keep going for days.
Do you think Australia should eventually adopt a Bill of Rights?
mcmasterdonia:
Ninth, is The North Pacific democratic? Why is it (or isn't it?) Do we need to pursue changes in this regard?
The North Pacific is democratic. We have free, fair and meaningful elections for various offices. We have a very open border policy and welcome as many new nations into our region and regional assembly as apply. Obviously there are areas for improvement, and although I am hesitant about the citizenship reform in some ways, I believe it is an important one for the region and that it is the right time to make that reform.

We decided to take a different approach with our campaign this time around. We are going to actively engage with the onsite community and use our elections and campaign as a method of recruitment for the forum and assembly. It is my hope, that in future elections, all candidates will take an active role in getting out the vote from our onsite community. That would greatly improve the level of representation in our elections and result in a more active and vibrant region.
Thanks for the answer.
mcmasterdonia:
Tenth, this question deliberately left blank?
It would appear that the question is not blank at all.

I hope I've answered all of your questions.
You have. One more:

Eleventh, how many elections have you won in The North Pacific?
 
I have won 8 elections in the North Pacific. This includes 3 council of five elections, one Vice Delegate Election, and four elections for Delegate. I also formed an exploratory campaign for Delegate during your Delegacy in 2012, but decided not to run. So I haven't actually lost an election in the North Pacific yet.

I think it is correct. It is possible that I am one or two out with the Council elections, I thought we had more, but could be wrong.
 
Started the region wide campaign today. I've had more than 200 responses. There are definitely a ton of nations who are interested in voting, and I hope that we see them sign up and get involved!
 
SarahPalin3.jpg


Do you fear SillyString may go Rogue (off script) during the campaign, and do you feel youre too old to be running for the stressful position of delegate or do you still have enough gas in the tank to serve 4 more years months?
 
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