Executive Office of the Delegate
The North Pacifican Dream
Fellow North Pacificans,
Today marks the day that I overtake the record of longest consecutively serving World Assembly Delegate set by Former Delegate McMasterdonia. 252 days. 252 days of serving this region as both acting and elected delegate. A milestone nobody has ever set in the history of The North Pacific. It is one that few will ever cross, and when they do, it won’t mean as much as it does now. Instead of making this statement the Big Ruben Show and start bragging about this achievement, I’m going to instead use this as an opportunity to explain what this job is all about to hopefully inspire someone out there to take that leap of faith and run - with a little bit of bragging. It wouldn’t be a Ruben statement without it.
During my tenure at TNP, I’ve held a variety of positions. Let’s take a trip down memory lane. I arrived on these rum-soaked shores on March 31, 2023, after spending a couple of months in regions like The East Pacific and Europeia following my ejection from The Communist Bloc. This was right before the first Hulldom scandal, which was certainly an interesting introduction to this region. The extortion, caused by a combination of Defender arrogance and Hulldom’s blatant incompetence, solidified my belief as an Independent. I view myself as a pragmatic democratic institutionalist. My ideology is built on flexibility, because I have found that tying yourself to something as one-sided as, for example, raider or defender purism does not allow for the countless ways I need to shift focus and stay ahead of our enemies to ensure that my administration remains a strong voice in the politics of The North Pacific and NationStates. Sometimes you need to work with one side rather than the other because it’s in the region’s interests to do so. Sometimes you need to do things that will make some people furious. That is the difficult part because you can’t cater to everyone all the time. Instead of subscribing to one side of the binary, we as a region need to be able to look at a situation pragmatically and envision how we can come out of it on top. As I got involved in the Ministry of Communications under Delegate Gorundu and Minister Kaschovia, I felt that my effort was being truly appreciated by higher-ups and that my work made an impact - something I also try to do for my own Executive Staff - and I was eventually rewarded with a deputy position in said ministry followed by being made Executive Deputy Minister of Communications during Kasch’s first term as Delegate.
Eventually, after having served two terms as Minister of Communications and one term as Minister of Culture, I took a leap of faith and ran for Vice Delegate. During my Vice Delegacy, I oversaw an exponential rise in endorsements in large part thanks to my unconventional tactics, where I would motivate people to endorse the Delegate, but more impactfully, create a culture on the RMB where people encouraged one another to exchange endorsements and convince those who initially refuse by making them realise the impact they can have with the click of a button. As Chief of Staff, I oversaw all executive projects and made most of them a reality by collaborating with staff rather than ordering them around. Creating another culture in the executive where, instead of being a distant figure only seen in the cabinet chambers or occasionally in the announcements channel, I was there and part of the team. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. Working together to make something beautiful and contribute to our wonderful region, and doing our part in conjuring up a feeling of belonging for every person in The North Pacific.
I play this game to have fun, and I must say that being Delegate is the most fun I’ve had in this game. It’s the greatest honour in our region to serve as its chief executive, but maybe more significantly, it’s a learning experience. The buck stops with the Delegate, and ultimately, they are the ones who will be held accountable for executive failure. That is a responsibility that few can bare and it’s been hard sometimes. Folks say that the Delegacy is like having a real-life part-time job, or even a full-time job. I disagree with that sentiment, and it’s something I’ve been trying to erode during my time in the big chair by effectively delegating responsibility and giving my cabinet and individual staffers a lot of freedom to handle their own affairs. It’s the only thing that keeps me sane after over 8 freaking months in this position. If there is one piece of advice I can give to my successors, it is to delegate the management of individual ministries and keep yourself busy with the big picture and smaller passion projects. Calling the shots on everything can be fun for a while, but it is draining. I am not interested in being aware of every little detail when there are people who can grow and learn by knowing those details and managing them. This delegacy has been huge for me personally and the region. Its unprecedented length and significance, both internally and externally, will, in my view, set the stage for a more lively and influential TNP. We have collectively revived our region by looking ahead, trusting one another and creating an environment where everyone can make it and become a big shot politician. That is the North Pacifican Dream. To encourage, to live and to breathe our democratic and civic values. That is what makes us special and sets us apart from our sibling feeders. We are The North Pacific, second to none, and we own the finish line.
Flemingovia bless you all, and may He bless The North Pacific.
Signed,
Halsoni
Delegate
