Islandwalk for Vice Delegate

Voopmont

Minister
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TNP Nation
Islandwalk
Islandwalk is running for Vice Delegate!
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Islandwalk is running in another election? This guy just ran for secretariat!” Yes I am! At the moment I hold the position of TNP’s Chief of Staff and World Assembly Secretariat in gameside. Rather than as a distraction, I think these positions should be seen as a testament to my commitment. My most intensive summer class just finished, so I expect I’ll have a lot more time in these coming weeks to commit to NS.

What’s on my resume?

I’m mainly known for being WAA Minister from Chipoli’s resignation in January until the cabinet shuffle just over a week ago. During this time, however, I’ve been a bit everywhere in the executive staff. I’m a deputy minister of communications, made pioneering contributions to our recruitment program, and have been involved in a number of NPA operations. Since the cabinet shuffle I have been Chief of Staff, assisting as a close advisor to the Delegate and pushing our region’s interests both domestically and interregionally. A dispatch containing most of my service record in the region can be found here, and I’ve endeavoured to update it to the best of my ability to cover recent happenings. My experience within the executive staff is as diverse as it gets, and I’m confident I’ll be just as successful as Vice Delegate by continuing to apply myself.

What’s the status on endorsements?

I am currently at 345 endorsements as of writing this. However, I am making serious strides to bump that number way up. A few days ago I introduced a manual campaign tool modified so I could telegram non-endorsers, which has already helped immensely with a single run. As explained in that post, the tool makes it easy to streamline manual mass telegrams instead of having to input a recipients list one by one, saving the user a lot of time. Of course, slacker dispatches will also be something I plan on using. Although the secretariat interrupted my efforts, I was on a smooth upward trajectory going into it, and I’ve of course endorsed effectively every nation in the region. With some dedication, I think the transition is feasible within a reasonable amount of time.

Basic duties of the Vice Delegate

I’ve read through the relevant sections of the constitution and legal code to refresh myself on the duties and responsibilities of the Vice Delegate. For citizenship checks, there’s some precedent for me to fall back on in terms of checking threads regularly because I already monitor the executive staff applications thread quite closely. I rarely go offline for more than a day, so I anticipate the pace of citizen checks will remain timely throughout the whole term.

I do not have any experience on the Security Council, but I’m confident I’ll be adaptable and learn on the job fast enough. By working with Marcus and the previous Vice Delegates, I am confident I won’t have any trouble carrying out those duties effectively. On the security side of things, I believe my military experience gives me a slight edge in understanding the mechanics of any potential threat to our region’s security, such as the delegate bump we experienced in August 2023. One thing Marcus has done an exceptional job of is to convey a positive image of the office and of the Security Council, which is something I’ll definitely be looking to emulate. Marcus’ activity on the RMB is a great demonstration of how the Security Council can be a more active body, and I fully intend to follow his lead. I will be looking for ways to encourage the rest of the SC to follow suit and help them be more visible too. Past candidates have promised greater transparency and imagined projects and gimmicks, but I believe we can come up with some simpler ways to reach out more often. Returning to the fundamentals and just being more present is enough. It should go without saying I’ll continue the tradition of weekly reports in the Vice Delegate’s office, hopefully with the same level of detail and organization Marcus has brought to us. Unfortunately I can’t promise any trains, but I dare say the rum coffers won’t run dry a single time on my watch! :P

This isn’t a campaign for Delegate, but in the event that the Delegate goes missing or there is an emergency, I believe mine are relatively trustworthy hands for the acting delegacy as the incumbent Chief of Staff. I’m already used to running much of the day to day work in the executive staff, and I have some projects I think are worth focusing on if the reins fall to me in the long term. My immediate priority in such a case will be to ensure the region remains secure and to keep the regular operations of government proceeding smoothly. Should I take over the acting delegacy for the remainder of the term, I would likely focus most on increasing efforts in resource review and recruitment for the Ministry of Integration as well as organizing more regular community events.

Conclusion?

I don’t really have any fancy promises as Vice Delegate, but I’ll do my best to master the basics and use the position to convey a positive image of the Security Council while also making it more visible. I believe I’m about as qualified for the role as I can be without having served as VD or Security Councillor before, and I am motivated to do a good job as I get more involved in the region.
 
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Hey!! Do you prefer to go by Voopmont or Islandwalk?

You were recently elected as a member of the World Assembly Secretariat. Do you envision any circumstances where your responsibility to the World Assembly and The North Pacific could collide? If so, do you have a procedure in mind to resolve any conflicts of interest were they to appear? On the flip side, do you envision circumstances in which your separate responsibilities benefit each other? For the record, I don't have any concerns, but I feel it's best to ask these questions for posterity.

In the past, others and I found the World Assembly inaccessible to participate in because of public but unpublicized, and sometimes unwritten, rules. That it was an elitist institution. As the Vice Delegate, your position would primarily be one of security. As the second-highest-ranking member of the World Assembly in the region, do you believe the Vice Delegate should serve as a role model for engagement in the World Assembly? If so, how would you help ensure that members of The North Pacific are equipped to participate in the World Assembly, if that's something they're interested in?
 
Hey!! Do you prefer to go by Voopmont or Islandwalk?

You were recently elected as a member of the World Assembly Secretariat. Do you envision any circumstances where your responsibility to the World Assembly and The North Pacific could collide? If so, do you have a procedure in mind to resolve any conflicts of interest were they to appear? On the flip side, do you envision circumstances in which your separate responsibilities benefit each other? For the record, I don't have any concerns, but I feel it's best to ask these questions for posterity.

In the past, others and I found the World Assembly inaccessible to participate in because of public but unpublicized, and sometimes unwritten, rules. That it was an elitist institution. As the Vice Delegate, your position would primarily be one of security. As the second-highest-ranking member of the World Assembly in the region, do you believe the Vice Delegate should serve as a role model for engagement in the World Assembly? If so, how would you help ensure that members of The North Pacific are equipped to participate in the World Assembly, if that's something they're interested in?
Hi Josi, I don't mind either one

I think these questions are as a whole primarily directed to me in my capacity as secretariat, but I'll answer them anyway. My position as secretariat is very much intended to amplify TNP's position in WA matters and I haven't seen any situation yet where I think our vote would be of significant detriment to the WA's institutional health. If there are cases where I believe a certain position is better to take, the best place for those decisions to be made is in the forum vote or internal deliberations with the delegate.

As you said, the Vice Delegate exists primarily as a security position. I don't think running for VD would significantly impact how I encourage others to engage with the WA as an existing member of the executive council and secretariat member. What you describe is mainly the job of the Minister of WA Affairs, who I do believe has been doing a solid job so far. Those unwritten rules can be a pain, which is why initiatives like Guaranteed Sponsorship exist.
 
Hi Josi, I don't mind either one

I think these questions are as a whole primarily directed to me in my capacity as secretariat, but I'll answer them anyway. My position as secretariat is very much intended to amplify TNP's position in WA matters and I haven't seen any situation yet where I think our vote would be of significant detriment to the WA's institutional health. If there are cases where I believe a certain position is better to take, the best place for those decisions to be made is in the forum vote or internal deliberations with the delegate.

As you said, the Vice Delegate exists primarily as a security position. I don't think running for VD would significantly impact how I encourage others to engage with the WA as an existing member of the executive council and secretariat member. What you describe is mainly the job of the Minister of WA Affairs, who I do believe has been doing a solid job so far. Those unwritten rules can be a pain, which is why initiatives like Guaranteed Sponsorship exist.
Thank you for answering my questions!! I wish you the best of luck in your campaign!
 
How would you decide whether to deny an applicant for citizenship?
The Vice Delegate has a few reasons to deny citizenship:
1. OOC fascist sympathies is an instant no
2. The applicant is from a region we're at war with
3. There are various other actions they've done which are cause for concern, in which case I would consult the Security Council. This can include subversive action against TNP or our allies. I wouldn't make a decision like this without consulting the rest of the Security Council.
There's some room in there for my own judgement, but the basic guidelines themselves aren't really mine to set.
 
The Vice Delegate has a few reasons to deny citizenship:
1. OOC fascist sympathies is an instant no
2. The applicant is from a region we're at war with
3. There are various other actions they've done which are cause for concern, in which case I would consult the Security Council. This can include subversive action against TNP or our allies. I wouldn't make a decision like this without consulting the rest of the Security Council.
There's some room in there for my own judgement, but the basic guidelines themselves aren't really mine to set.
This is probably a good way to go about setting guidelines, but your power to reject citizenship is unlimited - you could reject anyone for pretty much any reason but you must reject those for whom rejections are required by law. The guidelines, therefore, for how you use this power really are yours to set.
 
You might end up serving in three high-profile positions next term - WA Secretariat, Chief of Staff and Vice Delegate. How would you balance your time and effort between them? What would you try to prioritise if multiple issues need to be addressed in a short timeframe?
 
The Vice Delegate has a few reasons to deny citizenship:
1. OOC fascist sympathies is an instant no
2. The applicant is from a region we're at war with
3. There are various other actions they've done which are cause for concern, in which case I would consult the Security Council. This can include subversive action against TNP or our allies. I wouldn't make a decision like this without consulting the rest of the Security Council.
There's some room in there for my own judgement, but the basic guidelines themselves aren't really mine to set.
what dictates fascist sympathies
 
You might end up serving in three high-profile positions next term - WA Secretariat, Chief of Staff and Vice Delegate. How would you balance your time and effort between them? What would you try to prioritise if multiple issues need to be addressed in a short timeframe?
Systems have been set up to make my job much easier as Secretariat in particular, with extensive staffing support. Chief of staff is a job I had basically been doing for months while WA minister but without the authority of the office. In effect, this can be viewed as a shift of responsibilities to do similar things but with more authority. This is a combination of roles I was able to handle well at much busier times in my life. My basic duties always take priority, which means any additional work as chief of staff would be most likely to see less attention.
what dictates fascist sympathies
This is somewhat difficult to communicate except on a case by case basis. Generally, I consider this to constitute affiliation with fascists, including tolerating them in the same spaces. Fascists are allowed on NationStates, but that doesn't mean we should engage with them and treat them like accepted members of the community. If someone knowingly hangs out with fascists and is buddy-buddy with them, I would for sure reject their application.
This is probably a good way to go about setting guidelines, but your power to reject citizenship is unlimited - you could reject anyone for pretty much any reason but you must reject those for whom rejections are required by law. The guidelines, therefore, for how you use this power really are yours to set.
This is true, however the RA confirmation votes prevent me from rejecting people for what people see as dubious reasons. If the guidelines fall under that category, they may as well be more of a bureaucratic hurdle than an actual standard for rejection, and I doubt would reflect well on me.
What is your response to the accusations levied against you by your opponent in this race, RON?
@Rom when did you declare your candidacy
 
Having been elected as Vice Delegate more than anyone else in the region, I'd say I have an okay idea of what the role entails. Your visibility and enthusiasm serve you well, and having risen the ranks quickly here in TNP I trust that you will learn the role quickly. Having just been elected as a Secretariat one of the biggest responsibilities that can be thrust one a NationStates players also gives me confidence that you will be able to handle the responsibility of the position. I look forward to seeing how you do!
 
This is somewhat difficult to communicate except on a case by case basis. Generally, I consider this to constitute affiliation with fascists, including tolerating them in the same spaces. Fascists are allowed on NationStates, but that doesn't mean we should engage with them and treat them like accepted members of the community. If someone knowingly hangs out with fascists and is buddy-buddy with them, I would for sure reject their application.

What is you definition of affiliation? How can you not define a sensible base of what a fascist is? Case by case sound like an easy out to just reject people on a whim.
 
What is you definition of affiliation? How can you not define a sensible base of what a fascist is? Case by case sound like an easy out to just reject people on a whim.
To be fair to Voopmont, the depth and width of what fascists look like on NS means that on a case by case basis is the way to do it. Not every fascist is someone who has resided in Fifth Empire, for example, or has outright said they're a fascist, like Whole India did.
 
What is you definition of affiliation? How can you not define a sensible base of what a fascist is? Case by case sound like an easy out to just reject people on a whim.
See what MJ said. The traditional VD check tends to be for explicit espousal of support for fascism, I believe this is a fairly innocuous expansion of that idea given I defined a set of circumstances attached to it. Not all that's vague can and will be stretched past the extent that's reasonable. Plus, this is still subject to RA confirmation votes and I'm confident I will be able to bring forward a strong case against each rejected applicant.
 
See what MJ said. The traditional VD check tends to be for explicit espousal of support for fascism, I believe this is a fairly innocuous expansion of that idea given I defined a set of circumstances attached to it. Not all that's vague can and will be stretched past the extent that's reasonable. Plus, this is still subject to RA confirmation votes and I'm confident I will be able to bring forward a strong case against each rejected applicant.
Well said. :salute:
 
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