SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING: Peanut to be Game Moderator (Confirmed)

[Peanut]

 Hello! It's been a while since I've been here in the Senate. Glad to see things are running smoothly!

  First of all, I would like to thank President Sestak for this nomination to the highest magistracy in the Republic. The trust he has placed in me is one I can only hope to repay in full over the next few months, if the Senate deems me fit to serve in this most important role. 

  My predecessor, current Pontifex Maximus Lumine, has served through deeply unprecedented events - the current partisan situation, the ongoing pandemic, and developments in the global sphere have combined to create a reality that only the most skilled of players could face successfully. Every Atlasian is thankful that Lumine is one of those most skilled players: from NPC elections to pandemic updates, his term as GM has been wildly eventful and, from every perspective, a huge success. It is therefore a huge honor, and a daunting task, to be considered as his successor. 

  There are several points of business that, upon confirmation, I will set out to accomplish. Firstly, the most salient issue during discussions of Lumine’s successor: NPC elections. The defining characteristic of this term has been NPC campaigning which has brought the game to life in a way I frankly admire, and I have every intention of continuing NPC events (perhaps even making them more reactive to the partisan makeup of the game, considering elements like chance based on registration numbers or responses to regional and federal legislation considered). For this goal, I will hold conversations with leaders in every party, and create an open thread for discussion on their future. I hope NPC elections can continue, and I have asked the outgoing Pontiff for his help in simulating this month’s elections so we have a smooth transition and a situation responsive to the needs of the game and its posters. If the duties of NPC elections become too much for me personally, I will take into consideration several options to ensure their survival.

  Another supremely important point to bring up is the current pandemic: the legislatures and executives in the game have been working hard to accomplish a speedy vaccine rollout, and (much like in real life) challenges remain to be cleared so Atlasia can be free of the pandemic. I will especially work with the office of the Attorney General and the regional governments on vaccine authorizations and rollouts. I have full confidence of success in this area.

  Thirdly, I wish to make the game more reactive to efforts considered by the three regional legislatures, Congress, and public discussion. During Reactionary’s tenure in particular, Apocryphon Atlasia was heavily based around reacting to legislative efforts. While I do not wish to bring back… several aspects of Reactionary’s time as GM, I would like to bring that back. Additionally, I want to keep an open office that listens and responds to concerns from citizens and officeholders: if the Congress needs a full report (such as Lumine’s recent one on high speed rails), or any Atlasian asks for a situation to be addressed, I will be happy to comply. Expect to see constant updates on the effects and quirks of legislation, as this is one of the areas I am most excited about. Additionally, I am aware of discussions around the Constitution: as we approach the fifth anniversary of the current one, I will remain tuned into national and regional discussions on the system of government and help however I can from the GM pulpit. I would even consider having an official GM Twitter account, to make the updates (which would, of course, be regularly posted on the forum) more accessible to the general population, in combination with full reports and stories.

  An issue I wish to bring to the forefront is foreign policy: I will take cues from the tenures of Kalwejt, Truman, and Lumine to bring constant action to the international front. I have several ideas to deal with long-running game arcs like our relationship with Paflagonia and Korea, as well as ideas for spicy political developments in other countries and regions: with the help of elected officials, I’d love to bring the foreign policy action a bit closer to home.

  Those round out the main points I wanted to put forward before the Senate. Once again, thank you for your consideration, and feel free to grill the peanut!

[Peanut]

Well that is certainly one of the largest opening statements I have seen in a good while.

Lol well, there's a lot to be discussed here

[Peanut]

 An issue I wish to bring to the forefront is foreign policy: I will take cues from the tenures of Kalwejt, Truman, and Lumine to bring constant action to the international front. I have several ideas to deal with long-running game arcs like our relationship with Paflagonia and Korea, as well as ideas for spicy political developments in other countries and regions: with the help of elected officials, I’d love to bring the foreign policy action a bit closer to home.

Do you think it is possible to make foreign policy more present in people's playing of the game as an issue that effects say campaigns and such. Arguably the high point for foreign policy in game was during the War itself. Is there anything short of war that could yield similar such interest and concern?

Well, I think there's nothing that can really match the level of public interest produced by wars: no foreign policy event would likely lead to the creation of a major party in the way the Korean War did. That doesn't mean that it can't be a present issue in people's understanding of the game: short of revealing plans for future stories, I believe foreign policy can open avenues for really studying the core of Atlasia's role in the world: for example, issues of cultural identity coupled with traditionally divisive matters can add spice to an area of the game that traditionally hasn't had much. I have one storyline in particular I'm looking forward to developing here, and it brings to mind the "bring foreign policy closer to home" idea I mentioned: we have become complacent both in campaigning and in governing, and international developments can help alleviate that.

Now, the role foreign policy will play in campaigns is ultimately the campaigners' decision, but I'm all for opening avenues for participation in economic and cultural issues. I think there is a way to make it more interesting for everyone involved, and for it to play a key role in governing going forward: once its governing importance is established, campaigning resources follow suit.

I would even consider having an official GM Twitter account, to make the updates (which would, of course, be regularly posted on the forum) more accessible to the general population, in combination with full reports and stories.

The other day Tack in passing discussed a Youtube series on Atlasian Presidential Elections. Do you think this could be a big part of the future whereby Atlasia utilizes a more diverse portfolio of social mediums and would this improve activity on the board or risk multiplying the dangers and problems cause by discordification?

I would love to see this idea developed. I actually believe it would combat the negative effects of discordification: when information is more spread out, the forum's key role as the center of discussion and updates is reasserted. I'm probably not technologically proficient enough to build Atlasian media on platforms like YouTube, but Twitter in particular is a network I find a lot of promise in (and it will make my job easier as GM).

[Peanut]

Question from the gallery: Peanut, would you be open to adding Omaha, NE to your list of NPC cities?

First I would like to adapt to the process of running NPC elections between this month and next, but once they're up and running under my Game Engine, I would be open to reevaluating the list of cities and considering potential additions.

How regularly can you update us on the progress of the Covid-19 pandemic in Atlasia and our vaccinations?

Weekly full reports for the first few weeks, then hopefully with decreasing periodicity as we move beyond the pandemic.

[Peanut]

*taps mic* S-Senators?

[Peanut]

this is more of an open ended question; how much will you try and factor in policy changes we've made since the reset into how we approach events- both in a positive sense (some policies we've pasted will avoid certain RL life events) and in a negative sense (other policies will cause issues to emerge that wouldn't be possible in an alternative timeline)

This is a very interesting question, and the Game Engine needs to keep a very balanced view.

Speaking solely about that which falls under the purview of my position as GM (i.e, excluding specific financial factors), I think the game reality, context and stories need to be sufficiently different as to provide variety and clear distinctions between RL and the game, but not too different, which would confuse newer players and render Atlasia basically unplayable. Let me explain:

Our COVID situation is different from the RL one, but we still have a pandemic and we're still struggling with vaccine rollouts. We have a completely different healthcare system from real life, and different key social issues given we have had 5 years of policymaking, but there are still factors that join our reality and Atlasia's. It's the GM's job to tread that line carefully.

I'm sorry I don't have a more concrete answer to this question, but as you said it's a very open-ended one that needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis: I can tell you one thing now, though, which is that I'll respect the game reality: events will always be aimed at providing activity and resources for officeholders to utilize and for Atlasia to feel like a more lively game, taking many cues from real life and our past as convenient.

[Peanut]

Thank you, Senators!