Conference of Atlasian Governors (CoAG)?

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Sounds good, though I'd suggest that it be held somewhat more often than twice a year. Some regions have higher gubernatorial turnover rates than others, & one point of view may be unduly privileged in the interregional discourse by the serendipitous event of holding power when one of these infrequent occurrences rolls around.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I think that it is necessary that we emphasize the role of regions in Atlasia. Recently, Clarence proposed creating an Atlasian Parliament. This idea met with an entire page of approval before someone pointed out that it would hurt regional activity. Given that Clarence has always been a friend of the South, I think that many people just did not take into account the effects of forum affairs policy on the regions.

     This is a manifestation of a much older trend; a systematic lack of esteem in regional institutions. With many long-time Atlasians, there is little respect for what regions do. When I joined, Atlasian was much smaller than it is today. A Presidential election would attract about 50 voters and there was a large movement to abolish the regional Senate seats, eroding away the political standing regions. There were some who wanted to abolish the regions outright. This was before the existence of elected Legislatures; a newbie back then had no real options, except to become a (Lt.) Governor (generally useless posts in those days, other than in the Pacific) and get to know people. Running for Senate was a herculean task, as one would have to face a popular and well-supported elder statesman.

     The growth of the parties helped deal with this problem. Back in mid-2008, most parties (the JCP being a crucial exception) were mere vanity labels with no clout to throw behind candidates. I played an instrumental role in building up the RPP, reviving the Atlasian right and leading the charge for stronger party structures. A new avenue opened for the new Atlasian; getting involved in party politics. However, party politics is tricky business. Towards the end of his career, erstwhile RPP Chairman DWTL became very anti-newbie. Few parties proved to have staying power in the new regime, as Atlasia slowly became a duopoly. And what about independents?

     Over the course of 2009 and 2010, the focus fell upon the regions. The Mideast, the Northeast, and the South all created elected Legislatures. With these bodies, many low-profile seats opened up, carrying with them many opportunities for new Atlasians to get out there and prove themselves with useful work. These bodies have all endured to this day, with varying numbers of members. Truly, the ladder was lowered for the new Atlasian.

     So what is the problem here? Apathy. As I pointed out, many Atlasians are slow to take the regions or their value into consideration. Opposition to the regions has died down, but if we fail to impress their worth on the people then, like embers, it could flare up again. This is where this body comes in. By uniting in cross-regional discussion, we can bring the interests of our level of Atlasian politics to the fore, and defend these institutions from the scourge of Lethe.