The Public White House: Constitutional Convention at FINAL VOTE!

[Purple State]

Fellow Atlasians,

Thank you all for participating in the most recent presidential election and my particular gratitude goes out to Afleitch and to RossetaStoned and Useful Idiot for making this a challenging and more exciting race.

From the start of my administration, I want to assure you that I will do my best to be as open and transparent as possible. I will carefully consider good ideas from anyone at any time and I plan to solicit advice and comments from as wide and diverse a group as possible when making decisions.

With that said, there is much to do and it is time to get to work.

We are going to streamline the transition process of Cabinet selection as follows: Below are the outlines for our vision of each Cabinet position's duties and responsibility. If you are interested in a position and feel that you are qualified and share the vision I lay out, please send a PM to Marokai Blue to express your interest. He will interview you and pass your information along to me.

(Note: Positions with a hyperlinked name next to them have been filled)

Game Moderator: Looking for an extremely active and devoted individual who stays appraised of issues at all levels of Atlasia, has a create mind for stories and can do simple calculations for economic news. On the job training is highly likely.

Secretary of Internal Affairs: Looking for someone with an interest in domestic policy implementation and in issuing policy recommendations. Expect close work with the Vice President, GM and Senate.

Secretary of External Affairs: Looking for someone who will work diligently on the Foreign Policy Review and the Foreign Aid Review, as well as attending the GTO General Assembly meetings and voicing Atlasian opinion on foreign affairs in a timely manner. Expect to work closely with the President and GM.

Secretary of Federal Elections: Looking for someone who understands the federal elections voting system, knows the timing of elections and can open/close voting booths in a timely manner. Expect to work closely on the consolidation of Forum Affairs legislation.

Registrar General of the Census Bureau: Fritz Looking for someone who can maintain and update current voter rolls. Added bonus if you are able to translate that onto the Wiki. Expect to work closely with the SoFE.

Attorney General: Peter Looking for an individual committed to updating the legislative Wiki, leading an Atlasia-wide initiative to update the Wiki, and streamline/consolidate the criminal code of Atlasia. Ability to defend Atlasia in judicial matters is also useful.

Moderator General: Looking for a moderator of the Atlasia boards willing to monitor newly registered members for socks. Expect to work with the Registrar General.

Again, if you are interested in any position please PM the Vice President-elect Marokai Blue. If you have already reached out to either myself or Marokai, you do not need to message again.

~President-elect Purple State

P.S. Feel free to leave comments, questions, etc. below.

P.P.S. Champagne (and beer) is forthcoming.

[Purple State]

Expect one or two announcements tomorrow to try to get things moving on our agenda as quickly as possible. It may be difficult because I'm traveling a good deal tomorrow, but I'll make sure to keep this ball rolling forward.

[Purple State]

Announcement: Constitutional Convention

Calling all regional governors, lt. governors, speakers, legislatures and citizens,

The main plank in the Purple State/Marokai Blue platform was a constitutional convention to consolidate the constitution and refresh the game. The size and nature of this reform is such that I would like to begin almost immediately upon taking office and so I ask each region to consider and pass the following resolution as quickly as possible:

Third Constitutional Convention Petition

The (insert region name) Region formally petitions the President of Atlasia to call a Constitutional Convention for the purposes of consolidation of the constitution and/or legislative reboot of the game.

Your help with this is greatly appreciated.

~PS

[Purple State]

Cabinet Appointments: Some Oldies But Goodies

I would like to announce two Cabinet appointments tonight that represent some consistency with the last administration.

The reason I have chosen to reappoint Peter to the post of Attorney General and Fritz as Registrar General is simple: They are both active and competent individuals that have far exceeded the requirements of their positions. Both Peter and Fritz are veterans of the game and have seen their fair share of administrations, and so it is my hope that I may use their knowledge and experience to direct a forward-minded agenda.

I look forward to working with Peter to advance Wiki reform initiatives, continue his initiative to standardize and consolidate Atlasian criminal law, and to promote numerous other game reform items for which his skills are uniquely suited.

Fritz will be an integral part of the Department of Forum Affairs reform team and I look forward to his outsider's perspective on Wiki reform.

Please feel free to ask questions or provide comments on these pending appointments. I do ask that questions directed to the nominees be saved until the confirmation hearings.

[Purple State]

So let me get this straight... You win with about 62% of the vote. You beat Afleitch. And now you're trying to start a constitutional convention.

Why does this sound familiar?

We're hoping Mark Twain was right and that history rhymes, but doesn't repeat.

The next ConCon will be designed much more narrowly. We aren't looking to overturn or solidify the current system, but rather, we are hoping to simply consolidate, improve and refresh.

The hope is that we do not need such a sprawling and disorganized convention wielding a sledgehammer, instead turning to a small group with a scalpel.

[Purple State]

I have grandiose expectations for this administration. Higher than any previously. You have set a high bar for yourselves...

The bar is even higher in my eyes.

On another note, I will have another announcement of Cabinet picks tomorrow. 6 days until the official start of this administration!

[Purple State]

Cabinet Appointments: Fresh Faces

I would like to announce three more Cabinet appointments tonight.

I have chosen to appoint Winston Disraeli as Secretary of Internal Affairs, Benconstine as Secretary of External Affairs and Meeker as Secretary of Federal Elections. I do so because I know that each of these appointees will be active in their posts and bring a desire to oversee positive change under my administration.

I look forward to working with Winston to craft domestic policy and work with the Senate to address the issues that affect Atlasians most directly. Winston is a strong candidate for breathing new interest into policy discussions, in addition to his duties to implement and follow up on legislation passed by the Senate.

Benconstine will be committed to renewed Atlasian outreach and leadership on the world stage. He brings an intense interest in foreign policy and will help reinvigorate the office while building on the strong achievements of his predecessor.

Finally, Meeker will bring his intricate knowledge of election laws to help the most vital part of this game run smoothly, and he will play a major role in helping my administration consolidate and streamline those laws. His long experience in the game will be very important in the DoFA reform process.

Please feel free to ask questions or provide comments on these pending appointments. I do ask that questions directed to the nominees be saved until the confirmation hearings.

[Purple State]

Al's and Marokai's comments hit the nail on the head. At the end of the day all policy decisions will be run through me and I promise there will be no Maoist takeover or colonial expansionist policies coming from my administration.

Ben and Winston are, in my and Marokai's view, the best people to bring new energy to two positions badly in need of some...pizzazz. Hashemite and Al both tried to make SoEA and SoIA respectable positions through major policy moves and those strong foundations will benefit from the passion and knowledge that my two appointees bring to the administration.

I know some will be eager to rehash the same old, stale policy debates and personality fights, but you're going to need to get used to my administration's sharp focus on game reform. We will work to rebuild the legitimacy of the executive branch and add renewed excitement to this game. My picks have nothing to do with policy and everything to do with activity and competence.

[Purple State]

Cabinet Appointments: My Replacement

I would like to announce the final two Cabinet appointments tonight.

I have chosen to appoint our beloved Al as Game Moderator and Teddy as deputy Secretary of Forum Affairs. Both of these individuals have shown a willingness to energize previously defunct or unused positions and I have no doubt that their contributions will be beneficial to the game.

Al will play a particularly important role as my replacement as GM, focusing on continuing the work that the office has done while adding his own interpretations and initiatives. I look forward to working with him to ensure that my administration and the Senate are never out of work to do.

I was excited to see Teddy return to the game and his contributions to the DoFA will no doubt be extremely useful once again. He will also play an important role in the DoFA streamlining and reform process along with Meeker and Fritz.

Please feel free to ask questions or provide comments on these pending appointments. I do ask that questions directed to the nominees be saved until the confirmation hearings.

And I look forward to officially nominating all of my designees tomorrow!

[Purple State]

I see fairness, balance, and respectfulness weren't on the list of criteria when you were deciding who to appoint.

I chose those who I believed would be competent. I chose those who I knew would be active. I did not take ideology or personality into account because that has nothing to do with how I plan to run my administration. I think the number of Atlasian political parties represented in the Cabinet can attest to that.

If all people focus on is personality contests and false ideological lines in the sand, this game is doomed. We need reform and we need it now. My administration has no time for ego trips and left/right debates.

[Purple State]

I see fairness, balance, and respectfulness weren't on the list of criteria when you were deciding who to appoint.

I chose those who I believed would be competent. I chose those who I knew would be active. I did not take ideology or personality into account because that has nothing to do with how I plan to run my administration. I think the number of Atlasian political parties represented in the Cabinet can attest to that.

If all people focus on is personality contests and false ideological lines in the sand, this game is doomed. We need reform and we need it now. My administration has no time for ego trips and left/right debates.

Mr President Spectator and Society; you have nominated a noted forum apologist for Maoism and the extreme left (and it's excesses) for the post of SoIA. Would you ever be willing in the future to nominate a Falangist or apologist of the extreme right for a similar role if they were proven to be competent?

As a matter of fact yes. I considered NCY for a Cabinet post, but he made clear that he would prefer to maintain the RPP presence in the Senate, rather than join my administration.

Honestly, my nominees should not be judged on their ideologies because that is not what they will be doing very much with. My administration will be all game reform, all legitimacy of the Executive, and all activity and competence. I don't plan on jumping into the fray on divisive ideological issues; you all can do those once I'm gone.

[Purple State]

I see fairness, balance, and respectfulness weren't on the list of criteria when you were deciding who to appoint.

I chose those who I believed would be competent. I chose those who I knew would be active. I did not take ideology or personality into account because that has nothing to do with how I plan to run my administration. I think the number of Atlasian political parties represented in the Cabinet can attest to that.

If all people focus on is personality contests and false ideological lines in the sand, this game is doomed. We need reform and we need it now. My administration has no time for ego trips and left/right debates.

Mr President Spectator and Society; you have nominated a noted forum apologist for Maoism and the extreme left (and it's excesses) for the post of SoIA. Would you ever be willing in the future to nominate a Falangist or apologist of the extreme right for a similar role if they were proven to be competent?

As a matter of fact yes. I considered NCY for a Cabinet post, but he made clear that he would prefer to maintain the RPP presence in the Senate, rather than join my administration.

Honestly, my nominees should not be judged on their ideologies because that is not what they will be doing very much with. My administration will be all game reform, all legitimacy of the Executive, and all activity and competence. I don't plan on jumping into the fray on divisive ideological issues; you all can do those once I'm gone.

Would you be willing to publicly condemn and rebuke Maoism/Stalinism/Hoxhaism/(Insert murderous totalitarian ideology here) and commemorate the victims of these vicious ideologies?

Absolutely. Since your question was particularly broad, I will be quite specific. Stalin was a murderous monster, pure and simple. I do not align my administration with the agenda of any past, present or future Maoist/Stalinist/Hoxhaist because I am not one.

[Purple State]

I see fairness, balance, and respectfulness weren't on the list of criteria when you were deciding who to appoint.

I chose those who I believed would be competent. I chose those who I knew would be active. I did not take ideology or personality into account because that has nothing to do with how I plan to run my administration. I think the number of Atlasian political parties represented in the Cabinet can attest to that.

If all people focus on is personality contests and false ideological lines in the sand, this game is doomed. We need reform and we need it now. My administration has no time for ego trips and left/right debates.

Mr President Spectator and Society; you have nominated a noted forum apologist for Maoism and the extreme left (and it's excesses) for the post of SoIA. Would you ever be willing in the future to nominate a Falangist or apologist of the extreme right for a similar role if they were proven to be competent?

As a matter of fact yes. I considered NCY for a Cabinet post, but he made clear that he would prefer to maintain the RPP presence in the Senate, rather than join my administration.

Honestly, my nominees should not be judged on their ideologies because that is not what they will be doing very much with. My administration will be all game reform, all legitimacy of the Executive, and all activity and competence. I don't plan on jumping into the fray on divisive ideological issues; you all can do those once I'm gone.

PS, I would not consider NYC to be 'far right' or remotely Falangist, so I'm not sure what you think I meant when I said would you nominate someone of the 'far right'; if it helps any better think of the other 'f' ideology (rather than Falangist)

NCY has definitely had his moments. I distinctly remember one reelection rant announcement that drew a hefty bit of criticism.

Anyway, I mention NCY to show that I do look across the spectrum and base my picks based on competence, activity and trust. I should also note that while I may appoint people with strong personal ideologies, those won't be playing a role in my government.

[Purple State]

A quick note. I've changed the thread title to reflect its current uses. I plan to keep this thread open and active throughout my administration to make sure that I am hearing from everyone and not just those brave enough to wander into the White House thread over on the Government board.

[Purple State]

Yeah, just to reiterate, please keep this thread primarily about ideas, questions and comments, rather than personal attacks.

[Purple State]

Don't forget to check out the White House thread over on the government board for the latest actions and announcements from my administration.

In our first week and a half, we have gotten the entire Cabinet confirmed, appointed a Supreme Court associate justice, issued an executive order on Wiki responsibilities, proposed a resolution calling for a Constitutional Convention and more.

Look around and feel free to comment in that thread or in this one. I want to know what the people think of my policies, not just the old foggies in the Senate.

~PS

[Purple State]

Announcement: In search of new AG

Attorney General Peter has resigned his post for personal time pressure reasons and I thank him for his past service. This leaves the vitally important position of AG vacant.

We are looking for someone who is active, has a firm grasp on how to use and update the Wiki and can keep up with the pace of my administration. All applicants should send me a PM stating your interest and why you believe you demonstrate these qualities, in addition to any other relevant information.

Thanks,
~PS

[Purple State]

Reposting this from the White House thread on the other board.

August Elections Announcement

In the coming days I will announce endorsements for various candidates for both the federal and regional elections. I invite all candidates for any position to PM me with endorsement requests (this is recommended, though not necessarily mandatory).

If you are considering a run for Senate, remember the deadline for candidacy declarations is 12:00am EST on August 18.

Good luck to everyone!
~PS

I intend to announce official endorsements tomorrow.

[Purple State]

Presidential Endorsements

With the start of elections right around the corner, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight those candidates that I believe have shown the courage and conviction to deserve election or re-election.

Without further ado, I hereby endorse the following candidates:

Bacon King, reelection to the Senate. BK has been one of the most active participants in the Senate for over two years now. Even during his two terms as Vice President, he regularly ran the Senate's operations. It is hard to find anyone as committed to the success of the Senate as BK and I hope to have the opportunity to work with him for the second half of my term.

A-Bob, election to the Senate. A-Bob has been an active and extremely productive voice in the Mideast Assembly even before his election to the body in March. He has come to play a similar role in the Mideast as BK does on the federal level: ensuring that all the trains are entering and leaving the station on time. A-Bob's efforts, especially on the Mideast budget, have made the Mideast Assembly more productive and better organized and I hope to see that brought to the Senate.

That is all for now, but is subject to change as I consider additional requests.

Below is my intended ballot for Senate:

[7]AndrewCT (POP - NE)
[1]Bacon King (JCP - SE)
[3]Badger (JCP - ME)
[4]Libertas (POP - NE)
[6]Kalwejt (JCP - WY)
[2]A-Bob (RPP - VA)
[5]Duke (RPP - SC)

~PS

[Purple State]

Two major announcements from the White House:

Executive Order Creating the DoFA Review Committee

Whereas, the system of election laws and bureaucracy is sprawling and confusing, often leading to confusion and conflict around elections, and

Whereas, this election simulation game functions best when the elections system is understood and works properly,

Be it therefore resolved, that I hereby commission a Department of Forum Affairs Review Committee, made up of the Secretary of Federal Elections, the Registrar General, the deputy Secretary of Forum Affairs and a member of the Senate internally elected.

Be it further resolved, that the committee is instructed to look at all aspects of reform to this department, including all applicable laws and constitutional provisions, and report back within one month on ways to clarify, streamline and simplify the process.

Signed,
~PS


I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that, given the recent (and perennial) confusion come election time, deputy Secretary of Forum Affairs Teddy has crafted this Election Administrator Guidebook to cut down on future mishaps or mistakes. This is yet another piece in my administration's efforts to improve the DoFA and make elections increasingly accessible to Atlasians.

Executive Action

By the power vested in me, I hereby nominate the following individuals for their respective positions for confirmation by the Senate:

Teddy, as Secretary of Federal Elections.

Afleitch, as Secretary of Internal Affairs.

Gustaf, as Moderator General.

Signed,
~PS


With two months past and two months remaining in my term, I have decided that a Cabinet shakeup is in order to bring new life to some posts and to reward strong levels of activity and competence.

My SoFE-designate Teddy has been a vital piece of the Department of Forum Affairs during my term. While he has made mistakes, Teddy has also shown a remarkable ability to learn quickly and move forward. I also look forward to Teddy's contributions on the newly formed DoFA Review Committee, which will allow him to continue his work on simplifying and streamlining our elections system.

My SoIA-designate Afleitch has a great deal of experience in this game over the years and has proven himself to be a powerful voice in domestic policy matters. He will bring new life to this position by issuing reports that complement GM stories and implement Senate legislation and a productive and efficient way.

And my appointee for Moderator General, Gustaf, will be an important part of our DoFA system, ensuring that the Registrar General can keep an accurate and complete voters list. I thank him for his willingness to take on this extra role.

Thank you.

Give me your feedback here or in the WH thread.

~PS

[Purple State]

Did anyone check the votes in the last election to make sure all the votes came from legitimate accounts? I don't remember anyone confirming this to be the case in the midst of the Teddy witch hunt.

I believe Teddy did that based on both his own records and those of the Registrar General.

Is this what you are looking for?

[Purple State]

Did anyone check the votes in the last election to make sure all the votes came from legitimate accounts? I don't remember anyone confirming this to be the case in the midst of the Teddy witch hunt.

I believe Teddy did that based on both his own records and those of the Registrar General.

Is this what you are looking for?

No. I am referring to the bylaws set out in the Legitimize the Voting Act which mandates that the Moderator General check the voters to make sure none were coming from proxies or potential sock accounts.

My question was inquiring whether Gustaf has checked that since MJ was inactive for the past elections. We didn't certify the results until that was done in April.

I think it's important to both count all the votes and to make sure no one is trying to game the system.

I will see to it that Gustaf begins work on that immediately and I am hopeful that the Senate will begin confirmation hearings for Gustaf and my other nominees shortly.

[Purple State]

Abolishing the office of SOIA remains long past overdue, but people maintain their stupid quixotic attempts at making a useless position do something.

I see it as a useful position if you have someone wonky enough sitting in it. We will see if it can be made useful soon by a veteran with a great deal of experience in domestic policymaking.

[Purple State]

I am posting the Constitutional Convention Completed Documents Wiki page here so that citizens can begin to review what the Convention has done so far.

Two articles have been completed, so there is still a ways to go, but the final product will be a lot to take in at once. I want to make sure everyone has had time to read the changes, since everyone will have to vote on the final product for it to be ratified.

[Purple State]

A very important announcement recently posted in the White House thread.

Speech Regarding the Position of Game Moderator

My fellow gamers,

Over the course of my term as President of this nation, I have found it difficult, neigh impossible, to keep one major promise that I made during the campaign. When asked repeatedly whether I could maintain the same level of activity by the GM as I had displayed during my time in the position, I answered time and time again that it would be done, that someone would step into the void and fill my shoes.

I was wrong and I apologize.

With Al's resignation as GM, I find my administration in a moment of mini-crisis. Though I have, over the past two months, sought to devolve certain powers and responsibilities from the less active GM, such as the monitoring of foreign events, it is not possible to actually make up for a woefully inactive GM. As such, the game has struggled to advance a coherent narrative that had started just a few months prior.

There is little else I can say on this matter. I have failed to uphold a standard of the utmost importance to the nation and to myself. And so now I announce an open application period for all those interested in picking up the mantle of GM where I laid it down just over two months ago. For now, please send a simple message of interest to me and I will follow up with each applicant individually.

Thank you.

~PS