Newsletter Ranting: Honesty, Delivered Brutally [Mad Marokai!]

[Badger]

LOL, predictable whine.

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

You make some good points, as always, Marokai, but I do see things a bit differently than you, but in times like these, you and I can agree to disagree. I have no interest in arguing with you.

On to my point.

There are days when I think the Populares are serious about becoming a legitimate force, and serious about furthering the right in Atlasia, and then there are days when I think they are just messing around, creating needless drama, playing petty games, etc. One the one hand, I see this 'no policy' plank as a shot at the status quo, ruffling the feathers, if you will, because they see policy as meaning nothing more than the party by your name. Indeed, many of us have been burned on occasion simply for the party we are in, not the policies, politics or ideas we espouse. I think this is the message they are trying to convey or the game they are trying to play: only party matters. The JCP could run Satan and still win, etc.. Granted, there are some that actually do care about policy, like yourself, but for the majority of voters here, it's all about what party the candidate is in or, as is happening now, who the party bosses tell you to vote for (or what order). There are some that can command outside support, but those are special people and few and far between.

That said, it doesn't do the right any favors to try and parody anyone else. It would be beneficial for SPC and Brandon to come out with some sort of platform or policy planks rather than nothing at all, but it is totally their call. Both men are competent and able to articulate their ideas clearly, I think, so hopefully we'll see more before voting begins. If not, well, that's their call. Far be it from me to give too much advice.

[Hash]

Marikoi

That's copyrighted. Go away.

[Vepres]

You make some good points, as always, Marokai, but I do see things a bit differently than you, but in times like these, you and I can agree to disagree. I have no interest in arguing with you.

On to my point.

There are days when I think the Populares are serious about becoming a legitimate force, and serious about furthering the right in Atlasia, and then there are days when I think they are just messing around, creating needless drama, playing petty games, etc. One the one hand, I see this 'no policy' plank as a shot at the status quo, ruffling the feathers, if you will, because they see policy as meaning nothing more than the party by your name. Indeed, many of us have been burned on occasion simply for the party we are in, not the policies, politics or ideas we espouse. I think this is the message they are trying to convey or the game they are trying to play: only party matters. The JCP could run Satan and still win, etc.. Granted, there are some that actually do care about policy, like yourself, but for the majority of voters here, it's all about what party the candidate is in or, as is happening now, who the party bosses tell you to vote for (or what order). There are some that can command outside support, but those are special people and few and far between.

That said, it doesn't do the right any favors to try and parody anyone else. It would be beneficial for SPC and Brandon to come out with some sort of platform or policy planks rather than nothing at all, but it is totally their call. Both men are competent and able to articulate their ideas clearly, I think, so hopefully we'll see more before voting begins. If not, well, that's their call. Far be it from me to give too much advice.

Excellent point Duke. That is what I was trying to say in my article back in January. One would think, given that Lief is an extremely left-wing person, even for the JCP, that some JCPers would have switched to Franzl or PiT, but that wasn't the case in either election.

[Marokai Backbeat]

The Budget's Blast From The Past
Going back in time since.. well, wouldn't you like to know?

February 23rd, 2010

Those who cannot learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them.

The idea of bringing back the budget is apparently en vogue by a few scrappy game reformers. We as a species tend to have this problem, we quickly forget the problems of the past and repeat our mistakes, and we don't learn from them when we make them again either. Hell, some people still want to bring back redistricting, another thing people abolished.

Enter: The Newsletter Ranting Time Machine. (Patent pending.)

When considering an idea that was abolished long ago, it's best to understand why it was abolished in the first place. And so I take us back in time, for the comments made way back when, during the efforts to abolish the budget.

It's always the newbies that oppose this, and the people who have had to approve a budget before that support scrapping it.

Oh well.  You guys will learn.

And really, there is the main problem; The fact that it's a daunting and time consuming task that ultimately is pointless.

One of the reasons why the budget might have worked at the beginning was that there were a number of workhorses around Atlasia generally - Sam as GM, Emsworth as VP, etc. who were willing to put in hours to prepare a budget that was then given little more than a second glance by Senators (myself included). This lack of gratitude ultimately means that nobody would be willing to compile such data again (realistically our figures were quite basic compared to reality, and it could not easily be made much more simple in my view)

Jas sums it up rather simply:

It is a large amount of work, carried out by a small number of people, that nobody in Atlasia cares about.

Colin, not so simply, but nevertheless powerful statements:

We've tried this before so hopefully this will pass now. Let's just make what we always do official and get rid of the budget as an official part of the Atlasian political process.

If one does that, then how can one make any intelligent choices about issues that cost money?

Then fine, write up a budget. I will withdraw this as soon as someone comes up with a workable budget and swears before me, all of Atlasia, and whatever higher authority/Hollywood celebrity he believes in, that he will continue to update this budget whenever there are changes.

We play a game, the true currency of Atlasia is funny money, Monopoly dollars, we're, mostly, a thought experiment/election sim. Running this place can be hard enough as it is with the egos and hassles present in the system, the budget is just one more thing that is thrown to the wayside and never used because it is too complex.

We always have people like this, "We need a budget. How else will be know how much we spend? This is an outrage." etc. What I have never seen come from any of these people is an actual budget. If you want it so much then why don't you put it together? By you I mean anyone who is opposed to this idea not specifically you. The last time this was voted down people were going to change, budgets would be put in place, change would happen! Well shucks it looks like that never happened now did it. Those people learned that, because of the inherent differences in tax policy, estimated population size, program expeditures, etc. it was almost certainly impossible to create a budget for Atlasia. So if it is a near impossibility why do we keep this requirement within our constitution?

Last but not least, there was our beloved Al:

One of which is the fact that the economy of Atlasia crashed and burned on several different occasions (the causes of which varied from our nasty little habit of having a civil war every five seconds to simple neglect) and nothing was ever done to help it to recover.

Btw, the process of the budget was absolute hell and extremely dull to boot. Of course, my memories of it all are, perhaps, coloured by the fact that the time in which the Senate did budgets was also the time in which Vulgar Libertarianism* was the official ideology of this place.

Doing the budget was also rather pointless; the game functioned well enough (better actually) before it, and has functioned fairly well (most of the time) after it. I'm not really opposed to the principle of having a budget, but it would have to be nothing like the old system, which was, probably, one of the worst things ever to hit the game (and as one of the people that suggested it (sort of) and one of the majority that voted for it, I'm happy to accept my share of the blame for the fiasco that was the budget. See, that's the problem with being here for so long. No chance of clean hands, even if you aren't corrupt).

All of this paints the picture of a past that I feared when considering the idea of a budget would soon become the future. A budget crafted by only a select few people, that very few people outside of the Senate will care about. After it's introduction, it will only be copied and tinkered with for changes, and when the "workhorses" that made the process possible in the first place move on, the incredibly time consuming and complicated task of drafting a budget will be left to a Senate that simply does not see the point anymore.

Things like this are always fun the first time. After awhile they tend to get dull and tiresome. Sort of like drugs. (I kid. I kid.)

We had this problem that I fear with something else, before. Two things, actually. The Senate was, once upon a time, incredibly active and productive. After certain people moved on, it suddenly fell into utter stagnation. The Wiki was once, and still remains, a passion of mine. But after a time, and my "Repair Our Wiki!" project was but a distant memory in Atlasia's mind, people stop updating the wiki, and it once again fell into disrepair.

I have no desire to witness an Atlasia that goes in this constant cycle of "Strike down an idea. A year later bring up an idea. Later on, strike down that same idea!" all for the sake of some plucky upstarts.

The budget is not something we need to deal with again. History will only repeat itself. Our little trip down memory lane here gives us all the guidance we need. No budget. Not again.

[Franzl]

Very true.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'd just like it noted before more people read this article that, in a perfect Atlasia, where everyone was as informed, interested, active, and dedicated as only a few people in Atlasia are, the idea of a budget wouldn't be that objectionable, even if I still question it's necessity.

But the unfortunate (gameplay) reality of Atlasia, the people that inhabit Atlasia, and just our tendency as human beings to simply get tired of something after awhile, all make the idea of a budget unsustainable beyond the glittery idea of it at first glance.

Edit: And this wasn't really intended to editorialize, it just sort of ended up that way. I was more interested in reposting the ideas of some of Atlasia's more notable/historic figures regarding the issue..

[Marokai Backbeat]

Lordie we have alot of campaign junk right now.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I definitely agree that reinstituting the budget as it was once conceived would be a grave error. At the same time, I fail to see the point of "nobody would care". Very few people outside of the government really care about the bills the Senate passes, but I'm not sure many people would say that having the Senate discuss bills is a mistake.

[Хahar 🤔]

The problem was a budget requirement. I for one have no objections to some people putting one together (though they can't).

[Purple State]

I agree completely with this article. Bringing back the budget process as it once existed is a flawed endeavor that would hurt the game more than help. But that isn't what any such attempts should be aiming for.

For example, one idea I have thrown out there is a budget crafted by the President and presented to the Senate, essentially laying out broad departmental categories (DoFA, DoEA, OLS, etc.) a few key accounts (foreign development, military, veterans, health care, etc.) combined with an agenda ($1 trillion for health care reform, $300 billion for high-speed rail, tax cuts or increases). The Senate could then include their own agenda items, cut some items that the President proposes, etc.

This sort of budget could be crafted with assistance by the GM and (if it still exists) the SoIA, as well as the rest of the executive branch, to ensure that revenues and expenses all match up with the deficit and departments are getting the "proper" funding.

Putting this in the hands of the President also makes it a triennial (that is 3 times a year) event, much less common than the laborious budget process that used to occur every Senate session.

Given the interest in cutting budgets and fiscal responsibility out there now, I think it's worth providing an avenue for assessing what the hell is actually going on.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Since the proprietor is leaving the bench and entering a partisan position, I do hope that this could be revived, as I am very short on fuel for my wood stove.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Since the proprietor is leaving the bench and entering a partisan position, I do hope that this could be revived, as I am very short on fuel for my wood stove.

Considering it, believe me.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Since the proprietor is leaving the bench and entering a partisan position, I do hope that this could be revived, as I am very short on fuel for my wood stove.

Considering it, believe me.

Yankee, you'll be getting your wish for a revival very soon. Stay tuned.

[k-onmmunist]

Yay!!

[Purple State]

This should be interesting...

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Yay!!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Since the proprietor is leaving the bench and entering a partisan position, I do hope that this could be revived, as I am very short on fuel for my wood stove.

Considering it, believe me.

Yankee, you'll be getting your wish for a revival very soon. Stay tuned.

And so the obnoxious left wing media returns.

I love it when things go "according to plan".

[k-onmmunist]

The previous post brought to you by FOX News

Hehe. But seriously, I am looking forward to this

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The previous post brought to you by FOX News

Hehe. But seriously, I am looking forward to this

You ain't familiar with the term "obnoxious leftwing media" in reference to Marokai. Largely because you weren't here when I first used it.

You should put more concern towards the second sentence in my previous post.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Newsletter Ranting

Telling it like it is. Angrily.

Your only substance is Saline.
July 6th, 2010

It was a fun Presidential campaign. Purple State and I brainstormed quite often in private on how to improve our platform, to make it bolder, to make it stronger, to make it more comprehensive. We made substance during the campaign our God.

Purple State did alot of research of DoFA reform, writing at length on how to solve the problems of confusing and scattered clauses. Preferring myself to take a glance at domestic policy, I did alot of research on how to improve our domestic agenda, writing numerous and detailed ideas on how to spur employment and economic growth while working within previous Atlasian statute. I did it again. And then again a third time. (While also writing about how to improve upon previous ideas.)

Purple State wrote a great deal about how to improve the Wiki, and made a promise that, within his first days as President, he would issue an executive order detailing wiki editing responsibilities, which he then did. He also promised Fritz to start a project to create our own Wiki editing guide, which Purple State has started to work on here.

Realizing the need for major refreshing in Atlasia, PS and I had a long and pointed discussion about the need to replace our Constitution with a consolidated version, encompassing all Amendments and minor changes to keep the game a little bit interesting, without turning the game upside down. To start this endeavor, we drafted an entire proposed Constitution all by ourselves, creating a starting point for discussions on constitutional consolidation.

I have worked on Xahar's "Legislative Review Commission" reviewing legislation of Senate's past to look for laws that can be removed or consolidated to cleanup the statute. Purple State has sent a number of PMs to the cabinet appointees laying our expectations of them and who will do what on the Wiki. And since taking office, I have written nine pieces of legislation that will be introduced within the new couple days, several of them game reform pieces that will do the games process some good, and others, domestic ideas that will spur debate.

All in all, I consider the Purple State/Marokai campaign that have been a success, and our Administration, one of great potential. We, as I said, made substance our God. Working hard to come up with ideas, and illustrating them with great detail.

Our opposition, however, is full of loons and ridiculous complaints.

Before we even took office, RosettaStoned started an obstructionist group born out of sore loser-ism. There was no substance in it. It was a silly effort to throw mud and see what could stick. It did not criticize our ideas, merely us.

Libertas has thrown out such absurdities as:

In addition, the incoming president and vice president, already obstructionist before even taking office, have made it clear that they are mere tools of big business and the military-industrial complex.

Badgers detailed efforts in the Senate to deal with his legislation are often met with simplistic responses or mere one-liners. And through all his bitching, did I ever see a detailed rebuttal of our policies? Did Libertas ever go after us on the basis of our biggest and loudest proposals?

Hah. No.

Afleitch, pet of the right-wing, has started a paper built on his playing a character of almost Dolores Umbridge-ian dis-ingenuousness, preferring to attempt silly distractions as attacking a nominee for his political ideology and 'how dareth we appoint him.' No criticism of his activity, no recognition of the fact that he is powerless on his own to make policy, no explanation on how his plans for the office are wrong. It was criticism for the sake of criticism. It was complaining for the sake of complaining. An opposition hell-bent on finding any and all minor little things to criticize us for. A contrariness that can't be argued with.

And then we have this delight that speaks for itself:

Whatever, I won't be a lap dog to your communist agenda.

If you want to oppose us, I want your substance to be bigger and badder than saline. Our opposition attempts to stir up trouble with every little strand it can find; perhaps because they fear our success. No campaign during the election could match our substance, and no individual opponent can now match our biggest ideas with ideas of their own.

Opposition, for the sake of opposition.

Afleitch talks of a "united right" being "badly needed." I've seen and heard this countless times before in the last year alone, and it's whining and moaning that is hollow, because the reason for right-wing failures is not your lack of unity.

It is simply your obvious and glaring lack of substance. Your clear lack of ideas and seriousness. Your inability to be active and prove yourselves as legitimate office-holders and opposition. Right-wing candidates fail because they attack, without substance to back themselves up. (PiT). Because they downright refuse to detail any policy ideas of their own out of sheer stubbornness. (SPC). Because they break their promises and prove to be do-nothings in office despite their rhetoric. (Afleitch). Because you make your campaign on the basis of your opponents, instead of your own ideas, of which you have none. (Rosetta).

A united Right must also be a mature Right. It must be a brainstorming Right. A Right that is easy to work with, and a Right that does not hurl attacks without substance to reinforce them. It must be a Right that has ideas, and can defend them, as opposed to a Right that merely defends itself doing nothing new.

One could perhaps look at the RPP as of late, while not a perfect example, as a far more reasonable one that is more pragmatic and fair to work with, as opposed to right-wing candidates that oppose us for no reasons with no ideas of their own. People like Afleitch seek to force unity where it can't be done because of the stubbornness and intellectual bankruptcy of some individuals involved.

A pretty smile and nice words will get you far. But as the June 2010 Presidential Election can show, you can't depend on that forever.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Delete Purple State, insert Afleitch.


Clever, wouldn't be the obnoxious left wing media without someone in the DA to bash as a conservative tool.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Delete Purple State, insert Afleitch.


Clever, wouldn't be the obnoxious left wing media without someone in the DA to bash as a conservative tool.

All I want is a mature and fair discussion of ideas, as opposed to these nonsensical attempts at fighting on non-issues.

We have big ideas, I want to discuss them. Not let people who want to cause trouble regardless derail everything on issues of their own creation.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If I have to choose between this and nothing, though, I would choose this. I am tired of being bored.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Hey, I thought I did a good job of routing the bulk of my attacks through surrogates.