Oakvale/Snowguy for Atlasia: Concession; Congratulations to Tmth and Dallasfan!

[Oakvale]

Hey everybody!

So, as you might have gathered from the thread title, I just a few minutes ago announced my intention to seek the Presidency of Atlasia next month. It's not a decision I take lightly, and I know some might feel it a little... audacious of me to be running for the nation's highest office as someone who's spent less time in the game than the other luminaries seeking the White House.

I wrestled with the idea for quite some time - up until literally a few days ago I was determined to remain as Governor until my term ended, declining to move on to the national stage. But Harold Macmillan's "events" have overtaken me - I realised that if there was ever a time to run, it was now.

We are lucky to have a great field of candidates, all of whom would, I genuinely believe, make capable and energetic Presidents. Tmthforu is someone who I've worked with closely as a fellow Governor, improving education and working together on many projects. Ben has long held my admiration for his sterling work as Secretary of External Affairs, and in his region. Marokai is an Atlasian institution with a record that speaks for itself.

I am proud to call all three friends, and I think Atlasia would be well served by whoever emerges triumphant.

So I'm not running because of the flaws of any other candidate. I'm running because, in some ways, I think the perspective of a relative newcomer may be just what we need to shake the game out of its recent stupor - I haven't been in the Senate for a hundred years, I haven't floated through dozens of Cabinet positions, true, but Atlasia needs - and you'll excuse the Kennedy cliché - vigour, and I think I can genuinely change the game for the better.

My goal in the Pacific has been to, in the words of that old soundbite, breath new life into old institutions. The problem with Atlasia is fundamentally structural - the game could easily be adpated into some nerdier version of The Wire - and we need radical restructuring of our institutional sacred cows. Take a look at my record as Governor, and you might not agree with everything I've done, but I think the fact that I've tried to make things a bit more exciting reflects well on my attitude towards executive office.

I've carved a reputation as a consensus builder in the Pacific, and that's the same kind of spirit I'd bring to the Oval Office - I may have vetoed a bill restricting gun rights, but I also threatened to the same to one which would have restricted a woman's right to choose. I'm no dogmatic partisan. If anyone has a good idea, I'll listen. I don't care if you're Xahar or Bgwah, Teddy or Winston, Batman or Rob-- uh, well, you get the idea.

I'm not looking for knee-jerk solutions, though - reform for the sake of reform ain't reform, after all. Atlasia's illness can't be solved by meandering gestures - term limits are great in theory, for example, but I'm inclined to be more in favour of them for executive offices than legislative ones - I'd back (consecutive) limits for the Presidency, but introducing them to the Senate would deprive us of genuinely great Senators like North Carolina Yankee.

A word to my friends - and there are many - in the United Democratic Left: I'm not your enemy. There was a time when I believed that a "united" left would be the best option for Atlasia. But think about that for a moment - what would this election be? A UDL/JCP (or vice versa) ticket would almost certainly easily defeat the Right's candidate. Atlasia's supposed to be an election simulation, first and foremost, and when the elections are boring the game is, too.

And hey, with so many capable candidates, this election looks to be the most interesting in ages - no landslides this time!

So I'm running for the Presidency. I don't expect a whole lot of prized endorsements, or a swathe of zombie voters backing me - this is a race, and it's not going to be easy. But I do think I can win it, with your help.

Last but not least, I want to thank my friend Snowguy for joining me on the ticket.

Both as a Senator and in all aspects of the game, Snowy has always put policy above politics - he could have easily joined the then-new UDL to save his seat in the Midwest, for example, but he didn't pay any mind to the silly partisan bickering - and, on a personal level, he's one of the most down-to-earth, likeable guys you could come across in a game that's often bitter and acrimonious. I'm honoured that he's running with me as my Vice-Presidential running mate, and I know he'll make a great partner if I'm elected President next month.

Oh, and, don't worry, guys, the completed draft of my comprehensive platform for game reform will be posted in this thread in a day or so.

Thanks, and I hope you've all had a great start to the year,

Oakvale

[Oakvale]

[reserved for posting of my communist manifesto platform]

[tmthforu94]

Great speech, Mr. Oak Tree! I wish you the best of luck in this race.

[Oakvale]

Great speech, Mr. Oak Tree! I wish you the best of luck in this race.

Thanks! I wish you luck, too - although not too much.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Disgusting and disappointing. I can't say anything more because I don't think I'll be restraining my rhetoric very well otherwise. Sufficed to say, trusting you at all has been a rather difficult thing to do.

[Sewer]

Disgusting and disappointing. I can't say anything more because I don't think I'll be restraining my rhetoric very well otherwise. Sufficed to say, trusting you at all has been a rather difficult thing to do.

[The Artist Formerly Known As and Now Again Known As Ogis]

Disgusting and disappointing. I can't say anything more because I don't think I'll be restraining my rhetoric very well otherwise. Sufficed to say, trusting you at all has been a rather difficult thing to do.

Oh no! Not again...

[Oakvale]

*sits in corner, drinking*

EDIT: Incidentally, is the term "it's only a game" too much of a cliché to be used unironically?

[Marokai Backbeat]

Disgusting and disappointing. I can't say anything more because I don't think I'll be restraining my rhetoric very well otherwise. Sufficed to say, trusting you at all has been a rather difficult thing to do.

The story is amazing, actually.

I was looking for a running mate, and I had a very short list, because I wanted someone I could trust and someone who was respected. I was turned down by no less than four JCP members, one of whom was Oakvale.

Oakvale actually joined my ticket for about three days. Before joining me, he had promised Tmth he would support him. Then he broke that promise, and joined me, and said he wanted to unite the left and he was really happy to be on the ticket.

Then, he tells me he DOESN'T want to be on the ticket because he just doesn't feel like he could follow through with the job and doesn't want the stress of it and doesn't really feel like being the VP. But THEN Snowguy shows me a copy of a PM that Oakvale sent him saying that he was unlikely to leave the ticket and he really believed it was the right thing to do... the day before he tells me he's bailing out. (He also told me that he had been thinking about leaving for days, which contradicts what he TOLD SNOWGUY.)

So Oakvale says he just can't do it, and doesn't want to actually be anything. And now he's running for President because apparently the JCP needed a JCP ticket for the JCP.

So let's recap:

Oakvale promises to support Tmth,
Oakvale breaks that, promising to run with me,
Oakvale breaks that, saying he doesn't want to run for anything anymore,
Oakvale breaks that, runs for President.

Also, hilarious sidenote: One of the four JCP members to turn me down as well? Snowguy. Saying he didn't want to be Vice President at all.

And if anyone wants PMs, just send me a little note on the side.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Your running-mate is appealing, very appealing, and that's why I'm truly regretting I won't give you a good preference, since according to what Marokai said (and about what I heard before from some other sources), I don't think I can consider your a solid and trustworthy politician. Hell, I'd prefer Tmthforu before you. I really have a strong disagreements with him, but at least I know I can trust him somehow.

Sorry, my 2nd goes to Ben. We have a lot of disagreements, but he's far more solid and principled.

Oh, btw "stressfull Vice Presidency". Lol, I can't stop laughing. I really can't.

[tmthforu94]

Hell, I'd prefer Tmthforu before you. .

Oh lovely!

[Oakvale]

A quick response to M's above tirade -

I was always pretty open - as I recall, and you correct me if I'm wrong on this - that I'd back Tmth for President - he being a friend of mine, and someone I work well with - in most circumstances. Stunningly, these circumstances don't include me being an opposing ticket. Tmth's okay with it, because he probably realises that there's not a whole lot of point getting worked up about what's essentially an occasionally amusing game on the internet.

When Marokai asked me to join him on the ticket after some other JCPers had turned him down, my initial reaction was to decline such - I didn't especially want to be Vice-President, after all. But, amongst other people, people I respect like Badger convinced me to agree to join Marokai's campaign. I did this sincerely, and, whatever he wants to believe, had no ulterior motives - I planned to, hopefully, get elected VP and then retire, leaving hilarious drama like the above behind me.

I changed my mind, though, plain and simple. There's not a big conspiracy, or some kind of horrible personality flaw on my part. It's a lame reason, yes - although I will note that I told Marokai as soon as possible, so as not to embarass his campaign, ironically enough - but it's what happened. I didn't want to be Vice-President - or, more accurately, I didn't know what I wanted. It would take me some serious thinking to decide if I wanted to run for anything in February, and I knew deciding at the last minute wasn't viable, so I bowed out, quietly and, I hope, graciously.

Incidentally, Badger had talked me into "uniting" the left as the token JCP candidate, but to be totally honest I didn't really buy it. Although I did say so to Archangel, bgwah, Snowy, and many others - surely this proves I wasn't being insincere about joinig Marokai's campaign? They were rationalizations, yes, but I did try to stick to them.

I also don't much care about the fact that this is a JCP ticket, but isn't one of the supposed points of the UDL to create the (much-needed) "competition" inside the "left"? Shouldn't this be exactly what the UDL wants? The idea that I'm some uber-partisan is nonsense. Nonsense.

This is a sad state of affarirs. Marokai isn't exactly my biggest fan at the moment, and that's fine, but I really do have a lot of time for him. When people fall out over a silly internet game, I think that's a shame. I'm a reasonable man, and so I don't expect Marokai and I to reconcile soon, but I do hope it will happen in the future. All this bulls**t is just that.

Last but not least, here's the "too long, didn't read version" -
I was going to back Tmth. Then I joined a ticket. Tmth understood, after I explained my mindest.

The ticket in question was Marokai's. After some thinking, I decided I didn't much want to be VP. Feeling genuinely bad, I told Marokai as soon as possible, and quietly started mulling over my options.

I decided to give the "being President" thing a try. If nothing else, the election will actually be interesting.

So, in short, sorry Marokai, but I think you're making a mountain out of the proverbial molehill. I hope we can put this behind us soon - it is, after all, just a game.

EDIT: Kal, you might want to at least get my spin on the whole mess before deciding such. That said, that's your choice.

 I'm disappointed to lose your vote, but politics, even virtual politics, is a nasty business. I understand.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Perhaps you should be more consequential?

Take me for example, I wasn't happy to become Vice President, I wasn't happy to turn down my almost achieved greatest Atlasian ambition: working in the Senate, but hell, Fritz asked me, I agreed to join him and I kept my commitment, despite the fact I never feel good as Vice President.

How the hell am I supposed to take seriously, especially as a potential President, a guy who don't know what does he want and is changing his mind frequently? I accept, ugh, I withdraw, now something else

 

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm not interested in turning this into a long "thing" right now. All I know are simple statements of fact. You broke promises to Tmth, to me and Badger, and Snowguy very obviously lied to me as well.

And as for being "uber partisan," your running mate has flat-out said to me that he will try to "keep the presidency in purely JCP hands." I have that quote open in a conversation window at this very moment. To pretend that a ticket like this born out of so much lies and threatening partisan statements, isn't made purely to have a JCP ticket for the sake of it, is insulting my, and everyone else's, intelligence.

[Хahar 🤔]

My, this is a pretty mess. This is the sort of thing I returned to Atlasia for.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

My, this is a pretty mess. This is the sort of thing I returned to Atlasia for.

*hughughug*

[Oakvale]

Perhaps you should be more consequential?

Take me for example, I wasn't happy to become Vice President, I wasn't happy to turn down my almost achieved greatest Atlasian ambition: working in the Senate, but hell, Fritz asked me, I agreed to join him and I kept my commitment, despite the fact I never feel good as Vice President.

How the hell am I supposed to take seriously, especially as a potential President, a guy who don't know what does he want and is changing his mind frequently? I accept, ugh, I withdraw, now something else

We're different people, I guess. Another lame answer, but the best one. When this game stops being fun, there's no point in playing, right?

In other words, I'm not going to do a job I won't have much of a contribution to make in. Hell, didn't you come close to resigning recently? If you have a problem with me changing my mind, that's fine. I'm only human, as they say.

Marokai:

I don't know what Snowy said about the JCP or whatever, that's his opinion, not mine, so I can't comment on that. For my part, I wouldn't have bothered joining a ticket that's JCP for the sake of there being a JCP ticket - what'd be the point? Also, threatening partisan statements? If you'll pardon the 'net lingo, "lul wut"?

I also take some issue with the notion that I've "broken promises" - maybe I'm splitting hairs, but doesn't this imply that I've been sneakily doing so out of malice or some bizzzare ulterior motive? As opposed to a genuine change of heart... or circumstances. I told Tmth that I'd back him unless certain candidates ran, for example. I don't think I would have helped your ticket much by sticking on it without the drive or energy needed for a succesful campaign or administration. I can't speak for Snowguy, but I very much doubt he flat-out lied to you out of some personal spite, as you seem to think...

Also, Xahar - well, uh, it's something to do, at least. Yikes.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Perhaps you should be more consequential?

Take me for example, I wasn't happy to become Vice President, I wasn't happy to turn down my almost achieved greatest Atlasian ambition: working in the Senate, but hell, Fritz asked me, I agreed to join him and I kept my commitment, despite the fact I never feel good as Vice President.

How the hell am I supposed to take seriously, especially as a potential President, a guy who don't know what does he want and is changing his mind frequently? I accept, ugh, I withdraw, now something else

We're different people, I guess. Another lame answer, but the best one. When this game stops being fun, there's no point in playing, right?

In other words, I'm not going to do a job I won't have much of a contribution to make in. Hell, didn't you come close to resigning recently? If you have a problem with me changing my mind, that's fine. I'm only human, as they say.

Sure, but your frequent and nervous "mind changing" makes me not trust you as potential President.

I guess I prefer actually solid candidates.

[Oakvale]

Perhaps you should be more consequential?

Take me for example, I wasn't happy to become Vice President, I wasn't happy to turn down my almost achieved greatest Atlasian ambition: working in the Senate, but hell, Fritz asked me, I agreed to join him and I kept my commitment, despite the fact I never feel good as Vice President.

How the hell am I supposed to take seriously, especially as a potential President, a guy who don't know what does he want and is changing his mind frequently? I accept, ugh, I withdraw, now something else

We're different people, I guess. Another lame answer, but the best one. When this game stops being fun, there's no point in playing, right?

In other words, I'm not going to do a job I won't have much of a contribution to make in. Hell, didn't you come close to resigning recently? If you have a problem with me changing my mind, that's fine. I'm only human, as they say.

Sure, but your frequent and nervous "mind changing" makes me not trust you as potential President.

I guess I prefer actually solid candidates.

Uh, okay. Sorry to hear it, but  you've made your mind up. Vote your conscience. *shrug*

[Fritz]

Endorsed!!

I will be supporting this ticket.  Not because this is the JCP ticket, not because Oakvale would make the best President (any of the four are good choices, really).  No, I support this ticket because I find Marokai's reaction to be unsportsmanlike, and precisely the kind of politicking I would like to see Atlasia be free of.

Good luck, Oakvale/Snowguy. 

[Marokai Backbeat]

Sure. My reaction is the unacceptable one.

I guess it would've been nicer if I'd accepted your request to join your ticket when you asked, bailed on you shortly before an announcement, said I didn't want to run for anything to your face, then changed my mind, and picked a candidate of my own party that previously said he would "do anything to make sure the JCP is defeated at all costs." It would've been much more respectful.

Say whatever you like, it's fine. But let's not pretend to be nice and holier than thou, here.

[Oakvale]

But let's not pretend to be nice and holier than thou, here.

That is some weapons grade irony right there.

Apologies for using the Libertas emoticon.

[Marokai Backbeat]

But let's not pretend to be nice and holier than thou, here.

That is some weapons grade irony right there.

Well the difference is I'm not pretending to be anything. My honesty makes me a rather easy target when I get upset.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Oh drama!

[Yelnoc]

Oh drama!