Confirmation Hearing: IBNU for Secretary of State (Confirmed)

[SevenEleven]

It is completely fair to post the facts of the matter since the nominee isn't entitled to the votes of the Senators but should make his case to earn them. There is also plenty if reasons to believe that the nominee does not understand the position well enough to objectively do a good job in it. It is also a concern that if the nominee is able to be bribed into this position, then he may sell out Atlasia's interests when dealing with foreign policy.

The nominee was not bribed at all, at least by this President or his affiliates. The nominee has a great understanding of global diplomacy and a commitment to activity. He may be a newer player, but he is ideal for making this position relevant again. Not a single one of us here knows every Atlasian law or historic anecdote inside and out. This is a game, and this nominee is willing to put in the collaborative work necessary to create relevant foreign policy dealings working with myself, the Senate, the NSC, and our GM and his assessment of foreign nations. Let's drop the witch hunt and focus on reality.

Due to the fact that the controversy surrounding the allegations has created quite a cloud over whatever the truth may be in this situation, I have elected to recuse accusations of bribery or forgery from my position on the nominee.

Nonetheless, at the moment, I do not feel comfortable supporting the nominee. Though the nominee has spent commendable effort responding to the questions posed by members of this honorable body (of which I would have posted some had my questions not been already asked by other members), I do not believe the nominee has the necessary background for nomination. While I also find the President's sentiment about including newer players into the game commendable -- it is one of the most pressing issues facing our nation and one which I hope to address during this Senate term -- I do not feel that the position of Secretary of State is a proper position for such a launching-off point for someone less experienced in Atlasian politics. A Secretary of State needs to have deep knowledge about Atlasian history and the diplomatic history of the world along with the political experience to avoid unintentional missteps that could plunge the nation into unnecessary conflicts. Based on the answers from the nominee and the nominee's background, I do not at present believe the nominee meets this standard.

In addition, I have serious disagreements with the President's characterization of the nominee's activity. I have great respect for the President and do not believe he is intentionally misleading this body; however, I do believe there is significant evidence in opposition to the ability of the nominee to remain active in a office that -- I should know -- carries significant weight behind activity. As the nominee had failed to be active in a significantly lesser role than that of Secretary of State, I do not feel that the nominee meets the standard for activity.

I will reserve my final judgement until the nominee has answered all of the questions posed by this body as a matter of principle, but I personally did not feel it would be worth the nominee's or the Senate's time to engage of a line of questioning that I would only be posing as a matter of procedure rather than true investigation. If new evidence comes to light that would shift my opinion of the nominee, than I am open to shifting my stance and engaging in questioning.

I understand your concerns. With that, I will only say that I stand fully by the nomination of IBNU. If, for some reason, he fails to reach the activity I expect out of this position, I will be pro-active and work to find a replacement.

With regards to the deep knowledge of Atlasian history, this may be a matter of our respective timelines not crossing paths until now. For my entire time serving in government, the SoS has done absolutely nothing, no offense to those who have served. It is time we change that. Indeed, at the end of the day, this is a game we play to have fun and pass time. I'll be quite frank, there are some questions posed that I couldn't answer on the spot myself. There are good people to approach and ask to clarify if such a situation arose.

What I don't want to see is a, justifiably so, excited new senate body forget our recent past. I pledged during the campaign, and reiterate now, to try my best to build activity up and make this a fun place for all of us. This entire senate is a signal of new opportunities for Atlasia. Please give the nominee a chance to be a signal of new opportunity in the oft-ignored SoS position.

Honestly, the fact that we have discussed so much already is a positive sign in the right direction.

If someone with more free time and patience than myself wants to make an honest assessment of IBNU's prior activity (which is hardly that relevant to his new commitment), I expect they would find more than 14 posts in the Lincoln Council threads, which is all we have gotten out our SoS from the last two+ years.

[wxtransit]

snip

I understand your concerns. With that, I will only say that I stand fully by the nomination of IBNU. If, for some reason, he fails to reach the activity I expect out of this position, I will be pro-active and work to find a replacement.

With regards to the deep knowledge of Atlasian history, this may be a matter of our respective timelines not crossing paths until now. For my entire time serving in government, the SoS has done absolutely nothing, no offense to those who have served. It is time we change that. Indeed, at the end of the day, this is a game we play to have fun and pass time. I'll be quite frank, there are some questions posed that I couldn't answer on the spot myself. There are good people to approach and ask to clarify if such a situation arose.

What I don't want to see is a, justifiably so, excited new senate body forget our recent past. I pledged during the campaign, and reiterate now, to try my best to build activity up and make this a fun place for all of us. This entire senate is a signal of new opportunities for Atlasia. Please give the nominee a chance to be a signal of new opportunity in the oft-ignored SoS position.

Honestly, the fact that we have discussed so much already is a positive sign in the right direction.

If someone with more free time and patience than myself wants to make an honest assessment of IBNU's prior activity (which is hardly that relevant to his new commitment), I expect they would find more than 14 posts in the Lincoln Council threads, which is all we have gotten out our SoS from the last two+ years.

While I understand your sentiment, I must respectfully disagree with your statement. It is true that I am not fully apprised of the history of the office since I was Secretary of State (which I will be the first to admit I was not exactly a shining beam of activity in that office -- something that I fully regret and hope to have the opportunity to correct one day). As your statement is frankly the first time I have been briefed on the position since, it is disheartening to hear of the nature of the office of Secretary of State, and as such I fully understand your commitment to rejuvenating that office.

However, I do not believe that the nominee should be graded based on the most recent performances of Secretaries of State. I also do not believe that the Senate should confirm a nominee that even the President has felt the need to mention could need to be dismissed and replaced with a more active nominee should the nominee fail to meet a standard of activity. It is my opinion that the Senate should be confirming a nominee that is ready for the job when confirmed, not a nominee that (potentially) forces this body to reconvene in a short period of time to pick their successor.

I do understand your position surrounding the depth of the nominee's knowledge, and as someone who has gone through this exact confirmation process before, I agree with your sentiment. I do not believe I knew the answers to all of the questions posed before me in my hearing, and I feel that that in itself is not necessarily a disqualifying factor. I very much agree with you that this position is, at the end of the day, part of a game where we strive to have fun (and as such the nominee should never feel the pressure to decline seeking help when necessary). However, the reason I feel the need to bring up my lack of confidence in the nominee's knowledge is that it comes combined with my concerns about the nominee's activity. If just one of those two problems were present, I would feel far more comfortable confirming such a nominee -- particularly if it were just a lack of knowledge. However, in this case, it appears the nominee is confronting both questions in this hearing.

[SevenEleven]

Fair enough, I guess. My statement was not intended to indicate that the nominee has activity questions, though. I believe he has stated emphatically that he will be active.

I am asking you to trust in IBNU, but I am also asking you to trust in me. There are very significant issues in foreign policy that have been ignored, if not to our in-world detriment, then certainly our in-game detriment. Foreign policy is important and deserves to be a primary focus. IBNU and I are committing to bring new life to this oft-forgotten aspect of our reality, and I don't want any minor hang ups to hinder that. It's not often an opportunity like this comes out way.

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Sev deserves no trust from the Senators who represent voters who are staunchly opposed to him. This selection is in ill faith and is unqualified to hold the job. It is ultimately up to them to vote on it and I will make sure the voters remember which side they stand on.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Sev deserves no trust from the Senators who represent voters who are staunchly opposed to him. This selection is in ill faith and is unqualified to hold the job. It is ultimately up to them to vote on it and I will make sure the voters remember which side they stand on.

Your dishonest accusations are not welcome here and any remaining goodwill you might have had is gone. If you'd like, we can trot this out on AFE so that people see what an even nastier bully you are, but the Senate will not be the place for this nonsense.

Just know you're not the only person capable of posting Discord screenshots.

[Joseph Cao]

Please be respectful of the nominee you guys. Aside from being one of the only people interested in the job, the nominee has strong ideas and goals and will be an active presence. If you think making a big deal out of minor misunderstandings is truly what's best for the game, by all means go right ahead.

I'm sure the President can rest absolutely assured that I intended and intend to treat the nominee respectfully. Asking questions related to the nominee's responses is hardly out of line in a confirmation hearing.

I have worked in the field extensively prior to being elected to the office.

Just as a clarification, the SoS is not an elected office – unless you're referring to the Lincoln Council or some RL position related to your prior experience, in which latter case I would greatly appreciate further information on which areas you worked in.

With regards to your question regarding our policy towards the Asia pacific  region, I will work to maintain our existing alliances and will not give into pressure from the PRC to reduce our support of Taiwan or any other ally in the region. We should be proud to support the Hong Kong refugees, there will be no attempts to use them as a diplomatic bargaining chip under my tenure. It is both morally wrong and detrimental to the interestes of atlasia to cast away our credibility by throwing the interest of our allies under the bus to appese a regime incensed at polices that have little real impact on them.

This seems broadly in line with a number of recent congressional bills which some Atlasians have criticized as being too hawkish and inflammatory. What would you do as SoS to assuage the concerns of people like S019 who believe your Asia Pacific philosophy "risks aggravating (an evidently already upset) China"?

I will take a hard stance with the PRC but will explain that we do not wish to cause any civil war and try to defuse their paronia that recognition of Taiwan is an attack on their terrotorial soverignty. I will be open to cooperation on all the matters you listed with the PRC but will not throw our allies under the bus to active them and attempt to ensure that these agreements while fair include guarantees of improved human rights in the PRC itself.

On that note, what are your main priorities in which to pursue further cooperation with the PRC, and how do you believe they can be enforced given its past patterns of not living up to its promises to other nations?

With regards to the ongoing Taiwan blackouts we will provide what technical support we can to ensure their electrical grid will be restored to previous perfomance and secured from similar issues in the future.

Given that these reports have been tied to news of mock bombing runs against the ROC, what is your assessment of the risk to Taiwanese citizens and Atlasian companies and workers if we make such attempts to secure their electrical grid, and how would you manage the PRC's response to such actions?

[wxtransit]

Fair enough, I guess. My statement was not intended to indicate that the nominee has activity questions, though. I believe he has stated emphatically that he will be active.

Alright, that's fair. It is my belief that actions hold far greater weight than words when making heavy decisions such as this question on confirmation, and for that reason I have brought up the nominee's history to the floor. I do find the nominee's statements admirable, but at the end of the day, the position of Secretary of State is not an entry-level position. It is not an impossible position to reach, and those holding the position should not be precluded from seeking help from others, but the individual at the reigns of the State Department should at least have some experience that implies they are fit to hold the position. Even though past Senates and administrations may have confirmed unqualified nominees, it is not the task of this Senate to live up to past Senates but to make the right choice for our nation, and I unfortunately do not believe that the nominee is the right choice to lead Atlasian diplomacy.

I do agree that this moment presents a potential turning point for the position of Secretary of State for several reasons, including your new administration and our new Senate. I very much agree that we should seize this turning point and explore the new foreign policy avenues and challenges that this nation could face, and I am excited to see what this future holds with regards to relations with China and the Asia-Pacific region, the Saudi Arabia question (oft-ignored by past administrations), and other important questions in Atlasian diplomacy. However, it is for this exact reason that I believe that the nominee is unfortunately not best suited for this role at this time. If we truly want to utilize this moment to its fullest, then an experienced Secretary of State would be able to not only turn the office around but have the know-how to deal with new situations that have not been brought up in this hearing. While the nominee may in theory be able to address both of these issues, there is unfortunately nothing in the nominee's record that suggests this nature other than the nominee's words. As this moment is such a crucial one in the history of our Republic, I do not think that confirming this nominee would be setting a good precedent for our future, with no disrespect meant towards the nominee or the President.

Given that this moment is an inflection point in the office of Secretary of State, it is my belief that we should set a precedent for future Senates and presidential administrations that we will confirm qualified nominees that have the activity and experience to deal with the challenges that our nation faces, along with the potential to explore new avenues currently uncharted in Atlasian diplomacy.

[Talleyrand]

There are no "entry-level" positions in Atlasia. Anyone, regardless of experience, can excel in any office as long as they are committed and active.

I will be supporting this nominee without qualification.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Sev deserves no trust from the Senators who represent voters who are staunchly opposed to him. This selection is in ill faith and is unqualified to hold the job. It is ultimately up to them to vote on it and I will make sure the voters remember which side they stand on.

And who asked you?

[Joseph Cao]

New question.

Should Jakub Schmid win the upcoming Paflagonian presidential election, how will you and the President approach our relations with Paflagonia and ensure that its people can remain in a stable and free democracy?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

What is the nominee's stance on Indo-Pakistani relations and the dispute over Kashmir?

[Peanut]

As GM, I believe the most pressing issue here is China. I want to have a SoS who will actively react to stories posted, especially in the context of escalating conflict.

I think all Senators have asked wonderful questions. Special thanks to Cao, who brings up many important stories.

[Pericles]

I will be voting for the nominee. I believe IBNU the energy, commitment and knowledge to do well in the role. Having worked for a long time with my own Secretary of State and the NSC, it is a different position from an elected office-holding position. He does not need to be involved in the day to day politics, he has the necessary foreign policy interest and knowledge. Furthermore, I know that the allegations that IBNU was bribed are false. Sev won IBNU's vote and the election because he was the better candidate. IBNU in fact asked me after the election if Sev would appoint a bipartisan cabinet, it was very clear that he was not already guaranteed a position. The election is over and should not be relitigated in this debate. Partisan cabinet votes are inappropriate, in Atlasia we need to select nominees on their merits. Just as has been done in the past, we should continue to bring people together from across the aisle. The nominee has put himself forward and has demonstrated potential, so we should give him a fair chance. That is why he has my full support.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I also, for the record, will be voting for the nominee (though I'd still appreciate an answer to my question just because). At the very least, I think IBNU deserves a chance. If it doesn't work out, someone else can be appointed instead, although as has been stated, the pool of qualified and willing candidates is very limited right now.

I also appreciate the GM hinting towards what his focus will be, foreign policy-wise, over this presidency. The GM and SOS need to have a great working relationship in order for this to be successful, and provided that both are present when necessary I think it will be. The NSC will also have a role.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I also appreciate the GM hinting towards what his focus will be, foreign policy-wise, over this presidency. The GM and SOS need to have a great working relationship in order for this to be successful, and provided that both are present when necessary I think it will be. The NSC will also have a role.

Certainly and having spent the greater part of a decade pushing for a more "interactive" situation as it relates to the cabinet and the GM, I am very much pleased to see the GM post in this thread on the matter of confirmation as such.

A couple of points:

While I understand the President thinks he can get a newer player to be more active than most recent SoS's, I think Transit is right to be concerned about demonstrated activity over promised activity. At a certain point though it becomes the age old trade off between "seeing if something works" as sort of a gamble versus at the same time searching for the experienced and qualified option that never materializes. Having been President myself, I know very well the difficulties of filling positions and finding people who are interested in taking them. It was part of the reason why I never ran for President prior to 2016, because it looked to be the least fun part of the job and my experiences in 2018 and the difficulties it presented certainly make that a justified concern looking back.

As for bribery issue. I would point out that we have had situations where a nominee (for AG) have gone before the Senate, were asked few questions and then proceeded to try and illegally seize the Presidency when a Presidential election was contested. We also had a situation where the prior record of a nominee (also for AG) was ignored by the majority and while in office they not only abused their post but engaged in and supported outright treason. We also had a nominee for a position as I recall pledge to not seek a particular position if confirmed only for them to go ahead and do so. We have an obligation to at least explore the potential areas of concern and of course act accordingly based on such. Of course doing so in a manner that amounts to blowing one's own feet off with a double barrelled shotgun is certainly not going to be beneficial as such. That said, I don't want us to get to a point where we discourage the raising of concerns in confirmation hearings, having seen the damage and been directly affected by one such incident in the past, at the minute I feel more comfortable for a situation having been brought up and addressed and nothing happens, then doing nothing and wishing someone had said something if a bad situation arises (rarely though that it is).

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

I apologize in the delay in my reply to these questions as I was occupied previously.

What is the nominee's position on the Civil War in Syria and the War on Afghanistan and the Insurgency in Southeastern Nigeria?

The civil war in Syria is winding down and it seems that the Assad Goverment will remain victorious, at a certain point in the future with consultation with the NSC and Senate we may have to normalize relationships with them. Any descion regarding The War in Afganistan and Insurgency in Southeastern Nigeria will be made in close consultation with the military and intelligence services, until I have the chance I do not wish to state any postions based on incomplete information.

New question.

Should Jakub Schmid win the upcoming Paflagonian presidential election, how will you and the President approach our relations with Paflagonia and ensure that its people can remain in a stable and free democracy?

We remain heavily concerned about the situation and will countinue to monitor the situation in Paflagonian for any signs of democratic backsliding no matter the result of the election. Any move away from a free democracy will be diplomaticaly opposed by us.

[Joseph Cao]

more unanswered questions for the nominee, would greatly appreciate answers to them as well, please and thanks

Anyway, additional question: What is your assessment of the events that have unfolded in Eritrea over the past months, and what steps would you take in response?

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

I'll vote for IBNU because I don't really have much a reason to oppose. So long as he stays active and doesn't get us into any unnecessarily wars, I can sleep at night with him as SOS.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

I will be voting against IBNU because I do not think they are qualified and I believe that their vote was traded for this appointment

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

I believe most of us have made up our mind, and it's been almost a week since we started this hearing. I ask for a final vote.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I would rather wait for IBNU to answer my question first.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

What is the nominee's stance on Indo-Pakistani relations and the dispute over Kashmir?

The nominee supports a peaceful and diplomatic solution that involves a bilateral agreement between Pakistan and India that respects the rights of the residents of the region.We wish that both countries to stop escelationary measures and come to a diplomatic agreement.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Thank you.

I am opening a final vote now but I will close it if an objection is raised. Senators, please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Aye

[Dr. MB]

Aye

A chance i s better than no chance