Atlasian Public Acts - Publication of the Game Engine

[Joseph Cao]

A couple of questions:

1. How is the GM team going to proceed with the NPC elections-related events going forward? There's mention of an upcoming NYC election. Will all the NPC legislatures and offices gradually update?

2. Related to that, if the terms of office are all six months long are we assuming that everyone elected between February and August 2021 has been in office for between thirteen and nineteen months?

3. Is Hurricane Ian canon?

I have another question about the Ukraine development but the profanity filter won't let me post all of it apparently.

[Joseph Cao]

Likewise I'm really not keen on having the full NPC McCoy come back unless people are actually interested.

The other thing that stands out to me is if we really need to revisit the issue. All these NPCs and the state legislature breakdowns and partisan details and stuff were invented purely in service of a playable activity that would be unfeasible at the moment. If we're at the same situation as prior to NPC elections, when we assumed all these state and local governments did their own thing without specifying which name from which party did what, do we return to that original assumption, that sort of thing.

I'm not against some kind of simulation happening or whatever but the NPC elections concept exists purely to put names to faces at this point and that's something that a) we got along fine without prior to July 2020, and b) would be a pretty big effort by the GMs for not a huge amount of return in terms of augmenting the canon since we always assumed those governments were in the background anyway.

A couple of questions:

1. How is the GM team going to proceed with the NPC elections-related events going forward? There's mention of an upcoming NYC election. Will all the NPC legislatures and offices gradually update?

2. Related to that, if the terms of office are all six months long are we assuming that everyone elected between February and August 2021 has been in office for between thirteen and nineteen months?

3. Is Hurricane Ian canon?

I have another question about the Ukraine development but the profanity filter won't let me post all of it apparently.

1. Weatherboy and I are still working out the fine print, but there's a reason I chose to schedule the NPC election for the same day as the player elections. That way scoring would be minimal if we can't agree on a system.

2. The New York City office is term-limited specifically, based on the IRL two term limit. I personally lean towards the state Governors, not having term-limits, but Weatherboy and Forumlurker might have different feelings about that.

3. Previous GM's (Lumine in particular) have ruled that real life natural disasters still happen. There may or may not be a story about the impacts of Hurricane Ian, but assume Ian was the same storm as IRL.

"Based on the IRL two term limit" means the mayor would have termed out by last September. He was elected in July 2020, reelected in February 2021. Or is the assumption that every state government has been stuck in carbonite for a year? That itself would contradict some recent stories.

Not every IRL disaster has happened exactly the same way, or at all, the GMs have leeway to decide on those things. Off the top of my head Harvey hit a different part of Atlasia and another hurricane that season (Irma?) didn't happen at all.

[Joseph Cao]

Well, there's nothing preventing the GM(s) from writing stories about state and local governments like we did for years before. If using the framework created by the NPCs is a problem then we can always retire the NPCs without abandoning the concept of local authorities? I don't think a formal repeal of every event is necessary, we've interacted enough with the NPC "history" to make that unnecessarily counterproductive (at least one player's self-admitted backstory comes from it) but the change from "state legislature A led by party X and party Y passed a law signed by governor P" to "this state passed a law" isn't necessarily a big one and all the team would realistically have to do is address this current issue and not outright refer to the NPC election timeline in future updates.

Also, could someone double-check and make sure the law still allows for members of the GM team to request the removal of game canon?

I think it still does, but the GM Team Act might have repealed that law.

I don't see why it would be repealed. GMs have been allowed to retract their own stories before (Peanut most recently) and it wasn't a power specifically assigned to them as part of the previous law, I think.

[Joseph Cao]

Well, there's nothing preventing the GM(s) from writing stories about state and local governments like we did for years before. If using the framework created by the NPCs is a problem then we can always retire the NPCs without abandoning the concept of local authorities? I don't think a formal repeal of every event is necessary, we've interacted enough with the NPC "history" to make that unnecessarily counterproductive (at least one player's self-admitted backstory comes from it) but the change from "state legislature A led by party X and party Y passed a law signed by governor P" to "this state passed a law" isn't necessarily a big one and all the team would realistically have to do is address this current issue and not outright refer to the NPC election timeline in future updates.

Also, could someone double-check and make sure the law still allows for members of the GM team to request the removal of game canon?

I think it still does, but the GM Team Act might have repealed that law.

I don't see why it would be repealed. GMs have been allowed to retract their own stories before (Peanut most recently) and it wasn't a power specifically assigned to them as part of the previous law, I think.

Thank you for that.

I'll be retracting the sections of the Riot Reform Act that deal with the New York City Election, pending Senate approval.

Oh wait, no, misread that. The Senate repeal law might actually have been repealed, I'd have to check the wording on that. But that was specifically designed to circumvent the GM in emergencies – if the GM wants to retract their own story there's nothing stopping them from doing so, and that's what Peanut and others have done.

[Joseph Cao]

Well, there's nothing preventing the GM(s) from writing stories about state and local governments like we did for years before. If using the framework created by the NPCs is a problem then we can always retire the NPCs without abandoning the concept of local authorities? I don't think a formal repeal of every event is necessary, we've interacted enough with the NPC "history" to make that unnecessarily counterproductive (at least one player's self-admitted backstory comes from it) but the change from "state legislature A led by party X and party Y passed a law signed by governor P" to "this state passed a law" isn't necessarily a big one and all the team would realistically have to do is address this current issue and not outright refer to the NPC election timeline in future updates.

Also, could someone double-check and make sure the law still allows for members of the GM team to request the removal of game canon?

I think it still does, but the GM Team Act might have repealed that law.

I don't see why it would be repealed. GMs have been allowed to retract their own stories before (Peanut most recently) and it wasn't a power specifically assigned to them as part of the previous law, I think.

Thank you for that.

I'll be retracting the sections of the Riot Reform Act that deal with the New York City Election, pending Senate approval.

Oh wait, no, misread that. The Senate repeal law might actually have been repealed, I'd have to check the wording on that. But that was specifically designed to circumvent the GM in emergencies – if the GM wants to retract their own story there's nothing stopping them from doing so, and that's what Peanut and others have done.

First off, can we get the Senate repeal law reintroduced (I'm not speaking for the rest of the current team, but as a team member, it would make my life easier if it were an option)?. Second, yes, I would like to retract the sections of the Riot Reform Act that deal with the New York City Election, but I don't want to retract the whole story. The rest of it, outside of the mention of the upcoming election, is fine as is.

I suppose you could either edit the post with a note about the retraction or post a nice visible notice here on its own. I'll see if we can reintroduce the RETCON Act.

Still think it clashes with canon but honestly I kind of liked the story, will be somewhat sad to see it go.

[Joseph Cao]

Only 821 people from Kansas use Twitter and were willing to clown him for this statement apparently. Probably healthy for the state.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous vote.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous votes for the two Greenlandic updates and the bumper update.

[Joseph Cao]

This was meant to be posted with the bumper update for the record:

UNCERTAINTY IN NYMAN
By Joseph Cao
May 15-16, 2023

NYMAN, DC — As they emerge from bouts of rainy weather, residents of Nyman viewing the warmer and drier outlook for the coming days worry that it will coincide with an explosion of political brushfire they haven't seen the likes of in years, if not in living memory.

Acting on directives by Secretary of State Scott and SoIA Sirius, and with the blessing of local authorities, federal troops have been dispatched to the state. Charged for the moment with guarding buildings and preventing panic among citizens, their efforts were witnessed Monday evening by residents living on the state’s periphery. Reactions within the first few hours have been muted, as between residents’ typically Federalist lean and the pro-union proclivities of civil servants there appears to be a tacit acceptance of the measures as “necessary to keep the peace.”

While a response from the White House came early Tuesday morning, taking steps to halt transport into and out of the South, its neighbors on Pennsylvania Avenue had already made their opinions known the previous evening. “No further compromise” remains the prevailing sentiment, though calls for a military response by President Tack have grown louded both in and out of the Capitol. Those currently responding from the pro-secession camp are largely Southern regional officeholders, with federal Senators Reactionary and Muad'dib at present unavailable for comment, although former Senator Deadprez has publicly expressed his support for the effort.

Caught up in the broader tensions wracking the South, and with the eyes of the nation and the world on the city awaiting the federal government’s next move, the state of Nyman, for the moment, is going to sleep under guard and uncertain of what the coming days will bring.

[Joseph Cao]

Umm...Can I get a retraction on these stories? I'm not a Senator anymore, I'm now a member of the Lincoln General Court.

Bleh, there are too many Peace senators to keep track of. You're right. Edited to reflect that.

[Joseph Cao]

My point is, who decides the outcome?

I mean based on this... the most important position in the entire game to have or control... is that of game moderator.

Anyway, Laki, you have hit the nail on the head exactly! This is why being GM is scrutinized much more than being president in some ways and why we have always tried to appoint responsible people, Crane being an aberration. As YT has just helpfully demonstrated, they decide what is and isn't happening in the wider world of the game. With great power et cetera!

The good news stories are always for the same people and stories and the bad news stories are also for the same people over & over again.

Storylines do, indeed, work this way. Everything was going swimmingly for the Greenland effort until secession got in the way, then everything spiraled for them. We write far fewer “bad news stories” than would happen in an RL event of this magnitude.

You can accuse us of “personal bias” or you can accuse others of trying to influence us. Not both at once.

[Joseph Cao]

Atlasian Public Acts – Domestic News

Wildfires ravage Canada – Smoke blows into Atlasia, creating eerie orange skies, hazardous air

June 9, 2023
By Weatherboy

NEW YORK CITY – Smoke shrouded the New York City skyline as the sky “looks like everything is being seen with blue-light blocking glasses”, as one commuter stated to our reporters. Indeed, the air in NYC not only looks dangerous, but it is dangerous, with air quality indexes falling to make the city the worst in the world for a night, surpassed only by Delhi the next morning.  Flights have been cancelled, and citizens have been asked to not leave their residences unless absolutely necessary.

The danger in NYC is just part of the story as smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada have drifted southwest across the Atlasian Northeast, including cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Nyman. The Canadian government has implored Atlasia and the regional government of Lincoln to aid them in fighting the fires that now impact both of their territories.

It’s just another grim reminder that fire conditions are worsening as the summer continues, and with months still left to go in the summer, some worry that another series of wildfires could spring up in Canada or Atlasia. Environmental scientist James Bore told us in an email that “Much of the land of both countries is essentially ready to burst into flame at the slightest spark.”


“Pandemic effect” in schools gets new stats

June 15, 2023
By Joseph Cao

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – New data collected from state and regional education bureaus is shedding further light on the post-pandemic landscape for high school and college.

Atlasian schools stayed online throughout the 2020-21 academic year with some states, primarily in Frémont and Lincoln, also remaining virtual for substantial sections of the 2021-22 academic year. Reopening policies differed but few proactive measures were taken regionally to smoothen the transition back to in-class learning. In multiple interviews with students, teachers, and education workers across the nation, this common complaint was often accompanied by frustration at the lack of consistent support given to either students or staff during the pandemic.

While neither grievance is new, their effects are now more apparent in the data. Graduation rates for these two academic years have declined across the board compared to their steady rise before the pandemic, but increased for specific categories of students including English-language learners and students with disabilities. High school dropout rates are significantly messier because of wide variation among school districts and states in the criteria for dropping out, which makes direct comparison of figures difficult. In at least one state – Michigan – both the dropout rate and the graduation rate increased during 2021-22. However, the widespread reports of academic struggle during the pandemic do appear to be borne out in states that measured high school dropout rates in a consistent and comparable manner, as these states have a higher aggregated dropout rate compared to the national picture.

College enrolment has been the most significantly affected, with a 19% decline in immediate transitions to two-year college programs and an 8% decline in transition to four-year college programs, likely because of the increased incentive for struggling students to enter a post-pandemic job market in need of more workers. A study by the Brookings Institute suggests that this change is steeper because completing an academic credential is inherently easier than beginning a new credential in a different environment. Anecdotal evidence from student interviews largely comports with this theory.

Data is still being gathered for the 2022-23 school year, the first full year after Atlasia’s return to in-person learning, and while these patterns are unlikely to persist it seems reasonable to speculate whether a full return to normal is possible, and what role regional education policies will play in this landscape going forward.


Wildfires hit Colorado

July 6, 2023
By Forumlurker

LAMAR, COLORADO – After sounding the alarm over severe drought conditions potentially creating a wildfire nightmare, the environmental community now gets a bittersweet “I told you so” moment as a massive wildfire had erupted approximately 10 miles east of Lamar, Colorado. Currently both Bristol and Granada have been hit and are evacuated. Luckily no other communities have been hit yet, but the fire is spreading rapidly and local fire chief David Siegel has stated that local efforts alone may not be enough to stop the rapidly spreading conditions. Unfortunately, rain is not expected to help relieve the situation for at least two weeks if meteorological reports are to be believed.

[Joseph Cao]

Atlasian Public Acts – International News

Turkish election: Erdoğan wins re-election on first round, AKP and allies win comfortable majority

May 14, 2023
By Weatherboy

ANKARA, TURKEY – As results rolled in for Turkey’s Presidential and Legislative elections, the unified opposition led by the CHP saw their confidence and energy drain. Going into the election believing they had a good shot of finally unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in the end they made minimal gains in Parliament and Erdogan shockingly managed to achieve victory in Round 1.

Almost immediately, the unity that brought parties as far apart as the Islamonationalist Felicity Party and the Socialist Worker’s Party of Turkey together began to falter, as numerous parties blamed one another for the failure of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the election. Some blamed turnout among Kurds, as indeed several areas of high support for the YSP saw higher turnout in the parliamentary election compared to the presidential election, despite the opposite pattern in the nation as a whole. A YSP member countered saying KK “did not give the Kurdish people something to vote for, but something to vote against”. Others say that Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu would have won, and several other arguments ranging from not appealing to anti-immigration voters to election fraud have been given.

What matters, though, is that Erdoğan has won, and the alliance led by his AKP have maintained their majority in the parliament. Outside observers, especially in Atlasia, are worried of the Turkish President’s closeness with Vladimir Putin, especially with regards to the Ukrainian conflict. As the nation remains a pain for NATO, work needs to be done to maintain a friendly relationship with the country.

TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS 2023
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (AKP): 50.83%
Leader of the Opposition Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (CHP): 43.84%
Dr. Sinan Oğan (IND): 4.91%
Fmr. Assemblyman Muharrem İnce (MP)*: 0.42%
*Dropped out prior to election, remained on ballot

TURKISH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION 2023
CUMHUR (AKP+Allies): 51.21%, 331 SEATS (-13)
MILLET (CHP+Allies): 34.55%, 205 SEATS (+16)
EMEK (YSP+TIP): 10.55%, 64 SEATS (-3)
ATA (ZP+AP): 2.39%, 0 SEATS (+/- 0)
OTHERS: 1.30%, 0 SEATS (+/- 0)


Cholera Outbreak devastates South Africa

June 10, 2023
By Forumlurker

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – As months of protests and electricity blackouts have wracked South Africa, now the rainbow nation faces yet another challenge, cholera. A waterborne disease caused by the Vibrio Cholorae bacteria, the disease is notable for causing severe diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, ultimately leading to dehydration and shock. So far, the outbreak has been largely centered in the Tshwane metropolitan area, which alone has already recorded thirty eight deaths. However, surrounding provinces such as Mpumalanga have also reported cases. In response to the crisis, the government has considered announcing a cordon sanitaire, although experts are mixed on the actual efficacy such a measure would have on the spread of the disease given its waterborne nature.


China and Mexico to draft FTA

June 24, 2023
By Forumlurker

SHENZHEN, CHINA – As its Northern partner has fallen into a seeming instability, Mexico is now seeking new capital for its rapidly growing industrial sector, and thus has reached out to China to work on a free trade agreement that is hoped to be made effective by 2026. Already, China and Mexico had previously shown openness to the idea of such an agreement, and now it appears the events in Atlasia, the rising need for capital from larger industrial countries, and of course the looming 2024 elections in the country have spurred the Obrador administration to further develop relations.

Most concerning for Atlasia though is that when asked whether such further cooperation with China could include military assistance from the country in dealing with cartel violence, an ambiguous answer was given, suggesting the possibility of Chinese military equipment and even personnel just across the border could be a more likely reality than experts would have predicted just a few weeks ago.


Fighting breaks out in Khartoum

June 24, 2023
By Forumlurker

KHARTOUM, SUDAN – Ealier this week, gunfire was heard across the largest city in Sudan. While many hoped/assumed it was a routine military drill or a lone case of criminal activity, those hopes were dashed as the hours went on and the fighting continued. On social media and the television waves, the worst fears were confirmed, with Sudanese media telling civilians to stay indoors and waning of a possible insurgency.

As it turns out, this insurgency effort has been by none other than the RSF, a Sudanese paramilitary force which was previously used by former dictator Omar Bashir in the longstanding Darfur conflict. The RSF has a documented history of human rights abuses and had long been engaged in a power struggle against the official Sudanese military post-coup. While the conflict may not have been a massive surprise, it is concerning in that millions of civilians could face a severe humanitarian crisis, and neighboring countries already on the brink of collapse such as Ethiopia may have to contend with hordes of refugees as the fighting escalates.


“Rent’s Due,” says Philippine Senate

June 27, 2023
By Joseph Cao

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Francis Escudero have formally submitted a resolution urging President Leni Robredo to require Atlasia to pay to host its troops on Philippine soil. They are seeking an amendment to two executive agreements, the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which currently govern the movement of Atlasian troops in the allied nation. If enacted, the Philippines would be entitled to draw financial compensation from Atlasia for visiting forces as well as requiring Atlasia to pay for new military bases and the maintenance of existing bases out of its own pocket. It is not yet clear what the exact amount and interval of this financial compensation would be.

dela Rosa, a former chief of the Philippine National Police under the Duterte administration, has pointed to other countries’ financial compensation by Atlasia for hosting its bases while defending the proposal, which he claims is necessary to fix a long-standing shortfall in the pension fund for military and other uniformed personnel. Escudero has further warned that the fund may become insolvent within six years if an alternative source of revenue is not found.

President Robredo has not responded to the proposal, but the opposition — to which dela Rosa and Escudero belong — retains control of the Philippine Senate and veto power over much of her policy agenda, and the move is regarded by domestic commentators as an attempt to shift public perception of budgetary discussions ahead of Robredo’s submission of a national budget, which is due by August.


Left clears hurdle in Guatemalan election

June 29, 2023
By Forumlurker

GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA – In a shocking turn of events in a Latin American country long known by international observers for being relatively conservative in comparison to its neighbors in terms of politics, neither of the two presumed right wing favorites who promised to emulate some of Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele’s strategies in the country managed to make it to the runoff. Instead Movimiento Semilla, an anti-corruption left leaning movement, advanced to the runoff along with the traditionally left-leaning but shifting UNE candidate. A Semilla vs UNE second round was not on the horizon of plausibility for many electoral observers, so few predictions can easily be made, but it represents a stunning upset and possibly another domino in the “New Pink Tide” that has spread through Latin America since 2018.


Val Kilmer spotted in Macau

July 8, 2023
By Joseph Cao

MACAU – Atlasian actor Val Kilmer, who reportedly passed sensitive information to Chinese authorities after being granted top security clearance by President Ted Bessell, has been sighted in Macau. Kilmer’s location was confirmed by the anti-corruption body of an undisclosed nation’s government, which was looking for another, unnamed individual; the information was shared with Atlasian authorities late on Friday night.

Atlasian authorities have not yet said whether they intend to lead or participate in efforts to apprehend Kilmer. The volume and approximate nature of the information he compromised has not been made public, but is believed to be wide-ranging and include specifications of recent developments in the capabilities of the Atlasian navy.


Team vote was unanimous

[Joseph Cao]

Out of curiosity, is the military bases-Philippines situation based on RL events or no?

Thanks.

The RL senators have floated such a resolution but not formally proposed it. The budget impasse is our estimation of the situation in the scenario where Robredo, not Marcos Jnr., becomes president as is the case ITTL.

[Joseph Cao]

3 questions to the GM's

1. Are the Olympic Games of 2028 given to L.A. as in our timeline, and if not, does the IOC have to allocate those games left. Just to know whether we should/could do a bid to host the games in Atlasia.

-> same for world cup football. Is it given to Atlasia (with Mexico & Canada) as in our TL for 2024?

2. What is the status of Guantanamo Bay in the game? Do we control it or does Cuba do?

3. What are current diplomatic relations with Cuba, because i'm unsure of that status? Foreign relations in general is hard to manage if you're not aware of what the stories were long in the past or what predecessors did.

We'll get back to you on the Olympics and World Cup once we come to a consensus.

Guantanamo Bay prison was closed in 2021 under President Sev, but remains under our control. Relations with Cuba are slightly less hostile than in the past, which has been helped along by the closure in question, but still very frosty, and Cuba remains aligned with China both politically and economically. We do trade with them however because the embargo was lifted by President Blair in 2017.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous vote.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming 3-0 vote.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming vote, which I abstained from given potential conflicts of interest in the Senate.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous vote.

[Joseph Cao]

Atlasian Public Acts – DOMESTIC NEWS


Capitol Referendum: Move to New Location Aborted

By Weatherboy

KEOKUK, IA. — Construction equipment that had been at the ready for groundbreaking on new buildings for the proposed new capital of Atlasia began to be loaded onto trucks and sent home on Monday morning, as the results of the national referendum became clear, showing that after the debacle of choosing a name for the proposed city, over half of those voting wanted to scrap the idea entirely, with only ⅓ wanting the construction to continue under the name of Incitatus.

Reactions in Keokuk and surrounding areas seem to be positive on the cancellation. We tracked down the two friends who were interviewed previously, with the trucker opposed to the project saying he was “glad that people were able to come around and not force our tight-knit community to become a government swamp.” His friend replied that they believed the idea was still solid but they were strongly critical of the naming suggestions, saying that “the names suggested with little exception made the process a joke, I mean, the name of a mad Roman emperor’s horse and ‘Globohomo Village’? That was the best that the Senate could come up with?”

Polls in the area from Ann Selzer and others have shown that the new Capital proposal was disapproved of by roughly 70% of those in southeastern Iowa and up to 65% in northeastern Missouri. The only area that approved of it was the Illinois portion, with 60% approving of it there. It’s believed that the portion of Illinois closest to the proposed capital, sometimes called “Forgottonia”, approved of the proposal due to the lack of federal infrastructure and investment in the region, something that would likely change with the capital so close by. A resident of the town of Golden, Illinois gave us this statement: “Once again when we try to get some positive change around here rather than constant stagnation, everyone outside of here votes it down. It’s no wonder my kids left for Peoria. What is there for them here other than potholes and run-down towns?”


Violence As Pro-Palestinian Rally Winds Down in Denver

By Forumlurker

DENVER, CO. — Nearly one month after the initial outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a pro-Palestinian protest in the city on December 10 quickly descended into violence as night fell. At 9:04 MST, the first acts of violence were reported by a local store owner on Larimer Square, who saw via security footage their windows smashed and the store getting ransacked. Further clashes continued intermittently hroughout the night with many being between police/regional forces and civilians. Although no deaths have been reported, 22 have been reported injured and the property damage has been evaluated to be over $40 million, much of it on public infrastructure such as streetlights and roads. Asked to describe the setting the next day, local residents described it as “a warzone” with cars razed and blood splattered on the sidewalks.


Slate of “Medieval” Legislation Passes in the South

By Forumlurker

ATLANTA, GA. — Over the past several months, numerous controversial bills have passed in the South over calls into question regarding their constitutionality, creating chaos as local officials have attempted to reconcile the stark differences between Atlasian law, Southern law, and even their own morals.

The list of laws passed which have received scrutiny by human rights groups is long, but the ones which stand out the most in prominence thus far include the law which overturned women’s suffrage, the law which banned “bastardy” (children of unmarried couples) and a law which effectively has banned “moors, Bosniaks, and gypsies” from entering the region entirely. Of interesting note is the current Atlasian president who himself has publicly identified as Bosniak in past statements and former Upper South Senator LT who also has identified as such, leading some experts to wonder whether some of the new legislation was driven out of political malice.

However, as many in the South have learned, it is one thing to pass a law and another to enforce one. Various interpretations and degrees of enforcement of these new laws has rendered the South essentially a patchwork of kingdoms, each one with varying degrees of restrictiveness on the aforementioned activities. A plurality of municipalities simply have outright ignored the laws, while some such as Fulton County have even outright declared these regional laws null and void, petitioning the federal government to crack down on “human rights abuses.”

As a result of these laws, many companies have begun withdrawing operations and sales from the South. Industrial giants such as Google, Walmart, McDonald’s, and Wells Fargo have announced plans to downsize or completely withdraw activities within the Southern Region over concerns over these new laws and possible liabilities for their company image. Foreign reactions have also been swift. Russia has officially sanctioned Atlasia over these new laws, labelling them as genocide of ethnic minorities. The EU has considered but has not acted upon similar calls by many left-leaning MEPs. Furthermore, countries such as Rwanda which had previously committed to gradually improving LGBTQ rights have since backtracked in a series of public statements, citing “sheer hypocrisy” by the Atlasian government. Although transparent figures have become difficult to source at this point in time, the GDP of the Southern Region could shrink by over 5% in the next year, with a projected net population loss as many choose to move elsewhere for employment and living.

In response, Southern civilians opposed to these acts have begun forming militias of their own, with local SNP politicians having seen their houses burned by these groups. Meanwhile, several counties in Southeast Kentucky are considering officially seceding from the Southern Region at this point in time.


Pent-Up Ill-Will Over Proposed Amusement Park

By Forumlurker

BRIDGEPORT, CT. — Local parental rights groups have staged mass sit-ins at both the Bridgeport town hall, and the Lincoln State Capitol over federal plans to fund an amusement park on Pleasure Beach. Outraged at the prospect of an amusement park with a name which is a reference to a dirty joke “Pen Island”, these groups have demanded the resignation of Weatherboy from all positions and the conversion of Pleasure Island to a monument to honor chastity as a virtue. As one local parent, Richard Cummings, puts it, “Our kids shouldn’t be hearing jokes about diddlies. It's immature and I will sit on my knees here at the state capitol until this act is withdrawn.”


Euthanasia Legalized in Fremont

By Forumlurker

DENVER, CO. — Long a highly controversial issue which even the sitting president refused to touch, euthanasia as a last-resort palliative care practice has been legalized in Fremont, making the region the first and only place such operations are now legal. In the meantime, the Senate voted down a bill by Senator Christian Man addressing the same issue from the opposite direction that is already attracting its share of controversy among the usual series of organizations.

Other countries such as the Netherlands and Canada are known for having euthanasia legalized under certain conditions, although those countries as well (especially Canada) have experienced their share of controversy over these policies. Proponents argue the practice ends suffering humanely in a way which preserves the dignity of those who have no chance of survival. On the other hand, opponents argue the policy is both morally problematic in nature and, in the case of Canada, is overused to a point where some have warned of legalized “eugenics.” Medical experts are also divided on the issue from an ethical standpoint, demonstrating the complexity of the topic. However with this new law, it appears Fremont has made its stance clear.


Atlasia Continues to See “Stagflation” Trends

By Weatherboy and Forumlurker

NYMAN, D.C. — Despite hopes that the national economy would stabilize with the end of the Southern secession crisis earlier this year, with each passing month economists have become increasingly pessimistic as key indicators continue to fail to reach even the most cautious of expectations. Over the past few months, unemployment has skyrocketed from 5.3% to 8.1% while inflation remains high at 7.4% (7.9% for core inflation) The Fremont and Southern Regions are disproportionately impacted by unemployment, with the Bay Area in California reporting an over 20% unemployment rate at this point in time, rivaling numbers in countries such as Spain and Greece. A very likely contributor to unemployment spiking recently is outsourcing, with a record high number of approximately 55,000 Atlasian jobs having been outsourced in the month of November alone.

The impacts of the economic crisis have hit hard with more than 70% of Atlasians polled reporting having to cut expenditures in the past year and 82% of Atlasians believing the economy to be in “Poor” condition.

[Joseph Cao]

Atlasian Public Acts – INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Argentine Elections: Bullrich Market

By Weatherboy

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA — As the last ballots were tabulated in Argentina’s elections, cheers rang out at rallies for Patricia Bullrich as it became clear she would be elected the new president of Argentina, beating out Economy Minister Sergio Massa in the second round of the Presidential election.

This comes after a tumultuous 1st round, where hard-right anti-Peronist and anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei came in a strong 3rd place, showing a strong opposition to the current economic policies of the nation. It’s believed that Milei’s failure to reach the 2nd round, as some polls had indicated, was due to his momentum being severely blunted by Atlasia’s instability in the middle of the year, placing extreme doubts on his wish to tie the nation far closer to Atlasia and undergo dollarization. Whatever the reason, Milei fell short, and endorsed Bullrich in the 2nd round, which led to an 8-point win for her. However, she will have to rely on Milei and his Liberty Advances alliance for support, as her Together for Change coalition only holds 99 of the 257 of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Presidential Election, Argentina (1st Round):
Economy Minister Sergio Massa (UP): 37.1%
Fmr. Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich (JxC): 27.7%
Deputy Javier Milei (LLA): 25.9%
Fmr. Governor Juan Schiarett (HxNP): 6.6%
Deputy Myriam Bregman (FIT-U): 2.7%

Presidential Election, Argentina (2nd Round):
Fmr. Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich (JxC): 54.1%
Economy Minister Sergio Massa (UP): 45.9%


Polish Elections: Tusk Strikes Back – Is the Global Right Surge Fading?

By Weatherboy

WARSAW, POLAND — Polish voters kicked out their incumbent right-wing populist government in an election that made many an EU official breathe a sigh of relief, as Donald Tusk will become Prime Minister of Poland once again, at the head of a 3-alliance coalition between the liberal Civic Coalition, the christian democratic and agrarian Third Way, and the progressive Left. The victory did not come easy, as many institutional hurdles needed to be cleared for a win, but in the end the souring global economy, and the popular backlash to the “Lex Tusk” law which was targeted at potentially barring Tusk from office, propelled the opposition to victory.

Polish Parliamentary Election:
United Right (PiS and Allies): 36.1%, 201 seats
Civic Coalition (PO and Allies): 30.2%, 153 seats
Third Way (PL2050, PSL and Allies): 14.2%, 63 seats
The Left (NL, Razem and Allies): 8.5%, 25 seats
Confederation: 7.4%, 19 seats
Nonpartisan Local Government Activists: 1.8%, 0 seats
There is One Poland: 1.6%, 0 seats
Others: 0.4%, 0 seats

Government: Civic Coalition + Third Way + The Left (241/460 seats)

President Andrej Duda named incumbent PM Mateusz Morwiecki as his nominee for another term, but this was roundly criticized by the opposition, as PiS was far short of a majority, and even hypothetically with the far-right Confederation coalition’s support would be unable to reach a majority. The Sejm deposed Morwiecki in a vote of no confidence, and Tusk was sworn in as Prime Minister last month.

With Tusk’s victory, some commentators have asked if this may be an end to the right-wing populist surge in Europe, which has brought both President Le Pen and Prime Minister Meloni to power in France and Italy respectively. Indeed, polls in France have indicated that Le Pen will have difficulties being re-elected, with her approvals tracking very similarly to the support for leaving the EU, with 35 percent approving and 58 percent disapproving. However, other analysts have pointed out that this may be more of a sign of a general anti-incumbency trend, rather than any turn against the populist right.


Thailand Elections: That’s a Wrap

By Joseph Cao

BANGKOK, THAILAND — It’s been all downhill for the anti-establishment progressive Move Forward Party since its commanding performance in May’s elections, at which it rode a groundswell of popular discontent with Thailand’s long years of stuttering democracy and military juntas to become the largest party in Parliament.

Thailand Parliamentary Election:
Move Forward and allies: 312 seats
    Move Forward: 153 seats
    Pheau Thai: 142 seats
    Prachachart: 9 seats
    Thai Sang Thai: 6 seats
    Thai Liberal: 1 seat
    Fair Party: 1 seat
Palang Pracharat and allies: 169 seats
    Bumjaithai: 71 seats
    Palang Pracharat: 38 seats
    United Thai Nation: 38 seats
    Democrat: 22 seats
Chart Thai Pattana: 10 seats
Chart Pattana Kla: 2 seats
Pheau Thai Rumphalang: 2 seats
Others: 5 seats

Beginning with the swift arrest and detention of Move Forward’s leader Pita Limjaroenrat in the weeks leading up to the first sitting of Parliament, where he was already facing an uphill battle to convince enough members of other parties and the junta-appointed Senate (which retains a say in the prime ministerial vote) to back his attempt to form the government, the party has been dealt severe blows by a conservative establishment determined to close ranks against what local political commentator Sirikanya Dopphoopha describes as “a perceived existential threat.“

Pita was picked up in a sensational overnight detention in July shortly before Thailand’s Constitutional Court was scheduled to hear a case brought by the Election Commission regarding his potential violation of election regulations, which forbid MPs from holding shares in media companies. Pita is understood to have inherited shares in the defunct broadcaster iTV as the executor of his late father’s will, and declared prior to the election that they had been transferred to relatives. In a statement publicized after the arrest, the EC’s own investigative panel recommended that the charges should not be pursued. The Court nonetheless suspended Pita as an MP pending its decision.

Without Pita, Move Forward failed dismally in its bid to form government and its erstwhile ally Pheau Thai joined a coalition of conservative parties which installed Pheu Thai’s Srettha Thavisin, a real estate magnate, as the new prime minister. Several of these parties are led by key figures behind a 2014 coup that ousted the then-Pheu Thai government in favor of the military junta that has led the country since. Move Forward has appointed secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon as its replacement leader, and although the party publicly expresses hope that Pita’s case will be ruled in his favor, the speed and severity of his detention makes that outcome unlikely.

In the meantime, even Move Forward’s status in the opposition is under threat from several fronts. Under law, the opposition leader is drawn from the biggest party not in government (currently Move Forward), unless that party has members serving in Cabinet positions or as parliamentary presiding officers. A Move Forward MP, Padipat Suntiphada, had already been elected deputy speaker. Padipat has since assented to his expulsion from the party (seen as a way for Move Forward to retain the LOTO post) and has applied to join a Move Forward-aligned microparty, the Fair Party. MPs from Pheu Thai have submitted a motion to the House seeking to remove Padipat from the deputy speakership, viewing his switch as a “charade” and “under the board,” according to government chief whip Adisorn Piengkes, who proposed the motion. The Bhumjaithai Party, another opposition party, has submitted a petition to the Election Commission seeking to overturn Move Forward’s expulsion of Padipat, which could result in his MP status automatically lapsing if the move is found to be incompliant with the party’s disciplinary process.

More seriously, Bhumjaithal’s petition also urges the EC to petition the Constitutional Court to disband Move Forward altogether. The party is already facing that court over its policy to amend Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, the “lese-majeste” law which has been a popular target in Move Forward’s campaigning; this push for “structural reform” is believed to have won much of its popular support in May’s election. The Court is hearing arguments that this violates Section 49 of the Thai Constitution, prohibiting the “overthrow [of] the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State.”

The success of either move would result in Move Forward sharing the fate of its predecessor, the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved by the Court in 2020 for accepting a loan from its then-leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit that was ruled to be illegal. Pita and Chaithawat held positions in Future Forward prior to its dissolution and continue to be close to Thanathorn, despite his 10-year ban from politics. Whether Move Forward’s current members and support base could switch to a third incarnation of the party, if the Court successfully disbands them, is still an open question. In the words of Dopphoopha, the commentator, “the reformist movement in Thailand is clearly not about to go away, but the powers that be are also clearly eager to do whatever it takes to ensure that it does.”


China’s Nine-Dash Line Crosses Lines With Neighbors

By Joseph Cao

SINGAPORE — The monthslong fallout continues over the 2023 edition of China’s “standard map” released in the dying days of August by Chinese authorities at the Ministry of Natural Resources, which maintains the country’s unilateral claim over the South China Sea. Having drawn much sharper criticisms from its near abroad than in previous years, a concerted rallying of opposition to Beijing’s expansionism appears to be underway.

Leading the charge is Philippine President Leni Robredo, who has butted heads repeatedly with Beijing in her year-plus in office, most recently over Chinese attempts in October to restake their claim over the Second Thomas Shoal where the Philippines maintains a marine outpost. International media outlets were able to confirm that Chinese coast guard ships rammed a Philippine supply boat bound for the shoal; this is the first time China’s ships have been reported to hit vessels in the area. Chinese officials described the collision as an “accident” involving “wayward fishing boats” and would not comment further on the incident.

Robredo, a longtime advocate of strengthening her country’s defences against Chinese territorial incursions, has used the two incidents to win regional support for a coalition of nations to pressure China over its claims. A key convert has been Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who maintains a narrow lead in the presidential election to replace outgoing leader Joko Widodo and is likely to make efforts to lend Indonesia’s diplomatic heft to the nascent movement if victorious next February. High-ranking Vietnamese and Malaysian leaders have also voiced support. Malaysia had filed a diplomatic protest with the UN over China’s map, being the first Southeast Asian nation to register its concern as fresh domestic attention was drawn to last year’s discoveries of new oil reserves in its territorial waters.

It is probable that these countries have been emboldened by the failure of China’s Taiwan blockade last year, which also marked a noticeable hardening of opinion against its activities and investments in Southeast Asia. Thus far Beijing appears to have decided that the nine-dash line is unlikely to draw the same concrete international response that Taiwan did – hence its continued activities in the area.

As several of the countries involved maintain contests against each other’s claims as well as against China’s, there remain real hurdles to establishing a coalition capable of asserting itself against its perceived common threat. Doubts also persist as to whether Robredo’s strong pro-Atlasian stance might hamper attempts to cobble together a coalition of countries that have increasingly striven to be aligned to neither superpower.

The ASEAN summit, to be held in Jakarta in late January, will be the obvious next stage of scrutiny for Robredo’s effort to prove Beijing wrong; it remains to be seen whether opposition to China’s recent actions is able to crystallize into something diplomatically significant, as ongoing tensions in the South China Sea are all but guaranteed to be a primary focus of the summit.


China to Begin “Support Operations” in Myanmar

By Forumlurker

MANDALAY, MYANMAR — Under heavy request from the current de facto military government leading Myanmar after their coup in 2021, Chinese remier Xi Jinping announced in early December that China would support the military (Tatmadaw) in their objectives of retaking land from a number of opposition groups. Myanmar has been plagued by internal strife throughout its history, but this recent chapter has been one of the bloodiest yet, with tens of thousands of casualties in the past year, largely through Tatmadaw bombing efforts which the UN has described as “indiscriminate.” Following a relatively unexpected surge in gains by opposition forces, the Tatmadaw called upon China for support, one which Xi has responded to affirmatively as of now.


AdiEU, Vows Le Pen

By Forumlurker

PARIS, FRANCE — In a monumental speech at the Luxembourg Palace, French President Marine Le Pen openly declared her intent to have France withdraw from the EU as soon as 2025, citing a “lack of respect” for national autonomy and major disagreements on issues such as immigration. Many are skeptical that Le Pen even has the political capital to get such a vision fulfilled, but if done, the departure of France would represent an even greater challenge to the struggling union than even the infamous “Brexit”. Current polls do not show a majority support for withdrawing from the EU in France, with 54% of voters surveyed responding negatively and only 38% positively.

In the case such a proposal did ever come to pass, the EU would be severely damaged. Unlike Britain, which had long been a relative outlier in the group, France was a fundamental member of what would become the EU and the Franco-German relationship has held the EU strong throughout its history. Whether a new country will be able to step up to replace Paris or whether the alliance will continue to decay would be an interesting question. However as of now, it does not seem likely France will be leaving the EU, despite the wishes of Le Pen.


Turkey for Christmas in Beijing

By Forumlurker

ANKARA, TURKEY — Earlier this week, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping travelled to Turkey on the invite of current president Reccep Tayip Erdogan to discuss urgent issues facing both countries. In a press conference later that day, Erdogan expressed his desire for greater Turkish-Chinese cooperation on both economic and defensive fronts. Major issues discussed in the meetings were Israel/Palestine, Cyprus, and Atlasia.

No new binding agreements were made at this time, but what was especially noteworthy was Erdogan’s expressed willingness to work with China on defensive matters. Traditionally, Turkey has been a crucial ally of NATO, an organization predominately led by Atlasia which views China as a major geopolitical rival. However, Erdogan’s open support of Chinese defensive cooperation has left many intelligence and national security experts of Atlasia and Western Europe concerned of possible security risks and Chinese breaches of critical information.


LGBTQ U-Turns From Ugandan President

By Forumlurker

KAMPALA, UGANDA — Despite assurances given to Western leaders when discussing free trade treaties meant to bolster the economy of the country, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has continued to express support domestically for the incarceration of the LGBTQ community, even outright mocking Western politicians for forcing “degeneracy” onto the nation. When pressed about his comments in comparison to the promises made earlier this year, Museveni argued that Atlasia has been hypocritical on the issue, infamously saying, ”100% of women are allowed to vote in our country. Can Senator Lakigigar say that?”

Other countries involved in the East African free trade agreement have been considerably less forceful on the issue, although NGOs active in the region say that thus far none have implemented any pledges to improve conditions for their domestic LGBTQ populations.



Update approved 3-0.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous vote.

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous vote.