~We’re doing great! But not really~
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by Benn Dover
I write to you, America, from a much unbiased standpoint. Though I am a part of the Oval Office, I currently have very little do with America, besides making us rich and supplying us with Q5 weapons/food/housing. I write today to scold those who think they know more than they do about the game. That’s a shout out to a lot of arrogant congressmen.
I won’t touch on the recent presidential impeachment aside from saying that it was your (congress’s) decision to do so, and I know that after a long discussion, you must have reached some sort of consensus. However, if you’re going to propose a law as extreme as impeachment or war, make sure that you do it unanimously. 10 congressmen did not want Sam impeached? That’s a lot, if you ask me. Those 10 congressmen resemble 1/5 of our nation, or 2000 citizens (around 500 active). Keep in mind who you represent, congress.
Our potentially, but not-so-rich nation
If nobody has noticed yet, our country has the highest GDP in the game. We produce around 15,000 USD a day from taxes. Thank you to the taxpayers of America. But, may I ask rhetorically, where is all of this money going? I’ll tell you – nowhere. I have been an active part of this economy for the last five months, and an active observer all my life. I’ve seen the exchange rate when it was 0.080g per USD, and I’ve seen it at 0.014g. Currently, as Secretary of Treasury, I can say that we have potential to become one of the richest countries in the e-world, and that is ONLY because of our high taxes. Many in the past have said that taxes increase the wealth of a nation somewhat, but not that much. I shake my head at those individuals. 20% income tax might be a little high (or maybe not, if we compare to Turkey and the U.K.), but it sure as shit gets the job done. By change does anybody know how much Gold 15k/day is? A little more than 300. 300g+ a day is insane. If we keep this up, even for just a month, we’ll have over 5000g easily, a figure that our country has actually never seen. As the Secretary of Treasury, this is something that I aim to do – that is, if I retain control of Fort Knox. Our country’s treasury was stolen not too long ago, yet we are pretending as if it was not.
Switching Fort Knox… *facepalm*
If we cannot trust the man that we voted for with access to our country’s treasury, then who can we trust? Nobody votes for the Speaker of the House. Nobody even votes for the vice-president, really, who is the same person. Hell, nobody votes for me as Secretary of Treasury, and in all honesty, if people were against myself controlling the funds of our nation, I would be perfectly fine with that. But what I am against is the very much pointless change in possession of Fort Knox, moreover our external treasury. In my honest opinion, this is just change for the sake of change; what’s sad is that I will probably get five PMs later today from CONGRESSMEN trying to convince me otherwise.
Foreign currency
Do we really need 1010 ATS? How much is that, like, 10g? Congress, please limit the foreign currency proposals to a need-only basis, and what we need now is USD, not CHF or ATS. Also, please stop being stingy with the proposals. If we have 50k USD in the treasury, don’t donate 35k. I promise that we won’t get 3000 citizens overnight.
Atlantis
This is a really hot topic, so I’ll try to be as vague as possible. It is not just the president’s decision on whether or not we leave Atlantis. However, our past two presidents have seen to it that we remain in the alliance because they were, in general, pro-Atlantis presidents. Sam and Justin (not a shot at either of you) never really gave congress nor your MoFAs a chance to speak forth regarding our country’s stance. Inwegen, Kyle, don’t be afraid to voice yourselves. You two are arguably the second most powerful citizens in the largest country in the world. Vocalize and let us hear what you have to say about the pros and cons of leaving the alliance, which has been proposed MANY times.
Our military mentality
For awhile now our country has been seen as imperialistic. And, let’s face it, we sort of have. While war fuels the economy, the wrong kind of fighting can further a country from others. The four war presidents – Nave, Justinious, Uncle Sam and I – are to blame for this. In retrospect, French Toast was probably a mistake, or at least with regard to foreign affairs. Going along with war games, proposing peace to Mexico, becoming an isolationist country, and developing strong relations with Portugal are four things that I personally feel we should do that would benefit our country immensely.
Our beloved marines
…are not getting what they deserve to get. What happens if Atlantis organizes a resistance war against Indonesia again? If the U.S. wants to send 50 marines to assist, the cost, with Q3 weapons, is over 450g. Are we going to go to such lengths to develop our marines’ ranks? Right now we should not. Possibly in a month, when our nation actually creates some gold to work with, this is possible, but right now it is not. Has anybody noticed the constant war in Pakistan and Indonesia/Iran? (Benndonesia/Bennran?) Apparently not, because if they had then our marines would be over there living in a United States funded Q1 weapons company getting a constant 5 free fights a day, and even the occasional battle hero (See: The last two indo/iran battles). Hell, I’ll create the weapons company if somebody wants me to. This could even help to strengthen our relations with Indonesia who, by the way, are pretty cool guys (Italy too. Why the cross-alliance hatred?).
In summary, congressional to-do list…
- Chill with the foreign currency
- Donate Fort Knox more USD more often
- Look into sending the marines to a foreign country to get constant fighting
- Discuss in-depth the possibility of leaving Atlantis, and the effects of staying/leaving (not to be confused with joining PEACE)
- Talk about whether or not you really want congress to control Fort Knox.
- KEEP HIGH TAXES
- Try to make big decisions unanimous
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Comments
PERTAMAXXX
good article...1st 😛
2nd 🙁
Negyedix
Hit it right on the head with the treasury. Scrabman has set a precedent in his first days of being president that I, for one, vow to reverse if I am elected.
Great article Benn. Kudos
I agree with most of the article. Overall was good.
Great job for the *high number*th time!
Great article and I agree with most everything here. I should probably hook up with Inwegen and the ambassadors more often to be considered the 2nd most powerful person in the country though. I'm more of an internal affairs person 🙁
Thoughtful article Ben.
I'm curious about your cryptic remarks urging us to reevaluate our stance with ATLANTIS. Merely bringing up the issue sounds like you have an opinion of your own that you're not sharing. I wish you'd elaborate.
I'm running for re-elect in congress but I agree 100% that the senators not be put in control of Fort Knox.
Very interesting read Benn.
The idea that Congress should only make big decisions unanimously is silly. So 10 voted against, what about the 31 that voted in favor? Are their voices to be ignored?
I hope they're not cryptic. I for one actually believe we should leave Atlantis, not because they are bad people, contrary, but because we should become an isolationist nation, as aforementioned. I know America and its leaders very well. If we don't leave Atlantis, then we'll be expected to become fully involved in our allies' foreign affairs, thus leading away from this isolation.
I know a lot of you are saying - isolation hurr? Well, think of it this way. When we are in war, our economy is actually less controllable than when we are our of war. By removing that aspect of erepublik (formal war, that is. I'm still an advocate for RW games), we can manipulate our economy to find the perfect balance - the right income/VAT/import taxes, and the right USD value
Isolation is also beneficial because, quite simply, it's the opposite of what we've been lately. War to France (guilty, sorry), War to Mexico, and War to Portugal? Can you say... imperialism? We need to shy away from these mentalities! I don't want to point my finger, and I hope that nobody gets offended by this statement, but countries like Romania and Spain have peer pressured us into getting involved in war. Granted, it is our final word, but removing that influence is the right move.
@Kansas: Re-read that paragraph. You missed the point.
Atleast our nations are not corrupt like yours.
Benn.. I.. I..
*bro hug*
Alliance neutrality is the way to go folks. No need to deal with all the Alliance drama and no mysterious forces that overrule your sovereign rights.
Excellent article Benn, while I disagree with some of your points, I have no questions about their value for discussion. Voted, already subscribed.
@John Jay - Do you seriously equate the US Treasury with Fort Knox? Interesting. We should have a serious discussion sometime about a federal budget, the use of a reserve system, and the flow of revenue to expenditures. I think it is also critical to recall that Fort Knox, while a prized icon of Americana, is still just an ORG, and, at that, simply a construct for the purpose channeling funds for more flexible application and secure storage.
@Ananias: Don't be reserved, which points do you disagree with? I'm curious 🙂
@Vyse: My point exactly hehe.
I believe, as I stated before to John Jay, that the term "treasury" is being thrown out there as an ambiguous term which, incorrectly to my understanding, includes our reserve system (as simplistic as it is). To my understanding the US Treasury is not being handed over to Congress, but instead the primary reserve that is -currently- being used as the sole conduit for purchase. At one point you even used the tern "exteral treasury" which provides some constraint...so to some it may seem to be a semantic argument, but imo, the organization for US Funds for expenditure against a federal budget should be the purview of Congress.
Let me give you an example, let us say that the Congress selects to formulate a federal budget that is discussed and, by consensus, adopted and for some reason the individuals with access are unable to provide for a specific scheduled expenditure or worse, the President makes a determination that the expenditure does not promote his agenda, is Congress then forced to scrap the planned budget? Whereas, if Congress is in charge of the reserve set aside funded for the purpose of recurring expenditure, our payments are made as scheduled AND the President has the capacity to withhold transfer to the reserve if there is not specific allocation of the funds. Therefore, my second disagreement is that the move is pointless or "change for changes sake"? I will continue for in a moment...
too long, didn't read
Requiring unanimity in Congress for big decisions is crazytalk.
bleh, so hard to discuss things in comments without deleting and reposting...so forgive the typos...
Finally, while I agree with most everything else you stated outside the Fort Knox/US Treasury mix. I would also include a possible warning regarding the concept of improving relations with Indonesia engagement in Iran or Pakistan. My concern is that when we seek to improve relations, we will, by virtue of battle also be improving the strength of their military which we did in Portugal (the Azores)...only to find ourselves, sometime in the future, at actual odds with Indonesia and bearing the brunt of an American-facilitated increase in strength, however marginal.
Thanks, sorry for the wall of text.
Ananias is correct. I've never liked the Ft. Knox metaphor because everybody just imagines a big warehouse piled full of gold bars. The only actual in-game "Treasury" (due to game mechanics) are the accounts of the general fund (into which our tax receipts are deposited), and these have always and forever been under the control of the Congress. Nothing leaves there without Congressional say-so, and no other organization is automatically entitled to that money. If anyone wants a share of it, they have to play by the Congress's rules.
If Jay ever becomes President, assumes control of an Org., and starts demanding money, I can think of 51 people who may potentially disagree.
yes keep marines stationed in romania... im doing that right now, and am a fairly week fighter... but nonethe less been in a war everyday
voted and subscribed. I like your idea's, and I'm curious to see where this country will go in the coming weeks.
Good article, but inwegen is dumb but other than that I agree with most of the article.
Also the US congress is dumb.
I Strongly Disagree with the United States tax policy. Yes, we do become rich from 20% taxes, that is obvious. But that "we" is really, "The Government", not the People.
That 20% is the people's money which has been taken from them after they've labored to obtain it. I rather see Income Taxes revoked and replaced with a VAT Tax. In that respect, money isn't taken after its been earned. Its acquired from when money is spent. A much better and fairer tax code. People keep 100% of what they earn and its only when they consume, does the Government tax.
But this message is hard to sell and will never sell until the Congressional Apple Cart is over turned and VAT Supporting Congress Members are elected to office. And this goal is a grass roots effort that is slowly gaining steam.
So I say to the Govt, keep the 20% income taxes, You are the fuel for our fire.
Why don't we have foreign weapons factories for our marines to work in? I've been wondering that for weeks.
@Benn:
Here's the problem, Benn. Fort Knox is just a stupid private organization account that UNCLE SAM created.
Tax dollars go to the TREASURY. Neither the PRESIDENT nor your high and mighty exalted self have control over the treasury. The democratically elected Congress has control over it, and they will do what they believe is best with it. Don't try to pretend the President deserves or is entitled to control over the entire treasury. Only Congress is. You travel the world and do exactly as you please with your beta gold, spreading your fame and fortune. Don't turn this around on Congress as if they don't have the right to exercise CONGRESS'S POWER!!!
IMHO You're only trying to protect you good ol' boys fraternity of Presidents and preserve the power they believe they are entitled to. Personally, I can't understand why anyone would trust you with a dime with the attitude you have. You think you own this country, and that the American citizens' tax dollars are yours and the Presidents to do with as you please.
BOOSH!
I have long advocated that the Marines be deployed overseas to gain rank and experience. Ideally I think it should be to help defend nations that cannot defend themselves, but that's because I'm against all forms of imperialism. I understand that some citizens (Not nessicarily you Benn) don't share that feeling, but the end point is the same, we don't have to tarnish America's reputation to get our troops experience.
Serious food for thought.
Nice article 🙂
"If nobody has noticed yet, our country has the highest GDP in the game."
Not sure where you got this from. According to
http://www.erepublik.com/en/rankings/countries/1/4
We are number four, and from March 3 to March 23, we had dropped 27%, and when you look at GDP/capita, we are 20th. Yes the gov is becoming rich, if it does not blow the money, buth the country is not, compared to other countries.
http://www.erepublik.com/en/newspaper/ab-of-economics-184458/1
GDP per capita doesn't matter one iota. If you're rich, you're rich, it doesn't matter how large the country is..
The need for an external treasury stands from the fact that the voting system is flawed. Some things like declarations of war and signing alliances do need the 24-hour grace period. However, moving currency out of the country's treasury should happen immediately upon reaching a consensus (majority of votes reached).
This alone will solve 99% of all problems congress is faced with on a daily basis.
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Great Article Benn. Obviously we disagree on the point of atlantis, and I can let that rest. I think that has to do with the differences in our Presidencies.
I became friends with the majority of those within(i'm not saying you didnt) and they had no problem at all with me declining involvement in certain foreign affairs.
Like you yourself just said, they were a great opportunity for me to allow our Marines a place to gain experience when they were sent off.
Besides, I still believe with the strongest conditions that america would be picked apart if we were isolationists. We dont have the money, nor the army to defend any type of assault from the 7+ possible regions we could be confronted from at once. We would have no allies to help us. I dont see how that is a wise decision in any light.
Like I"ve said many times in the past. The world is divided into PEACE vs ATLANTIS and how "you are viewed" in the world is a moot point. Its home team or the enemy.
I never really thought of myself as a war time president just because I attacked Portugal once. XD but I guess thats how it is.
Otherwise 10000% true article. good stuff
Excellent article Benn.
Oh I got your point, I don't think you got mine. It's an unfeasible idea and thus completely silly. This is legislative politics, not a court decision. Unanimity has no value.
Love the article. I agree 100% with everything in here. We don't HAVE to leave the alliance, but we should always have our options open and know what could happen if we do.
Votado
Join PEACE and dominate!
George Washington said to "avoid political parties and permant forien alliances" when he left his secoend term
he was right and im glad you got the message
we need to avoid alliances to stop making enemys.Protect does in need and help does who ned help
"Has anybody noticed the constant war in Pakistan and Indonesia/Iran? (Benndonesia/Bennran?) Apparently not, because if they had then our marines would be over there living in a United States funded Q1 weapons company getting a constant 5 free fights a day, and even the occasional battle hero."
I brought this up a few weeks ago as a comment in uh...well someone's article here. I basically brought it up as a counter argument as to the supposed reasoning of Uncle Sam hitting retreat in Mexico to "not allow PEACE members the experience of the fight". There was no need to hit retreat or worry about PEACE players leveling up in Mexico, we do it everyday in Indo/Paki.
And Ive never gotten the anti-Indonesian rational either. Ive gone there, fought with them, talked with them plenty of times and I find that they are really cool and laid back people who dont take the game at all as seriously as eUSA type folks do.
I find living overseas much more enjoyable than my time spent in eUSA simply because eUSA is packed with kids who all want to be boss and no one wants to be the worker. There is a lack of cooperative play in eUSA and I dont see that at all in Indonesia really.
Maintain taxes at their current levels
other than that my only comment is if we dont have the gold to fund our marines then we sure dont have the money to fund 5 people with 75% of the budget that we could be using on 50 people. 340ish gold on 5 tanks but we cant manage to get 450 to fund 50 people? Id rather find a way to fund our 50 marines. You being one of the people who recieved large amounts of the money IM sure are opposed to this.
Excellent article Benn. Although I do not fully agree with you, you bring up alot of excellent points that need to be discussed and dealt with.
@ Jack Roberts
"I find living overseas much more enjoyable than my time spent in eUSA simply because eUSA is packed with kids who all want to be boss and no one wants to be the worker. There is a lack of cooperative play in eUSA and I dont see that at all in Indonesia really."
This I must disagree with. Your "kids" statement is a sweeping generalization most likely derived from your view of new players who are not accustomed to the inner workings of this game at first. Also, please define what you mean as a lack cooperative play in the eUSA. If I am interpreting your comment correctly then I would disagree because of the simple fact that if nobody argued or conflicted this game would become very mondane.
@ Justin The Grand
Its not directed at new players at all. There are players both new and from beta who act in a juvenile manner who have no desire to see a truly united country but would rather see themselves gain fame and riches. Age has nothing to do with it, its the general lack of maturity and intelligence that is lacking here, for the most part. eUSA's foreign military tactics have always largely been something of a sledgehammer smashing things, when at times a scalpel like approach with some cunning applied would have gone over much better. (See the latest blunder in Mexico for reference)
As far as cooperative play goes, its not about there not being disagreements and arguing, Im sure there is much discussion in Indonesia's private rooms as to what objectives and directions they want to strive for, you just dont see those arguments and disagreements spill over into the public media completely derailing any meaningful achievements.