Unity is Useless
Derphoof
Over the past few months we have all been sucked into the unity culture, the culture in which we are forced to support a candidate selected through a system of primaries conducted in each party in order to stave off the threat of PTO. America has been forced into this position by the American Freedom Alliance, a group we here in America are all too familiar with. We’re told month in and month out that having an AFA CP could be disastrous. However, upon analysis, with careful planning and coordination, this is simply not the case.
In eRepublik, the CP has little power. The CP is just the figurehead of the nation and the leader of its policies. The main powers are that the CP has the power to propose MPP’s, and propose peace in war. The other privilege is control over the country accounts (aka: the treasury), which I will get to later. While the latter could be potentially dangerous, the former is not. Everything the CP can do is subject to approval by Congress, which would be held by a majority of Non-AFA officials. The fact that a non-AFA congress can override an AFA CP renders the in-game position practically useless.
Just as much as Congress will not consent to the will of a PTO CP, neither will the people. One of the basic principles of government is the Social Contract Theory, made well known by Thomas Hobbes’ 1651 book, Leviathan. The social contract theory states that the people consent to be ruled by a government, giving that government legitimacy. Without the consent of the people, the government no longer becomes legitimate and is subject to being overthrown. This has happened in many revolutions across the ages, whether it be 1776 in America or the current crisis in Syria. As such, the majority of the eAmerican people would not view the AFA as the legitimate government in the eUSA. Therefore, the elected AFA CP would only be president in name only. The people would not care to follow that citizen’s orders, Congress would shoot down most proposals, and the position would be rendered useless.
This is why we should go back to normal elections. Unity is useless. We can hold general elections, just as we used to. The legitimate CP who effectively runs the nation would be the candidate from Non-PTO parties that comes out with the most votes in the election. That player would then conduct all foreign policy and military policy as though he were the in-game president, disregarding and ignoring the attempted actions of the PTO CP. Congress can block any and all attempts by the AFA CP to pass proposals. Then Congress would enact the acting CP’s policy by proposing it themselves. The MPPs, of course, would all have to be proposed by our allies’ CPs and then passed by congress.
However, then we have the issue of the treasury. After all, the AFA CP would have the right to reset and take control of every gov’t org the USA owns. They could then do with the money, whatever they pleased. Yet, this is very easy to block. Once it becomes clear who will be the winner amongst the non-PTO candidates, the money in the Congressional Budget Office can be transferred to the incoming acting non-AFA CP or to a designated member of his cabinet. Then, in order to keep the money flowing through the month, we can ask for an org from a trusted ally such as Brazil. This org would be put in control of the acting CP and Congress can donate money to that org for future use. This keeps all of the gov’t funds out of the hands of a PTO CP.
Now, this is certainly not advocating for the election of an AFA CP. I would rather not have an AFA citizen in the CP seat, just to be safe. In fact, this plan of going back to general elections would be most useful if we could bring the AFA’s congressional numbers below 33%. In this way, we could impeach the AFA CP and give the position to the acting non-PTO CP. Otherwise, something could always go wrong and the PTO’ers could take advantage of a slip-up in the plan. However, we can all agree that if the PTO won the CP election, their actions could easily be negated and America’s interests can be protected.
I would like to go back to general elections, rather than Unity elections. In the simplest terms, here is a breakdown of the idea:
1) Hold general elections without making parties beholden to endorse an official “unity” candidate. Anyone can run. Any party can endorse whomever they please.
2) If the AFA is looking like the front-runner, look to impeach him/her
3)The top vote-getter outside of the PTO candidates becomes the acting CP, regardless of impeachment results.
4) Before the AFA CP takes office, move the funds from the Congressional Budget Office to a designated citizen’s account.
5) Obtain an org from a trustworthy ally, such as Brazil, for congressional donations of funds. This would ensure the AFA CP can’t touch any funds.
6) Congress would reject any proposals by the AFA CP
7) Congress would enact the policies of the acting CP through their own powers
Results:
1) We finally get a normal election!
2) We could have a fun dramatic showdown between an AFA gov’t and a legitimate gov’t
3) The AFA may get extremely butthurt when they finally win the CP, but it becomes useless. (Lol)
We have been using the unity process for months. However, when proper precautions are undertaken, Unity Elections can be dissolved without worry. I think much of America would like to have real elections once again. With the process I have outlined above, we can easily manipulate the system to regain our proper elections. We no longer have to live in fear of the AFA when we negate their threats and take away their power. We don’t need the unity process, with this plan in action. It is not necessary.
Ditch Unity.
We can have normal elections again.
Classical Music for the day? How about something my college choir will be performing?
Crucifixus - Antonio Lotti (I hope you know Latin!)
Comments
First reserved for my brain for telling me that this would sound crazy and be controversial but still telling me that I should publish it anyways.
or, you know, we avoid the extra headaches...and not risk all our money in a foreign org, not lose the ability to set the campaign of the day (which matters, believe it or not), and not bring everything to a standstill mechanically.
Would be interesting. Nobody is really SCARED of the AFA winning, I wouldn't think. They're easily thwarted should they actually get a bit of power.
The issue is more about perception, probably- That the eUS was PTO'd at all.
I think everyone is pretty tired of the Unity thing and as the AFA continues to change and sort out what it is they really want, it may not be necessary anymore. They aren't ALL here for PTO and it seems like some of them are starting to wake up to how toxic Ajay is to their goals, regardless of what those goals may be.
I would imagine as AFA changes, we will all change in response. Would make sense, anyway.
Well, we have already betrayed all of our friends and allies so I guess we have nothing to lose.
Voted.
Of course the PTO (Thorin II Oakenshield) would agree with this article.
It's not bad in theory, but I do not think that giving power to the AFA is a good idea.
complaining about lack of unity is useless
Well, since America has only 0.92 gold and 465938.00 in the country accounts I first wonder where the hell all the gold and money went, so even if an AFA candidate does get into Congress there is nothing to steal....
Before the AFA CP takes office, move the funds from the Congressional Budget Office to a designated citizen’s account...I would not be comfortable putting all of America's cash in ANY citizen's account....
Numbers to consider:
- 33% of congress members to prevent an impeachment
- AFA congress members: 18, or 32.73% of congress
@Ichabod Adams: a number of selected trusted citizens can be responsible for holding a part of the account so if one person goes rogue, you still have a good portion of the rest of the funds that's not lost.
Interesting...but if we will have an AFA CP this will give more courage to the other pto-ers out there..and as Pfeiffer said there are some things Congress cant control
Read it.
fingerguns writes: "as the AFA continues to change and sort out what it is they really want, it may not be necessary anymore."
_____________
Sensible. They just finished nominating Candor - a clearly credible candidate. If you want the AFA to continue down the path of responsible political behaviour you don't need to elect their nominee. However, you do need to stop thinking of the AFA nomination as a badge of dishonour and disrepute.
Unity was not necessary in the last election. Unity candidates are proposed to ensure that AJ doesn't get elected. He wasn't on the ticket, and the AFA nominated a capable, acceptable candidate with beneficial policies. So.... Unify to defeat what exactly?
Unity is a facade for control by a minority. PTOers would also impose control by a minority.
What is the difference?
Handing over government funds to a private citizen is theft of taxpayer money. There would be no accountability for the control of the funds. We would go all the way back to the financial scandals of 2009 doing that.
What are the best controls over bad government? Accountability through democracy instead of oligarchy ... and an electoral calendar which gives the people the chance to punish those who abuse power at regular intervals.
Incredible article. Ditch unity.
BIA knows!
I love it.
I further think we should just go ahead and elect AJ as it might finally just get rid of him.
Divide et Impera!
Peace is a lie, there is only passion!
Through passion I gain strength!
Through strength I gain power!
Through power I gain victory!
Through victory my chains are broken!
The Force shall free me!
you should let afa run the finances. give them a chance. they are only trying to improve america!
Interesting article. Voted.
@Gnilraps...
I want to see the look on his face when he finally realizes its a TERRIBLE job. Priceless!!!
BACK IN THE CAGE, HAMSTER
WELL SAID.
Hey, why not?
"[ElPatoDiablo's] logic suggests that it might be possible -- without too much trouble -- to defeat [an AFA CP.] The actual method ... used is less important than the possibility of the act."
So many good reasons to ditch Unity, and -- now -- not very many reasons to keep doing it. I think the spirit of the nation and of the eNation is distrustful of this Unity anyway, however much we vote along partisan lines when it comes to dealing with 'dem PTO'ers.
"So many good reasons to ditch Unity, and -- now -- not very many reasons to keep doing it. I think the spirit of the nation and of the eNation is distrustful of this Unity anyway, however much we vote along partisan lines when it comes to dealing with 'dem PTO'ers."
Well Said Drew; Unity has run its course and should not be condemned to this pedantic existence of political jargon. Excellent Article ElPatoDiablo.
Voted for Unity is Useless; Subbed for mentioning Leviathan.
Voted for Leviathan.
o7
I read this only because Gnilly and Bia shouted it.
While I neither support or dismiss this proposal I do say that I like the way you are thinking. I mean really, what is the point of continuing this BS? It's been well over a year and the support of Ajay's PTO has shifted among many nationalities (as he's fond of pointing out). The US needs to pull their heads outta their asses and realize that the "PTO threat" is whoever we are not in alliance with. CoT CP's and FA people are recalling their citizens and asking them to stand down. EDEN is getting even more aggressive and would still be sending people in if they had not been stopped by IES.
My opinion is that the majority of the people who will be affected by the PTO would be RP'ers in the political and govt. MU. If this is true then what is there to lose by giving up? Other than the fact that Henry's 'Fantasy Football' version of who gets elected is flourishing there is no real political stuff going on. Fingerguns did quite a bit finishing up the CoT trial membership and working on the Taiwan war (which is finally taking off btw). But this could mostly have been handled with a 'shadow' president. The only tricky point would be the handling of NE's and peace proposals. Even then it could be handled.
As far as the MU's are concerned they are screwed no matter what. Funding is not governed by the govt. ATM, it is the econ mod that ruined their fun. No money for everyone, unless you are to stupid to notice. $15 per day will buy maybe 2 Q7's and a little food to shoot 'em with. Not even enough to fight a DO. If you work a commune you may or may not get much. Those that do don't care because they will (most likely) always be taken care of.
So there you have it. Don't care and not interested is a good way to put my feelings on this.
Yes
Classic EPD. Hat is tipped.
voted for derpy newspaper. XD
and subscribed for nice article.
I'm kinda new to eRep, like... one or two month old, so I don't know much about eRep history. It looks like eUSA has serious political problem.
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
- So we must send our taxpayers money to a foreign country instead of letting it fall into so-called foreign PTOers hands... u mad bro?!?!
Btw all ure advocating for is all the things the establishment accuses AFA of trying to do...
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WAKE UP unity is just a way to keep power in the hands of a privileged few FOREVER.
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Dill- I think the people who will be most affected are the two clickers who aren't really paying attention. That would be the MAJORITY of our citizens.
It would be a pretty big undertaking to explain this to them in a way that doesn't make them want to quit the game entirely and keeps them moving with the 'shadow government' or whatever.
There would be a lot of instability, but it might be worth it for what we end up with. It definitely shouldn't be jumped into without looking at all of the angles. And even then, people can be unpredictable at times.
Epic misquoting of DillPickl FG; perhaps you've noticed though I truly can't tell at this point.
I agree with Dill; it is political eggheads such as yourself whom would suffer most; as I too have all the buttons I need to click even if I were the last eAmerican left and it would not slow me down other than production levels each day.
v&s
Interesting thought, sounds like a good plan but I think the US treasury may need more thought.
Hmmmm....the idea of this article sounds familiar, but is presented so well.
Love is in the air....smells better than unity, that's for sure.
And what good would a normal election do for us?
Mary Chan
Day 1,906, 10:57
'@Ichabod Adams: a number of selected trusted citizens can be responsible for holding a part of the account so if one person goes rogue, you still have a good portion of the rest of the funds that's not lost.'
wingfield
Day 1,906, 15:20
'Handing over government funds to a private citizen is theft of taxpayer money. There would be no accountability for the control of the funds. We would go all the way back to the financial scandals of 2009 doing that.'
Sorry, I agree with Wingfield, makes no difference if it is 1 or 101; placing larges sums of USD/Gold in someones personal account would be theft -the very thing Unity has been saying RGR would do is exactly what is being proposed here.
Tiamati
Day 1,907, 17:37
'I agree with Dill; it is political eggheads such as yourself whom would suffer most; as I too have all the buttons I need to click even if I were the last eAmerican left and it would not slow me down other than production levels each day.'
Agreed that the only ones who will be harmed are the 'Pfeiffer Loyalist Alliance', h...e...double toothpicks even the PLA has given up any pretense of Unity; America has been under the PTo by the PLA for a year or more - it is time to throw the pig disgusting'Pfeiffer apologist' out of government...!
The nations here in the game are like real life parlamentary democracy states, except the CP is not chosen by the parlament