Albion

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General Election Report

With four months since May now behind us, the North Pacific, over the last few weeks, has undergone its general elections for the Delegate, Vice Delegate, Speaker, and Attorney General positions.

The Candidates

For Delegate: McMasterdonia, Bobberino, Nessuno, and Bormiar.
For Vice Delegate: Artemis.
For Speaker: Gorundu and Dreadton.
For Attorney General: Goyanes, Canton, and Lady Raven Wing.

The Election for Delegate

Following the decision of former Delegate El Fiji Grande not to seek reelection, the position was open to new candidates with new ideas.

Our first candidate, McMasterdonia, an honourable former Delegate and regional veteran, praised the region as one with “tremendous opportunity and success, built through determination, pragmatic decision making, and a belief in the call to serve.” McMasterdonia explained the new level of accountability his cabinet would face regarding their monthly reports, through the creation of external and internal committees, to “to ask questions, seek further clarification, and engage with the content of [the] reports.” McMasterdonia also said he’d appoint a Press Secretary, responsible for “collating information about the day to day activities of the cabinet and the Delegate for public release”, in an effort to encourage transparency of cabinet work and openness of his government to the public. McMasterdonia further detailed his plans for the improvement of the individual ministries, notably: a World Factbook created within the Foreign Affairs ministry to explain and teach prospective junior diplomats about the North Pacific’s regional alliances, interregional events, the return of the Lennarts for the Ministry of Culture, and the improvement of general understanding of W.A.L.L, the World Assembly Legislative League.

McMasterdonia received 71.26% of the vote, therefore elected as our new Delegate.

Next up, Bobberino, our second candidate, the Minister of Defense for El Fiji’s term, sought to bring an energizing shock to the region, and pitched himself as a cutting edge innovator capable of providing said energy effectively. Bobberino outlined his plans and expectations of each ministry, hoping to improve outreach to new members through the Home Affairs ministry, continue to push out quality TNS, TNL, and oversee the revitalization of the Northern Broadcasting Service. Bobberino also outlined his plans to bring fruition to plans of the previous term laid out by Prydania, Minister of Culture, in addition to a defense themed festival known as the “Bobulous Bonanza”. Bobberino, lastly, explains his plans to increase understanding of W.A.L.L, similar to McMasterdonia’s plans for the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs.

Bobberino received 16.09% of the vote, therefore not elected.

Nessuno, our third candidate, TNP’s most famous mythical and appreciated creature, had one simple reason for voters to support him: Because he said so. His ideas for ministries were unorthodox, to say the least, but did provide great amusement in the context of a somewhat straightforward election. His bold, pioneering ideas included: replacing the Ministry of Communications with phone, email, and a new lake, simply just giving him a Lennart, introducing an armoured brigade, a navy, and an air force for use by the North Pacific Army, shutting down the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs, spying on regions that we’d otherwise have good relations with, and steering our Gameside efforts towards a more counterintelligence focused approach.

Nessuno received 11.49% of the vote, therefore not elected.

Our last candidate for Delegate, Bormiar, author of the Security Council resolution to condemn serial trading card hoarder Koem Kab, did not opt to post a campaign, and so it seems their motives to seek election as Delegate, and their plans for the position, will remain a mystery forever more.

Bormiar received 1.15% of the vote, therefore not elected.

The Election for Vice Delegate

With only a single candidate, the election for Vice Delegate was as straightforward as it could have possibly been, with Artemis, our former Speaker and a current member of the Security Council, the only one to run for and be elected to the position of Vice Delegate with 100% of the vote.

Artemis believes in “promising the fundamentals” of the positions he runs for, citing his experience as our former Speaker, Minister of Culture, and current Security Council member. Artemis hopes to continue the weekly updates of the SC activity previously done by Pallaith and Sil Dorsett (former VD), and dedicate a part of those reports to a spotlight feature of a council member in need of an endorsement boost. Artemis finishes his campaign: “I hope to have shown you that I am prepared to take on the office of the Vice Delegate and that I have the ability to do it to the level expected here in the North Pacific.”

The Election for Speaker

Gorundu, our first candidate for Speaker, author of the Instant Runoff Election Bill, and former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and World Assembly Affairs, campaigned three key elements: reliability, improvements, and innovation. Reliability in the efficient completion of the bureaucratic tasks a Speaker must perform, improvements to the RA Highlights articles and splitting of Deputy Speakers between experienced and less experienced members, and innovation through a “Know Your Laws” program aimed to members of the region unfamiliar with regional law, yet interested.

Gorundu was elected with 52.24% of the vote.

Dreadton, our second candidate for Speaker, current Justice and former Deputy Speaker, promised to continue to ensure the “speedy resolution” of citizen checks, continue to run the RA efficiently and legally, and improve how the statuses of current bills in the RA were monitored and listed. Dreadton also suggested the creation of a program where the Speaker’s Office assists people who are new to the bill writing process, and guides them to writing successful bills.

Dreadton received 47.76% of the vote and was not elected.

The Speaker election was the closest of them all, with just 3 votes separating the candidates.

It is important to note, as well, that Darcania also intended to run for the position, but later withdrew their campaign. Out of respect for a valid and capable candidate and their campaign, let's see what a Darcania Speakership would have looked like.

Darcania ran for Speaker in January of 2018 and won with a landslide 98% of the vote. Whether or not a result like that would have been replicated or not is for an alternate universe to bear witness, but in ours, we will never know - although it is likely that this result would not have been replicated, given the two other very respectable candidates that were in the running. Darcania hoped to build upon the successes of the previous Speaker, Artemis, were he to be elected. Darcania's campaign emphasized his great experience with administrative, task-based roles in our region, such as former Speaker, and as an Administrator. It is clear that Darcania had the experience, but for reasons, his campaign was withdrawn.

The Election for Attorney General

Goyanes, the now elected Attorney General, received 58.44% of the vote. He ran a concise campaign, not fluffing or wasting words, but simply saying it how it is, and asking for trust. Goyanes pitched himself as proven, effective, and reliable, which seemed to resonate strongly with voters looking for someone with experience, a steady demeanor, and a willingness to serve to their full ability.

Lady Raven Wing, our second candidate for Attorney General, received 36.36% of the vote and was not elected. LRW pledged to actively pursue “the duties of the Attorney General should the need arise,” "to seek justice in the event of a trial", and "pose any legal questions to the court", should they be thought of. Another concise and to-the-point campaign, just not enough to win over the voters.

Our final candidate for Attorney General, Canton, received 5.19% of the vote and was not elected. Canton did not post a campaign.

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The Spotlight #22: An Interview with Robespierre

Krevt: Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! Today I am joined by General Robespierre of the North Pacific Army, who has been recently sworn in as the Minister of Defense here in the North Pacific. How are you doing, Robes?

Robespierre: I’ve been doing decently I’d say, although the past week has been exceedingly busy in comparison to most any other week for me. Nonetheless, I’m very happy that I was able to set aside some time for today’s interview as I’m sure it’ll be a good one!

Krevt: Indeed, I’m sure it will be and the Spotlight is great to have you on for this month’s issue. So… We've seen you serve in a lot of positions around the region lately such as Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Minister of Communications, Deputy Minister of World Assembly Affairs, Election Commissioner, etc. Mind you, this has all been done in such little time, How has the journey been thus far for you over the last four or so months?

Robespierre: It’s been nothing short of phenomenal and I’m happy to have embarked on it. Lots of great people here to help apply pressure in the right places for what I should be doing and overall a very good regional aura here. I’m very proud to call myself a TNP guy.

Krevt: I’m glad to hear that the North Pacific has been good to you in these times, but when you first Joined TNP did you expect yourself to become the most rapidly growing trend amongst the citizens? I ask this because of how quickly you've attained the above-mentioned positions or were you curious about what the region's government and forums had in store for you once you got here?

Robespierre: This may sound a bit arrogant, cocky, or whathaveyou, but please do bear with me as I make an attempt at answering this question. In some ways? Yes, absolutely I expected myself to become one of (if not the) most rapidly growing upstart(s) amongst the citizenry and I’ll tell you why: In my opinion, it’s a mindset thing. You have to go into a given environment truly believing that you’re going to get your name out there and that you’re going to make things better. If you don’t legitimately feel as though you’re the best around then you won’t be - it’s as simple as that. Think of it a lot like you would the quote I have on my main nation’s page that reads “The Secret of Freedom Lies in Educating People.”

If you desire that freedom and you’re looking for a way to unlock that type of potential then a great first step would be to educate yourself about your surroundings. By that, I mean getting a feel for the region, becoming involved early on, seeking out opportunities instead of waiting for those opportunities to pass you by. Who are some of the more well-established individuals in your region? I’ve been fortunate enough to see my profile skyrocket in recent months but I couldn’t have gotten there if I hadn’t put the work in myself and given people the results they were hoping for.

There’s nothing underhanded about being strategic and playing the game smart. If you know where you want to then be upfront about it and actively pursue your goal. This is becoming more and more like a motivational speech so I’ll cut it short here, but what I’m basically saying here is that if you want to be the next Todd McCloud then go ahead and strive for that. I’m no Todd McCloud, obviously, but the point still stands that I’m proof of someone getting to where they’d like to be.

Krevt: Very inspirational! Hopefully, some of our newer faces will be following in your footsteps in due time. I’m sure after reading this they’ll have something to gauge off of, but since you claim to be ‘extremely active’ and ‘exceptionally proactive’ how do you keep yourself motivated for NS? A good example is how some people tend to resign their posts because of work, external pressure, real-life commitments, and a wide variety of other factors.

Robespierre: I don’t think I’ve ever had to resign a government position in the past five years, but I could always be wrong. Usually my memory holds up, so it’s unlikely that I would have, but in either case, I’ve always found that in such scenarios it’s best to concentrate on what you actually enjoy doing. That way, when you come online, you’ll be greeted by something that’ll fulfill you. If you’re busy then just say so, I think people are fairly understanding of that. As the saying goes it’s RL > NS and that rings true always, so don’t get your head in to deep or be up a creek without a paddle. I stay the way I am because I dedicate myself to things I actually enjoy. That’s why I pride myself on being versatile and doing so many things: because I love the community here and I’m happy with my place within it.

Krevt: I’m sure people appreciate your versatility and in many ways, I think that makes you a regional asset. Now, since you’re the incumbent Minister of Defense, I'll ask some major issues which I think should be addressed.

Robespierre: Go ahead.

Krevt: First off, what are some reforms that you’d consider to make NPA a more efficient organization? Regional security is already top-notch, obviously, but there is always room for improvement wouldn’t you say?

Robespierre: Definitely, and that’s always the objective I have in mind when making decisions for my Ministry. I want to make the North Pacific Army a more efficient entity, but at the same time, I also want to make membership to it a more engaging experience. There are a great many ways that the High Command can go about doing just that, but I’ve chosen to have the server undergo a lot of internal renovations that’ll take our updating to the next level regardless of what kind of operation we’re scheduled to be on. That, combined with minor policy changes, is what’ll enrich the experience for soldiers and keep them interested in our affairs.

You can already see this being done with the new NationStates cards incentives that I announced informally at last night’s Executive Staff meeting, as well as with the creation of new ribbons for officers who meet certain requirements tied to mission leadership. All and all, it’s about leveraging positive reinforcement and making ‘work’ not work.

Krevt: As a Sergeant of the North Pacific Army I must confess that I’m excited to see how these new rewards programs will be implemented and what effect that’ll have on participation. Secondly, I’ve noticed the operations that occur nowadays have less NPA participation than they did when I was here before. A look back at military sign up thread will tell you that there are far more soldiers recruited than those who are participating, without much matter be it at major or minor updates. That being said, how do you think you can rectify this issue of less participation?

Robespierre: I don’t think that you can just look at the sheer numbers of our organization and deduce that conclusion as a result of observation. As any Minister of Defense of the past will tell you: you have to look at how your soldiers are participating and not how many of them are participating. Not everyone will agree with me and that’s okay, in fact, that’s the beauty of it. But I would much rather have a multi-faceted update force capable of being jumping at a second’s notice and a piling force with the awareness and attentiveness to reinforce in under twenty-four hours then an overcrowded barrack full of soldiers who are only tag raiding once or twice a week.

It’s about sustaining constant improvement with the people who are showing up and making sure your active soldiers are consistently developing. That’ll ensure the health of the organization long term; if I can get multiple moving parts firing on all cylinders when I need them to do so. Being in a game-created region means that I’ll never have a shortage of personnel and in turn, I have a lot to work with. So instead I’m focused on managing the development of those who do show up.

Krevt: A very nice answer to an interesting dilemma, and one that I hadn’t yet considered to be of relevance to the topic. Do you think the promotion mechanism of the NPA requires some overhaul and to be more linear? Linear in the sense that there can be an activity tracking system by which a soldier can be tracked of his/her achievements and participation and given points. and on the basis of those points, a soldier should be given a promotion. That’s my opinion anyway, so I’d like to get your thoughts.

Robespierre: You may or may not know this, but there is something that tracks that. It tracks various statistics actually, like operation participation, rank, operations lead, alias notes, etc, I don’t think that it need be a linear progression system though, because I’m the Minister of Defense and who gets promoted is entirely subjective and at my discretion. There’s more to look at then just numbers, especially for evaluating leadership potential. So no, I wouldn’t say I agree.

Krevt: Is there something other than NationStates that keeps you nearly as energetic and proactive as you are here? How did you first find yourself coming onto the site?

Robespierre: It’s a funny story really, albeit a boring and underwhelming one, but a funny story all the same. I would imagine that most players are referred here either by their friends/family who already play the game or by Reddit postings. For me, it was different, as I actually sought out the game before the game could be advertised to me. I’ve always had a passion for politics and my desire to discuss and debate the opinions that I hold seems to be undying. Elsewhere, people really aren’t always willing to have those sorts of conversations either because they don’t have the time to do so or because they simply don’t have the patience to do so.

At the end of the day, us talking about all these different ideologies, government types and whatnot doesn’t really matter, right? Well… if you’re me then it does matter and you’d be wrong for thinking otherwise. I think that’s what connects players worldwide and joins them all here on this political simulator game straight out of a web browser: It’s the prospect of being whoever it is that you’d like to be and advocating for whatever viewpoint you’d like to convey unto others. It’s a very powerful thing, I must say, but aside from that my love of business, learning, and music does keep me fairly occupied.

Krevt: What can the people of TNP expect from you and your governance in the coming future i.e what are your future plans within TNP?

Robespierre: My future plans are heavily dependent upon what people would like from me. “Who am I? Well… who do you want me to be?” - the question is: Who do North Pacificans want me to be? If you answer that question I can better answer your question, but for now, I don’t have much to say aside from I’ll do my very best in my current capacity and I’ll continue towards no limit.

Krevt: Ah, I see. That’ll definitely be something to look out for in the near future and I’m almost certain that you’ve got players from around the region who are really counting on you to make an impact in the coming stages of your career just as you have when you first began your time here. Finally, do you have any advice that you would like to give your fellow North Pacificans and soldiers of the North Pacific Army?

Robespierre: You know, as a matter of fact, there is a little bit of something that I’d like to share with everyone reading this. For what it is worth, my piece of advice to you all is this: Don’t ever allow your time on NationStates to become more like a job then it is a source of recreation. If you enjoy completing government work then by all means - please continue to be as productive as some of you guys are being right now. If you enjoy RolePlaying and creating various storyarchs with your friends and foes, then hold onto that because there’s always time for a bit of fun in one’s life. If you enjoy participating in gameplay, raiding and defending, the continue to update regularly and sharpen your skills. Show everyone that you’re the best out there on the battlefield! … While you’re at it, come join one of the oldest, well-organized, most powerful armies that NationStates has ever known.

^^^ I’m totally not bias in saying that, but the point I’m trying to illustrate here is that the game is meant to be enjoyed and that goes for everyone who plays it. If you’re logging in every day and you’re not having fun talking with your region-mates, RolePlaying, tag raiding, spamming, answering issues, podcasting, plotting, or whatever else it is that you do then why even log in at all? I think that the North Pacific especially has something for everyone and I truly do hope that by continuing to play and enjoy myself I’m inadvertently improving someone’s experience of this game. My advice? Always aim for that! Try to enjoy yourself whenever possible and subscribe to positive energy - it’ll serve you better in the long run.

Krevt: Wise words if I’ve ever heard them! Thank you, Robespierre, for taking the time to sit down with the Spotlight this month.

Robespierre: No problem! It’s both a pleasure and an honour to be featured by the North Star and hopefully my long-winded answers didn’t bore all of our readers to death :P

Krevt: I think it did anything but that, in truth. Anyhow, this has been yet another edition of the Spotlight on the North Star publication! Today it was with Robespierre, but next month it could even be you - find out in coming issues! Good day, and thank you for reading!

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NPA Bulletin

Some of you may have noticed a bit of irregularity as of late, almost as if an uprising is imminent or the air around you has seemed... sweeter than usual. Well, today, as your newest General and supreme commander (that's not a rank), I am tasked with the responsibility to deliver this most unexpected news. What is this news you ask? Is it good? Is it bad? Ehh, I'll let you be the judge of that, but the fact of the matter is this: The waifus have taken over the North Pacific Army and they're not stopping yet! o_o

... I know, I know - don't panic. It'll all be okay as long as we stay calm and greet them openly. Refrain from making any sudden moves and let them do their thing vive la révolution! This'll all blow over soon...

Anyway, onto more pressing affairs! We've hit the ground running these past couple weeks and there's a lot to be proud of! A mere two days after taking my oath, nine soldiers lead by General Gladio took on the target of the thirteenth (13th) of September's featured region. Shortly thereafter, newly-instated Colonel Trondstorm took up the helm at the seventeenth (17) of September's major update and lead another nine troops on a short tag run through six regions. To cap off the week, another hit on a featured region was needed. Little did we know that it would become the featured region until after six soldiers had already stormed the premises, but two regions were hit that update and one of them got to serve as an advertisement for our beloved Floof's update force.

Carrying on, then-Major Bobberino got in on some of the action as well! On the twenty-seventh (27th) of September's minor update, four soldiers embarked out on a one-hitter of the region Devious Tyrant. Thankfully they didn't encounter any tyrant (ret.)'s on the battlefield that day, but a nice hit all the same. Didn't have any time to waste though, as Colonel Koopa got back into the thick of things that major with four hits and a solid backing of ten soldiers. What's better than one team running? Two teams sprinting! ... I think at least. On the twenty-ninth of September's major update, I lead a team and General Darcania lead a team. Four and four, eight soldiers participated, and we racked up another six hits in the process.

We needed a way to end of the month right and so we did that with a stealth operation that saw all of Western Civilization conquered. It was nothing too big on our part, but you can thank us later. Since then, Captain Dinoium has already lead the first raid of spooky season! On the first (1st) of October's minor update, four regions fell at the hands of seven soldiers. Remember when these updates used to be shorter reads? Yeah, I don't either... at least not since I started writing the bulletin. But wait! There's more!

In addition to this, it was announced informally by Minister of Defense Robespierre earlier this week that henceforth the North Pacific Army will now be offering its soldiers a plethora of new bonuses and incentives for outstanding service. These rewards programs, approved by the Office of the Delegate and coordinated with the Northern Light regional nation, will allow members of the Officer Corps increased accessibility to coveted NationStates cards of the legendary rarity and will seek to institute a sort of 'signing bonus' for newly-enlisted personnel.

Since then, the High Command has stated that it will be rewarding officers in increments of every five operations successfully lead and that newer soldiers will be awarded their signing bonus after five training missions are completed. More information about this initiative will be available within the next week via dispatch, but if one thing's for sure then it's that this is a great time to become involved with everything Ministry of Defense!

Lastly, we bring you more exciting news! Over the course of the past three weeks, members of the Generals' Staff have been working tirelessly to ensure that the new term gets off to a strong start. Even in the midst of a transition from one Minister of Defense to the next, progress did not seem to halt for the organization nor did it phase the barrack's men and women. In fact, things seem to be firing on all cylinders as of late, and there is no better example of this than the exemplary work that has been put in by General Darcania to make our Army's server a more secure, serviceable place for our allies from abroad.

With his unique set of skills, our Divine Floof has gone above and beyond the call of duty to transform our internal infrastructure from that of old-fashioned text channels to a fully-functional automated system capable of dividing troops into teams, enabling concurrent missions to be undertaken by two or more triggers, properly citing participants on each time out, and even introducing a new join system that eases soldiers into a mission at the connection of a specified voice channel. With these new innovations comes a more efficient and effective updating force - one that the North is proud to boast. For all of our allies, friends, foes, Floofs, and natives out there: we say thank you!

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Regional Assembly Highlights September 2019

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World Assembly Digest

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Recommendation: Despite the good intentions of this resolution, it falls victim to several discrepancies that undermine its own effectiveness. Firstly, Clause 2.1 allows guardians of minors to legally consent to sterilisation on behalf of a minor, undermining the integrity and the spirit of the bill. In addition, several clauses are plagued by ambiguity that again undermines effectiveness. Clause 3.2 requires a state to "reasonably punish people who carry out illegal sterilisation" which does not specify what might count as reasonable punishment. Clause 4 "urges member states to provide reparations for victims of forced sterilisation." Again, this is too vague to be of any effective benefit and ultimately, no reparation is adequate to any sort of degree as there are no proven ways to give back to an individual the biological means to reproduce once sterilized. While this proposal is well-intentioned, it should in essence, be considered a draft for a much larger and more comprehensive bill on the topic of limiting forced sterilization.

In accordance with the reasoning presented above and in hopes of a redraft, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.

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Recommendation: The target resolution is well-intentioned, but possesses many flaws that undermines its effectiveness, as outlined by this repeal. Firstly, the target's definition of "prison" was too narrow in scope, excluding facilities holding prisoners before their conviction and any non-permanent facilities, thus creating loopholes for private prisons to exist, and even incentives for private prison operators to delay trials, encourage arrests, and frustrate the justice process. Furthermore, the target resolution also created several loopholes in its definition of a "private prison", including allowing governments to lease prisons to private operators, and minority ownership and operation of prisons by private entities.

In hopes of a replacement that will better protect inmate rights and regulate private prisons, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this repeal. resolution

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Recommendation: Koem Kab, as described is worthy of condemnation for their assorted actions in pursuit of their goals in playing the trading cards mini-game. Many of these actions are in direct opposition or strongly disapproved by the majority of the trading cards community. Among these actions is the deliberate hoarding of the cards of certain legendary nations in attempts to ensure that no one else can get any of them, and Legendary cards in general. Additionally, Koem Kab has deliberately inflated the price of many cards in order to artificially raise the value of their own collections and stealing the bank transfers of other card farmers. For future reference, it should be noted that gameplay within this card community is something to behold and acknowledged both in this and future proposals.

For these reasons, and others listed in the Condemnation, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this proposal.

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Recommendation: The SC proposal at hand is written first and foremost by an author universally disliked by the decent regions and nations of the world for both their various self-aggradizaition and fascist nature. Furthermore, the nominee is being commended almost entirely for holding a regional delegacy for a long period of time, with little to no other notable features noted to their delegacy. Additionally, the proposal has received only the minimum of drafting needed in order to secure legality (with a previous version being illegal as submitted). Finally, the proposal asserts that "this Security Council has honoured nations for far lesser feats," a exceedingly false claim and slander against the names of those so commended by the Security Council.

For these reasons the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs strongly and unconditionally recommends a vote AGAINST the proposal.

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