NATION

PASSWORD

11

DispatchBulletinNews

by Sho. . 194 reads.

The Wave - Issue 1.5 - Special Election Bulletin


Thalassian Thoughts: WAD Candidates

by Owl Archipelago and Sho


Election season is upon us again in Thalassia! Due to some recent constitutional changes which resulted in the abolishment of the Presidency, citizens have lined up to fill this new World Assembly-centric role. In this special bulletin edition of The Wave, Owl and Sho sit down with the region’s WA Delegate candidates and ask questions submitted to us by readers.

Those who submitted were given the option to ask anonymously or to be credited. Opinions in this article are solely the candidates and are not representative of The Wave or Thalassia. Similar questions were grouped. Due to the varied response lengths, their answers have been spoilered for your reading convenience.


Candidate

Response


I started out in The Interdimensional Community, a role-playing region, but it wasn’t my type. So I moved to Pacifica and a couple weeks later, I applied to be an Ambassador. Veaetmar assigned me to the region of India. I was promoted to Senior Ambassador and then Deputy Minister. After V’s resignation, I became Minister and was so under Prime Ministers Shoalia and Badivermeraed. I left MoFA after the January Election and have been active in the region since. I joined the Thalassian Assembly of Nations and have been drafting a charter. I also ran for President in February. I also served as ambassador to St Abbaddon and The Glorious Nations of Iwaku.


On my first day of joining NationStates, I very briefly joined 10000 Islands among other regions I can't recall, before settling on Thalassia. I have been serving as an ambassador to The Communist Bloc for almost a month, and have been active in the World Assembly since my first week in the game.


I joined NS in December 2016, did some noob stuff in 2017 and maybe late 2018, but I got truly involved in March 2019. I spawned in TNP [The North Pacific], immediately joined their offsite and became a citizen, and was quickly introduced to cards. Cards became my branching off point into my WA work, and what made me join TRR [The Rejected Realms]. In TRR, I've been the Outreach officer, the Media officer, and have helped in creating their WA programs. My WA work started by tackling the rules violations from writing a resolution about cards, and I had to defend the idea against convention-loving skeptics. The result was Condemn Koem Kab. I started loving the SC, and fairly-quickly passed 3 more resolutions. The most recent one, Commend Kindjal, mirrored Condemn Koem Kab, as it was the first resolution to primarily focus on the merits of quiet, consummate, and clever issue answering over years of work. Currently, I'm an active SC player, and have recently been tasked by Sedgistan to write the new guide to the SC. I was invited to join Thalassia after concernedly informing of a blacklisted player disguised under a different name in Thalassia's discord (nothing worrisome though). I was MoS in Bad's absence, where I helped in developing documentation and other ventures.


I started off in Pacifica, and upon the formation of the republic, Cormac [Cormactopia prime] offered me a job. He'd noticed that I was active on the RMB and offered me to be his Foreign Secretary. To sum that up, I went into the places where Cormac was banned, so a number of larger regions, to found relations, consulates and embassies. I resigned and left following some drama that lives best buried in the past.

I moved to Voltarium, Vamp's [Vamperiall] region, and did a bit of roleplay. I climbed government fairly quickly and started a few programs, my golden child being V-WASP, the WA development program.

As an active cards player, I was interested cards a lot, and really wanted to get my hands on Frattastan II, a CTE'd nation for my GCR collection so Wop said I could ask guy if I could buy his card, that's where I joined TRR [The Rejected Realms]. I, admittedly, joined for image posting perms in their discord, but I am very glad I decided to join.

Throughout this I was in and out of Pacifica, but properly came back shortly after the DRUS [Democratic republic of unified states] delegacy drama, where he'd bargained with Cormac to keep myself unbanned, in return for the region. I reemerged and applied for government positions, just Ambassador to start, before I applied for Culture when DRUS resigned. I was accepted and served as Minister of Culture through the rest of Pacifica, where I resigned in Thalassia following Lazarus. I missed out on SP [The South Pacific] and the one I have forgotten Warzone Airspace. But I haven’t done much in either, outside of yell at Warzoners.



Alright, this shouldn't take too long. I joined NS in November, and as soon as I got the tg from Thalassia I was hooked. I started getting involved in the region by doing RP, and have since become involved in culture, where I'm the deputy minister, foreign affairs, where I'm the ambassador to TLA [The Leftist Assembly], and have written articles for information. Due to my relativly short time on NS, I haven't gotten involved in other regions that much, and so I don't have negative political baggage, only good relations with TLA.

Candidate

Response


Well I moved to Thalassia’s predecessor, Pacifica. I think it was a stroke of luck. I pulled up the World Census, clicked the “Democratic” filter, and started to look. I skipped over the feeders, sinkers, big regions, and that landed me on the third page where I found Pacifica. I like Thalassia because the nations that make up our regions have something powerful in common: Their love of NationStates and their love of their region. Its unknown force. There are many other things, but that was one way to summarize it!


I joined Thalassia from a recruitment telegram that snuck into my telegrams before I turned off my recruitment. I love that Thalassia is laid back, and allows all political freedom possible. Many other regions said in their factbook entries and recruitment telegrams things like "Anti-security council" and other controversial things, immediately creating an environment against people who don't agree with them. Thalassia is not like that.


I joined Thalassia after being invited by Bad [Badivermeraed] who saw my concern for the community (as above). I love the laid-back environment, and that more great UCRs are popping up in this GCR-dominated world. Thalassia had to overcome a lot, and I respect that.


I joined Thalassia through the move, and I joined Pacifica from a recruitment telegram. I love its community and its values.


I got the recruitment TG and I decided to join, considering it was everything I was looking for in a region, democratic, medium size, active, welcoming, roleplaying, and perfect. It's just the best region I've found in the game. I especially love how the community is so welcoming and how it perseveres through anything.

Candidate

Response


I think it is best if we added a requirement to be a WA citizen: You have to be endorsing the delegate. Endorsing the delegate, in my opinion, is a no-brainer. It’s three clicks to endorse the delegate, yet people still don’t do it. It’s not much of a roadblock to vote in our elections and referendums.

I do not have any programs up for proposal, however I do want to continue Cormac’s [Cormactopia prime] Policy of keeping the limit below the delegate’s. I could possibly institute limits for citizens, ministers, the Vice-Delegate, and the Delegate. I would keep a buffer between the Vice-Delegate and me to make sure his/her position is “Vice-Delegate”.




I intend to give more power within the region to people who are in the WA (however this is not in my direct power, I will have to petition to change the constitution), and create a dispatch explaining the role the WA plays in this region, whether the amendment passes or not. I believe that with time endorsements will come naturally as long as the nation grows, and we can regularly tell newcomers how to join the WA and to endorse the delegate.


So, Thalassia's currently sitting in a very comfortable position in WA endorsements and influence. In importing players who just care about rewards and endorsements, we cannot compete with the massive infrastructure and PR lead TNP [The North Pacific] has on us. We can, however, encourage current WA nations to tart by publicizing a script (I already have an endotarting script I coded) to make gaining endorsements easier, and by offering rewards (I'd have to contact WA members to ask if they'd be interested in cards, of which I have plenty). Additionally, my pre-tested and designed voting awards program should encourage members to be in the WA; as well as having WA members be able to vote on WA decisions. To maximize our presence in the World Assembly votes, we can always start stacking and stomping (I'm in a great time zone to vote immediately and always vote early), which should help massively. What we also really need to do is start finding people interested in the WA in our region, and encourage them to become authors, something I already do for people I see who are interested in the SC. To increase our presence, we need experienced WA players to help Thalassians understand the World Assembly and start writing proposals that promote our ideals (e.g. democracy). There's the possibility that we make a smaller bloc, but that is a long-time goal, and the regions would have to fit values similar to ours. It would be WALL-style rather than URA-style, because the URA, having encouraged the collecting of small UCRs rather than virtually-any big delegacies, disproportionately helps small delegates who rarely vote (many not really having much of an understanding of the WA). There are some regions I can think of who would fit into the bloc (similar sized to Thalassia and similar values).


My plan is the standard Nations Not Endorsing dispatches paired with a program offering rewards of some sorts, may they be cards based, although I know that the community is not that receptive to them or may they be based on badges and awards. This would be a mixture of for the delegate/VD and general endotarting. As for membership itself, I believe Thalassia has many incentives for that already.


I'm going to start an endo swapping program called thalassiendos, where in game rewards will be given to those that endorse others, and endorse back the most. In terms of endorsing the WAD, I think that endos do seem to accumulate on their own as long as endorsing the WAD and the VD is emphasized in the welcome tg and the wfe. If a wa member hasn't endorsed me, then I can, and will endorse them, and if they still don't, then I'll shoot them a tg. In terms of encouraging WA membership, I feel as though enough of our citizens join the WA, and just letting people do what they want apropos joining the WA. Their nation their choice whether to join or not. I am considering a lower endo limit for those who don't endorse me within 10 days however.

Candidate

Response


I have knowledge in both domestic and foreign affairs, knowledge that was acquired while I was Minister of Foreign Affairs. I am an active member in the community, in role-playing and regional politics. I have been involved in multiple political campaigns and governmental legislation. I was here before Thalassia and I will be here for years to come.


Although I have not been in NS for very long, I can use that to the advantage of everyone, and will always be open to debate to sway my vote in the WA, and see the side of everyone's decisions. Outside the game, I have always been good at debating, and also love being in groups and participating, and making things better than they were before.


I’m objectively the most experienced candidate for the job, as I’m the only one who’s an author (4x as of now), and seemingly the only one active in the international WA community. That’s not against the other candidates— I’m sure they’d all do a great job. I just know the WA. It’s the part of the game I primarily play in. I’m also experienced in outreach (see above) and endotarting.


My past experience in Voltarium
As well as my experience with Outreach in TRR [The Rejected Realms]
I did a bit, albeit limited amount, in the region.


Right to the point I see! I'll give you a list:

-I'm passionate, and want to do what's best for Thalassia, not any other regions.
-I've had experience in three ministries, and am the deputy MoC, so I know how government works.
-I'm a member of Thalassia who has never broken the law
-I know my limits.


Candidate

Response


I think it would be to condemn The levellers. They have caused plenty of trouble in this community. So much in fact, that they deserve a condemnation. As delegate, Thalassia comes first. Any attack on our region will be replied with stern retaliation. If they make any more attacks on us, I guarantee a condemnation.


If I could right this second submit a resolution to the Security Council, it would be to Commend Thalassia. I am not joking, this could be a good thing to do. We could be commended, or at least get some attention so that people may want to reconsider the region they are in. Thalassia truly is a great place.


Hmmmm that’s tough (I have a long list of projects). I’ve been tossing around the idea of commending Ulthar, a region which had some very fun and eccentric roleplay that would create an equally entertaining and unique resolution. Their forums were the platform that New south hell did his issue analysis, which was so remarkable that he became an “Issues Tech” so he would (paraphrasing) “stop revealing their secrets”. I hear he also discovered update order. The name won’t mean much to most as just a concept, but I think it would be a great resolution.


I don't know enough about NS History and/or players to answer that but if I absolutely had to: Condemn Kyorgia for being a big mean raider :>


Considering what's currently in the WA, I'll just say this:

*Commend This Game*
Because this game has as fewer bad things in it then good ones and we should recognize that as well as the raiders and flamers


Candidate

Response


It's basically the Presidency cut down to its bare minimum: Delegate Status. The President was the Head of State, but now that's the Founder. The WAD does not have a permanent seat in the Cabinet as the Prime Minister can decide if he/she wants to have the delegate in the Cabinet. The only powers the delegate has is to vote in the World Assembly and appoint a Vice-Delegate.


The WA Delegate is our representative for everything WA. Everything from debating proposals, writing proposals, etc. to large scale endorsement programs. The WA Delegate can also give advice to the Prime Minister and their cabinet, and participate in meetings if the PM allows it. It is different from presidency due to the recent amendment to the constitution, which now removes executive powers from the delegate as well as their power to administer referendums.


The presidency had a lot of powers which I thought were weird to be investing in a WA delegate, just to summarize. I prefer to have a UCR delegate purely invested in the WA and gaining endorsements and such, because all other duties can go to an RO or the founder. The delegate is the role designed for the WA, so that might as well be the priority.


The Presidency was the head of state for Thalassia, they were, from my point of view, a security position and there to uphold the constitution. That is now the founder's job. I believe the WA delegate is what it says, a position to represent Thalassia in the WA, and promote its activity gameside. Including promoting the delegate’s endorsement count as a fail safe just in case you [Sho] go and get DEAT'd or something :P


The role of the WA delegacy is that of doing the job of a WA delegate, and only a WA delegate. That means voting for WA resolutions on behalf of the region, controlling endorsement limits and anything related to endorsements, and just WA affairs in general. They are the face of the region in the WA, and are responsible for WA alliances, with the approval of the MoFA, I assume. They can advise the cabinet on matters relating to the WA, but they are not required to. The WAD is not a member of the security council, and is not directly responsible for regional security, unlike the presidency, although controlling WA endorsements and affairs is closely linked with that role. In short, the presidency controlled executive powers, and was the head of state. The WAD is not.

Candidate

Response


With respect, first off. Second off, I know both Sho and Arenado, and how hard they work for Thalassia. Sho and I have worked together in government since we were in Pacifica. Arenado, is very kind and is doing his best as Prime Minister. I understand what it means to be in regional government, and to work with officials in the Cabinet. I have the experience and I'm ready to go back for Thalassia.


I will try to keep to myself as much as possible when it comes to the Founder, unless I believe there is change that needs to be made. Of course, I will have my say in any more important matters. With the Prime Minister, however, I will try to interact with the cabinet however often I can.


Collaboratively. I would work with the founder in making sure no one gets too close to my endorsements, in using the discord to help in WA discussions (WA channel). I would work with the PM in matters such as WA-related events and WA outreach.


To the Prime Minister, effectively as a member of their cabinet, but more like the President. If that makes sense. As in, I'd be very willing to cooperate with the departments to say, promote programs in the Wave, or working with culture to build x into y. Like a Minister, but not tied to the PM, only with their blessing.

As for the founder, the same way I would approach the President. I'd go directly to them on matters of security or community safety, as I would anyway. This would likely mean bypassing the security department, but if the PM is not comfortable with me being present there then it's the safest person to contact. As well as, per their role, clarifying their interpretation to the Constitution if I feel like I may be drifting to far away from my position.



With kindness and respect.

Candidate

Response


I would vote with the majority unless the opposing side provides a strong argument. In some cases, I will abstain as not to upset both sides. In rare cases, I would plan a debate on my proposed WA channel on the regional discord. This channel would enable us to have discussion and civil discourse about the World Assembly. Hopefully, this will encourage more involvement in the World Assembly.

I will always vote for resolutions that benefit Thalassia and vote against any resolution that harms it. At the end of the day, I am the Thalassian delegate, a representative for the citizens of Thalassia.




Most times, I will let the people take the wheel on how I vote, unless there is a close vote or one in which a strong opinion of mine is in the minority, and in either case I will vote the way I wish, and also have a debate to keep people active in the WA.
In the case the resolution would benefit the world as a whole, but not cause harm to Thalassians, I would vote so it passes. I will never even consider considering voting for a proposal that harmed Thalassia in even an infinitely small way.


If I disagree with the region vote, the region vote comes first, and I'll vote as it wants. For my own personal votes in the polls, I'm more interested in what the region wants, because if each region votes based on what it wants, the final vote is representative of the world's perspective.

Depends on what "Thalassian nations" means. I know that just going by the percentage in the region vote for or against that you get on the in-game voting page is a bad idea, because it means you have to vote late and your vote will almost always just be going on with the lemming effect. That's why I would have a discord poll starting before the proposal reaches vote (e.g. while nearing quorum), but continuing into the vote ofc. I wouldn't break that vote.

I can't think of an example of a resolution which would help the world but hurt Thalassians, but I would vote on behalf of Thalassia.



I would only differ from the majority vote of Thalassians if the Prime Minister asks due to a Security Council Resolution that impacts Thalassia.

I may disagree with the region, but that's not my job. My job is to vote for Thalassians, following their opinion.



I will break with my region if I hold a strong belief that the resolution should, or should not pass. I will share my reasoning with the region, as I will with all resolutions. However, if the voting is near unanimously against what I think would be best, I will encourage discussion about why, and potentially withhold my vote.

I will represent Thalassia on the world stage. Therefore, in GA resolutions, I will vote for what I believe will benefit Thalassia, but also by extension the rest of the world. Thalassians know my beliefs, so they know how I will vote. Will the resolution make Thalassia better? I will vote based off of that. Think of it like this. You're the president of a country, and you have promised to make the country a better place, and you represent the people. However, you have a choice. You can either blow up your country while knowing that the rest of the world will be freed from poverty, or you can keep things as they are. You made a promise, a oath, and will you keep it? I will.


Candidate

Response


Bormiar is well accomplished in The Rejected Realms and I really love his work over there. Toerana is also involved in TRR, who also does amazing things for them and Thalassia. Banq is new, and is running for the newly-createdposition of WA Delegate. Lastly, Zentata is heavily involved in the Culture ministry and roleplaying. He really is a joy to work with. One thing that we all agreed to a joint statement to encourage nations to come out and vote!


I believe that Ayeinc's idea of a legislative league, especially starting one, is a great idea, and hope that it can happen no matter who wins. Toerana has the idea of an in-depth rewards program for WA members. Though I do not intend to do it like this, it is a good idea. I like Zentata's experience and a similar wish to create a more active WA community. Bormiar appears to be an excellent security council resolution author. It is truly an honor to be competing against them.


Heh. I admire that Zentata and Banq seem to be interested in getting more involved in NS. I admire that Toerana doesn't really procrastinate if he's asked to do something and is active gameside. I admire that Ayeinc has initiative. I like all the candidates for being calm and nice in this election.


I admire Borm's [Bormiar] dedication to the WA. He's a Cosmo because of his WA work. The only person who comes close to him in that area is Cormac [Cormactopia prime].
I admire Ayeinc's resilience, he has ran in numerous elections, even against opponents who, lets say, could be nicer in their approach.
I admire Zentata's character, he is a fab guy and a credit to the community.
I admire Banq's goals. He's a fairly new member of the community but he is already striving for the top. I admire his goals and his apparent dedication to them.


This is the best question yet:

Banq: They're optimistic, while being realistic.
Toerana: He's a good article writer.
Ayeinc: He perseveres, and is a kind person.
Bormiar: He has written quite a few SC resolutions.


Candidate

Response


Zentata. We would draft the charter and organs for the Thalassian Assembly of Nations. Also, I think we would be good friends in real life.


If I was to be deserted on an island with one other nation, it would be Zentata. They have a good sense of humor, it seems.


hmmm... probably McMasterdonia. Apparently he's jacked irl and he'd probably know how to get us off the island.


Whichever one can get me off the island the fastest.


The sea vessel of 1 cruise ship to sail away in while enjoying some cool lemonade.


Special thanks to Badivermeraed,Laconshire, and all Anonymous askers for submitting questions. And thanks to Ayeinc, Banq, Bormiar, Toerana, and Zentata for agreeing to take part in this. We at The Wave wish you luck!


Sho

RawReport