NATION

PASSWORD

Search

Search

[+] Advanced...

Author:

Region:

Sort:

«12. . .22,88922,89022,89122,89222,89322,89422,895. . .24,38924,390»
Messages

The Federation of Balnik

Nhoor wrote:Ow, such an emptiness in Raedlon... I knew it was coming but seeing it in practice is confronting :/

#GaelSuperiority

Segentova, Roendavar, Thromsa, Nhoor, and 2 othersNew jacobland, and Nurbaria

The Federation of Balnik

Also, we are approaching 23000

Domanania, Segentova, Roendavar, San Montagna, and 4 othersNhoor, Doravo, New jacobland, and Nurbaria

New jacobland

Am I allowed to participate in RP's outside of the region? It wouldn't be canon.

The Independent Colony of Hospitaller West Indies

Wait is anyone on the map allowed to participate in the League’s discussion or do I have to apply to the League

Roendavar and New jacobland

New jacobland

Hospitaller West Indies wrote:Wait is anyone on the map allowed to participate in the League’s discussion or do I have to apply to the League

Anyone on the map.

The Republic of Biaten

Hospitaller West Indies wrote:Wait is anyone on the map allowed to participate in the League’s discussion or do I have to apply to the League

Yeah, any nation is automatically in the League as soon as they are on the map, though I think you can opt-out if you really don't want to be in the League.

The Hegemony of Wellsia

Shanzie wrote:.

No argument here, even if half the things you listed was media spin and propaganda. During the Kavanaugh hearings, our new VP incited a mob to storm the Supreme Court Building, media declared it democracy at its best. Trump was a mistake as was Obama, now let’s hope and pray that Biden can do something to reverse the division that Obama created and Trump promoted. I do wish people would stop blaming Trump for Covid, when this first started and Trump called to end travel to China and people stay home, the Democrats attacked him telling everyone to go out and enjoy themselves in large crowds.

Shanzie

Wellsia wrote:No argument here, even if half the things you listed was media spin and propaganda. During the Kavanaugh hearings, our new VP incited a mob to storm the Supreme Court Building, media declared it democracy at its best. Trump was a mistake as was Obama, now let’s hope and pray that Biden can do something to reverse the division that Obama created and Trump promoted. I do wish people would stop blaming Trump for Covid, when this first started and Trump called to end travel to China and people stay home, the Democrats attacked him telling everyone to go out and enjoy themselves in large crowds.

What? No wellsia I'm not debating this with you.

I had to look up the Supreme Court bs tho. You're telling me a small, controlled crowd blocked by police is the moral equivalent of storming the capitol to murder the heads of government at trumps behest? Jesus christ. No. Away with this stupidity. I also don't see anything about kamala inciting those protesters.

The Hegemony of Wellsia

Shanzie wrote:What? No wellsia I'm not debating this with you.

I had to look up the Supreme Court bs tho. You're telling me a small, controlled crowd blocked by police is the moral equivalent of storming the capitol to murder the heads of government at trumps behest? Jesus christ. No. Away with this stupidity. I also don't see anything about kamala inciting those protesters.

No debate, wrong is wrong, I am appalled at what happened in Washington and God have mercy on everyone of the rioters, if I was trying them. I was just pointing out that the media influences the way we think by their spin on things. I wish every person involved in every riot from last year was dealt with, they were all wrong. I didn’t vote for Biden, not because I like Trump, but he is our president and I’ll support him for the next four years. All I care about is that 2020 and the first weeks of 2021 become a bad moment in history and we get this nation back together again.

Nurbaria

Alteran republics

Ainslie wrote:we do need a cyberattack capital

*Horizon begins compiling "Code Black" dossier*
Counter-cyber attack? Oh, yes please.

Athara magarat and Nurbaria

Alteran republics

Almorea wrote:
In Almorea, citizens purchase health insurance through private corporations. There is no universal healthcare system, or national public health insurance program. Almorea has over 350 private insurance companies which provide differing levels of health coverage to the public. Almorean citizens rely on private medical providers, usually hospitals and clinics run by corporations or trusts, for their health needs.

The logo of the HGFA, the agency offering Health Aid

HGFA and Health Aid

The Department of Public Assistance, the largest agency of the Almorean government that handles the federal welfare net, is responsible for the majority of federal engagement with private healthcare markets.

Despite the lack of a national healthcare system, Almorea does provide financial aid to its citizens in need of healthcare. The Healthcare General Financing Administration (HGFA) offers plans which deduct payroll tax to pay the costs of personal healthcare, and also offers "health aid" payments to low-income holders of private insurance under the National Health Aid Program. In 2020, the HGFA was spending $19.6 billion annually, making it a bigger budget item than the Army and Navy combined. The price of Health Aid payments in the same year was over $15 billion.

An Almorean citizen who wants to receive Health Aid payments will apply online or by mail to the HGFA; there are also health insurance centers located in some Almorean towns, staffed by DPA clerks. A questionnaire will then be completed, requiring the applicant's tax and insurance information, address, and Citizen ID Number. Once this information is processed, the HGFA will begin providing Health Aid to the recipient by setting up an account and depositing money every two months. The account can only be accessed by the recipient's primary medical provider. For someone in a low-level tax bracket, with expensive private insurance, the typical Health Aid payment would be $1,100 bi-monthly, but recipients can request a lump sum of all the money due to them that year (in this case, $6,600) in case of a medical emergency. This is often not enough to cover a large hospital bill, but would suffice for an emergency room visit.

Through its Payroll Insurance program, the HGFA offers three plans that deduct a varying amount of payroll tax, Plan T (5%), Plan V (8%), and Plan Y (11%), which is then placed in an account and can be withdrawn tax-free by the PI recipient when they incur medical expenses. If the money is withdrawn for non-medical purposes, there will be a significant tax penalty imposed, similar to federal college savings plans.

The price of private health insurance in Almorea is regulated by a number of laws, notably the Private Markets Price Control Act (PMPCA). The PMPCA establishes price ceilings for all types of health insurance, calculated based on the recipient’s tax information, ensuring that private insurers will not overcharge the Health Aid program by setting their prices too high.

DPSC

The Drug Pricing Stabilization Corporation (DPSC), colloquially pronounced "deepsick", is a public-private insurer whose board is controlled by the Almorean government. It ensures the stability of Almorean drug prices by covering a portion of the price of some pharmaceuticals, thereby providing insurance against rising costs for consumers. The recipient of DPSC insurance will then purchase the drug through a government portal. The DPSC receives $1.4 billion in taxpayer money annually, and is also funded by a myriad of different shareholders. The DPSC covers certain pharmaceutical drugs which the Health Aid program does not, and can also help low-income families pay for extended chemotherapy treatments, among other things.

Recipients of DPSC insurance do not pay any annual fee, as many of the corporation's functions are funded by public money, but DPSC's shareholders are allowed to take a cut of the profits from the sale of the reduced-cost pharmaceutical to the recipient. Because DPSC's board is state-controlled, this means that, while the Almorean government is paying some of the cost of pharmaceuticals, it is also making some money back off the distribution of these drugs to the public.

There is little legislation in Almorea that regulates the price of prescription drugs, necessitating the existence of the awkward and inefficient DPSC, which has been accused of serving the interests of corporations and government officials rather than the true needs of the public.

Problems and criticism

The complex Almorean healthcare system, which sees the federal government paying a mixed portion of the costs of private healthcare, and with little guarantee of quality, has proven increasingly controversial in recent years. Almorean healthcare is prone to corruption, with medical malpractice overlooked in exchange for rich bribes paid to government inspectors, and hospitals charging exorbitant medical fees with little pushback from the judicial system. The average hospital bill in Almorea is $60,000. Many hospitals will charge hundreds of dollars for simple items such as bandages and cough syrup. Some small medical clinics, operating in rural areas, will entrap poor people by charging them large fees and then suing them in debtors' courts for not paying.

Healthcare quality and safety regulations are maintained by the Healthcare Standards Administration, a component of the NPHS, but provincial governments handle the majority of regulatory enforcement with varying degrees of success. The HSA is empowered to act as a health ombudsman for the Almorean public, suing private healthcare providers in class action lawsuits on behalf of injured plaintiffs. In reality, powerful pharmaceutical and medical lobbies in Congress restrict the HSA from doing too much damage to corporate interests.

Some in Almorea have called for the abolition of the Healthcare General Financing Administration and the creation of a universal healthcare system, covering all Almoreans equally and funded by a large increase in taxation. However, given that this plan would require a significant restructuring of the Almorean bureaucracy and tax code, and has often been derided as socialist, the debate over healthcare is lively and argumentative. Critics argue that, because the Department of Public Assistance already consumes over $50 billion annually, swelling its liabilities even further would only lead to massive budget deficits, regardless of any tax increase.

Read dispatch


A wee look at this rather dry topic.

Healthcare is a neglected topic in this region. It certainly has gotten me interested!

Dormill and Stiura, Almorea, Nhoor, and Nurbaria

Shanzie

Wellsia wrote:No debate, wrong is wrong, I am appalled at what happened in Washington and God have mercy on everyone of the rioters, if I was trying them. I was just pointing out that the media influences the way we think by their spin on things. I wish every person involved in every riot from last year was dealt with, they were all wrong. I didn’t vote for Biden, not because I like Trump, but he is our president and I’ll support him for the next four years. All I care about is that 2020 and the first weeks of 2021 become a bad moment in history and we get this nation back together again.

Media spin was not at fault for how we perceived the attack on our capitol. The terrorist attack there killed 5 people in an attempt to stop an election. Its dishonest and false equivalency to compare those two events

The Blue Islands of Corindia

Wellsia wrote: I didn’t vote for Biden, not because I like Trump, but he is our president and I’ll support him for the next four years.

wait do you only vote for incumbents

The Hegemony of Wellsia

Corindia wrote:wait do you only vote for incumbents

No, I actually voted Libertarian this year. Couldn’t vote for the psycho or the racist pervert.

Alteran republics and Nurbaria

Aromea

Shanzie wrote:Trump isn't a case of too much freedom and I will defend our ability to choose bad leaders as much as I would our ability to choose good ones.

If a complete lunatic being allowed to be president is not a case for too much freedom than I don't know what is.

Aromea

Shanzie wrote:Media spin was not at fault for how we perceived the attack on our capitol. The terrorist attack there killed 5 people in an attempt to stop an election. Its dishonest and false equivalency to compare those two events

Exactly, we also had a similar terrorist attack in the parliament in 2017 here in North Macedonia. Luckily the bastards didn't kill anyone. We all know who organized that attack. And Yet they are walking about and even sleep well at night.

The Snark Queen of Shidei

There's a reason GOP stands for Gaslight, Obstruct, Project

Dormill and Stiura, Shanzie, and Nurbaria

Alteran republics

Wellsia wrote:No, I actually voted Libertarian this year. Couldn’t vote for the psycho or the racist pervert.

bUt HiS vP iS bLaCk

Shanzie

Shanzie

Aromea wrote:If a complete lunatic being allowed to be president is not a case for too much freedom than I don't know what is.

Being able to vote in free and fair elections is the foundation of democracy.

Wellsia and Alteran republics

The United Republics of Dormill and Stiura

Almorea wrote:
In Almorea, citizens purchase health insurance through private corporations. There is no universal healthcare system, or national public health insurance program. Almorea has over 350 private insurance companies which provide differing levels of health coverage to the public. Almorean citizens rely on private medical providers, usually hospitals and clinics run by corporations or trusts, for their health needs.

The logo of the HGFA, the agency offering Health Aid

HGFA and Health Aid

The Department of Public Assistance, the largest agency of the Almorean government that handles the federal welfare net, is responsible for the majority of federal engagement with private healthcare markets.

Despite the lack of a national healthcare system, Almorea does provide financial aid to its citizens in need of healthcare. The Healthcare General Financing Administration (HGFA) offers plans which deduct payroll tax to pay the costs of personal healthcare, and also offers "health aid" payments to low-income holders of private insurance under the National Health Aid Program. In 2020, the HGFA was spending $19.6 billion annually, making it a bigger budget item than the Army and Navy combined. The price of Health Aid payments in the same year was over $15 billion.

An Almorean citizen who wants to receive Health Aid payments will apply online or by mail to the HGFA; there are also health insurance centers located in some Almorean towns, staffed by DPA clerks. A questionnaire will then be completed, requiring the applicant's tax and insurance information, address, and Citizen ID Number. Once this information is processed, the HGFA will begin providing Health Aid to the recipient by setting up an account and depositing money every two months. The account can only be accessed by the recipient's primary medical provider. For someone in a low-level tax bracket, with expensive private insurance, the typical Health Aid payment would be $1,100 bi-monthly, but recipients can request a lump sum of all the money due to them that year (in this case, $6,600) in case of a medical emergency. This is often not enough to cover a large hospital bill, but would suffice for an emergency room visit.

Through its Payroll Insurance program, the HGFA offers three plans that deduct a varying amount of payroll tax, Plan T (5%), Plan V (8%), and Plan Y (11%), which is then placed in an account and can be withdrawn tax-free by the PI recipient when they incur medical expenses. If the money is withdrawn for non-medical purposes, there will be a significant tax penalty imposed, similar to federal college savings plans.

The price of private health insurance in Almorea is regulated by a number of laws, notably the Private Markets Price Control Act (PMPCA). The PMPCA establishes price ceilings for all types of health insurance, calculated based on the recipient’s tax information, ensuring that private insurers will not overcharge the Health Aid program by setting their prices too high.

DPSC

The Drug Pricing Stabilization Corporation (DPSC), colloquially pronounced "deepsick", is a public-private insurer whose board is controlled by the Almorean government. It ensures the stability of Almorean drug prices by covering a portion of the price of some pharmaceuticals, thereby providing insurance against rising costs for consumers. The recipient of DPSC insurance will then purchase the drug through a government portal. The DPSC receives $1.4 billion in taxpayer money annually, and is also funded by a myriad of different shareholders. The DPSC covers certain pharmaceutical drugs which the Health Aid program does not, and can also help low-income families pay for extended chemotherapy treatments, among other things.

Recipients of DPSC insurance do not pay any annual fee, as many of the corporation's functions are funded by public money, but DPSC's shareholders are allowed to take a cut of the profits from the sale of the reduced-cost pharmaceutical to the recipient. Because DPSC's board is state-controlled, this means that, while the Almorean government is paying some of the cost of pharmaceuticals, it is also making some money back off the distribution of these drugs to the public.

There is little legislation in Almorea that regulates the price of prescription drugs, necessitating the existence of the awkward and inefficient DPSC, which has been accused of serving the interests of corporations and government officials rather than the true needs of the public.

Problems and criticism

The complex Almorean healthcare system, which sees the federal government paying a mixed portion of the costs of private healthcare, and with little guarantee of quality, has proven increasingly controversial in recent years. Almorean healthcare is prone to corruption, with medical malpractice overlooked in exchange for rich bribes paid to government inspectors, and hospitals charging exorbitant medical fees with little pushback from the judicial system. The average hospital bill in Almorea is $60,000. Many hospitals will charge hundreds of dollars for simple items such as bandages and cough syrup. Some small medical clinics, operating in rural areas, will entrap poor people by charging them large fees and then suing them in debtors' courts for not paying.

Healthcare quality and safety regulations are maintained by the Healthcare Standards Administration, a component of the NPHS, but provincial governments handle the majority of regulatory enforcement with varying degrees of success. The HSA is empowered to act as a health ombudsman for the Almorean public, suing private healthcare providers in class action lawsuits on behalf of injured plaintiffs. In reality, powerful pharmaceutical and medical lobbies in Congress restrict the HSA from doing too much damage to corporate interests.

Some in Almorea have called for the abolition of the Healthcare General Financing Administration and the creation of a universal healthcare system, covering all Almoreans equally and funded by a large increase in taxation. However, given that this plan would require a significant restructuring of the Almorean bureaucracy and tax code, and has often been derided as socialist, the debate over healthcare is lively and argumentative. Critics argue that, because the Department of Public Assistance already consumes over $50 billion annually, swelling its liabilities even further would only lead to massive budget deficits, regardless of any tax increase.

Read dispatch


A wee look at this rather dry topic.

Alteran republics wrote:Healthcare is a neglected topic in this region. It certainly has gotten me interested!

Count it two from me. Got my gears spinning about how Dormill and Stiura handled the topic in the immediate post-reunification days and especially the kind of damage Baetylus impact did to this sector of the nation.


Baetylus 2000VC04 Impact Event


Baetylus 2000VC04, commonly referred to as Baetylus approximately 400 meters in diameter and responsible for the Baetylus 2000VC04 Impact Event that occured in 2001.

Dr Adolf Marner while being with the Space Administration of Balnik (SAB), first discovered Baetylus on November 12th, 2000, further research was conducted across the isles with its primary observer being the Balniki Aerospace Institute. Further research predicted that the asteroid's orbit would cross the Earth's, making it a potentially hazardous object (PHO).

Two months later on January 6th, the Balniki Aerospace Institute announced the appearance of the asteroid and its high probability of striking the planet with Gael and Eastern Argus projected to suffer the most damage. Due to the time restraints the nations of the Isles had to prepare and the scattered nature of the nations within Aerospace treaties, the asteroid entered the atmosphere as predicted on December 3rd, 2001. Within a week 50,000 lives were lost in Balnik alone, plunging the country into unrest.

Discovery and Pre-Impact

Researchers at the Space Administration of Balnik led by Dr Adolf Marner, discovered Baetylus in November, 2000. Further research conducted by the Balniki Aerospace Institute using computer simulations concluded that Baetylus would impact enter the Roche limit on December 3rd, 2001. Although the asteroid was wide it was speculated that the composition of the asteroid was weak and fragile with most of the fragments burning up in the atmosphere. However it was predicted that debris that did make it through would strike from the north to central Isles.

The BAI reported this to its parent branch, the Armed Forces of Balnik, which the was reported directly to Andre Chernobog, leader of the nation. Chernobog decided to hold onto this information for two months to assess the validity and accuracy of the findings and to not cause panic and disarray within the populace and nations.

On January 6th, 2000, Director of the BAI, Dr. Rovič Belgradi, disclosed the information of the impending impact to the public and a press release that shook citizens all over Balnik. Chernobog, predicting that the nations of the world would not be able to cooperate and form a defensive measure, and given the time limit, envisioned a shelter program to be acted out all across the major urban areas of the nation. The program fell short of its intended goals, with shelters only being build in Rustov, Zokol, Kayan, Zojina, and Chernogreb, each one capable of holding 50,000 to 100,000 persons.

Impact and Aftermath.


Clockwise from top left; Ostrov Island Crater, Pride Crater in Cinnigrad, Kotlumi Crater, Zeleny Crater.

As predicted, on December 3rd, 2001, Baetylus broke through the Roche limit. The asteroid spent two days orbiting the planet at a decaying rate before plummeting into the atmosphere, breaking apart into fragments that burnt in the atmosphere, with some, breaking through and crashing into the Southern Sea. Unfortunately some fragments struck land, with Balnik bearing the heaviest of the bombardment, with 4 craters hitting the Kotlumi mountains, The Zeleny Forest, Ostrov Island, and the most devastating being Cinnigrad, which plunged the downtown area into the sea and destroyed the majority of the city. 50,000 civilians were killed in Balnik and many more went to become refugees. In Townside a stray piece that orbited the planet came down and struck land, creating Fei Hua Lake with minimal casualties. In Dormill and Stiura, stray orbital fragments hit the country with unknown casualties. the 6th of December the last fragment crashed into the Lotus sea, ending the bombardment and reign of Baetylus.

The aftermath of the impacts weighed down on Balnik as the nation struggled to recover, Cinnigrad, a major industrial and economic hub for the city, was destroyed, and the nation faced a material shortage as its resources went to construction of the shelters. Aid did come in from Altera, Segentova, and Townside, this prevented the nation from collapsing completely but also supported the Fascist government. This resulted in mass unrest and unprecedented political upheaval. The impacts eventually led to Operation Operation Cleaning of Stained Floors, of which paramilitary forces belonging to the Balniki National Socialist Party, detained and executed several armed forces leaders in fear of an imminent coup. Chernobog consolidated his power and directed the hatred among the populace towards Gael, citing their neglect during the strikes and exploitation during the Gael Economic Crash.

The end of 2000 and all of 2001 would be marked by the discovery of the Near-Earth Asteroid Baetylus 2000VC04 and the further discovery of a possible impact event. President Granger, in a then unprecedented move, coordinated with the Balniki government and that of multiple other Isles nations to respond to the crisis, leading the formation of an impromptu council of nations as a forum to respond to the impending crisis. When the news broke that the asteroid had a high likelihood of impacting within Gael, Congress initially debated the veracity of the information given its Balniki source, but was soon convinced when the Doraltic Space Sciences Institute and United Republics Air Force Space Service corroborated the Balniki and Magrati reports, confirming the near certainty that the asteroid would intersect Earth’s orbit low enough that it could pass through the Roche Limit and break up.

Knowledge and fear in hand, Congress quickly passed legislation to redirect federal funds into a “Doraltic National Emergency Response Fund” and direct the United Republics Army to begin construction of shelters across the nation to house as much of the population as possible in the event an impactor struck major population centers. In order to ease the building national panic, the Granger Government spent enormous time and effort on various campaigns to assure the public that the asteroid is not large enough to survive atmospheric entry and that any possible fragments would be too small to pose a threat to national integrity. The resulting economic slowdown caused by the initial panic combined with a market that was falling apart did serious damage to Granger’s overall status as President, dipping well under 45% approval by the nation in mid-August through early September, with elements of the Doraltic right wing casting doubt at the threat Baetylus posed to the nation and the proportion of response the federal government provided.

By September, tracking of Baetylus and its possible fragments painted a grim picture for Dormill and Stiura, with its largest population centers in Kapolder, Boissieux, and Launey all at risk for direct impacts as powerful as a nuclear bomb. By then, the Army had completed enough shelters across the nation to house up to 3 million people for the entire week of the expected impact, these shelters were focused primarily in the urban areas surrounding the Kapolder Bay. In addition to the underground shelters, the Army had also constructed or made plans to requisition the use of several post-impact shelters, mostly to process the people who could not enter an underground bunker or lost property in the impacts themselves. When the Congress prepared to enter recess at the end of October 2001, President Granger exercised for the first and so far only time the Presidential power to compel the continued attendance of Congress, seeking to pass further legislation relating to the crisis and calm concerns from the public that Congress would abandon Cour Rouge for other destinations to ride out the impacts.

By November, the predicted path of impact was solidly confirmed and preparations began to wind down, further construction of impact shelters would cease by mid-November, the Army claiming that it would be impossible to complete further meaningful work before Impact Day in early December. When impacts began on 6 December, millions of Dormill-Stiuraians huddled in impact shelters across the nation, fearing the worst as news filtered in of impacts across the Southern Sea and then Balnik.

Ultimately, there would be seven total major impacts across Dormill and Stiura, with several more minor impacts. The closest any impactor would reach a major population center was the first, impacting over a hundred kilometers from the city of Temple, while the most severe impact would be Van Curan Valley meteorite, with an equivalent energy output of 700+kt of TNT. As a result of the following Earthquakes, a significant part of Temple, Broons, and Enoire were damaged or destroyed and up to 5000 people lost their lives in the immediate week following, mostly from injuries sustained from collapsing structures in Temple and Broons. In the end, the United Republics suffered a billion dollars in damaged and destroyed property, 9418 dead from the immediate impact and events relating directly to them, and several million hectares of burned or glassed land.

As 2001 finally ended, Dormill and Stiura threw itself headfirst into the international reconstruction effort, sending the bulk of funds saved up from the National Emergency Relief Fund allocated to international aid to Balnik, alongside dedicating several waves of economic stimulus across Gael to restart national economies. This provided a significant political win to Doraltic Conservatives, who advocated now would be the perfect time for the government to get its foot off the neck of the economy, and allow the free market to reset itself. Given the options, President Granger reluctantly agreed to a massive spending bill that saw the Doraltic Government continue pumping money into the nation to kickstart the economy, but also made significant tax cuts, especially to the uppermost individual brackets and across the board regarding business incomes. The 2002 Spending Bill also included ride-alongs that loosened restrictions that aimed to cede control of the Doraltic economy to private interests.

Simultaneous to these efforts, Dormill and Stiura also reaffirmed its commitment to RTEA and sought out agreements to ease economic barriers, efforts which would eventually bear fruit in the form of several bilateral and multilateral trade agreements across the Isles. However, the crisis would not be averted, as the sudden and severe shock the nation took would bring tensions previously left behind back to the surface.

Today the impacts have etched themselves into history, both cultural and physically, with craters being a ubiquitous feature of Balnik and the sight of a destroyed Cinnigrad being a national symbol of loss and mourning.
December 6th is regarded as holiday and day of remembrance and grieving for those that lost their lives, homes, friends, and family.

Read factbook

Athara magarat, Alteran republics, and Almorea

Aromea

Shanzie wrote:Being able to vote in free and fair elections is the foundation of democracy.

I am not contesting the right to vote, but the right for a lunatic to run for office. What I am saying is that there should be a "filter" of sorts that screens the candidates before they are even announced to the public. Everything, from a background check to mental tests. Being the Head of State is an honor that should only be reserved for those that are qualified and have merit. ironically, the USA's system of "democracy" is bizarre to say the least, even on paper.

The United Republics of Dormill and Stiura

Aromea wrote:there should be a "filter" of sorts that screens the candidates before they are even announced to the public.

While I would otherwise agree with the concept that any candidate for office should be reasonably prepared for their role, I just wanted to point this out because the US already did this, and abandoned it. The political machines of the Gilded Age were by all accounts just as described here, and they were awfully corrupt to the bone basically because the only qualification to gain office was to have enough money and connections to get on the inside of the machine.

A test of basic competency asked of candidates as they apply to run for office is probably a more equitable way to handle this than what you're describing.

Wellsia and Nurbaria

The Snark Queen of Shidei

It's like having a toddler who you keep warning not to touch the curling iron because it's hot, but she keeps trying to grab it because she wants it after being told no, because it'll help her look like a princess. Then one day she pulls it off the counter and gets a nasty burn on the back of her hand and you then have to drive to the ER and now you're stuck paying the medical bill, but maybe she'll have learned her lesson and now no longer likes curling irons and ends up using her previous experience as a stand-in for people not realizing what they're really getting themselves into when voting for a candidate based on an ideal image of them while ignoring the reality of that candidate's behaviors.

Let people choose to be dumb, there will be a competent adult in the room eventually

Dormill and Stiura and Shanzie

Shanzie

Aromea wrote:I am not contesting the right to vote, but the right for a lunatic to run for office. What I am saying is that there should be a "filter" of sorts that screens the candidates before they are even announced to the public. Everything, from a background check to mental tests. Being the Head of State is an honor that should only be reserved for those that are qualified and have merit. ironically, the USA's system of "democracy" is bizarre to say the least, even on paper.

Who runs that filter? Who decides who is fit anf unfit? Dangerous path

The Most Catholic Diarchy of Miklania

Hospitaller West Indies wrote:The biggest pirate and privateer companies would own more state-of-the-art warships, some being significantly government funded and supported (specifically just by the Swashbucklers Party) while smaller businesses would probably have to resort to using motorized dinghies, or at least small motorboats, or stealing the captured boats. The country tends to look down on the smaller businesses because they tend to use much more barbaric and unprofessional methods, and bounties will often be put on them for their brutality.

Yeah no they're not operating warships or submarines.

Privateers are only a thing in wartime, and in the modern world the practice of issuing letters of marque is considered illegal by many nations.

A few people have given positive constructive feedback so allow me to be bad cop: If your government sanctions attacks on shipping in the South Mesder, I shall utterly destroy every one of your puddle piddling pirates, raze your harbors, scour your trade from the seas, and leave your remaining leaders to wallow in defeat, with the lamentations of your women ringing in their miserable ears.

Dormill and Stiura, Wellsia, Doravo, and New jacobland

«12. . .22,88922,89022,89122,89222,89322,89422,895. . .24,38924,390»