Embracing federalism. Leaving the Federalists.
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by fingerguns
I haven't really addressed this issue directly in public, although I've had this private conversation a number of times now. May as well just get it all out there. I've left the Federalists and am joining the Democratic Party. Allow me to explain...
I absolutely loved being the President for the Feds. That was easily the best 2 and a half months I have spent in this game. I am very proud of what we have done and very thankful to all of the Federalist members who worked hard to make the vision a reality. Since I have stepped down, I wasn't really sure what I should do next. I tried taking another party job, but because of RL issues immediately following the election, I really didn't have time for it. As things are starting to wind down in RL, I have a little more time for the game again, but I don't think I want another leadership role in the Federalists. Actually, I don't think I want any job in the Federalists.
First of all, the reason we were able to accomplish so much in the Feds when I took over is because literally all leadership had left the party. There were a ton of vacancies and I created even more by reforming departments. These positions have been filled by people who shaped the direction of the party, which is exactly what I wanted to see. People like citizenslave, captain panther, kara beth, st krems, eliwood_sain, ibnroshed, LiveFreeOrDie, Smitenheimer, DarkFlight and so many others have taken the reigns and carved out their own place in the party, because the spots were open and they went for it. They started as brand new citizens and took the initiative to become essential members of the Federalist team, driving the party forward. There needs to be room to grow. I don't feel like the party has any obligation to keep hiring the same people for the same jobs term after term or shuffling the same people around between departments so they're always in charge of 'something.' I don't think that should happen. I've seen it happen in other parties and the result is a massive disconnect between leadership and general population. It makes parties pointless cliques.
Now don't mistake me for some kind of saint here. I didn't step down from my responsibilities in the Feds solely to give other people the opportunity to move up. But that is certainly a side effect that makes me feel less bad about my ultimate decision to step away from the party for a while. My next reason for wanting to leave comes off as pretty arrogant, but I hope you'll understand. We busted ass for 2 and a half months to get the Feds on the right track. We basically suspended all political efforts and focused exclusively on infrastructure and organization on the inside. Smart, healthy players make a smart, healthy party. Being in the Top 5 doesn't matter if you are unable to make the most of that position. Having loads of Congressmen doesn't mean anything if they aren't really qualified for the job and don't know what they're doing, or they're hardly ever around. We took a break to focus and I believe it has paid off. New players are able to jump in quickly, get a head start on their education and find new opportunities in the game because of their experience in the Federalists. Mission accomplished! lol Basically, what I wanted to do in the Feds was done and I feel like the party will continue moving forward and expanding without me.
I truly believe the Federalist Party is the best party in the eUS. Even as I move on to work with the Democrats, I believe this. My goal in the Democrats, actually, is to make them more like the Federalist Party. During the period where my time was extremely limited, I made my way into a few conversations on the Fed forum, the eUS forum and through PM. The Democratic Party was taken over by notorious multi and former President, Harrison Richardson. HR has never been a fan of mine and quite frankly hates the Federalists. He's not the only one. It seemed most people who gravitated toward his new vision for the Dems have a very skewed (and outdated) perception of what the Federalist Party is all about. I noticed a lot of interest among people who even admit they have basically stayed out of 'party politics' for a while because they hated the bickering and partisanship so much. Well, while they were taking a break, things were actually happening. Parties started agreeing and working together, sharing ideas. Things aren't exactly like they were before, as we've made many steps toward becoming a federalist nation.
The Democratic Party is undergoing a rebirth. The new version of the Democratic Party seeks to become THE game mechanics party in the eUS. I support that idea and pushed the Federalists in that direction as PP. The Federalists today are a party that balances RL ideals (mainly nationalism and federalism) and game mechanics (mainly education). Federalism is the philosophy that we apply in real life America. State governments are essential to the day to day lives of citizens and the 'first on the scene' when things need to happen on a massive scale in coordination with the federal government. We need that in the eUS. Regions come and go, but parties are tied to no territory and they have the obvious infrastructure to govern people as states do. It's what we already do in the game, but implementing 'federalism' in the eUS makes this activity more intentional and coordinated. Parties need to be utilized by the governement to help this nation succeed. Parties, for their own self-interest as well as national benefit, need to keep their citizens healthy, educated and active. That's how we do in the Feds, but it's how everyone should do. ha
This concept should apply nationwide- to every party. Many parties are now making efforts to serve their members in this way. They're setting up mentorship programs and mass communication systems and training divisions and institutes. They're governing their members and the nation benefits. Party activity increases and there is higher citizen retention. We can get better politicians and better soldiers and execute larger strategies because we have a larger pool of educated and active people to choose from. I think the Democratic Party, with the members they have attracted thus far and their desire for a well-educated and active membership, will be a huge asset to the eUS if they implement these federalist ideas about the functionality of small government. I believe these people could add a much needed perspective to the conversation about national organization among parties.
The Democratic Party could potentially produce some of the best of the best specifically because of their experienced distaste for how things used to be, and do a lot of positive things because of their national influence. Many of them played a role in the negativity of the past and hold grudges and hard feelings about things people don't really remember or nobody really cares about. I am joining them because they hate me and they hate the Feds, and I don't want that bias to stop them from getting on board with the other parties on the path toward a federalist eUS. I think it is what the Democratic Party wants and what they are going to need if they don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past. I don't want to 'take over' the Dems. I think they have strong leadership and have attracted the right kinds of members to hit the ground running. But I feel like they would benefit from a member like me. I think they can really use someone who focuses completely on the function of the party as small government, and someone who challenges them to let go of a shameful past (for all involved).
Call it infiltration if you'd like. I am very much a believer in all the Federalist Party stands for and couldn't deny them if I wanted to. But I think the Democrats unknowingly share in Fed beliefs for the most part. These are things that pretty much all parties are agreeing with these days. The differences between the Feds and Dems are very much 'political' and not really game mechanics related. When some kind of call needs to be made, the Feds would go more conservative and the Dems would go more liberal... whatever that would mean for the situation, I suppose. I'm not really a politican. I don't serve in Congress or in the White House. I'm an organizer and I want to help the Dems get it together. That's really all there is to it. I know there are some Feds upset with me about this, and I can definitely understand. Many, MANY high ranking members left the party while I was serving. I know it sucks. But I also know that it's barely a blip on the radar within a week. There is too much going on to linger on things like this. I have no negative feelings whatsoever toward the Feds and if I ever change my mind and decide to run for some kind of political office, it will be as a Fed. I just want to do this. It's a challenge I want to take on.
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Should have come to the UIP 😉
Best of luck FG, come on IRC more often, I miss you 🙁
>Game Mechanics Party
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Thanks for the backhanded endorsement, I guess...
tl;dr
jk! FG is my favorite.
Ok. Let's first talk about how ALL major parties are Game Mechanics Parties and the Democrats claiming the mantle of being the only party that uses a winning game strategy is absolute nonsense.
Second, you're saying you're going to the Democrats to help them recognize 'federalism', a concept you adapt to eRep by saying parties should take the place of state governments as first responders and active doers when it comes to education, mobilization and communication. This is a great angle, and you acknowledge that most parties are already engaged in this kind of grassroots work on behalf of the country.
What doesn't compute for me is: The Democrats are AGAINST partisan party politics. In fact, they've declare it completely irrelevant and named themselves ABOVE political action! They seek to eliminate party distinctions and they label party activities as pointless and counter productive. I agree that bickering BETWEEN parties is completely useless, but I seriously doubt you'll find much support for your 'federalism' in a party that seems to want a totalitarian hold over major offices while eliminating the party and political mechanisms of the game even though they are some of the most mobilizing factors of player outreach.
This is a weird move, fingerguns. 😕
Agreed with sydiot. We'll be waiting for you with open arms when you're ready to come home.
You really think we want to eliminate politics from this game?
No, we want to change how politics are taught and how we engage in them. Is it a lofty goal? You bet. Does that mean we're going to stop? No.
We're no more in favor of a "totalitarian" takeover than you are, sydiot, with your Federalists.
Good luck, fingerguns.
Unfortunately, I think you will find that "game mechanics" usually doesn't mean anything of the kind, but is rather a smoke screen for "do what I tell you". Like "realism" in RL, whenever someone claims it, they are begging the question.
Still, I have much respect for what you've done and hope you can push the democrats in the direction of the federalists, despite HR and other mechanicists of his ilk.
Good article.
Side note. Welcome back partisanship. Let us see how big of a monster you grow into.
I would only ad😛 true federalism isn't just administrative decentralization - it is decentralization of decision making, leadership, and sovereignty. Don't let the parties become mere administrative apparati of the government, and you'll be a true federalist.
Good luck fingerguns, oh, you do still have to come to our IRC.
Also agreed with comandantedavid.
inb4 major trolling
Not going to say anything else because it isn't worth arguing about.
Also agreed with johnpauljones. Clearly there isn't.
xD
A simple click, President Richardson, and you would have seen that I am a member of and Press Director for the Libertarian Party, not the Federalists. But I consider anyone who works to increase activity and knowledge of the game (including the Democrats) to be a friend of mine and of the country.
I do object to the 'you're with us, or against us' tone of the Democrats new platform and that it is being pushed by an admitted cheater and thief.
I also fear a time when those of us who currently run our own parties feel a necessity to join the Democrats for fear of seeming 'too political' or 'not game mechanics enough'. I think fingerguns leaving the party he is so strongly identified with is a good example of what could be on the horizon. Good for the Democrats, bad for America. Of course, fear is only a feeling, I hope that as the Democrats grow they keep in mind the rest of us want 'win' as well.
So I'm your friend? I hope so.
I think our platform is the best of any party in the eWorld. Show me another party that clearly states any position and isn't full of rhetorical fluff and I'll concede. Honestly, there is nothing that angers me more than a pandering platform. It's just horrible. At least we stand for something, even if you don't like it and turn around and use it for mud-slinging propaganda. That's exactly what we're trying to stop: the labeling of parties as "totalitarian takeovers" by politicos.
Fingerguns makes her own decisions based on her own mind. She is a big girl. No one forced or convinced her to join us.
If you truly want "win", I hope you'll debate with facts, not misguided propaganda.
This is Fingerguns article. You guys could PM each other without making her decision seem even more divisive.
If you don't believe me, that's fine. I don't run the party. Believe Chocolate McSkittles, or Elderon, or Joe Newton, or ExoM7. I'm not the sole leader of this party, just the most well known.
I don't generalize those in the political sphere. There are some great minds, like One Eye, who constantly do solid work in politics (not so much anymore, but Jewitt also comes to mind) and yet are largely apolitical. There are quite a few, who will go unnamed, who still do practice partisan politics, who still do use rhetoric ("the troops who served you..." - Great rhetoric), and who still don't play the game the right way.
The moment you join the Democratic Party is the same moment at which you can lecture me on how to do my part in running it. Until then, feel free to rant, but don't expect me to take much of what you say to heart.
For the record, please point out where "propaganda and insults" lie within our platform.
:3
HR
I second that, Michael Porter.
and with that, I'll abstain with an apology to FG.
However, when an article explicitly mentions you and your purpose over a dozen times, I think I'm entitled to respond to the article and the ensuing debate, yea?
In these comments: waaaaay too much drama.
Apologies again for drama. GL to fingerguns, the Feds and the Democratic Party.
😘(
I miss you already. Best of luck with eLife FG, and keep in touch yo!
What? You should have joined the Retirement Party like I did.
Who..what..when..where..and sometimes Y?! 🙁
I miss stbob.
Who doesn't? Wait... don't answer that.
"Should have come to the UIP 😉"
This. Just because we'd be happy to have you. But good luck to you.