[Larry asks] Political interview with Bhane

Day 2,196, 04:48 • Published in Ireland United Kingdom • by BickUA


Larry asks
Today I’d like to start new series of articles – Interviews with those who matters. This series articles won’t be used to promote somebody but would be used to explain positions and get answers on questions we’re interested in.
Disclaimer
This interviews are held by Larry – great green croc, who’s totally neutral and don’t support any party, MU, personality and the only goal is to get as much useful info as he can. All answers presented “as is” and no questions would be filtered out because somebody don’t like them or don’t want to answer.
At the same time there’s some set of topics which Larry really won’t cover due to lack of useful information, but great ground for trolling.
Plans for the future
I Larry ask everybody who’s interested in getting more info from our government, CP, parties, MU’s – PM me with any interesting questions you’d like to ask and people you’d like to be interviewed.
Also interview cold have follow up interview with interesting/provocational (why not 😉) questions which you could send me Larry via PM.

Today’s guest
I’d like to start this series with one of the most visible persons at the moment

Bhane – our current CP.

What's your vision of CP role?

My vision of the CP role is simple.
You make the best decisions you can for the people of your country.

A CP runs the administration of the country.
There is far too much to do when running a nation for any one person to accomplish. The CP manages the team by delegating tasks, and trusting a capable administration to be able to accomplish those tasks. With so many things happening in different modules of the game, the CP is there to keep the team on the same path. I know this would never happen, but let's take an extreme example. You don't want the MoFA talking to a country about a MPP, while the MoD is planning an invasion of that same country. The CP is there so the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. If you trust the goals of the person at the head of the table, you can be confident the others are doing their part to achieve them.

The CP provides a unified voice for the nation, as a figurehead.
A nation's direction in the eWorld is more or less defined by a mandate from the people. A CP is the one entrusted to chart the detail work of that course. Average citizens will never get an invitation to a world summit, or other such events. They must elect a person who can speak rationally, and keep their cool, someone the country can trust to represent the nation in a positive manner.

Experience is important for any CP
We have seen things spiral downhill when unproven candidates are elected. Someone may be an excellent CP candidate, but if they are elected before they are ready, the results can be devestating. Inexperience or naivete can lead to many inintended pitfalls. My term 2 years ago went extremely well, but if I had been elected a just a year earlier, I would have crashed and burned with just over a year's experience under my belt. It takes more time than most are willing to admit, before one really gets a grip on this game.

The single most important attribute for any CP is integrity.
The country elects the person they trust to make the best decisions for the nation, and represent them on the world stage. Drastic new game mechanics like now, or a geopolitical alliance shift, or maybe a war that affects the nation, even if it is only collaterally. The country decides whose judgement they trust to deal with the issues that will arise. I like to think I have proven that I can set aside self-interest, and make hard decisions that are for the greater good of the people of eIreland, and that is why I have been entrusted with the office.

Describe in two words your opinion on what you've got from predecessor in each area - finance, military, diplomacy, government trust rating. Are you happy with it?

Finance - Stable bank
Military - Strong IA
Diplomacy - Happy allies
Trust rating - High standards

Stilpo's surveys show that eireland recognized the positive work from the previous CPs. I'm very happy to take the big chair with eireland in such a good situation. In my last term we were wiped with an agressive eUK on our border on the day I started. I hope I can improve upon the previous administrations, and leave an even better legacy for the next CP.

As I understand you have a long-term CP roadmap. How many time you need to implement main parts of it?

That's hard to say. Certainly the financial goals I would like to establish in the ministry of finance are very close already. The growth of the last 5 months has made that one easy. (special thanks to Apple, and Sweet for that)

The new mechanics seem to be fueling schisms in TWO. If that alliance is going to truly fracture, it ill likely happen sooner than later. I'm making sure we are in a position to be ready for that day. I can't say exactly how long that will take. It might be next week, it might be next month, it might be in 2 months. When it does, we should see some very interesting changes for eIreland. Until then we are building bridges to new friends, and strengthening ties with old ones.

Have you done any changes to your plan for the nearest future based on last updates? How serious were this changes?

I had a diplomatic endgame for the eUK situation planned when I started the term. These new mechanics have thrown that plan right out the window, and made my job a lot easier.

Shortly after starting the term a new diplomatic potential has arisen, and I am working on that now. The new mechanics have actually made the certain necessary events far more likely. The changes have also put success within reach. We are sowing seeds now, and they should bear fruit as time plays out.

What's your main areas for improvement during this term?

It's hard to improve on a nation doing so well.
1) Our position on the global stage has improved with FF/determination raising the stature of all small nations up a bit.
2) Our finances are running smoothly, and we are growing our bank to prepare for any future crisis.
3) Our military is second to none for nations our size. We have a formidable, well-organized state army
4) Our well-earned status as an honorable ally, and even an honorable enemy has kept us in high regard with most nations in the eGlobe. This is because of our consistent loyalty to friends for all 6 years of eRep.

One of the most imortant things I can do is simply keep the nation on the rails. CPs must accept the heritage of the office, and continue a legacy to be inherited by the next. I cannot simply live in the moment of this one term. If every CP slammed the reset button, our nation would be utter chaos. We would not have the well-earned reputation for honor amongst our oldest friends and allies. This is the main reason the nation must elect reliable, trusted, capable CPs, who have the experience in this country to respect the history of the office. Learning to continue the good things we have done, and avoiding the pitfalls of the past.

What I can improve is the climate within eIreland. I encourage everyone to carefully read Seanans article here...
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/2342972/1/20

If you find yourself opposing another eIrishman, it's time to do some introspection. Do you oppose the person, or do you oppose their associations (Party/MU/friends/whatever)?

If you oppose their associations, then you need to re-evaluate your position. If you truly oppose the person's actions, or poliies, and want to confront them, then engage them in reasonable discourse. A debate about behavior, policies, and doctrines is productive for the community. A flame war of hate and bile, only serves to weaken us all.

After latest events in eRep and especially eUk-related looks like we'll be back to our stable situation - helping allies, making small improvements all over State. But eUk conflict was something that was driving eIreland during long time. It was main fun for many of us. And now it would be moved mostly to diplomatic level. Do you plan or think about any global actions that would raise us again and bring more new fun?

You have hit on the exact issue I will be bringing to the MoD soon. I recently had an idea in it's infancy, but it's going to need to be fleshed out. It may also take a lot of effort, so I'm not sure if we can even get it off the ground. I'm not sure how realistic it is, but the defense department will get their chance to kick it around and see if it might be viable.

What was your main criteria for cabinet members?

My main criteria is patriotism. I believe every person in my cabinet holds eIreland more dearly in their heart, than any other country on the eGlobe.

After that, the most necessary component is a willingness to work. Not everyone wants to put in the time/effort to run a country, and that's okay. Many people prefer a more casual gaming experience, and don't want their leisure time to become "work." I made an offer during my campaign to all eirish citizens...
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/2336264/1/20 "If you can think of something positive you would like to do for eIreland, please mail me. I will find something for you to do."

I received ZERO mails following that article, but the offer still stands.

I did receive one mail many weeks later when made the offer again in the comments of your article about gov't openness. The result was this interview, to make myself available to all your concerns, and to make it public. I think this is a fine example that anyone wants to play a part in improving eIreland will find me encouraging and cooperative. I hope this sparks even more people to get motivated about issues they want to improve. I welcome them, and will work to find some way to get them involved.

Is there any room for improvements in your cabinet? If yes - in what areas, and is there any plan on improving them?

Oh yes, the government can always be improved.

I am planning on making some changes. My cabinet is a bit bloated, so I plan on streamlining it, next term. I don't plan on losing staff, in fact I have already advertised for more people willing to do the work. I just plan on reorganizing a bit. Perhaps we have become too easygoing with throwing out minister titles to every little gov't task. I think a little restructuring couldn't hurt.

How do you see ideal interactions between CP, cabinet, dail, MU?

The cabinet keeps the CP informed about the goings on within the country, and abroad. The CP guides policies of the nation. Changes to national policies are confirmed/declined by the dail, before implementation. The dail is a great place to go to vet an idea. You can be sure to see anything controversial receive a lively debate, and really show you all sides of an issue.

The State MU (IA) fights for whatever eirish state priorities are. Everyone else is free to fight as they please, since they are not beholden to the state. The MU commander thread does give us a tool to inform the MUs if there are important priorities. These are not commands, but most patriotic MUs follow suit to help the nation achieve it's goals.

Some words to your opponents?

To any potential political opponents, I embrace a mutually respectful campaign. A "May the best man win" contest where both candidates would campaign on their own merits. Any engagements would be policy debates, allowing the citizens to see both sides fairly, so they can judge for themselves. The message should be why to vote FOR the candidate, not why vote AGAINST the other guy.

The tactics these days are dirty pool, and eIreland can be better than that.

The bullies just send out constant barrages of baseless attacks, hoping that if they repeat a lie enough times, it will become true. The tenacity, ruthlessness, and complete lack of decency are getting to be ridiculous now. I don't know how anyone can have no scruples whatsoever, and be satisfied with themselves for acting in such a way to other humans. I suppose the anonymity of the internet makes people act brazen. Unfortunately, I can't think of any effective enticements/repercussions that will motivate some people to act like a reasonable human beings.

At this point no campaign will be on an even playing field. The bullies will flood my article comments with venom and slander. Meanwhile, because I run a "fair play" team the other candidate will have articles full of good sportsmanship "good luck"s, even from my supporters. The appearance will be chaos and disconent in my articles, compared to the harmony shown in the comments of my opponent. It is an old propoganda tactic, a manipulation to fool the passive 2-clicker who does not keep track of such things. It's a mural of lies, painted with hate. I cannot see a fair contest being allowed by those bent on dividing/undermining our society.

Thanks for this great full answers

Thanks Bhane for spending lot of time for this interview.
Hope this interview would be interesting for everybody.
Larry the croc

Feel free to PM me any questions you’d like to hear answers from Bhane and we’ll organize follow up interview next days.
Feel free to PM me any other interview candidates and don’t forget to add questions, that you’d like to hear most of all.

You can read another interview with Bhane from crosoldier here