[WYD] Keep Calm, Have Your CoTake, and Tax Free Holiday Too (Day 2141)
Addy Lawrence
Forward...
If you have not taken the time to read the CoT Charter, I suggest that you do. This is the document that governs eCan's membership, and each other country's membership, in the CoT Alliance
If you have not taken the time to review eCan's average daily tax revenues during the tax holiday, I suggest that you do. There is an excellent google doc that tracks the taxes of each country.
The purpose of this article is to cut away all of the politicking and posturing and examine the nut of the matter: Can eCan afford to maintain MPPs with CoT nations under the terms of the tax holiday.
On who is in the Circle of Trust Alliance...
There are 16 member enations, including trial members, in CoT.
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada, trial member
Chile
France, trial member
Germany
Indonesia
Japan
Mexico
Paraguay
Peru
Republic of Moldova
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Russia
Switzerland
USA
On eCan's obligations under the CoT Charter...
CoT's Charter requires each member nation to sign an MPP with each other member. A nation can request an exception to this and sign fewer MPPs if they can demonstrate financial hardship. In this case, they are expected to sign some sort of agreement committing support without signing an MPP.
Please refer to the section on "Military Cooperation and Diplomatic Relations" to confirm this for yourselves.
On the war status of each member nation in CoT...
The following nember nations are NOT at war:
Belgium
Bulgaria
France
Canada
Chile
Indonesia
Japan
Paraguay
Republic of Moldova
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Switzerland
The following member nations of CoT ARE at war:
Germany (NE Romania)
Mexico (NE Poland, Venezuela)
Peru (NE Argentina)
Russia (NE Belarus, Hungary)
USA (Poland)
Please confirm the status for yourselves by going to the country admin page like I did. Note that there are only five member nations of CoT who are at war. Five. Two nations are at war with two countries but a single MPP provides that nation support.
On why signing MPPs with nations who aren't at war doesn't make sense...
Nations that aren't at war do not need military support in battles, they don't get into direct fights. MPPs are used to help nations who are directly involved in fights.
Critics may claim that having the MPP in place is insurance for when war is declared. I counter that it takes 24 hours for a declaration of war to pass, and this is the same lead time to sign an MPP. An MPP can be activated in time to help an ally who is important to us.
Let me put it another way, vegetarians do not buy meat on a regular basis because they don't need it nor do they want it. But if they jump off the wagon or have meat-eating guests over, they'll buy some WHEN ITS NEEDED.
On revenue during the tax holiday...
In the past 11 days that eCan has enjoyed the tax holiday, we have averaged 1,600 a day in revenue. Over a 30 day month, this equates to 48,000 CC.
An MPP costs a country 10,000 CC.
So under the tax holiday, 48,000 CC almost pays for five MPPs.
On reconciling the tax revenue from the tax holiday to the active wars going on in CoT...
There are five countries at war in CoT and eCanada can afford to buy five MPPs each month under the tax holiday. These are the facts. They are not in dispute.
eCanada can meet the bona fide needs of its allies in CoT that are actually at conflict.
On the opportunity to truly test the waters of CoT...
IMO, this is the absolute best litmus test that eCan has to test the waters of CoT.
We go up to them, hat in hand, and lay all the facts out on the table.
We are trying to establish a competitive advantage in eCanada. Our popuation is small, our economic bonuses aren't the best, but we can provide a tax haven for players. This keeps net pay higher (low Work Tax) and purchase costs lower (low VAT). This also keeps our revenues down.
We are willing to support our CoT allies at war and we respectfully request an exception from the blanket MPP expectation. We are willing to sign the support document as a show of faith to our allies who aren't at war.
What a fantastic opportunity for CoT to show good faith toward eCanada? Is CoT willing to provide 100,000 CC in relief by waiving the requirement to sign 10 redundant MPPs?
I am not aware of any other exercise planned in the next three months that will test "what CoT will do for eCanada". My naysayers have said that I am just biding time to pull the chute and leave CoT in three months. To that I say, I would be VERY persuaded by CoT's response to this request.
IMO, this is an outstanding test of CoT's willingness to work with eCanada.
On an alternate solution...
Let's say, for purely arbitrary reasons, that some guy in a tin foil hat raises his hand and proclaims that "Only signing five MPPs leaves eCanada too vulnerable". To that I say, fine, double the taxes to 2%.
Clearly the facts dictate that the tax holiday generates enough tax to pay for five MPPs (the only five we really need by the way) and that doubling it to 2% would result in 10 MPPs. Ten MPPS should leave you half as vulnerable, whatever the hell that means, but if we are going to talk in "feelings" that is my attempt. How do ten MPPs compare to what you project the active wars to be in our alliance anyways?
Now I am going to use Belgium as an example here because they are small. I have no ill will against them, just need an example. If we are attacked, will having that extra MPP in place with Belgium really save eCan's ass? Is Belgium going to be the difference for us in preventing a wipe. Something to think about.
If you truly believe that 1% is simply too low, I implore you to consider that 2% taxes across the board are still attractive and establish a competitive advantage in eCanada that can be used to attract players and provide breaks for new players (higher net pay, lower cost to purchase)
On the upcoming CP election...
Acacia Mason is a CP candidate for the upcoming election. I am one of Acacia Mason's VPs in his Executive Team.
I will be bringing this sort of purposeful, logical, and pragmatic approach to the office of the PMO.
Please consider voting for Acacia Mason on October 5.
Who's your daddy?
Addy's your daddy!!!
Comments
Please vote and shout this article:
Keep Calm, Have Your CoTake,
and Tax Holiday Too
http://tinyurl.com/WYD-2141
And by supporting our allies you mean fighting against them as you did last night against Mexico? You sir will ruin every relationship that myself andmy predecessors built because you are a TWO lacky. You want to be aligned with TWO join a TWO nation. We had a MPP with Mexico before I was elected but if you and are Acacia are elected I am sure you will do your best to destroy those relations so you can push your pro-TWO agenda.
I see it as more of a pro-Canada stance rather than pro-TWO. eCan have been left for dead for 8 months, funnily enough by those that now wanna hold hands and snuggle up.
Remaining neutral while you get back on your feet should have been the order of the day. eCan has more pressing issues than which alliance to jump into bed with.
Just because you lied and broke your campaign promises does not mean that Acacia will this term.
I am not pro-TWO, I am pro "consider the options and poll the nation before we decide", the precedent set when eCan joined the Asgard alliance. You may not recall that because you were not a citizen of eCan until most recently.
How can you possibly argue with a straight face that I am doing my best to destroy the relationship when I have crafted the ideal "request" to make to CoT, respecting their expectations and charter, and representing what we as eCanadians are trying to accomplish? That is what you call relationship building.
Forcing people into a relationship is not relationship building, its an arranged marriage.
CoT's response to the request I suggested would go very far in swaying my opinion, and the opinion of others, with respect to how much good faith they have for eCanada.
And what do you call fighting against those allies? That sounds like you have no interest in belonging to CoT. Have you not stated you want to join ACT publicly? Is ACT not pro-TWO?
Keep talking out both sides of your mouth, but I know what TWO smells like and youwreak of it.
*reek and unless you spray something on your monitor whenever you see the acronym TWO, I highly doubt that 'it' smells of anything.
Someone's going off the deep end I fear.
CoT is not the be all end all and you are silly to believe that TWO/ACT does not provide any upside at all to eCanada.
I would consider joining TWO/ACT. After the flip-flopping I've seen nations do since the break-up of EDEN, Terra and ONE, there is no harm in considering membership in TWO.
TWO is clearly the superior alliance with respect to damage. We already have a relationship with eSpain where they have never broken their word with us, albeit we have a tough time agreeing on anything.
I am told that CoT is the better relationship builder but I am pretty skeptical of that given how you have been behaving, bullying eCan into CoT and trolling any voice of criticism that stands in your way.
If eCan's membership in CoT is going to cost us our NAP or relationship with eSpain then we have some deciding to do; does eCan get more than it gives by joining CoT or staying neutral or joining another alliance (including TWO/ACT)?
I do not espouse a pro-TWO agenda, I espouse a pro-CHOICE agenda that is as transparent and inclusive as eCan's entry into Asgard.
"Forcing people into a relationship is not relationship building, its an arranged marriage."
Arranged marriages have by far the lowest divorce rate of any other type of marriage.
I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin;.
http://gentlemint.com/media/images/2012/03/10/496bb1b1.jpg.505x650_q85.jpg
Voted.
big vote
Not a fan of the current tax holiday that dips into the treasury to pay for MPP's. Adjust taxes so atleast the bank breaks even.
Great article and I think this would be a great approach to the issue going forward.
Currently we have MPPs with all but Paraguay & Moldova. Both countries have made agreements with us pledging support and to revisit an MPP if either of us gets into a war. It will take some work but this can be done with more countries.
I do think the symbolic MPPs for the first month had some merit (we were seeking MPPs with all CoT members right off the bat), though obviously unsustainable long term unless we begin liquidating gold and Plato offers continued gold rewards in tournaments.
In the case example of Belgium, I think it's more that we'd want to sign an MPP with them when they get into a war vs the other way around.
Likely we will soon need to come up with a solution and draft a document for CoT approval, as you suggested above.
Case in point, we are voting on an MPP with eFrance right now. They have no regions. Why are we spending 10,000 on an MPP for a country that has nothing to defend and no ability to attack. This is a complete waste of CC.
If you want to demonstrate symbolic support, sign a role-play document that hits all the appropriate notes in the Alliance Unity Anthem that you want to hear.
I'm not saying they were made because they would be symbolic, just that I think that's what they are (if disregarding treaty requirements).
As for France, it is one MPP I think we should sign despite them having no regions today. Regardless, they made the request and wanted an MPP so for today we have to sign it by treaty. There are other reasons though why this one is actually important, though. I'd share my reasons in private if interested.
@Zappie;
I voted against it. Hard.
Not my problem 😛 That's your right.
Addy, while I don't know where I stand in terms of your article, just wanted to point out the MPP was proposed by the CP of France, and has 21 members of congress supporting it. DMV did not propose it - whether or not he supports it.
[removed]
face it guys, CoT is a sham alliance. MPPs do not make a relationship.
Sorry, but I would argue the opposite. CoT is more about relationships while TWO is a full damagehood, inviting enemies of allied nations to the alliance just for their damage notoriously over the past year. Remaining neutral is a fair argument though, though many eCanadians have wanted better relations with the eUS for quite some time.
TWO have never once hid the fact it's all about damage and domination. CoT tried to do the same, but failed to entice big hitters due to poor performance within its structure...
It's a mess of an alliance with no real leadership.
voted for the pragmatic approach.
had a constructive comment until csrf. now I have nothing
String me up call me useless.
I'm sure CoT HQ would grant an exemption from signing all of the MPP's. It's an unnecessary expenditure for a nation like Canada, as well as other small nations. Other small nations don't hold MPP's with every country, so I don't believe Canada would be forced to do so.
It is a great test of faith on the part of CoT, I'd really like to see their response on this.
Good article. Nice to see a level headed approach without an agenda behind it.
Rational and valid as usual, D'Addy.
I really liked this article, voted.
A constructive article laying out factual evidence. Voted because it's not a lecture from a political elite.
nice article
but in your opinion does having a 1% tax rate across the board demonstrate financial hardship?
Self imposed poverty is likely not hardship by definition. My argument would be that eCanada's true poverty is its population and economic bonuses which do not position it well to play this game. To overcome that, a tax free environment is an attraction to experienced players and retention strategy for new players. We have traded a population and bonus hardship for a tax hardship.
Did that snow job work for you?
lol hey if they dont mind some of thier population comming over here due to our economic hardship who am i to bitch
In my opinion, the alliance with COT is totally useless. So, keep calm, have your CoTache and sex free holiday too. On the other hand, the tax free policy is maybe the only way to make Canada a military power, despite some MPP's with Belgium, Moldova & Comp.
Why did Acacia drop out of the race?
Heavy trolling going on, DMV and Acacia are ready to pack it in.
Sad really.
So there needs to be another legit Candidate for CP. As it stands now DMV will win in a wash. Where is the fun in that?
DMV also resigned. People have gone too far...
or candidates these days are pussies...
[removed]
o7
48/10