Join the new world

Sorry all, had to reprint as eRep shot my original down when I tried to add a new hyperlink.

So I had made it. On December 26th I had become a full fledged congressman, representing the eRepublik region/state of Oregon. Huzzah. And, then, well nothing. No hot new happenings, no inaugural address, not even a lapel pin…just a new and colorful icon on my profile. Eh, I figured, so much for that and continued 2 clicking my way through eLife.

Then a couple of days later, lo’ and behold, what should I find in my “Alert” box but a shiny new proposal, that I, newly minted “Congressman Ananias” was beckoned to vote on, so I rushed on over to let my voice be heard. It was a Grain Tax proposal by Greystrand to reduce the Import Tax from 99% to 25%. Now Oregon has one resource, medium grain, so, as in RL, I thought…what will the impact be on my constituents? At that point, I was looking at things from an RL standpoint and went to the debate forum, wrote what I thought was an eloquent comment and voted “no”. Then I carried on in my merry manner, patting myself on the back for being such a diligent steward for my state, defending them against the wiles of foreign competition, and special interests in the grain industry.

Tip #1: When you reach Congress, and pretty much everyone who participates in the forums:

Stop. Read. Learn. Ask. Decide. Vote….repeat as necessary.

I had not learned that yet and came out looking like an ass. Not because my vote was necessarily wrong, but because I didn’t make an informed choice.

If, because of RL time constraints, or just general disinterest (other than the five gold), you cannot follow tip #1: Do not run for Congress. Why? Because, if done right, Congressional activities will be time intensive; very rewarding, but definitely time intensive.

My first mistake, and one that I would warn any first time congressman to avoid, is that I misunderstood a primary axiom of eRepublik…however smart you may be in RL, this is not RL, this is eRepublik, and on the eRepublik forum (with a few notable exceptions) you are not the smartest eCitizen that ever graced the pages of the hallowed halls of Congress.

Yes, sorry to break it to you, but you are not the eRep Messiah…someone else has that claim to fame.

Tip #2: This is coming from a USWP member, so these links may change depending on your party, but these are the links that you should visit before making any decisions, regardless of whether you are in Congress or running for congress, or, hell, just have a little time to burn to get the most out eRepublik while you are working toward your next Hard Worker medal:

I have these set as favorites (except for IRC which is an application), and generally visit the all at least once a day:

eRepublik USA Forum


and here

Congress Discussion


and here

General Political Discussion

USWP Specific

The Official Forums of the United States Workers Party

If you cannot gain access to any of the above links, contact a moderator for access. If you do not desire to access any of the above links and participate in the discussion…stick with two clicking, or prepare to be considered an ass when you enter congress.

As to IRC, it may make eRep life more interesting and compelling for you, but my experience has been that, while at time there are some interesting pieces of information floating around, that they serve to increase the fungasm quotient of eRepublik but generally do not increase my less-assedness in Congress.

Here is a link to the instructions for setting up IRC (Internet Relay Chat), go there for fungasms and be set up for possible discussions:

IRC Info

I had some issues getting linked up to IRC because I hadn’t used it for years. So, if you have some questions when setting up PM me or, better yet, ask in the forum.

Tip #3: Get active on the boards.

Simply put: Engage. Even when you are called an ass, idiot…whatever…stay engaged. I have found that there are two methods of gaining respect as a newbie on the forums (regardless of whether other eCitizen and congressman consider your viewpoints roughly comparable to phlegm covered toast).

1) Start your eLife and activities substantially before the advent of v1.
2) Consistently participate in the discussions.

Frankly, IMHO, a non-engaged congressman is an insult to the eCitizens that voted for them.

While I appreciate the fact that RL will often get in the way of developing eRep rocking dissertations on the range of topics offered, participation in the discussions, debate and decision making, however asinine the contribution (see Ananias comments for examples), should occur before ever clicking that YES or NO voting button.

Tip #4: Be thick skinned

For newbies that get to congress without having participated in the forums to an reasonable degree, be prepare😛 You are going to get roasted. Regardless of you RL IQ and advanced degrees in RL Economics, Diplomacy and Military Strategy…everyone that has been on the eRep boards longer than you, is smarter eRep-wise than you, without exception. And, regardless of the deference you pay or the respect you have for them, you are going to receive some insults.

Get over it.

I cannot count the times that I considered leaving congress or withdrawing my candidacy because a citizen or fellow congressman justifiably called me out on my ignorance of eRep realities. That being said, we all have to start somewhere, so mark it up to experience and then follow these steps (again):

Stop. Read. Learn. Ask. Decide. Vote….repeat as necessary.

The surest indicator that you are not following those steps is when you respond emotionally (as I have) rather than with solid information and data. If you have done you homework before you respond you may be persuasive, if you do not do you homework and respond emotionally you’re just being a prick. It adds no value to the discussion, and only serves to make opponents of the same individuals that you may find necessary at a later date.

As an aside: Moishe, Neil, Joe and Mindflay…I apologize for being an ass at times…I’m making efforts to overcome the learning curve in this area.

So, get engaged, expect insults and get over it.

Tip #5: Record your vote.

This comes back to transparency. It is important for citizens to know what you voted, so that they can ask why, or call you a dipshit, or whatever. This is a critical part of the learning process; if you worked this hard to get elected it is critical that you don’t lose votes in the next election because you did not share your reasoning to those citizens actually engaged and interested. We should support citizen engagement in the process regardless of whether it is just to let you know that you are phlegm on toast.

So go to the debate area and identify your vote…every single time.

Well, that is all for now. Next Installment: Part 3 – Tips on Political Strategy (or the Joy of Congressional ruthlessness).

I’ll end with a couple of critical links from Part 1:

Taxation Economics

The Development of War Tactics, Age of v1

The USA's Past and Present


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