Procedure v Policy
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by Jasper Ferguson
Greetings to my fellow Australians. Having moved to Australia a few weeks ago, I've been spending my time getting to understand your political system and how it works, or in some cases, doesn't work.
Take for example the recent MPP proposal from the US. According to the red-tape “laws” that are in place for Congress, this required a multi-day discussion and vote before it could be allowed an in-game vote. This is a great example of the worst in governance. Following procedure for the sake of role-playing someone with power, INSTEAD of doing your job to further the interests of Australia is not acceptable. Nine (at last count) Congress members voted against this MPP. If you'd like to see what happens to countries when they lose an important MPP, look no further than Romania which recently lost it's MPP with the US.
To those that would argue that without “procedure” it would be anarchy, I offer the following suggestion. Go role-play somewhere else. Go put on a robe and don your powdered wig, use all the high-language you want and role-play to your hearts content. But, doing so at the expense of Australia's security is unacceptable. I realize that according to the nation's “role-playing” Congressional laws, the 30+ who did the right thing could be voted out in Congress. However, larger countries than eAustralia have fallen to invading armies because of obsession with procedure and an unwillingness to listen to sound policy. Which will we choose?
The Brazil invasion has shown us that we aren't taken for a 'neutral' country by our friends or our enemies. Given the high number of daily battles, and the new fronts that open on a regular basis, we cannot afford to prioritize procedure over policy. There's a place for procedure, but make sure that the safety of eAustralia comes first.
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You're Australian now? Wow. O.o
Excellent points, Jasper! Let's all make sure we learned from the Brazil invasion! Geopolitical events and national security concerns are paramount!
I thought you knew that already, Astra Kat. Cerb and I started the Kangaroo Express when Australia got invaded. 🙂
we have experienced the same thing as Romania, losing the MPP with Canada now
I saw you trying to push things through earlier today, Patti. Thank you for stepping up and looking after the nation's interests.
interesting points, should the decision to MPP rest with the Senate or the Prime Minister?
I agree. Minor political pettiness should not interfere with important MPP renewals.
BTW, I know of one congress member who used an exploit to receive citizenship several days prior to the elections. And then, somehow, garnered enough votes to win a seat. Possibly there are members of congress who do not have the best interests of eAUS in mind.
The foreign affairs agenda should be, in my opinion, set by the Prime Minister and pursued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his staff. Congress should be involved in discussions with the PM and MoFA, so that they understand why policies are being pursued. Congress can of course vote things down if they disagree with the direction that the nation is being taken. However to let an important MPP lapse for the sake of procedure is not an option if Australia is to remain secure.
Wally, if you know off this person may I suggest taking it to the IG?
Was an alright article Jasper, its just a shame I disagree with your thoughts on it. Also, dont preach and attack the senators about not having eAustralias best interest at heart, I really dont want to get into a flamefest with you.
I didn't name anyone specifically Br0adside.
On your 2nd point, no you don't want a flamefest with me. You voted against the MPP because it didn't follow procedure. How would losing the MPP with the US against Brazil (as Congress managed to do with Canada today) have helped Australia? Would having your procedure followed have kept the country safe? If it wasn't for our allies there would be no Australia currently.
If you did a bit of homework you would have seen that there are procedures for the PM and Cabinet to rush MPP's through but they had not been done, we dont ask for much, just for people to do their job.
Patti did the right thing with the MPP with Canada and if it was not for the timing (again not the Senates fault) then it would be fine.
Well done, valid and important points.
I did see that, but how did you Alex voting against the MPP for violating your beloved procedures help advance the interests of Australia?
Red tape does not keep a country safe. Burying your head in the sand and screaming procedure is not leadership. If you don't have any common sense you shouldn't be in office.
"Red tape" is so overused its lost its touch now.
You can come preach your crap to me when you timewarp back to our independance. It was procedure that got us to where we are today. Cozza left at a vital time, and the senate switched over at a vital time which was both during the end of these MPP's. It should have been discussed/proposed before the changing of the senate instead of slapping it on with barely a day left for both.
Br0adside, your personal attacks at me, mean nothing to me. ST6 was vital in the independence of Australia. I served last month as a senior adviser to Josh Frost while he was President of the US. Josh as you should know was the founder of ST and is one of my closest friends in game. Attack me if you'd like, but we all know that it's only because your actions are indefensible.
You are more concerned about the timing of the proposal than the content of it. I have received word from Canada tonight after posting this article about their great disappointment that the MPP was allowed to lapse. The switching over of the Senate should not mean that nothing can get done in the first three days. That's 10% of the Congressional term. It's not nearly as difficult as you seem to think it is.
It was brought to the attention of senate by Bisa97's proposal to make some MPP's an automatic renewal,I helped bisa97 draught it, it was turned down by senate. It is a shame that if so many senators actually researche the proposal they would have noticed that 2 MPP's were about to expire. Then again even when the USA MPP was brought to senate to be voted on, it seems only I noticed that the Canada MPP would lapse and thus I pointed it out to Patti11, and as such we got the ball rolling on the Canada MPP.
It has now happened twice and we still have not learned.
just reposted
ReProposal SC?
Jasper, plz dont kid yourself. ST didnt do squat to free eAus, we did it ourselves.
No offense, but without it's allies, Australia would have been rolled recently. There is no way that Australia can stand alone.
Oh, and by the way, Br0adside, ST6 DID send in people. If you think that we didn't help at all, you're deluded.
That's my two cents. 😃
Wow you guys think that the eBrazil v eAus war was our independance? lawl? You two were completely on the wrong subject.
I never said that, if you'd learn to read and not just imagine what I'm saying, perhaps we could have an intelligent discussion. Currently that doesn't seem very likely.
Keep voting against MPPs that benefit Australia because of procedure. You'd make a great hall monitor in school I'm sure.
umm Br0ad he is talking about ST6 when EDEN took back WA for us.......
No offense, but without it's allies, Australia would have been rolled recently. There is no way that Australia can stand alone.
we can't even govern ourselves yet. But we're working on it 😛
Oh, please, not this 'role playing' baloney again.
That is BS here in the eUS and it's BS in eAustralia.
"I did see that, but how did you Alex voting against the MPP for violating your beloved procedures help advance the interests of Australia?
Red tape does not keep a country safe. Burying your head in the sand and screaming procedure is not leadership. If you don't have any common sense you shouldn't be in office."
Only those who prefer to fly by the seat of their pants instead of make plans call procedure "red tape", We just had one of the poorest run Prime Minsterships because of a lack of following procedure and instead they prefered the approach you are praising which is make things up as they happen.
Please before you comment, read through ALL our laws, you will find that there is enough in their for things to run smoothly BUT because the cabinet never bothers to read the laws or follow procedure we have messes like this.
For the record, it is the responsibility of the Cabinet NOT the Senate to handle Foriegn affairs, if an MPP is about to expire the MoFA or PM should alert the Senate and ask for a vote, not the other wat around.
Complaining about it after the fact does no one any good, get it right the first time and no one has to complain at all.
well spoken Jaspar! Sorry about the troll.
@ Alex:
I agree that the PM or MoFA should clarify the situation for Congress prior to an MPP being proposed. Communication is absolutely essential for these things to go smoothly, and if the PM or MoFA has been failing in this regard, definitely let them know.
I am ALSO familiar with the Australian laws in question, and am not suggesting that laws be abandoned or habitually ignored.
However, accidents do happen, and Congress should be smart enough to renew a necessary MPP regardless of how it was proposed.
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I believe that everyone involved in this discourse has Australia's best interests at heart. I think that Jasper, Bass, myself, and other folk are just expressing our concern about the danger of clinging to policy regardless of the context.
@ Br0adside:
You know I consider you a friend, and I agree that the the Cabinet needs to remind Congress about upcoming MPP expirations. But, as I said in my previous comment, it's important to contextualize the situation.
For a country with the military might that Australia has (or frankly, lack thereof), MPP's are critical to our survival, especially given the PHOENIX countries that are rather close (Brazil and Indo).
Congress members are elected to ensure Australia's security and prosperity. We've been talking about duty and procedure. How about a Congress member's duty to make informed decisions? An MPP with the USA, or one with Canada for that matter, should be a no-brainer (especially since the USA was footing part of the bill).
When there is a procedural violation in a particular instance, a Congress member should HOLD HIS/HER VOTE until the heart of the issue is sorted out, not simply vote 'no'.
>I thought you knew that already, Astra Kat. Cerb and I started the Kangaroo Express when Australia got invaded. 🙂
Yarly, Jasper, but I thought y'all were doin' it as Americans, not Australians. XD Okay, good luck in the Down Under! 😃
Jasper - I couldn't agree with you more. Your points are excellent and should be seen as a way to improve current practices rather than a threat to power.
Wally - I agree with you as well. I don't know who that senator is but that it happened stinks!
Patti and SC - Thank you both for being so diligent in protecting eAus. You're both to be commended.
And, to ST6 and all of our allies ... It doesn't take much to see that a country with a few thousand players would have gotten their backsides handed to them without the generosity and commitment of military personnel from US, Canada, Croatia, India, SA and others. What you did for eAus deserves our respect and gratitude. Thank you.
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Not to but in, but the eUS has none of this red tape and we get along fine...
As SC said, I made a proposal in Senate in November to automatically renew MPPs with eUS and eCanada that was not voted through. I have since resubmitted with the current elected officials in hopes that it will pass this term. With all the other stuff going on I feel auto renewal of some MPPs just eliminates potential lapses and thus lost MPPS.
Our senators need to get their act together! I agree Jasper, this sort of thing is unacceptable, we are great friends and allies to Canada and the USA, it should NEVER be left to expire because of silly senate control freaks. SURE, if it was eINDO wanting a MPP then discuss it, but not our great friends the USA and Canada. whether we like it or not, at the moment eAUS is nothing without her allies, sure, we can put up a good fight...but we would be steamrolled without them!
Voted Jasper, nice article. It is 'role playing' that has got us into this mess.
As an ex senator, I agree in point with the renewal of MPP's. How much common sense does it take to vote yes. What kind of idiot votes no due to procedure. This is one of the many reasons why I chose not to run again in senate. It is almost all about red tape and all about procedures. It is a game and should be fun, however you can not have fun when there is lulz players. Just my opinion of course.
We must work to the get processes right but voting no on a strategic alliance bill because the process is defective is downright irresponsibile.
Debating procedure while Australia is under threat does not make sense.