Real Life Additions for Fun, Adminstrative Philosophy for Srs

Day 834, 09:52 • Published in USA USA • by PigInZen

We interrupt This Campaign Message for an Important Message:


There's a New Addition to the PigInZen Family!


Some of you know that we had to put our family dog to sleep on Christmas Day. She was almost 17 years old and was succumbing to old age. A shih tzu that I inherited when I married my wife, she was greatly loved by our kids. Needless to say, any of you with children and pets know what I'm getting at here - the question wasn't whether we would get another dog but rather when. For personal reasons I wanted to wait but the expectation had been set earlier yesterday when my wife sent me to check this one pup out. I tried to prepare the kids (and my wife) for the potential that I would hold my ground and not bring him home but the good dad (and loyal husband) in me won out over my sense of better financial judgment. Besides, he's really effing cute.

No name yet and this picture was taken with my iPhone in poor light this morning but here he is:



(For reference, yeah, that's my hand & wedding ring in the foreground. I'm no giant, I can barely palm a basketball...)

I'm leaning towards naming him "Spike" or "Butch" but I'm sure I'll be overruled there too. He'll probably end up being called "Princess" by my twin 4 year old girls...




Teamwork



I'm a broken record...

My last article, A Call to Arms was a treatise about the importance of building a sense of society (I've coined that "The Great Society&quot😉 and teamwork in the eUS. When I talk about teamwork I really mean collaboration in the truest sense of the word. Everyone has a part to play in this, some will be able to give more or stronger effort in some areas, but the message is simple: pitch in.

With this call comes the unwritten statement that effort will be accepted and encouraged. This article isn't so much about the general efforts of us (meaning all citizens of the eUS) but rather about how I envision teamwork and organization working in my potential future Presidential administration. I view myself to be just as much a member of the team as anyone else; that is, while I might as President have access to certain functions in game that doesn't grant me the sudden insight of being all-knowing and all-seeing. I'm going to need help and guidance.

It's with this sense of centeredness and humility that I put forth this plan.


Whitehouse Organization - What I Envision and Why It's Important



From many, one. E Pluribus Unum. Or, because bullets can only go through so many bodies...

My administration will be one of a collaborative nature. There will be tiers of input, three to be exact (thanks to St Krems for suggesting this structure). The top of the input structure - known as Tier 1 - will have access to a private IRC channel and special section of the eUS forum for them alone. Tier 2 will be concerned with the operations and policies pertinent to their areas of authority and will have access to the current IRC channel and eUS forum section (the Presidential Daily Briefing or PDB for short) and will continue as before. Tier 3 will have access to another subforum and new IRC channel.

Members of the Tiers will be as follows:

Tier 1 - President, VP, CJCS and Vice CJCS, CoS, Department Secretaries and the Chief Presidential Advisor.

Tier 2 - Deputy Secretaries, DCoS's, remaining JCS members, Presidential Advisors, Congressional Liaison and Personal Assistants to the CP, VP and CoS.

Tier 3 - Remaining staff members of the administration - the people who run offices and programs.

I want input from about a dozen or so experienced, insightful and dedicated people on important policy issues such as military campaigns, economic policy, technology efforts and a domestic priorities. That would be Tier 1. I want to include the input of people responsible for various aspects of government in all decisions. I believe this is import for a number of reasons. First, I cannot be omniscient - this is true of anyone. Information is the key to good decision making. Second is that this structure ensures that voices of dissent and opinions are heard and considered. This isn't a dictatorship, it's a pseudodemocracy. I would like it to be more democratic and less authoritative. Third is we're encountering an interesting issue in that leadership development is at a low point. There are plenty of people who have experience in government but few that have had access to the truly important decisions of national security and military policy. I believe that we need to take steps now to build future presidents. This tiered structure should help with this.

I am seeking to delineate between policy making, policy development and operations. In furtherance of this there will be a policy "Think Tank" comprised of the Presidential Advisors. They will be responsible for taking ideas, suggestions and criticism generated by the Department Secretaries in my proposed "Salons" (the moderated weekly open discussion sessions) and putting forth policy proposals to Tier 2 members.

Finally and most importantly, I want to assure all eUS citizens that I am not some crackpot presidential aspirant out to start lulz wars. Rather, I view the opinion of the JCS and the Cabinet as critical to avoiding poor decision making in foreign policy matters as has happened so many times in our history. We're in a new era now and it's time that we grew up and built the systems needed to generate appropriate policy and decision making. Part of this means opening the doors to the decision making process and eliminating any sort of political or "good old boy's clubs". I'm not accusing anyone previously of nefarious intention in this regard but do believe that it's much easier to remain closed and surrounded by groupthink rather than conduct business in a collaborative nature. This won't be easy but I think I'm the person to best introduce it.

What this means is that no decision in regards to military policy will be made without consultation with members of the Cabinet and JCS. That's the best way to ensure true team effort.




The Obligatory Organization Chart

I've included a link to the full size version for those interested.



Link to the latest Executive Branch Org Chart (proposed)

I loves me some policy and planning.

I'll cut this article short as I think it will truly appeal only to those interested in administrative operations and organization. Let me state, however, that by electing me President your government, our policies, and most important of all our country will be in good hands.




E Pluribus Unum. From Many, One.



I don't close every article with this statement for my health. I truly believe it, in both real life and here in eRepublik. Together we are strong, stronger than we realize. E Pluribus Unum == Teamwork. Join the team. Make the eUS a better place. Let's kick some ass!