Imperium in Imperio: The Great Ohio Wasteland

Day 732, 20:55 • Published in USA Pakistan • by Max McFarland 2


Citizens,

You should play some appropriate theme music.
It perfectly suits the mood of the moment; take a chance and give it a listen.



Recently a friend offered me a spot on the ticket for his party.
~ Last month I thanked him but declined without thinking too much about it.
~ Since then I have given it some thought and talked with some folks.
~ This month I accepted the offer, after much prodding from a couple of friends.

I figure working in Congress provides a few good opportunities for any citizen:
~ You expand your horizons in the game.
~ You learn how the government operates.
~ You learn why we ally with certain countries.
~ You learn how the budget is created.
~ You learn how to make a difference as part of a larger group.
~ You have a solid opportunity to help the eUSA if you act wisely.
I can’t promise I will be successful in Congress:
~ I anticipate a first term in Congress should be a load of new work with a big learning curve.
~ I plan to run in this election, and if I win give this one term my best shot from start to finish.
~ I only have a one month leave of absence approved from the Mobile Infantry.
~ I promise nothing beyond this one term; I may or may not be the right kind of person for Congress.



Article Outline:
1. A Rough Statement of Principles
2. National Interests
3. International Interests
4. State Interests
5. Congressional Votes within eRepublik
6. Closing Remarks



A Rough Statement of Principles:

Some Personal Opinions:
1. The Three Branches of eUSA Government are Executive/Legislative/Military
2. Important Issues are Military over Retention over Everything Else
3. Game Mechanics Must Shape All Decisions
4. Once decisions are made, carry them out with Style
5. Flexibility in Perspective; always be open to new ideas

National Interests:
1. Military
a. Maintain a Large, Powerful Military
b. Expand Military Self-Sufficiency
2. New Citizen Retention
a. Expand Government Retention Programs
b. Institute Some Jewitt and PigInZen Proposals
3. Consumption
a. Develop Q2-Q4 (especially Q3) eUSA Weapons Market
b. Daily Training Wars
4. Infrastructure
a. Focus on High Population and/or High Resource Regions
b. McFarland Constructions Project

International Interests:
1. Friends and Enemies
a. Pragmatism; No Pointless Grudges
b. Maybe EDEN, Maybe Not

State Interests:
1. Residency
a. Personal Full Term Residency in Ohio
2. Information
a. Weekly Message Correspondence
b. McFarland Journal
3. Infrastructure
a. No Major Population, No High Resources means No Q5 Infrastructure



National Interests:

Military:

1. Maintain a Large, Powerful Military
a. Tax revenue is best spent on the military.
b. Expenditures on anything else must be weighed for costs/benefits against providing the same additional funds to the military. There is no greater priority for government revenue.

2. Expand Military Self-Sufficiency
a. Create and sustain a robust military-industrial complex. Partner with private organizations to arrange mass purchases at reduced cost for major battles, for those products (higher quality weapons) which are not required on a daily basis.
b. Each military service should operate as a work collective to self-supply to the maximum extent possible. Minimum wage labor for military service-members in military companies should become the expected norm across the total force; some will leave, more will come.
c. Tax revenue should be targeted toward creating and developing the organizations and companies necessary to support military consumption and logistics. I personally created and donated this organization and three empty quartermaster organizations to the Mobile Infantry. This is a small example of the grander goal. Tax revenue should be utilized to provide each military service with sufficient organizations to run supply operations at maximum efficiency and to provide each military service with enough organizations and companies to employ all personnel.

New Citizen Retention:

1. Expand Government Retention Programs
a. After the military this is the second priority; this is our future.
b. Programs such as the USA Welcoming Committee, the eUS Mentor Program, the Flying Unicorn Squadron, and Meals on Wheels are perfect examples.
c. Proposals for new programs should be constantly made and evaluated. Most will be rejected, but some new gems will shine through. Creative destruction and disruptive innovation are positive in the long term; as for funding they must be weighed against more important military necessity in the short term.

2. Institute Some Jewitt and PigInZen Thinking
a. They have some awesome ideas: Jewitt’s Ideas and PigInZen’s Ideas.
b. The ultimate focus is military; all domestic government programs, coordinated national & international economic plans and foreign policy should exist to support the military.
c. They lost the election. The point here is not to propose we encourage a rebound campaign or mourn their loss; that is pointless. The point is to acknowledge and adopt the sound principles and proposals they have laid out in the two linked articles.

Consumption:

1. Develop Q2-Q4 (especially Q3) eUSA Weapons Market
a. George Barker first covered this point.
b. This market segment is in need of expansion. If possible, some government intervention to expand this market segment enough to support and encourage both military and civilian demand would be nice. Failing that, I will expand it myself from personal funds to the extent necessary to support mass military purchases for major battles; refer to my comments on the military-industrial complex above.

2. Daily Training Wars
a. Essential to population empowerment. Not always possible or practical.

Infrastructure:

1. Focus on High population and/or High Resource Regions
a. Infrastructure is my pet issue. Refer to the McFarland Constructions Project.
b. I personally disagree with the current fortress state strategy, but I have zero interest in bucking the trend of collective wisdom on this matter. Too many experienced and intelligent people disagree with me, for me to simply ignore their opinions. I will defer to the collective wisdom of my seniors, even if I find few of their arguments comforting or convincing. I trust and support the decisions of the executive office.
c. My preference it so see us immediately fortify in sequence: (1) a high wood region, PA or TN; and (2) the next major population centers, both NY and TX. Establishing ten percent of our regions as fortress states seems reasonable to me. This foundation could gradually be developed following population booms. This said, again, I defer to the wisdom and experience of my seniors when they say this approach is flawed; I will not press this issue. I will personally continue to build Q5 infrastructure in preparation for when those above me decide the time is right. It is up to the President to decide when the time is right.

2. McFarland Constructions Project
a. Current press release.
b. My interaction is primarily with leaders in the executive and military branches of government. My last attempt to reach out to Congress backfired horribly. I hope than I can gain a greater perspective on Congress working from inside the machine.
c. Nothing would give me greater satisfaction than to be the sole source for all Q5 infrastructure deployed in the eUSA, paid for out of my private funds. I will gladly pay 100% of the costs. There is nothing more I can offer on this matter.



International Interests:

Friends and Enemies:

1. Pragmatism; No Pointless Grudges
a. Some food for thought. Some more concerning baby booms. Some more concerning perpetual war. Some more concerning questionable peace.
b. Revenge is pointless. Pragmatism is essential.

2. Maybe EDEN, Maybe Not
a. Consider the full costs/benefits. Friendship or Membership?
b. I have zero inside perspective; my stance may change completely once elected, with full access to secure Congressional archives to expand my perspective.
c. This matter is something of a moot point now. It was more relevant in the first draft.



State Interests:

Residency:

1. Personal Full Term Residency in Ohio
a. I will reside in Ohio for the entirety of my Congressional term.
b. I do not recommend that any of you do the same. Any sane citizen should move to a fortress state right away. Any time you want to move, let me know, and I will give you a free ticket. This is a standing offer.
c. To best recover wellness, I will fly to California daily to use their Q5 Hospital and then fly back seconds later; I will continue to fight six times daily. I donated a Q5 Defense System to them for a penny; I am sure they will not mind if I abuse their health care system. Personally, I still don’t understand the purchase of a Q5 Hospital from the Swedes for over one hundred gold, when I would have gladly given them one for a penny mere days later. Such is life; the pressures of the moment often inspire madness.

Information:

1. Weekly Message Correspondence
a. I will send the following messages to every resident of Ohio every weekend. If you are an older citizen, you will grow sick from my spam. Console yourself in the knowledge that every week I will attract and mentor some new citizens, increasing our national retention.
~ Standing Offer for a Free Moving Ticket to a Fortress State
~ General Information for New Citizens (Lots of Links & Basic Information)
~ Welcome Letter with Mentorship Offer

2. McFarland Journal
a. I promise nothing by way of regular Congressional updates. I have long been an enemy of Congressional Transparency, openly questioning the wisdom of such thoughts. Recently, I have begun to change my mind based upon the comments of my fellow citizens. I have not reached a final decision. See this thread for details… many compelling arguments are presented.

Infrastructure:

1. No Major Population, No High Resources means No Q5 Infrastructure
a. There are no high resources; there is no significant population.
b. There is no reason for the President to install any infrastructure here.
c. National Interests over State Interests.



Congressional Votes within eRepublik:

These links cover what Congress and the President can propose in-game:
1. Chris Stanwick - What Congress Can Do
2. eRepublik Wiki - Country Administration
3. eRepublik Wiki - President
~ The menu is limited. My current opinion is that Congressional expansion should only be undertaken as strictly necessary; expansion for the sake of expansion is harmful and wasteful.
~ That said, Congressional forum activity is necessary to support objectives such as vote coordination, government programs, official forums, committees organized/operated in parallel with executive cabinet functions, etc; expansions of power which make sense to improve the nation, and which are dissolved if/when they are no longer necessary.
~ In closing, Congress does have many vital functions above and beyond in-game button-clicking, but the inclination to needlessly pursue expansion should be guarded against.
~ Please be clear that I am not making a negative statement of the current Congress; these are general points.
~ This article offers some interesting contemporary analysis of Congress: Rheinlander von Phalz – Powers of Congress

Lulz Proposals:
1. I will not be making any lulz proposals.
~ I will go tank another battle if I want more experience.
2. I do not care if my peers make any lulz proposals.
~ No lulz proposals are acceptable if they push a battle out of the Top 5 National Events.



The Six Congress Proposals:

1. New Citizen Fee & Minimum Wage:
a. The current absolute minimum approach is best.
b. We have a strong currency.
c. It is easy to survive on the minimum new citizen fee with caution and/or guidance.
d. It is difficult for managers of low-quality companies in some industries to profitably employ zero-skill workers even at the minimum wage.

2. Donate & Issue Money:
a. The Secretary of the Treasury and the Economics Council should be trusted to dictate policy. I hope to learn more about these processes from inside the machine.
b. I disagree with the budgetary gambit taken by Congressional leaders this term. I studied this matter extensively: I read many threads and asked questions in many messages; I think I can see the logic of most sides, I cannot claim that anyone was entirely wrong, and I still greatly respect the wisdom and opinions of the two leaders whose specific actions I disagree with in this case. This said, personally, I would have acted along the lines of ligtreb and Bradley Reala. The military comes first before everything else; this may not have been their reason, but it would have been mine, regardless of how short-sighted it may seem. Details on these events are publicly available on the eUSA forums:
~ Scheduled and Emergency Donations to the CBO (23rd Congress)
~ Freeze on Funding/Congressional Accountant

3. Change Taxes:
a. I favor any/all taxes necessary to support the military and new citizen retention. Economic policy must hold these goals in mind; taxes should be planned to fund these efforts. The collective good stands before the individual good.
~ I am inclined to favor high import taxes on everything except diamonds and iron, with income taxes and value-added (sales) taxes as high as the market can tolerate without declining, in order to support the two goals laid out above. However, long-standing opinion of the national leaders proves me wrong.
~ The tax system we currently have is the result of careful planning and adjustment over a significant period of time. Past eUSA economists have labored extensively on the current plans. I think anyone, myself included, would be naïve to recommend a change, regardless of personal opinions, since these folks have carefully built this system over time, considering international economics and geopolitical strategy in combination. The system works as it stands, even if it doesn’t make sense to me.
~ In closing, I will act in accordance with the recommendation of our current economic planners. I trust them to provide the voice of experience and reason.

4. President Impeachment:
a. There is generally no reason to ever attempt to impeach the President. Casual proposals to this effect always run the risk of sowing damage and distraction regardless of intent. I doubt the likelihood that the eUSA will put another President in office who sincerely needs to be impeached due to negligence and/or misconduct.
b. Some Exceptions:
~ The President’s account is permanently suspended.
~ The President requests impeachment.
~ The President is an enemy who wins the election by PTO.
~ The President loses JCS support for his/her actions.



The Five Presidential Powers:

1. Message to New Citizens:
a. The message must clearly and simply direct new citizens toward military recruitment and government retention programs.
b. Naturally, each President will infuse personal style and political propaganda.

2. Buy Buildings:
a. Please refer to the McFarland Constructions Project.
b. The President makes the decisions here. I will trust and support his decisions.

3. Alliances:
a. I’d like to learn more about this topic from the inside of the government before making any sweeping proclamations here; there is much I do not know. These are my uninformed opinions:
~ EDEN: Friendship over Membership.
~ Support Canada; pursue gradual yet peaceful complete integration.
~ Support nations which sacrificed everything for us in WWIII; North Korea, Spain, Switzerland, etc.

4. Declare War & Trading Embargoes:
a. I would also like to learn more about these topics from the inside of the government. I am inclined to trust the planned actions and snap judgments of the President and CJCS without question on these issues.



You should play some new theme music.
This little number is much more appropriate for everything that follows.



Why So Serious? The Rest of This Article is for Fun.
100% Pure Propaganda? Stand By My Side For a Day.
100% Total Honesty? Join My Family: Ohio Wastelanders.
This is not Real-Life. This is the Great American Wasteland.



Closing Remarks:

Why stay in the Great Ohio Wasteland for the Full Term?
~ I refuse to be one of those Congressional “Leaders” who joins you for a weekend and then abandons you for a month. They use you and leave you to rot, while they bask in the lands of plenty, California and Florida.
~ They deserve nothing from you. I will stand by your side. You have the pride and the strength to survive in the Great American Wasteland. This is a ridiculously difficult necessity of your daily life, and only necessary because the soft, fat, happy elites wish nothing more than to ignore the world beyond their gates in their precious fortress states.
~ You deserve a Congressional representative who will stand by you. I will stand by you. The Wastelands breed strength of will and conviction, loyalty to one’s native region, and the survival instincts born of desperation. I am humbled to be in your presence.

The Great Ohio Wasteland is a proud bastion of the Great American Wasteland.
~ This said… as your representative I will propose once, and only once, as a personal request to our President by private message, to purchase a Q5 Stack at full market value from the global market at my personal expense, for installation in Ohio.
~ I am proud to stand with you as a Wastelander, but I will gladly rebuild this state completely one hundred percent at my own expense if the President allows me to do so. The decision remains with our President… but we must all be aware that we are fully one hundred percent responsible to blame for the public outcry over this proposal for local nepotism once we pursue this route.
~ My immediate loyalties are forever strongest to my closest family; do you have the strength of will and self-determination necessary to stand with me for such a selfish act? There is nothing grand or noble in this request. Know this well at the outset.

Do you disagree with my national principles? Why? What’s wrong?
~ Are my opinions too militarist?
~ Are my opinions too socialist?
~ Are my opinions too fascist?
~ Are my opinions too populist?
~ Are my opinions too nationalist?
I have been accused of each disposition.

Do you think I am a danger to this nation?
I know there are plenty of folks out there who strongly oppose me.
~ Some don’t like my goals or my methods. Some just don’t like me.
~ I do love to watch things burn. I have easily spent at least a few hours today tending the candles in my house. They are beautiful. The same principle applies to encouraging lots of different things to fall apart; there is tranquility in the careful shaping of a collapse. But, why worry? There are controls in place for such things. Life insurance pays off triple if you die on a business trip.

Will you vote for me?
~ Vote your mind / heart.
~ Can you support the reason / indulge in the moment?
~ Will you be my single-serving friend?
~ Will you be an Ohio Wastelander?



We strive forward for the glory of our nation.

Cheers,
Max



Endorsements:


Endorsement by United States Workers Party Party President ligtreb on Day 721.


Endorsement by Libertarian Party Party President DanielCD on Day 732.


Endorsement by Conservative Party Party President Cromstar on Day 733.


Endorsement by Federalist Party Party President citizenslave on Day 735.


Endorsement by United Independents Party Party President AndraX2000 on Day 733.


Endorsement by Socialist Freedom Party Party President CivilAnarchy on Day 733.


Endorsement by The Green Party Party President timothybeasley on Day 734.


Endorsement by Pastafarianism Party President Rusty_Shackleford on Day 733.


Endorsement by Sons of Patton Party Party President Blitz Krieger on Day 733.


Endorsement by Nationalist Party Party President Kyle321n on Day 734.


Endorsement by eAddiction Party Party President Beachsand on Day 734.


Endorsement by Why So Serious Party President David Fallingstar on Day 734.


Endorsement by Bomb Squad Kittens Party President Dr. Crevette von Heinburg on Day 734.


Endorsement by United American Warriors Party President thor parker on Day 734.