Join the new world

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Tweede_Kamer%2C_ingang_aan_Plein_Den_Haag_juni_2003.JPG[/img]

Intro

The following guide was published in eGermany as well the OMG forum. Since it is congress nomination time, I feel this is a great time to republish this to aid eNetherlands players. I hope this guide will help new and experience players in their quest to become a congressman/woman. Please vote this up and leave a comment so I can improve the guide etc. Your input is valuable too.

Congress Brief info

From the 16th to 23rd of each month, citizens can place their candidatures for congress. When you place your candidature, you are running for congress in that province so make sure it is the place you want to run in, if not you will need a moving ticket and move. On the 24th, the party president will choose 5 candidates in each province and make them our official candidates. Those who are not our official candidates will not be on the ballot during the election, therefore it is vital especially newer candidates to be active so that the party president knows what you are capable of. On the 24th of each month, the Party President will select the candidates he or she thinks is the most suitable candidate and place them on the official ballot for the 25th. The election will take place on the 25th of each month. This is when the nation goes to the polls to vote for the candidate they want in office based on the region they are in.

Getting into office

It can be summed up in a few words, get your name known. It sounds easy on paper but it is a lot of work. One must be active to get your name known but it is also the fun aspect of the game.

Regardless of your party, you need to join the eNetherlands forum as well as your party forums. To max your chance you need to be active on IRC, the forums, as well as the eNetherland media. You need to show that you are not a 2 clicker and that you know what you are talking about. While in the media and/or the forum seems quiet with few posting/comments etc, there are many citizens actually reading it and seeing your name constantly will help your chances.

Making connection is also vital. In the province you are running, try to befriend most of the citizens there. Adding them on your friends list will get them to know your name and they can receive your shouts. This allows communicating easier. To do this in the info tab follow the following path:

-Info Tab
-Ranking
-Citizen
-Country
-Province you are running.

Now you can see all of your constituencies and you can add them to your friends list easier. Also make connections with the party president as well as other top officials as they can write endorsements which can boost your name.

Serving your nation in other means also brings prestige to your name. Being a former war vet or a current ambassador will greatly help you to win. It proves that you are loyal to eNetherlands and that you have the initiative to act. Having other postings shows that you are involve and active in our community and that you have more experience than the average citizens those 2 clicks. These posts will only help you and cannot hurt you. So like JFK said, Ask not what the country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Your manifesto is also important. It acts in many cases your resume as well as your goals, vision, and plans. So here you can write about your experiences like ambassadorship etc; however, here you can write about what you support and what you want to see. Do your research and do not write anything foolish here. Since your manifesto is your resume to your constituencies, any errors or mistakes can greatly harm your chance of getting into office. Just imagine that your constituencies are your potential employer. Also sell your message and yourself to your constituencies. Do not make it too long and complicated. Nice, simple, to the point is the best kind of manifesto. So in other words, write it so that you will want to read.

Also in your manifesto, comments, forum post etc, it would be nice not to add it with useless fluff. When I say fluff, do not make stupid promises and useless ideologies etc. Classic examples are that "I support transparency" or "if you elect me into congress I will do my best to make friends with our neighbors, etc." Also, "I am a supporter of the Phoenix Alliance." These are fluff since it means nothing and it just make things look good for the political inexperience, but expert politicians know better. Transparency really means nothing. I mean really, does anyone say I am anti-transparency? It is like me saying I am anti-murder... duh. Also what does that mean? The state needs to balance secret deals and transparency. Just saying we need more and more transparency actually make you look a bit of a noob too. As the friends with the neighbor plea, it is just stupid. The CP and the MoFA deals with foreign affairs and relations. Congress does not improve relations with any foreign state other than to vote yes or no on MPP's. That is about it. There are many fluffs out there. There are some examples of some. They fill up room and makes it sound nice, especially to new players at first; however, when people think of it, it shows that they lack real ideas and/ or policies and have to use fluff as fillers. A good congressman will have little to no fluff since they know what they are doing and they get straight to the point.

Requirements of a Congressman

Now that you know how to get in, but is being congressman for you? Congressman needs to be active almost if not every day. Since they are leading our nation, it is not just a quick way to get exp points, some gold, and a medal. It is a job with many responsibilities. It requires you to read legislation and debate it. You will need to be up to date in not just only local events but with world events etc. Being up to date is essential and that means reading many news articles, discussions, on IRC etc. If you do not want to commit so much time, I would ask you not to run. Congressman position should not be taken as willy-nilly but something as a commitment to your constituencies as well as eNetherlands. Only serious candidates please.

Remember that the people of congress are the only people who really votes on issues for the nation. The people entrusted you with this great responsibility. Your actions determined their wellness and living conditions. It is something to be serious about. In many case, the well being is in the hands of the congress but the congress must also realize that the congress is not the gov. Congress needs be diplomatic and work with the CP as one unit. Power is to be shared and when either the CP or congress seeks more power, something is fundamentally wrong and we need to look into it.

I hope you find this guide helpful. I really do want to see more newer members a chance in government and if you have any suggestions, comments, feedback, questions, etc please let us know about it as we want to enhance your experience as much as possible. Thanks and good luck.

Also do not forget to vote and subscribe.

Konrad Neumann
Former eGerman President x2
eGerman Congressman x6
Party President of Open Minded Germany x5
Former eGerman MoFA from Aug-Jan 2010