[WHPR] Interviewing eUS Congress

Day 4,052, 14:20 Published in USA USA by James S. Brady Press Room





MUSIC







Howdy eUSA,

Today I have for you another interview series, this time with our very own eUS Congress. Hopefully this article will help to show some of the duties and opinions that can be involved with being a congressmen and hopefully it will help the newer members of the community formulate opinions on the status of their eNation as well as potential changes they might want to discuss. I want to thank everyone who took the time to talk to me and I hope you enjoy this article







Before I begin I would like to give you some facts on eUSA Congress.



First of all, Congress consists of 40 members at the moment elected by the top 5 most popular parties in the nation. You more than likely already are aware of this. 🙂



Congress is conducted both in in-game PMs and (more primarily) on the eUS Forum. (a link to which is at the bottom)



Congress members are expected to be present and active players and should sign in and report their attendance at the beginning of the term and whenever an attendance call is put out.



and lastly, I would like to remind you that Congress is often a diverse bunch of people with varying opinions and as such there can often times be debate on changes to the eUS Constitution as well as passing in-game legislation and I urge eUS citizens (even those who are not congressmen) to check the eUS forum from time to time to see what their government is up to.








MH: How many times have you been in congress?

s13: 28 Official terms plus 2-3 in Shadow Congress, so around 31 terms.


MH: Did you have any goals when you ran for congress?

s13: My goals have always been to represent my Comrades in SFP positively
To make sure to adhere to our principals as a Party. Most of all to be involved in making the right legislative decisions for the eAmerican citizens.


MH: What are your views on the issue of not having any regions for congress and what solutions do you have for keeping our regions secured so congress can function?

s13: Not having any regions is a negative. I do not like that at all. It is terrible for our community on every level. This is what happens when you play both sides of the fence year after year, constantly sticking the knife into loyal allies back.

We have been lead by a steady stream of sh%theads as CP's for years. There were some decent ones but far and few in between. The best way to keep our regions secure is to get all the main MU's on the same page in defending ourselves.

One thing I have noticed is the amazing combat coordination on the battlefield by our enemies. We need to get there or else we are done for.



MH: What is your position on taxes in eUSA (Work Tax, VAT Tax, Import Tax)? Do you support an increase or keeping it the same and why?

s13: As far as taxes. Keep them where they are at. I would vote against any increase in WT.



MH: Who do you think we should rent regions to, if at all, and do you have somewhat of a strategy for how we can use this concept to win back our lost regions?

s13: Currently I have no thoughts on that, basically because we hardly have any regions to rent. Maybe in the future yes, but not currently.



MH: Do you think we should continue fighting our wars, try to negotiate, or capitulate for our enemies?

s13: Continuing fighting



MH: What wars have you supported and are you fully aware of who our allies are and our enemies?

s13: Enemies: Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Poland Allies: Croatia, Greece, Mexico, Ireland, Albania, Chile, Argentina,Cyprus, probably a couple of others I left out.



MH: Do you think it is necessary for eUS CPs and their administrations to keep up relations and collaboration with our allies? Which eNations would you prefer to see this country work with?

s13: Yes. One thing we have learned is we need our allies. And we need to learn to become a much better ally. Something we have not been in the past. Pretty much the list above.



MH: What have been your favorite presidents the past few months?

s13: WhydoIbother2 He came in right after the mess got started. I think he did the best with the shit sandwich he was given. He had a decent cabinet as well, all trying their best. He built his campaign on getting the country socially active, one of the main reasons I voted for him. Plus full disclosure, he is one of my best friends in this eWorld, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and hopes he runs again.

The others since have been good. I have been quite impressed with Carlos.



MH: What is your opinion on the donations to the CBO and have you voted for or against them in the past?

s13: I have voted yes most of the time, though there was a short period where I voted against once or twice, but that was a long time ago, long before the wipe.



MH: Have you been logging into eUS Forums?

s13: yes



MH: What thoughts do you have on the issue of rogue and corrupt congressmen?

s13: They are scum and traitors. We need to keep our eye out on one t5 in particular. An ATO might be needed. You all figure out who I am talking about, see if anyone is paying attention, know what I mean...People?



MH: Have you heard of the new ‘Delegates’ program for congress? What are your thoughts on it if so?

s13: I think it is a good idea. Anything to get more people involved in the game. I do not see what it could hurt.



MH: Do you intend to run for congress again next term?

s13: Yes I plan on running again if SFP members support me on another run. It is up to them.



MH: What are your biggest concerns for the eNation as a Congressman?

s13: That we push all enemies out of our regions. Also, we remain loyal to our allies. Just keep on fighting.



MH: How many companies do you have and what kinds do you own and what advice do you have for the economical players of this game?

s13: No advice on economics, not that interested in that part of the game. I have about 5 companies and a business license in the U.S. Had more but sold them all off.



MH: What countries do you have a business license in?

s13: eUSA







MH: How many times have you been in congress?

MCB: Been in congress 19 times now.



MH: Did you have any goals when you ran for congress?

MCB: Every time I ran for congress was because I wanted to keep close to what is happening in our eNation. You get exposed to a lot more info when involved in politics.



MH: What are your views on the issue of not having any regions for congress and what solutions do you have for keeping our regions secured so congress can function?

MCB: Our current situation is difficult. Very. The main issue is that we are fighting the main powers in this game. Having regions is difficult, not impossible. Our current administration, I mean Carlos, has done an amazing job. The team we have coordinating our defences and attacks is amazing. The solution to this is more involvement from all players. At the moment we have a team of about 10 people doing this. In a game where thing happen 24/7 this is less then enough. If we want congress we need to get involved and not expect others to do it for us.



MH: What is your position on taxes in eUSA (Work Tax, VAT Tax, Import Tax)? Do you support an increase or keeping it the same and why?

MCB: Taxes, taxes, taxes. One of the things I hate the most In this game is people not understanding that taxes in game do not work the same as in real life. In my opinion higher taxes bring a better game experience. Remember our initial battles when this wipe started? We had money then, that went back to the citizen in combat orders. If we had more the citizen would have more. It’s as simple as that. We like gov programs like AARP but we don’t want to pay for them… We want free weapons from the gov, we want national programs, we want houses, etc..Well If the gov is to provide those, guess what? It needs to raise more taxes!



MH: What are your views on the idea of ‘price protectionism’ and the need to keep producer prices intact from the consequences of foreign invasions and price fluctuations on the market?

MCB: I don’t believe in protectionism! Again, we bring a lot of real life stuff into the game, however they don’t work in game as they do in real life. For one we don’t have enough work force to produce all that we are currently using. There are not enough RM produced in the US to sustain any industry. So if we protect our own producers by excluding foreign ones….think about it!



MH: Who do you think we should rent regions to, if at all, and do you have somewhat of a strategy for how we can use this concept to win back our lost regions?

MCB: I don’t think renting or giving up on regions is an option for us atm. We need to change the dynamic of this game, we need to bring balance in the eWorld.



MH: Do you think we should continue fighting our wars, try to negotiate, or capitulate for our enemies?

MCB: My question to the eWorld is : why are we letting Asteria and pro Asteria win the game? They are powerful, yes, but not invincible! They can lose and they will lose if we find the strength to come together and fight them. Our Croatian allies have demonstrated time and time again that Asteria can be beaten. Colin has shown that as well! What are we waiting for?
I think I made my point above 😊



MH: What wars have you supported and are you fully aware of who our allies are and our enemies?

MCB: I have supported all our moves so far. I have personally tried to approach Romania before we left Pacifica and see if they are interested in playing nice. All I received in return was “can’t be bothered” attitude. We have no real enemies. All we have is countries that want to show us that they are better than us. No one really hates us. Maybe only Ipsi 😊



MH: What is your opinion on the wipe of eUSA and the antecedents behind the subsequent wars that followed?

MCB: I believe that the US wipe is the best thing that happened to us yet! I am not mad! Look at the activity levels, look at the feeds, look at the battles! We did none of this pre-wipe…



MH: Do you think it is necessary for eUS CPs and their administrations to keep up relations and collaboration with our allies? Which eNations would you prefer to see this country work with?

MCB: Foreign affairs and negotiations are most important. You can’t play this game without them. The current formula we are in, looks as the best choice for us. Croatia, Albania, Hungary, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Turkey have all demonstrated that we can stand proud before Asteria and fight them on equal terms. So I say let’s stick together.



MH: What have been your favorite presidents the past few months?

MCB: Must say my favourite so far is Carlos. The work this guy puts in is amazing. The Mike did an amazing job at building the bases of this new US mentality.



MH: What is your opinion on the donations to the CBO and have you voted for or against them in the past?

MCB: Donations to CBO are good, people voting them down is bad! I will give AARP as an example. Currently it is massively sponsored by Her Vootsman and private donations. With the CBO money this wouldn’t be necessary!



MH: We currently have a minimum salary of 1cc do you support increasing this or keeping it the same and why?

MCB: The 1cc is a must. This way we can keep active any communes that we have and give PMU’s the freedom to produce their own stock. This will of course give soldiers more resources to fight.



MH: Have you been logging into eUS Forums?

MCB: Since discord, the forum has lost it’s sparkle, but I still log on.



MH: What thoughts do you have on the issue of rogue and corrupt congressmen?

MCB: Rogue and corrupt congress people are the result of poor party management. The only blame is the PP who can’t be bothered checking their lists. But what is rogue though? Isn’t congress a place where everyone is entitled to their own opinion? Ill willing congress people, these are the issue.



MH: Have you heard of the new ‘Delegates’ program for congress? What are your thoughts on it if so?

MCB: I think that the “delegates” initiative has a future. In my opinion this should be a discussion between all the PP’s, come up with a plan and present it to the congress for approval. At the end of the day the PP’s should be interested in educating their party members for future.



MH: Do you intend to run for congress again next term?

MCB: I will probably run for another month(time permitting) and as congress person the only concerns I have is the lack of real new players and the lack of adapting to the everchanging game.



MH: What are your biggest concerns for the eNation as a Congressman?

MCB: The most powerful nations have changed the way they play the game and this gives them the edge. If anyone wants to know what I am on about, I am more than happy to explain on discord 😊



MH: How many companies do you have and what kinds do you own and what advice do you have for the economical players of this game?

MCB: I am not economically active. I don’t think economy works in this game, and I suck at it anyway. My advice for players that want to play the economic module is to save their real life money. 😉









MH: How many times have you been in congress?

CG: Including Shadow Congress like 25.



MH: Did you have any goals when you ran for congress?

CG: Nope.



MH: What is your position on taxes in eUSA (Work Tax, VAT Tax, Import Tax)? Do you support an increase or keeping it the same and why?

CG: My position depends on the price level of the market, given the low supply for most goods, low taxes and free trade are preferred. Historically though, the American market has been very desirable so when the market finally corrects after the Holidays increasing imports is always viable.



MH: What are your views on the idea of ‘price protectionism’ and the need to keep producer prices intact from the consequences of foreign invasions and price fluctuations on the market?

CG: Price Protectionism is pointless given the current low supply of all items.



MH: Who do you think we should rent regions to, if at all, and do you have somewhat of a strategy for how we can use this concept to win back our lost regions?

CG: I support renting regions to everyone and anyone.



MH: Do you think we should continue fighting our wars, try to negotiate, or capitulate for our enemies?

CG: We should negotiate, the current leadership, while I like Carlos a lot, is more less cut from the same cloth of the leadership of the past year. Hence the general unwillingness to work towards an armistice. We are not winning this war, but we can be a very huge pain in the ass to our occupiers. Therefore we should settle and try to get a good deal, that gives us Congress and some rental income.



MH: What wars have you supported and are you fully aware of who our allies are and our enemies?

CG: Lol, such a huge question, I am going to skip it.



MH: What is your opinion on the wipe of eUSA and the antecedents behind the subsequent wars that followed?

CG: The wipe was well deserved, given Pfeiffer’s antics.



MH: What have been your favorite presidents the past few months?

CG: Carlos.



MH: What thoughts do you have on the issue of rogue and corrupt congressmen?

CG: I have always encouraged the Congressmen to follow IES, and make sure there in game proposals are at least tenable. To be perfectly honest IES has always felt politicized, for example our mutual friend King James literally made a new account in eUSA since they refused to accept him into eUSA despite his very perfect record. I think examples like that undermine the system of IES in a major way.



MH: Do you intend to run for congress again next term?

CG: Nope, as PP I generally will not run myself for Congress



MH: What countries do you have a business license in?

CG: Canada, Cyprus, United Kingdom, USA








MH: How many times have you been in congress?

TPOB: 6 times (4-5 in eUSA)



MH: Did you have any goals when you ran for congress?

TPOB: Try to contribute as much as possible



MH: What are your views on the issue of not having any regions for congress and what solutions do you have for keeping our regions secured so congress can function?

TPOB: I believe we have much more experienced players that can coordinate a liberation. We all may have our own visions of what to do next, but once we have a plan that most of us agree on - we should all contribute to the best of our abilities



MH: What is your position on taxes in eUSA (Work Tax, VAT Tax, Import Tax)? Do you support an increase or keeping it the same and why?

TPOB: Haven't had time to look into the discussions /:



MH: What are your views on the idea of ‘price protectionism’ and the need to keep producer prices intact from the consequences of foreign invasions and price fluctuations on the market?

TPOB: We ought to have a free market



MH: Who do you think we should rent regions to, if at all, and do you have somewhat of a strategy for how we can use this concept to win back our lost regions?

TPOB: Again, more xp players would know better



MH: Do you think we should continue fighting our wars, try to negotiate, or capitulate for our enemies?

TPOB: We should continue fighting. Not only on the battlefield, but through other means. Free country is the goal we should reach through our own efforts



MH: What wars have you supported and are you fully aware of who our allies are and our enemies?

TPOB: Croatia and Albania are the ones that helped us the most as far as I'm aware, w/o degrading the help we received from other allies. Our main goal is getting Asteria off our back. In reaching that goal we should strive to build good relations with anti-Asteria countries. I realise many older players still hold many grudges from the past, but fighting a common enemy is as good of a reason to unite as any



MH: What is your opinion on the wipe of eUSA and the antecedents behind the subsequent wars that followed?

TPOB: Very unfortunate. From this point of view, it was inevitable. No use in blaming anyone, we need to evaluate today's situation and work with what we have



MH: Do you think it is necessary for eUS CPs and their administrations to keep up relations and collaboration with our allies? Which eNations would you prefer to see this country work with?

TPOB: Already mentioned, Croatia and Albania as the ones helping us most. Other countries that fight Asteria as well should be reached and coordinated with



MH: What have been your favorite presidents the past few months?

TPOB: The Mike did many good things during his time in cabinet. The mechanics change kicked in in his term and it was a nice bonus that he used to kick out some of our occupiers. Carlos is also doing a great job right now. Despite having many responsibilities in EZC, TCP and in the government, he is managing everything really well



MH: What is your opinion on the donations to the CBO and have you voted for or against them in the past?

TPOB: It is not a cheap thing to run a country. Many funds have been funded by that money, it was used for good. As long as we have a report on where the money is going - no need to obstruct the donations



MH: We currently have a minimum salary of 1cc do you support increasing this or keeping it the same and why?

TPOB: No need to increase it. The market itself determines actual salaries and 1cc ones are very useful to military units



MH: Have you been logging into eUS Forums?

TPOB: Not in a while. It's a good way to communicate with other Congressmen, but it is time-consuming



MH: What thoughts do you have on the issue of rogue and corrupt congressmen?

TPOB: Everybody working against eUSA and against the rules the Congress has instituted should be properly punished



MH: Have you heard of the new ‘Delegates’ program for congress? What are your thoughts on it if so?

TPOB: Not sure what that is referring to, but I've heard of a discussion referring to Congress-filling during times of no regions. If that's the thing you're referring to - I would definitely like to see an actual proposition (maybe there was one?)



MH: Do you intend to run for congress again next term?

TPOB: Yup



MH: What are your biggest concerns for the eNation as a Congressman?

TPOB: Division between players over small issues that result in not fighting important issues together



MH: How many companies do you have and what kinds do you own and what advice do you have for the economical players of this game?

TPOB: I produce food and houses. Mostly for own needs, but I sell what's left over. I believe right now housing is the most profitable industry for beginners. Q7 weapons companies are the best, if you can afford to build one 😃 This was a few months ago, proces have fluctuated since then, things might've changed CD



MH: What countries do you have a business license in?

TPOB: Bosnia and Herzegovina and USA









MH: How many times have you been in congress?

SN: Just had to check my profile to find out that I had been 24 times in Congress.



MH: Did you have any goals when you ran for congress?

SN: If I remember correctly, when I first ran for congress, I tried to help to get the Income Tax down. I also hoped to be able to improve the transparency on financial matters and more generally be helpful to the community at large. Obviously I was quite naïve at the time (and probably I still am 😊



MH: What are your views on the issue of not having any regions for congress and what solutions do you have for keeping our regions secured so congress can function?

SN: Honestly I don’t lose any sleep over the fact if we have a congress or not. I have seen different player going out of their way to help our e-country in one way or another and most of them didn’t belong to the congress quite the contrary. We should worry about finding solutions to get out of this mess and not about the fact that some, mostly inactive in game players, want to play politics for the sake of it. We don’t need politician but players who about building a community whether in congress or outside.



MH: What is your position on taxes in eUSA (Work Tax, VAT Tax, Import Tax)? Do you support an increase or keeping it the same and why?

SN: As low as possible. Our budget is a joke and there is no transparency on how the money is managed. Never forget that most of the taxes are paid by players who invest a lot of time and money in the game (I’m talking about the game not the forum😊) The least we owe them is to be open as how we keep and use that money.



MH: What are your views on the idea of ‘price protectionism’ and the need to keep producer prices intact from the consequences of foreign invasions and price fluctuations on the market?

SN: That’s a very complex question as a lot of potential production bonuses were lost by splitting up e-USA. Therefore, I guess, that the total production of goods in the e-world went south. Less goods meaning higher prices. But that’s only an educated guess as it’s very difficult to get meaningful numbers to appreciate this matter in objective way.




MH: Who do you think we should rent regions to, if at all, and do you have somewhat of a strategy for how we can use this concept to win back our lost regions?

SN: Of course we should consider renting out regions as a diplomatic tool. The gov should consider putting somebody in charge with studying the subject in a more detailed manner. I’m still convinced that if had had a more open policy towards foreign players and countries we would be one of the strongest e-countries today instead of being wiped every other week. But that’s spilt milk.


MH: Do you think we should continue fighting our wars, try to negotiate, or capitulate for our enemies?

SN: Definitely fight and negotiate. We need to continue building “goodwill” and hopefully in a not distant future we may be able to turn the tide. At one stage or another the international military environment will become more favorable for us. Keep an open mind as alliances can change very quickly. Our time will come I have no doubt even if the waiting time seems long. But take it easy it’s only a game and, even as an occupied country, we are having some fun on the battlefield. (At least sometimes !)



MH: What wars have you supported and are you fully aware of who our allies are and our enemies?

SN: I’m way less involved in the game as some years back. As a rule I try to understand orders and follow them when ever possible. I guess I could say that I know our enemies and our (potential) allies.



MH: What is your opinion on the wipe of eUSA and the antecedents behind the subsequent wars that followed?

SN: In hindsight it is very easy to blame certain people. But in fact, our whole approach is to blame. Instead of being open and sharing our resources we completely shut own, displaying arrogance against foreign countries and players. We were afraid of being TO, we put “max taxes” in place for no obvious reason…. How many bad will did we create, how many people players we drive away, how many players stopped playing ……



MH: Do you think it is necessary for eUS CPs and their administrations to keep up relations and collaboration with our allies? Which eNations would you prefer to see this country work with?

SN: This is essential! If we can’t work together with other nations our situation will never improve. This is an essential part of what I’m excepting from the executive. Not only should we try to work with but also have a look at how they function and understand them a little better. Maybe we can even “copy” some aspects of how they work together. We can even learn from our enemies – it’s never too late -.




MH: What have been your favorite presidents the past few months?

SN: I have a lot of respect for Carlos for his involvement and the time he spends to try to improve the situation contrary to some of his predecessors. His communication skills are greatly appreciated as well.



MH: What is your opinion on the donations to the CBO and have you voted for or against them in the past?

SN: Against for the reasons stated above and I will keep doing so ( if I keep being a congressmember 😊) as long as we don’t change the current non-transparent system.



MH: We currently have a minimum salary of 1cc do you support increasing this or keeping it the same and why?

SN: The question here is do we want to continue to support “commune” working or not? I would like to hear the arguments of the people who are running a “commune”, and get some numbers if possible, before making up my mind.



MH: Have you been logging into eUS Forums?

SN: Nowadays very rarely! As somebody else said “our forums are mostly “intellectual masturbation””. It’s game for god sake and it’s played “in game” ! If most of the people would spend as much time as they do on the forums to help the gov organizing our community and our defense we may get somewhere. Some players on the forum are not even active in the game anymore!



MH: What thoughts do you have on the issue of rogue and corrupt congressmen?

SN: Define “rogue” 😉! I consider that in game rules are “above” forum rules. Spending 24-48h to discuss if we should propose an in-game law is just non-sense. It’s easy if a majority of congress members are against said law they push the “no” button -end of story - ! Just name me one e-country that has a decision process as complicated as ours or as a matter of fact a “constitution” as complicated as ours (if they got one at all 😊)). No wonder that we are behind the “curve” all the time!



MH: Have you heard of the new ‘Delegates’ program for congress? What are your thoughts on it if so?

SN: Yes, I have! Ask yourself the question – Do we need more politicians or more warriors to get us out of the present situation-. Erep has become – at least for the largest part – a war game. So should we groom players to know their way around the forum, which is absolutely useless given our present situation, or should we try to teach them how the military part of our game works. Even low strength players can be useful on the battlefield and outside in helping with coordination of our troops for example. Have a look at Macedonia, they got way less players than we have but, for the moment they give as a run for our money. Do you think that their priority is to have their players following a lot of rules and regulations, most of them inefficient, in a forum or prepare them to defend and expand their country?



MH: Do you intend to run for congress again next term?

SN: If my PP decides to put me on the ballot yes probably.



MH: How many companies do you have and what kinds do you own and what advice do you have for the economical players of this game?

SN: Just let me check! 1Q7 W, 1Q7 F, 21Raw F, 21 Raw W, 1Q1 H, 1Q3 H, 1Q5 H, and 5 Raw H



MH: What countries do you have a business license in?

SN: Croatia,Cyprus,France,Turkey and still got 2 free licenses left. But I’m not sure that those are the best countries to have a license. I’m not really optimizing my economic gameplay anymore.







Maxwell's Corner




I hope you enjoyed this article and I will be publishing several more before this term is out and please let me know what you would like to see. Do you enjoy these interview series? Would you like to see me speak more with foreign governments or analysis of domestic affairs? Help me improve these articles, let me know!

also, on Christmas Eve and on the New Year AARP may be down as Herr Vootsman will be busy on the holidays

Before I close out I would like to encourage some discussion in the comments section about what we can do to improve our strategy and collaboration with our allies. Who would you like to see eUSA work with? What would you be doing differently if you were planning eUS strategy? I wanna hear from you.

Merry Chirstmas, Happy Holidays, and have a happy New Year!





~Secretary of Media Maxwell Hanz~