II. Moving Right Along
Dereck Ryan
Now that a new congress has been elected it is time to move on with the governing of this country. I know my first article, depending on which side of the fence you’re sitting, came across as either belligerent or brilliant, but I’m not always so inflammatory.
This term I’d like to see congress function in a way that puts eCanada on a path of increased success in game. It’s time to start (re-start?) a tradition of political discussion in the press, right here, not on the forums. Each of you elected to congress is there to represent all of the citizens of this country, not just the ones who like to frequent the forums. Civil and honest debate can occur in articles here as easily as it could offsite, and it makes your discussion much more accessible to everyone.
Plugson has started the ball rolling with his article No More Dumping, and I’d truly like to see more of you follow his lead. Not only is it going to lead to more open and accessible debate, but it can also lead to a more engaged citizenry and that is good for the community as a whole. That’s what this whole game is about (right?), community, and giving the UK a ceremonial beating down every once in a while (though that gets a little tedious at times).
Politics in the country has long been divisive and destructive but it doesn’t have to be that way. The majority of us have the same goals and aspirations, though we disagree from time to time on how to achieve them, and that’s okay! What isn’t okay is that we let a small, but vocal minority run roughshod over us. It’s time for us to stop being the proverbial red-headed stepdaughter (I love gingers, honest!) and start working together. We can be great, but first we have to be good and it’s got to start with you, congress. It’s time to lead by example.
Comments
Thanks for plugging my article/proposal, Dereck.
Let's work together on something productive now.
I totally agree.
Agreed!
Open debate in the media is very productive at times and often uncovers ideas and suggestions that would otherwise have been missed.
Well done Dereck!
I agree. It's about time we got some more transparency in government.
Fully support this idea. If one is truly opposed to a lack of transparency or elitism in the game, I think they would agree as well. It would make politics and discourse more accessible, and would free us from all the arbitrary rules and regulations the messy bureaucracy of the forums have created.
I would go further and strip down all institutions - the court, the constitution, etc. The game mechanics, raw and pure, and public opinion expressed through the ballots, should be all that matters.
If we abandon our reliance on the forums, we also can no longer isolate and ostracize members of the community, creating enormous divides between factions. As somebody pointed out to me - Rolo has never truly been excluded from the community, as he's been here all along. At least, that statement follows if you believe that the forums are extraneous, and secondary to the true community.
I agree.