President Ananias

Day 636, 16:12 Published in USA USA by Ananias

I have waited and watched and attempted to contribute to the solutions put forth, I have made suggestions until I am blue in the face and have been largely ignored. While the reasons that I have been unable to influence the conversation are many, some based on previous partisan animosity, some based on personal distrust and some based on what may be perceived as undermining the accumulated power of some individuals which are committed to keeping it at whatever the expense to the eUSA.

Enough.

So at the risk of further alienating myself from those that will not listen anyway, for any combination of reasons listed above, I am going to share with you all my acceptance speech as President of the eUnited States in some alternative eRepublik universe (likely the 4th circle of Hell for my adversaries).

What follows is based on fictional event, but contains the truth as to my perspectives on the eUS and leadership in general:

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The Inaugural Address of President-elect Ananias to the Citizens of the eUnited States of America


My fellow Americans,

A little over a month ago the greatest challenge that we have ever faced together as a nation, a full scale invasion of our country by a coalition of foreign forces, compelled our nation and our citizens down the arduous path of war to the point where we stand today. During our forced march down this path we have watched in sullen disappointment as, whether through discouragement, apathy or compromise for survival, so many of our fellow citizens have made the decision to diverge from our journey.

Those of us that have chosen to remain united for the sake of the eUS, to suffer together the burden of loss, of defeat, of betrayal…have carried the weight of those disappointments from all corners of our nation to the intersection of our diverse paths. We stand now at the intersection of our path and face one even as the invaders continue to bear down on us. The combined weight bowing our backs may be perceived by our enemies, from a distance, as submission. Our enemies mock and jeer, and many of our citizens, that have fallen along the wayside or diverged from our path, pierce us with accusations and blame…but though we struggle to stand, still we stand...and though we bow beneath the weight…

…we will not submit. And therein lies the seed to our victory.

While the military chapter of our shared struggle may have only been directly initiated some five weeks ago, the chapters which precede it can easily be identified as the foundation of our national journey. The pages filled with missteps and lessons that were learned too late, the profiles of betrayers and thieves, the records or partisanship and pettiness, are all summarized in the prologue to our bitter defeats on the battlefield. And as a nation, we must commit ourselves to tearing the pages from our history and starting again with a new entry that will serve as the new prologue to our shared destiny.

A prologue which recounts the moment that when we were at our darkest hour, bowed beneath the weight of our attackers and pierced by those that have capitulated, we stood together in a circle as a nation, facing each other, and stared into each others eyes to gauge our resolve to unite. In that moment we will attain the greatest victory…the unified and authentic commitment that…

We will not submit…though it cost us everything to stand. We will stand, together.

At that time, in that new chapter, it will be recounted that we stood straight again, and turned to face our enemies, and in that action created the barrier necessary to protect each others vulnerable back. In that new chapter our nation cast aside the burden of our betrayal through forgiving their inability to resist capitulation in the face of adversity. Our nation drew its sword, raised its shield and began to turn the tide to victory.


My fellow Americans, we owe much to those that have preceded us in creating alternative solutions as the war escalated, and even as the eUS diminished in territory. Even in perceived failure, there is the seed of victory through the learning achieved. While many, in their disappointment and discouragement, may seek to paint unsuccessful, though innovative or audacious, solutions as apathy or malevolence akin to Nero watching Rome burn, the reality of the motivations and efforts behind such solutions attest to the very spirit of eUS ingenuity and commitment to our allies.

- Though we were unsuccessful in our attempt to rock the political foundations of an invading country, we learned that our national political parties could organize and contribute successfully when eschewing partisanship and political gain for the welfare of the nation.

- Though we were unsuccessful in our attempt to hold back the tide of the invaders, we learned that through communication and clear-eyed strategy, we could assemble and deploy vast segments of the eUS citizenry to optimal positions which offered the greatest promise of effective defense.

- Though we were unsuccessful in enacting a comprehensive peace treaty, we unveiled the depth of diversity in the motivations of the invaders, and, through that exercise, identified the incentives by which we may compel our invaders to negotiate in good faith. Additionally, we further exposed the inauthenticity of their propaganda and the widespread inadherence to the very charter with which they employ to recruit new nations.

In the eUS, as with many other nations, we are not satisfied with the mere appreciation of learning through experience, we strive for effective application of that learning. Our process for achievement is simple…try it, learn from it, refine it, accomplish it. We are a nation of achievers, and we will not submit to the leisure of satisfaction only that the lesson has been learned.

My predecessors, President Emerick and President Richardson, both sought to accomplish audacious feats of diplomacy by negotiating with the many nations of PEACE as a combined party to the agreement. The effort was very successful in many ways, but failed in the most critical manner which was addressing the motivations of the individual nations involved in the invasion, and appealing to the satisfaction of those motivations.

Before we can successfully negotiate such a treaty, we must first accept that homogenous concessions will be inevitably be unsuccessful when confronted with diverse motivations. For example, some member nations of PEACE GC are waging war for pragmatic military and resource reasons, some member nations are waging war out of conformity with other member nations, some are waging war out of commitment to the charter of the alliance and still others are waging war for purposes of retribution for perceived injury by the eUS.

The moment that any of these motivations are removed from the final solution, comprehensive negotiations will likely realize minimum yield.

So to that point, on this, the first day of my Presidency, I am directing the eUS Secretary of State to distribute the negotiations from a comprehensive treaty to separate peace negotiations. By developing a binding, and separate, peace with the nations involved, we will be far more likely to approach a binding agreement by which PEACE GC and the eUSA and its allies may move forward. Additionally, during these negotiations, I will be negotiating personally with PEACE GC for the required terms to obtain a 7 day cease-fire agreement for negotiation.

Obviously it is possible that neither the cease-fire agreement, nor the treaty negotiations, may bear fruit, and in that instance, once again, we will need to re-assert our commitment to one another as eUS citizens…

We will not submit…though it cost us everything to stand. We will stand together.

And to all the member nations of PEACE GC I say this:

Our nation and our citizens have much to offer in partnership for the welfare of all citizens of eRepublik. You have taught us some hard lessons regarding our missteps of the past, and we acknowledge both your strength and organizational prowess. Let’s meet to indentify our common goals, and through that establish our future relations on those common grounds. Do not allow those within your community that seek only revenge and retribution for injuries of the past to dictate our road to the future. And, if, indeed, we are unable to come to a mutually beneficial compromise, it is without arrogance or disrespect to your strength as a community that I say this on behalf of all Americans:

We will not submit…though it cost us everything to stand. We will stand together.

On this, the first day of my Presidency, in the new prologue being written by those of us that still stand beside one another, I make another commitment to you, my fellow citizens:

While war may be raging and international negotiations are pushing forward, our citizens, new and old, shall not be neglected by the very government through which their authority is represented. You, the citizens of the eUS, are the foundation of eUS power and authority and therefore require the respect and support necessary to thrive whether you are one of the fortunate that remain in eUS territory or one of those displaced by war, the eUS government is only a channel by which the power vested by the citizenry for the priorities of the citizenry is actualized. We are here for your benefit, you are not here for ours.

As my first priority is to protect and defend the territorial integrity of the eUS and her citizenry, my entire focus will be the facilitation of peace or victory over the international threat. In order to provide that undivided attention, while still making sure that no eUS citizen is without support, I will be re-establishing the charter and institution of the Department of Citizen Affairs to actively seek out new and existing eUS citizens, regardless of national residence, to validate that they are matched to mentors, gifting partners and wellness programs so that tey may thrive in eRepublik regardless of their circumstance.

Because of the imperative nature of these programs run through the Department of Citizen Affairs (DoCA), and the active, rather than passive approach, to our citizens that they will be tasked with taking, every governmental resource not currently allocated to territorial defense or negotiations will be tasked with contributing. Additionally, every willing, private resource which can offer support in an effective and non-partisan fashion will be contracted to support the efforts of the DoCA. The support of our citizens is not negotiable, while in the short term the effort will be challenging to balance with competing priorities, it remains paramount to our long-term success as a nation and a community.

America, we are at the intersection of our shared destiny as a nation, let us, together, commit to purging the divisive rhetoric and personal pettiness of the past from our collective experience, keeping only that which will prevent us from repeating the mistakes. Let us show the world that we have learned to stand together, united as a team.

Let us write a new prologue together for our promising future. And let it start with the words:

We would not submit, and though it may have cost us everything to stand…

We stood, together.

Thank you for your time and may God bless America.

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And, no, I have not intention to run for President of the United States, ever. I ask for your votes and subscription.