[Lake4SFP] When the Going Gets Tough

Day 3,578, 20:37 • Published in USA USA • by J.A. Lake
When the Going Gets Tough

I admit, I haven't been around for some time. That is probably my greatest weakness as a candidate for Party President, and I'll declare it up front.

Most of you I know, but I'll introduce myself in brief. I'm J.A. Lake, I've been around for some time. I was in the SFP when it was an achievement to barter for a few Congress seats from the Federalists or the BSP, and at most we'd have two or three Congresspeople. I was around for the December Revolution, where Bear Cavalry overthrew the dictatorship in defiance of Congress. I was in Congress, fighting to get our members removed from the Congressional blacklist. I was around when Cerb and company seized the SFP and tried to break us.


We're a party with a storied history and with a lot of notable members. We've been the gadfly, the Socrates to this game's mainstream population. I've been here for a lot of it, but I don't want to focus on me. This is about the Party.

That said, I think we're starting to lose our way. This is not totally the fault of any Party, but merely I think a symptom of the decline of the game. My belief is that to combat that, we must focus on making what we have work. In order to do that we must restructure the Party.

I recognize the prospect of change is ominous, but only if you let the opportunity to effect it pass by.

For the month of October I have written up a 3 Point Plan, consisting of the following points (in no particular order).

1) Constitutional Rewrite

Our Constitution (much like the eUSA's) is written for a larger game than we're playing, and it isn't abided by half the time. On the first day of my tenure as Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee, I will open a discussion on the forums to compose a new Constitution. This will be less wordy, more contemporary, and much easier to abide by.

2) Perestroika


The Revolutionary Committee could use reform. I appreciate the desire for an all-volunteer organization, but the system doesn't reflect game mechanics or make use of what we have. It also muddles business and open discussion, which I think would be better served by two different threads.

Instead, I propose the following.

We create the Central Committee of the SFP as a body above the Revolutionary Committee, a space in which the work of administrating the party can be done free from distraction. It will consist of five members, including the Chairman. The other four will be the Vice President, Secretary General, Councilor, and Spokesman listed under the party screen in-game. Each player will play a different, but essential, role in the Central Committee.

Chairman/President: Presides, determines policy positions to be put to a vote, and closes votes.

Deputy Chairman/Vice President: Assumes the duties of the Chairman when s/he is incapable of fulfilling those duties. Votes on proposals.

Secretary General: Oversees the various organs of the Party, including Bear Cavalry and various outreach and support programs. Votes on proposals.

Councilor: Exists as a seat the Party Council elects a member to. Votes on proposals based on recommendations of the Party Council.

Spokesman: Editor of the SFP Official Media. Votes on proposals.

As you can see, this form of government allows for the orderly administration of the SFP in a thread that will be used solely for business- the Central Committee thread. The President appoints all members but the Councilor, who is voted on in the body I am about to describe.

Separate from the Central Committee is the SFP General Committee. This is basically what the SFP Revolutionary Committee is now- all volunteer, no conditions for entry, and able to discuss whatever. They will get together and elect a Councilor within a few days of the election of the Party President, who will be their voice on the Central Committee.

3) Continue to Reinvigorate the Media

SFP has been a phenomenal source of media material over the years, and I will seek to continue that trend. I will establish a fund which will pay for quality articles. What do I mean by "quality"? I'd want it to be informative, longer than a paragraph or two, and composed with good grammar, spelling, etc.. Additionally a set publishing schedule would be created (or reaffirmed) for the SFPOM, ideally one issue would be released per week.

I was on the Party discord server today when I saw a long-time party member say:

"That aside, the whole term has been sloppy in terms of important [expletive]. Like primaries. And having the RC actually [expletive] vote. Amateurish at best."

I do not mean to indict our current or former Party Presidents, but only to point that out as exactly what I will be putting a stop to. The SFP will become a more efficient Party. We will do it, regardless of any obstacle. Any and all members, past, present, or future, are welcome and encouraged to join into the effort to craft a new Party. We can only do this with full participation.

In closing, on 15 September I hope you'll remember that a vote for J.A. Lake is a vote for moving toward a contemporary SFP. This is an ambitious plan, and I understand misgivings about any fundamental changes to the SFP. I do not see this as that- I see this as attaching an administrative body to the existing party. Nothing is being changed fundamentally, but we are going to create an area where serious business will be done. If you've got any questions regarding my program, please do not hesitate to ask here, in the SFP party feed, or even in a PM. The door to my office is open any time.