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So, I’ve got a little bit more time than I did the last couple of months. And we have an actual, honest-to-god contested election for Country President. This was such a happy coincidence that I sent both candidates a series of interview questions (they both got the same questions, to be clear). And guess what? They were good natured enough to respond! Eventually. 🙂 Enjoy...




You've had the CP gig before. What's going to be different this time? What's different about the game and the eUS?


Pfeiffer: Honestly, not much. I was and am happy with my time as President. We had excellent media presence, we had a lot of fun with things, and I got to work with a bunch of really good friends. That's largely going to be the same. I suppose not having to deal with an absolutely wrong time wrong place alliance formation will lead to some more contemplative FA, but overall you're getting Pfeiffer. Consistency is the name of the game.


Orik: This time around, instead of just maintaining, I plan for the country to have something to do. I have a few different options in place to provide this activity, both militarily and domestically. I will also be improving my personal media as President to keep the country more informed on what all the Executive is going.






The USAF is the elephant in the room. What do you want to do with it? How? When? Do you think this will be what actually gets done?


Pfeiffer: As outlined in my announcement article, I plan on asking the membership what they want, and then building a team designed specifically to deliver that to them. Nobody has sat down and really done that in a long time, so that's top of the agenda as soon as I'm in office. As to getting it done, that's what I do. Get things done.



Orik: Training unit, self-sufficient, whatever USAF wants. I still have not been briefed on the USAF business that has been happening this term, but, will spend day one working on getting the current situation and building off that. Work will be starting immediately on day one. This WILL actually get done. We need USAF on the front lines again as soon as possible.






You had a chance with Israel Stevens on eNPR. Here's another chance to not be a politician. Multis. Have you ever? Do you still have them, even if you don't use them?


Pfeiffer: That's not a question anyone with a brain would answer any way but 'No' in game.


Orik: I have never had then. I have never knowingly utilized multi’s either.






Pacifica, Russia and the USA. And they all lived happily ever after? How are things going? What's first prize for solving this issue?


Pfeiffer: This will be up to Russia, I think. We have some issues to work through, and I'm open to trying, but I'm not going to compromise the US to do so. Either we can meet in the middle, or we can't. I've walked away from a broken alliance before, I'll do it again if that's what needs doing.


Orik: They all lived. Russia is continuing to be Russia and USA is going to be USA. First prize is the ability to move on and get started on other things.






How are you planning on blooding new members of the executive? By December at best you will be tired and somebody else will need fresh meat. There isn't much in your cabinet, so what's an ambitious player to do?


Pfeiffer: An ambitious player needs to find and make opportunity. Take a job working for your party or MU, or (as many have done) go to a Presidential candidate and pitch themselves. I have several new people I hope to integrate into things once my team determines exactly what the new framework will look like. I've not offered them any jobs yet, because all of the jobs under my administration will be outlined very clearly, and I can't do that until I have all of the information necessary to define the roles.




Orik: I’m planning for new blood by reaching out to parties throughout the term to find those members that show the desire to get involved and finding places for them in our departments under the supervision of my Secretaries. I’ll also reach out individually to those players who I can identify personally. Those active on forums, in the MU’s, or in their parties. Ambitious players should contact me, my VP, or Chief of Staff. We WILL find something for them to do.






Would you entertain a new debate on the dictator law? Most first and second tier countries have moved back to democracy now. Does that change things?


Pfeiffer: It's not up to me to entertain it. Congress put it in the Constitution, only Congress can take it out. I believe that having it in place is an added layer of security, and that we should continue to utilize this tool given us by the mechanics.


Orik: While our reason for having a dictatorship hasn’t changed, there’s certainly always room for a debate if there’s new facts or examples to bring to the table.






Although finance and taxes are properly Congress issues, a CP can influence the discussion heavily. Do we bank enough bank for a rainy Sunday afternoon? Is VAT too high? Are we in the Goldilocks zone?

Pfeiffer: There is no way to know if we have the 'best' tax rate. That would require changing the rate multiple times over the course of months and seeing how that affected income and production. We haven't done that since the great experiments of 2008 and 2009, and I don't think we ever will again, because we have a significant minority of players in and out of Congress who are simply unwilling to discuss it. They want to pay as little as possible, and they don't care about anything else.



Orik: I think we’re in a great area right now. I don’t think any amount of reserve can support countries for VERY long in this game anymore with the importance being put on D4 and Air battles, which are very expensive.






What's the most n00bish thing you've done in this game?


Pfeiffer: Creating Oblige.


Orik: Hmm. I think the most n00bish thing I’ve ever done is forget to sign up for PP or Congress while I was actually in the running inside party primaries and whatnot.






Tell us a bit about the person behind the screen. What do you do for a living? Married? Divorced? Gay? Vegetarian stoner? Brew your own beer? All the sorts of things you find out about a co-worker in the first week.


Pfeiffer: This isn't something a lot of people would talk about in game, and I'm inclined to tell you nothing because it's irrelevant to doing the job of President. However, I'm fairly open with people, so I'll give you a bit. I work in HR for a local non-profit, I am a white cismale hetero scumlord (or so Tumblr tells me). I do not brew my own beer, though I do smoke my own jerky, when I have the time...which isn't as often as I would like.



Orik: I’m 26, married, with a house, car, kid, and dog. I currently work as a do-everything technician for the largest ISP in the US. I have a degree in Computer Science and a degree in Math. I love a good scotch or bourbon.




Mac or Windows? Laptop or tablet? Do you still have a flip phone?


Pfeiffer: I own a Mac and a PC. I am casual, but not casual enough for a tablet. The only flip phone I ever had was my cool guy Razr back in high school. So cool.


Orik: I use both to stay up to date on any issues or problems with them, but prefer a good Linux distro, though, I’m not preferable to any in particular. If I had to choose between the two, a laptop. I still OWN a flip phone, yes, but I don’t use it.





Well, there you have it folks. An eclectic and badly thought out set of questions that have been graciously entertained by two busy guys. Thanks for entertaining the personal questions.