February 2011 UDL Convention... IT'S ELECTION TIME - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE!!!

[Insula Dei]

Present

[Insula Dei]

Fellow members of this great party,

I'd like to raise the issue we're all thinking off here. Let's face it, either this convention deals with the issue at hand or the UDL is doomed to fail like so many parties before it. I'm referring, obviously, to the primary process and what came before it. I am referring to the fact that we're running a candidate with an appropiate background,the right profile, a strong platform and an extended list of proposals that would, as I think we can all agree, make Atlasia stronger and better, and yet won't be the first preference of at least a couple of members and (alas) former members, myself included.  What happened?

How is it possible that such a rift could be born in this young party? I think, and I know my analysis is probably not that of some other members, that the smal clicque (let's call a cat a cat here) that started this party (and perhaps even only a few parts of it) forgot that a presidential nomination is never to be assumed and that some people on the ground, myself included, forgot that the open field is not the place where our grudges should be taken. I still think that our Presidential nominee made a error of judgement when he posted Private Messages by another highly esteemed mamber or when he was perhaps a bit too eager to engage certain highranking members of the JCP, thus putting the coalition that he Atlasian left should always be at risk. But I don't intend to open old wounds here.

So what am I trying to say here? Well, that's actually rather simple. I'd like to suggest that -we try to effectively regulate the primary process within the party, both for senatorial and presidential races.
- we adopt a policy of silent co-operation with the JCP. 'Silent' in that we should try to not openly clash with them or their leaders, even if there are personal feuds between some of our members and theirs.
- we should perhaps ask the Council to set out a couple of guidelines which should be taken into account when running for party offices, even if they should be informal rather than official.

I think that if we take these three simple ideas into consideration we might prevent a repeat of this cycle's unfortunate events. It is to this goal that I have adressed this joint session and it is with this goal now explicitly stated and hoping that everyone will now be forced to speak their mind about it, that I will now return to silence.

I thank you for your attention.

[Insula Dei]

And oh: Anyone up for #UDL at Mibbit?

[Insula Dei]

I nominate Ilikeverin.

[Insula Dei]

Hooray!!!

Now, 5 nominations - for 5 spots... will we bother with a vote?

Aren't we running late as it is already?

[Insula Dei]

It's important that we don't fall appart over this decision.

[Insula Dei]

For the record: I am in favour of either enorsing Oakvale (big surprise!) or considering asking the JCP about a unity ticket.

[Insula Dei]

I will be running alongside Ben. I humbly request that the UDL consider our ticket as its own.

I will be running for President, and I really feel the UDL should endorse me, and I hope that y'all will.

No offense guys, but you lost the primary and you're now trying to put us in a situation where we would no longer get to choose who our nominee would be. I find that to be a bit of a dickmove.

[Insula Dei]

I was really starting to think we could now take it to Tmth.

[Insula Dei]

And, Taoisigh, you have certainly lost all moral authority to criticize us, deciding to run with J.J., who is very conservative.  It's perplexing, and disappointing.

I'm not strictly speaking running 'with' J.J.. I'm allowing J.J. to run what basically is a non-ideological campaign with a message of game reform. I'll probably refrain from actively campaigning as well. And remember guys: this isn't going to cost the Atlasian left anything come election day.

[Insula Dei]

After talking to Ogis, I'd like to hereby revoke my earlier 'attack' on Ben and him. If they are just trying to get the party nod, I think we should seriously consider them as our candidates.

[Insula Dei]

I think J. J. should be on our endorsement ballot, as well.

*hughughug*

[Insula Dei]

For the record, I'm also disappointed by Belgiansocialist's choice to run for VP with an unexperienced right-winger who is running a demagogic campaign.

I'm sorry if I disappointed you Antonio, but I hope that the explanations I've given for that decision elsewhere will be sufficient to at least help you understand the reasoning behind it.

[Insula Dei]

For the record, I'm also disappointed by Belgiansocialist's choice to run for VP with an unexperienced right-winger who is running a demagogic campaign.

QFT. Things like this are the main culprits in making this game a useless personality contest filled with bickering and feuds every election time; instead of doing interesting and useful stuff. But I guess that's what you get when half of the voters don't give a rat's ass about serious sh**t.

I'm sorry Hash, but I think you're being unfair here. J.J does have serious proposals to improve the game. You complain about the game being a useless personality contest filled with bickering, but how can it be anything else when Atlasian law has gotten so complex and difficult to browse that many people just don't know what's law and what isn't anymore. This campaign proposes to fix that, and hopefully solve some of the games problems in the process. Maybe our campaign isn't 100% serious, but the stuff we're talking is some serious sh**t.

[Insula Dei]

For the record, I'm also disappointed by Belgiansocialist's choice to run for VP with an unexperienced right-winger who is running a demagogic campaign.

QFT. Things like this are the main culprits in making this game a useless personality contest filled with bickering and feuds every election time; instead of doing interesting and useful stuff. But I guess that's what you get when half of the voters don't give a rat's ass about serious sh**t.

I'm sorry Hash, but I think you're being unfair here. J.J does have serious proposals to improve the game. You complain about the game being a useless personality contest filled with bickering, but how can it be anything else when Atlasian law has gotten so complex and difficult to browse that many people just don't know what's law and what isn't anymore. This campaign proposes to fix that, and hopefully solve some of the games problems in the process. Maybe our campaign isn't 100% serious, but the stuff we're talking is some serious sh**t.

Yeah. Except that I've always backed game reform of some type. Except that your guy has like no recent experience in Atlasia and I truly doubt he understands the whole issue of recent contemporary Atlasia. Furthermore, he's running as an outright joke on a one-issue campaign and his method of achieving the little patches he wants are not the way to do it. Really, systematic vetoes of bills is perhaps the most retarded idea I've heard in this game. He may raise good issues, and definitely the wiki always requires work (but that's the AG's responsibility and should be raised with him, and people should make sure he does it) and maybe a law for deregistration would be cool (but surely if you draft one, a Senator will happily introduce it and the Senate will do what it wishes with it). Running for president on a one-issue platform which wants to block the entire f-ing legislative process to achieve little patches of that type and nothing else is most certainly not the way to do it. And I'm thus extremely disappointed that a person as intelligent as you can agree with such a dumb one-issue joke platform. Thankfully he won't win, but if he did it'd be a very bad thing for the game and for those who care about it. And he doesn't care about the game.

Furthermore, this is a political game. There are going to be laws and traditional legislative bureaucracy. And thank God for it. If it wasn't for that, we'd really be a 100% personality contest/bickering contest. Even more than now.

Well yeah, obviously J.J. won't win. That's sort of obvious. The only reason he's running is because he wants to gain attention for the issues he's running on. Nor does anyone believe the solutions J.J. proposes (i.e. the complete veto) would be the right way to go about such a change, but it's our (or at the very least: my) goal to make people aware od the necessity of a more accesible Atlasia. We'll leave working out how to realize that to the grown-ups.

[Insula Dei]

Is this convention still going on?

[Insula Dei]

I second that motion, or do whatever movements I can to support the Ben/Ogis ticket.

I also fully support the Ben/Ogis ticket.

[Insula Dei]

For the first time in well over a month I'm excited about this party's chances in the election and about the future of the party itself.

Thank you Ben and Ogis.

[Insula Dei]

You know, I think I speak for the entire council-elect when I encourage those with an interest in the chairmanship to speak out and not feel restrained by modesty or a lack of confidence.

[Insula Dei]

I would like to appeal to the UDL for their endorsement in the Northeast Senate race. Those who know me know I have no problem reaching across the aisle in the name of pragmatism or sanity in some cases. I think having me in the Senate rather than my opponent is more advantageous to you and your cause.

Thank you very much.

If there's no left-wing candidate, you have my endorsement and I urge the party to give you its.

Agreed.

Is there really noone who wants the presidency? People, we're talking about a job which had its standard for activity set by a guy who disappeared a week after winning his election. It's not a lot of work.

[Insula Dei]

Can we get on with our own party's business now?

[Insula Dei]

President

[X] NE Speaker Polnut

[  ] Write in: _________

[Insula Dei]

'Kay, Can we now declare that Polnut has won by acclamation?

[Insula Dei]

Any candidates? Any people willing to nominate someone else?

[Insula Dei]

I also fully support the Ben/Ogis ticket.

President

1) Oakvale/Snowguy716

Let's be fair here, the only thing that matters is whether I preference you above or under Tmth. And if you do feel a need to go after people on the basis of their vote, the several members who first-preferenced Tmth might be a more suitable target.