Survey Atlasia: April Presidential Approval Rating

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This poll is for all registered voters and will run for five days.

[SWE]

Strongly approve

[DemPGH]

Strongly approve. He's definitely done the work and he's been a friend to us in the Pacific.

[Flake]

Strongly approve. He's definitely done the work and he's been a friend to us in the Pacific.

[Lincoln Republican]

Strongly approve.

Probably the best President Atlasia has ever had.

Duke's administration will go down in Atlasian history as the Golden Age of Atlasia.

Never has a more glorious sunrise dawned across this great nation.

I shed tears of sadness that this beacon of hope and liberty, otherwise known as the Duke administration, will soon be entering into the twilight of its' existence, however, my tears of sadness are mingled with tears of thankfulness and optimism for the future, yes, a future made ever so brighter because we have been privileged to have had this gifted son of Atlasia, this unassuming, caring, down to earth man, steer the ship of state through these turbulent and uncertain times, with confidence that we shall land on the peaceful, halcyon shores, under the sure and steady guidance of our brilliant leader.

We shall miss you, Mr. President.           

Long live The People!

[Adam Griffin]

The only thing holding it all together right now.

[Cranberry]

Strongly approve. He's definitely done the work and he's been a friend to us in the Pacific.

[Oakvale]

Objectively one of the best Presidents of Atlasia in years. After a rocky start, Duke and his administration managed to do something I've very rarely seen in Atlasia - regroup, refocus, and make a startling comeback. The President has a long list of accomplishments to his name, but I think ultimately it will be the renewal and revival of the Pacific, along with DemPGH, the members of the Council, and our now Vice-President, that will serve as his proudest and most enduring legacy.

[Napoleon]

I've not seen the game this boring during my time here.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I've not seen the game this boring during my time here.

That is because Adam is wrong. There is no way one man can litteraly do everything in this game. It requires participation on a massive scale and from both sides of the political spectrum to make for interesting gameplay.

In some ways it is like playing Battlefield 1942. It is a game designed primarily for multiplayer, but in its absence it is just you and about 400 sheep that scurry about whilst you singularly secure the key points and wipe out 25% to 40% of the enemy on your own. But this is not a first person shooter game or a race to see who gets to the bottom last, so whilst BF1942 can be fun in those circumstances, aTlasia cannot. 

A large number of the current players have lost interest for a variety of reasons. One thing that puzzles me is the sheer lack of media anymore. Never, never have there been months at a time with no newspapers and no media organzations except polling until his past year and a half. Newer people thus have no concept of what that looks like and therefore aren't familiar with them to be motivated to start one or know that such is not just an aspect of the game, but a critical one at that.

[ZuWo]

Atlasia is suffering from a lack of a clear political divide between the major parties. There has been a potential center-right majority in the Senate and the Whte House for months, but yet most of the bills that have become law during that time aren't center right by any stretch of the imagination.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Atlasia is suffering from a lack of a clear political divide between the major parties. There has been a potential center-right majority in the Senate and the Whte House for months, but yet most of the bills that have become law during that time aren't center right by any stretch of the imagination.

I have never known a time in Atlasia where personality did not outweigh policy on both sides of the spectrum and that is especailly hindering to the right, where there is no margin for error. And regardless of whether it is the RPP or the Federalist Party, party unity rarely trumps these non-political alignments.

When the left goes far out, it is usually more often to be described as cool or awesome even if the person disagrees, whereras if the right does the same you are far more likely to hear crazy. We discussed this before numerous times in private. There is no way of knowing what can be pursued safely without risking a not insignficant loss of membership and remember we are just about at parity with the Labor Party as it is. That is because the only guidepost, that of real life, is a gurranteed failure and thus we have to start from a position of having to start from scratch, inching through the darkness, to try and create an Atlasian right that American Conservatives will still recognize as acceptable and yet keep enough non-conservatives to even have a reasonable shot at competativeness.

Normally I am a very cautious operator, but even with all the risks I decided to start this process last month with that policy summit, trying to get people putting out ideas and communicating with one another. I have found that when I ask people to "interact", it rarely happens in Nyman or on the campaign trail where interest in doing so is most obviosu, more or less in the general membership of the party. Also unfortunately, last month turned out to be a bad time for me to be doing anything.

From the perspective of the center it is impossible not to label the Atlasian right as a series of compunding errors, a self-defeating comedy of errors. The expectations are not clear, there is no guarrantee the goal posts will not be moved on penalty of right's disengagement, they don't turnout to support one of their own, yet complain when nothing ever changes or that there aren't clear enough divisions creating a self-fullfilling prophesy. This scares moderates who risk a lot just to be caught supporting a candidate or policy that looks even faintly like that of the real life GOP, and who want a future in Atlasia. Therefore they see their chances far better with siding with the left then with the right, they have no motivation just to play to lose fighting the good fight for a movement they do not believe in. Therefore it should not be shocking that many in the center are unwilling to challenge the left unless they stray so far that it is then safe to challenge them from an intellectual standpoint and that only works when they specialize in the issue in question to the extent to be able to do that. THey don't see it, they don't hear it, there is no indication of what issues that right is interested in that they too can join in with without risking too much, in order to form the center-right governing majority you speak of and obviously copying the real life GOP is not an option they will entertain.

Look at this Single-Payer healthcare craze. It is not issues, it is practically a religion. Atlasia must have single payer, and it is an outrage that it does not. There is a majority in Nyman nominally opposed, but how tenable is that when there is not public activism on the right against it, an intellectual opposition to reinforce that opposition that carries weight and a willingness on the part of the center to actually pursue a truly centrist option? This is a classic example of what you describe about Atlasia being pulled so far that center is not even center left anymore, yet the right is not even doing its part to oppose it. The problem is that single payer is the default option for many, it is well liked in real life, particular if those moderates come from countries that have it and there is no substantial political advantage from a game perspective for them to oppose it either, partially for the reasons that I described above. Real life motivations are powerful enough on their own, but when Atlasian politics reinforce as opposed to discourage it, the end result is obvious.

I am not unaware or unfamiliar with any of this problem you have described, Zuwo, I learned it my first month in the Senate where merely putting some administative provisions in Fritzcare was all it took to get eight votes for a badly flawed Single-Payer (for all intents and purposes) bill far more flawed then, than it is now. As recently as last year on both strategy and issues I had deep misgivings about the Federalist Party's approach, most noticibly on Judicial Term Limits, but other areas as well. You are not unfamiliar with the centrist counterperspective either or at least understood it from a numbers perspective based on actions you had taken in the Mideast, or that the right itself was not organized effectively. Ironically, I am now less able to address this situation as Fed Chair then I was as a dissident Federalist myself and independent operator running TCMFS PAC, such is the cost of running such a large and diverse party. I also lack the same freedom of operation I possessed as RPP Chair.

[Napoleon]

Idiots Super smart and talented thinkers like Riley on the right brought up the health care issue in the first place. I made a great bipartisan compromise everyone could live with. You guys thought you had some great majority and tried to go crazy right wing and ban hospital unions among other things. Your "intellectual opposition" sucks considering it was an "anti-intellectual proposition" that brought the issue back to the forefront in the first place. The reason you guys have been stuck in a black hole is because you are a horribly mismanaged joke of a political unit going back as far as the moment 20RP12 was blackmailed and perhaps earlier.

Literally no one on the left was talking about single payer until the wingnuts on the right started pushing their plan. Just admit you guys are clueless, don't blame the left for your own failures.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Idiots Super smart and talented thinkers like Riley on the right brought up the health care issue in the first place.

I figured the debate would generate activity. Would you prefer the issue remain off the table? How does that alleviate your boredome Nappy? You cannot have the cake you have already eaten.

I made a great bipartisan compromise everyone could live with. You guys thought you had some great majority and tried to go crazy right wing and ban hospital unions among other things.

Bullsh**t. I never endorsed every single aspect of the bill in question, I had no hand in even writing the damn thing to begin with. And if you will check the damn thread I was the one who removed the anti-union provisions.  And since when the hell is a public option plan of any kind right wing?

Your "intellectual opposition" sucks considering it was an "anti-intellectual proposition" that brought the issue back to the forefront in the first place.

Really, this from the man who thought ANHC was administered by the Regions, the present version of which you fing wrote man. I would also point out that you went on and on about the bill denying preventative care, when it preserves the present language from your bill guarranteeing such coverage. You certainly made a wonderful splash in the debate.

I was referring to the fact that few in this game on either side seem to understand what our present law is (Fritz thought it was like Obamacare and your "expertise" in explaining it has been well established) and only Nix and one or two others have done a good job educating people on the subject. I also find that few seem to understand healthcare both in terms of the service provided or policy regarding it, which hinders debate and disagreement, essential to any debate in this game.

The reason you guys have been stuck in a black hole is because you are a horribly mismanaged joke of a political unit going back as far as the moment 20RP12 was blackmailed and perhaps earlier.

When was 20RP12 blackmailed in 2013? You must forgive me, I was sort of an the outside of Federalist circles for much of that year, probably because I opposed its creation. Neither of its predecessors predate 2012 so I am at a loss as to how anything from 2011 has to do with it.

Literally no one on the left was talking about single payer until the wingnuts on the right started pushing their plan. Just admit you guys are clueless, don't blame the left for your own failures.

Napoleon, the sentiments I posted in the response to Zuwo were derived from stuff I have heard from both Conservative and moderate Federalists regarding the other over the past several months. Where was I blaming the left for doing what is in there interest and the whole point of my post was that the right was no organized effectively and why that is. Can you ever debate anything without trtying to find someone or something to trash? I mean seriously where in the hell did you even get that I was blaming the left for problems on the right? The same place you got denial of preventative care and regional administration of the helathcare problem, by any chance?

And how much of that is because many assumed we had single payer already? Is that what your idea of a fun game is? Holding back the left from pursuing its holy grail through a combination of misinformation and ignorance?

If am so clueless then why don't you stop complaining about being bored and actually state what you want to happen to unbored your ass, so I don't have to guess wrong next time when I mistakenyl think that debating healthcare is a great place to generate activity and interest.

[Napoleon]

Your response is too stupid (seriously, why do you argue against things no one has ever said?) for me to bother with. Learn how to use logic. I'm out.

Btw, the right has had all of these problems for so long...and one constant- a certain IDS senator. Hmm....

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Your response is too stupid for me to bother with. Learn how to use logic.

Yes, how stupid of me to think that one could ever win by arguing against the brick wall that is Napoleon. I shouldn't have spent my time so foolishly.

I'm out.

You cannot leave now, otherwise how will Adam get repaid for his patience in dealing with you this long? Two? Three months is it? Must be quite a tab over there.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Btw, the right has had all of these problems for so long...and one constant- a certain IDS senator. Hmm....

Nice try, man.

Funny thing is, we went a good year or more without an organized right of center political party prior to my joining this game. However, the entire five years and four mounths that I have been in this hellhole there has always been at least one right of center party. I cannot claim credit for them all, but I do think my influence has on a whole been a stabilizing factor in preventing the complete collapse that has occured in previous eras of the game before my time.

I also do take a little bit of pride in the critiques of the intense, machine micro-managers who consider my unorthodox methods to be lame in comparison. I didn't join this game to be Boss Tweed (RL not the player) and I am not going to be. Its amazing you bring up 20RP12 as an example of a right's incompetence under my tenure, something I damn sure would have prevented if given the opportunity.
 
You know before I ever became chairman of the RPP, I was accused of having destroyed the right just being then SE Senator for a single term at that point, by Hamilton. I guess when you run out of bs you just recycle the old stuff again.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

(seriously, why do you argue against things no one has ever said?)

You seem to do it all the time, since I am so dumb I figured I would just copy you.

[Napoleon]

(seriously, why do you argue against things no one has ever said?)

You seem to do it all the time, since I am so dumb I figured I would just copy you.

There you go again? I never said anything about "your tenure". Whoever the right has put in charge has been a complete failure. The D-Rs have been just as effective at electing people and more effective at implementing their policies with less than half of the membership.

Tbh, I don't think your dumb. You just have a low ceiling compared to the other people who have been major figures here.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I see you are just as keen as ever Nappy, stating the obvious attack against yourself as an attack against those who would highlight such against you.

[Napoleon]

I see you are just as keen as ever Nappy, stating the obvious attack against yourself as an attack against those who would highlight such against you.

Google Translate isn't working. Anyone wanna help me out? *puppy dog face*

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

(seriously, why do you argue against things no one has ever said?)

You seem to do it all the time, since I am so dumb I figured I would just copy you.

There you go again? I never said anything about "your tenure". Whoever the right has put in charge has been a complete failure. The D-Rs have been just as effective at electing people and more effective at implementing their policies with less than half of the membership.

I was referring to my tenure as Senator, which you just highlighted as the "constant factor":

Btw, the right has had all of these problems for so long...and one constant- a certain IDS senator. Hmm....

As Federalist Chairman I do not attest to hold the title of "leader of the right".  If the right had a single leader whose influence crossed party lines, my job would be easier, because I could just work out some kind of an arrangement with that person and clear up all the misunderstandings mentioned in response to Zuwo, in one fell swoop. Then the party could embrace with confidence a pro-active agenda, and mission oriented strategy designed to achieve its success.

Part of the reason is because of the DRs and I don't profess to desire them to go away if for no other reason then to hopefully discourage another forced dissolution, which even you stated is possible again at some point. More importantly though, much like with the RPP, the diversity of the Federalist party dictates a certain degree of impartiality between the two sides and hence why I said Zuwo as an Indy would have more options to fix the problems related solely to the right (their engagement, activism etc) then I do.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I see you are just as keen as ever Nappy, stating the obvious attack against yourself as an attack against those who would highlight such against you.

Google Translate isn't working. Anyone wanna help me out? *puppy dog face*

Well for one thing I hadn't seen your previous response when I posted that. Second of all I am merely stating that you seem to have a knack for trying to throw my thinking off track by accusing me of doing several things that apply just as well to you if not better.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Come on Nappy, this poll has three more days left and I plan to milk you for all the attention grabbing arguing I can get.

Actually perhaps we should shift to a different one. Some of them have under 100 views and this one has far higher.

[Adam Griffin]

I didn't mean that he literally was the only thing holding the game together, Yankee.

I think there's some merit in a combination of Napoleon and ZuWo's first comments: namely, that this "Era of Good Feelings" that Duke has brought may have played a role in the lack of activity, due to there being less fighting within the government or against the President's policies. Controversy and anger breed activity. Those breed competition. Is this not more or less the same argument that others use to justify "free markets"? The parties still have it out for each other, no doubt, but there hasn't been much of controversy originating from the federal level that truly grabs the attention of the country. I don't know how that translates to some of the inactivity we've seen at the regional level; perhaps the regions need the federal government more than they'd like to admit.

I'm not even sure why dissolution (or rather, the conditions that would ultimately lead to it) are being expressed as a worry. The biggest and most likely reason for there to be such circumstances once again will be a perpetually under-performing right - especially if it is splintered. Say what you will about my tactics and the amount of time I wasted in-fighting, but we now have a fairly united left. Advocating for multiple factions within your broader hemisphere of ideology is a politically-dumb decision, Yankee; I figure that you'll probably respond with something that articulates putting the game ahead of politics, but you are (as you were so kind to remind me) a Party Chair, and making sound political decisions should be your first and foremost responsibility outside of the Senate.

The biggest problem with the Right, in my opinion, is that is lacks gonads most of the time and overreaches on ridiculously hilarious issues that reinforces its belief that it can't be bold. The same line of logic more or less was considered true for the far-left whenever I entered this game, but I said to hell with that and preceded to organize my faction and obliterate the opposition. Ultimately, the balance shifted in our favor. Had I not been a newbie and rather had been chained to conventional thought from years of experience in the game, I might have thought differently. I've always thought it cool that both Hagrid and I ended up shaping the game and our hemispheres in new and exciting ways, that we both came in at the same time and as relative newbies, rebuilt in large part the political dynamics of the game.

I think that's your biggest weakness, Yankee: you are too reliant upon past experiences and stigmatized associations to dream big. You have so much experience and knowledge that I believe it's become a hindrance for you. Throw everything you know about the Right out the window and do with your party what you will - you'll never convince me that the Right is somehow more fractious than the far-left, so no excuses.