The GM Assistance/Keeping Things Moving Act (Debating)
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  The GM Assistance/Keeping Things Moving Act (Debating)
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Author Topic: The GM Assistance/Keeping Things Moving Act (Debating)  (Read 2027 times)
TNF
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« on: September 08, 2014, 12:48:29 PM »

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Sponsor: Senator Cynic



Senator, you have 24 hours to begin advocacy here.




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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2014, 02:43:00 PM »

The whole idea of the bill is rather a minor tweak that I've been thinking of introducing for awhile, but now with the current situation we're facing, seems necessary.

History has proven that GMs often get overwhelmed with their own workload and have very few options if they need to delegate authority. This would allow the creation of an assistant GM who can both assist the GM or, in the case of a sudden resignation or LOA, can take over the office.

Admittedly, this is a bit of a band aid solution to a larger problem, but one hopes something can be done.
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DemPGH
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« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2014, 03:51:28 PM »

The greater the flexibility we have, the better, especially now.

Cynic, you and I had talked about having a person who does stories or culls news, I guess, and another person who crunches numbers. That might split the load a bit and it would allow someone who wants to work on news to do that and someone who finds numbers-crunching easy and interesting in this setting to do that. In the end, it cannot hurt, so I support the proposal.
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Fmr. Pres. Duke
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« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2014, 05:07:58 PM »

The GM position is really becoming a problem now. We haven't had a decent GM since Griffin Part I, and finding adequate replacements has been a challenge, which I know DemPGH can also attest to.

Long term, I think we need to consider reforming the position to something more workable, because it's becoming clear that the position, as it currently stands, is not working anymore, and this problem has led to a standstill and lack of information over a lot of legislation before us.

All in all, I miss Purple State, but I am aware he was not forever. Sad
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Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee
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« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2014, 06:42:25 PM »

That's because so few people pay attention to it. Something we have not been able to fix after five years of effort in that regard.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2014, 10:12:05 PM »

The problem is, so few people can put the kind of time in to do it all by themselves. At this point, we might consider greater flex or we should abolish the position entirely and create a Treasury secretary to go along with an Internal and External Affairs Sec. and just rely on them to do news/crunch numbers, etc.

We need some flexibility now and especially in the future. A future GM should be able to have the comfort of knowing they can have some help rather than doing it all alone. As I can see it, those are the only two solutions. Either outsource the job to the cabinet positions or add some help. One person is simply not going to be able to do the job alone and as of now our constitution doesn't technically allow a multi-person GM. This is the best solution I can think of at the moment and again, I've been thinking this over since before Nappy even got the job as the President said. I had meetings with him over something just like this right at the beginning of his term.
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TNF
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« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2014, 09:24:09 AM »

I concur with the comments made by the Secretary of International Affairs. We have to do something to dramatically shake up the role the Game Moderator plays or we just need to get rid of the position, because it's obvious that there are intrinsic problems with the position itself. I would suggest we amend the constitution to allow for the election of the Game Moderator, personally. This would weed out the searching process entirely (which often takes weeks if not months) by allowing only those who are most interested in seeking the position to actually seek it. It might also inject some degree of activity in that position.
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Lumine
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« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2014, 11:36:36 AM »

I'm not sure if an elected Game Moderator is a really good idea, we could have individuals who could do a magnificent job but be denied the positions due to little political support. Furthermore, it is crucial to avoid the position from being politiced as much as we can, an if it was elected I fear the neutrality that's currently left in the position might go away.

I do support this (perhaps we could clarify the language if we have several assistants and the GM resgins, or formally create a Deputy GM), but I am interested as well in the possibility of enacting a reform of the cabinet to make it more flexible, and not only in regards to the GM. As Cynic suggested we could split the SoIA position and formally allow for all the cabinet members to legally appoint deputies (Something we already do with the AG, and for example, the SoEA could appoint a Deputy to control the Defense Department if there was someone interested).

Or, we could take a third option and go with SirNick's proposal during the past presidential election, create a GM team to split the work (perhaps one for foreign news, one for domestic news and a third person to calculate). Creating more positions is in a way a problem, but if the positions are more attractice it would be easier to find people willing to fill them.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2014, 12:10:12 PM »

When I really came into the game, President Porce and the GM EarlAW were locked in a major disagreement. Earl and a couple of others filled the position as the Atlasian News Network, including me as I ran for the Senate. However, Earl was really the only one with any power and if memory serves (it's been a long time, so it may be fuzzy), the President thought Earl was filling up the network with people who only wanted to harm his administration, therein lied the disagreement as I recall.

Ever since that power struggle, the GM has only ever been filled by a single person that I remember and it's been detrimental to the game in many ways.

I don't think electing a GM is the way to go right now, anyway, because we could still end up with good campaigners who will get overwhelmed and resign. The position needs some assistance rather than an election, really.
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DemPGH
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« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2014, 03:39:06 PM »
« Edited: September 09, 2014, 03:59:09 PM by DemPGH, President »

Yeah, I don't know that I would want to elect a GM - there could be a LOT of problems with that from inactivity to a power struggle with the President or the Senate. Retiring or eliminating the position really should be considered if we don't do the GM by committee format. At this point, though, I only have one person interested in being GM.

If we eliminated the position, we'd need someone to crunch numbers. The SoIA? Accountant General?

In the absence of a GM, I've given both secretaries latitude to tell stories and to make decisions in their respective spheres. They check with me, I say, "Cool," and they go with it. Which reminds me that I need to write an exec order for the SoEA soon!
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2014, 05:07:07 PM »

If we eliminated the position, we'd need someone to crunch numbers. The SoIA? Accountant General?

My opinion is that crunching numbers is a part of making policy, and that convincing people that those numbers are reasonable is a part of politics. Estimates of costs and benefits should emerge from arguments and evidence and decided on based on consensus - not the fiat of some unquestioned authority. It's a task that all of us - Senators, executive officials, the public, etc. - should be involved in.

What we'd lose by eliminating the GM is centralized story creation. But why shouldn't that be democratized? Maybe we've limited ourselves by restricting that privilege to the GM. People will reject implausible stories either way.

Here's the thing. I'm not good with numbers. I've applied to be GM four times in the past and I've never got the job because I'm not good with figures. I'm also not much interested in them. A lot of others aren't interested in that either and some only care about that and don't care for news stories. The whole point is to balance things out. Give the position and the President more flexibility in terms of who and how they can make appointments and offer the position help.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2014, 11:00:46 PM »

I think that's what any reform to the position needs to be premised on. The GM serves two functions, and they don't need to be bundled together.

I'm skeptical about the likelihood of funding two interested people, but I think your idea is worth trying if there's not enough support for a more drastic change.

Well, to be honest, I think what puts most off is that the workload is so heavy. If you're hiring an assistant, then it gets easier. I think we should try this approach first and see if it works. If it doesn't, then we go the more radical route.
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Cranberry
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« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2014, 07:00:55 AM »

I don't know if I'm correct with my assumption, but maybe we would find more people inclined to do the job of a split GM if there was some exemption from the dual officeholding here? I guess there are a few people who would like to do one of the offices created (I guess domestic news/international news/numbers would be the best way to split it), but of course don't want to give up their elected office... Of course it would be impossible to be both the sole GM and hold elected office, but with the GM being split?
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TNF
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« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2014, 10:24:28 AM »

Should we clarify that any appointed assistants would have to undergo the confirmation by the Senate?
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Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee
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« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2014, 06:19:44 PM »

I think we need a massive wholistic strategy that has the bulk of the people on board, as to who to change the position and to ensure it is respected going forward.


I realize it is somewhat extreme, but my previous recommendation of making membership in Atlasia contingent on such is one possibility to ensure this.
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Lumine
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« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2014, 06:31:49 PM »

Should we clarify that any appointed assistants would have to undergo the confirmation by the Senate?

I think that would be a good idea, even it might take additional time for the assistant to serve we already have confirmations for the Deputy Attorney General (which is pretty much a position based on updating the wiki).

I don't know if I'm correct with my assumption, but maybe we would find more people inclined to do the job of a split GM if there was some exemption from the dual officeholding here? I guess there are a few people who would like to do one of the offices created (I guess domestic news/international news/numbers would be the best way to split it), but of course don't want to give up their elected office... Of course it would be impossible to be both the sole GM and hold elected office, but with the GM being split?

That would increase the turnout, but there's always the issue of using the position for personal gain. On the other hand, some of the moves by Griffin and Simfan (the Aliens from China story and the new calendar) were rejected by the public and eventually ignored or defeated, so if the rest is willing to take such a step as a last resort measure (assuming we will go with assistants or deputies first as Cynic said) I wouldn't oppose it.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2014, 08:56:51 PM »

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Thought I'd clean it up some to avoid the confusion.
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bore
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« Reply #17 on: September 11, 2014, 06:29:58 AM »

What will the term for the GM helpers be? I think we should stick to either deputy or assistant, but I don't mind which.
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Lumine
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« Reply #18 on: September 11, 2014, 10:04:45 AM »

What will the term for the GM helpers be? I think we should stick to either deputy or assistant, but I don't mind which.

I reccomend Deputy, after all it is an official cabinet position and it emphasizes that it will have powers (granted, those will be determined by the GM, but since the assistant is supposed to replace him for a time it's better to make it as official as we can to avoid a loophole).
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TNF
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« Reply #19 on: September 11, 2014, 10:54:16 AM »

Senators have 24 hours to object to the amendment offered by Senator Cynic.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #20 on: September 11, 2014, 02:57:25 PM »

What will the term for the GM helpers be? I think we should stick to either deputy or assistant, but I don't mind which.

I think it should be similar to the GM.
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bore
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« Reply #21 on: September 12, 2014, 06:23:34 AM »

Proposing an amendment then:

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sentinel
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« Reply #22 on: September 12, 2014, 07:19:28 AM »

You need to do something about the SOIA and SOEA if you're going to have Deputy GMs. Now, you'll have 4+ people in charge of the game engine and that is not going to be a great fit for Atlasia unless their roles are more defined.

This bill is a tactic without a strategy.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #23 on: September 12, 2014, 02:15:58 PM »

Proposing an amendment then:

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Friendly.


You need to do something about the SOIA and SOEA if you're going to have Deputy GMs. Now, you'll have 4+ people in charge of the game engine and that is not going to be a great fit for Atlasia unless their roles are more defined.

This bill is a tactic without a strategy.

Well, if you've got any particular ideas, I'm open to hear what you've got.

Since the SOIA and SOEA rarely operate in terms of the news, I don't see why there's really any change for them necessary. This is especially considering that the Deputy GM's job is simply to take the roles that the GM can't handle. It's ideally a slot just for one person, but if a news agency of more than one person becomes GM (which has happened in the past), then that would be the only reason I'd envisage more than one Deputy GM and even then, a news network would not necessarily come into conflict with the SOIA and SOEA.
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TNF
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« Reply #24 on: September 12, 2014, 04:28:38 PM »

The amendment proposed by Cynic has been adopted. Senators have 24 hours to object to the amendment proposed by Senator bore.
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