This thread has totally lost me...
...but back to the original post: Conservatives/Republicans have a tough time winning in Atlasia. Off the top of my head, only three Republicans have been elected (PBrunsel, Colin, and Phil), and Colin was a bit of a RINO, and Phil had a unity ticket that got him some liberal voters. So really, PBrunsel was the only all-R ticket to ever win in 7 years of Atlasia. Tmth's strategy was obviously to sit back and let the left's feuds tear itself apart--and I honestly can't say that was a bad strategy, but considering the changing circumstances, he might want to try something else.
I've become very disappointed with the RPP, both in terms of conduct and policy, obviously. Since I announced I was planning to resign in weeks after being elected, and the RPP is obviously trying to look reformist, now, I'm surprised no one wanted to be my VP candidate.
Is this snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?
This is just ridiculous and demonstrates once again your lack of understanding and depth on this.
1. Tmth's campaign /= the RPP.
He is the RPP candidate and he gets to call the shots as far as his campaign goes. He doesn't however make "party strategy" which implies a more long term, broad-based approach then the tactical efforts involved in a single campaign. Tmth has a voice on long term RPP stategy, but his voice is just as loud as yours would have been had you choose to excersize it, which you didn't. So spare me the complaints about how the RPP mistreated you or victimized you.
2. One can't judge the apple, until he hath first partaketh of it. You have not.
3. I don't know who you contacted or why you choose to contact them, but isn't it kind of ridiculous to expect people who have already decided to back one guy, to abandon him just because you ask them to be Veep. Who they choose to support has nothing to do with whether you have a right to run, as BelgianSocialist just ridiculously claimed. You do have a right to run and they have a right to stand by their previous endorsements or campaigns if they are the candidate should they choose to do so. I thought you were the one complaining about freedom of association not being respected.
4. There is no snatching defeat here. Anybody who seriously claims this fact is insulting the intelligence of every self-respecting, independent minded Atlasian. This claim is pure propaganda to jin up Leftwing turnout. Since liberals dominate the elections in this game, it is necessary to create a false hysteria over non-existant center right advantage or edge to ensure that their peeps turn out and piss on cue. I am surprised JJ, you would be so easily taken in by this garbage. Look at the numbers, or look at bgwah's post. The truth is completely transparent to anyone who ceases to engage in the willfull suspension of disbelief.
I'll try to defend myself: yes, part of why I run is because I think J.J. might hurt the right's chances to get elected, but it's not the main reason. I run for VP alongside J.J. because noone else would and because I think he should be able to run for President, even if his own party couldn't be bothered to even give him a chance at getting their nomination and just basically decided to give him the cold shoulder. And even more importantly I run for VP alongside J.J. because J.J. is talking sense here: we really need to make entry to this game easier for newcomers. Rather than recruiting people off-site, we should make sure that the people who are already here will feel an incentive and potential to enter the game and feel like they have something to contribute. That's why I am running with J.J. to be Vice President of Atlasia.
WHat the hell are you talking about. You obviously haven't the slightest idea. I offered to hold an endorsement vote but both candidates had to agree to drop out if they lost. WHICH YOUR DAMN PARTY INSISTED ON AS WELL GOD DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! J. J. refused the offer. What more do I have to offer him to not be considered as "giving him the cold shoulder"? I gave him a chance to compete for the endorsement and he declined. I am sick and tired of the sympathy card being played here. I not only asked J. J. but encouraged that he became an active Atlasian back in 2009. He refused and in his exact words, "insisted on being a zombie voter" to which I responded that I hoped he would change his mind. I can't force someone to take the initiative or motivate them to get active. I can ask and encourage and that is what I did.
To be honest (and I realize you weren't here), but this sounds all to damn familiar. When Hamilton formed the ARC (the original name of the Populares), he trodded out Libertas and a bunch of other former RPPers to complain that we were using them and didn't care about them or offer them any opportunities for advancement. How can you offer a job to someone who is inactive? And all the leftist fell for this then, except for one, Marokai Blue, who ignored it and focused on Hamilton's actions and activities, which is where the real scandal was. Once again this is being propagated and exaggerated and used as a tool in the Presidential campaign. It's disengenious, it's false, and it's reprehensible to engage in this activity.
There is no choice here that has be made. You are creating a false dichotomy here. The game needs ethical people with vibrant, energetic initiative. Why should we then limit our potential poll of new people? As far as I know Tmth will still recruit people of the forum at-large, just like the current liberal JCP administration is doing. But at the same time, just like the current administration, he won't pass up other opportunities as well. Since you seem to want it so badly, Belgian, why don't you tell us (in detail how you plan to motivate activity) how you can instill motivation and iniative into someone who isn't interested? My opinion is that it has to come from within. There is no amount of childish talk or downright babying that will give them what you claim to "want to focus on". You can facilitate and create an environment most conducive to cultivating activity. But you can't create activity itself, you can't legislate it.
Everyone is on board with more user friendly this and that. Frankly this too is familiar. The past two years, we have done countless things to make this place more user friendly and yet here we are again complaining about how unwelcoming it is or how difficult it is. I seriously doubt that much effort in this matter will change the reality of the situation. The wiki will still be a mess, and the Introduction impossible to comprehend or understand or whatever the hell the complaints are about that.
