[LAST CALL] Chatter Surrouding Charities

by **Ostrovskiy** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:43 pm

Apparently we still need an issue that reverses the No Cents policy! This is probably god-awful, so I'd appreciate lot's of feedback

This is a complete rewrite from drafts one and two. The effect lines aren't the best either, so if anyone has any ideas, they're very welcome.

Chatter Surrounding Charities

Description: Over the last year, charities in @@NAME@@ have had a drastic decrease in the amount of money that has been donated to them. After thousands of poor @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ have ended up starving and cold, and the three-toed sloth @@ANIMAL@@ disappeared from 2 provinces, charity workers and good samaritans alike demand a solution.

Validity: Nations with No Cents policy

Option 1: "I've got the answer! After looking at historical donation data, the solution is obvious! Bring back the penny!", yells penny supporter and charity worker, @@RANDOMNAME_1@@, struggling to be heard over the voices of other people. "People with a few pennies to give gave millions of @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ to charity every month, and now that's gone. No one wants to give away higher value coins, and most people pass on giving nowadays. Reinstituting pennies will result in far more people donating. Additionally, the lack of pennies is driving up prices, causing some people to need charity more in the first place! We need to reinstate pennies into usage."

Effect Line: @@LEADER@@ donates pennies to charity

Option 2: @@RANDOMNAME_2@@, a famous psychologist, starts speaking calmly, waving a chain. "If citizens of @@NAME@@ aren't giving enough, then that's an issue. Generosity should be encouraged in @@DENONYMPLURAL@@, and this can be done in several ways. First, you should run a government campaign, encouraging people to give. Maybe you, @@LEADER@@, could donate some money yourself. Next, you could buy my pamphlet "8 Ways To Get People To Give More", and use the tips in it. I guarantee you, charity donations will skyrocket.” He waves the chain more aggressively. “Now then, @@LEADER@@, you’re feeling sleepy, very sleepy."

Effect Line: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ sleepwalk to foundations

Option 3: "Government funding. That's all that there is to it," firmly states economist Marl Karks, handing you a 1000-page book. "The pro- poor are not receiving enough money from the people, and that is understandable. They are brainwashed into not helping their comr- fellow people. Therefore, the state must give. A better life for all, all for just a few @@CURRENCYPLURAL."

Validity: Has capitalism

Effect Line: "donations" are forced from citizens at gunpoint

Option 4: "The poor are so gauche," sighs wealthy businessman and aristocrat William A. Snufflebottom, blowing his nose into a handkerchief worth 2000 @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@. "Why don't we just stop helping them? Let them die. The bums aren't even helping me gain wea- the economy. We should stop all charity donations, and cut welfare too while we're at it."

Validity: has capitalism

Effect Line: charity workers are homeless and jobless

Chatter Surrounding Charities

Description: Over the last year, charities in @@NAME@@ have had a drastic decrease in the amount of money that has been donated to them. After being berated by a group of social organizations who want to make sure their poor are taken care of, a group of charity workers and good samaritans have demanded you do something to stop this problem.

Validity: Nations with No Cents policy

Option 1: "See, this is why we need pennies!", yells penny supporter and charity worker, @@RANDOMNAME_1@@, struggling to be heard over the voices of other people. "People with a few pennies to give gave millions of @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ to charity every month, and now that's gone. No one wants to give away higher value coins, and most people pass on giving nowadays. Reinstituting pennies will result in far more people donating. Additionally, the lack of pennies is driving up prices, causing some people to need charity more in the first place! The solution is obvious: bring back the penny."

Effect Line: @@LEADER@@ donates pennies to charity

Option 2: @@RANDOMNAME_2@@, a famous psychologist, starts speaking calmly, waving a chain. "If citizens of @@NAME@@ aren't giving enough, then that's an issue. Generosity should be encouraged in @@DENONYMPLURAL@@, and this can be done in several ways. First, you should run a government campaign, encouraging people to give. Maybe you, @@LEADER@@, could donate some money yourself. Next, you could buy my pamphlet "8 Ways To Get People To Give More", and use the tips in it. I guarantee you, charity donations will skyrocket.” He waves the chain more aggressively. “Now then, @@LEADER@@, you’re feeling sleepy, very sleepy."

Effect Line: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ sleepwalk to foundations

Option 3: "If the proletariat are not getting what they must receive according to their own need, then that must be fixed!", shouts Communist supporter @@RANDOMNAME@@, pointing a sickle at you and crossing a hammer over it. "We should take all the money from the bourgeoisie, and use it to create a better life for all @@DENONYMPLURAL@@. Free, public hospitals! Food distribution to everyone in @@NAME@@! No one in this nation shall ever go hungry or be needy again!"

Validity: Has capitalism

Effect Line: "donations" are forced from citizens at gunpoint

Option 4: "The poor are so gauche," sighs wealthy businessman and aristocrat William A. Snufflebottom, blowing his nose into a handkerchief worth 2000 @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@. "Why don't we just stop helping them? Let them die. The bums aren't even helping me gain wea- the economy. We should stop all charity donations, and cut welfare too while we're at it."

Validity: has capitalism

Effect Line: charity workers are homeless and jobless

The Charities Pray For A Dollar A Day

Description: After the government recently removed pennies from usage, charities have been recieving a lot less money, with some of the local ones taking almost 75% of their donations. Following this, good samaritans and social workers gather in your office to discuss a solution.

Validity: Nations with No Cents policy

Option 1: "See, this is why we need pennies!", yells penny supporter and charity worker, @@RANDOMNAME_1@@, struggling to be heard over other peoples voices. "People with a few pennies to give gave millions of dollars to charity every month, and now that's gone. No one wants to give away higher value coins, and most people pass nowadays. Reinstituting pennies will result in far more people donating. Additionally, the lack of pennies is driving up prices, causing some people to need the charity more in the first place! The solution is obvious: bring back the penny."

Effect Line: @@LEADER@@ donates pennies to charity

Removes policy: No Cents

Option 2: @@RANDOMNAME_2@@, a famous psychologist, starts speaking calmly. "If citizens of @@NAME@@ aren't giving enough, then that's an issue. Generosity should be encouraged in @@DENONYMPLURAL@@, and this can be done in several ways. First, run a government campaign, encouraging people to give. Maybe you, @@LEADER@@, could donate some money yourself. Next, you could buy my pamphlet "8 Ways To Get People To Give More", and use the tips in it. I guarantee you, charity donations will skyrocket."

Effect Line: charities donate to charity-donating charities

Option 3: "If the proletariat are not getting to each according to their own need, that must be fixed!", shouts Communist suppporter @@RANDOMNAME@@, wearing all red. "We should take money from the bourgieouse, and use it to create a better life for all @@DENONYMPLURAL@@. No one in this nation shall ever go hungry or be needy again!"

Installs policy: socialism.

Validity: Must not have socialism

Effect Line: "donations" are forced from citizens at gunpoint

Option 4: "The poor are so gauche," sighs wealthy buisnessman and aristocrat William A. Snufflebottom, blowing his nose into a hankerchief worth 2000 @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@. "Why don't we just stop helping them? Let them die. The bums aren't even helping me gain wea- the economy. We should stop all charity donations, and cut welfare too while we're at it."

Validity: has capitalism

Effect Line: charity workers are homeless and jobless

Do Cents Make Sense?

Description: After the government recently removed pennies from usage, people have been suddenly finding a multitude of reasons to need them in their everyday life.

Validity: Nations with No Cents policy

Option 1: "Bring back our cents!", yells penny supporter @@RANDOM_NAME@@, wearing a 'We need pennies' shirt. "The fact is, getting rid of the penny only hurts @@DENONYMPLURAL@@. First of all, getting rid of the penny has increased prices. The stores are rounding up the prices by as much as 4 cents for every purchase, which hurts poor @@DENONYMPLURAL@@, who are more likely to make lots of small purchases. Also, charities are getting less donations, as spare pennies donated to them added up to millions! We must add pennies back to our coins!"

Effect Line: @@LEADER@@ donates pennies to charity

Removes policy: No Cents

Option 2: One of your advisors, @@RANDOM_NAME@@, begins to speak, while throwing a fake penny into the trash and rolling @@HIS@@ eyes. "@@LEADER@@, I hope you won't listen to this rabbling idiot. The reasons why we banned pennies are still as valid as ever. We would still waste money on pennies, we would still hurt the enviroment by mining zinc, and pennies are still as useless as ever. There is absolutely no reason to bring pennies back, and so we shouldn't."

Effect Line: cents are censored

Option 3: "You know," says @@RANDOM_NAME@@, the owner of one of the largest banks in @@NAME@@, "Why do we have physical currency anyway? All of the arguments that apply for banning pennies, can be modified to inclued every type of physical money as well. I suggest we get rid of coins and bills, and make all money digital. That way, all actions involving money can be fast and expen- I mean, fast and cheap."

Effect Line: the only coins are ones and zeroes

Option 4: Crypto investor and starter of Bytecoin, @@RANDOM_NAME@@, sits down and glares at the bankowner. "Or, maybe, we could do better than that! Cryptocurrency is the best thing to do, owing to it's decentralized nature, as well as it's security. I agree that we shouldn't have physical money, but we should use crypto instead! Transactions will be easy and private."

Effect Line: @@DENONYMPLURAL@@ murder for a bit or a byte

by **Millenhaal** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 3:56 pm

Add an option to switch entirely to crypto. It's different than option 3 because of its decentralized nature. There could also be an option to make all things even amounts, abolishing cents entirely.

For the first option, change the first bit of speech to "We need pennies!". Cents clearly still exist, there's just no uneven cents. The title can also be changed in this vein to "1 Cent Makes Sense?" The shirt can be renamed to say "Pennies For Your Thoughts!". Either of these could work as a title or shirt, but I prefer the way I have said them due to the existence of an issue titled "(A lot of) Pennies For Your Thoughts", although the other way around is more funny. The first effect line is a little weak too. There's nothing glaring, but there shouldn't be a no internet validity on option 3 imo. Money can be transferred electronically without the internet.

by **Ostrovskiy** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 3:59 pm

Millenhaal wrote:Add an option to switch entirely to crypto. It's different than option 3 because of its decentralized nature. There could also be an option to make all things even amounts, abolishing cents entirely.

For the first option, change the first bit of speech to "We need pennies!". Cents clearly still exist, there's just no uneven cents. The title can also be changed in this vein to "1 Cent Makes Sense?" The shirt can be renamed to say "Pennies For Your Thoughts!". Either of these could work as a title or shirt, but I prefer the way I have said them due to the existence of an issue titled "(A lot of) Pennies For Your Thoughts", although the other way around is more funny. The first effect line is a little weak too. There's nothing glaring, but there shouldn't be a no internet validity on option 3 imo. Money can be transferred electronically without the internet.

Thanks a lot! I'll edit in some parts.

by **Verdant Haven** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:54 pm

- For framing the issue, we've tried to move away from things simply being "You made a decision, now people want to reverse it." There's nothing inherently wrong with that (and goodness knows we've used it before), but it's not a particularly engaging way to present an issue. If you can find a way to present one of the problems potentially caused by not having cents as being the actual dilemma, that gives a more engaging premise, and you can have the reversal be simply one of several possible responses. Basically, make the issue about something else, and have the restoration of cents be one possible solution.

A couple of general Issue tips based on some of the options:

- With regard to option 2, whatever it ends up being, this appears to be an option that doesn't do anything. Simply refusing to do what another person suggests isn't a government action, and is represented by the Dismiss button. Make sure each option leads to some kind of measurable government action, policy, or change.

- With regard to option 3, the argument made in favor of digital currency is fair, but it isn't being framed in a way that responds to the dilemma presented. The dilemma is "people want cents back" and this response is "get rid of physical money." That doesn't explain how it solves the problem for which it is being offered. The speaker could, for example, point out that digital currency can be used in any denomination, including single-cents, so getting rid of physical currency actually restores the flexibility the cent offered, while potentially providing even greater cost savings on the production end of things. That gives the same suggestion, while framing it as a solution to the problem we're told is occurring.

by **Ostrovskiy** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:03 pm

The issue has been completely rewritten, with almost everything changing.

by **Millenhaal** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:29 pm

Looking much better, but make sure to put "_1" and "_2" next to your macros. Otherwise all names would be the same.

by **Ostrovskiy** » Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:29 pm

Millenhaal wrote:Looking much better, but make sure to put "_1" and "_2" next to your macros. Otherwise all names would be the same.

Thanks!

by **Ostrovskiy** » Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:52 am

Bit early but I'm gonna /bump

by **Verdant Haven** » Mon Jan 16, 2023 2:10 pm

- Continuing to pick at the dilemma, the fact that cents were removed from circulation is actually not necessary to mention. That is an aspect of a single option, which allows their restoration, but what's really the trigger for this dilemma? The trigger is that charitable giving is dramatically down! If you remove the line about pennies (which also avoids problems for nations that removed them long, long ago), you get to the meat of the issue: Charities are reporting significant drops in donations. A good reversal issue usually doesn't present itself as a reversal issue. These days, we like reversal to be a consequence of solving some other problem.

- Rather than then simply saying that people are gathering in your office to discuss a solution, which is made obvious by what follows, I would suggest bringing up some problems caused by the drop in charitable giving. Maybe this has left more people coming to the government for assistance due to charities being unable to help. Maybe the govt has been publicly harangued by a social organization for the plight of its poor. Give us a problem that needs fixing, other than just people showing up for a meeting. Meetings are solved by talking. Problems are solved with action!

- The issue title could use additional adjustment. Both "pray" and "dollar" are terms that we probably don't want here, due to validity and terminology concerns. One can use @@CURRENCY@@ in place of dollar both here, and in option 1, but prayer is going to be an issue for atheist nations.

- Don't include policy results in the draft or submission – editors will add those as needed, should an issue be accepted for use in game. The key is to make desired policy results evident from the text of the option.

- Word avalanches are fun, but I'm not convinced effect line 2 really works here.

- Option 3 could use a bit more specificity. What is an example of "[using] it to create a better life" for people? Have them suggest, specifically, how some of this money would be spent.

- Give a solid proof-read to the issue. Read it out loud to yourself. Print it out and read it from a physical copy. Ask a friend or family member to scan over it. Have that focus be entirely on copy editing and not on content. It will help with clarity and structure, which is currently understandable, but at times a bit clunky.

- In NationStates terms, the validities "must not have socialism" and "has capitalism" are the same.

- Your first and last speakers have interesting characterizations. Give a bit of attention to the middle speakers to bring them up to par.

by **Australian rePublic** » Mon Jan 16, 2023 5:32 pm

Option 4- Not just the poor, but also the sick as well as the enviornment

by **Ostrovskiy** » Mon Jan 16, 2023 11:32 pm

Verdant Haven wrote:- Continuing to pick at the dilemma, the fact that cents were removed from circulation is actually not necessary to mention. That is an aspect of a single option, which allows their restoration, but what's really the trigger for this dilemma? The trigger is that charitable giving is dramatically down! If you remove the line about pennies (which also avoids problems for nations that removed them long, long ago), you get to the meat of the issue: Charities are reporting significant drops in donations. A good reversal issue usually doesn't present itself as a reversal issue. These days, we like reversal to be a consequence of solving some other problem.

- Rather than then simply saying that people are gathering in your office to discuss a solution, which is made obvious by what follows, I would suggest bringing up some problems caused by the drop in charitable giving. Maybe this has left more people coming to the government for assistance due to charities being unable to help. Maybe the govt has been publicly harangued by a social organization for the plight of its poor. Give us a problem that needs fixing, other than just people showing up for a meeting. Meetings are solved by talking. Problems are solved with action!

- The issue title could use additional adjustment. Both "pray" and "dollar" are terms that we probably don't want here, due to validity and terminology concerns. One can use @@CURRENCY@@ in place of dollar both here, and in option 1, but prayer is going to be an issue for atheist nations.

- Don't include policy results in the draft or submission – editors will add those as needed, should an issue be accepted for use in game. The key is to make desired policy results evident from the text of the option.

- Word avalanches are fun, but I'm not convinced effect line 2 really works here.

- Option 3 could use a bit more specificity. What is an example of "[using] it to create a better life" for people? Have them suggest, specifically, how some of this money would be spent.

- Give a solid proof-read to the issue. Read it out loud to yourself. Print it out and read it from a physical copy. Ask a friend or family member to scan over it. Have that focus be entirely on copy editing and not on content. It will help with clarity and structure, which is currently understandable, but at times a bit clunky.

- In NationStates terms, the validities "must not have socialism" and "has capitalism" are the same.

- Your first and last speakers have interesting characterizations. Give a bit of attention to the middle speakers to bring them up to par.

How on earth did I miss the macros? Anyway, mostly fixed. Next draft up!

by **Ostrovskiy** » Tue Jan 17, 2023 9:10 pm

Imma /bump again

by **Millenhaal** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 5:02 am

Patience! The minimum time between bumps is 3-4 days. This takes quite a bit of time.

by **Ostrovskiy** » Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:50 am

/bump

by **Ostrovskiy** » Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:38 am

Last time I bumped it a bunch of spammers came in, so /bump again.

by **Ostrovskiy** » Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:23 am

And another /bump

by **Ostrovskiy** » Tue Jan 31, 2023 6:30 am

One final /bump

by **SherpDaWerp** » Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:05 pm

The description still seems a bit bland. Obviously I can use my imagination to figure out why it's a problem that charities aren't getting as much money, but it would make a better issue if you provided examples. Also, the last sentence is both structured weirdly and slightly redundant: the first clause is unclear as to who's being berated (it sounds somewhat like the "group of charity workers and good samaritans" are being berated, not @@LEADER@@), and the second sentence basically just says "people are complaining to you" - we know people are complaining to me, otherwise it wouldn't be a NS issue! I'd recommend cutting the second sentence and replacing it with some concrete problems caused by lack of charitable funding.

Option 1 is extremely blatant - it's unlikely that this person would come straight to you and say "You need to reverse your earlier policy!" given the structure of the rest of the issue. Options like that are fine for direct policy reversals (like your first draft), but we've moved away from those. Mostly this is caused by their initial exclamation being pennies-based - if they complained about the actual problem and proposed cents as a resolution, maybe based on "historical donation data" or something, that would work better than jumping straight to policy reversal.

Option 3 is a fairly overdone NS stereotype - socialism doesn't solve every problem

I'd recommend the option just suggesting more government funding of charities in general, rather than jumping straight to "full communism".

by **Ostrovskiy** » Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:20 pm

SherpDaWerp wrote:The description still seems a bit bland. Obviously I can use my imagination to figure out why it's a problem that charities aren't getting as much money, but it would make a better issue if you provided examples. Also, the last sentence is both structured weirdly and slightly redundant: the first clause is unclear as to who's being berated (it sounds somewhat like the "group of charity workers and good samaritans" are being berated, not @@LEADER@@), and the second sentence basically just says "people are complaining to you" - we know people are complaining to me, otherwise it wouldn't be a NS issue! I'd recommend cutting the second sentence and replacing it with some concrete problems caused by lack of charitable funding.

Option 1 is extremely blatant - it's unlikely that this person would come straight to you and say "You need to reverse your earlier policy!" given the structure of the rest of the issue. Options like that are fine for direct policy reversals (like your first draft), but we've moved away from those. Mostly this is caused by their initial exclamation being pennies-based - if they complained about the actual problem and proposed cents as a resolution, maybe based on "historical donation data" or something, that would work better than jumping straight to policy reversal.

Option 3 is a fairly overdone NS stereotype - socialism doesn't solve every problem I'd recommend the option just suggesting more government funding of charities in general, rather than jumping straight to "full communism".

Thanks a lot and fixed! Next draft up.

Also: barring any major feedback, I'll move this to Last Call on the third of February.

by **Ostrovskiy** » Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:21 pm

I am now moving this to Last Call. Barring any rewrites and such, the issue will be submitted in a week, on the 10th of February.

[LAST CALL] Chatter Surrouding Charities

[LAST CALL] Chatter Surrouding Charities

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