Scandal Issue

[Osgarna]

I've had this issue a few times in my main nation and puppets. Seems to me that option one and two force you to drastically limit freedom of the press or establish some kind of religious law. The final one moves you significantly to the right. As I am always going for a Left-wing Utopia, I always end up just dismissing it.

Here it is:

The Issue

A tabloid magazine, The National Incriminator, has revealed the sordid details of an affair between one of your top advisors, Robert Lotsalovin, and his secretary.

The Debate

1. "They found out I did WHAT?!" Advisor Lotsalovin says in his morning meeting in your office. "This just can't happen! How can government officials do their jobs properly if we have to work under the constant scrutiny of these idiotic supermarket tabloids? I say tabloid newspapers must be banned, and we must not allow newspapers to speak ill of our government officials... for the good of Bosa, of course..."


2. "Unbelievable!" says Reverend George W. Hanover of the local Catholic church. "Our government officials must be held to a higher standard than this! Mr. Lotsalovin must be removed from office and jailed. We cannot allow such disgusting corruption within the halls of justice!"


3. "Whoa, whoa, hey, now..." argues Senator Roxanne Frederickson. "What happened to Mr. Lotsalovin is no different than affairs that happen all over Bosa every day! Before you know it, they'll be after YOUR sexual history! I think what we need to do is take the public attention off of it somehow, perhaps by... oh, I don't know... giving them a tax cut! That'll divert their attention from this momentary distraction just long enough for Mr. Lotsalovin's divorce process to end!"

[The Sedge]

I don't think there's anything religious about option 2, other than that its proposed by a religious representative - it just means that corrupt officials are punished. I don't know too much about issues, but I reckon option 2 would improve your political freedoms, which would probably fit your nation best.

[Osgarna]

The problem with option 2, it seems to me, is that it treats adultery as a crime, suggesting that the adviser be thrown in jail. While I can accept firing, jail is a little harsh, particularly since I don't have prisons.

[The Sedge]

Fair point, I hadn't looked at it that way. I certainly won't pick that option in future

[Bears Armed]

I think that choosing option #2 also lowers your 'Most Corrupt Government' rating.

[Cynthia McKinney]

Option 1 censors the media.

Option 2 criminalizes extra-marital affairs.

There is nothing right-wing about option 3. All option 3 does is give you a small tax cut so I always choose option 3. Censoring the media and criminalizing sex outside of marriage is what is right-wing.

[Cynthia McKinney]

It should also be noted the issue never says that the guy is married so it could be an unmarried man having an affair so the issue isn't about adultery but a government official having an affair with an employee.

[Bukhziristan]

We just wana ask is that how do you reduce taxes?

[Cynthia McKinney]

The third option will give you a small tax reduction of 1 or 2%.

There are other issues that can give you a much greater tax reduction though.

[Conservative Alliances]

Generally, if you take an anti-government position, taxes will go down.

I took option two, not because adultery should be criminalized, but because elected officials should be held to a higher standard of behavior than the rest of the people. Assuming that he is married, would you really trust an elected official to make the tough decisions and represent their constituants if they cannot even show loyalty to their spouse? Once someone is elected to public office, they should consider themselves public property. That is my belief at least.

[Flibbleites]

We just wana ask is that how do you reduce taxes?

Step one is to not gravedig old threads.


OK, so that has nothing to do with reducing taxes, but don't gravedig anyway.