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[SUBMITTED] A Long Standing Tradition

https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=466304

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[SUBMITTED] A Long Standing Tradition

PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 7:39 pm
by Baggieland
I saw an article a while ago, about the Mayor of Dublin who gets supplied by Guiness.

[TITLE] A Long Standing Tradition

[DESCRIPTION] A local brewery provided the Mayor of @@CAPITAL@@ with a year's free supply of their famous Old @@ANIMAL@@ ale, as has been the tradition for many years. However, the current mayor has consumed the lot in just two months and taxpayers are now being asked to replenish the supply.

[VALIDITY] allows alcohol

[OPTION] "I know this makes me look like a drunk, but I assure you I'm not," pleads Mayor @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@, as @@HE@@ takes a swig from a hip-flask. "I host a lot of diplomatic parties and my guests expect a certain level of hospitality. Just last week I was hosting the Smalltopian ambassador and the accompanying entourage, and boy can those Smalltopians drink! @@LEADER@@, you must get the taxpayers to replenish the mayoral supply, think of the diplomatic embarrassment of dry events... hic!"

[EFFECT] everyone wants to be on the guest list for diplomatic parties

[OPTION] "We have to pay for their booze now as well?" questions @@RANDOMNAME@@, a social activist, who is always scrutinising politicians' expenses. "What if @@HE(1)@@ drinks the whole lot in another two months? Will the suffering taxpayer have to bail @@HIM(1)@@ out again? If politicians can't go five minutes without a drink, then they're not fit for office. Ban all alcohol on government premises."

[EFFECT] visiting dignitaries make excuses to leave functions early and head to the nearest pub

[OPTION] "I have an idea," interjects @@RANDOMNAME@@, a hobo, who's been listening in on your conversation from the bench outside your window. "Why doesn't the government provide free booze for everyone? That would be nice."

[EFFECT] no one is worried about government policies any more


[TITLE] A Long Standing Tradition

[DESCRIPTION] A local brewery provided the Mayor of @@CAPITAL@@ with a year's free supply of their famous Old @@ANIMAL@@ ale, as has been the tradition for many years. However, the current mayor has consumed the lot in just two months and taxpayers are now being asked to replenish the supply.

[VALIDITY] allows alcohol

[OPTION] "I know this makes me look like a drunk, but I assure you I'm not," pleads Mayor @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@, as @@HE@@ takes a swig from a hip-flask. "I host a lot of diplomatic parties and my guests expect a certain level of hospitality. Just last week I was hosting the Smalltopian ambassador and the accompanying entourage, and boy can those Smalltopians drink! @@LEADER@@, you must get the taxpayers to replenish the mayoral supply, think of the diplomatic embarrassment of dry events... hic!"

[EFFECT] everyone wants to be on the guest list for diplomatic parties

[OPTION] "We have to pay for their booze now as well?" questions @@RANDOMNAME@@, a social activist, who is always scrutinising politicians' expenses. "What if @@HE(1)@@ drinks the whole lot in another two months? Will the suffering taxpayer have to continue to fund @@HIS(1)@@ Worship's excesses? If politicians can't go five minutes without a drink, then they're not fit for office. Ban all alcohol on government premises."

[EFFECT] visiting dignitaries make excuses to leave functions early and head to the nearest pub

[OPTION] "I have an idea," interjects @@RANDOMNAME@@, a hobo, who's been listening in on your conversation from the bench outside your window. "Why doesn't the government provide free booze for everyone? That would be nice."

[EFFECT] no one is worried about government policies any more


[TITLE] A Long Standing Tradition

[DESCRIPTION] A local brewery provided the Mayor of @@CAPITAL@@ with 120 free kegs of their famous Old @@ANIMAL@@ ale - usually a year's supply - as has been the tradition for many years. However, the current mayor has consumed the lot in just two months and taxpayers are now being asked to replenish the provision.

[VALIDITY] allows alcohol

[OPTION] "I know this makes me look like a drunk, but I assure you I'm not," pleads Mayor @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@, as she takes a swig from a hip-flask. "I host a lot of diplomatic parties and my guests expect a certain level of hospitality. Just last week I was hosting the Smalltopian ambassador and his accompanying entourage, and boy can those Smalltopians drink! @@LEADER@@, you must get the taxpayers to replenish the mayoral supply, think of the diplomatic embarrassment of dry events... hic!"

[EFFECT] everyone wants to be on the guest list for diplomatic parties

[OPTION] "We have to pay for their booze now as well?" questions @@RANDOMNAME@@, a social activist, who is always scrutinising politicians' expenses. "What if she drinks the whole lot in another two months? Will the suffering taxpayer have to continue to fund Her Worship's excesses? If politicians can't go five minutes without a drink, then they're not fit for office. Ban all alcohol on government premises."

[EFFECT] visiting dignitaries make excuses to leave functions early and head to the nearest pub

[OPTION] "I have an idea," interjects @@RANDOMNAME@@, a hobo, who's been listening in on your conversation from the bench outside your window. "Why doesn't the government provide free booze for everyone? That would be nice."

[EFFECT] no one is worried about government policies any more


[TITLE] A Long Standing Tradition

[DESCRIPTION] A local brewery in @@ANIMAL@@ City provided the Mayor with 120 free kegs of their famous Old @@ANIMAL@@ ale - usually a year's supply - as has been the tradition for many years. However, the current mayor has consumed the lot in just two months and taxpayers are now being asked to replenish the provision.

[VALIDITY] allows alcohol

[OPTION] "I know this makes me look like a drunk, but I assure you I'm not," pleads Mayor @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@, as she takes a swig from her hip-flask. "I host a lot of diplomatic parties and my guests expect a certain level of hospitality. Just last week I was hosting the Smalltopian ambassador and his accompanying entourage, and boy can those Smalltopians drink! @@LEADER@@, you must get the taxpayers to replenish the mayoral supply, think of the diplomatic embarrassment of dry events... hic!"

[EFFECT] everyone wants to be on the guest list for diplomatic parties

[OPTION] "We have to pay for their booze now as well?" questions @@RANDOMNAME@@, a social activist, who is always scrutinising politicians' expenses. "What if she drinks the whole lot in another two months? Will the suffering taxpayer have to continue to fund Her Worship's excesses? If politicians can't go five minutes without a drink, then they're not fit for office. Ban all alcohol on government premises."

[EFFECT] visiting dignitaries make excuses to leave functions early and head to the nearest pub

[OPTION] "I have an idea," interjects @@RANDOMNAME@@, a hobo, who's been listening in on your conversation from the bench outside your window. "Why doesn't the government provide free booze for everyone? That would be nice."

[EFFECT] no one is worried about government policies any more

PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 9:38 pm
by Australian rePublic
Must be capitalist?

PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 10:13 pm
by Great Nortend
The third option seems a bit lacklustre. Also, it might be amusing to refer to the mayor as 'His/Her Worship' in option 2. “Will the suffering taxpayer have to bail His Worship out again?” Something like 'continue to fund his excesses' might be more appropriate than 'bail'.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 1:52 am
by Baggieland
Australian rePublic wrote:Must be capitalist?

Not sure about that, it's only who supplies the booze at diplomatic parties. Imagine the vodka that goes down at Red Square.

Great Nortend wrote:The third option seems a bit lacklustre.

It's intentionally short, I'm playing on the stereotypical hobo - who's a drunk, and his inability to make a point any greater than "free booze, that's good".

Great Nortend wrote: it might be amusing to refer to the mayor as 'His/Her Worship' in option 2. “Will the suffering taxpayer have to bail His Worship out again?” Something like 'continue to fund his excesses' might be more appropriate than 'bail'.

Thanks, I'll add that when I get round to the next draft.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 3:22 am
by Baggieland
Baggieland wrote:Thanks, I'll add that when I get round to the next draft.

2nd draft is up.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:41 am
by Australian rePublic
Baggieland wrote:
Australian rePublic wrote:Must be capitalist?

Not sure about that, it's only who supplies the booze at diplomatic parties. Imagine the vodka that goes down at Red Square.


Sure, I guess, but then it begs the question- how does the economic model work for an organisation to give away freebies under a socialist regime? How exactly does that economic model work? The fact that the person recieving said freebies is a politician adds a whole new layer of complexity to the question of how the economic model works

PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:04 am
by Baggieland
A private owned brewery or a state run brewery. Both can give away free booze if they want to, or if the commisar tells them to.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:59 am
by Baggieland
Any more comments on this one?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:11 am
by Great Nortend
@@HIS@@ accompanying entourage? Also the comma between 'a social activist, who is always' seems a bit jarring.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:59 am
by Australian rePublic
I feel as if drinking it all herself/family/personal use vs giving it away is a completely different issue to giving it to diplomats. Also, why is this an issue for @@LEADER@@, rather than brewery? Also, I ferl that this could be fixed by just rewording everything. A year's supply means unlimited litres in a year, whilst a X amount of litres means when they end they end. I ferl like there should be an option to force them to fix their wording, but in an NSie kind of way

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 6:20 am
by Great Nortend
It's a matter for the leader because the taxpayer is being asked to pay for replenishment.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 6:38 am
by Krogon
Wouldn't this issue require the devolution policy?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 6:44 am
by Great Nortend
I would imagine mayors or similar civic leaders still would exist in a nation which doesn't have devolved government.

PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:17 am
by Australian rePublic
Great Nortend wrote:I would imagine mayors or similar civic leaders still would exist in a nation which doesn't have devolved government.

Yes. You still need a local authority to look after roads, pipes, transports, etc.

PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 6:08 am
by Baggieland
Great Nortend wrote:@@HIS@@ accompanying entourage?

I've made the mayor female and the ambassador male, as there might be some problems with the macros sorting themselves out.

Great Nortend wrote:Also the comma between 'a social activist, who is always' seems a bit jarring.

I believe that comma is correct, and is the norm in NS style.

Australian rePublic wrote:A year's supply means unlimited litres in a year, whilst a X amount of litres means when they end they end.

I looked up how much guinness the mayor of Dublin gets: it's 120 kegs.

Australian rePublic wrote:I feel as if drinking it all herself/family/personal use vs giving it away is a completely different issue to giving it to diplomats. Also, why is this an issue for @@LEADER@@, rather than brewery?

Great Nortend wrote:It's a matter for the leader because the taxpayer is being asked to pay for replenishment.

Thank you Great Nortend.

Krogon wrote:Wouldn't this issue require the devolution policy?

Great Nortend wrote:I would imagine mayors or similar civic leaders still would exist in a nation which doesn't have devolved government.

Thank you again Great Nortend.
This is about one brewery giving a gift to one person in one city, I don't see where devolution nor capitalism comes into it.

Next draft with new pronouns and kegs is up.

PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 6:47 am
by The Free Joy State
Can I suggest somewhere smaller than @@CAPITAL@@? Old @@CAPITAL@@, maybe? It just seems like an odd tradition for the nation's main city.

PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 7:51 am
by Great Nortend
There is precedent for it in Dublin, but it does seem somewhat strange that every capital city would have this tradition, or even many. Usually issues are broadly applicable to most nations, but this inserts a lot of canon into the capital city.

PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 9:39 pm
by Baggieland
The Free Joy State wrote:Can I suggest somewhere smaller than @@CAPITAL@@? Old @@CAPITAL@@, maybe? It just seems like an odd tradition for the nation's main city.

Dublin is Ireland's main city. Also, it makes sense that diplomatic parties involving foreign ambassadors would be held in the main city. I can imagine events like that being held in London, but unlikely in smaller cities like Southampton.

However...

Great Nortend wrote:it does seem somewhat strange that every capital city would have this tradition, or even many. Usually issues are broadly applicable to most nations, but this inserts a lot of canon into the capital city.


Fair point, so I will change it to ANIMAL city, which is broadly accepted as NAME's second city, large enough to attract foreign dignitaries, but not stepping on capital city autonomy issues.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:48 am
by Baggieland
The next draft with the city name change is up.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 3:03 pm
by Chan Island
This is a very enjoyable issue. I like it.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:08 am
by Candlewhisper Archive
Yep, it's very solid.

I heard something vaguely related recently, about how members of Congress automatically get a free porn magazine subscription in the US, and that conservative politicians tried to get that shut down, but that the courts ruled it constituted lobbying / free speech, and so wouldn't order it to be stopped.

I'd google a link about the story for the details, buy I can't type the word "porn" into a search engine at work.

Anyway, not that relevant to this issue, but this issue reminded me of that story, which in itself would make a great issue, if anyone wants to write it. I've stopped writing issues myself, as I've got way too many queued already.

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:18 am
by Baggieland
Candlewhisper Archive wrote:how members of Congress automatically get a free porn magazine subscription in the US,

What would the Founding Fathers make of this? :)

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:28 am
by Australian rePublic
Good luck!

PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:31 am
by Baggieland
Chan Island wrote:This is a very enjoyable issue. I like it.

Candlewhisper Archive wrote:Yep, it's very solid.

In that case, submitted!

Once again, thanks to everyone for all your comments.
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