NationStates

Posted: **Sat May 15, 2021 11:15 am**

Issues about brazen corruption are fun, so here's another one.

@@LEADER@@ Wins Massive Victory!

Validity: Has elections, a large military, and high corruption.

Description
Following a particularly brutal election season, your party narrowly held onto power with you as its undisputed leader. Your closest advisors have met to congratulate you on the close victory... and to ensure that such a thing never happens again.

Option 1
"I hate the voters so much," snarls @@RANDOMNAME@@, your campaign's public relations director. "That election had no right to be as close as it was. I heard a rumor that our opposition was undermining the integrity of the election and casting fraudulent ballots. We'll have to start a comprehensive investigation of the election that just so happens to reveal dirt about the opposition, and pass draconian election security laws that just so happen to massively restrict our opponents' supporters' access to the polls. Wink wink."

Effect: the government insists that one ghost voted ten trillion times in the last election

Option 2
"Who needs voters when you have the military's support?" asks Supreme Generalissimo @@RANDOMNAME@@, clapping you on the back and nearly causing you to choke on your lunch. "I say we declare martial law and start rounding up our political opponents. Oh sure, we can still have elections. They'll be useful for rooting out dissent among the populace. But you'll be the unquestioned power in @@NAME@@."

Effect: @@A@@ @@LEADER@@-backed mayoral candidate recently won reelection with one hundred ten percent of the vote

Option 3
"Now, I'm all for subverting the democratic process," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, a rising star in your government, as several advisors nod along in approval. "But these ideas all run the risk of backfiring. Not to mention the fact that they'd take resources away from actually implementing our agenda. We should focus on doing work that undeniably benefits people, like my public transportation overhaul. If we do a good job in the eyes of the voters, we won't need to worry about staying in power."

Effect: the government's new "quiet competence" initiative has supporters and detractors alike reeling in confusion

Option 4
Suddenly, you hear a loud sigh from your Director of Protecting Elections, who pitched the idea of this meeting in the first place. "If we're seriously considering keeping ourselves in power with underhanded laws or military force, I say we just abolish public elections altogether. We'll restrict voting to an elite inner circle that'll deliberate on your appointments and decisions- hey, we still need to have some checks, and it'll help placate the people."

Effect: any law can be overturned by polling the three most exclusive country clubs in the nation

Posted: **Sat May 15, 2021 11:18 am**

Posted: **Sat May 15, 2021 11:26 am**

Ooh, I really like this issue draft (and not only because of Option 4

). It is a very interesting and nice spin on how to handle a government that's veering towards authoritarianism. And while the subject feels familiar (as more issues deal on this topic), I feel as of this is fresh enough to distinguish itself. The characterisation is great and I like the effect options a lot. Especially the first one made me smirk

In my opinion, really nice work!

EDIT: Although I do admit Option 4 feels a little superfluous. I like the inclusion of it, but it does make me wonder whether it's necessary. Options 1 to 3 do feel strong enough already, and the ability to shift to a monarchy does feel a little sudden, but I guess it makes sense as a crazy option.

Posted: **Sat May 15, 2021 11:43 am**

Daarwyrth wrote:authoritarianism

I totally didn't forget that authoritarianism is a stat...

Daarwyrth wrote:In my opinion, really nice work!

Thanks!

Daarwyrth wrote:EDIT: Although I do admit Option 4 feels a little superfluous. I like the inclusion of it, but it does make me wonder whether it's necessary. Options 1 to 3 do feel strong enough already, and the ability to shift to a monarchy does feel a little sudden, but I guess it makes sense as a crazy option.

Yeah, it is superfluous in the context of the other options. If others think it should be removed, I'll do that.

Posted: **Sat May 15, 2021 11:47 am**

I think this is great,option 4 is funny too.

Posted: **Sat May 29, 2021 3:08 am**

Option 1- ha? How do people know who voted for who? You're doing elections wrong

Posted: **Sat May 29, 2021 3:36 am**

There was an election once in RL Liberia in which the government's declared majority, once the figures from all of the districts had been combined, was larger than the number of possible voters...

Posted: **Fri Jun 04, 2021 6:24 pm**

Australian rePublic wrote:Option 1- ha? How do people know who voted for who? You're doing elections wrong

They don't need to. See RL voter disenfranchisement laws.

Posted: **Fri Jun 04, 2021 7:34 pm**

Interesting proposition. Issues about authoritarianism and corruption are quite fun to do (I've been thinking of doing one of my own but from another angle).

Option 4's effect line ("the government has declared itself a monarchy after deciding that democracy was too much work") is a straight-up mood.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:28 pm**

Bump.

Posted: **Wed Jun 09, 2021 9:43 pm**

I can't really imagine a small child saying option 4, sounds like one of those fake Twitter stories about someone's woke 4-year-old.

Posted: **Wed Jun 09, 2021 11:43 pm**

I really like it. Four is a little wordy for a child to say but the effect is perfectly written

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:30 pm**

Noahs Second Country wrote:I can't really imagine a small child saying option 4, sounds like one of those fake Twitter stories about someone's woke 4-year-old.

I wrote a few different versions of option 4, but none of them seem anything but superfluous. Therefore, I removed it. I'm also considering changing the title to "Exit Polling"- any thoughts on that?

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:31 pm**

Cretox State wrote:
Noahs Second Country wrote:I can't really imagine a small child saying option 4, sounds like one of those fake Twitter stories about someone's woke 4-year-old.

I wrote a few different versions of option 4, but none of them seem anything but superfluous. Therefore, I removed it. I'm also considering changing the title to "Exit Polling"- any thoughts on that?

Perhaps a little silly, but what about "Get Your Last Votes In"?

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:41 pm**

Daarwyrth wrote:
Cretox State wrote:I wrote a few different versions of option 4, but none of them seem anything but superfluous. Therefore, I removed it. I'm also considering changing the title to "Exit Polling"- any thoughts on that?

Perhaps a little silly, but what about "Get Your Last Votes In"?

That's not bad! I'll consider it. If you're curious, here's an alternate version of option 4:

Option 4
Suddenly, you hear a loud sigh from your Director of Protecting Elections, who pitched the idea of this meeting in the first place. "Do you have any idea how tiring it gets to go through the same old motions every time there's an election? If we're seriously considering keeping ourselves in power with underhanded laws or military force, I say we just abolish elections altogether. I'm sure the people will tolerate it, and if not, that's too bad for them."

Effect: the government has declared itself a dictatorship after deciding that democracy was too much work

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:50 pm**

Cretox State wrote:That's not bad! I'll consider it. If you're curious, here's an alternate version of option 4:

Option 4
Suddenly, you hear a loud sigh from your Director of Protecting Elections, who pitched the idea of this meeting in the first place. "Do you have any idea how tiring it gets to go through the same old motions every time there's an election? If we're seriously considering keeping ourselves in power with underhanded laws or military force, I say we just abolish elections altogether. I'm sure the people will tolerate it, and if not, that's too bad for them."

Effect: the government has declared itself a dictatorship after deciding that democracy was too much work

If I'm honest, this version of option 4 would make sense for an issue about ensuring @@LEADER@@ stays in power.

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:52 pm**

Daarwyrth wrote:
Cretox State wrote:That's not bad! I'll consider it. If you're curious, here's an alternate version of option 4:

Option 4
Suddenly, you hear a loud sigh from your Director of Protecting Elections, who pitched the idea of this meeting in the first place. "Do you have any idea how tiring it gets to go through the same old motions every time there's an election? If we're seriously considering keeping ourselves in power with underhanded laws or military force, I say we just abolish elections altogether. I'm sure the people will tolerate it, and if not, that's too bad for them."

Effect: the government has declared itself a dictatorship after deciding that democracy was too much work

If I'm honest, this version of option 4 would make sense for an issue about ensuring @@LEADER@@ stays in power.

Would it make sense for this particular issue?

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 5:01 pm**

Cretox State wrote:Would it make sense for this particular issue?

Ah, I should have clarified. My previous reply was meant as "yes, this would fit in with this issue, in my opinion"

Posted: **Sat Jun 19, 2021 5:53 pm**

Daarwyrth wrote:
Cretox State wrote:Would it make sense for this particular issue?

Ah, I should have clarified. My previous reply was meant as "yes, this would fit in with this issue, in my opinion"

Gotcha. I'll add it in, in that case. I couldn't tell if you meant that the option would fit here or in a different issue on the subject. :blush:

Posted: **Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:59 pm**

Title changed and bumped. If people like the old title or Daar's suggestion better, I'll update it accordingly.

Posted: **Wed Jun 23, 2021 7:52 pm**

I like Daarwyth's suggestion more, to be honest. I don't see how this relates to exit polling or see the joke.

Not sure why Option 4 consists of the person in charge of the Department of Protecting Elections who then proceeds to propose abolishing it. The whole "protecting elections" thing can probably be removed.

Aside from that, nice draft.

Posted: **Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:30 pm**

The Atlae Isles wrote:I like Daarwyth's suggestion more, to be honest. I don't see how this relates to exit polling or see the joke.

An exit poll is taken immediately after voters cast their votes, and this issue's premise is your advisors taking stock of a post-election situation to determine a course of action. Also, most of the options entail literally "exiting" polling (by either eliminating elections or making them ridiculously corrupt). That said, I do like Daar's suggestion.

The Atlae Isles wrote:Not sure why Option 4 consists of the person in charge of the Department of Protecting Elections who then proceeds to propose abolishing it. The whole "protecting elections" thing can probably be removed.

The joke is that the person in charge of protecting your elections advocates for abolishing them.

The Atlae Isles wrote:Aside from that, nice draft.

Thank you! :blush:

I'll settle on the title and submit in a few hours, it seems.

Posted: **Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:55 pm**

Cretox State wrote:Following a particularly brutal election season, your party narrowly held onto power with you as its undisputed leader.

I'm not loving this sentence, but I can't suggest how to improve it. The information is good, I just find it a little bit awkward.

Cretox State wrote:We can even start pushing rumors of mass fraud in the next election to really sell it."

Why the next one, after the laws are passed? I think he should talk about all the "obvious evidence" of mass fraud in this election.

Cretox State wrote:Effect: @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ show up at polling stations to find that they've already been counted as voting for @@LEADER@@

This is funny (although I find it a tad awkward), but this option is about voter suppression, not fraud. I'd suggest something like "voter fraud is illegal in all circumstances where it aids the opposition" or something.

Cretox State wrote:"Who needs voters when you have the military's backing?" asks Supreme Generalissimo @@RANDOMNAME@@, who got @@HIS@@ position after @@HIS@@ predecessor disappeared due to natural causes.

Change "got" to "ascended to" or "was promoted to" or something. I also am not sure about the last joke. It's funny, in part because it doesn't make sense... but it doesn't make sense. I wonder whether it would be better to just say "died of natural causes on a vacation in Manamana" or something, but up to you.

Cretox State wrote:like that public transportation overhaul.

I guess maybe this is okay? It's ambiguous to political position (probably, although in extreme nations you might interpret it in one way or another), but transportation being a priority is assuming something about @@LEADER@@, and may be an autonomy violation.

Cretox State wrote:If we do a good job in the eyes of the voters, we won't need to worry about staying in power."

Hmm, worry about staying in power? I mean yes, but it seems a little dismissive. I think it would be better if it was more clear about specifically elections and campaigns and whatnot.

Cretox State wrote:Effect: the government has declared itself a dictatorship after deciding that democracy was too much work

Effect works but isn't fantastic. Maybe something like "the government is open about a closed political system" or something. You may not think that's better and may not come up with anything else, so up to you.

Good luck, Cretox. I nitpicked a lot, but obviously this is a pretty good draft.

Posted: **Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:53 pm**

Edits made.

Edit (heh): submitted.

NationStates

[Contest - Submitted] @@LEADER@@ Wins Massive Victory!

[Contest - Submitted] @@LEADER@@ Wins Massive Victory!