Res Publica Pro Tempore [OOC/Open]

[Reverend Norv]

Makes sense. Speaking of which - since nobody's taken him so far, and he's the most immediately significant player - what should we know about Laurence? How formidable is he?

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Makes sense. Speaking of which - since nobody's taken him so far, and he's the most immediately significant player - what should we know about Laurence? How formidable is he?

Yeah, let me give a little rundown of him.

So, Laurence is a man of more intelligence than charisma. He knows from the teachings of his mother how you run a bureaucracy, and how you run a country.

He has three problems: while his mother was interested in all subjects, and learnt about them during a long career of trial and error, especially in the beginning. She mastered the subjects, and they have become part of her thinking. Laurence just does not have that experience. He has a lot of experience in various jobs, including as a law clerk in the Supreme Court and as the Secretary of Urban Development (much of the low income housing initiatives are his brain child), but he does not have the same natural experience governing as his mother does. Where she might dish out five new policy ideas in a cabinet session, Laurence will be a lot slower and a lot less sure of himself.

The second problem is charisma. His mother had a natural charisma, even at old age. When Melinda enters a room, America enters. She saw government like theatre, and she played her part in it. Laurence is not one for theatre, and does not respect the importance of playing his part. So, like the bureaucrat he is, he will have problems with confidence. He believes he can win people over by sheer knowledge of policy and sound reason, without relying on the pomp and circumstance Melinda used. He might be wrong there,

Thirdly, Laurence is fundamentally a good person. Melinda was always postponing getting Hamilton to teach Laurence the ropes, because she never quite dared expose the more secretive, violent tendencies to Laurence. She always raised him with compassion, and one of her failings was that she could not bring herself to teach the moral Laurence the muck that keeps the government afloat. So, Laurence does not have the experience, and probably not the stomach, to run the intelligence apparatus that Hamilton has built and that keeps their the United States afloat through its less than democratic governance. Hamilton will have to show in that you need to crack a few eggs to make an omelette.

That's a rundown of Laurence: he is a clever bureaucrat and a good person, but he lacks charisma, experience and a certain moral ambivalence.

[Thermodolia]

Application
Name: James Lawrence
Position: Secretary of Defense, Joint Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Navy, Admiral of the Fleet
Age: 70
Appearance:

(Image)

First Impression: The First Impression people get is a man who isn’t capable or knows what he’s doing. Many think that he’s dull and dimwitted. In reality Lawrence is anything but, the dull, dimwitted, incapable impression is a carefully crafted ruse.
Outward personality: Simple Minded, extremely Loyal, Both to the the First Citizen and anyone else, yet also dull and somewhat of a doormat. This outward personality is again apart of a constructed ruse to hide his true interests.
Character history: Born January 7th, 1997 James Lawrence lived a simple life until he decided to join the Navy at age 18. During the constitutional crisis he was but a lowly ensign in the American Navy. However he quickly supported the First Citizen and helped to crush opposition to her.

For the next 40 years he would quickly rise the ranks to become the “First Citizen of the Military” so to speak. He simultaneously controls the positions of Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, Joint Chief of Staff, and Admiral of the Fleet. Nothing in the military gets by without his consent. In terms of military power he is the second in command of the military to only the First Citizen.

Describe the last time your character and Melinda Delcastillo spoke: The last time Melinda and James spoke it was ironically about what should be done, militarily, if she died or was incapacitated. James argued for a nation wide martial law however She wanted nothing to with that. Instead relying on the FBI, headed by the arch-rival of Lawrence, to control the nation.

Just want to know if my app is acceptable.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Application
Name: James Lawrence
Position: Secretary of Defense, Joint Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Navy, Admiral of the Fleet
Age: 70
Appearance:

(Image)

First Impression: The First Impression people get is a man who isn’t capable or knows what he’s doing. Many think that he’s dull and dimwitted. In reality Lawrence is anything but, the dull, dimwitted, incapable impression is a carefully crafted ruse.
Outward personality: Simple Minded, extremely Loyal, Both to the the First Citizen and anyone else, yet also dull and somewhat of a doormat. This outward personality is again apart of a constructed ruse to hide his true interests.
Character history: Born January 7th, 1997 James Lawrence lived a simple life until he decided to join the Navy at age 18. During the constitutional crisis he was but a lowly ensign in the American Navy. However he quickly supported the First Citizen and helped to crush opposition to her.

For the next 40 years he would quickly rise the ranks to become the “First Citizen of the Military” so to speak. He simultaneously controls the positions of Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, Joint Chief of Staff, and Admiral of the Fleet. Nothing in the military gets by without his consent. In terms of military power he is the second in command of the military to only the First Citizen.

Describe the last time your character and Melinda Delcastillo spoke: The last time Melinda and James spoke it was ironically about what should be done, militarily, if she died or was incapacitated. James argued for a nation wide martial law however She wanted nothing to with that. Instead relying on the FBI, headed by the arch-rival of Lawrence, to control the nation.

My mistake! Pardon me.

Before I accept, I would like a bit more of a window into his true personality. What drives this person?

Also, tone down his positions a bit. He can be an acting admiral and secretary of defence (that would work well with the priority of the navy), but lose the other two. The navy also falls under the DoD anyway, and I would like some juicy interbranch rivalry between the army and the navy.

[Thermodolia]

Application
Name: James Lawrence
Position: Secretary of Defense, Joint Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Navy, Admiral of the Fleet
Age: 70
Appearance:

(Image)

First Impression: The First Impression people get is a man who isn’t capable or knows what he’s doing. Many think that he’s dull and dimwitted. In reality Lawrence is anything but, the dull, dimwitted, incapable impression is a carefully crafted ruse.
Outward personality: Simple Minded, extremely Loyal, Both to the the First Citizen and anyone else, yet also dull and somewhat of a doormat. This outward personality is again apart of a constructed ruse to hide his true interests.
Character history: Born January 7th, 1997 James Lawrence lived a simple life until he decided to join the Navy at age 18. During the constitutional crisis he was but a lowly ensign in the American Navy. However he quickly supported the First Citizen and helped to crush opposition to her.

For the next 40 years he would quickly rise the ranks to become the “First Citizen of the Military” so to speak. He simultaneously controls the positions of Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, Joint Chief of Staff, and Admiral of the Fleet. Nothing in the military gets by without his consent. In terms of military power he is the second in command of the military to only the First Citizen.

Describe the last time your character and Melinda Delcastillo spoke: The last time Melinda and James spoke it was ironically about what should be done, militarily, if she died or was incapacitated. James argued for a nation wide martial law however She wanted nothing to with that. Instead relying on the FBI, headed by the arch-rival of Lawrence, to control the nation.

My mistake! Pardon me.

Before I accept, I would like a bit more of a window into his true personality. What drives this person?

So basically survival and his own quest for power. He’s seen a lot of people get disappeared over the years plus his knowledge of dictatorships of old drives him to be unassuming and makes sure that people underestimate him so he can eventually assume power for himself.

Also, tone down his positions a bit. He can be an acting admiral and secretary of defence (that would work well with the priority of the navy), but lose the other two. The navy also falls under the DoD anyway, and I would like some juicy interbranch rivalry between the army and the navy.

Fair enough. SECDEF and Admiral of the Fleet will work.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

My mistake! Pardon me.

Before I accept, I would like a bit more of a window into his true personality. What drives this person?

So basically survival and his own quest for power. He’s seen a lot of people get disappeared over the years plus his knowledge of dictatorships of old drives him to be unassuming and makes sure that people underestimate him so he can eventually assume power for himself.

Also, tone down his positions a bit. He can be an acting admiral and secretary of defence (that would work well with the priority of the navy), but lose the other two. The navy also falls under the DoD anyway, and I would like some juicy interbranch rivalry between the army and the navy.

Fair enough. SECDEF and Admiral of the Fleet will work.

Alright, then you are happily accepted.

Just for me, though: why does he want power? (That’s a good question for every character to ask, btw)

[Thermodolia]

So basically survival and his own quest for power. He’s seen a lot of people get disappeared over the years plus his knowledge of dictatorships of old drives him to be unassuming and makes sure that people underestimate him so he can eventually assume power for himself.


Fair enough. SECDEF and Admiral of the Fleet will work.

Alright, then you are happily accepted.

Just for me, though: why does he want power? (That’s a good question for every character to ask, btw)

Now it’s to bring back democracy. However in the past it was to gain power for his own gain

[Reverend Norv]

Oh, good grief.

I’m afraid I’ll have to drop out. I still think the premise of this RP is fantastic, so I say that with real regret. And I understand that, as a mentor, you can’t be as selective as I would be in admitting players. But this is just turning into amateur hour: martial law on the first page, indeed. This isn’t how you tell a story, and I won’t be sticking around for it. Feel free to make whatever use of Hamilton you like, GCCS, and best of luck with the RP.

[Nytavuthar]

Oh, good grief.

I’m afraid I’ll have to drop out. I still think the premise of this RP is fantastic, so I say that with real regret. And I understand that, as a mentor, you can’t be as selective as I would be in admitting players. But this is just turning into amateur hour: martial law on the first page, indeed. This isn’t how you tell a story, and I won’t be sticking around for it. Feel free to make whatever use of Hamilton you like, GCCS, and best of luck with the RP.

I absolutely agree. I feel like more a slow burn to martial law would be more appropriate instead of the whole nation being locked down a few hours after.

[Cylarn]

Before everyone jumps ship or puts troops on the streets, we need to speak with James.

[Thermodolia]

Oh, good grief.

I’m afraid I’ll have to drop out. I still think the premise of this RP is fantastic, so I say that with real regret. And I understand that, as a mentor, you can’t be as selective as I would be in admitting players. But this is just turning into amateur hour: martial law on the first page, indeed. This isn’t how you tell a story, and I won’t be sticking around for it. Feel free to make whatever use of Hamilton you like, GCCS, and best of luck with the RP.

Well with how bad the inter service rivalry is I’d say that actually enforcing martial law without Hamilton’s help would be near impossible. If you want to work something out I could do that. Perhaps scaling it down to just the east coast/DC

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Oh, good grief.

I’m afraid I’ll have to drop out. I still think the premise of this RP is fantastic, so I say that with real regret. And I understand that, as a mentor, you can’t be as selective as I would be in admitting players. But this is just turning into amateur hour: martial law on the first page, indeed. This isn’t how you tell a story, and I won’t be sticking around for it. Feel free to make whatever use of Hamilton you like, GCCS, and best of luck with the RP.

Well with how bad the inter service rivalry is I’d say that actually enforcing martial law without Hamilton’s help would be near impossible. If you want to work something out I could do that. Perhaps scaling it down to just the east coast/DC

I have to agree with Norv. Not only is it not within the power of the SECDEF to declare martial law, there is as of yet no reason to do so, and doing so would be a major signal that something is up. If SECDEF had called the pentagon to get martial law declared, the pentagon would have immediately phoned the acting president for confirmation, meaning that your character would be indicted for treason on the first page, and out before a firing squad on the second. So, you’ll have to scrap that entirely. This RP is about clever manouvering, backstabbing and theatre, not about who can flash the most guns.

[Thermodolia]

Well with how bad the inter service rivalry is I’d say that actually enforcing martial law without Hamilton’s help would be near impossible. If you want to work something out I could do that. Perhaps scaling it down to just the east coast/DC

I have to agree with Norv. Not only is it not within the power of the SECDEF to declare martial law, there is as of yet no reason to do so, and doing so would be a major signal that something is up. If SECDEF had called the pentagon to get martial law declared, the pentagon would have immediately phoned the acting president for confirmation, meaning that your character would be indicted for treason on the first page, and out before a firing squad on the second. So, you’ll have to scrap that entirely. This RP is about clever manouvering, backstabbing and theatre, not about who can flash the most guns.

Fair enough. I can amend that to an order of high readiness alert

[Duhon]

Oh, good grief.

I’m afraid I’ll have to drop out. I still think the premise of this RP is fantastic, so I say that with real regret. And I understand that, as a mentor, you can’t be as selective as I would be in admitting players. But this is just turning into amateur hour: martial law on the first page, indeed. This isn’t how you tell a story, and I won’t be sticking around for it. Feel free to make whatever use of Hamilton you like, GCCS, and best of luck with the RP.

damn

[Lunas Legion]

Well with how bad the inter service rivalry is I’d say that actually enforcing martial law without Hamilton’s help would be near impossible. If you want to work something out I could do that. Perhaps scaling it down to just the east coast/DC

I have to agree with Norv. Not only is it not within the power of the SECDEF to declare martial law, there is as of yet no reason to do so, and doing so would be a major signal that something is up. If SECDEF had called the pentagon to get martial law declared, the pentagon would have immediately phoned the acting president for confirmation, meaning that your character would be indicted for treason on the first page, and out before a firing squad on the second. So, you’ll have to scrap that entirely. This RP is about clever manouvering, backstabbing and theatre, not about who can flash the most guns.

Yeah, Georgia is only getting troops out on the streets of D.C by the next morning, and even then that's entirely because she had no idea what the hell the city's reaction will be. She's not sure whether to expect political rioting, another normal day, peaceful protests that need observation or a mixture, given the politically volatile situation. Only the President can declare nationwide martial law, only Governors (i.e not Georgia) can declare state-wide martial law and Georgia isn't going to accept military assistance anyways in the capital as that's illegal under the Posse Comitatus Act.

[Thermodolia]

I have to agree with Norv. Not only is it not within the power of the SECDEF to declare martial law, there is as of yet no reason to do so, and doing so would be a major signal that something is up. If SECDEF had called the pentagon to get martial law declared, the pentagon would have immediately phoned the acting president for confirmation, meaning that your character would be indicted for treason on the first page, and out before a firing squad on the second. So, you’ll have to scrap that entirely. This RP is about clever manouvering, backstabbing and theatre, not about who can flash the most guns.

Yeah, Georgia is only getting troops out on the streets of D.C by the next morning, and even then that's entirely because she had no idea what the hell the city's reaction will be. She's not sure whether to expect political rioting, another normal day, peaceful protests that need observation or a mixture, given the politically volatile situation. Only the President can declare nationwide martial law, only Governors (i.e not Georgia) can declare state-wide martial law and Georgia isn't going to accept military assistance anyways in the capital as that's illegal under the Posse Comitatus Act.

Except for the US marines; Posse Comitatus doesn’t apply to the marines.

Either way it doesn’t matter cause I edited the paragraph in question to high readiness something the SECDEF mostly definitely can do

[Lunas Legion]

Yeah, Georgia is only getting troops out on the streets of D.C by the next morning, and even then that's entirely because she had no idea what the hell the city's reaction will be. She's not sure whether to expect political rioting, another normal day, peaceful protests that need observation or a mixture, given the politically volatile situation. Only the President can declare nationwide martial law, only Governors (i.e not Georgia) can declare state-wide martial law and Georgia isn't going to accept military assistance anyways in the capital as that's illegal under the Posse Comitatus Act.

Except for the US marines; Posse Comitatus doesn’t apply to the marines.

It officially doesn't apply to either the Navy or the USMC, but those two services are bound by similar restrictions within DoD Instructions.

[The Archipelago Territory]

So what do we do with the cyclops now?

[Pasong Tirad]

Post up hopefully by tomorrow morning (GMT +8). Almost done.

[Rodez]

I should have a post up today. Been busy with work this weekend.

[Of the Quendi]

The position of Attorney-General mentioned in the OP is that something you can sign up as?

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

So what do we do with the cyclops now?

I'll think of something, I'll control him until a solution is found.

The position of Attorney-General mentioned in the OP is that something you can sign up as?

Absolutely! In fact, I would love if someone took that character.

[Of the Quendi]

The position of Attorney-General mentioned in the OP is that something you can sign up as?

Absolutely! In fact, I would love if someone took that character.

Great, I will write an app then.

[The Archipelago Territory]

So what do we do with the cyclops now?

I'll think of something, I'll control him until a solution is found.

The position of Attorney-General mentioned in the OP is that something you can sign up as?

Absolutely! In fact, I would love if someone took that character.

My character called Laurence since I edited my post. Also is Laurence an NPC?

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I'll think of something, I'll control him until a solution is found.


Absolutely! In fact, I would love if someone took that character.

My character called Laurence since I edited my post. Also is Laurence an NPC?

Laurence is an NPC, but I will control him until someone else wants to take over, so in the forseeable future I'll be playing as him as well as other major NPCs and the general public.