The LCC will be holding an election April 12-19 to determine who will be leading the LCC into the 56th Cosa election (spoiler alert: it won't be me), so now is a great time to get involved. To do so, send me a message.
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#81
Wittenberg / LCC Leadership Election (+ Recruitment Thread)
April 07, 2021, 06:32:41 PMThe LCC will be holding an election April 12-19 to determine who will be leading the LCC into the 56th Cosa election (spoiler alert: it won't be me), so now is a great time to get involved. To do so, send me a message.
#82
Wittenberg / No March La S'chinteia :(
February 26, 2021, 09:07:17 PM
Who would have thought that being in your last semester of college is time consuming?
I promise that there will be at least one more volume before I retire the project, but I can't say for certain when it will come out.
I promise that there will be at least one more volume before I retire the project, but I can't say for certain when it will come out.
#83
Wittenberg / La S'chinteia Volume XVIII
February 04, 2021, 03:13:29 PM
Volume XVIII is out!
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#84
Wittenberg / ANNOUNCING: The Campaign for Keeping The Monarchy The Way It Is
December 08, 2020, 07:04:43 PM
Azul,
In response to various other campaigns being launched in recent days, it is now a fine time to launch The Campaign For Keeping The Monarchy The Way It Is.
Remember that The Way It Is already severely limits the power of the King, compared to the powers he enjoyed five years ago. Over this period, the King lost his absolute veto over Organic Law amendments, his veto over other legislation became much weaker, and the hereditary aspect of the Monarchy was removed.
Contrary to what you might think at first, the people who are now part of the Campaign for an Elected Head of State were not the ones who principally pushed the above reforms. The main sponsor of all three amendments (48RZ14, 50RZ19, and 54RZ28) was in fact me, the very person who stands before you now leading the campaign to protect the remaining powers of the Monarch. It does not take a crusted-on reactionary to believe that the needed reforms have been made and that making further changes would do more harm than good.
Below is part of an article I wrote for La S'chinteia in September outlining why I support the Monarchy and you should as well.
_______________________________________________________________
1. For Talossa, Democracy is Not the End-All-Be-All
For good reason, powerful Monarchies in "real" nations are largely a thing of the past. When citizens do not really have a choice but to the be subject to the laws of their home country, it is only fair that the People have the ultimate sovereignty over those laws, which clearly rules out the possibility of a Monarchy. Talossa is in a different situation though. To start, citizenship is completely voluntary; no one would become stateless if they were no longer Talossan. Also, let's be honest, being subject to Talossan law has basically no relevance to a Talossan's everyday life, which is lived almost exclusively outside Talossa. Because of this, options for government which would not be palatable to other nations are open to us.
Talossa is a country, sure, but it is also a voluntary association with the goal of letting everyone have a good time (Article I, Section 1 of the Organic Law). Therefore, if we decide that a Monarchy is the form of government best suited to having a good time (and I will later argue that it is), calling the Monarchy undemocratic misses the point. As I said earlier, the typical reasons why a Monarchy with power would be bad don't apply to us, and we have much more to gain from an "enjoyable" government than other countries.
2. It's Unique and Fun
As I pointed out above, non-figurehead Monarchies are not particularly common anymore. However, the idea of Monarchy still clearly captures the public imagination (I still can't believe how closely Americans follow the drama with the British royal family, for example, and they have almost no power). It is just different from what most people experience in their regular lives, and Talossa is well-positioned to deliver the benefits of a Monarchy (coats of arms, knighthoods, other accoutrements, and overall pomposity) without the obvious downsides that usually accompany it. I thus find it very likely that many immigrants are attracted to the Monarchy, and Talossa would be wasting an opportunity to provide a unique experience to new and existing citizens if it dispensed with that institution.
It is often claimed that a figurehead Monarchy is more than capable of providing the desired pomposity, but there is just something hollow about being awarded a coat of arms from someone whose only job is to award coats of arms. It works better if the Monarch is also responsible, in some small capacity, for the governance of the Kingdom.
3. Talossa Needs Someone for the Long Term
Talossa currently has only 181 citizens, all of whom must balance Talossa with all of the other things they do in their life, and all of whom can lose interest for various reasons. They drift in and out of activity (but recently, usually just out), and Talossa itself has undeniable semi-comatose periods. This is a problem no "real" country ever faces (that wouldn't even make sense), so we cannot look to other countries for solutions.
The institution of the Monarchy, however, is a Talossan solution to a Talossan problem. If we are searching for the best form of government to ensure Talossa's continued existence, we should give some power to a position whose incentives are long-term rather than short-term. This is what the King is; he can withstand short-term changes in sentiment, but the value of his domain will deteriorate significantly if he does not act properly over the long term. The Cosa, on the other hand, is elected every six months. Its strength is its quick response to the people, but it can be susceptible to enacting politically convenient policies that, rather than fix problems, simply mask them until they are someone else's problems. The King cannot dodge responsibility this way because the problems will always be his problems.
In response to various other campaigns being launched in recent days, it is now a fine time to launch The Campaign For Keeping The Monarchy The Way It Is.
Remember that The Way It Is already severely limits the power of the King, compared to the powers he enjoyed five years ago. Over this period, the King lost his absolute veto over Organic Law amendments, his veto over other legislation became much weaker, and the hereditary aspect of the Monarchy was removed.
Contrary to what you might think at first, the people who are now part of the Campaign for an Elected Head of State were not the ones who principally pushed the above reforms. The main sponsor of all three amendments (48RZ14, 50RZ19, and 54RZ28) was in fact me, the very person who stands before you now leading the campaign to protect the remaining powers of the Monarch. It does not take a crusted-on reactionary to believe that the needed reforms have been made and that making further changes would do more harm than good.
Below is part of an article I wrote for La S'chinteia in September outlining why I support the Monarchy and you should as well.
_______________________________________________________________
1. For Talossa, Democracy is Not the End-All-Be-All
For good reason, powerful Monarchies in "real" nations are largely a thing of the past. When citizens do not really have a choice but to the be subject to the laws of their home country, it is only fair that the People have the ultimate sovereignty over those laws, which clearly rules out the possibility of a Monarchy. Talossa is in a different situation though. To start, citizenship is completely voluntary; no one would become stateless if they were no longer Talossan. Also, let's be honest, being subject to Talossan law has basically no relevance to a Talossan's everyday life, which is lived almost exclusively outside Talossa. Because of this, options for government which would not be palatable to other nations are open to us.
Talossa is a country, sure, but it is also a voluntary association with the goal of letting everyone have a good time (Article I, Section 1 of the Organic Law). Therefore, if we decide that a Monarchy is the form of government best suited to having a good time (and I will later argue that it is), calling the Monarchy undemocratic misses the point. As I said earlier, the typical reasons why a Monarchy with power would be bad don't apply to us, and we have much more to gain from an "enjoyable" government than other countries.
2. It's Unique and Fun
As I pointed out above, non-figurehead Monarchies are not particularly common anymore. However, the idea of Monarchy still clearly captures the public imagination (I still can't believe how closely Americans follow the drama with the British royal family, for example, and they have almost no power). It is just different from what most people experience in their regular lives, and Talossa is well-positioned to deliver the benefits of a Monarchy (coats of arms, knighthoods, other accoutrements, and overall pomposity) without the obvious downsides that usually accompany it. I thus find it very likely that many immigrants are attracted to the Monarchy, and Talossa would be wasting an opportunity to provide a unique experience to new and existing citizens if it dispensed with that institution.
It is often claimed that a figurehead Monarchy is more than capable of providing the desired pomposity, but there is just something hollow about being awarded a coat of arms from someone whose only job is to award coats of arms. It works better if the Monarch is also responsible, in some small capacity, for the governance of the Kingdom.
3. Talossa Needs Someone for the Long Term
Talossa currently has only 181 citizens, all of whom must balance Talossa with all of the other things they do in their life, and all of whom can lose interest for various reasons. They drift in and out of activity (but recently, usually just out), and Talossa itself has undeniable semi-comatose periods. This is a problem no "real" country ever faces (that wouldn't even make sense), so we cannot look to other countries for solutions.
The institution of the Monarchy, however, is a Talossan solution to a Talossan problem. If we are searching for the best form of government to ensure Talossa's continued existence, we should give some power to a position whose incentives are long-term rather than short-term. This is what the King is; he can withstand short-term changes in sentiment, but the value of his domain will deteriorate significantly if he does not act properly over the long term. The Cosa, on the other hand, is elected every six months. Its strength is its quick response to the people, but it can be susceptible to enacting politically convenient policies that, rather than fix problems, simply mask them until they are someone else's problems. The King cannot dodge responsibility this way because the problems will always be his problems.
#85
Wittenberg / La S'chinteia Volume XVII
December 04, 2020, 05:37:46 PMVolume XVII is out!
Do you want to have the next volume of La S'chinteia sent straight to your inbox a day early? Click here to subscribe!
#86
El Viestül/The Lobby / [TERP] Foreign
November 14, 2020, 09:42:39 PM
To the members of the Cosa and Senate,
May the Honourable Minister please update the public as to the activities of the Foreign Ministry?
May the Honourable Minister please update the public as to the activities of the Foreign Ministry?
#87
Wittenberg / La S'chinteia Volume XVI
November 04, 2020, 06:13:57 PMVolume XVI is out!
Do you want to have the next volume of La S'chinteia sent straight to your inbox a day early? Click here to subscribe!
#88
El Viestül/The Lobby / A Short Statement from the Leader of the Opposition
October 15, 2020, 09:19:34 PM
Azul,
Let me be among those to congratulate Sir Alexandreu on his appointment as Regent. May he serve the Kingdom admirably.
While I will not engage here in a point-by-point rebuttal of the Government's statement, I nevertheless believe the castigations contained within it are quite overblown. While it is no secret I have my criticisms of the King, his appointment of a Regent hardly strikes me as the epochal event the Seneschal makes it out to be.
I do, however, caution the newly-appointed Regent that the Government's claims are not entirely without merit. Workng together effectively requires a special effort when such enmity is present, and I expect that from both sides.
I therefore strongly encourage the Regent not to veto a bill unless he has explained his opposition to it before it is Clarked. This is the same standard I have applied to the King several times before.
Signed,
Ian Plätschisch
Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition
Let me be among those to congratulate Sir Alexandreu on his appointment as Regent. May he serve the Kingdom admirably.
While I will not engage here in a point-by-point rebuttal of the Government's statement, I nevertheless believe the castigations contained within it are quite overblown. While it is no secret I have my criticisms of the King, his appointment of a Regent hardly strikes me as the epochal event the Seneschal makes it out to be.
I do, however, caution the newly-appointed Regent that the Government's claims are not entirely without merit. Workng together effectively requires a special effort when such enmity is present, and I expect that from both sides.
I therefore strongly encourage the Regent not to veto a bill unless he has explained his opposition to it before it is Clarked. This is the same standard I have applied to the King several times before.
Signed,
Ian Plätschisch
Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition
#89
Wittenberg / Citizenship Petition for Nicholas Burman
October 07, 2020, 05:14:26 PM
WHEREAS it has been more than a fortnight since Nicholas Burman first posted on Wittenberg, following his introduction to the citizens of the Kingdom by officers of the Interior Ministry, and
WHEREAS he has in that time demonstrated an active, genuine, and longstanding interest in Talossan life, culture, and language, and
WHEREAS he desires citizenship in the Kingdom of Talossa, and
WHEREAS by all indications it appears that he would be a loyal and dedicated citizen, and a credit to this nation if he obtains the grant of citizenship he requests, and
WHEREAS I have corresponded with him on Zoom,
THEREFORE I, Ian Plätschisch, a citizen in good standing of the Province of Maritiimi-Maxhestic and of the Kingdom of Talossa, do by these presents petition the Secretary of State Txec dal Nordselva to issue a grant of citizenship to Nicholas Burman, as specified by law.
Petition submitted today, the 7th day of October, 2020/XL.
WHEREAS he has in that time demonstrated an active, genuine, and longstanding interest in Talossan life, culture, and language, and
WHEREAS he desires citizenship in the Kingdom of Talossa, and
WHEREAS by all indications it appears that he would be a loyal and dedicated citizen, and a credit to this nation if he obtains the grant of citizenship he requests, and
WHEREAS I have corresponded with him on Zoom,
THEREFORE I, Ian Plätschisch, a citizen in good standing of the Province of Maritiimi-Maxhestic and of the Kingdom of Talossa, do by these presents petition the Secretary of State Txec dal Nordselva to issue a grant of citizenship to Nicholas Burman, as specified by law.
Petition submitted today, the 7th day of October, 2020/XL.
#90
Wittenberg / La S'chinteia Volume XV
October 04, 2020, 02:52:58 PMVolume XV is out!
Do you want to have the next volume of La S'chinteia sent straight to your inbox a day early? Click here to subscribe!
#91
Wittenberg / The Ian Plätschisch Show - Episode 2
September 26, 2020, 09:37:56 AM
EPISODE 2 - ANARCHISM FOR TALOSSA?
Listen on Anchor
Also available (within a few days) on:
-Spotify
-Breaker
-Google Podcasts
-RSS
-RadioPublic
-Pocket Casts
#92
El Viestül/The Lobby / [TERP] INTERIOR
September 18, 2020, 03:10:18 PM
To the esteemed chambers of the Cosa and Senäts,
Someone has to pose the first Terp so it might as well be me. I'll keep the subject matter light.
Can the Honourable Minister please explain why the immigrant questionnaire includes two questions about Marvel movies and another question about the Rocky movies? As good as they may be, multiple immigrants have already answered those questions to the effect of "I'm not remotely interested in any of that"; would it be better to replace those with something more general?
Someone has to pose the first Terp so it might as well be me. I'll keep the subject matter light.
Can the Honourable Minister please explain why the immigrant questionnaire includes two questions about Marvel movies and another question about the Rocky movies? As good as they may be, multiple immigrants have already answered those questions to the effect of "I'm not remotely interested in any of that"; would it be better to replace those with something more general?
#93
Wittenberg / La S'chinteia Volume XIV
September 05, 2020, 08:45:09 AMVolume XIV is out!
Do you want to have the next volume of La S'chinteia sent straight to your inbox a day early? Click here to subscribe!
#95
Benito / Represent the LCC in the Assembly of Benito
August 19, 2020, 01:48:39 PM
If you are interested in representing the League of Centre Conservatives in the Assembly of Benito, please let me know.
#96
Wittenberg / Broosking Discussion.
August 15, 2020, 03:35:43 PMQuote from: Eðo Grischun on August 15, 2020, 01:35:34 PM(and, honestly, the less words you use the better; just to prove how silly this particular rule is thus giving us more of a reason to scrap the rule).This seems like broosking to me...
Does the Interior Ministry notify prospectives of this requirement? If not, it should be no surprise that it is never met until the last minute, because immigrants do not know to be thinking about it.
#97
El Müstair del Funal/The Hopper Archive / Placeholder Act to Remind Me to Write an Act
August 05, 2020, 08:47:30 PM
WHEREAS
THEREFORE The process for selecting a new Monarch shall be improved in an as of yet undetermined fashion.
THEREFORE The process for selecting a new Monarch shall be improved in an as of yet undetermined fashion.
#98
El Viestül/The Lobby / Org Chart Info Dump
August 05, 2020, 08:42:16 PM
In fall 2018, I made this Org Chart. The people in the roles are obviously out of date but I think the structure is mostly the same.
https://v5.organimi.com/p/o/5b6203391f0ccb00131c93fe/c/5b62033f1f0ccb00131c9400/chart?viewKey=5b6858502da19300130d979d&collapseTo=0&sortBy=role.hierarchy&topRole=&search=true&zoom=true&expandcollapse=true&chartTitle=true&orgTitle=true&breakBy=level&hideLegend=true
I have also attached a list of positions from last summer. This list and the previous versions are also available on TalossaWiki here: http://wiki.talossa.com/Government under "Full List of Appointees"
https://v5.organimi.com/p/o/5b6203391f0ccb00131c93fe/c/5b62033f1f0ccb00131c9400/chart?viewKey=5b6858502da19300130d979d&collapseTo=0&sortBy=role.hierarchy&topRole=&search=true&zoom=true&expandcollapse=true&chartTitle=true&orgTitle=true&breakBy=level&hideLegend=true
I have also attached a list of positions from last summer. This list and the previous versions are also available on TalossaWiki here: http://wiki.talossa.com/Government under "Full List of Appointees"
#99
Wittenberg / La S'chinteia Volume XIII
August 05, 2020, 08:17:34 PMVolume XIII is out!
Do you want to have the next volume of La S'chinteia sent straight to your inbox a day early? Click here to subscribe!
#100
Maritiimi-Maxhestic / 18th Convocation of the Provincial Assembly of Maritiimi-Maxhestic
August 02, 2020, 08:38:14 PM18th Convocation of the Provincial Assembly of Maritiimi-Maxhestic
Given I am still technically the Grand Specific Undersecretary, I am the only one left in a provincial executive role, which gives me the best authority to open this convocation.
Members, besides myself, are:
-Sir Alexandreu Davinescu
-Jordan Placie
-Cresti d.I. Nouacastra-L.