12-08-2019, 01:36 PM
Better late than pregnant – I am so sorry for the delays here. I caught a nasty case of bronchitis that took me out for a couple of days. I appreciate the patience most people had with me as I recovered. Thank you for your kind messages of recovery. I'm doing much better now!
A quick note moving forward, something I want to make very, very clear to everyone. I do this for fun and for free. Let's set the right expectations here. I understand that my delays can be frustrating to some. But I want people to understand that I have a very busy job, been subjected to several different respiratory health issues lately, not to mention it is the holiday season as well. This is a game, we do this for fun. IM'ing me in private constantly about when polls and things will be out is not helpful, it makes me angry. I am the only administrator in this game, as such, people ought to take into consideration the constraints on my time, just like I do when I seek feedback from everyone on the length of elections, their timing, and everything else. All of us have lives outside of this and this is all for fun. It was especially frustrating for me to get IMs and questions on when I'd release new polls or the analysis on this while I was battling a fever of 102 F and struggling. This is the first and last time I will address this. Any more incessant nagging will result in serious penalties applied in the polls to you and your party.
Okay, with that said, let's begin.
All four of the major national broadcast TV networks carried the debate on prime time - NABC, KGMN (Kerularios Group Media Network), ATVN (Alduria TV Network), and VTA (Video Tele Alduria).
The viewership numbers were very high. The debates were seen by 8 million Aldurians. This was the first political debate broadcast in Alduria's history.
ATANASIO PAREDES
Paredes had a strong performance. His answers were clear, concise, and well-written.
Your answer on health care was your strongest one, it captured the attention of voters across the spectrum as an “all of the above” option for health care. Of course, this is a debate and it is hard to put out plan details among soundbites and time constraints but Aldurians are frustrated with the complicated, virtually unregulated, expensive patchwork that is the Aldurian health care system. This sounds like a good solution to them.
The audience also responded super well to the answer to education and oil and gas. Your answer on income inequality was very strong and brought up a point about bringing government closer to the people that had wide appeal.
The performance has shined a national spotlight on Paredes and people are paying attention.
Here’s the thing though – on same-sex marriage, on the Law of Graces, and immigration (and these are big issues), your positions are not popular. But the way he delivered unpopular opinions has certainly made the ANA base happy as it has given them stronger and more appealing rhetoric for them to use. I can see key soundbites being shared massively in social media among ANA supporters, ANA youth groups, and in right-wing message boards. The messaging is good to keep the base of support happy, but it’s alienating to anyone outside of the ANA. The Law of Graces gave virtually everyone in Alduria who was not a native Euran already a home. Your base likes this policy because it would end further entry of native Eurans (which helps the EDP and undermines the “settler” majority) and end their frustration with cheaper immigrant labor. In some parts of the native Babhki community in Alduria, his socially conservative views on marriage and other issues have attracted support and interest. It is not entirely clear yet if Zurvanites would fully abandon the EDP (highly unlikely) for the ANA or that they’d break with the Agha Beg and his call for boycotting the Republic and its democratic processes.
The answer to the water crisis was weak in substance. This is a debate, of course, and when candidates don’t have a plan on something – they run the clock with stump speech fillers. You were smooth and did bring a point that consumption and looking at what people already do and expand that is okay. But I’d suggest you come up with the “new and innovative solutions” you mentioned. Alduria is a growing country and we’ll need more than never letting the water run.
ALFONSO VELEZ
The Prime Minister is very popular among vast swaths of the Aldurian electorate and his measured performance in the debate further advanced his popularity – his proposal to enact the Law of Graces as a constitutional amendment in Alduria is widely popular. Alduria was only founded 10 years ago and it has grown to be a home for many of Micras’ stateless persons. For many, it’s the first time in decades that they are living in a safe and stable place. The PM’s defense of Alduria’s “golden door”, as many call it, is remembered by everyone.
The PM’s performance was strong, his technology answer was welcome widely by the vast array of firms and start-ups that are coming/sprouting in Alduria, and certainly, younger voters are seeing that as a signal that he’s closer to them than the growing “ok boomer”-esque appeal of the ANA. I say that noting that while the ANA does have a committed and passionate young following, it does not compare to the wider “big tent” appeal that the LDP or the DSP has.
The minimum wage proposal for income inequality is very popular, but the PM will need more than that. I understand his party is more lassiez-faire than the others, but Alduria is virtually unregulated already. The narrative the LDP and the PM have crafted of “cumbersome regulations” and “building a business-friendly environment” has run out of steam and people are not responding to it anymore. Alduria has existed for 10 years. There are no regulations or laws on the books that businesses will find “cumbersome”. We haven’t even had a chance to properly set up a taxation system or much of anything else, which is normally done through Presidential orders or legislation. People are tuning out on this because they think the PM sounds like a broken record, or like the LDP is lazy, or worse, like the PM is totally out of touch and blissfully unaware of the real Aldurian reality. This is an incredibly vulnerable point for the PM.
The PM’s answer on same-sex marriage I think was his strongest – it humanized him while showing voters the distinct human side of this issue, that the LGBTQ community is no different than anyone else in that they simply seek to exist in peace, contribute to society, and be accepted. He struck a good tone by pointing out that no religion was forced to do same-sex weddings, and that does well to placate many religious concerns.
His positive view on integration and cooperation with Euran neighbors was also very welcome – it was a short but sweet answer, right to the point. While there are valid concerns to more integration and cooperation, Aldurian voters see Constancia, the Florian Republic, and several nearby neighbors in a positive light, as so much of Alduria’s trade and prosperity comes from the growing friendship and cooperation with those nations.
The water crisis answer was very strong too – it highlighted the hard work he did in the past Government to tackle a serious national crisis, and people have not forgotten how he was able to work with President Campos to rally the international community to help Alduria and throw more water conservation projects in the pipeline. Many of these projects are just starting to finish and are yielding great results. Of course, there’s more work to be done – and he may need to expand further on what else can be done to put Alduria in a sustainable path. Alduria is growing, and its water needs are growing with it too. There may be more challenges in the future, and the PM would do well to have a “water conservation plus others” solution.
The answer to education was good as well – the argument for local control and a greater share of national resources is appealing to parents in Alduria. He has laid a seed here as the country grapples with a serious education problem. The PM would do well to attack this issue along with the proposal he has outlined and end the crazy, unorganized patchwork of local school systems that have no common standards, no equivalency. Remember Alduria was founded only 10 years ago. No party has moved to create a proper education system anywhere. This is a golden opportunity for the PM.
The health care answer was a bit weak. Aldurians are experiencing a system that is not regulated at all, depends mostly on charities like the Carrillo National Health Care System, and is currently subject to crazy high prices. The subsidy idea surely rung a bell, but in comparison to the ANA’s “all of the above” option, Aldurians are scared that this LDP government will be content letting the status quo remain as Aldurians suffer from some of the highest rates of cancer and cancer-related illnesses in all of Micras. When people see their family members die bankrupt by cancer, they’re not going to be placated by the “choices in your control” talking point. The PM must do better here, this is a very vulnerable point here.
MARCO ZIMMER
Marco Zimmer is a fresh face for Aldurian voters. He’s walked into the debate with virtually almost no name recognition outside of the rebranded Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) and he has come out swinging. It’s certainly odd to see election-like ads promoting a party and its new leader *after* an election, but I get it – doing a rebrand and presenting yourself as a new leader is difficult and takes work. After all, Aldurians do like to get to know the people that purport to take part in governance.
The debate certainly was a good introduction for Zimmer. The Aldurian left is strong and energized, and they love to see a leader that is actively party building and putting their perspective on the airwaves. Alduria sometimes can feel politically like a right-wing echo chamber. You get a choice of center-right or hard right as the ANA and the LDP battle for a big bulk of Aldurian voters. This is a golden chance for the DSP to break out.
The answers on healthcare, gas and oil, same-sex marriage, immigration, and education were great for the DSP base, and for the Aldurians that are tired of the usual right-wing platitudes of “cumbersome regulations”, “tax cuts”, and all that. There’s certainly a hunger brewing in Alduria 10 years after its founding for a government that is more proactive in leading the country and enacting policies that significantly improve the quality of life of Aldurians. Many Aldurians of Alexandrian descent are used to seeing a more proactive government – even those that are right-wing.
The answer on income inequality was solid – the base of support and others were paying attention to the national minimum wage. Workers across Alduria and beyond have noted the incredible work the DSP has done to pull the LDP closer to the center or the left with the coalition. But then your base snaps out of the lovefest when you drop in something that sounds like an LDP talking point: a tax cut for paying workers well. This part is certainly not welcome among your own base and has elicited guffaws from many in the DSP that know there isn’t a corporation tax in Alduria still (this ties into the continuing LDP rhetoric that says “burdensome regulations” are killing business that comes across as lazy or completely out of touch with reality).
GENERAL FEEDBACK
The recurrence of common talking points amongst the candidates was especially notable, especially on foreign policy. This has touched off criticisms by many Aldurians that feel like "everyone is the same, with a different coat of paint". Of course, that's not exactly accurate, but that is how a lot of Aldurians feel. Of course, there will be moments in which party beliefs will overlap with others. Try to be creative in how you share your agreements and try to get to know Alduria more so you can craft unique takes on your policy and governing philosophies.
Touching again on foreign policy - I encourage all the candidates to get to know Micras, to explore MicrasWiki for information about the world and read up on other nations that are allies and partners. Foreign policy is a supremely important aspect of the simulation here. I understand wanting to have a focus on domestic policy, especially when so many of the public's concerns are based on domestic policy.
But I'd like to remind you all that national defense, which is an aspect of foreign policy, is still the #1 concern for Aldurians. Aldurians walked away feeling for the most part like all the leaders are largely weak on this issue. I do have to point out that Paredes is likely the person that did the best on this matter, as I have noticed that he's made concerted efforts of learning MIcras and even connecting with people outside of Alduria. He is a good example to follow.
All in all, these were great to read, and I am so happy with how everyone performed. I will make sure to start scheduling debates leading up to the next election! Perhaps a leader's debate before pre-polls come out that can directly impact the starting point of the parties would be a cool thing to integrate moving forward.
POLLING
![[Image: CVxpI26.png]](https://i.imgur.com/CVxpI26.png)
![[Image: mbpYAVG.png]](https://i.imgur.com/mbpYAVG.png)
A quick note moving forward, something I want to make very, very clear to everyone. I do this for fun and for free. Let's set the right expectations here. I understand that my delays can be frustrating to some. But I want people to understand that I have a very busy job, been subjected to several different respiratory health issues lately, not to mention it is the holiday season as well. This is a game, we do this for fun. IM'ing me in private constantly about when polls and things will be out is not helpful, it makes me angry. I am the only administrator in this game, as such, people ought to take into consideration the constraints on my time, just like I do when I seek feedback from everyone on the length of elections, their timing, and everything else. All of us have lives outside of this and this is all for fun. It was especially frustrating for me to get IMs and questions on when I'd release new polls or the analysis on this while I was battling a fever of 102 F and struggling. This is the first and last time I will address this. Any more incessant nagging will result in serious penalties applied in the polls to you and your party.
Okay, with that said, let's begin.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
All four of the major national broadcast TV networks carried the debate on prime time - NABC, KGMN (Kerularios Group Media Network), ATVN (Alduria TV Network), and VTA (Video Tele Alduria).
The viewership numbers were very high. The debates were seen by 8 million Aldurians. This was the first political debate broadcast in Alduria's history.
ATANASIO PAREDES
Paredes had a strong performance. His answers were clear, concise, and well-written.
Your answer on health care was your strongest one, it captured the attention of voters across the spectrum as an “all of the above” option for health care. Of course, this is a debate and it is hard to put out plan details among soundbites and time constraints but Aldurians are frustrated with the complicated, virtually unregulated, expensive patchwork that is the Aldurian health care system. This sounds like a good solution to them.
The audience also responded super well to the answer to education and oil and gas. Your answer on income inequality was very strong and brought up a point about bringing government closer to the people that had wide appeal.
The performance has shined a national spotlight on Paredes and people are paying attention.
Here’s the thing though – on same-sex marriage, on the Law of Graces, and immigration (and these are big issues), your positions are not popular. But the way he delivered unpopular opinions has certainly made the ANA base happy as it has given them stronger and more appealing rhetoric for them to use. I can see key soundbites being shared massively in social media among ANA supporters, ANA youth groups, and in right-wing message boards. The messaging is good to keep the base of support happy, but it’s alienating to anyone outside of the ANA. The Law of Graces gave virtually everyone in Alduria who was not a native Euran already a home. Your base likes this policy because it would end further entry of native Eurans (which helps the EDP and undermines the “settler” majority) and end their frustration with cheaper immigrant labor. In some parts of the native Babhki community in Alduria, his socially conservative views on marriage and other issues have attracted support and interest. It is not entirely clear yet if Zurvanites would fully abandon the EDP (highly unlikely) for the ANA or that they’d break with the Agha Beg and his call for boycotting the Republic and its democratic processes.
The answer to the water crisis was weak in substance. This is a debate, of course, and when candidates don’t have a plan on something – they run the clock with stump speech fillers. You were smooth and did bring a point that consumption and looking at what people already do and expand that is okay. But I’d suggest you come up with the “new and innovative solutions” you mentioned. Alduria is a growing country and we’ll need more than never letting the water run.
ALFONSO VELEZ
The Prime Minister is very popular among vast swaths of the Aldurian electorate and his measured performance in the debate further advanced his popularity – his proposal to enact the Law of Graces as a constitutional amendment in Alduria is widely popular. Alduria was only founded 10 years ago and it has grown to be a home for many of Micras’ stateless persons. For many, it’s the first time in decades that they are living in a safe and stable place. The PM’s defense of Alduria’s “golden door”, as many call it, is remembered by everyone.
The PM’s performance was strong, his technology answer was welcome widely by the vast array of firms and start-ups that are coming/sprouting in Alduria, and certainly, younger voters are seeing that as a signal that he’s closer to them than the growing “ok boomer”-esque appeal of the ANA. I say that noting that while the ANA does have a committed and passionate young following, it does not compare to the wider “big tent” appeal that the LDP or the DSP has.
The minimum wage proposal for income inequality is very popular, but the PM will need more than that. I understand his party is more lassiez-faire than the others, but Alduria is virtually unregulated already. The narrative the LDP and the PM have crafted of “cumbersome regulations” and “building a business-friendly environment” has run out of steam and people are not responding to it anymore. Alduria has existed for 10 years. There are no regulations or laws on the books that businesses will find “cumbersome”. We haven’t even had a chance to properly set up a taxation system or much of anything else, which is normally done through Presidential orders or legislation. People are tuning out on this because they think the PM sounds like a broken record, or like the LDP is lazy, or worse, like the PM is totally out of touch and blissfully unaware of the real Aldurian reality. This is an incredibly vulnerable point for the PM.
The PM’s answer on same-sex marriage I think was his strongest – it humanized him while showing voters the distinct human side of this issue, that the LGBTQ community is no different than anyone else in that they simply seek to exist in peace, contribute to society, and be accepted. He struck a good tone by pointing out that no religion was forced to do same-sex weddings, and that does well to placate many religious concerns.
His positive view on integration and cooperation with Euran neighbors was also very welcome – it was a short but sweet answer, right to the point. While there are valid concerns to more integration and cooperation, Aldurian voters see Constancia, the Florian Republic, and several nearby neighbors in a positive light, as so much of Alduria’s trade and prosperity comes from the growing friendship and cooperation with those nations.
The water crisis answer was very strong too – it highlighted the hard work he did in the past Government to tackle a serious national crisis, and people have not forgotten how he was able to work with President Campos to rally the international community to help Alduria and throw more water conservation projects in the pipeline. Many of these projects are just starting to finish and are yielding great results. Of course, there’s more work to be done – and he may need to expand further on what else can be done to put Alduria in a sustainable path. Alduria is growing, and its water needs are growing with it too. There may be more challenges in the future, and the PM would do well to have a “water conservation plus others” solution.
The answer to education was good as well – the argument for local control and a greater share of national resources is appealing to parents in Alduria. He has laid a seed here as the country grapples with a serious education problem. The PM would do well to attack this issue along with the proposal he has outlined and end the crazy, unorganized patchwork of local school systems that have no common standards, no equivalency. Remember Alduria was founded only 10 years ago. No party has moved to create a proper education system anywhere. This is a golden opportunity for the PM.
The health care answer was a bit weak. Aldurians are experiencing a system that is not regulated at all, depends mostly on charities like the Carrillo National Health Care System, and is currently subject to crazy high prices. The subsidy idea surely rung a bell, but in comparison to the ANA’s “all of the above” option, Aldurians are scared that this LDP government will be content letting the status quo remain as Aldurians suffer from some of the highest rates of cancer and cancer-related illnesses in all of Micras. When people see their family members die bankrupt by cancer, they’re not going to be placated by the “choices in your control” talking point. The PM must do better here, this is a very vulnerable point here.
MARCO ZIMMER
Marco Zimmer is a fresh face for Aldurian voters. He’s walked into the debate with virtually almost no name recognition outside of the rebranded Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) and he has come out swinging. It’s certainly odd to see election-like ads promoting a party and its new leader *after* an election, but I get it – doing a rebrand and presenting yourself as a new leader is difficult and takes work. After all, Aldurians do like to get to know the people that purport to take part in governance.
The debate certainly was a good introduction for Zimmer. The Aldurian left is strong and energized, and they love to see a leader that is actively party building and putting their perspective on the airwaves. Alduria sometimes can feel politically like a right-wing echo chamber. You get a choice of center-right or hard right as the ANA and the LDP battle for a big bulk of Aldurian voters. This is a golden chance for the DSP to break out.
The answers on healthcare, gas and oil, same-sex marriage, immigration, and education were great for the DSP base, and for the Aldurians that are tired of the usual right-wing platitudes of “cumbersome regulations”, “tax cuts”, and all that. There’s certainly a hunger brewing in Alduria 10 years after its founding for a government that is more proactive in leading the country and enacting policies that significantly improve the quality of life of Aldurians. Many Aldurians of Alexandrian descent are used to seeing a more proactive government – even those that are right-wing.
The answer on income inequality was solid – the base of support and others were paying attention to the national minimum wage. Workers across Alduria and beyond have noted the incredible work the DSP has done to pull the LDP closer to the center or the left with the coalition. But then your base snaps out of the lovefest when you drop in something that sounds like an LDP talking point: a tax cut for paying workers well. This part is certainly not welcome among your own base and has elicited guffaws from many in the DSP that know there isn’t a corporation tax in Alduria still (this ties into the continuing LDP rhetoric that says “burdensome regulations” are killing business that comes across as lazy or completely out of touch with reality).
GENERAL FEEDBACK
The recurrence of common talking points amongst the candidates was especially notable, especially on foreign policy. This has touched off criticisms by many Aldurians that feel like "everyone is the same, with a different coat of paint". Of course, that's not exactly accurate, but that is how a lot of Aldurians feel. Of course, there will be moments in which party beliefs will overlap with others. Try to be creative in how you share your agreements and try to get to know Alduria more so you can craft unique takes on your policy and governing philosophies.
Touching again on foreign policy - I encourage all the candidates to get to know Micras, to explore MicrasWiki for information about the world and read up on other nations that are allies and partners. Foreign policy is a supremely important aspect of the simulation here. I understand wanting to have a focus on domestic policy, especially when so many of the public's concerns are based on domestic policy.
But I'd like to remind you all that national defense, which is an aspect of foreign policy, is still the #1 concern for Aldurians. Aldurians walked away feeling for the most part like all the leaders are largely weak on this issue. I do have to point out that Paredes is likely the person that did the best on this matter, as I have noticed that he's made concerted efforts of learning MIcras and even connecting with people outside of Alduria. He is a good example to follow.
All in all, these were great to read, and I am so happy with how everyone performed. I will make sure to start scheduling debates leading up to the next election! Perhaps a leader's debate before pre-polls come out that can directly impact the starting point of the parties would be a cool thing to integrate moving forward.
POLLING