Marsitrania Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 (edited) The television lights dimmed and the green indicator on the teleprompter turned red, indicating that the cameras were no longer feeding live "on the air" to the audience, which in this case happened to be an entire country. Byrne let his small and confident smile drop from his face. It was a gaudy display, all of this, lights and makeup for the TV crews of the MMC. To hell with them all, he thought to himself. These damned reporters thought they were entitled to information, that they were a privileged class of people who had to be forewarned of any event so that they could distill that information and package it and feed it to the commoners on the street in a way that they could understand - in a way that they wanted them to understand it. No different from the monarchy, really. Of course, none of them would ever admit to that. Byrne gathered his papers on his desk, a copy of the speech he had just delivered. Tucking them neatly within a red marbled folder, he stood and promptly walked from behind the large wooden desk to where his chief of staff Alan Balmont stood off to the right. "I don't like it," said Balmont nervously. "The Revolutionaries helped to get us here, and there are some promises you just can't break. Gabe, we're playing with fire here." There was truth in his words, of course. The new "High Chancellor" was playing a very dangerous game, turning the decision over Senatorial power (ostensibly, at least) over to the people rather than directly elevating the Revolutionary Party back into power himself. He'd never liked the Revolutionaries, with their mindless out of touch idealism, but he'd dealt with them because he'd felt it necessary and convenient to ride the popularity of their movement into a position where he could do more than just talk about reform. "I know what I'm doing Alan," he replied. Looking into his friend's eyes though, he could tell that his words offered small comfort. Sighing, he laid a hand on Balmont's shoulder. "My friend, there's something you need to see." With that he walked him a short distance to a set of the large windows which ringed all of the Palace's offices. Brushing a thick red velvet curtain to the side, he stared out and down onto the night time streets of Vilamar, engulfted by a mass of writhing humanity. The celebrating throng could be only faintly heard through the protective glass, but they could be seen perfectly. Here and there a firecracker exploded, briefly bathing the mob in a hellish looking light. "My god..." he heard Balmont gasp. So it was as he thought - as good a manager and businessman as his friend was, he didn't truly understand the will of the people. How could he? The upper class was so distant from the realities of the poor, and when the poor consisted of seventy-five percent of Marsitrania, it made for a distorted view of reality. "So you see, Alan, we have to throw them a bone. They, those people out there... they are what counts. They are about a hundred times more important than those damned Revolutionaries and their selfish ambitions. What pleases them, strengthens me. And the country." Byrne smiled cynically. There were other good reasons to clean out the Senate as well - there was the rampant corruption, of course, and that was something which he supporters would stress and highlight. Those same supporters would of course omit the fact that his long years as an activist had insulted many Senators of the old school and earned him die-hard enemies that had to be removed one way or another. The chief of staff nodded sagely, understanding finally visible on his face. "Alright then Gabe. Alright. I just hope this thing doesn't backfire on you." With that he turned away from the Chancellor and began preparations for the numerous other issues and challenges which had to be addressed by the administration tonight. Byrne's eyes narrowed in thought. After all, he friend was right. There was a chance that the referendum could cause as many problems as it addressed. Then he relaxed, confident in his years of planning and manipulation, the countless careful donations and words of praise that would secure support from the varied Senatorial parties. If there was a chance that the situation in the Senate could go badly, it was only a small one. OOC: Alright! Thanks for reading guys, and now it's time for you to decide what happens here. I leave the fate of the Marsitranian Senate in your hands. Keep in mind that I will grade this proportionally, so parties which receive less seats but still a certain amount will get some representation, this isn't all or nothing. Byrne faces no real threat of removal, but a hostile Senate could make his domestic and foreign policy a serious headache... Please read here for a detailed background of the parties, but I'll list a short description here so that you aren't voting blind. Conservatives - dominant party under the monarchy for a long time. Fearful of Chancellor Byrne, but their ideology isn't too different from his positions on most issues (which is right of center). Liberals - center-left party, it prides itself on its democratic ideals. Doesn't like Chancellor Byrne at all, and fears the Revolutionaries because many of its members belonged to that party before it was outlawed. Nationalists - embrace corporatism in all respects; they are ultra-patriots who draw from any ideology but end up being authoritarian and right-wing on many issues. They stand in support of massive government power and don't like dissent. Byrne is from this party. Radicals - Far-left party. It exists on the fringes and has only a weak hold in the Senate. It may benefit from supporters amongst the Revolutionary party. Revolutionaries - This party was left of center but largely unity-oriented before it was outlawed. It's since radicalized somewhat, but it still holds tremendous public appeal. Its return could upset the balance of power within the Senate. Thanks for your participation, those of you who vote. Let's have some fun. Edited August 5, 2006 by Marsitrania (see edit history)
Deltannia Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 OOC: I'm assuming that the number of votes you have in the poll up top is what they currently have? Also, the link in your OOC part has one too many "http://" Then it still sends me to this weird page about hypertext protocol... anyway, your descriptions were fine. ----- FROM: Deltannia TO: Marsitrania, Liberal Party Campaign Deltannia wishes to formally lend support to your party. We are willing to offer monetary aide, as well as possibly pull some corporate strings to help your party. In the fairness of centrism, we believe that your party is the best choice to lead Marsitrania into the future. Deltannian Foreign Ministry Deltannian Liberal-Centrist Party Deltannian Centrist Party Deltannian Liberal Party
Marsitrania Posted August 5, 2006 Author Posted August 5, 2006 OOC: Thanks Admiral. I'll fix the http thing. And yeah, the number in parenthesis is how many Senatorial seats each party currently holds (out of 200).
Damak Var Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 I voted nationalist, should be interesting. Maybe you can be the great nation of law and order that Damak Var once was
Miiros Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 To: Marsitrania, Liberal Party Campaign From: Miirosi Foreign Ministry Noting that your party holds the best hope for liberty and democracy in Marsitrania, the Free City would like to support your campaign for senate. Our support will include monetary donations, if you would be willing to accept. We hope to see freedom upheld throughout Europa and look forward to the Liberal Party's victory. Sincererly, Melissa Vander, Foreign Minister of Miiros
Tagmatium Rules Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 To: the Radical Party of Marstrania From: the Greater Holy Empire of Tagmatium Re: Elections The Imperial Government of Tagmatium now declares its support for yourselves, the Radical Party of Marstrania. We believe that the world would be a better place with more Socialist governments in place, rather than the corrupt capitalists that have a foothold across the region. Therefore, Tagmatium offers any support it can in order to awaken the people of Marstrania to the light of God and Socialism, and we will provide anything that you wish to make this happen. Philip Commenus, Vice-Chancellor of The Greater Holy Empire of Tagmatium
Orioni Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 OOC: I'm assuming that the number of votes you have in the poll up top is what they currently have? Also, the link in your OOC part has one too many "http://" Then it still sends me to this weird page about hypertext protocol... anyway, your descriptions were fine. OOC: I just noticed links in quotes were a bit hidden. I think I have sorted this problem now. It should look like all the other in-post links now. PS: I voted for the nationalists. Not because my nation supports them, but because I think they would make the most interesting RP's. If they were to grow strong enough, they could really influence the Marsitranian government. My nation would have supported the Liberal Party, which already has enough votes. No need to have an all-liberal region. Diversity makes for fun RP as well.
Adaptus Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 To: the Radical Party of Marstrania From: The People's Federation of Adaptus We have given our support to your party, due to your views represent similar views to ours. The Socialist Workers Party and yourself are very similar. We whish you good luck in your campagin. We have also been told that the Adsoc Party will also like to help support your party. Both parties hold similar views however the Adsoc party is more radical like your selfs. So Again good luck.
Social Democratic Confederation Posted August 5, 2006 Posted August 5, 2006 (edited) OOC: This is a good idea, I'm donig this next time I have an election... Senatorial elections are next. Edited August 5, 2006 by The Aristocratic Confederation (see edit history)
Marsitrania Posted August 5, 2006 Author Posted August 5, 2006 (edited) OOC: I just noticed links in quotes were a bit hidden. I think I have sorted this problem now. It should look like all the other in-post links now. PS: I voted for the nationalists. Not because my nation supports them, but because I think they would make the most interesting RP's. If they were to grow strong enough, they could really influence the Marsitranian government. My nation would have supported the Liberal Party, which already has enough votes. No need to have an all-liberal region. Diversity makes for fun RP as well. OOC: Also don't imagine that just because a Liberal Senate might win out that Byrne's going to relent; he's smart enough to know how to act around whom domestically. All this referendum is determining is how much domestic opposition he might be facing depending on their degree of sympathy with him (the Nationalists worship him while the Liberals are leery, and the Radicals pretty much despise him). He's still not going to allow a general election on his own position to occur without a very fierce battle. However I do intend to fully RP the consequences of this fully, so thanks again for voting. This is making things really interesting from my point of view. Oh and btw, I'll treat the polls as closed at midnight on Tuesday night. Representation will be 200 (# of seats) / the number of votes. Any leftover seats will be assigned as I see fit, but probably to the majority party. Edited August 5, 2006 by Marsitrania (see edit history)
Marsitrania Posted August 9, 2006 Author Posted August 9, 2006 Polls are closed, thanks for voting! Ought to make things really interesting. Byrne stared at the papers on his desk. He'd already read the report three times, and its contents frightened and disgusted him. With a grunt, he lifted himself from his chair and turned, slowly walking over to an open window along his office wall. As he approached a felt a soft breeze on his face. He allowed himself a long moment to stare out into the night. Vilamar was beautiful at night, as beautiful as it was in the daytime. It was true that his country was not as modern as some of Europa's other technological giants, but it had a certain character, a quaintness that stirred the heart. The architecture was vaguely Roman, columns and arches in a very Western style, but not as broad or sweeping as the classical ruins always are. A broad avenue in front of the Imperial Palace was the exception to the city's narrow streets and alleyways. The sight and sound of running water drew his attention to the fountain in the Palace's courtyard, reflecting the city light in its cascading glory. He sighed. This was his dream, all he had worked towards for the past eight years. And yet it was all moving so rapidly, he felt the situation sliding quickly out of his control. He'd thought the referendum was the best logical solution, a way to distance himself from the Revolutionaries and garner prestige for his party and himself. He'd been confident that his record and his positions on the issues would endear him to the public, that he would go down in history as a great liberator and leader. Now he wasn't so sure. The results of the elections were startling, an eye-opening jolt to his senses. His old comrades in the Revolutionary party had been marignalized, truly enough, but that was the least of his worries. The Conservative party had been virtually wiped out at the polls. Granted, their corruption and their vocal support of the King had earned them scorn, but Byrne sympathized with their views. They were also the only overtly religious group, the "party of the pious" as they called themselves. God however, certainly hadn't taken pity on them this day. They had suffered a disastrous fall from grace, and yet even still some of them were brave enough to stand up and say "God save the King!" Byrne respected that, and he knew he could work with them. More disappointing was the massive swell of support for the Liberals. It had been the High Chancellor's hope that he could split their coalition by allowing the Revolutionaries to participate in the referendum. Instead, they had only increased their strength while his own Nationalist supporters gained only a paltry three seats. The Liberal party was now almost as strong as the Conservatives had been prior to the referendum. Even a Conservative-Nationalist coalition wouldn't be enough to oppose them succesfully should they choose to veto one of his bills or call for judicial oversight. Even though they were a mostly centrist party, Byrne knew that his scathing indictments from the past had ensured that the Liberals would mostly be entrenched enemies. He had precious few friends among them. They could be deceived however, and their willingness towards self-deception gave him some hope that they could be appeased into a working relationship. By far the most troubling result of the referendum though was the astronomical rise of the Radicals. Byrne knew that if the Radicals had their way, Marsitrania would be plunged into a new dark age. Their far-left philosophy was totally incompatible with his own, and their attitude towards the republican system disturbed him. Just a year ago Jeffery Newell, Byrne's friend and the Chairman of the Nationalist party, had warned that if the Radicals shifted their focus from attracting left-wing academics to rabble-rousing, that they would enjoy considerably more success. Now they'd done just that. They had skillfully employed scare tactics and demagoguery to garner themselves over 40 seats in the Senate. They'd used the Nationalists own tactics against them, and been rewarded for it in spades. Byrne knew that there could be no compromise with the Radicals. Their campaign had consisted of personal slurs against him, drumming up fears that he would create a "second monarchy," claiming that he would lobby the Church to excommunicate those who would vote against him, and inciting riots over the price of necessary commodities like bread and milk. They were little more than domestic terrorists, and they could not be reasoned with or coddled to. Worst of all was the knowledge that it had been Byrne's own actions which had allowed the Radicals to capitalize on the fear of change and swell the ranks of their supporters. He had allowed this to occur by projecting the image of the aloof authoritarian - he'd issued statements supporting his personal belief in God, denied public elections, refused to allow mob justice to execute the King and his family... he could blame nobody but himself for creating the vacuum of uncertainty which the Radicals thrived upon. The High Chancellor took a deep breath. His tenure had only begun. I will not leave this office abandoning this nation to anarchy, he thought. I haven't come this far to fail! It was a huge upset, and not the kind he'd expected, but it wasn't the end of his career. He'd appeal to the people himself, and though it might be the longest, the costliest, and the hardest political battle he'd ever fought, he vowed to unseat the Radicals from their new position one way or another. Byrne turned away from the view of the serene night. He had a telephone call to place.
Mongol-Swedes Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 OOC: Roger, I know the polls are closed, but I'm still gonna make a statement here. To: Radical Party of Marsitrania From: The Union of Socialist Tribes of Europa Subject: Solidarity The Union has recognized the efforts of your party to facilitate the Global Liberation of the Workers. Our citizens are inspired by the stand you have taken in your lands, and we wish you success in your endeavors.
Marsitrania Posted August 9, 2006 Author Posted August 9, 2006 (edited) OOC: Yeah, thank you. Feel free to keep using this thread for political endorsements and the like, I have no intentions of locking it (if I even can, I'm not quite sure how that works on this board). FROM: Leander Saxton, Radical Party Chairman TO: Union of Socialist Tribes of Europa; People's Federation of Adaptus; Greater Holy Empire of Tagmatium RE: Solidarity We of the Radical Party of Marsitrania thank you for your support. Our massive victory in the recent referendum only foreshadows the growing surge of revolutionary fervor which is gripping this country. We will not falter in our struggle for freedom and equality until this old corrupt order has been entirely cast down and replaced by a shining utopian vision. We wish the best fortune for the Union and pledge whatever aid we can offer should you ever need it. Your kind words have touched our hearts. Once more, thank you. Leander Saxton Chairman, Radical Party of Marsitrania Edited August 9, 2006 by Marsitrania (see edit history)
Mongol-Swedes Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 OOC: From my understanding, the mods control that. All you'd have to do is ask one to do it.
Marsitrania Posted August 9, 2006 Author Posted August 9, 2006 FROM: Brian H. Walker, Liberal Party Chairman TO: Miirosi Foreign Ministry; Government of Deltannia CC: Deltannia Political Parties SUBJECT: Thank You To our foreign supporters and contributors, Thank you. It is doubtful that we as a party should have come so far in the recent referendum campaign without your generous funding and moral support, for which we are extremely greatful. As a result it is my great honor and pleasure to announce to you that we have won an almost certain control of the Marsitranian Senate, and that we are even now selecting from our number a Consular speaker who, in our country's government, serves to set the Senate's agenda and direct its daily affairs. We are keen to see that our government addresses key issues confronting Marsitrania and the whole of Europa and aggressively tackles these problems with progressive solutions. We look forward to our inevitable engagement with the rest of the international community. Sincerely, Brian H. Walker Chairman, Liberal Party of Marsitrania
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