[Discussion] I'd like to be an endorsee

[Milograd]

Hey y'all. Now that I'm allowed to have a nation again, I'd like to begin accruing as much influence in the region as possible, for the good of Lazarus. I am therefore interested in receiving permission to bypass the endorsement cap. I would like to explore democratic ways of doing this.

My plan to pursue this goal is as follows:

1. Create a thread titled "Discussion: I'd like to be an endorsee" in the Assembly
   
2. Invite people to post whether they think it's a good idea
   
3. Write out very carefully thought-out responses to my opposition, in hopes of changing their view
   
4. See if, by the end of the discussion, I have majority approval.
   • If I have majority approval, I will ask Imki to nominate me as an endorsee.
     
   • If I do not have majority approval, I'll try again somewhere down the road.
     

Having been away from Gameplay for so long, I'm a bit rusty, so I hope you won't read too much into the "strategy" behind this post. There is none. I'm simply being straightforward and trying to engage in democracy. It's a new look for me. No bamboozle.

So yeah ... Whose minds will I need to try changing about this being a terrible idea? Long responses aren't needed, I'll be aiming for brevity.

[DaddyStalin]

Is there anything you hope to gain through this?

[Cormac]

I'm fine with it if Imki decides to appoint you. Full disclosure, I'm also fine with it if she doesn't.

[Imaginary]

Under what circumstances would you attempt to coup? (meaning, removing the constitutionally appointed standing delegate from power against their will)

[Cormac]

For the record, because I find this honest and straightforward approach kind of interesting, I'd be down for being an endorsee too.

[Milograd]

For the record, because I find this honest and straightforward approach kind of interesting, I'd be down for being an endorsee too.

Although you're joking, I actually support this, and will now be arguing for it as well.

[Milograd]

Is there anything you hope to gain through this?

More endorsements and say in the direction of the region.

Under what circumstances would you attempt to coup? (meaning, removing the constitutionally appointed standing delegate from power against their will)

Several come to mind as the most likely circumstances.

1) If the region was stagnant, the delegate was a part of the problem, there was no in-the-system way to replace the delegate, and if I had someone who could be a better delegate. This likely wouldn't be myself, since I'm never going to be as free as I was as a teenager.

2) If I felt the community was facing an existential threat with permanent consequences (i.e. a years-long occupation) that the delegate wasn't equipped nor willing to stop.

Having said that, I truly don't think I would do it for any other reason. There was a thread about whether to remove Imki a while back, and my sense was that the citizenry could've made her step down in that moment if they wanted to. If that's where we're at as a region -- i.e. we can have legitimate discussions and accountability about the performance of the delegate -- then there's no reason for me to ever do anything outside the rule of law. I can win a debate if I'm truly right. If I can't, I probably shouldn't double-down on what everyone else disagrees with.

This is a lesson I learned from my history of subversion. Subversion for the sake of it isn't fun. There are better ways to achieve the ends I wanted in the past.

[Imaginary]

Why do you want endorsements?

[Cormac]

For the record, because I find this honest and straightforward approach kind of interesting, I'd be down for being an endorsee too.

Although you're joking, I actually support this, and will now be arguing for it as well.

For the record, I wasn't joking. I'm genuinely interested in being an endorsee as well.

I also found Milo's answer to Imaginary's coup question refreshing and I now have gone from indifference to support for him being an endorsee.

[Milograd]

Why do you want endorsements?

On a level that is hard-to-visualize but totally concrete in practice, a GCR's "identity" is intrinsically tied to who has influence in it.

On NationStates, influence comes from two things: your actual "influence," and the number of endorsements you have.

I think it'd be extremely good for us, as a forum community, to have me as an endorsee. Again, the reasons for this are somewhat abstract and thus hard to articulate without surrendering brevity.

I can (and will) take a shot at doing so tomorrow (or today, since it's 1am here), though.