DPU Candidates and Platform - January 2009

Moderator: SC Moderators

Locked
User avatar
Sonja Strom
I need a hobby
I need a hobby
Posts: 608
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:10 pm

DPU Candidates and Platform - January 2009

Post by Sonja Strom »

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For this term the DPU candidates are Timo Gufler, Rubaiyat Shatner, Sonja Strom, and Pip Torok.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


☆ ☆ ☆ The DPU CAMPAIGN STATEMENT AND PLATFORM for January 2009 ☆ ☆ ☆

Party/Group: Democratic Pragmatist Union (DPU)
Contacts: Timo Gufler, Rubaiyat Shatner, Sonja Strom, Pip Torok

☆ ☆ CORE PRINCIPLES ☆ ☆

We of the DPU believe politics is first and foremost an exercise in collective problem solving. The DPU is committed to seeking compromise and finding common ground to solve CDS problems. The DPU supports:

* Freedom of speech and expression
* Prudence in financial management and expansion
* Persistence of the CDS as a community about which we can be proud
* The government having an important role in the provision of civic improvements and services
* Availability and growth of economic opportunity


☆ ☆ A RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT ☆ ☆

Beginning in January 2005, the DPU has led and participated in many projects that have made the CDS a better place:

* Completion of the Colonia Nova expansion and beginning of work on Locus Amoenus
* Clarification and reform of the Artisanal Collective branch (now the New Guild)
* Electoral reform, including conception of Referendum voting
* Judiciary consensus and implementation
* Changes to the Constitution to transform our government into a confederated system
* Economic expansion, including a Commerce Commission and Chamber of Commerce
* Consolidation of the various existing CDS-related websites into a coherent web portal
* Establishment of diplomatic relations with other SL entities in order to foster cooperation, mutual support and goodwill

☆ ☆ AN ONGOING PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT AND PROGRESS ☆ ☆

A Vision of the Future the DPU calls for:

☆ Listening to the Public ☆

In addition to our support of government openness and accessibility measures, we support polling and canvassing the population. This can be done in-world or through use of the forum polling feature in the CDS forum. We want the views of *ALL* citizens heard, considered and respected.

☆ Cooperation ☆

The DPU is committed to cooperate with RA memebers from different factions, and to accomodate as much as is practical the diverse concerns and priorities of all CDS citizens. We understand that democracy requires listening, flexibility and compromise. We strive to create understanding between all parties, and work together to arrive at a consensus such that bills passed have as broad a support as possible.

☆ Action through Effective Problem Solving ☆

Finding a compromise is not enough alone. Systems must be effective and work as advertised or be fixed. This includes simplification where possible. The DPU calls for standing workgroups, accountability and consistent evaluation to determine if CDS legislation and institutions are meeting their desired goals.

☆ Openness and Accessibility ☆

DPU public meetings are open to all.

DPU Office Hours for RA members
DPU RA members will have defined, announced in-world office hours. They will also be available via IM/email.

Standing Commissions and Workgroups
Certain areas require constant attention. These include the New Guild, Commerce Commission, and Electoral Commission. The DPU calls for standing commissions/workgroups for these important topics.

☆ A Thriving CDS Community ☆

Immigration
Attracting productive new immigrants requires a feeling of community; affordable and attractive zoned land; education, cultural, employment and business opportunities; and attracting tourists through community efforts such as the tourist office and live events.

Event Support
The DPU supports events throughout the CDS, and works closely with the Chancellor and Public Information Officer to help these events to be successful. We also promote working together with outside groups to coordinate larger events, such as the SL-wide Metanomics lectures broadcast in the Colonia Nova Ampitheater, Oktoberfest and Winterfaire.

Traffic
Traffic management is important. The DPU calls for increased traffic in commercial zones to drive traffic to our retail and service businesses. Commercial traffic can be enhanced by working with the Chancellor and others on events and event promotion (for example, Fleamarkets).

History Commission
The community must work to preserve the early history of the CDS. We propose a History Commission to document the history of the CDS and manage a repository of its historical artifacts (documents, images, multimedia, etc.). We also propose a public structure to house these artifacts, including a library section with a written history that can be accessed in-world.

☆ Controlled Territorial Expansion ☆

New Sims
The DPU proposes ongoing purchase and development of private simulators, in order to expand the CDS and continue to make it even more interesting. We would like future development to include mountains made of open space or homestead sims either to the east or west of Neufreistadt, including a ski area. In general the DPU believes community planning should be dynamic and allow for open discussion of future expansion, allowing for revision of the Regional Masterplan. Particular changes to the Master Plan the DPU will bring are to include Neufreistadt in the Alpine theme cluster and to strenghten the Alpine theme cluster both by advocating mountainous terrain and by adding more Alpine sims for a better balance of demand and supply for alpine plots.

Alliances
The DPU encourages working together with other communities of all kinds, especially if they are interested in democratic forms of governance. We support the hosting of embassies from other SL communities in the CDS, and the creation and support of CDS embassies in other areas. Included in this are the CDS Infohub in Anzere, and the Europa Embassy in Neufreistadt. Particular attention should be paid to the SL community of Al Andalus, with which the CDS may have much in common and with which it may want to develop closer relations.

Optional Local Autonomy
The DPU calls for a local administrator for each sim in the CDS. Election of government Representatives from different geographic areas of the CDS can be taken into consideration as the community grows.

☆ Commercial and Social Expansion ☆

Active Retail in the Marketplaces
Entrepreneurs need steady income and good shopping attracts tourists. The DPU will work with the Chancellor and all others interested to improve retail infrastructure in the CDS.

External Advice
We have not made enough use of external advice in financial and governmental matters. The DPU would like to solicit opinion on critical matters from sources inside as well as outside the CDS and SL.

Academic Interest
The CDS is a valuable experiment in creating democratic institutions and government systems, especially within virtual worlds. We encourage the participation in and study of our community for academic purposes.

Increasing CDS Revenue
In addition to land tier fees, the DPU would like to study alternate ways to increase government revenue without resorting to burdensome taxes.


☆ ☆ ☆ We are here for YOU - How about U in the DPU? ☆ ☆ ☆

Locked

Return to “Democratic Pragmatist Union (DPU)”