Widget Whiteberry wrote:Bromo - From my relative newcomer perspective, I see the dynamic differently than you do. From my perspective there are a number of people, including but not limited to Tor, Rosie, Gwynth, Cadance and Pat, who are active in gov't and get along reasonable well with each other. They do not, however, agree on every vote or every policy.
I do not propose to go back into various archives and chat logs to find you examples. It's more work than I have the time to do. However, it is interesting to me that Cleo & Ceasar, and to some extent you and Bags, seem to be pushing those folks to act in greater concert than they would on their own.
Hey Widget -
I have been involved with CDS since 2007 - back when there was a "faction system" and within a faction, there was sometimes large disagreements along policy lines, but for the most part the members of the factions got along and voted with each other. And some other factions would get long with them, but not all of them, of course, on matters of policy. They have been acting in concert for a long time, actually. And numerous cozy relationships that in a RL govbernment would simply be considered conflicts of interest.
But this whole thing goes back to Bagheera's chancellorship. She, in hindsight rather naively, tried very hard to keep the existing EM's on as her EM's - and they quite frankly worked very hard to undermine her authority. Rather than firing them, she kept them on - where this continued. This has been a pattern of behaviour for anyone not in their clique, actually. And not from their rhetoric, but from their actions at this point I feel they would make the CDS smaller, not bigger, and would restrict membership to like minded people. Given we see the SC move the assets (treasury, and the IP - the laws and records of CDS) out of democratic control with a mere promise that this may get rectified at some date. We also see more and more positions being moved outside of any sort of Democratic accountability (Treasurer, and the Web master) again with a promise that it might get recitifed someday for the Web master (though with the RA and not the Chancellor). You also may have noticed that the SC declared that the Chancellor has no authority outside of the sims, which is an entirely new concept - and it is not lost on me that it was done "coincidentally" that one might imagine they were trying to trim the wings of a politician in their opposition. Damaging the authority of an office for political reasons for me is rather short sighted, and causes me to beleive they might not have CDS's long term good at heart. Especially if they get their person in the office and "suddenly" find that that ruiling of law shoudl be reversed. This is worrying - the alteration of what is and isn't under democratic control in what appears to be partisanship by the very people that "get along" with one another.
So yes, they do seem to cooperate quite closely, but look carefully at what they are cooperating towards - and what the results are coming out as, and you may get a different picture, and why I feel the need to oppose. COuld we have been less confrontational and more pleasant? I am sure we could have done better on that front, but I am not sure it would have changed anything. Begheera tried that, and eventually got so harassed that she stepped down, which actually woke me up from dormancy, and whan I looked around, I saw a lot of rather cozy relationships,. what appeared to be bullying of people not in that group. I also saw a pattern of behavior with some folks with land holding that could be interpreted as a desire to tie up land to prevent new people form coming in (a couple of private conversations with some individuals makes me more than suspicious).
And you know what? There is a silent majority in the CDS that helped Ceasar get elected, and gave Cleo that largest number of votes of all those in the RA. If you think she is a "less than good" RA member, realize she is representing a large group that is not satisfied with that crew you see "gets along" so well. If the RA representation involved others that were less controversial but fed off of that dissatisfaction, it would likely in time be the dominant group, but the "opposition" as it stands isn't strong enough.
But no group is beyond redemption. I would likely be a rather large supporter if the following policies would be adopted:
1. Treasurer and Treasury under some sort of democratic oversight (say an affirmation rather than a "for life" appointment)
2. Webmaster and any other appointments for the service of CDS under some sort of democratic oversight, preferably in the office of Chancellor since it is an executive position and not a legislative one.
3. Term limits for SC members (perhaps 18-24 or even 36 months?) to avoid ossification. And have the number of seats set by the RA, not the SC. Appointments done by the Chancellor, and approved by the RA, not the SC.
4. Any current bureaucratic position that is not elected or appointed by an elected official every election, has some sort of democratic oversight.
5. The people voted overwhelmingly for a new SIM, so get a new SIM and build it out quickly.
6. Make sure the repossession of lands arrears and sale of it is done in a consistent and transparently fair manner with everyone having notification and equal access over several sales, or have it done by lottery.
7. Make land sales and holdings transparent. Close the "group land holding" loophole that is currently limiting the number of new citizens by creating artificial land scarcity.
8. Have a method of addressing and handling TOS violations in community rather than telling people to file a report with (very ineffective) LL.
9. Nobody having an "elite status" on any sort of permanent basis. Never serve, or serve 20 terms, and when you are a regular citizen, you do not have any special privaledges beyind that.
10. No special treatment for anyone above anyone else. We're all equally "special"
But since these items would likely disrupt a number of "cozy deals" currently in play, any steps towards this has created enormous blow-back, and much of the politics you see and worry about. The current elites running the RA will usually "say" that they aren't against most of this, but when it comes time to legislate "there are other more pressing priorities" but over the years, youd' figure there would be time eventually ...
And, behind the scenes, and probably not visible to you have been numerous instances of infighting, bullying, harassement and general mayhem - some of which were TOS violations some possibly worse. IN the coming days and weeks, and months, look and observe.
But, don't believe me, as I exit CDS, watch how decision are being made, and who says what to whom, without judging. You will see what I am saying is largely correct. Or not. But look carefully at what is actually being done, and what is actually coming to pass and don't mistake affability for having CDS' best interests at heart.