The von Streusser Report

[von Streusser]

Linked directly off the Society for Good Governance's website is The von Streusser Report, a special interest group weblog. The Report is published and paid for by the Society for Good Governance, a watchdog group focused on accountability among political officials, among other goals. Michael von Streusser, former CEO of ENDTech; former Minister of Trade, Economy, and Finance; former Member of the General Assembly; and well-known political figure from approximately Terms 3-7 serves as Editor-in-Chief.

The von Streusser Report is a revolutionary new form of media for Eutopia, an open forum for special interests and concerned citizens to voice their opinions in a nationwide format. It is our hope that this publication will bring the minds of the people and the actions of the government closer together, in furtherance of the Society for Good Governance's goals and ideals.

The views and opinions presented in this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of either the editors of this newsletter or the Society for Good Governance. While we will make every effort to ensure that the facts presented in this newsletter are true and correct, the items we present here will not be free of bias or "spin". They are opinions.

Additionally, the opinions presented here may not be the opinions of a majority of Eutopians. However, our publication is here to ensure that all groups, not just the largest, richest, or most influential, can make their voices heard in Eutopia City.

-Michael von Streusser, Editor-in-Chief

OOC NOTE:
This publication is intended to convey the responses and opinions of various public interest groups to the player community at large. It is a tool for the GMs to keep players informed of how their actions or inactions are impacting their standing with various constituencies. The content here, while genuinely the opinion of the group that says it, does contain that particular group's spin or bias on the topic, and may or may not be completely accurate. However, regardless of factual accuracy, it is still Official Game Content and should be treated as such. Please do not post in this thread.

Rely on NewsLink for facts, and the vSR for opinions.

 

[von Streusser]

So You Say You Want a Constitution?​

With the Constitutional Convention well under way, there's so far lots of noise but not much substance. And as politicians jockey for position and party members, special interest groups get an unparalleled chance to make their wishes known and felt. While most are currently waiting to engage in the debate about what individual rights should be enshrined in the new Constitution, a few are even joining in the conversation about the form of government Eutopia should take.

The Royal Foundation is making its biggest case for monarchy yet, noting that with the Topan crowning of Queen Maria as their monarch, her establishment as Eutopia's Queen would do much to quiet the ever-turbulent Western Eutopian Territory...formerly a last concern of Eutopia City politicians, but now Eutopia's single most valuable province following the discovery of vast oil reserves. Not only that, but re-unification - a single uniting plank in nearly every party's platform - would be far more likely with the mother of Tilapia's Queen on the throne of Eutopia.

The Eutopian Civil Liberties Union has begun a push to have the old Eutopian Charter of Rights included verbatim in the new Constitution. "We feel it's the absolute bare minimum that should be included. While we approve of the document itself, it was a compromise that originally formed it, and those rights could always, and should be, strengthened. The Charter should be included in the Constitution proper to continue the defense of those rights that make us a free society."

Meanwhile, the Soldiers of God have insisted on the inclusion of God in the Constitution. "Only by acknowledging The Good Lord's guiding principles in our Constitution can we ensure that good, decent government is preserved. Immorality and corruption of the sort we witnessed in the last few administrations could all have been prevented by explicitly enshrining the only laws that truly matter in our governmental structure: God's law!"

The Society for Good Governance, meanwhile, has devoted more time to the proceedings and process themselves. "The Convention should not be the place for political posturing, preening, and setting oneself out to the public through rhetoric and a refusal to compromise. Instead, those citizens who can make the trek to the Convention and make themselves heard must work to the betterment of our entire country; issues such as monarchy must be discussed, even by those who would rather avoid the issue. Now is our country's chance to tackle its most gripping issues head on. We need to take it."

 

[Voshkod]

Endorsement Announcements​

On the eve of a potentially pivotal pre-election debate, some Special Interests Groups have decided to make public endorsements. As ever, the von Streusser Report was there.

First out of the blocks was the Eutopian Congress of Labor, who announced early this morning at a press conference that it was endorsing the Eutopian Labor Party for both legislative and executive. It may not be a big surprise, but it is still a victory for the ELP. As the ELP spokeswoman put it, "well, we can't deny that we like the party name, but their platform and speeches made it clear that the ELP is the only party willing to fight for the Eutopian worker. That's why the ECL is proud to encourage all of its members and supporters to vote for the Eutopian Labor Party."

At a noon luncheon, the Eutopian Business Association announced that it would endorse the Moderate Republican Party. While this endorsement may not garner as many votes as an endorsement by the ECL, it certainly equates to a substantial amount of monetary donations. A senior EBA members, who asked to remain unidentified, told the von Streusser Report that the MRP was "a known quantity. We know what we're getting with O'Floinn and Al'Aeshir. There's something comforting in that."

At a late afternoon rally, the Soldiers of God announced their wholehearted support for the Eutopian Nationalist Party. Kurt Wagster, leader of the SOG, said "the Nationalists are the only party with the courage to do the right thing! With the honor to protect the traditional values of Eutopia! With the strength to lead our cause to victory!" The SOG endorsement should carry a number of votes in more conservatives districts to the ENP.

Finally, shortly before the debate began, the Royal Foundation issued a short - and very surprising - press release announcing their endorsement. "When faced with several poor choices, one looks to the best of the worst," it read. "As one party is actively hostile to Her Majesty and one ignores her importance, we at the Royal Foundation are left with the sickly choice of the Eutopian Nationalist Party and the Eutopian Labor Party. We are therefore forced to admit that the Eutopian Labor Party appears to allow the widest latitude regarding the return of the Monarchy, and we regretfully urge our membership and supports to vote ELP." Analysts at the von Streusser Report believe that this shocking decision resulted from insults - real or perceived - from the ENP to the Royal Foundation. However it came about, this is one of the real shockers of this election season.

 

[The_Hawk]

vSR Special Report: Postgame Analysis of SGG’s Term XIII Debates​

Following last night’s Term XIII debates, we here at the von Streusser Report sat down with LoopPolls, Inc.’s CEO Drew A. Blank to discuss public reaction to the event.

von Streusser Report: First things first, Per Blank. It was easy to notice the absence of the Moderate Republican Party and the Party of Liberty from the debate. To what extent did that hurt the MRP and the PoL?

Drew Blank: Well, it’s hard to say. A debate is an opportunity to change minds, and any minds that would’ve been swayed to the MRP or PoL viewpoints are probably now voting for the ENP, ELP, or no one at all. At the same time, every time a politician opens his or her mouth in public, they open themselves up to attack. That’s doubly true at a debate, where you’re forced to respond quickly and risk a gaffe. A ship in harbor is safe, as they say.

vSR: But that’s not what ships were built for.

DB: That’s right. Certainly, not showing up didn’t help the MRP or PoL.

vSR: How did viewers rate the performance of those parties that did participate?

DB: All in all, pretty evenly, both doing quite well. Of course, there were a few criticisms that kept cropping up…

vSR: Such as?

DB: Well, the ENP has gotten a lot of bad press for appearing fractious. Despite their rhetoric about being united, last night didn’t do a lot for their image. Bringing three people to the podium was risky; it let them put more ideas on the tables, which reflected well on their performance, but also led to a couple of gaffes. Those polled noticed particularly the difference between Sir Mycroft’s “[the m]ilitary is a very last resort” and Admiral Tulp’s “and shouldn't be used for unification” in the question on reunification. Per Cain jumped on that one. And bringing Per Zhokhyen as a “loud republican” to the stage with Admiral Tulp’s “staunch monarchist” position didn’t help the sense that the ENP was on the same page. Still, on the whole the advantage of numbers allowed them to put forward a wider variety of ideas than the ELP.

vSR: What sort of critiques did the ELP get?

DB: Well, it was a mixed bag. The focus groups felt Per Cain’s answers to some questions were a bit weak, such as on the veto question, and he nearly went off the rails on firearms. But he got in a lot of good shots, and his numbers kept spiking because of it. Plus, I think there was some rooting for the underdog going on. Being the lone representative of his party against three Nationalists worked for him.

vSR: So overall, a win for the ELP?

DB: Well, a clear win for Per Cain. Also a win for ELP, but only by a nose.

vSR: Why the distinction?

DB: Reverend Park didn’t come across well. At least, not in comparison to Cain. His answers were on point, and the focus groups clearly felt he was intelligent, but his answers were highly technical, not visceral. That might’ve played well at the beginning of the debate, when the audience was fresh, but coming in at the end, when listeners were getting tired, was a disadvantage.

vSR: Per Blank, thanks very much for sitting down with us.

DB: Thank you.

 

[Voshkod]

On an announcement on their website, the Eutopian Homosexual Association endorsed the Party of Liberty and asked all of its membership to vote for the PoL ticket. "The Party of Liberty promises us the two things we have always sought," read the announcement, "equality and the right to be left alone. Therefore, we urge all of our members to support the Party of Liberty in the legislative and executive elections."

 

[The_Hawk]

The Topan Islamic Organization issued a press statement today which, while ostensibly acknowledging the "contributions of Amric Al'Aeshir Holdings to the development of Western Eutopia", blasted that company's chief executive for "cultural insensitivity of the most subtle and egregious kind."

The TIO release pointed specifically to statements made by former President Al'Aeshir at a press conference yesterday announcing the opening of "Old Tyme Brews... a brewing company dedicated to making beer, ale, bitters, and so forth using the older traditions and recipes", which, according to Al'Aeshir, will eventually include Topan beverages. Imam Anthony Keralese of the TIO described these comments as "blindly insulting."

"Not since Charles Scott Morgan's legendary 'Topans are Muslims' gaffe have we seen such obvious lack of cultural sensitivity on the part of Eutopian's Anglo majority," Keralese wrote, "but it is apparent that it is still prevalent. As Morgan discovered, Topans are Muslims, and thus are forbidden from consuming alcoholic brews of any kind; yet President Al'Aeshir seems to be of the belief that we have a long tradition of violating our own religious tenets."

Despite the imam's rhetoric, alcoholism rates among the largely Topan population of Western Eutopia remain above the national average. When asked about this discrepancy, Keralese said "it is indisputable that many of our brothers and sisters have strayed from the path, and the TIO is working daily to address that issue. But it only serves to exacerbate President Al'Aeshir's malfeasance. Either he is woefully insensitive to Topan Muslim values, or he is attempting to turn a serious social problem into personal profit."

While a number of Topan religious organizations joined with the TIO in calling for a public apology from Al'Aeshir, non-religious organizations have been less quick. This may be because many of the Western Eutopian drinkers are members of those organizations, or it may be that those organizations represent many AAH employees.

 

[von Streusser]

Editor's Note:​

We here at the von Streusser Report have no intention of starting a newspaper war with our good friend Amric Al'Aeshir. In fact, it behooves no one to upset nearly 20% of Eutopia's gross domestic product. However, we feel we must take issue with some of his recent statements, and urge him to do as he urges us...that is, check his facts. As there seems to be some confusion, we are taking this opportunity to make sure that all of our readers are clear on what exactly our publication is.

We are not a newspaper, we do not report. If Per Al'Aeshir has anyone to respond to, it is the Topan Islamic Organization...we merely serve as the vessel through which private interests are given voice. As our cover says, we are not responsible for any opinions shared herein. To blame us for the opinions expressed by the TIO in our most recent edition is about as silly as our blaming Per Al'Aeshir for something written in a letter to the editor at The Eutopian Today!

Here are the facts, as we see them. Per Al'Aeshir stated that Old Tyme Brews "is a brewing company dedicated to making beer, ale, bitters, and so forth using the older traditions and recipes along with environmentally friendly methods to bring the tastes of our French, Spanish, German, English, Irish, and Norse cultures." He then goes on to state that he knows there are other cultures, such as the Topa, but that his company must "start somewhere". The TIO justifiably interpreted this to mean that Per Al'Aeshir intended to make alcoholic beverages from Topan recipes, and responded as seen previously. Why is this justifiable? Because at no point does Per Al'Aeshir list anything other than alcoholic malt beverages in his description. Beer, ale, and bitters are all alcoholic beverages prohibited by the Islamic faith. Al'Aeshir appears to rely on the words "and so forth" meaning "everything else under the sun" and "brews" to mean "any beverage, not necessarily one similar to all the beverages I have already mentioned". To expect everyone else to figure out these subtle messages without an extensive interrogation of what exactly he means seems unreasonable. Additionally, as Per Ashik Jahan of the TIO points out, "any beverage which would cause intoxication is prohibited, including those made from honey, despite Per Al'Aeshir's assertions otherwise." Per Jahan provided the following resource for those interested in more information.

In conclusion, we have great respect for Per Al'Aeshir and are proud to call him our old friend. Simultaneously, we have no desire to begin one of Eutopia's old-fashioned media wars. But we must take umbrage with his accusations and endeavor to set the record straight.

Respectfully Yours,
Michael von Streuser, Editor-in-Chief

 

[von Streusser]

Al'Aeshir Meltdown Fallout​

​

The Defenders of the Eutopian Environment today made clear their stance on their former favorite son's dramatic withdrawal from government in a press release. "When push came to shove, Amric surrendered. Hundreds of people die every day from breathing in polluted air and drinking sludge, and when Per Al'Aeshir's bill met resistance in the General Assembly, instead of reaching a compromise or continuing the fight, he surrendered. Perhaps he thinks this will draw attention to the plight of the Eutopian environment, but all it does is ensure the continued success of our country's environmental rapists. Roger Smith attempted to take over the government, Cornelius Dank killed and maimed hundreds of Eutopians...but Amric Al'Aeshir's self-righteous, spiteful pity-party will put hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Eutopians out of work, not to mention allow the continued destruction of our island. This retreat to his ivory tower, which we are constantly reminded is filled with cash, will affect more people negatively than almost any event in Eutopia's history. Historians may not agree, but the Defenders of the Eutopian Environment will remember Amric Al'Aeshir as Eutopia's worst villain of all time." The press release went on to demand that the Moderate Republican Party, who earned substantial DEE support in the last election, step forward to continue the fight. If they failed to do so, the DEE stated that it would be "watching very closely which party has the guts to step into the breach".

Meanwhile, the Eutopian Business Association issued a far more measured response. "We at the EBA have never opposed Per Al'Aeshir's legislation...he simply didn't understand how to implement it in a fashion that wouldn't devastate our economy. We agree that our environment needs attention, and are willing to meet with any government official who wants to draft a new bill to make sure that our environment and our economy can recover. We are confident that with cooperation and compromise, we can reach a suitable solution."

The Eutopian Congress of Labor had this to say: "While we share Per Al'Aeshir's concern for the environment, we have to think first of our workers' ability to feed their families. To that end, we applaud the representatives of the ELP who sought to ensure a bill that would keep laborers working and clean up our environment at the same time. We certainly appreciate Per Al'Aeshir's passion, but to let oneself get so caught up in one's cause that any debate becomes cause for personal offense is tragic." Additionally, the ECL issued a statement of support for the AAH workers who had left their jobs. "Per Al'Aeshir unceremoniously announced a fire sale of his company to unnamed and undetermined foreign companies, or if none are forthcoming, a total shutdown. In so doing, he has demonstrated a willingness to shatter the Eutopian economy for his own personal vendetta. Those workers who walked off their jobs knew they were sunk one way or the other, and are simply giving Per Al'Aeshir back the giant middle finger he has extended to them."

The Society for Good Governance focused more on the impact of the scenario. "Per Al'Aeshir's bill was ambitious, perhaps overly so. But was it unsalvageable? Absolutely not. To see one of Eutopia's longest-standing politicians melt down like that is disappointing, and Per Al'Aeshir may have permanently and irreparably marred his formerly spotless reputation."

Official numbers have not been released, but financial pundits are predicting a period of volatility in the market. "Many of the divisions Amric Al'Aeshir Holdings has put up for sale are based on untried technologies, or alternatively are very likely to fluctuate rapidly in their profitability. Coupled with the generally inhospitable economic climate in Eutopia, the value of these divisions - especially without their workers - is going to go straight through the floor. If AAH manages to sell, odds are good that the divisions will simply be plundered for assets. There will be a flood of skilled labor onto the market, and likely the price of labor across the island will be depressed. Even if this is only a brief period, it is highly probable that businesses will seize this chance, and countless workers across the country, even in businesses unrelated to AAH, will be replaced with cheaper, desperate labor. We're looking at a dark period ahead...although, with a little stimulus in the right places, there is actually potential for a huge economic boom at the end of the tunnel. So while the immediate forecast is dim, AAH's utter disintegration could be one of the best things ever to happen to the Eutopian economy. Considering Al'Aeshir's apparently malicious intent, it's rather ironic."

Al'Aeshir's bill and public breakdown appear to have spiked interest in the environment however, with over 60% of Eutopians in a recent poll listing it as "one of their most important concerns".

 

[The_Hawk]

vSR Special Report: Postgame Analysis of SGG’s Term XIV Debates​

Following last night’s debate, we here at the von Streusser Report sat down with our own editor-in-chief Michael von Streusser. Per von Streusser is a professor of political science and economics at the University of Neuwestbaden, and was one of the moderators of last night’s debate.

von Streusser Report: We’re happy to have you here, sir.

Michael von Streusser: Good to be here.

vSR: So, let’s get down to it. How did the parties do last night?

MvS: Well, each party did well, and each had a period where they took a good trouncing.

vSR: Who won, in your estimation?

MvS: It’s hard to say. Clearly, the main contest was between President Colin Leary of the PoL, and the ELP’s Richard Berenguerr. Berenguerr gave us a lot of the fiery rhetoric we’ve heard on the campaign so far, along with some classic one-liners, but Leary hit back hard. Still, Leary probably spent more time under the gun than anyone, getting hit on New Bengal, President Zhokhyen’s defection, and the PoL’s controversial campaign effort to cast the ELP’s abstention from the first Speaker vote as blackmail.

vSR: So the ELP won the day?

MvS: Well, it’s not so simple. A sharp tongue, like Berenguerr has, is a risky thing in politics. Nobody likes a bully, which is one reason the PoL’s “blackmail” campaign has been controversial. And the fact that the ELP and PoL campaigns have been mutually directed at one another, basically excluding the other parties, came through pretty starkly. Still, if I had to pick a winner, I’d say Berenguerr by a nose, and the initial polling data we’re getting is bearing that out.

vSR: Let’s talk about the other parties for a moment. Clearly, they were not nearly the force in the debates that the PoL and ELP were.

MvS: No, that’s true. Jim Sykes acquitted himself well, with fairly consistent answers across the board, though that may be because the ENP has largely been peripheral in this Term’s campaign. Still, some of his answers were worrisome…

vSR: You’re talking about his flirtation with Levargism?

MvS: That’s right. I found it interesting how ready the PEL and ENP were to take similar positions, though – I definitely think we’ll be seeing them on the same side of a lot of issues in the Term to come.

vSR: Speaking of the PEL, their representative, Per Philipe, didn’t have much to say.

MvS: No, but that may not have been such a bad idea; he steered clear of some hot-button issues that Pers Leary and Berenguerr were only too happy to engage. When a question was put directly to him, we got a succinct, platform-consistent answer. If anything, he may have come across as a more reasonable Jim Sykes.

vSR: Let’s talk for a moment about Pers Lucescu and Gonzov.

MvS: Ah, yes. Well, it certainly didn’t hurt the PoL or ELP to have backups available. Unlike last Term’s debates, they were about evenly matched; rather than the three ENP representatives versus a lone ELP speaker, we had two primary debaters and two secondary debaters. Still, it might’ve hurt the ELP that Gonzov, their presidential candidate, didn’t have primary responsibility for articulating their message. He did get some good jabs in against Leary, though.

vSR: At this point, it’s no secret that the frontrunners for the Term XIV Presidency are Per Leary and Per Gonzov. Do you want to make a prediction?

MvS: I’d love to, but I can’t. Right now, this is a dead heat.

vSR: Might the debate swing it for one candidate or another?

MvS: It certainly could. We’ll have to see how the public reacts to the candidates, the parties, and their message.

vSR: Professor von Streusser, thank you very much for talking with us.

MvS: Great to be here. Thanks.