Background:
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama was reelected as President of the United States, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Concurrent elections returned a Democratic majority in the Senate; and though Democrats won a plurality of the popular vote in elections to the House of Representatives, a Republican majority was retained due to gerrymandering.
All is not well in America, however. The country has just begun to recover from the 2007 recession, and it remains to be seen just how sustainable this recovery is. A series of high-profile shootings, notably at Aurora and Sandy Hook have shifted the debate about guns back into the national spotlight. Structural problems of race, inequality, and immigration also lurk just beneath the surface. Overseas, the Afghanistan War continues unstopped after 11 years of combat; concurrently government infringement on rights as a result of the "War on Terror" continues without pause. Domestically, the debate over debt and government spending continues unchecked. The government is more polarized than any other time in recent memory. On January 20, 2013, Barack Obama is sworn in for a second term.
Basic Rules:
In this game, you play as the leader of a party, or a caucus within that party, attempting to navigate the politics of the contemporary United States.
The game consists of turns which comprise a quarter of the year. Each turn takes two days.
Every turn, a player may send in two actions by PM consisting of things they want to do. This can be anything that a part could plausibly do, organizing a protest, giving a speech, etc. Implausible actions will be rejected out of hand.
In addition to these actions, as the leader of your party/caucus/whatever, you will try to gain seats in the legislature to try to implement your party's policies.
Parties may change their policies at any time, they may also change their name or ideology if they choose; radical changes will not sit well with voters, however.
All other events and the effects of policies will be handled by myself, you needn't worry about it.
IC RPing between updates is encouraged.
Polls will arrive every turn showing how well your party is doing.
An explanation of how economics are calculated
One green plus under Economic indicators equals an economic value of 60; one red minus equals 50, and so on. The lowest value is 10 (5 red minuses), the highest value is 100 (5 green pluses). This figure is then divided in half. One half is personal income which is taxed under the average income tax rate. The other half is corporate income. State owned firms are subtracted from this total, and not considered for taxation (thus if state owned firms were 10% of the economy, only 45% would be taxed) . The remaining percentage is taxed under the corporate tax rate. State owned firms give all their income directly to the state if 10% of the economy is state owned at an economic indicator of 100, 5# are given to the state budget. Trade income is calculated by giving a trade value (with a maximum value of 50), which is determined by the tariff rate (low tariffs giving a higher trade value on a track like a laffer curve. The highest amount of # you could theoretically make would be 12.5), and positive relations with various countries, and then multiplying that value by the tariff rate. Having tariffs too high or in some cases too low will harm economic indicators. High corporate tax rates will discourage growth in the private sector (including worker run firms). High income tax rates (like above 60%) will also discourage growth. In Income, one green cross equals a budget surplus of 0-10, and so on.
Economies are broken into 4 types for the purposes of calculating economic indicators. Free, Mixed, Worker-Run, and Planned. Economies to the right will grow more quickly, but they will also be at higher risk of a market failure. Economies to the left will grow more slowly, but market failures will not be as damaging. It is possible to manipulate the economic indicators using actions to boost them up 1 or 2 pluses. Rapidly changing an economy from one type to another (like a couple turns ago) will always set the economy to 5 red minuses. An economy is considered planned if most businesses are state controlled. An economy is considered worker run is most businesses are worker controlled. An economy is considered mixed if most businesses are privately controlled (large or small), but there exist significant regulations and/or social services. An economy is considered free if most businesses are state controlled and there are no significant regulations or social services. The function of welfare and regulations is to reduced inequality. Regulations and minimum wages cost the government nothing but bureaucratic costs to enforce them (10% of the total regulatory value), but as noted they contribute towards the economic type. Union protections don't do anything except make unionization easier. Welfare and healthcare costs the government # equal to how high the welfare and healthcare value are. Inequality has no economic effect, but contributes to the stability of the government, with more inequality contributing to higher instability. Small businesses have no effect on the economy besides reducing inequality more than large businesses. Worker and State run businesses decrease inequality the most. Thus if the entire economy is state or worker run, and all regulations and welfare/social services are at 10, it is theoretically possible to get inequality to 1/100. Costs for the armed forces are determined by adding their strength together, and dividing it by 8. Costs to maintain infrastructure are determined by taking the value and multiplying it by 5% (infrastructure affects economic indicators somewhat, and better infrastructure makes people happier). Each turn, 10% of the current debt must be paid. These values are all added together, and subtracted from the total income. If any surplus is created, it is used to pay back debts unless otherwise specified. Debts from healthcare, welfare, infrastructure, and the armed forces are nothing if any but the last is privatized, and somewhat less if they are semi-privatized. To simplify things, tax rates for income from now on will be classified as "regressive" (the burden of tax is on the poor), "flat" (the burden of tax is on everyone equally), or "progressive" (the burden of tax is on the rich). The type will only effect equality; government income will be determined in each case by the average income tax rate. Inefficiency represents structural problems with Welfare and Healthcare, and it is added to Welfare and Healthcare costs. Inefficiencies may be eliminated by changes in these systems.
Improving infrastructure, healthcare, or attempting to industrialize cannot be done by decree; it requires an investment first. To invest in something, you need to write a law saying "Invest X amount of # to improve/build Y"; higher amounts of # invested will have a higher chance of improving things. Everything else can be done by decree, by simply passing a law stating "Increase Police to 50" or "Raise welfare to 10".
Economies are broken into 4 types for the purposes of calculating economic indicators. Free, Mixed, Worker-Run, and Planned. Economies to the right will grow more quickly, but they will also be at higher risk of a market failure. Economies to the left will grow more slowly, but market failures will not be as damaging. It is possible to manipulate the economic indicators using actions to boost them up 1 or 2 pluses. Rapidly changing an economy from one type to another (like a couple turns ago) will always set the economy to 5 red minuses. An economy is considered planned if most businesses are state controlled. An economy is considered worker run is most businesses are worker controlled. An economy is considered mixed if most businesses are privately controlled (large or small), but there exist significant regulations and/or social services. An economy is considered free if most businesses are state controlled and there are no significant regulations or social services. The function of welfare and regulations is to reduced inequality. Regulations and minimum wages cost the government nothing but bureaucratic costs to enforce them (10% of the total regulatory value), but as noted they contribute towards the economic type. Union protections don't do anything except make unionization easier. Welfare and healthcare costs the government # equal to how high the welfare and healthcare value are. Inequality has no economic effect, but contributes to the stability of the government, with more inequality contributing to higher instability. Small businesses have no effect on the economy besides reducing inequality more than large businesses. Worker and State run businesses decrease inequality the most. Thus if the entire economy is state or worker run, and all regulations and welfare/social services are at 10, it is theoretically possible to get inequality to 1/100. Costs for the armed forces are determined by adding their strength together, and dividing it by 8. Costs to maintain infrastructure are determined by taking the value and multiplying it by 5% (infrastructure affects economic indicators somewhat, and better infrastructure makes people happier). Each turn, 10% of the current debt must be paid. These values are all added together, and subtracted from the total income. If any surplus is created, it is used to pay back debts unless otherwise specified. Debts from healthcare, welfare, infrastructure, and the armed forces are nothing if any but the last is privatized, and somewhat less if they are semi-privatized. To simplify things, tax rates for income from now on will be classified as "regressive" (the burden of tax is on the poor), "flat" (the burden of tax is on everyone equally), or "progressive" (the burden of tax is on the rich). The type will only effect equality; government income will be determined in each case by the average income tax rate. Inefficiency represents structural problems with Welfare and Healthcare, and it is added to Welfare and Healthcare costs. Inefficiencies may be eliminated by changes in these systems.
Improving infrastructure, healthcare, or attempting to industrialize cannot be done by decree; it requires an investment first. To invest in something, you need to write a law saying "Invest X amount of # to improve/build Y"; higher amounts of # invested will have a higher chance of improving things. Everything else can be done by decree, by simply passing a law stating "Increase Police to 50" or "Raise welfare to 10".
An explanation of how a FPTP system works
Polling data for each party (x) is squared (x^2). The results are added together, and then the squared result divided by the total. Parties that failed to get a seat have their polling data percent added to one of the two largest parties from the squared data; the percent is added to the party that is ideologically farther away from them (on a left-right axis). The new polling data is then squared and recalculated, and parties failing to get a seat in that round have their polling percent added in the above manner. This continues until no further parties are eliminated.
What does this mean for you? Well, the main beneficiaries of this arrangement will be the two largest parties. Smaller parties can detract from a party with an ideologically similar viewpoint since if your party fails to make the cut, the points go to the largest party that is ideologically opposite yours. Therefore, if you don't have a shot at winning any seats, it might be beneficial to not run candidates at all so that you don't split the vote and give seats to your opponents. Alternatively, smaller parties may want to merge together so they have a chance at actually winning some seats. Finally, some parties may want to come to agreements with parties to not run candidates against each other, or run a combined party ticket. Under this arrangement, the parties agree what percent of seats each party will get from the overall total of seats won. Polling points from the smaller party are then added to the larger party, and the percentage of seats won for each party is determined from the total winnings. In short: smaller parties are utterly screwed, and only the two largest parties will really ever benefit.
What does this mean for you? Well, the main beneficiaries of this arrangement will be the two largest parties. Smaller parties can detract from a party with an ideologically similar viewpoint since if your party fails to make the cut, the points go to the largest party that is ideologically opposite yours. Therefore, if you don't have a shot at winning any seats, it might be beneficial to not run candidates at all so that you don't split the vote and give seats to your opponents. Alternatively, smaller parties may want to merge together so they have a chance at actually winning some seats. Finally, some parties may want to come to agreements with parties to not run candidates against each other, or run a combined party ticket. Under this arrangement, the parties agree what percent of seats each party will get from the overall total of seats won. Polling points from the smaller party are then added to the larger party, and the percentage of seats won for each party is determined from the total winnings. In short: smaller parties are utterly screwed, and only the two largest parties will really ever benefit.
Other Rules:
The Caucus System
The two major parties (at least initially) are each broken up into three caucuses. Each caucus acts like a mini-party within the larger party. Every two years, two quarters before elections are held, primaries are held, which are like a mini-election within the party. During the general election, seats won per party are given to each caucus according to the percentages won during the primary. Parties giving support to a party instead of running candidates of their own also have a chance to win primary seats. The caucus with a plurality of votes gets control of the party. The leader of the party has the power to accept new caucuses, expel caucuses from the party, and invalidate the results of the primaries, as well as determine how or if the primaries are conducted. Leaders of a Caucus may always choose to leave a party if they so choose, or make an independent run for office. The winner of the primary during a Presidential election year will be that party's candidate.
Federalism
The United States, unlike many other states, is a Federal state in which states are at least theoretically accorded a great deal of power to make their own laws. The level of state vs. federal power is represented on a scale from 1 (defacto autonomy) to 5 (defacto centralization). Higher state power may invalidate some federal decisions. For reasons of complexity, state level politics are not directly represented.
The Supreme Court
If a player feels a law is unconstitutional for whatever reason, he may make a supreme court challenge. A successful supreme court challenge invalidates the law; an unsuccessful one will damage a player's poll numbers, so don't make frivolous court challenges.
The Debt Ceiling
Unlike most other countries, the United States has a limit to how much it can legally borrow. In order to borrow above this limit, the debt ceiling must be raised by congress.
The Filibuster
A player who holds a senate seat may declare on a particular bill, or all bills "I filibuster". A round of voting takes place; if 60 senators are for the filibuster, the bill(s) are immediately tabled.
The Constitution of the United States
Full text here.
Particular points of relevance:
Bicamreal Legislature. Senate consists of 100 Senators, two from each state, directly elected for 6 year terms. 1/3 of the senate is elected every two years. The House of Representatives consists of 435 Representatives, elected in Single-Member districts for two year terms. Each state must have at least 1 representative; the number per state is determined proportionally. Rules of conduct for the Senate and House (and thus the filibuster) are determined through laws instead of amendments. The leader of the Senate is the Senate Majority Leader. The leader of the house is the Speaker of the House. Both of these are determined by whichever player can get the most votes behind them.
The President is indirectly elected through an electoral college for 4 years. Electors are determined for each state by adding the number of Senator and Representatives. The winner of a plurality of the vote in each state wins the entire slate of electors. A minimum of 270 electors is needed to win the Presidency. The President may veto any bill. A 2/3 majority in both Senate and House are required to override this veto. the President is also head of state; but treaties must be approved by a 2/3 majority in congress. The Senate may impeach the President if he has done some misconduct that has been recognized as such by the House, again requiring a 2/3 majority.
Amendments require a 2/3 majority in both houses. In addition, the require 2/3 of states to approve them (that part will be done by me).
Freedom of Expression, Assembly, Religion, and freedom from arbitrary arrest and imprisonment are recognized.
Anyone born on US soil, or to American parents are considered US citizens.
How to write a Bill:
To keep spam from cluttering the thread, only people in positions of power (at the beginning, the President, Senate Majority Leader, and Speaker of the House) will be allowed to present legislation. To write Legislation, please write something like:
Bill name:
How the bill will work (please write what game mechanics you are trying to effect, e.g., increase labor regulations to 4/10, instead of legalese).
That's it. To vote, say "For Bill" or "Against Bill", using those colors and making sure to be clear what bill you are against.
Ideologies & Policies
Parties are characterized by the following Ideologies, from left to right:
Socialism
Social Democracy
Social Liberalism
Market Liberalism
Reactionary
Right-Wing Populism
In addition, a tendency (Trotskyist for example in the Socialism category) is often appended to differentiate the different ideologies.
Finally, parties are characterized by a series of Policy Positions, which are broken into Economic and Social Categories. They are:
Economic System & Public/Private ownership(e.g., free market, planned, dirigisme, etc.)
Regulations
Environmentalism
Taxation
Tariffs
Unionization & Strikes
Welfare and Social Services
Secularism & Religion
Freedom of expression
Freedom of Assembly & Protest
Nationalism
Immigration
How to Sign Up:
1. Choose a party from the following list (Ideology indicated by color, additional notes added); feel free to look them up on Wikipedia before deciding:
Tier 1-Major Parties
Democratic Party Caucuses:
Congressional Progressive Caucus-Taken
New Democrat Coalition-Taken-Leader: President Barack Obama
Blue Dog Coalition
Republican Party Caucuses:
Republican Main Street Partnership-Taken
Republican Study Committee-Leader: Speaker John Boehner-Taken
Tea Party Caucus-Taken
Tier 2-Major Third Parties:
Constitution Party-Paleoconservative
Libertarian Party-Libertarian-Taken
Green Party-Green Politics-Taken
Justice Party
Tier 3-Minor Third Parties:
Socialist Party USA-Democratic Socialist-Taken
Communist Party USA-Marxist-Leninist, Supports the Democratic Party-Taken
Peace and Freedom Party-Pacifist
Socialist Workers Party-Castroist
Party for Socialism and Liberation-Marxist-Leninist
Workers World Party-Orthodox Trotskyist
Socialist Equality Party-Third Camp Trotskyist
Socialist Alternative-Democratic Socialist-Taken
Revolutionary Communist Party USA-Maoist, Supports the Democratic Party
Modern Whig Party
Objectivist Party-Objectivist-Taken
American Independent Party-Paleoconservative
League of the South-Neo-Confederate, Supports the Republican Party-Taken
American Freedom Party-Neo-Fascist
National Socialist Movement-Neo-Nazi
Christian Liberty Party-Dominionist
LaRouche Movement-Supports the Democratic Party
2. Make a post asking to have that party. Party's listed as taken are not available. Once I give an Ok..
3. Make another post, using this template:
Name: [of the leader of the party, you can add a pic if you want. Leaders of Non-governmental parties should be fairly obvious. Leaders of governmental parties should go from: President>Vice President>Speaker>Senate Majority Leader>Minority Leader>Senator>Representative. Some are indicated; for others caucuses, use who you think would fit.]
Party: [Put the indicate name]
Ideology: [Use the indicated ideology and tendency]
Economic Policies: [Use the above information on policies to fill this out]
Social Policies:
Other Policies:
All policy information should be looked up, and reflect the actual positions of that party when possible. It doesn't have to be terribly detailed, just enough that the parties positions are easily discernible. Once that step is completed, you're done.
Meta Rules:
If you don't like the set up, please don't argue with me about it.
Players may not discuss or argue policies out of character other than for the purpose of strategic considerations.
Players must be active (through posting in the thread or PMing actions) every turn. One turn without activity will have no effect. Two turns, and tour party will be delisted from polls. Three turns, and you will be kicked out of the game.
Players holding a significant position (President, Senate Majority Leader, Speaker of the House, Minority Leader) must be active every turn. One turn without activity will result in an immediate expulsion from the game.
Do nothing else that violates Paradox rules.
Sign Ups:
Players may sign up at any time. The game will start once all of Tier 1 and Tier 2 have been claimed. New parties may be formed if either all listed parties are exhausted, or at the beginning of Quarter 1 2017.
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