Time's up for the RUMP?

At the Second Convention of the Moderate Radical Party of Talossa, ZRT leader Carlüs Xheraltescu has claimed that the apathy of the current RUMP government has driven Talossa itself into a period of apathy. The speech has been widely viewed in the Talossan press as preparing the ground for a Rainbow Coalition in the near future. Here is the speech in full:

Firstly, I'd like to offer thanks for the invitation to write a short little speech for your congress. It's incredibly gratifying to see other parties adopting similar internally democratic processes as we have in the ZRT, and even more so to see these processes happening publicly, openly and with transparency. So, on to the bulk of the speech...

Senator da Dhi was right, when he exclaimed that time is up. Time is indeed up. We've seen this government drive Talossa into further apathy, and has met the issue not with active governance, but with apathy itself. Countless Terpelaziuns have gone unanswered, and the trickle of immigration has ground to a halt. Talossa has ceased its population growth, it's creativity has stalled, and no longer do I and many others see Talossa as being the bastion of fun expressions of politics and culture that it used to be. In short, I am at the end of my tether with RUMP rule in Talossa. Time is up - we need change in Talossa or years down the line I suspect there won't even be a Talossa for us to change.

I don't think anyone here will see this as being a particularly controversial assertion. However, not only is it time for a change of government in Talossa, but I'm a firm believer that if this is to happen, we're going to need a change in the way by which we as statecrafters govern. You aren't going to win a majority this election, friends. Neither will the peculiarists of the NPW, the monarcho-progressives of the CSPP, or the republicans of my own ZRT. So how then can we ensure that the RUMP doesn't further drive Talossa into the ground? The answer to this one shouldn't be particularly controversial either: co-operation. Through compromise, co-operation, the Rawlsian idea of overlapping consensus, we can change the face of politics in Talossa. To do so, however, means that all of us need to prepare for the limitations of a Rainbow Coalition, and to prepare for the limitations on the discourse we will have to conduct as parties in a coalition which I'm certain will prove to be groundbreaking in Talossan politics.

It's a bold and brave move for us to work towards this goal. It won't be painless, and it won't be easy for any of the parties involved. But if we're willing to commit to this now, it is testament to the love and passion with which we regard Talossa. It's testament to the lengths we are willing to go, irrespective of our parties' policies and inter-party relations. If this idea enthuses you even half as much as it enthuses me, then I look forward to the discussions we'll be having after the election, because there is no way we can allow another term of RUMP government to blight the landscape of Talossan politics.

Time's up for the current government. Time's up on majority rule. The time for change is nigh, so man your stations; prepare for battle, and for government - I'll see you in the government halls in no time at all, I'm sure.

ZRT sorts out manifesto and platform for next election

FIOVA -- Democracy in action! With the ZRT convention opened by Miestrâ Schivâ, all members of the party will have a say on what the party will fight for in the election for the next Cosâ!

The opening took place with far less fanfare than the previous convention, most probably because the previous convention decided fundamental documents such as the party's constitution.

Proposals have already been made to amend the Platform, Constitution, and Manifesto for the upcoming election.

Expected are various speeches, including by the party leader, Carlüs Xheraltescu, as well as various reports and guest speakers.

[EDITORIAL] Some plugs for our media friends, and why Talossan media needs a higher profile

How many citizens of Talossa regularly read our newspapers, or even know of them? Among the current crop of papers (be they gazettes of record, satirical publications, or otherwise), are the excellent Talossan Observer, the Notiçieir, the PengöTimes, the St. Brendan Sentinel, as well as yours truly here at the Mormoglhen offices.

The Observer has produced in recent days a string of high-quality interviews. Davinescu diligently compiles government announcements in the Notiçieir. The humorous PengöTimes is truly an asset to our printed culture. D. N. Vercáriâ's Sentinel provided an insightful "other-side" viewpoint during the events of Reunision.

While not classed as journalism, Éoväd Andrinescu has been publishing a gripping work of fiction, Talossa 2031, on a blog.

All of these publications are hosted away from the Wittenberg message boards.

Often, citizens will hear about these publications in promotional posts on Witt, and maybe look at the articles. They will not subscribe to RSS feeds, or remember to look again at these publications. For them, Wittenberg is the only hub of Talossan activity, their only Talossan news source.

And what a shame! The strength of off-Witt Talossan media is its capacity to sustain insightful analysis, commentary and satire without the efforts seeming like "just another post on Wittenberg". We are much closer to other democratic nation-states when we can have a vibrant press providing a counterpoint to the  events on our message boards.

Mormoglhen believes that it would be excellent if ProBoards provided a feature for a module or widget on Wittenberg in which RSS feeds can be displayed, rather like the blogroll (Bobina dals Blogs) here on the Mormoglhen site. While this may not be possible, it provides an idea of what we would like to see: some form of automatic promotion for online Talossan publications. It would act as an incentive for us to continue publishing.

Here's to a bright future for the Talossan press!

Let the bugs live: pragmatism vs principle

There are two bills concerning micronational involvement in the Hopper at the moment: the ZRT's Live and Let Live Act, and Sir Cresti Siervicül's The One More Step Toward (Hopefully) Ending the Bug Wars Act. Meanwhile, Seneschal Nordselva's proposal of a commission has had a lukewarm reception.

The main difference between the acts is that One More Step provides for a blacklist of micronations, while Live and Let Live calls for a blacklist for any organisations which "threaten the safety and tranquility of Talossa". Additionally, in a bold opening section, Live and Let Live does away with both the micronation-defining-and-forbidding What's the Difference Act, as well as the Semi-Permeable Wall Act, which stops the government of Talossa from engaging in diplomacy with micronations. In the words of esteemed Peculiarist D. N. Vercariâ, they are "unconditionally dropped". The reasoning is that the government should be freed up in its foreign affairs competence, and that legislators should step out of the micronations business altogether.

Sir Cresti's bill references the phrase "bug nation": a term from the era of King Robert I denoting an annoying startup micronation, often consisting of only a website and a sign-up form, pestering Talossa for "diplomatic relations".

Mormoglhen hopes that there will be no rerun of the Sir Humphrey strife (where neither bill ended up passing), given that there are two competing bills on the same issue. One More Step may be in a stronger position, since it is supported by Alexandreu Davinescu and Sir Mick Preston, not known for their pro-reform stances on this issue. The bill is also supported by Seneschal Nordselva. As far as Mormoglhen is aware, this is the first time since What's the Difference that the RUMP has waded into "micronation reform".

However, the issue is more important to parties such as the ZRT who included repeal of all micronation acts in its manifesto. It is unsurprising that the ZRT's bill is purer and more ideological. It is the hope of Mormoglhen that the aims of the ZRT's Live and Let Live Act proposal will be enacted, allowing for fewer arbitrary infringements on the freedoms of Talossans.

It is clear that the recent tumults concerning micronational involvement, as well as general Talossan bickering has left some needing some fresh air , not least the Prime Minister, who has declared a Month of Recess despite the Hopper teeming with controversial bills!

Mormoglhen's sidebar poll shows unanimous agreement that the RUMP is incoherent on micronations, however this may merely be reflective of Mormoglhen's die-hard readership!

[EDITORIAL] The government needs to take the lead on micronations

A consistent chorus from the conservatives in the matter of personal micronational involvement is something along the lines of "propose a bill then!" Those who protest the restrictions on individual membership of hobby nationettes are often treated as childish attention seekers who should rely on the Ziu as the only instrument capable of effecting change.

It is in fact the conservatives who are childish in pretending that no one has ever proposed a bill in the past. The most recent proposal for a blacklist rather than a whitelist faced considerable obstruction from RUMP elements of the Ziu.

The usual objections involving conflicts of interest and distraction were given, which in Mormoglhen's view are not strong enough to permit infringment on a Talossan's personal activities.

Mormoglhen believes that for the RUMP government to be taken seriously on this matter, the Seneschal should give an assurance that they will support repeal of the What's the Difference Act, or, even better, propose their own bill doing exactly that.

Micronations: a matter of civil rights?

Talossan law, specifically the What's the Difference Act, prohibits citizens from joining any society which:

• claims a governmental organization and citizenry and
• is not a member of the United Nations and
• is not a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and
• is not the Kingdom of Talossa or a subdivision thereof, or officially recognised by the Kingdom of Talossa.

Defenders of the law claim that it stops Talossa from becoming overrun by childish citizenship-collectors and  people who see Talossa as equivalent to their week-old "bathtub nation", as well as helping to stop citizens' attentions from being directed away from Talossa. Opponents claim that it is a relic of King Robert-era paranoia, perhaps stemming from fear of Penguinean infiltration, and that it is an unfair incursion on the personal hobbies of citizens.

Zooks, the Penguins are amongst us!

Uppermost Cort Justice Admiral Timotgi Asmourescu has engaged in an act of civil disobedience, after having already, with questionable standing, attempted to challenge the law in the Magistrate's Cort (the sticking point of the case was since clarified by a Prime Dictate by Seneschal Nordselva). Asmourescu has formed a micronation called Eurusia without renouncing his Talossan citizenship, and has invited other Talossans to join. So far, Éovart Grischun has joined him in this venture.

Proceedings have been initiated against him and Éovart Grischun by Attorney-General Beneditsch Ardpresteir.

Who will hear the case in the Uppermost Cort is uncertain, with Puisne Justice Asmourescu being a party to the case, and Puisne Justice Ián Tamorán having already issued what may amount to elements of an opinion prior to hearing the full facts of the case at hand.

Mormoglhen supports Justice Asmourescu and believes the What's the Difference Act to be unjust and possibly contrary to the Organic Law.

Civil Service showdown in this month's Clark

ABBAVILLA -- Never was there a more polarised Clark*. After intense sparring in Wittenberg's "Hopper" forum over whether or not a proposal for an active civil service to perform routine tasks for various ministries should simultaneously create those offices or merely allow for them, two similar bills have been published in the Clark offering a stark choice to Talossa's legislators.

The bills are Cosa Speaker Charlie Xheraltescu's "Sir Humphrey Appleby Civil Service Act", and Alexandreu Davinescu's "Leaner Sir Humphrey" Act. The original motivation for the act was, in the words of the preamble, "stability, continuity, and separation from partisan politics", with Admiral Tim Asmourescu among the original supporters of such an idea. Xheraltescu's bill includes an enumeration of civil servants, including the Admiral, the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue, and various Permanent Secretaries, modeled after the British approach to the civil service.

MC Davinescu immediately took against the proposal, opining:

Sir Humphrey

[...] as I look at this, the only offices that I see any conceivable need for would be that of the PermaSec for Immigration and (maybe) STUFF. And I suspect that we could serve such needs in a much simpler manner without these complicating new bureaucracy - approval committee! - by just having these ministries establish, as needed, such positions by individual arrangement with the Ziu.

I would like the sections pertaining to Justice, Defense, and Finance struck from the bill. It would also be wise to remove or reform the "more can be created as needed" section, since no agent is specified (presumably the Ziu is meant, but that would require another bill, anyway, so why have this confusing clause?) And lastly, why are we also creating a new post whose function will be to appoint others every couple of years?

No compromise was reached before the competing bills of Xheraltescu and Davinescu were Clarked.

With near-Boolean predictability, the votes of RUMP and ZRT legislators are opposed in the matter, with some MCs from other parties voting against both proposals, perhaps in disgust at the pettiness of their appearance on the same Clark. The RUMP Seneschal, Txec dal Nordselva was, in Mormoglhen's view, considerably embarrassed by the vote, given that he is a cosponsor of Xheraltescu's original act, despite the subsequent RUMP consensus around Davinescu's proposal.

Mormoglhen gives its support to Tuischac'h Xheraltescu's proposal, not least because it is cosponsored by the editor!

* That's probably hyperbole, but hey.

Returned M-P Furxhéir updates database with enthusiasm

WITTENBERG -- The Kingdom was delighted to welcome back M:sr Martì-Páir Furxhéir, a former Kingdom senator and Secretary of State among other things, as well as an active contributor in the early days of the Talossan Republic.

Since returning, M:sr Furxhéir has jumped into several projects with vigour, most notably his restoration of the unofficial Talossan database, which collates countless data points from across Talossan society.