Farewell Message from the 53rd Cosâ Government

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

Esteemed Mençéi and Túischac’h and all the Senators and Members of the Cosâ:

The last Clark votes have now been released, and soon the 53rd Cosâ will be dissolved. I stand before you today to give what I hope to be a balanced account of the Government which I have led in this term.

I make no secret that I hope to continue as Seneschál in the next Cosâ. In addition to that, I hope that, in the upcoming Cosâ election, my own party, the Free Democrats, will increase on our current plurality to form an absolute majority, the better to enact our full programme. However, I count intellectual honesty and moral courage as among the greatest virtues. The only way that I and my colleagues can hope for a new mandate from the people is through an honest accounting of what we have done with our mandate.

I would like therefore to briefly sketch out some of what I see as the major triumphs of the Free-Democrat-led government of the 53rd Cosa; what have been our failures and omissions; and what the balance sheet might mean for those who need to be convinced that we deserve to be re-elected.

I produce for your edification the ‘Action Sheet’ that the 53rd Cosâ Cabinet, when formed, mapped out as a line of march. How have we performed with regards to it? Let’s start from what I think is our biggest success, the recovery of our national webspace and domain names.

Other governments talked about it endlessly, but my government did it. Due mainly to the initiative and enterprise of Senator Sevastáin Pinátsch as Minister of STUFF, we obtained affordable webhosting under the control of the elected Government (and of the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue). For the first time in what I believe is the history of the Kingdom (it was always the case in the former Talossan Republic), Talossa’s domain names and webspace belong to Talossa as a whole and are under the control of officials responsible to the people. The next step from here will be moving onto the New Wittenberg, which will also be owned by the State and administered by the Chancery and other accountable civil servants.

The other big success for this Government’s agenda is also an online one: La C’hronicâ, the official monthly Talossan news-blog, which is now published on the front page of talossa.com and mailed out to all citizens. Given the collapse in the private press over the last decade or so, this is a huge leap forward in – not only making sure that all Talossans, active or inactive, know what’s going on in the Kingdom and can “get involved” if and when they feel like it – but also making Talossa more accessible to new immigrants. My only regret is that I originally envisaged it as a weekly, rather than a monthly event – but the Office of the Cultural Development Secretary only has so much time and energy, so we make do with what we have right now.

I also consider the Fiovâ-Florencia merger debate a success of this term – even though the electors of Florencia eventually rejected it. Because this debate brought to the very forefront the question of why we have provinces in Talossa, and what their function is. This is another of those situations where it was talked about endlessly by previous political establishments – people came up with all kinds of ideas and solutions for major provincial consolidation – but nothing ever happened because a lack of leadership. No-one was prepared to pick up a proposal and run with it because they were too willing to let any opposition mean that nothing ended up happening.. Thus, I hope that the eventually abortive F-F merger has blazed a trail for any movement or individual who wants to change the number or shape or function of the Provinces of Talossa. All it takes is some political will, and the willingness to push through an idea to the point where the people can vote on it - no matter the caveats, worries, suspicions or occasional outright abuse that you might receive.

Another major success of this Cosâ – which is of course dependent on the outcome of a future referendum – has of course been the Still Into This Amendment, which was of course designed by the leader of the AMP party, Senator Ian Plätschisch . This is the most major constitutional reform in Talossa since the original enactment Organic Law of 1997. And it happened because people kept pushing for it, despite nitpicking and outlandish rhetoric from those who opposed it. The Free Democrats are proud to have been part of the coalition of forces that made this happen.

Now comes the less pleasant part. The following are a list of things that the Government wanted to do in this term, but failed to come to pass:

• Establishing SIGN as a new organisation for administering the Talossan language to replace the moribund and inactive CÚG.
• Organise “voluntary taxation” (i.e. fundraising) for State revenue.
• Removing Wisconsin Law from el Lexhátx and replacing it with Talossan equivalents.
• A more proactive role in Foreign Affairs and engagement with the broader micronational community.
• A more proactive use of our national social media accounts, now that we have them back under our control.
• A New Citizens’ Information Pack
• Games, quizzes and puzzles.

So why has the Government only been able to actually push a few of the things on this wish-list? I would argue – and I think this is crucial for Talossa’s future – that this government has an ample supply of political will, and our successes have come where that was all that was needed. In those areas where not much actual “work” from multiple citizens was necessary, but just a willingness to “stick at it” and not give up when things got hard – we made it happen. We got things done (and had some fun).

Where we fell down was areas where a group of people had to step up and commit to doing the work. To give an example, the Government, through the Culture Ministry, has done everything in our power to try to encourage the Talossan-speaking community to get itself organised. There has been plenty of talking, but – sadly – hardly anyone has stepped up to make things happen. There are of course exceptions – I would like to especially commend cxhn. Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun for his contributions to archiving the Talossan-language text corpus.

Similarly, voluntary taxation and de-Wisconsinization of our law were only possible if the Finance Minister and the Justice Minister had the time and energy – which, unfortunately, they hadn’t, and I will leave it to them to give such accounts as they feel appropriate.

Simply put, Talossa can only have those things which Talossans are happy to put time and effort in to working on. I don’t spend stupid amounts of time on Talossa – maybe 30 minutes to an hour a day, on average, and I’m the head of the Government. I therefore find it distressing that some who have positions of responsibility in our Kingdom seem to treat Talossa as something which can be safely ignored days or even weeks on end.

As my respected long-term political rival Sir Alexandreu Davinescu rightly said, part of the glory of Talossa is that enables every citizen who wants to be to be a protagonist, a major actor, in politics, law, and national culture. It therefore continues to disturb me how many Talossans deal with their adopted motherland as “consumers” rather than protagonists. Government or State officials who don’t do their jobs – or overpromise and underdeliver without a good explanation – should, I believe, be ashamed of themselves.

What is in my opinion even more shameful – even unpatriotic – is to simultaneously do nothing, and to complain that nothing is being done or, even worse, attempt to obstruct and derail attempts at doing something. In the provincial merger debate, a long-term stalwart of this Nation, Lord Hooligan said, and I find this endlessly amusing: “is inactivity bad? I think not!” Well, I do think inactivity is bad. On the other hand, inactivity is the right of every citizen, and thus I don’t begrudge the citizens of Florencia for their anti-merger vote. But on the third hand, or perhaps tentacle, inactivity from those who have offices of State is simply shameful. This is not some bug nation – or lame fraternal order – where you get fancy titles for doing nothing.

To some extent, I think this “cultural sickness” can be traced back to the pre-2005 days, when King Robert I really could “do Talossa” full time and keep all the aspects of government and culture going by force of will. It’s easier to be a consumer in a dictatorship, where citizenship has neither real rights nor real responsibilities. But in our current day and age, we need more protagonists, and less consumers, in Talossa. And I do not believe anyone who is not prepared to do the work and commit to being available when needed deserves any position of power or authority.

A democratic state, whether a republic or a constitutional monarchy, requires patriotism – in Talossan terms, being prepared to actually do stuff so that Talossa may continue – to survive. If you want a buzzing, vibrant Talossa which attracts new citizens so that old ones can have a rest, and yet continues to build upon its political and cultural achievement, you all have to work for it – not to just elect a Government which promises to do everything for you. This is, parenthetically, what I encourage all Talossans to think about when they read the Manifesto of my respected colleagues and rivals in the AMP party. That’s a great list of stuff that could be done. But who will do it?

If by the grace of Allà and by the will of the people and the King I am privileged to lead the Government again in the 54th Cosa, my “wish-list” of What Is To Be Done will probably not change very much. But overriding everything will be the question of activity – whether reactivating old citizens or attracting new citizens. The National Survey which this Government conducted – though it was mocked and nitpicked, like virtually every new initiative in Talossa tends to be – got the best snapshot ever seen of what a broad range of Talossans, active and inactive thought, and what they wanted. So I believe the next Government has the duty to try to make some of that happen. But the Government can’t do it alone - not even with the help of the Chancery and all the other Royal Civil Servants who’ve been doing fine work. Nothing will happen, nothing will fundamentally change in Talossa, unless existing Talossans get of their ciúls and make it happen. I don’t know what I can do to make that happen except for making vaguely threatening speeches. But I have a commitment to it, and the voters can trust me on that.

I would like to close this speech with a note of thanks to King John . We have often politically disagreed in this term of office, and we all know that I would prefer that his position not exist. But I like to think that – especially around the nationalisation of our webspace – we formed a very good working relationship. We’ve both been forthright in our views about how I think the relationship between constitutional monarch and elected government should work – and, more or less, I think that now we’ve reached a pretty good point of mutual understanding and respect. I think that I have shown to His Majesty through practice that, even if you disagree with my views of what is good for Talossa, that I am honest; I am dedicated; I honour my commitments; I accept political victories and defeats in good graces, and that I get things done. I hope that the King and the people will take that into account and give me another term in office.

Så vivádra Talossa! 40 års pü!

[Gödafrïeu Válcadác’h]

Talossa... Ben’s bedroom kingdom having evolved from a one-man show to a vibrant community...

It is up to all of us to build on what has come before. The fun we have doing Talossa is wholly dependent on what we put we put into it. It’s been amazing to serve alongside this government, and I look forward to a mandate for another term in servant-leadership in service to the Dream and Reality that is Talossa.

[Ian Plätschisch]

Oct 22, 2019 15:39:02 GMT -6 Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN said:

As my respected long-term political rival Sir Alexandreu Davinescu rightly said, part of the glory of Talossa is that enables every citizen who wants to be to be a protagonist, a major actor, in politics, law, and national culture. It therefore continues to disturb me how many Talossans deal with their adopted motherland as “consumers” rather than protagonists. Government or State officials who don’t do their jobs – or overpromise and underdeliver without a good explanation – should, I believe, be ashamed of themselves.

What is in my opinion even more shameful – even unpatriotic – is to simultaneously do nothing, and to complain that nothing is being done or, even worse, attempt to obstruct and derail attempts at doing something. In the provincial merger debate, a long-term stalwart of this Nation, Lord Hooligan said, and I find this endlessly amusing: “is inactivity bad? I think not!” Well, I do think inactivity is bad. On the other hand, inactivity is the right of every citizen, and thus I don’t begrudge the citizens of Florencia for their anti-merger vote. But on the third hand, or perhaps tentacle, inactivity from those who have offices of State is simply shameful. This is not some bug nation – or lame fraternal order – where you get fancy titles for doing nothing.

To some extent, I think this “cultural sickness” can be traced back to the pre-2005 days, when King Robert I really could “do Talossa” full time and keep all the aspects of government and culture going by force of will. It’s easier to be a consumer in a dictatorship, where citizenship has neither real rights nor real responsibilities. But in our current day and age, we need more protagonists, and less consumers, in Talossa. And I do not believe anyone who is not prepared to do the work and commit to being available when needed deserves any position of power or authority.

A democratic state, whether a republic or a constitutional monarchy, requires patriotism – in Talossan terms, being prepared to actually do stuff so that Talossa may continue – to survive. If you want a buzzing, vibrant Talossa which attracts new citizens so that old ones can have a rest, and yet continues to build upon its political and cultural achievement, you all have to work for it – not to just elect a Government which promises to do everything for you. 

The sentiments in this speech are exactly why I founded AMP. I am extraordinarily pleased to see others coming to the same conclusion I did.

This is, parenthetically, what I encourage all Talossans to think about when they read the Manifesto of my respected colleagues and rivals in the AMP party. That’s a great list of stuff that could be done. But who will do it?

If I've proved anything during my Talossan life, it's that I'm a legislating machine. There should be no doubt about AMP's ability to accomplish our legislative goals (given we have the support of other parties).