Tzaracomprada for M-M Senator

[Breneir Itravilatx]

Hello my fellow M-Mers,

I submit my name for consideration as your next Senator. I have served in the Cosa almost since the time of my immigration and have struggled to affect change primarily in the area of foreign affairs. I have had a few fancy titles (of which there are many to be held in our nation) including currently as the Grand General Secretary of our province. I will be contacting each resident of our province in order to conduct a listening tour as to what most concerns the populace of our province and to glean some ideas directly from the grassroots as to what direction you believe that Maritiimi-Maxhestic should take in the coming months.

This, I hope, will be the hallmark of my senatorial campaign. Being an honest advocate with an ear close to the ground as to the needs, questions, and concerns of this most glorious province. This will not be a flashy or pompous candidacy just a bare-bones correspondence with you so that you, the voters, can make an informed decision.

Once this listening tour is completed, this is the spot where I will be publishing an Agenda for Maritiimi-Maxhestic and where I hope to foster a continuing dialogue with my fellow M-Mers.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

GGS Tzaracomprada, would you mind if I asked you some questions with regards to your candidacy? I would of course answer any questions you might have for me.

EDIT: Rephrase

[Breneir Itravilatx]

Of course, as a voter in M-M, why not? And welcome back to the boards after your sudden departure.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

I was wondering what you would do differently from myself, actually. So it's less a question as a voter and more a question as a fellow candidate for the office. I think I've been a decent citizen, a decent local politician, and a decent Senator for Maritiimi-Maxhestic. And since you want to replace me, I guess I'm just curious as to what you think I shouldn't have done or that you would do better.

I have prided myself on doing everything I can for my province. Years ago, I took the empty provincial webpage and filled it full of pictures, facts, and what fun I could muster. I proposed provincial laws as a member of the Assembly while we were still running under the previous system, before I tried to take national office at all. I started carrying a provincial banner in my signature with every post, and tried to encourage others to show their provincial pride as well. When it came time for national office, I ran for the Senate seat and won. I never missed a single vote, and tried to always explain my reasons. I appealed to know what the people wanted, and tried to represent them at every turn.

Eventually I led the call for a constitution for our province, and headed the constitutional committee. I authored the central parts of the constitution, including our fundamental and most basic concepts of maximum democracy. I organized assignments to our Assembly, press-ganging you into the office of Grand General Secretary. I have written the only law which is pending passage, a multi-part law that fills in the statutory gaps needfully left by the constitution.

Clearly I'm tooting my own horn here. But I think I've done okay. What would you do differently?

[Breneir Itravilatx]

Former Senator Davis, you have done great things for our province and you have a right to toot your own horn. I do not dispute this. I once counted myself as a proud supporter of yours based on the proud legacy that you had built on the actions that you describe in your query. I had not intended on running for Senator until the actions that led to your departure, quite frankly.

Your history is golden but it is also tarnished. I cannot bring myself to allow your most recent actions to be forgotten and how they were a threat to the very provincial democracy that you sought to serve. It is this same province that you helped grow that also slipped into an "emergent state of emergency" during your tenure as Senator. And I can not say what would or would not have been done differently in the past as I am not running for the office that you formerly held rather the office that you seek to hold once more.

In my review of provincial history I can not find an example of a sitting Senator threatening to withhold support of legislation with no consideration simply because it originated from an opposing party in retaliation for some perceived ungentlemanly act. Yes, your earlier actions are indeed laudable but your most recent behavior is, as all Talossa not just M-M witnessed, condemnable.

I propose, former Senator Davis, no I pledge actually, that I shall never commit to such an act. I will work to uphold your noble legacy in future and will continue to work for reform of the Senate, consolidation of our province's government, and will foster a continuous dialogue with the residents of our province.

I can make no other promises and shall refrain from doing so.

Thank you very much for this question.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

Well, I guess that's fair enough. I sure did make a fool of myself, and I think I made the right decision when I stepped down. And maybe you're right, maybe I don't deserve a second chance. I would like to think I did, but I guess that's not my call.

I do think I should correct one thing. While it was indeed during my tenure as Senator that the province entered its emergent state of emergency, you would seem to imply that this can somehow be laid at my doorstep. But while I might be at fault for not goading the Assembly into taking an action, I could not personally have done anything because I was not assigned any seats in the Assembly that term.

The only thing that could have prevented the State of Emergency was the Assembly voting on something. Anything. I was not in the Assembly. I believe there were two members of the Assembly, actually. I'm not entirely sure, but I think Daviu Serivicul held two seats, and Breneir Tzaracomprada held six seats. The party leaders of the other parties did not assign other seats.

So while I fully accept responsibility for being a boneheaded dolt and losing my temper last month, it's not really fair to blame me for this other deal. Is it?

[Breneir Itravilatx]

Hmmm. I guess the blame is shared with the provincial assembly and the national provincial leadership. I accept some blame for the lack of activity and I thank you for accepting some of the blame for that state of affairs and your actions prior to your departure.

[Breneir Itravilatx]

::Debate clip on Election Reform::

As a matter of procedure concerning electoral reform I support forms of preferential voting, one of which is indeed Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), and while I think that the bill would need some significant revisions I find myself still in support of the Election Reform Act Take Two. IRV allows one, rather than choosing just one candidate on a ballot to be able to rank their votes in accordance to their support. I have always liked this form of voting as it takes into account shades of gray within our political preferences rather than forcing us to choose the "least worst". And I can not imagine a system that allows for a more nuanced and deeper ability to actuate our desires concerning governance to be a bad thing.
Concerning IRV, I agree with Sir Briga and S:reu Asmourescu who suggested a pilot program in one of provinces rather than an immediate and large-scale change to our realm-wide election system.

Yes, most certainly, let the discussions on election reform continue and I am proud to say that along with S:reu Gavárþic'h (at least as far as IRV and voting systems is concerned) we helped further along these very important discussions.

[Breneir Itravilatx]

::Debate clip on Provincial Activity::

There are myriads reasons for the current state of affairs. But I think the most influential reason is the fact that many M-Mers struggle with balancing their activity level in Talossa with their other important activities such as family, work, education and non-Talossan society. Besides a legal framework we must also build M-M’s non-governmental culture and this includes dialogue beyond local issues. Should I be elected I will convene continuous public consultations via the provincial board, PMs and my personal email with M-Mers on all legislative articles under review within each Clark of the Ziu. In order to ensure not only that the dialogue between S:reu Davis and I continues but to continue the development of an inquisitive and deliberative provincial society. My decisions will be the result of a collaborative relationship between me and the citizens of the province that I represent. No decisions from on high.

Edited: Formatting

[Breneir Itravilatx]

::Debate Clip on the Judiciary::

If you will bear with me, I have a case in point. In July of 2009, King John nominated Sir Samuhel Tecladeir to the Uppermost Cort and I submitted some questions to the nominee. And in two months those short and simple questions about the nominee’s views concerning his own fitness for the Cort and for the future of the Cort were not answered. So, when it came time to vote I was the first to step up and vote NON as we had not even heard from the nominee. And one after another my fellow Progressives joined me and even some members of the RUMP either changed their vote or joined the chorus asking for answers from the King’s nominee. In the end, the nomination was soundly rejected and in October of 2009, the search began anew for a replacement for the honorable Duke. It was one of the proudest moments of my time in the Cosa.

[Breneir Itravilatx]

This was one of my proudest hours in the Ziu and I count it as an important exchange.

S:reu Davis (14 November 2009): Your changes in the rules may well have some merit, Tzaracomprada. Unfortunately, you accompanied them with an implication that the Secretary of State abused his power. Inasmuch as I can see, all he did was express an opinion about a political matter... and it had absolutely nothing to do with his job.

Because I think your behavior was unbecoming to a gentleman and a member of the Ziu, I will be voting against every Progressive Party bill now and in the future until either the PP or you apologize to a public servant who has behaved in an irreproachably correct manner from the start of his time in office. Every bill sponsored or co-sponsored by the Progressive Party will be anathema in my eyes until such a time as this party makes amends for this slander. If a member of the PP wishes to do so on Tzaracomprada's behalf, that will of course be immediately accepted.

S:reu Tzaracomprada (14 November 2009): As far as I am concerned no apology will be forthcoming. And I will be campaigning to ensure that you are held responsible for using your office as Senator for partisan retribution at the costs of the good citizens of M-M.

S:reu Davis (14 November 2009): It's partisan only inasmuch as I am holding your party responsible for your slander. You may of course take what actions you think reasonable, Tzaracomprada. But I suspect you will find very few people willing to join you in accusing the Secretary of State of corruption of his office.

S:reu Tzaracomprada (14 November 2009): I suspect that people will join me in ensuring that another Secretary of State does not wade into partisan politics as has happened. I also suspect that people will join me in preventing you from using the honor and privilege of the office of Senator for political retribution. For someone who claims that I am not a gentleman...you are currently pledging to commit "un-gentlemanly" acts.

That exchange is pulled directly from the "Questions to the Executive" thread in the Hopper between 6:52pm and 7:52pm on November 14, 2009.

And it is a clear example of judgment. My record is for all to see and so is my level of judgment in the appropriate care of (my potential) duties of the Office of Senator.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

With regards to the above post, if you would care to include the comments preceding your selections and the ones following them, you can read them here. Actually, MC Tzaracomprada, you should feel free to just copy/quote that post and edit in your own comments. It might be easier, and the links are already there for people to follow the posts back to the original thread for context. But that's just a suggestion, and if you want me to butt out (understandably!) then just say so and I'll delete this post.

[Breneir Itravilatx]

I thank you for that link to the full and expanded view of the exchange I assume to the Questions to the Executive thread. I wanted to hone in on that specific hour as it was the most critical part to me and please let me know if within that hour I left out any dialogue either from you or me. You needn't delete the post above.

[Breneir Itravilatx]

::Debate Clip on Government and Humanitarianism::

Regrettably, we disagree on two points. I do believe in the necessity of well-regulated charities and that our government should play a role in such an effort. Further, I do believe that governments (as is currently shown in the response of multiple nations to Haiti) can and should play a role in answering natural and man-made emergencies.

[Breneir Itravilatx]

Fellow M-Mers over the past few weeks I have solicited your comments and ideas concerning the direction that our glorious province should take and I first wanted to thank you for sharing your own brilliance with me. I now present the Tzaracomprada for Senate campaign’s Agenda for Maritiimi-Maxhestic.

Promulgation of our Provincial Constitution

I will work with the new General Assembly and the new Grand General Secretary in addition to the King and Cunstaval in to popularly ratify the currently proposed Constitution. While there was a constitutional convention and the Constitution was ratified by this convention it was not sent out for approval by all of the people of M-M.

Constant and continuous dialogue

In the debate, I stated…”Should I be elected I will convene continuous public consultations via the provincial board, PMs and my personal email with M-Mers on all legislative articles under review within each Clark of the Ziu. In order to ensure not only that the dialogue between S:reu Davis and I continues but to continue the development of an inquisitive and deliberative provincial society. My decisions will be the result of a collaborative relationship between me and the citizens of the province that I represent.” I stand by these words.

Senator Preston has done an admirable job of increasing the level of dialogue between constituent and representative. I will continue that dialogue via multiple communication platforms as this dialogue and collaboration between the people of M-M and their Senator would be a hallmark of my tenure.

Testing out IRV in M-M

“And I can not imagine a system that allows for a more nuanced and deeper ability to actuate our desires concerning governance. IRV allows one, rather than choosing just one candidate on a ballot to be able to rank their votes in accordance to their support. I have always liked this form of voting as it takes into account shades of gray within our political preferences rather than forcing us to choose the "least worst".”

We are indeed a bold and glorious province. And it is within our provincial character to lead the way in innovative and insightful techniques that broaden the ability of citizens to exercise their civic options.

I have said from the beginning that dialogue and collaboration will be the hallmark of my campaign and of my service should I be elected and it is a commitment that I intend to keep. I am running not only on experience but on judgment as shown in the incidents that started this campaign and challenged the candidacy of a judicial appointee. I will bring the same experience, commitment and judgment to bear in service to the people of M-M. I humbly ask for your support.

In Solidarity,
Breneir