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And this exact type of thing is what is most important about Wintreath... What makes this place so completely special and important. That at the end of the day no matter what we're all there for each other... Willing to help each other. As best we can, all around the world... A perfect support network.

not me tho i hate all of u.


Loljk, it's great to see the sense of community and camaraderie that's grown as Wintreath has grown. One of the few benefits of our relatively 'inactive' forums is that we've not lost that, and I can safely say that I've met a lot of great people here. Every single one of you weird and wonderful lot has far more merits to your names than you have downsides and I want you all to remember that.

Thanks for making my NS experience as great as it has been! I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us as a region and as a group of friends.

I suppose I might as well just come out and say it.

Since the region was first founded, I haven't exactly made my authoritarian style a secret...I believe I expressed it in some of my first posts in here, and the Fundamental Laws were intentionally written to allow for a powerful Executive. I wanted this because I believed I was capable of refraining from abusing such authority, and because I wanted to avoid the political dramas and battles that led me to leave Spiritus. I didn't want to pour myself into another region only to fall victim to politics and accusations that I had too much power...which is another reason that I have been upfront about my vision from the beginning of the region. I feel that thus far, the way our government is currently set up has been a key ingredient in our region's success, and I don't believe there have been any abuses of power under my reign, either by myself or my subordinates.

Because of that, I cannot support the direction that the majority of the Underhusen candidates are advocating for, especially in regards to proposals that directly target my position, such as the "Freedom of Information Act". Given the lack of controversy or need calling for it, I find Acts such as this highly offensive and insulting to me...it implies that I am a threat to the region which must be closely monitored, and I will not stand for such a thing after all the time and effort I've put into this place. The first time it was introduced, I stated that I would refuse to implement it if it passed. Should it be brought back up and passed, I will have to either take the same stance or step down from the regional leadership entirely. Either way, I refuse to hold a position with conditions that I'm fundamentally opposed to.

I don't feel I've unfairly wielded power, and I can't recall ever decreeing conditions to the Underhusen. All I've ever asked is for my own position and authorities to be left alone. After seven months of success, I feel like I deserve better than to be implicated as a threat to the region, even if it's reworded in such pretty terms as "Citizen's rights" and "balance of power". No Citizen has ever complained that they don't have access to private Executive meetings, and I thought it would be obvious that balance of power isn't something this region was built on. I directly appoint 2/3 of it, ffs. >_> So I suppose that is the main reason I have been depressed lately, amongst other things.

I don't really expect many people to agree with me, but it is what it is.

If I am elected to the Underhusen I have not said I will try and pass this freedom of information bill again.

I only make this point because maybe we should wait until the elections have been decided before any debate occurs on this Wintermoot.

Perhaps...but this is depressing me now, and it's best to get it off my chest so I can deal with the consequences of my stance one way or another asap and recover. Having led regions for over a year now, I know that this issue of Executive authority will come up eventually, if not now...it's best that my stance be on the record beforehand for better or for worse.

Ahh Mootles, I'm sorry that's the impression you're getting of the Act. If it's going to be that much of an issue for you I've no problem dropping the FoI - I'd much rather have you at the helm than being able to see what someone else was doing at the helm.

Are you available for a quick chat on IRC?

Hey..yeah, I'm still on IRC, just not in the channel.

Perhaps...but this is depressing me now, and it's best to get it off my chest so I can deal with the consequences of my stance one way or another asap and recover. Having led regions for over a year now, I know that this issue of Executive authority will come up eventually, if not now...it's best that my stance be on the record beforehand for better or for worse.

That is very understandable and I thank you for your honesty. Losing you as the Head of State would be a disaster for Wintreath and I personally won't do anything to bring that about.

I would also prefer shaking up my campaign and dropping my support of the FoI act over losing you as the region's head.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

Since this was a help for Weissreich in chat I thought I'd repeat it here...

There's actually very little of the forums that are private, because I'm a big believer on making the community as open as possible. In fact, there are three private areas at this time: the Riksråd meeting area, the military area, and the area for chat ops and forum admins, and they're all private for legitimate reasons. The Civil Service area is semi-private, but that's mostly so that people who haven't signed up for it don't have to be bothered with the forum. I don't consider anything in that area secret.

Also, I have to admit that I am very sensitive about the topic of my own authorities...not just because of what happened in Spiritus, but because of things that happened with another project I led for many years. It's something that I poured myself into and tried to do my best, but eventually I had to leave because people came to think of me as some kind of power-hungry tyrant...they even celebrated my departure. I'm aware that my style is authoritarian and that I desired and have a broad range of powers in this region, I've never kept that a secret. But I've always tried to use those authorities fairly, and to think of ways to make new ideas from other work, even if I didn't necessarily agree with them. I supported having an elected branch of government because I think not only does it draw activity, but that it's good for another branch to have purview over certain authorities, such as Citizenship requirements for example. I would never issue a decree in that area because I don't feel it's part of my purview as Monarch.

I've tried to be judicious in the way I use my authorities, and I suppose when things like this comes up, to me it feels like I'm in that situation again, where people feel like I'm a problem that needs to be controlled, supervised, or outright removed. I guess it just brings up bad memories...

Moot's right. I don't see why there's such a huge push for even greater freedom of information, given how much freedom is already in place. I actually think it may have something to do with the actual (US) government, automatically stimulating everyone's suspicion that every government, even NS ones, are now corrupt and deceitful...

I'd stop complaining, we got a really good man at the helm here folks.

These freedoms that we're allowed to have are incredible. WM has been a wonderful leader and doesn't abuse his power. This act proves that all people ever want is more freedom.

This is why rules are important. They govern how we're supposed to act. Freedom is the counterpart of rules.

With too much freedom, anarchy becomes prominent. Whereas too much rules, it becomes clear that the leader abuses the power.

With that, WM's stance on the act is reasonable.

Thank you for the support...tbh, it's not the outcome I anticipated.

You underestimate how much we love you

Or overestimated how much I'm hated, if I were to be cynical.