Grand Admiral nominee faces Senate scrutiny

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E-News Network - "Grand Admiral nominee faces Senate scrutiny"
Written by HEM Tiberius

When newly elected President Kraketopia proposed his Cabinet to the Senate, he made it clear he expected his mandate to extend to his Cabinet choices saying that: "[These nominees] should not come as a surprise to you as it was announced well before the election, and the populace has voted me in with a decent majority with the expectation that this cabinet is the one I will be working with."

But no matter the margin of votes in an election, the Senate retains the power to confirm or deny every officer appointed to the Cabinet. The custom of having the legislature confirm an executive cabinet was relatively uncommon when Europeia adopted the measure into her first constitution of the Republic. The confirmation tends to stand for more of a symbol of the legislature's check over the Executive rather than an actual power.

Seven Deaths was one of Kraketopia's more controversial Cabinet officers released during the campaign. Former President Seven Deaths served in the Goldenblock himself in late 2013, and was derided for neglecting the region in favor of Albion. However, many argue that Seven Deaths is just joining the league of citizens who were outstanding public servants, but just poor Presidents. Many celebrated Europeians are in this group, such as: Pez201, Aramor, Neohabighorst, Sopo, and...myself.

What is concerning to Senator Cormac -- the most critical Senator of the nomination -- is not just ancient history, however. Seven Deaths is currently serving as a Commander within the UIAF, which while allied with Europeia, may result in conflict of interest situations. When asked to take a leave of absence from his UIAF post, Seven Deaths made it clear he wasn't interested, "I'm not reluctant to take a leave of absence, I'm flat out refusing to do so. Minor difference, I know, but I thought I'd point it out."

While other Senators have expressed concerns, most have shown a desire to trust the new President and give him his first Cabinet. Senator Elias Greyjoy has joined Cormac in issuing concerns, but has not committed to voting one way or another.

It is expected that the entire Cabinet will be ultimately confirmed.

 

[Elias Greyjoy]

First time a Cabinet nomination has faced any type of uphill battle since Cerian as MoFA? Or me in the same position? I think it's healthy that the Senate isn't just going about the act of blindly confirming all nominees.

 

[hyanygo]

I think SD will pass the process.

 

[modernsin]

I think SD will pass the process.

I think he will too. And I'm...mostly okay with that. Sort of. Maybe. Not really though. Maybe.

I do think that SD is not the ideal GA pick at this point in time. The ERN was largely inactive last term due to widespread unavailability among the sailors, including myself. I think the best thing the ERN can do, moving forward this term, is to turn its attention inward, so to speak - recruiting, training, getting more sailors comfortable with scouting and leading raids and so forth so the burden of leadership doesn't rest wholly on the GA's shoulders all the time. If SD's intention is to basically use the ERN as mere reinforcements for his beloved UIAF and their operations, I consider that a gross misappropriation of our flagging Naval infrastructure.

I'm not sure how many of these points have already been brought up in the Senate thread since I have yet to read all of the posts therein, but suffice to say I'm not feeling too confident about the ERN's prospects in the coming weeks. More of an apprehensive wait-and-see feeling, I guess. I trust that SD is usually active and committed to any position he's appointed to, but I wonder whether his priorities are aligned with the best interests of the ERN in its present state.

 

[Rach]

I also think he will pass.

There is a strong belief that the Presidents choices for Ministries, in particular his first choices should always be approved because he was elected by the people and has the popular mandate. That belief will surpass any hesitations the Senate has about Seven Deaths.

 

[Seven Deaths]

If SD's intention is to basically use the ERN as mere reinforcements for his beloved UIAF and their operations, I consider that a gross misappropriation of our flagging Naval infrastructure.

I assure you that isn't my intention. I'd explain further, but I've already done so in the EBC thread if anyone wants to read it.

 

[Charli]

Good read!

 

[Lethen]

Interesting read. I've been in the situation of serving as the same cabinet official in two allied regions simultaneously; it wasn't pretty.

 

[hyanygo]

To deny SD would be the equivalent of a RL legislature denying supply. Embarrassing for the administration and an early nail in the coffin, Faced with an overwhelming show of support from the electorate only a few days ago, it is unthinkable that the Senate would deny Krak' his first choice.

 

[Cormac]

The Senate also has a mandate, and a responsibility, to reject Cabinet nominees that it believes would be detrimental to Europeia. That mandate may be less fresh because we were elected weeks ago, but it is no less real.

The President's election does not necessarily mean a mandate for all of his Cabinet nominees. Those who elected him may have done so for a variety of reasons, and with the knowledge that his nominees would face Senate scrutiny and a confirmation vote.

 

[PhDre]

Faced with an overwhelming show of support from the electorate only a few days ago, it is unthinkable that the Senate would deny Krak' his first choice.

Unless his first choice is (arguably) not the best choice. Why is there a nomination and approval process in the Constitution? Is the Senate supposed rubber stamp the President's nominations? I think this is more clear when the President makes obviously detrimental picks (recall Swak for every position), and that's more common a few resignations into the term. But I'd agree with Cormac that a electoral victory is not a midas touch.

 

[modernsin]

I agree with the point that just because Kraken received a lot of support in his Presidential run, the same level of support doesn't necessarily extend to his Cabinet picks, of which SD was probably the most controversial throughout the election and, obviously, after it.

However, I'm gonna call bullshit on at least 50% of Cormac's rationale for rejecting SD:

The fact is that Seven Deaths has been combative and uncooperative under Senate scrutiny. Even if citizens were aware of the President's choices, they were also aware those choices would face Senate scrutiny and Seven Deaths has not passed the test.

I hope my fellow Senators will agree, and moreover I urge President Kraketopia to withdraw and replace his nomination for Grand Admiral in light of his nominee's lack of cooperation toward the Senate, which he could not have anticipated and for which he shouldn't be faulted.

What this says to me is that you're upset that SD didn't answer your questions the way you wanted him to. Your questions were fair, but so were his answers. He wasn't being uncooperative, he was being striaghtforward about his degree of commitment to the UIAF.

At no point did SD refuse to answer any of your questions or speak in a disrespectful manner. So hinging your vote of a Cabinet nominee on the fact that they gave consistently clear and honest answers is laughable. Not upsetting or offensive or controversial. Laughable. Your other objections are more reasonable, but you're mad that he didn't spoon-feed you the 'rah-rah Europeia's #1!' answers you wanted to hear? Get over yourself, man.

And I'm still not sure why you're tabling the vote on SD. Seems like most everyone's mind is made up, and CSP (the likely victor in the standby) has given his intended vote as well ("I won't vote against" is close enough, at least ). Dragging this out isn't doing anyone any favors.

 

[Elias Greyjoy]

I concur - a delay was altogether unnecessary, especially since it seems there is already a 3-2 split in favor.

 

[hyanygo]

Recall Cormac h43r:

 

[Drecq]

I delayed the vote because I felt that with a nomination this controversial (I mean when was the last time a cabinet nominee was not confirmed? or had this much uproar around it) the entire senate deserved to vote on it. And I wont presume to take CSPs vote for granted. And as it is 3-2 his vote could either confirm or not confirm SD.

 

[Mousebumples]

I'll admit that I'm also curious about the concerns that Cormac and Elias have both raised since Cormac would have had the same split alliances, should Drecq have won and Cormac had been nominated for GA.

Other than, as MS says, not answering questions they way you want him to ... what is the difference here? SD at least has an available WA nation that he could use to personally lead ERN missions. Was Cormac prepared to cut ties with Osiris if nominated for GA?

I don't claim to be a military expert, so it's quite possible that I'm missing something here. However, to an ERN outsider, this outrage seems somewhat ... convenient, as two of the likely alternative GA candidates are the ones generating all the noise.

 

[Elias Greyjoy]

I don't claim to be a military expert, so it's quite possible that I'm missing something here. However, to an ERN outsider, this outrage seems somewhat ... convenient, as two of the likely alternative GA candidates are the ones generating all the noise.

You've hit the nail on the head - we're just butthurt we didn't get a nod this time around.

I think I've laid out a fairly easily-understood argument - SD has shown major conflicts of interest on the past when it comes to Europeian allegiance. Cormac, to my knowledge, is just a lot more busy and pan-regional than most of us. Difference being (if we want to continue with the irrelevant hypothetical you have postulated) that everyone knew Cormac had other responsibilities should he have been nominated, but we knew he was active enough to lead and teach, and his other regional affiliation have never caused issues in the past, to my knowledge. SD, however, is quite the opposite. Not only has he been inactive in the Navy for some time, clearly Europeia is a second-tier priority for him. My issue is giving the reins to someone who has been out of the game for some time who already has past problems with activity. I'm not so concerned with there regional affiliations except where they could cause, as Cormac has described, decreased attention to Europeia.

 

[Yuri R. Somerset]

Cormac made it pretty clear I thought that he would not remove his WA nation from Osiris.

I honestly felt it should have all been voted on en banc, but seeing as how there was enough opposition to drag it out at least confirming the non-controverisal appointees would be prudent so we didn't waste valuable time waiting that could be used to implement Kraken's other agenda items.

I would like to see this brought to a vote, but I understand there are four others who have their own opinions, and unfortunately in a democracy things move slowly. Is it annoying? Sometimes, but it is necessary, and that is what makes Europeia so great. We all have a say in how the government is run. Each branch serves its own function, and each takes that function seriously and handles it in a professional manner. Will SD be confirmed? I feel that he most likely will, but I don't see any real harm in his having to make the senate feel warm and fuzzy before we do so. I personally do have some issues from what has been brought up, but I know how I will vote, and I think everyone else does as well at this point.

 

[Elias Greyjoy]

I don't see any real harm in his having to make the senate feel warm and fuzzy before we do so. I personally do have some issues from what has been brought up, but I know how I will vote, and I think everyone else does as well at this point.

While a separate issue from the nominee, the delay in the vote is another problem I have.

If the above is the major argument in delaying the vote, then you aren't looking at the consequences of such a delay. Now, we have a Mate (the second-lowest rank of the active fleet) running the Navy, in the stead of an appointed GA nominee, and coordinating our military movements. To my knowledge, Kraken hasn't received any leadership training when it comes to the Navy. I very much doubt this is how the President envisioned rebuilding the Navy - waiting on the Senate to confirm or deny his nominee all because we wanted to make the Senate feel "warm and fuzzy."