Senate Forces Withdrawal Of Capable Nominee Because ?????

[HEM]

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"Senate Forces Withdrawal Of Capable Nominee Because ?????"
HEM Tiberius
Managing Editor
Op-Ed

Earlier this week, Chief Comrade Prim submitted Maowi to fill the role of Councilor of World Assembly Affairs. Up to this point, the role had been filled by United People of Centrism, who vanished off the face of the earth as university began (understandable, if unfortunate).

"Maowi has been a steadfast contributor in World Assembly Affairs, with very in-depth knowledge of WA workings and knowledgeable about the key players in the WA, the WALL discord server, and the NS WA Discord Server," Chief Prim told the Senate. "As the WA has been slower recently and has a slightly less burdensome task list than the Ministry of Communications [...], I think Maowi will be deftly able to manage and delegate the tasks of both departments."

The Senate, evidently, didn't agree.

Without asking a single question of the nominee, Speaker GraVandius slammed the door on her immediately.

I could not be less hyped about there being a Minister-Councilor, whomever was the nominee. It represents an evidently complete paucity in talent pipelines in two ministries, at least in the eyes of you two [...] I really just don’t see a joint appointment here working out in either the short term or the long term, regardless of the talent of the nominee.

Senator Rand, also critical of the nomination, responded on the opposite end of the spectrum: by firing off a battery of half-a-dozen questions.

"I do wish to express my deep concern for the state of our government where we are so challenged to fill such a basic position. This nomination should be subject to significant scrutiny," Senator Rand suggested, prior to listing out his litany of different questions, most of which related to the dual nature of the appointment.

Sources from inside the Goldenblock indicate the whip counters inside the Senate saw the nomination consigned to failure, and Maowi withdrew her name from consideration.

For no real reason.

While Maowi's confirmation would've been historic in that she would've been the first person to hold a Council and Ministry job at the same time, the act of holding more than one role at once is not unheard of, or even rare. Senator Astrellan, who shared after the nomination was pulled that he would've voted in favor of Maowi, holds the roles of Minister, Senator, Deputy First Minister, and for this week, acting First Minister. Astellan was asked no questions about dual roles when unanimously reconfirmed by the Senate as Integration Minister.

Senator Rand, who asked his laundry list of questions, including the bizarre demand for a list of alternative candidates that were considered but deemed to not be good enough, also serves as a Justice on the High Court. In his own reconfirmation last week he wasn't asked a single question about dual roles, and was confirmed unanimously.

While some people may say that holding multiple positions in the executive is different than holding multiple roles in different branches, this argument is really position-contingent. It might be tricky to serve as Grand Admiral and Minister of Recruitment, but executive roles like Councilor of World Assembly Affairs or Attorney General are much less time-intensive (perhaps even less so than the Senate), as Chief Prim pointed out from the outset of his nomination remarks.

There's been much discussion in the region about how even as the domestic side of government staffs up with new members and fresh talent, the foreign affairs side remains run largely by veterans and old hands. This would've been an opportunity to introduce a qualified, trained, promising new member to the FA side of the government. The Senate, sadly, decided to go a different way.

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

Well said, HEM. It seems like almost every term we reward those who are legislatively talented with dual roles in the Judiciary and the Senate, or the in Attorney General position and the Senate. Yet if somebody's talents are in a different field, they get shut out. A very strange turn of events.

 

[cuddles]

Brilliant work here friend. Though it still is confusing on the ability to hold multiple roles. It seems that it is allowed for multiple roles of different branches but not the head of two within one branch. hopefully itll clear up in the future

 

[Acapais]

Good piece, Admiral!

 

[GraVandius]

To be clear the Senate did not "force" the withdrawl of the nominee. The Senate at no point even took an informal census on the vote and while everyone expressed concern about the nominee, had it gone to a vote it likely would have passed. At no point was Prim informed that the vote would probably go negative. To clarify the course of events for today at 10:28 am I broached the question of what the Senate wanted to do on the nomination because it was kinda in a weird place as evidently Maowi was well qualified but everyone had expressed some concerns and after a few days I wasn't sure if Rand had any followup questions. This and the two responses are shown in the attached screenshot. I assume your "source" in the Goldenblock is Prim and he read that message as it could potentially fail, even though it effectively provided no information other than I was going to vote nay, which was pretty much already clear. So the decision to withdraw is on the executive for jumping to assumptions.

Additionally, I would like to note that the harshness of my initial reaction was directed more at Pichto's weird excitement for the join-minister-councilor than the nominee herself. A joint appointment of this kind is, as I stated in my post, nothing to celebrate as it suggests a lack of a pipeline in two ministries. Pichto later stated that there were plenty of options for MinComm and that Maowi was the best/preferd pick. If this was the case I don't see why they reached the conclusion that Maowi should serve in both positions if there were other options for both positions they planned on nominating her for. Additionally, I don't understand if they were planning to do something historic they at no point even considered telling the Senate of this plan, to the degree of Prim repeatedly stating that he was waiting to post his CoWAA nominee to myself, privately and in public, until after FM nominations weirdly hiding the joint-appointment plan.

Further, Though the statements of Prim and Maowi to the effect of Maowi only having time to push out the bare minimum since she has ambitious plans for Communications compounded my concerns. The CoWAA was clearly a ministry that needed some special attention to get back up and running and both Maowi and Prim indicated that the nominee could not provide that at this time, while doing an excellent job in MinComm. Finally, the door for Maowi to serve as CoWAA is not closed forever, and I would welcome her nomination to the position in the future.

 

[Kuramia]

The Senate overreach here is disappointing, but I'm not surprised. Seems to me a FM and CoS working so closely together for the better of our region would be seen as a net positive, but I feel some would rather yell at the trees instead of appreciating the forest.

 

[HEM]

To be clear the Senate did not "force" the withdrawl of the nominee. The Senate at no point even took an informal census on the vote and while everyone expressed concern about the nominee, had it gone to a vote it likely would have passed. At no point was Prim informed that the vote would probably go negative.

"Forced" in a political context doesn't mean that the Senate passed a vote or measure to actually force the nominee to withdrawal. If it appears, for all intents and purposes, that the vote will fail because of lack of support, I think that merits use of that word. It's because of the Senate, and their stance, that the nominee was taken out of consideration. Even as a layperson, I could see that the nomination of Maowi was in significant peril, which is why I initially spoke up the other day.

To be crystal clear: I did not mean to suggest at any point there had been an official word from the Senate to the Chief of Staff to withdraw the nominee. Merely that an observation of the proceedings, even from an everyday Europeian, would probably lead to skepticism of the nomination passing.

Additionally, I would like to note that the harshness of my initial reaction was directed more at Pichto's weird excitement for the join-minister-councilor than the nominee herself. A joint appointment of this kind is, as I stated in my post, nothing to celebrate as it suggests a lack of a pipeline in two ministries. Pichto later stated that there were plenty of options for MinComm and that Maowi was the best/preferd pick. If this was the case I don't see why they reached the conclusion that Maowi should serve in both positions if there were other options for both positions they planned on nominating her for. Additionally, I don't understand if they were planning to do something historic they at no point even considered telling the Senate of this plan, to the degree of Prim repeatedly stating that he was waiting to post his CoWAA nominee to myself, privately and in public, until after FM nominations weirdly hiding the joint-appointment plan.

I think you should've asked some questions first, personally.

Further, Though the statements of Prim and Maowi to the effect of Maowi only having time to push out the bare minimum since she has ambitious plans for Communications compounded my concerns. The CoWAA was clearly a ministry that needed some special attention to get back up and running and both Maowi and Prim indicated that the nominee could not provide that at this time, while doing an excellent job in MinComm. Finally, the door for Maowi to serve as CoWAA is not closed forever, and I would welcome her nomination to the position in the future.

This context makes sense, and I thank you for sharing it. I think that's a valid concern, but might've been worth asking a question to get clarity from the nominee.

Additionally, I think there's a rather inconsistent standard on the Senate evaluating caretaker candidates who agree to serve in a pinch. When I was put forth as Grand Admiral, I was open and honest about not being able to promise the sun the moon and the stars and was unanimously confirmed. I think it's a bad precedent that Maowi's honesty was rewarded with rejection, to be honest.

 

[GraVandius]

This context makes sense, and I thank you for sharing it. I think that's a valid concern, but might've been worth asking a question to get clarity from the nominee.

Rand ended up asking the natural followup questions to my initial post a few hours later, and I didn't have anything else to add to start as just based off the rudimentary purview of the MoWAA forums that Maowi was active in writing and publishing IFV proposals. Additionally, I shared the same concern, perhaps a little less clearly in my aforementioned post in the nomination thread.

The Senate overreach here is disappointing, but I'm not surprised. Seems to me a FM and CoS working so closely together for the better of our region would be seen as a net positive, but I feel some would rather yell at the trees instead of appreciating the forest.

To say what effectively amounts to the Senate expressing concerns about a unprecedented joint-appointment, which is literally all that happened, is "overreach" seems a bit ridiculous to me. Further the joint appointment seems like the FM and CoS reaching a weird non-compromising middle ground that is not ideal, rather than making the tougher decisions to perhaps forgo your top choice if there are other new qualified members on your side if the CoS dosent really have those options on the other side of the fence.

Well said, HEM. It seems like almost every term we reward those who are legislatively talented with dual roles in the Judiciary and the Senate, or the in Attorney General position and the Senate. Yet if somebody's talents are in a different field, they get shut out. A very strange turn of events.

Serving in the Judiciary is perhaps the most low effort appointed/elected position we have. We have at most like 1 court case/advisory opinion a term and there is a 1 in 4 chance that you will actually have to do anything when that rare occasion arises. It's in no way comparable to serving in any Minister/Councilor Position. The Attorney General position is only slightly more strenuous as you might have to show up for that once a term event in court in addition to, at least historically, delegating/lightly supervising some law clerks every-time the Senate passes a bill, which is like at most like 10 bills a Senate term. The Senate consequently is a relatively low time commitment recently compared obviously to the reform process and the uber active Senates before that. Minus the Speaker duties it usually averages to like 10 minitues a day of reading the few comments and posting a reply for me at least. None of those assorted combinations can really compare to running Communications, arguably the most time consuming of the ministries to run along with the task of resurrecting a near completely dead ministry.

 

[Lethen]

This whole thing has been very interesting to watch unfold, but I think the Senate's logic as a whole is more complex to unpack than has been suggested.

 

[Aexnidaral]

I really don't think anything particularly wrong happened here. I think there's a difference between being a member of two cabinets than being a Justice and a Senator or a Minister and a Senator, etc.

Part of the problem with CoWAA is that it's low effort until it isn't, and you never know when things are going to spark so you've always gotta be on your toes. One period may have a couple back to back slams of GA and/or SC resolutions, or it may be fairly quiet... or what was a quiet week may suddenly explode into an all encompassing argument with members in WALL that lasts for a couple of hours or a day lol.

Personally, I don't like the idea of someone serving in two separate positions in two different executive institutions, and would've voted against the nomination. She was definitely qualified for both, but there isn't exactly entirely a lack of staffing in both CoWAA and MinComms. I do worry about members being thrust into positions, especially too many at once, and feeling burnt out or overwhelmed; and while CoWAA is usually fairly low key there are absolutely times where shit is just flying off the wall and it's hard to keep up with what's on the docket, what may make the docket, trying to make the judgement calls on if something looks like it may so you start trying to find an IFV for it only for time to run out and then do it yourself lol.

Ultimately, it looks like things seemed to have played out for the best. I was told that she didn't think she'd have the time with school or something before Prim nominated me, and that's why she withdrew, so it's a good thing to have had these questions asked now and get this result than in a couple weeks have someone feel like they've got to resign because they're in over their head, or too busy, or etc.

Plus, it's not like not being a Minister/Councilor means you can't participate in the Council or Ministry.

I'm not going to get into the gritty of what specific questions were or weren't appropriate overall, or how Senators acted, but I think this largely has been blown out of proportion by people.

 

[Pichtonia]

A joint appointment of this kind is, as I stated in my post, nothing to celebrate as it suggests a lack of a pipeline in two ministries. Pichto later stated that there were plenty of options for MinComm and that Maowi was the best/preferd pick.

You did not say it suggests anything of that kind. If you had made a mere suggestion, I still would have invited you to look at Comms and to see for yourself, but what you said was most definitely less of a suggestion, which prompted me to argue against it.

It represents an evidently complete paucity in talent pipelines in two ministries, at least in the eyes of you two.

That was a complete misrepresentation of the content of my eyes and of the situation in Communications.

There are many great talents in Communications. I'm optimistic you will see lots of them this term.

If this was the case I don't see why they reached the conclusion that Maowi should serve in both positions if there were other options for both positions

Speaking for the domestic side, I can only reiterate that Maowi had been the favoured successor for Hez of both Hez and myself early into the last term and was thus also trained accordingly. I asked her to serve two full weeks before her nomination. She was and is the best choice for Communications and Prim evidently believed she was the best choice for World Assembly Affairs. Since she felt she could juggle both (and I believe she could, not least because she does WAA in another region), I thought that was a great way to bring new talent into both offices.

That the Senate then confronted her with such negativity very early on and without much probing was not understandable for me. And while the Senate may not have directly forced a withdrawal, anyone who has ever been in a nomination or nominated someone could see that it wasn't going well.

Having said this, I know Aex will do his job diligently and well - not many can reach his waters in World Assembly territory. I hope this whole affair doesn't taint his time in office (when confirmed), nor the one of Maowi as she continues to do a great job in Communications.

 

[Prim]

I was told that she didn't think she'd have the time with school or something before Prim nominated me, and that's why she withdrew, so it's a good thing to have had these questions asked now and get this result than in a couple weeks have someone feel like they've got to resign because they're in over their head, or too busy, or etc.

This is not what you were told. Maowi withdrew because the votes were not there to confirm. Maowi was ready and eager to serve the remaining month and a half.

 

[HEM]

Part of the problem with CoWAA is that it's low effort until it isn't, and you never know when things are going to spark so you've always gotta be on your toes. One period may have a couple back to back slams of GA and/or SC resolutions, or it may be fairly quiet... or what was a quiet week may suddenly explode into an all encompassing argument with members in WALL that lasts for a couple of hours or a day lol.

Okay, but the same exact thing is true with the Attorney General role, and actually maybe even truer of the Justice role. What if you are assigned a blockbuster case tomorrow? Even if the case is relatively mundane, I suspect rendering judgment would take hours of research, reading, and writing.

I think the problem I have is that older veteran members are generally given the latitude and trust to moonlight in different roles and/or act in a caretaker capacity, while newer members aren't, even though veterans have a generally worse track of doing so.

 

[Aexnidaral]

I was told that she didn't think she'd have the time with school or something before Prim nominated me, and that's why she withdrew, so it's a good thing to have had these questions asked now and get this result than in a couple weeks have someone feel like they've got to resign because they're in over their head, or too busy, or etc.

This is not what you were told. Maowi withdrew because the votes were not there to confirm. Maowi was ready and eager to serve the remaining month and a half.

That's not what you told me, though?

 

[Prim]

Yep -- Next term she has concerns about School Exams and won't be willing to serve as CoWAA that term. The term following this one. She suggested Istillian would be someone to look at for leadership development for next term.

Also, I would appreciate it if you did not publicly share DMs.

 

[Maowi]

I personally wouldn't go as for as saying that this was overreach on the part of the Senate; it's their job to assess whether a candidate is able to effectively take on a role, and as far as I can tell they were all reacting with the interests of the region at the core of their intentions. At most, I would say it was a misjudgement. I felt that I would have been able to take on both positions at once, and I think the Senate should probably have listened to that - if I didn't think I would have enough time to devote to the roles, I wouldn't have accepted when Prim asked me if I wanted to be nominated. It is true that I have never been CoWAA and so might be underestimating the time-commitment associated with it ... who knows? But I think I know better than the Senate how much time I have to dedicate to Europeia.

In the end, Prim asked me if I wanted to be withdrawn because my confirmation appeared to be unlikely. Siph had already said that he was intending to question me further and it looked like it was moving slowly; in the time it took me to be confirmed as MinComm, all the senators hadn't even finished giving me their questions. So, not wishing to hold up the council for something that was apparently futile, I agreed to withdraw.

 

[Olde Delaware]

Part of the problem with CoWAA is that it's low effort until it isn't, and you never know when things are going to spark so you've always gotta be on your toes. One period may have a couple back to back slams of GA and/or SC resolutions, or it may be fairly quiet... or what was a quiet week may suddenly explode into an all encompassing argument with members in WALL that lasts for a couple of hours or a day lol.

Okay, but the same exact thing is true with the Attorney General role, and actually maybe even truer of the Justice role. What if you are assigned a blockbuster case tomorrow? Even if the case is relatively mundane, I suspect rendering judgment would take hours of research, reading, and writing.

I think the problem I have is that older veteran members are generally given the latitude and trust to moonlight in different roles and/or act in a caretaker capacity, while newer members aren't, even though veterans have a generally worse track of doing so.

Can I just ask, other than the Airbus case which is the last major case, when was the last 'Blockbuster case' the court had?

 

[Rand]

I have to object to how the way I treated this nomination was characterized. I would not say I was critical of this nomination, but rather skeptical. A skeptical approach was indubitably appropriate to a nomination like this, which was entirely unprecedented. So, I asked questions. I asked an important question about the resources available to fill this office; we should all be concerned that there is apparently only one individual ready and qualified to lead WAA. Remember, when I was First Minister, Kuramia's and my nomination of you, HEM, to the office of Minister-Councilor of Employment was rejected on the grounds that it was a joint nomination. I disagreed with that decision, and as I said on the Senate floor, I was not going to reject the nomination on the grounds of it being cross-branch, but rather on whether I believed the nominee could successfully execute both offices. In this case, I was prepared to vote in favor of the nomination. Though I heard grumblings about the nomination, I decided that I had faith in the nominee's qualifications, and that it was better to have an overtaxed Councilor for WAA than no Councilor for WAA. I am sorry that Maowi will apparently not have the opportunity to lead WAA.

 

[Olde Delaware]

Aex has now withdrawn his name as CoWAA. For those unaware.

 

[Bowzin]

We may be looking at a sequel for this article now.