Waaaaaaay back in April last year, I wrote two op-eds I called Special Comments, in homage to Keith Olbermann. Well, I feel like writing another Special Comment, so that is what I'm going to do.
Special Comments I do write during my tenure as MoFA will not deal with FA issues.
When I withdrew from the most recent Senatorial Elections (not the by-election), I included a point that I was no longer going to see higher office in Europeia, and that I would no take higher positions, etc. That my political career in Europeia, such as it was, was over. I changed my profile title to "Jettisoning His Political Career' and that was that. I didn't leave Euro, and continued to make my opinions known, still worked in the areas I had lesser jobs in, and otherwise was active.
I meant what I said, that I was done with a political career in Europeia. When I said it, I meant it. I fully intended to not run for Senate again (something I still hold to) and I fully intended to not pursue higher appointed office.
But then, the fact that I accepted Swak's offer of MoFA proves that I didn't hold to that latter part.
In my defense, as I said, I meant what I had said about withdrawing - when I said it. But when Swak came to me over Skype and asked me if I wanted to be his MoFA...its very hard to say no to your dream job. I mean, literally. Minister of Foreign Affairs is the job in Europeia I have wanted more than any other ever since about a week after I first joined. When someone offers you something you've wanted for over a year...its very, very hard to say no. And so...well, my resolve on my latter vow cracked, and I said yes. I wanted this job, and I thought and do think that I can do very well in it.
But I also knew that I would be a...contraversial choice, to put it mildly. Swak (at least in conversation) appeared to be more optimistic about my reception by the Senate than I did, but I'll admit, I was preparing myself for the possibility of being rejected by the Senate, should Swak get elected and indeed nominate me. I already knew what I would do If I was rejected - write an Op-Ed and then get back to what I was already doing - sailor in the navy, writing the Foreign News Wire, and hanging around, making my political views known.
I was also, however, thinking about what I would do if I was indeed approved. What I would do to enact Swak's FA platform. Things like considering wich regions I would include in the five focus and five emerging focus regions he outlined. Which regions I thought were better as 'consul' regions, as opposed to Ambassador regions. You know, just getting the wheels turning.
Then came the day of nomination...and the expected conrtaversy. I was humbled, and remain humbled, by the support I got from some of the giants of this region - and of course, by Swak actually nominating me in the first place. I wish that I had better ways to thank you for your words of support apart from 'thank you', but I don't. so Thank you. I guess the best way I can repay you is to be an incredibly good MoFA, and thus not force you to eat your words. I certainly intend to be the best MoFA I can be.
But I did get opposition. Not at all surprising. I'll admit, I was a little surprised by CSP's oppotision. I expected some serious questions raised from CSP - he seems to do that with mst nominees, something I support - but the Aye votes of CSP and Apollo were the ones I felt I was most likely t get, at the time of my initial nomination. Drecq and Alexander, I really had no idea about. I certainly hoped that the prevailing trend in Europeia of approving the Presidents Nominees with little issue would dominate here, but I wasn't counting on it. Jahka, I'll admit, I was expecting a solid no. For reasons that seemed logical to me - our ideological opposition is very real. Now, I am incredibly grateful to Jahka for his Aye vote. Never before have I been so happy I've been wrong in NationStates.
CSP's nay vote, while I don't like it (no one likes Rejection), is a vote I understand, even if I didn't expect it. He stated his concerns quite clearly (I respect that a lot. Always be upfront with me about your issues with me. Not only is it more honest, but its more likely to get results. I am completely, or almost completely, blind to the vast majority of social cues, both IRL and Online, unless they're from people I know extremely well, like my family or close friends) and while I felt that I had mollified them enough with my response (clearly I didn't), CSP's nay vote comes with its own logic and reasoning. Good logic, and good reasoning. Obviously, I don't agree with his opinion about my capacity to be a MoFA in all aspects. such as the public face one, or I would not have accepteted the nomination in the first place. But I understand and Respect CSP's choice.
And this is what brings us around to Drecq's abstention. His comment that he didn't feel he knew enough to cast an Aye or a Nay. I actuallu support this. I think he did the right thing. Yes, it is the job of a Senator to be educated and to educate themselves, if need be, but speaking from experiencing, understanding the intricacies of FA is not easy. It took me a long time to get them down, and I'm still learing more all the time. Drecq could have held off on voting until he had taken the time to get educated, but Drecq, who strikes me as a diligent, do the whole job kind of guy, would likely have been quite through in his attempt to educated himself about the matter. Which would have taken days, at least, likely. Resonably, he didn't want to tie things up for that long. I think, overall, Drecq did the right thing. Now, if he does it again, then he's clearly not fulfilling his duties to educate himself, which is another matter entirely. But I do think Drecq made the right decision for the circumstances.
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Special Comments I do write during my tenure as MoFA will not deal with FA issues.
When I withdrew from the most recent Senatorial Elections (not the by-election), I included a point that I was no longer going to see higher office in Europeia, and that I would no take higher positions, etc. That my political career in Europeia, such as it was, was over. I changed my profile title to "Jettisoning His Political Career' and that was that. I didn't leave Euro, and continued to make my opinions known, still worked in the areas I had lesser jobs in, and otherwise was active.
I meant what I said, that I was done with a political career in Europeia. When I said it, I meant it. I fully intended to not run for Senate again (something I still hold to) and I fully intended to not pursue higher appointed office.
But then, the fact that I accepted Swak's offer of MoFA proves that I didn't hold to that latter part.
In my defense, as I said, I meant what I had said about withdrawing - when I said it. But when Swak came to me over Skype and asked me if I wanted to be his MoFA...its very hard to say no to your dream job. I mean, literally. Minister of Foreign Affairs is the job in Europeia I have wanted more than any other ever since about a week after I first joined. When someone offers you something you've wanted for over a year...its very, very hard to say no. And so...well, my resolve on my latter vow cracked, and I said yes. I wanted this job, and I thought and do think that I can do very well in it.
But I also knew that I would be a...contraversial choice, to put it mildly. Swak (at least in conversation) appeared to be more optimistic about my reception by the Senate than I did, but I'll admit, I was preparing myself for the possibility of being rejected by the Senate, should Swak get elected and indeed nominate me. I already knew what I would do If I was rejected - write an Op-Ed and then get back to what I was already doing - sailor in the navy, writing the Foreign News Wire, and hanging around, making my political views known.
I was also, however, thinking about what I would do if I was indeed approved. What I would do to enact Swak's FA platform. Things like considering wich regions I would include in the five focus and five emerging focus regions he outlined. Which regions I thought were better as 'consul' regions, as opposed to Ambassador regions. You know, just getting the wheels turning.
Then came the day of nomination...and the expected conrtaversy. I was humbled, and remain humbled, by the support I got from some of the giants of this region - and of course, by Swak actually nominating me in the first place. I wish that I had better ways to thank you for your words of support apart from 'thank you', but I don't. so Thank you. I guess the best way I can repay you is to be an incredibly good MoFA, and thus not force you to eat your words. I certainly intend to be the best MoFA I can be.
But I did get opposition. Not at all surprising. I'll admit, I was a little surprised by CSP's oppotision. I expected some serious questions raised from CSP - he seems to do that with mst nominees, something I support - but the Aye votes of CSP and Apollo were the ones I felt I was most likely t get, at the time of my initial nomination. Drecq and Alexander, I really had no idea about. I certainly hoped that the prevailing trend in Europeia of approving the Presidents Nominees with little issue would dominate here, but I wasn't counting on it. Jahka, I'll admit, I was expecting a solid no. For reasons that seemed logical to me - our ideological opposition is very real. Now, I am incredibly grateful to Jahka for his Aye vote. Never before have I been so happy I've been wrong in NationStates.
CSP's nay vote, while I don't like it (no one likes Rejection), is a vote I understand, even if I didn't expect it. He stated his concerns quite clearly (I respect that a lot. Always be upfront with me about your issues with me. Not only is it more honest, but its more likely to get results. I am completely, or almost completely, blind to the vast majority of social cues, both IRL and Online, unless they're from people I know extremely well, like my family or close friends) and while I felt that I had mollified them enough with my response (clearly I didn't), CSP's nay vote comes with its own logic and reasoning. Good logic, and good reasoning. Obviously, I don't agree with his opinion about my capacity to be a MoFA in all aspects. such as the public face one, or I would not have accepteted the nomination in the first place. But I understand and Respect CSP's choice.
And this is what brings us around to Drecq's abstention. His comment that he didn't feel he knew enough to cast an Aye or a Nay. I actuallu support this. I think he did the right thing. Yes, it is the job of a Senator to be educated and to educate themselves, if need be, but speaking from experiencing, understanding the intricacies of FA is not easy. It took me a long time to get them down, and I'm still learing more all the time. Drecq could have held off on voting until he had taken the time to get educated, but Drecq, who strikes me as a diligent, do the whole job kind of guy, would likely have been quite through in his attempt to educated himself about the matter. Which would have taken days, at least, likely. Resonably, he didn't want to tie things up for that long. I think, overall, Drecq did the right thing. Now, if he does it again, then he's clearly not fulfilling his duties to educate himself, which is another matter entirely. But I do think Drecq made the right decision for the circumstances.
Good Night, and Good Luck.
The clarification on why he abstained speaks much more to me than the reason behind the vote (or lack thereof) itself.
