Forum Elections: The Cellars

[Banya]

The candidates have provided rebuttals.  To examine and compare their rebuttals, please read on.  To review the original question and their responses, please follow this link.

To Jet: Isfet? Ma'at? Do we want a foreign power enforcing his strange ideas of his immortal freindemies in this establishment? Ladies and gentlemen, we are looking at a person who appears to have personality disorder; perhaps further tests can be made, but as a psychologist I feel it is my duty to warn you of potential danger.

To Soren: Such lukewarmness can be harmful. You are trying to tempt people into voting for you by saying what they want to hear [much like the politicians of the real world. . .], but we all know you would simply turn this place into a land of useless fun and games.

To Izeroth: Ah, another extreme. Chaos will be present whether or not one wants it to, and no amount of dystopian enforcement will change that. Forceful respect is not respect; it is fear, tyranny. Leading by example shall be the best of policies.

Ma'at and Isfet are concepts, not beings. Ma'at, as I understand it, is the Egyptian word for the natural order of the universe. The opposing force of Ma'at is Isfet, or chaos, the force that attempts to destroy reality with its mere existence.

  Skarzs' answer fails to take several variables into account. What if the mods wake up in the middle of the mind-controlling process and go on a violent rampage? What if the mind controlling trick goes too far, and damages the very fabric of the forum itself? What if an assortment of various insane woodland animals find out about your plan and try to thwart it?

To Izeroth: Ah, another extreme. Chaos will be present whether or not one wants it to, and no amount of dystopian enforcement will change that. Forceful respect is not respect; it is fear, tyranny. Leading by example shall be the best of policies.

I beg to differ. With enough "dystopian" enforcement, even seemingly permanent things like chaos can be eliminated. I am not aiming to be a ruthless tyrant; I'm merely attempting to instill this forum with a newfound sense of obedience and order. Clearly, the current system is not working.

The Celler Dwellers official rebuttal:
To Skarzs:
A famous saying that I belive fits here is this: "Happiness is a choice." The foundations that this board was founded on, goodwill, joy and peace, should never be undermined by over disciplinary actions. Mind control would only take away the charicter and individuality that has made the Cellers what they are, the rich and happy place we know them to be. That's what my administration is trying to accomplish, by doing what you yourself said: "Lead by example."

To Izeroth:
"Total control would have the same adverse effect that mind control would. What good would the Cellers be, if you cannot enjoy them as yourself? What would be left besides mindless drone, endlessly clicking on topics and never really expressing themselves? The very foundation of what made this board great would be ruined."

To Jet:
"Fun, perhaps. But also costly. With a certain level of injustice, yes there is tease-like fun that has benefited this board. But it also comes at the cost of people's feelings."

A question from a citizen to the Debate Moderator:

*ahem* When will the actual poll be put up? It is a democracy....

Thank you for asking, Mr. Tip.  Voting will begin at the end of this week.  The poll will be put up Friday, unless there are no more questions to answer; in that case, the poll be put up earlier.  Candidates will answer questions until the poll goes up, so the last question that may be officially answered by candidates will be asked on Thursday.  Citizens will have the weekend to deliberate and vote, and the poll will not be reset.  Voting will close late morning/early afternoon of Monday, with the people's elected President of the Cellars announced that day.

Our next questions for the candidates comes from Mr. Treejumper, an astrospace engineer and philosopher.  As he asks two questions, the sentence limit for a first response is extended twofold.  In addition, as he targets his questions for specific candidates, his questions must be answered by those named and may be answered by all candidates who wish to speak on the matters presented.  His questions:

Ahem: Question to the candidate Izeroth:

As you seem dissatisfied with the current authority structure, in what way would you enforce the authority you would receive- without having a detrimental effect on the quality of the forum?

When absolute authority is enforced, the individual freedoms which make quality interactions- whether they be economic or interpersonal- are curtailed, and so the quality of the interactions suffers. This can be proven with various historic examples.

Here is my question for candidate Soren the Warrior, of the Cellar Dweller Party:

In what way do you justify you running for Cellar President in context of this quote from the Forum Revival Movement: "Well, please don't include me in any lists. I don't want to be part of a 'committee' ... I don't have the time or need for more responsibility. "

This was backed up by total lack of participation and interest in the Movement. Why would you choose to run for Cellar President if you are not willing to take simple steps to improve the forum?

Full quote source

The candidates may now answer.
*bangs gavel*

[Hickory]

Thank you for the clarification, Miss Banya.

[Izeroth]

Ahem: Question to the candidate Izeroth:

As you seem dissatisfied with the current authority structure, in what way would you enforce the authority you would receive- without having a detrimental effect on the quality of the forum?

When absolute authority is enforced, the individual freedoms which make quality interactions- whether they be economic or interpersonal- are curtailed, and so the quality of the interactions suffers. This can be proven with various historic examples.

I would enforce authority with necessary force. Normal activities of the forum- provided they are within the bounds of reason and law -would be allowed to continue.

These so-called "freedoms" lead only to chaos and disorder-- the root of all evil. Your "historic examples" mean nothing; I could provide you with plenty of examples of failed democracies and corrupt republics.

[Søren]

Foreign policy to be negotiated with me. And I'm not too happy with the success of the Movement.

Here is my question for candidate Soren the Warrior, of the Cellar Dweller Party:

In what way do you justify you running for Cellar President in context of this quote from the Forum Revival Movement: "Well, please don't include me in any lists. I don't want to be part of a 'committee' ... I don't have the time or need for more responsibility. "

This was backed up by total lack of participation and interest in the Movement. Why would you choose to run for Cellar President if you are not willing to take simple steps to improve the forum?

Full quote source

I was recognizing my limitations, not attempting to antagonize the movement. Furthermore, the Forum Revival Movement was focused in Cavern Hole. It's main mission was to revitalize several boards on the forum (e.g. Roleplaying, General Discussion). The Cellars weren't part of the revival movement, therefore they have little affiliation with it. My running for Cellar president won't have any adverse effect on the revival movement.

[Hickory]

-ON AIR-

Hello, I'm Sage Tip here reporting on the recent Cellar Elections. Here we have candidate Soren, of the Cellar Dwellars party. Mr. Soren, how do you plan to resolve events regarding the Guest/DDB/Member war?

[Banya]

-ON AIR-

Hello, I'm Sage Tip here reporting on the recent Cellar Elections. Here we have candidate Soren, of the Cellar Dwellars party. Mr. Soren, how do you plan to resolve events regarding the Guest/DDB/Member war?

I was waiting for the media to become involved.  As Soren and Izeroth have answered the questions asked of them, and there are no rebuttals necessary, the candidates may receive questions from reporters and journalists.

Madam Blade, I believe you had a question for the candidates yesterday?  Now is a prime opportunity to ask it.

[Skyblade]

Thank you, ma'am. I would like to address all four candidates. These are classic and straightforward questions, but essential.

What is your motivation to run for President of the Cellars?

What do you plan to do if elected?

[Blaggut]

How do you feel about the growing problem in our community - Ask Topics?

[Banya]

For ease of access, quoted here are Mr. Treejumper's questions to specific candidates and those candidates' responses.

Ahem: Question to the candidate Izeroth:

As you seem dissatisfied with the current authority structure, in what way would you enforce the authority you would receive- without having a detrimental effect on the quality of the forum?

When absolute authority is enforced, the individual freedoms which make quality interactions- whether they be economic or interpersonal- are curtailed, and so the quality of the interactions suffers. This can be proven with various historic examples.

I would enforce authority with necessary force. Normal activities of the forum- provided they are within the bounds of reason and law -would be allowed to continue.

These so-called "freedoms" lead only to chaos and disorder-- the root of all evil. Your "historic examples" mean nothing; I could provide you with plenty of examples of failed democracies and corrupt republics.

Foreign policy to be negotiated with me. And I'm not too happy with the success of the Movement.

Here is my question for candidate Soren the Warrior, of the Cellar Dweller Party:

In what way do you justify you running for Cellar President in context of this quote from the Forum Revival Movement: "Well, please don't include me in any lists. I don't want to be part of a 'committee' ... I don't have the time or need for more responsibility. "

This was backed up by total lack of participation and interest in the Movement. Why would you choose to run for Cellar President if you are not willing to take simple steps to improve the forum?

Full quote source

I was recognizing my limitations, not attempting to antagonize the movement. Furthermore, the Forum Revival Movement was focused in Cavern Hole. It's main mission was to revitalize several boards on the forum (e.g. Roleplaying, General Discussion). The Cellars weren't part of the revival movement, therefore they have little affiliation with it. My running for Cellar president won't have any adverse effect on the revival movement.

Candidates and/or their campaign managers may answer questions from the media.  They are not bound by debate rules when answering, and answers to questions by reporters and journalists will not be gathered and repeated by the debate moderator.

Madam Blade, a local musician, encourager, and our Spring Season Namer, has questions far all our candidates.  I will reiterate that if a candidate is at any point unable to respond due to matters public or private, their respective campaign manager may speak their party's stance for them.  Once again, as Madam Blade asks two questions, the sentence limit for a first response is extended twofold.  Her questions:

What is your motivation to run for President of the Cellars?

What do you plan to do if elected?

The candidates may now respond.
*bangs gavel*

[Søren]

-ON AIR-

Hello, I'm Sage Tip here reporting on the recent Cellar Elections. Here we have candidate Soren, of the Cellar Dwellars party. Mr. Soren, how do you plan to resolve events regarding the Guest/DDB/Member war?

Well, the DDBs are a huge issue. We all know their destructive power, and their general hate for all of us. While the guests and members are both ridiculed and attacked by them, the DDBs are slowly reaching into the very heart of the Cellers, waiting to strike. The guests and the members could even band together to end the DDBs. But the DDB's reign of terror must end.

What is your motivation to run for President of the Cellars?

Well, I was initially nominated by Faiyloe. I have always wanted to improve the Cellars, even before I was nominated. But when I was, I thought that I could take the lead into making the Cellars an even better place then it already is. That's what the Cellar Dwellers are trying to accomplish.

What do you plan to do if elected?

The Cellars are at their best when we are together in something, when we're united. I'm ready to get more things such as that, (this electron, the Forum Prom, all of those) started here. When we work together, we're at our best. Our expressing ourselves, getting to know each other more and being able to talk here with our good friends, that's what makes the Cellars great.


To clarify, the candidates cannot answer the other questions until all candidates have answered?

[Gonff the Mousethief]

If I may, I would like to ask a quick question after Mr. Blaggut.

How would you feel if you lost, and the ideas you wanted went south?

[Banya]

To clarify, the candidates cannot answer the other questions until all candidates have answered?

This is correct.  We would like to focus on one question at at time.  When all four candidates have answered a question and provided rebuttals, or their campaign manager has answered in their place, or the candidates have forfeited a question or rebuttal, everyone will move on to the next question.  The debate moderator is responsible for remembering the questions and providing them in the order they were asked by the citizens.
The debate moderator does not, however, have control over a candidate's ability to draft a response to a question that will asked in the future and review that answer with his campaign team.

If I may, I would like to ask a quick question after Mr. Blaggut.

Noted and logged.  Thank you, Mr. Mousethief.

[Skyblade]

Madam Blade, a local musician, encourager, and our Spring Season Namer...

That's a nice description, thank you.

[The Skarzs]

What is your motivation to run for President of the Cellars?

Chocolate.

What do you plan to do if elected?

Reward everyone with cake, cookies, and milk, make sure people just keep on being awesome and crazy, but also improve things by leading with example. (My mom has said the world would benefit if there were more people like me. )

[Hickory]

Thank you, Mr. Soren.

Mr. Skarzs, of the Cave Troll party, is our next candidate. Mr. Skarzs, what is your position on the Ask Thread takeover, and how do you plan to regullate it should you win?