[Brio]

If any of those members listed don't feel they can do an adequate job because of inactivity I am willing to sit in their place. I have been, and for the foreseeable future will be, fairly active on Pofo and in the Parliament.

However, if all the members think they can be active and they have been vetted by the SN-RF leadership, then I would still like to help the SN-RF in a civilian capacity. My expertise is in addictology so I could help Misty with health legislation that deal with such issues, but I am also interested in Culture and the Arts and would be more than willing to help Potemkin draft legislation as well.

[Demosthenes]

I really have confidence in our current leadership's ability to to deal with most all internal and external affairs. I think they have done a fantastic job of keeping us united as we are which, I guess as I'm coming to realize, is no small feat for red parties.

Still, Rob is right to act as a voice of hesitation here and there. I, too, think it wise not to write off either the SLD (With an eye on their right leaning wing at all times), as well as the THP (with an eye on their procedural differences and the...randomness this can produce).

Being prudent in our external affairs is always paramount, and if I'm understanding Rob correctly, this is what he is cautioning about. Outside of outright alliances with the right, we need to show some restraint with the two above parties when possible. When we do disagree, it is probably better to do so forthrightly in a way that won't permanently alienate them. Though there are some lingering personality conflicts on both sides of THP and SN-RF, surely we are all sauvy and intelligent enough to know when these things can be put aside for the good of the people, particularly when proposing important legislation.

Beyond that, some of the issues being speculated about, such as party unity, are still in an abstract phase right now. It's easy to say party unity, or vote your conscious right now, when the definition of what this means to the MP is somewhat ambiguous. In order to Vet correctly, perhaps we need to develop a series of "test legislations" Say, three-four (or whatever number is good) and get an idea of how our MPs would handle something like that.

Also, once the game is running smoothly again I'm looking forward to being able to step down from GM duties (For the most part) and would like to take up some role in the party, in some way. Not as an MP, necessarily...but in order to assist in areas like foreign policy or perhaps to act in a diplomatic fashion on behalf of the party perhaps as a liason to one of the other parties. Or in whatever capacity leadership feels I can best serve.

Oh- and WELCOME! To Vera Politica. I'm looking forward to your participation, in whatever capacity your interested.

[Subversive Rob]

The whole point of being a member of a parliamentary party is "power"; the whole point of being a member of a political party is to gain "power" for your parliamentary party. I would be very disappointed if the members of my party did not want "power" as in any bourgeois parliamentary system having "power" is the only way to get anything done, the opposition merely opposes.

This is quite clearly a silly mis-reading of what I said. Simply put, it is a historical fact that when the radical left has been in power opportunists have joined these parties so as to be in a position of power. It's pretty clear that my issue isn't with power per se, but with pople who join a left political party simply in order to have power over others. The radical left obviously doesn't desire power for its own sake but to implement its programme of social transformation.

The THP - How do you come to the conclusion they are a left wing party? As plainly they are not given their willingness to jump into bed with the PNL, the CA, the LC, and the PoP.

Despite their faults they are clearly on the left of the Parliament more generally. I mean, if desiring coalition with the right disqualifies you from being on the left then we are the only left forces in parliament. If this is the case then, given that we are unlikely to have an absolute majority, whether someone is 'left' or not cannot be our criterion for friendly relations.

Here, we ought to recall your own insistence on the important of power - the only way we will be able to use our power is through cooperation with forces to our right.

My issue with vetting isn't meant to be a slight on any of our candidates. I'm just putting out the idea that if we are letting peopl vote on their consciences, we need to make sure they are going to be solid, and likely to at least give considerable weight to internal party deliberations.

[ingliz]

I am just giving you an opportunity to raise objections to the Party list.

I have no problems with "friendly relations", I do have a problem forming a coalition with a party so eager to play with fascist and racist Parties

[Vera Politica]

Any policy area you are interested in? We lack financial expertise, hint, hint.

Hehe, well I'd be interested in that, but you guys look pretty set, so maybe I'll just take the time to familiarize myself with Gorkiy and this parliamentary stuff

[ingliz]

Please make your objections known

I am not shy and I will make a start.

Honi

SR

Pot

FallenRaptor

Myself

Vlad? Has been busy but promises to make time.

Gletkin? Seems a good choice but attendance patchy.

Holt? Seems a good choice but attendance patchy.

Albion? Very new, attendance good.

Misty? Very new, attendance good.

Potential replacements - Vera, Chef, Demo, Brio

Discuss

[Demosthenes]

Hehe, well I'd be interested in that, but you guys look pretty set, so maybe I'll just take the time to familiarize myself with Gorkiy and this parliamentary stuff

Please ask any of us for any assistance you need in getting familiar.

Read the sticky first, then go to page one of this section and, if you can hack it, read the thread that started it all, should be one of the first.

Beyond that, all the SN-RF threads and seperate SN and RF, should get you up to speed.

[Luxemburgs_Pastry_Chef]

I have time free if any holes appear in this lineup or any prospective lineup. I propose that at least Potemkin, unless he is overwhelmed with work outside of PoFo should be amongt this lineup.
Despite my disagreements with Honi, I would say his post is totally assured (although I argue with him, I never doubt his sincere beliefs), SR (definitely), Pot (yes) FR (definitely) Ingliz (definitely), I would go for Holt and possibly TIG if he has time.

[ingliz]

What policy area interests you?

[Demosthenes]

I support all nominations.

[Fitzy]

Hello, and good day to everyone.

What is the purpose of these elections? What powers do the winners get?

[ingliz]

The power to piss off the PoFo 'right' is about all; they were also designed for that purpose alone.

[Gletkin]

Gletkin? Seems a good choice but attendance patchy.

I'll try but if I'm absent too often, I'm fine with abdicating my seat to someone else.
I nominate Vera or Chef as my potential replacement (can I do that?)

P.S. Since those two joined after the merger, which "faction" have they joined?
Creating a balance between the two progenitor groups at the time of the merger was reasonable but as time passes, what of new members who not only join post-merger, but aren't interested in choosing "SN" or "RF"?
There may be plenty of leftists who don't want to pigeon-hole themselves into a particular niche within the left. I didn't vote the first time because I could'nt make up my mind which party to vote for.

[Subversive Rob]

I have no problems with "friendly relations", I do have a problem forming a coalition with a party so eager to play with fascist and racist Parties

So, hypothetically, who would you want to form a coalition with?

Incidentally, I agree that THP such not be our first choice in any coalition-type arrangement. Not so much for their policies, as for their decision-making procedure and diverse membership base, which makes it difficult for them to be reliable partners.

[Mazhi]

Can I be of any assistance?

[ingliz]

Gletkin:

The wings are there but we are a single party. The former RF members were afraid they would be ignored and so it was agreed in this election cycle to grant the anarchists affirmative action. I am sure next time we will be better integrated.

SR:

I am happy to form amicable working relationships with all parties but no formal coalitions at this time.

[Demosthenes]

I think this diagram really helps our understanding of the inner party layout.

You FNGs don't get a wing yet. You're in the middle rotunda!

[Zyx]

We should probably have a council of non-MPs who can release an MP.

Thanks for the nomination to that.

[Subversive Rob]

For all we talk about the problem of integration etc., I think it is perfect legitimate for a political party to have groupings, factions, or platforms within it. Provided we all coalesce around a common programme I don't see the problem in having a broad, pluralist radical left party. Indeed, I would think of us as something like the SSP in its most healthy years, or perhaps similar to how the NPA in France will operate (which is incidentally why the most important thing will be winning over people who were neither in RF or SN).

[Mazhi]

I agree. For one, I (and probably a few others) are a lot less radically leftist than the majority in the party. I'm more of a social democrat than a fullblown socialist/communist.