Rauchen

You'll have better luck revising the map than people's characters. The issue is that everyone here looks to use land as an e-peen enhancer. They'll either swallow up land as their own, declare entire nations as protectorates, or declare an area as a protectorate and absorb it later. Once upon a time, resistance to land-grabbing restrictions was centered around the belief that people wouldn't expand too much because it would make their nation indefensible. Well, we rarely have a war that goes all the way through without someone ragequitting or the whole group descending into OOC bickering, so that argument is invalid. Vektor is an excellent RPer - always has been. But he rarely posts and when he does, it's usually a war. Yet he controls all of central and eastern Europe, plus Ireland and Scandinavia, and controls Britain as a protectorate. Voodoo is, likewise, a great writer, but even as an old friend of his, it took me more than a week to get a confirmation on my nation, and he controls all of Central America and has most of South America and half of the US under protection. Triyun's nation is extremely bloated, but at least he remains relatively active. Same with Cent. But new players are always reluctant to form their nation in the shadow of a country that controls half of a continent and essentially the entirety of another. No new player would believe that Tianxia got that big through purely peaceful means. And at this point, there is not a single square millimeter of unclaimed land on the map. Even Africa, which once upon a time, was avoided like the plague by existing RPers, is now covered in AUP Protectorates and Disputed markers. Sure, we might see that as just another way of saying "open land," but new players will just see it as more land controlled by someone else...and if they do manage to sway that person to give them land, they are basically obligated to stay in line with the former protector or risk retribution. Our own insistence on using the map as an e-peen tape measure is stifling creativity and new RPers.

Most newbies won't think of that though. They figure that, if someone has such a large stretch of RP land and protectorates, they must be extraordinarily active. Which, as Tanis said, is typically not the case anymore. We could revise the protectorate system to a more de facto system. Nations can state that they will respond with force to any attempts by existing nations to acquire a certain stretch of land, but it would remain off the map, and effectively remain as unclaimed territory for new players to step into. This would hopefully minimize landgrabbing disguised as protection and leave the map looking fresh, clean, and reassuring to all newcomers. It wouldn't accomplish it quite as surely as restricting expansion, since smaller nations who declare de facto protectorates would still be vulnerable to acquisitions by larger nations. But then, if you can't defend it, why should you be looking to snag a protectorate, anyway?

In that case, I ask that FSAR be restored to the map accordingly.

Or how about we renew and revise the age-old restrictions on landgrabbing so people wouldn't swallow up every inch of white land, thus negating the need for protectorates? It's easier for new players to pop up and start RPing in unclaimed land than to negotiate with a massive protector. With that in place, protectorates would just be dead weight for someone to defend it.

Illicit Drugs Earn Millions on Black Market Federal government looks to republics for assistance After enacting the Harmful Substances Control Act, studies show that use of certain drugs has increased, putting hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of gangs and possibly foreign cartels. Before the enactment of the law, a joint report from police departments in Oklahoma City, Little Rock, and Jackson estimated that the overall income from the drug trade was around $57 million, operating primarily with methamphetamines and heroin. However, with the express addition of dozens of drugs to the list, the market has expanded, and it seems that more people are looking to acquire these illegal drugs. The Federal Drug Control Agency now believes that profit has increased to somewhere between $350 million and $525 million. Sources also claimed that, before, an estimated 12% of Americans used marijuana; that number has increased to 22%. These statistics are reflected across what some call the "speed spectrum." Meth use has increased from 6% to 13%; heroin use has increased from 3% to 9%; crack/cocaine use has risen from 4% to 7%. Only lysergic acid diethylamide, also called LSD or acid, has decreased in use, dropping from 9% to 3%. Some detractors claim that these statistics may be misleading, as they rely upon the honesty of those who are polled. Green Party Chairman John Drake "For every one pot-smoker who is bold or naive enough to admit to smoking marijuana, there is typically at least 1 or 2 who are too paranoid or smart to admit to an illegal act," Drake told reporters at The Oklahoma City Times. "And by placing a relatively harmless plant like cannabis on the same list as debilitating drugs such as PCP, we incite younger people to use drugs in rebellion to authority. Prohibition did not work for alcohol and it did not work for the United States." FDCA Director Ulysses Robertson dismissed the idea, saying, "The only reason numbers now appear higher is because we now have a more centralized method of sorting this information. Comparing reports from half a dozen police departments will naturally yield different results than filing a single report." Robertson was joined by President Burr and Secretary Delano in calling for the constituent republics to increase their contribution to the war on drugs. "It is more efficient for local and republic agencies to handle their own, local problems," Burr said. "If we receive the support of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, we will be able to stamp out this drug use before my term is up."

FSAR should still be on the map. It has only been about 18 days since my last post. Edit: And it had only been 5 days since my last post when Voodoo claimed it as a protectorate. http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?/topic/114129-southern-federation-news/#entry3070885

A sense of deja vu swept through the Southern Federation, but no one was quite sure why. In other news, the Federal government extended full recognition to the Ubersteinian Republic.

"The Federation of Southern American Republics supports the abolition of a universal health care system in Cascadia. The current system exerts too much government control over the financial dealings of the people and the market, and reforming it would allow competition and therefore greater research into medicine in order to gain an edge. Costs may rise marginally, but in the long run, Cascadia's healthcare system would be the better for it." -Jonathan Wash Secrety of Foreign Affairs

[center][b][u][size=5]Congress Votes to Prohibit Drugs[/size][/u][/b][/center] [center][size=5][i][size=4]Ulysses Robertson Appointed to Federal Drug Control Agency[/size][/i][/size][/center] [size=5][size=4][size=3]The Southern Federation's Conservative government has never given any illusion of tolerance towards mind-altering substances, but the lack of any true legislation prohibiting the use, possession, or distribution of any drug has complicated prosecution of "offenders." Thousands of cases ranging from possession of small amounts of marijuana to the sale of methamphetamines have been dismissed by judges and juries on this basis, to the frustration of many leading Conservatives. To remedy this, President Duncan Burr proposed a bill to enact a blanket ban on all mind-altering substances, modeled after the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, allowing few ecxeptions; the initial bill, as proposed by Burr, included the prohibition of alcohol, but this was removed after more than a hundred Conservative representatives and senators denounced a "return to the failed policies of the 1920s", while most of the Democrats in office have denounced the bill as a whole, with Senate Minority Leader George Albano calling the law "a return to the failed policies of the 1990s."[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=4][size=3]Most of the legislative wrangling occurred over the wording of the law, which would divide into five Categories, with Category I being the "most dangerous" substances and Category V being "least dangerous." Like the Controlled Substances Act, this law, called the Harmful Substance Control Act, would place some naturally-occurring drugs, such as marijuana and psilocybin, in Category I, while placing drugs described as having a high potential for detrimental health effects, such as phencyclidine (PCP) and methamphetamines, into Category II. House Democrats have struggled to rearrange the placement of certain substances, calling for marijuana, psilocybin, peyote, and similar items to be placed in Categories III, IV, or V, while bumping PCP and meth into Category I, but without a majority in either house, they were unable to make an impact.[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=4][size=3]The HSCA would also enact mandatory minimum sentencing for possession of marijuana, LSD, psilocybin, crack cocaine, and certain opiates, ranging from a 1-year sentence for possession of LSD to a 5-year minimum for crack and marijuana, regardless of the amount.[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=4][size=3]To enforce itself, the law created the Federal Drug Control Agency as a subordinate to the Office of Justice; Secretary of Government Services Thomas Delano and Undersecretary Bennett Kron met with President Burr shortly after it was signed into effect to decide on the first Director of the FDCA and ultimately decided on Ulysses Robertson, a 20-year police veteran, 8-year military veteran, and staunch conservative. Robertson vowed to use a "zero-tolerance" approach to drug policy, and outlined a plan to attack the most commonly-used drug on the black market, cannabis, citing the gateway theory as his basis. The FDCA intends to decrease overall drug use by 25% in the next ten years, and cut marijuana use by more than 50% in that same time period; they have drawn fire from Democratic and nonpartisan leaders for their unrealistic ambitions, especially with regard to marijuana.[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=4][size=3]"The issue of drugs is one that affects every man, woman, and child in our great federation," President Burr said at a press conference. "Our studies have shown that almost 3/4 of high school students claim they have easy access to marijuana and other substances, and at least 14% of the population has developed a dependence on one or more drugs. It is time we returned our efforts to battling the spread of drugs in our streets and schools."[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=4][size=3]The administration has yet to announce its plans for the FDCA's budget, but the topic has been brought up by many libertarian and liberal leaders, who point to the failed War on Drugs of the United States and the trillions of dollars "wasted" in an effort to control personal behavior, as well as the legality of legislating such behavior. Burr, Delano, Kron, and Robertson have all dismissed these arguments.[/size][/size][/size] [quote] [size=5][size=4][size=3][u][u][b]Senate Bill 4[/b][/u][/u] [i]Harmful Substance Control Act[/i][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=4][size=3]Summary: A motion to prohibit the possession, use, and sale of mind-altering substances in order to defend the innocence of our children and the integrity of our nation's moral fiber.[/size][/size][/size] [u][i][u]Senate[/u][/i][/u] For: 67 Against: 32 Abstain: 1 [u][u]House of Representatives[/u][/u] For: 197 Against: 73 Abstain: 20 [color=#008000]Signed by President Duncan Burr[/color][/quote]

[b][size=5][size=2][size=3][i]*Classified*[/i][/size][/size][/size][/b] [size=5][size=2][size=3]With the increased funding allotted to him, Defense Secretary Viktor Stukey and his undersecretaries opted against purchasing entirely new equipment, instead giving orders for the required vehicles and armaments to be reactivated from reserves in the bases from former regimes, dating as far back as the first United States. This was enough to cover most, but not all, of the deficit in armor, but the rest was covered by a variety of military contractors across the Federation.[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]Aircraft proved easy to find, but of varying models; 120 F-22 Raptors (10 squadrons), 180 F-15E Strike Eagles (15 squadrons), 300 F-16 Falcons (25 squadrons), 36 B-1 Lancers (3 squadrons), 24 AC-130 gunships (2 squadrons), and 60 B-52 Stratofortresses (5 squadrons). Air Force Undersecretary Tobias Kitchener was also able to procure a vast fleet of helicopters, cargo and recon planes, and other supporting aircrafts. He has contracted his own former company, Oklahoma Aviation, to look over and conduct necessary repairs and reoutfitting of recovered aircraft.[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3][u][i]Cargo/Transport Aircraft[/i][/u][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]125x C-17 Globemaster III[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]225x C-130 Hercules[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]75x C-135 Stratolifter[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]25x C-12 Huron[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3][i][u]Recon Aircraft[/u][/i][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]35x U-2[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]45x RC-135[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]125x MG-1 Predator Drone[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]25x RQ-4 Global Hawk[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3][i][u]Other Aircraft[/u][/i][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]200x KC-135 Stratofortress[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]75x HH-60 Pave Hawk[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]1,250x UH-60 Black Hawk[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]10x EC-130[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]5x E-8 Joint STAR[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]35x E-3 Sentry[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]Undersecretary of the Army Max Robinson was able to scrounge the vast majority of needed ground weapons and vehicles from old bases across the Federation.[/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]775 of 1,000 [b]M113 APC[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]2,650 of 5,900 [b]Stryker IFV[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]27,500 of 29,000 [b]Humvee[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]325 of 400 [b]M270 MRLS[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]350 of 400[b] M109A6 Paladin[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]225 of 400 [b]HIMARS[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]700 of 900 [b]M777 howitzer[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]675 of 900 [b]M119 howitzer[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]555 of 900 [b]M198 howitzer[/b][/size][/size][/size] [size=5][size=2][size=3]Orders have been placed with contractors to fill the rest of the quota within two years, placed with eight new military companies: Zenith Engineering, Drachen Enterprises, General Armaments Production, Oklahoman Armor Works, Stonewall Equipment Manufacturing, Old Hickory Firearm Company, Big Stick Diplomacy, Inc., and Tankrunners, Inc.[/size][/size][/size]

*Classified* A total of fifty officers, thirty from the Army and twenty from the Air Force, were dispatched to the Oregonese War, evenly split between the two sides. In addition, each detachment would be accompanied by thirty NCOs, who would function as a guard when they weren't accompanying individual platoons on missions. They would be transported by C-130 Hercules cargo jets to the proper area. Two of them would carry the observers and guards themselves, while two more would carry three up-armored Humvees apiece; the Humvees had been painted a bright blue to distinguish them from combatants, and the men would wear bright blue helmets with "FSAR" imprinted in white lettering across them. Both sides were informed of the flights into the region, and a complete list of the names of the observers, for both sides, was provided; they were also informed that FSAR personnel would be on both sides of the firing lines. The men would be unarmed, save for their sidearms.

"A Federation of Southern States foundings itself right next to the Federation of Southern American Republics? Well that's !@#$@#$ annoying." -President Duncan Burr of the Southern Federation near an open mic OOC:

[center][b][u][size=5]Republics Elect Governments[/size][/u][/b][/center] [size=5][size=3]Since the foundation of the Federation of Southern American Republics, the four constituent republics have been governed by federally-appointed viceroys and councils, but with the federal government stabilized, they feel confident in allowing complete elections at the republican level. Each has essentially the same setup as the states that once preceded them, though Oklahoma and Alabama have opted for systems that delegate more power to the executive. The Democrats and third parties have been campaigning vigorously in each of the republics in an effort to overcome the Conservative stranglehold on governance by taking control of state legislatures, but are having trouble overcoming the deepseated Conservative prevalence.[/size][/size] [size=5][size=3][b][u]Government of the Republic of Oklahoma[/u][/b][/size][/size] [u][i][size=5][size=3]Governor[/size][/size][/i][/u] [color=#008000]Terrance Miller (CPR) - 1,054,666 (52.7%)[/color] Ian Rodriguez (NDP) - 888,433 (44.4%) Tyler Warren (LP) - 50,015 (2.5%) John Drake (GP) - 10,003 (0.5%) [i][u]Senate (50 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party of the Republics - 33 New Democratic Party - 17 [i][u]House of Representatives (101 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 65 New Democratic Party - 36 [b][u]Government of the Republic of Arkansas[/u][/b] [i][u]Governor[/u][/i] [color=#008000]Scott Richardson (NDP) - 1,082,422 (47.6%)[/color] Jacob Hiller (CPR) - 1,018,750 (44.8%) Alexander Toren (GP) - 109,151 (4.8%) Andrew Harrison (LP) - 63,741 (2.8%) [i][u]Senate (40 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 20 New Democratic Party - 20 [i][u]House of Representatives (100 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 54 New Democratic Party - 45 Green Party - 1 [b][u]Government of the Republic of Mississippi 2,218,991[/u][/b] [i][u]Governor[/u][/i] [color=#008000]Jerry Duke (CPR) - 1,102,839 (49.7%)[/color] Maria Jackson (NDP) - 1,058,459 (47.7%) Frederick Hanson (LP) - 46,599 (2.1%) David Quartz (GP) - 11,095 (0.5%) [i][u]Senate (52 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 31 New Democratic Party - 21 [i][u]House of Representatives (125 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 83 New Democratic Party - 39 Independents - 3 [b][u]Government of the Republic of Alabama 3827784[/u][/b] [u][i]Governor[/i][/u] [color=#008000]Philip Chattos (NDP) - 1,730,158 (45.2%)[/color] Ronald Burke (CPR) - 1,718,675 (44.9%) Viktor Spoyles (LP) - 290,912 (7.6%) Hannah Golde (GP) - 88,039 (2.3%) [i][u]Senate (40 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 22 New Democratic Party - 16 Libertarian Party - 1 Independent - 1 [i][u]House of Representatives (105 seats)[/u][/i] Conservative Party - 56 New Democratic Party - 43 Libertarian Party - 4 Independents - 2 Political analysts reviewing the results of the elections were relatively surprised at the success of the New Democratic and Libertarian Parties. They assigned their victories to the overconfidence of the Conservative Party, who put only minimal resources into the state campaigns, trusting their solid voting base to sweep majorities into office. As a result, the Democrats were able to capture the governorships in Arkansas and Alabama, and even put the Arkansas Senate into a complete deadlock. The Libertarians have been blamed by the CPR for their losses in both states, who claim the smaller party spoiled the election and handed the governorships to liberal leaders; while this argument cannot be validated by the Arkansas results, where the Libertarian votes barely covered the difference between Richardson and Hiller. However, the aptly-named Viktor Spoyles of Alabama, the target of a powerful Libertarian Party campaign, has been the target of vehement accusations since the elections concluded. Despite this, the Conservatives were able to gain majorities in every other state legislative body, and solidly gained the governorships in Oklahoma and Mississippi.

*Private to Cascadia* "The Federation of Southern American Republics respectfully requests permission to send nonparticipatory military observers, both Army and Air Force, to accompany the Cascadian armed forces in their operations against Ouragon." -Defense Secretary Victor Stukey *Private to Ouragon* "The Federation of Southern American Republics respectfully requests permission to send nonparticipatory military observers from both the Army and Air Force to accompany Ouragonian defense forces in their struggle to fend off the Cascadian incursion." -Defense Secretary Victor Stukey

[center][size=5][b][u]Federation Encourages Energy Sector[/u][/b][/size][/center] [size=5][size=3]Mark Gray, a Conservative Senator from Fayetteville, Arkansas, has put forward a motion to provide incentives to oil, natural gas, and coal companies operating within the Southern Federation. The bill, known as the Energy Security Act, is supported by the entire Conservative Party, and would provide a 5-year cut in taxes on these particular businesses and their executives; the corporate tax would be slashed from 10% to 5%, and the income taxes on their CEO and other executives would be cut from 31% to 15%. This act would also lessen restrictions on oil exploration in protected areas, such as the Ozarks and the Ouachita Mountains, and provide $2 billion in subsidies to smaller energy companies. Senator Gray estimates that this effort will create between 75,000 and 200,000 new jobs, but some Democrats have criticized the plan for its reckless disregard of FSAR National Parks and the overall environment.[/size][/size] [size=5][size=3]"We support the efforts to grow the national economy, but it is concerning that the Conservatives have failed to provide any funding for green energy initiatives," Senate Minority Leader George Albano said in an address to the senate. "The Federation should not be putting all of its eggs in a single basket, especially with the rising threat of climate change."[/size][/size] [size=5][size=3]Even Libertarian Representative Joseph Greenawalt voiced his opposition to the plan. "Government should not hinder business with unnecessary regulations, but that does not mean they should give a free license to corporations to destroy the natural beauty of our republics," he told reporters in Oklahoma City.[/size][/size] [size=5][size=3]Despite these misgivings, the Energy Security Act is expected to pass through both houses by a comfortable margin.[/size][/size] [quote] [b][u]Senate Bill 3[/u][/b] [i]Energy Security Act[/i] [i][u]Senate[/u][/i] For: 77 Against: 21 Abstain: 2 [i][u]House of Representatives[/u][/i] For: 222 Against: 61 Abstain: 7 [color=#008000]Signed by President Duncan Burr[/color] [/quote] *Classified* Defense Secretary Stukey has updated the President on the status of the activation of the Armed Forces of the Federation, and reports that ground forces are at a roughly 65% readiness; all infantrymen are fully armed and the M1A2SEP Abrams have been delivered to their assigned units. However, he has reported that the army does not quite have the equipment needed to provide all of the armor and artillery for most divisions; he has asked for, and received, a large boost to his defense budget to bring this equipment into service before the end of the year. [b][i]Standard Armored Division: 15,000 inf., 500x M1A2SEP Abrams, 250x M113 APC, 500x Stryker IFV, 2,500x Humvee[/i][/b] 1st Armored Division - Fort Cimarron 2nd Armored Division - Dothan Depot 3rd Armored Division - Anniston Army Depot 4th Armored Division - Pine Bluff Arsenal [b][i]Standard Infantry Division: 25,000 inf., 130x M1A2SEPs, 150x M113 APC, 400 Stryker IFV, 25x M270 MRLS, 25x M109A6 Paladins, 25x HIMARS, 50x M119 105mm howitzer, 50x M198 155mm howitzer, 50x M777 155mm howitzer, 4,500x Humvee[/i][/b] 1st Infantry Division - Chesty Armed Forces Base 2nd Infantry Division - Muscle Shores Arsenal 3rd Infantry Division - Fort Arrowhead 4th Infantry Division - Redstone Arsenal 5th Infantry Division - Fort Cimarron 6th Infantry Division - Dothan Depot [b][i]Standard Artillery Division: 15,000 inf., 75 M1A2SEPs, 75x M113 APCs, 100x Stryker IFV, 100x M270 MRLS, 50x M109A6 Paladins, 50x HIMARS, 150x M119 105mm howitzer, 100x M198 155mm howitzer, 100x M777 155mm howitzer, 1,000 Humvees[/i][/b] 1st Artillery Division) - Magnolia Army Base 2nd Artillery Division - Fort Still 3rd Artillery Division - Fort Chaffee 4th Artillery Division - Fort Burr [i][b]Standard Mountain Division: 15,000 inf., 200x M113 APCs, 300x Stryker IFVs, 30x M270 MRLS, 10x M109A6 Paladins, 10x HIMARS, 2,000x Humvee[/b][/i] 1st Mountain Division - Fort Still 2nd Mountain Division - Muscle Shoals Arsenal [b][i]Standard Cavalry Division: 10,000 inf., 300x M113 APC, 500x Stryker IFV, 30x M270 MRLS, 10x M109A6 Paladin, 10x HIMARS, 50x M119 105mm howitzer, 25x M198 155mm howitzer, 25x M777 155mm howitzer, 4,000x Humvee[/i][/b] 1st Cavalry Division - Magnolia Army Base 2nd Cavalry Division - Fort Chaffee [b][i]Standard Airborne Division: 20,000 inf., 100x M113 APC, 150x Stryker IFV, 50x M109A6 Paladin, 25x M270 MRLS, 25x HIMARS, 150x M119 105mm howitzer, 25x M198 155mm howitzer, 25x M777 155mm howitzer,[b][i] 2,500x Humvee[/i][/b][/i][/b] 1st Airborne Division - Tinker AFB 2nd Airborne Division - Maxwell-Gunter AFB [i][b]Standard Marine Division: 25,000 inf., 125 M1A2SEPs, 200 APCs, 200 IFVs, 50x M270 MRLS, 25x M109A6 Paladin, 25x HIMARS, 150x M119 105mm howitzer, 50x M198 155mm howitzer, 50x M777 howitzer, 2,000 Humvees[/b][/i] 1st Marine Division - Mobile Naval Base 2nd Marine Division - Diamondhead Dockyards 3rd Marine Division - Little Rock AFB Total: 375,000 soldiers, 3,700 APCs (-1,000), 7,300 IFVs (-5,900), 64,000 Humvees (-29,000), 1,950 SPAs (-1,200), 3,850 towed artie (-2,750)