The Armed Republic of Iwaku?

S

Scarlette

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Original poster
I'm not sure how many of you are familar with NationStates, the website designed based on Max Barry's novel, Jennifer Government, but I would be willing to bet that a few of you have at least heard of it. For those that have not, here is the link:

http://www.nationstates.net

For our purposes, I have created "The Armed Republic of Iwaku", and answered all eight of the Ideology Analysis questions with "Strongly Disagree". For your viewing pleasure, here are the ten questions asked of anyone wishing to start their own nation:

1. A country should be judged by how it treats its worst-off citizens.

2. Corporations do more good for society than harm.

3. Marijuana should be legal.

4. The world needs to rediscover its spirituality.

5. All young people should perform a year's compulsory military service.

6. Capitalism is on the way out.

7. Without democracy, a country has nothing.

8. It's more important to deter criminals than try to rehabilitate them.

And, after answering all these questions, we were classified as a "Father Knows Best State". What this means, I honestly have no idea. However, this is the description we find on the front page, after having logged into NationStates:

The Armed Republic of Iwaku is a small, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its complete lack of prisons. Its hard-working, cynical population of 23 million are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The large government is effectively ruled by the Department of Law & Order, with areas such as Defence and Religion & Spirituality receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 24%. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Book Publishing.

Crime is a problem, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. Iwaku's national animal is the Diana, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Point.

Iwaku is ranked 3643rd in the Pacific and 72,720th in the world for Laxest Drug Laws.

Civil rights are below average, the economy is good, and political freedoms are few.

After this, I will post each of our new issues to be addressed in a new post, and await your votes. The issues will be passed by popular vote; consequences be damned.
 
Nazi Sympathizers Plan Rally

The Issue:Top of Form Far-right-wing Nazi supporters plan to stage a rally in the city center tomorrow, giving voice to their violent, racist views.

The Debate:

1. "Frankly, I'm appalled that the government can even consider allowing this travesty to go ahead," says prominent Jewish personality Abraham Patel. "We can't let these animals broadcast their message of hate. Surely Iwaku is too civilized for that."

2. "It's exactly because we're civilized that we must let the demonstration proceed," says free speech campaigner Chloe Li. "We may not like what they have to say, but in this society, people have the right to argue whatever political view they want, no matter how hateful, selfish, or stupid it is."

The Government Position:
The government has yet to formalize a position on this issue.
 
Should Democracy Be Compulsory?

The Issue: In response to a slow news week, certain highbrow newspapers have stirred up the debate over voluntary vs compulsory voting.

The Debate:

1. "Compulsory voting makes about as much as sense as having the death penalty for attempted suicide," says civil rights activist Sue-Ann O. "You can't force people to be free! You can only give them the choice. Besides, if all those derelicts who can't be bothered to get off their butts once every few years voted, who would they elect? I shudder to think."

2. "It's not contradictory at all," argues political commentator Freddy Strange. "The fact is, if not everyone votes, the outcome isn't truly representative. Some groups--like elderly gun nuts--vote more often than others. That's why we always end up with such terrible politicians."

3. "This raises an interesting issue," says Clint Longfellow, your brother. "And that is: why do we need elections, anyway? Seems to me it would be much simpler if you just decided what was right, and did it. Wouldn't that save everyone a lot of time?"

The Government Position: The government has yet to formalize a position on this issue.
 
Compulsory Organ Harvesting Proposed

The Issue:Top of Form A group of emergency room doctors has petitioned the government to introduce mandatory organ donations.

The Debate:

1. "It's not as crazy as it sounds," says Dr. Larry Janssen. "Every day, people die because we don't have the organs to save them. Well, that and widespread under-funding of the health system. But the point is, if the government allowed us to take organs from dead people, we could save hundreds of lives a year. And come on, it's not like dead people need them."


2. "You keep your damn hands off my organs!" says alarmed hospital patient Beth Silk. "They are my organs, and I'll do with them what I like. The government has no right to my body."

The Government Position: The government has yet to formalize a position on this issue.
 
Minorities Demand Representation In TV Soaps

The Issue: Top of Form Iwaku's TV soaps--famous around the region--have come under fire for their lack of ethnic diversity.

The Debate:

1. "Every night my family and I sit down to watch 'The Brash and the Backstabbing'," says Jacob Chen. "But where are the Lilliputians like myself? Where are the Bigtopians? The Marche Noirians? People from those cultures can be just as brash and backstabbing, but we never see them on the screen. The government must act to remove this silent apartheid from our TV screens."

2. "Those Lilliputians don't know how good they have it," says Rosalia Han, spokesperson for the Tasmanians Against Ethnic Stereotyping. "Tasmanians are on television all the time, but always in crude, stereotypical roles. The answer is not to enforce ethnic quotas, but to award government prizes for the positive portrayal of minorities. That'll work better, and be cheaper, too."


3. "The government should do what now?" says TV studio executive Elizabeth Dimitrov. "You've got to be kidding. We make soaps here, not documentaries. I should be able to put whichever characters I want into my shows. Quotas! Government prizes! God save me! Hasn't the government got anything better to do? Why don't they just back off and let society work out these things on its own?"

The Government Position: The government has yet to formalize a position on this issue.
 
<form method="POST" action="page=show_dilemma/dilemma=15">More Police Needed

The Issue: Top of Form As crime rates rise, some in the community are calling for increased policing.

The Debate:

1. "Just the other day, I got mugged in the broad daylight!" says ruffian Chastity Wu. "And the ironic thing is I had just stuck up this other guy. When muggers are getting mugged, even I have to admit that crime has gotten out of control. We do need more police.

2. "The solution to crime is not more police!" says noted sociologist and occasional crime novelist Prudence McGuffin. "Studies repeatedly show that crime is caused by poverty and poor education. Increase government spending in these areas, and crime will fall! Maybe not overnight, but it will happen."

3. "Yeah, good luck with that," says conservative leader and gun enthusiast Anne-Marie de Jong. "Look, we do need more police, that's clear. But that's not enough. We need real punishments: sentences that will act as a genuine deterrent to people considering a life of crime. Like public floggings."

The Government Position: The government has yet to formalize a position on this issue.
</form>
 
Q: Should democracy me mandatory?

A: DEMOCRACY!?!?!? GTFO!!! I'M IN CHARGE!

Q: What do we do about cheep car imports choking local industry?

A: TAX THE SHIT OUTTA THE FOREIGN BASTARDS!

Q: The military is asking for more money, whats your stance on this?

A: MORE MEN! MORE TANKS!

Q: Who do you appoint as your minister of religion, and do you feel insulted by a school teatcher promising to resign if he gets appointed, some people don't take matter seriously.

A: Yeah he sounds perfect.