@goro.akechi | june 11, 2512

[impede]

Given the turmoil here in New Amsterdam, we have an opportunity available to us. I've covered such an opportunity before, but I've learned that it's an utter waste of time to convince any of you to enter politics. But voting? That seems to be far easier.

There is an election in just four days' time. Even if you're "new," so to speak, you aren't according to your newfound ID and the guidelines of the city. That means you have a choice.

I'm here to outline that choice. Hopefully, none of you will be foolish enough to vote like fucking idiotic idealists, but my hopes aren't particularly high. I've seen how the Displaced think.

That said, in alphabetical order we have:

Mia Ballo. A former cop for the NAPD. She's a fucking moron and her bullshit isn't worth your time. She wants to kill off all the plants in the city, even if they have economic value and are undoubtedly helping keep the poor fed. Ignore her futile attempts at a political future.

Amabel Delafield-Chapin. The first of two anti-establishment candidates. Unlike the other one (Durcell), Delafield-Chapin isn't in the big corporate pocket. But that means she's utterly inexperienced when it comes to leadership. She appears to be on our side, or inspired by us, but you can't ignore that the political world will eat her alive.

Simone Durcell. While they easily and carelessly set aside their position as the head of a Pulsar subsidiary, Durcell is a ruthless politician despite their lack of political experience. Durcell is heavily rumored to be in with the mob families in New Amsterdam, and I believe that we, as a group, have proof of that. The issue with Durcell is that they seem positively ruthless and opportunistic, so even if we have that evidence, it may be meaningless.

Joseph Lynch. Another man we have information on thanks to Cassius' intervention. Whether this would matter to the public means nothing. But for all of us, I believe we'd benefit from having him in office. He has a clean record and is the typical, uninspiring politician. What stands out most to me is that despite his long history with Ibis as their Public Relations director, the corporations were set to back Katelin Jovavich before her untimely demise. I don't believe this is simply because he's risky. There may be more there.

My proposal, then, is that we think intelligently. Many of you've shown that you're afraid of what might happen if people figure out who and what we are. If we back a candidate, especially a candidate with power and resources, we'll be able to protect ourselves.

Lynch and Durcell are the most promising. Delafield-Chapin may suit your ideals, but she's going to be useless to us in office. I won't even waste more words on Ballo. We have enough time to rally support around one of our chosen candidates.

Let's not be idiots about it.

Edit: Since I realize I overlooked the most important detail in my presumption that you all had eyes and ears, these four individuals are running for governor of New Amsterdam.

Comments

@ren.amamiya

[variate]

"Don't be an idiot" is a pretty convincing argument.

[impede]

And yet.

[variate]

There's also who's popular among the public.
People like Delafield-Chapin.

[ and he absolutely knows that part of this is just how well someone comes off in their speeches. thanks, Shido. ]

@tsera.vel

[bivariant]

Sounds like a good slogan we could adopt.

"The Displaced: Let's Not Be Idiots."

[variate]

Sometimes you have to be an idiot, but there's a time and place.

@torvan.garak

[plainsimple]

Let us indeed not be idiots, but what do the more effective duo stand for? You've told us where the person you deem useless stands, but not the other three. Are we simply to put faith in someone for either being a killer or being well-connected with a killer, and ignore that we don't know what their aims are?

This is my very first election and I'd hardly like to go in unprepared.

[impede]

I wasn't aware that I was expected to do the minimum of research for you. But very well.

Delafield-Chapin is an anti-establishment candidate on the outside of the corporate reach. She's an upstart inspired by our actions in the recent simulation, and she's aiming to bring in rent control.

Durcell is corporate-affiliated, if not supported. Their goals appear to be murky, at best. Consider the type of politician whose involvement in a race is largely inflammatory, and yet somehow they've persisted. If anything, Durcell's involvement in the race likely only continues because their very near rival, Katelin Jovavich, perished upon exiting from the simulation.

Lynch is a local philanthropist who's hoping to use the position of governor to, surely, do charitable deeds? He's more the moderate, middle of the pack type. He has put his money where his mouth is, and you can definitely see all of the causes he's donated to if you know where to look.

Are you satisfied?

[plainsimple]

How terribly rude of me, to think that someone who wants to sway votes a particular way would want to elaborate on why their desired candidate or candidates should be supported. After all, presenting evidence for one person could only help... but perhaps this is a cultural misunderstanding.

Or a misunderstanding brought on by someone who is still new and endeavoring to adapt to this world, but surely we've all been here quite some time and therefore all know what simulation it is you're speaking about.

@castiel.winchester

[unwings]

Partnering with ruthless opportunists is often more trouble than it's worth. Betrayal is an inevitability.

Are Durcell's corporate and criminal sway their most valuable asset to us?

[impede]

Yes, but there are those among us who have similar sway, at least with the criminals. In some private conversations, I've come to realize that Durcell, while a shamelessly known element, will also be difficult to control once they gain even the slightest bit of power.

[unwings]

I agree, backing Durcell will complicate things more than it will help. That leaves us Lynch, by your summation. I'm unsure 'uninspiring' can be taken as a positive for a civic leader, but if he can be easily manipulated to back the Displaced, we should assume the same is true of anyone else who may approach him.

If we're going to cultivate political ties with local government, perhaps selecting a representative or council of Displaced to handle those interactions would be wise.

@samuel.drake

[withmeinparadise]

so we got candidates and your opinion on them, but what're they running for? mayor, emperor, dog-catcher?

[impede]

You all truly expect me to do even the minimum of work for you? I guess it was too much to expect you to pay attention.

As it is, they're running for governor of this city. The one where you're undoubtedly standing, unless you've decided to go elsewhere. I'll be able to tell when you, undoubtedly, follow up with a question about the city I mean.

[withmeinparadise]

they put you on the welcome wagon here? because you're really killing it. very welcoming.

@glimmer.moon

[sparklequeen]

If we only ever vote for self-interested, ruthless people because everyone in the system is self-interested and ruthless, doesn't that just become self-fulfilling?

I'd rather have someone honest and willing to try and make change. Leadership is a challenge but it's not something impossible to learn.

[impede]

Does it sound like I was promoting Durcell? Or even Ballo? I wasn't.

[sparklequeen]

I mean, when you say something like he's one the most promising, I wonder.

@tsera.vel

[bivariant]

The difficulty I see with Delafield-Chapin is that, had we invested in her, she might have been a viable candidate. Everyone can be taught, experience can and will be gained -- but.

With her, we run the risk of any association with her coming off as shadowy manipulation. She likes us, she might even listen to us, and that would make us look real bad. Like, close to corporations-manipulating-everything-bad.

I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm only saying that politics are delicate and our track record lacks, uh... delicacy. We'd need, like, really experienced information officers or spies or advisors on this!

[impede]

And even if we were wise and hands off, there would be two things that we'd need to keep in mind:

1. Delafield-Chapin is repeating our own ideals, rather than standing on her own platform. She's inspired by us, but does she know how to make things happen?

2. Durcell and Lynch, though far from palatable for different reasons, undoubtedly know who they'll surround themselves with should they win. Part of taking office is hiring staff. Not everything is an elected position.

[sparklequeen]

I hadn't thought of that.

[ Look, she's used to being a monarch. ]

I don't want her or anyone else to get hurt because they're associated with us. I've governed before--it's not easy. And I'd love to help out, but I don't want to be seen as controlling anyone.

@tsera.vel

[bivariant]

Lynch is the most rational of choices.

We have the data on him, he has skill. He won't be eaten alive, he's boring, he gives us time to maneuver and predictability in power. He's also the comfortable choice for us. Not ideal for the idealistic, as Akechi put it, but the better choice.

My vote's on comfortable old Jo Lynch, for now. I'm not willing to be persuaded, I'm here to persuade.

[ "where the hell have you been, cheris" "laying low shut up" ]

[impede]

A much larger concern lies with how little they see the risk in electing an inexperienced woman who doesn't have any political experience or preparation in a world with a government willing to obliterate an entire continent to ensure they completely claim power.

Which is to say: Delafield-Chapin is a risk.

[bivariant]

Idealism doesn't have to be excluded from rationality, but this is a terribly tenuous position to be in. I know exactly the lengths a government can go to, to wipe out dissent. I came from that universe, too.

My concern, as I told (@)glimmer.moon -- is that if she likes us, she might be willing to talk to us. And because she's inexperienced, she'll inevitably expose that. And PFFTTTTTT, there goes whatever's left of our reputation. Which I'm still working on maintaining, ffs.

[ hawks and stars, politics make her so prickly ]

@cassian.andor

[evasives]

[ boy. ]

You know you can be a lot more convincing to a wider audience if you are not condescending.

@ren.amamiya

[variate]

I don't think pretending in this case will get very far.