Election Meeting - Transcript

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Patroklus Murakami
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Election Meeting - Transcript

Post by Patroklus Murakami »

The CSDF held an election special meeting on Thursday 12 July to explain our manifesto to the CDS electorate and answer questions. Thank you to everyone who came along.

I've tidied up my comments by correcting my spelling mistakes ('teh' etc) in order to improve legibility. The original, unedited transcript is available on request.

The transcript follows:

Meeting on 2007-07-12
Those present:
Patroklus Murakami is in the chair.
Arria Perreault has indicated consent to be recorded.
Jon Seattle: Welcome everyone, we will start in a minute
Dnate Mars has indicated consent to be recorded.
Gxeremio Dimsum has indicated consent to be recorded.
Patroklus Murakami: pls touch the recorder to indicate you're happy to be recorded. we'll post a transcript on the forums so other ppl who can't make it can read the chat log
Jamie Palisades has indicated consent to be recorded.
Nikki Maertens has indicated consent to be recorded.
Jon Seattle has indicated consent to be recorded.
lufpleh Obstreperous has indicated consent to be recorded.
Gxeremio Dimsum: Hey if I could put in a quick plug before the meeting - if you're interested in seeing US presidential candidate John Edwards come into Second Life, join the Eventful competition - http://eventful.com/performers/P0-001-0 ... ompetition
Jon Seattle: Lets begin. Welcome evevery one to the CSDF meeting. This is a special open meeting
Jon Seattle: Our meetings are held every week at this time on Thursday, and are open to everyone
Jon Seattle: So I hope some of you will also come to future meetings.
Jon Seattle: Let me introduce our representitive in the RA, Pat Murakami
Jon Seattle: He had done a wonderful job representing us and the program of our party
Patroklus Murakami blushes
Jon Seattle: Also, as you will find out many of the CSDF members are involved in other imporant projects in the CDS
Jon Seattle: Pat is also the founder of the CDS traders
Jon Seattle: A very important group as we go forward
Jon Seattle: Let me hand the floor over to Pat
Patroklus Murakami: hi rose, welcome :)
Patroklus Murakami: ty jon
Jon Seattle: Hi Rose :)
Rose Springvale: hello, thanks
Arria Perreault: Hi Rose
Patroklus Murakami: this meeting is as much yours as it is ours
Patroklus Murakami: i don't have a prepared speech
Patroklus Murakami: but i will lay out our basic principles and programme in this election
Patroklus Murakami: pls feel free to jump in and ask questions at any point
Patroklus Murakami: jon will keep order and shut me up if i talk too much!
Moon Adamant: hello all :)
Moon Adamant hugs Jon
Jon Seattle hugs moon
Arria Perreault: Hi Moon
Jon Seattle: Hi Moon :)
Rose Springvale: hello moon
Patroklus Murakami: our fundamental approach to this election is to get 'back to basics'
Patroklus Murakami: we think a lot is right with the CDS
Patroklus Murakami: but there are a number of basic issues which we need to nail
Patroklus Murakami: and some fundamental quesitons to answer so we can grow and prosper
Patroklus Murakami: we've arranged our proposals around accesssibility, focus and the chancellor
Patroklus Murakami: because our democracy needs to be accessible to its citizens
Patroklus Murakami: we need to regain the focus on the key issues
Patroklus Murakami: and we need a fully functioning executive
Patroklus Murakami: our proposals are practical steps we can take
Patroklus Murakami: while avoiding talk for its own sake, and stressing action
Jon Seattle: Hi Liviagusta
Liviaugusta Messmer: Hi
Arria Perreault: Hi Liviagusta
Liviaugusta Messmer: Hi
Patroklus Murakami: on accessibilty we want to conclude the citizenship commission begun by mizou vavoom in the last session
Liviaugusta Messmer: May I have a seat?
TOPGenosse Lundquist: wow, crowded :)
Patroklus Murakami: we think it's time to consider a radical change to citizenship so that more and more democrats can join us
Moon Adamant: sure, seat on teh pillows, tehy have teh sit targets
Jon Seattle: Libaugusta, yes please :)
Jamie Palisades: wow, TOP, um .. wow
Patroklus Murakami: we also want to establish a single web portal so SL citizens (and the wider world) can find us
Jon Seattle: Have a seat top
TOPGenosse Lundquist: ty
Patroklus Murakami: and we would set up a government question hour where citizens can come and quiz government oficials
Patroklus Murakami: any questions on those points before i move on
Patroklus Murakami: ?
Dnate Mars: What kind of questions would you be expecting form people?
Patroklus Murakami: (my fingers are tired now!)
Dnate Mars: for the government hour
Gxeremio Dimsum: DO you have a particular change in mind to citizenship, or just to get the commission to come up with a proposal?
TOPGenosse Lundquist: Is this about the 1st 3 points?
Rose Springvale: have you looked at budget implications regarding web presences?
Patroklus Murakami: anything and anything Gx. anything ppl want to know
Patroklus Murakami: it's about accountability
Patroklus Murakami: sorry, that was an answer to dnate :)
Jon Seattle: Rose, actually I know the prices for web presences well
Dnate Mars: but won't different people from the government have different answers for the same questions?
Rose Springvale: so you think there is money in the current budget for that jon?
Rose Springvale: or aer we looking at raising fees?
Jon Seattle: Rose, web hosting can be quite inexpensive and we have several professional web-designers in the CDS (among others myself). I think we should be able to do quite a nice job within a small budget
Patroklus Murakami: well GX, on the citizenship commission, we haven't come to a final decision. i think we're supportive of a much wider definition of citizenship that would allow ppl to join us without owning land. but we must consider all the implications - there have to be safeguards for existing landowners for example
Rose Springvale: jon... i agree.. but wasn't that one of your points.. not to rely on volunteers but to be more professional?
Jon Seattle: For example, the CSDF web site was hosted for under five dollars US so far.
Patroklus Murakami: rose, the current web space is 'donated' by volunteers. that's not a good situation, as we've learned to our cost
Jon Seattle: Rose, the CDS should rely on volunteers when that is the best approach.
Jamie Palisades: Pat if the website is a topic - as a happy but casual citizen here, it seems to me I must chase down a lot of Forum posts and meeting transcripts etc to follow things. A bit daunting. Any hope on that front?
Jamie Palisades: seems like it's as much or more about organization than, er, website fees
Patroklus Murakami: for example, much of Neufrestadt was built on 'volunteer' labour. we spent a long time attempting to clear up IP issues on the back of that. the upshot was the Ulrika-quake when half the city was deleted :)
Rose Springvale: my issue with volunteers is that when we wait for them to provide us with their skills and talents, which we do have in abundance, sometimes, we end up paying premium prices to meet deadlines
Patroklus Murakami: we need to make things simpler :) for new citizens
Rose Springvale: lol./ and old!
Jon Seattle: Well, having a CDS-owned we site would isure that it will continue as long as the CDS does. It can be risky to rely on a single individual -- even though the web site owner is very relyable :)
Jon Seattle: Rose, I disagree
Rose Springvale: only speaking from my own experiences jon
Jon Seattle: For example, Colonia Nova was very well done with volunteer work. There are cases where it is better to hire outside people, but we need to be careful not to take away from our community in the process.
Patroklus Murakami: jamie, good point:) i think that's what the RA and SC archivists are supposed to do. but we should consider how to make the public face of the CDS government easier to access. a history section would be a good idea along with a current issues section
Jamie Palisades: it seems, Pat, a little opaque, albeit not deliberately
Jamie Palisades: ah - on that front remind me to ask what you folks think of CDS citizen referenda
Patroklus Murakami: ok, if i move on? we should try to keep to an hour, i'm sure many will want to attend another *ahem* meeting later :)
Jon Seattle: One point I would like to make.. its not only the end-product that matters when we work on projects together as a communuty. We build skills, we learn to work togerher, and often we may have fun accomplishing something.
Patroklus Murakami: jamie, we're opposed to referenda . i introduced a bill to enable referenda a year ago. the RA was totally unable to come to a consensus on the tricky issues it throws up
Patroklus Murakami: instead, we developed the idea of commissions, these have been better at really engaging citizens and developing ideas for the RA to consider
Patroklus Murakami: referenda are a really blunt instrument and tend to keep things the same rather than enable radical change
Jamie Palisades: and , w respect, do not tend to be liked by seated legislators :)
Moon Adamant: the thing is that through comissions, there is a possibility of building compromises
Patroklus Murakami: :) well, i think they sit badly with a representative democracy
Rose Springvale: i'm a bit confused by the use of terms, can you give me an example of how referenda might or might not be used?
Gxeremio Dimsum: so does the csdf tend to support the current system of voting for parties, which choose their own slate of candidates?
Moon Adamant: referenda do not allow for compromises, they factionalize the community around one question
Rose Springvale: but when the question is simple, isn't that good?
Nikki Maertens: A referendum could be used for major decisions, like a new sim or structural alterations of the government.
Moon Adamant: ah, but you see that referenda are always held for complex questions lol
Moon Adamant: and nikki, we have mechanisms for public consultation for those
Jon Seattle: Gxeremio, Pat has some interesting proposals along those lines. I would like to say though, that I would rather not have our elections become a popularity contest.
Moon Adamant: look at the iterative process that was developed for the sim contest
Patroklus Murakami: Gx. we favour voting for parties so we can focus on issue not personalities but we introduced an electoral reform proposal to allow voters to choose between all the candidates
Gxeremio Dimsum: Doesn't personality matter in a representative government?
Patroklus Murakami: well, our proposal would allow everyone to choose between the candidates so it would meet that need GX
Gxeremio Dimsum: I'm curious about details on that proposal.
Jon Seattle: Gx, its not as if we do not know who the candidates are, but we should be reaching for more than that.
Dnate Mars: I don't think this is the place for that discussion...
Patroklus Murakami: but we want to preserve the faction system, that has led to 'issue' politics rather than cults of personality (for the most part :))
Jamie Palisades: That WAS a great process Moon. And referenda are an issue on which reasonable political theorists differ :) I think referenda often become an issue *when* there are questions about legislative agility , speed and responsiveness ... perhaps the better question is this. As Jon, said we get benefit here from collaborative community building here - more perhaps than Desmond does elsewhere. But post-Kendra here, versus there? Apparently there are some growth benefits to less - um - thoroughly and painstakingly collaborative methods? Has our balance been in the right place, this past year?
Patroklus Murakami: i want to move on to focus, if i may?
Jon Seattle: yes, please :)
Gxeremio Dimsum: SO the answer on electoral reform is, "we have a plan, but don't want to talk about it"?
Patroklus Murakami: we think that events are really key in the CDS in order to draw ppl in and create a buzz aroudn the place
Patroklus Murakami: GX, there's a full proposal on the forums, i'll get u the link later :)
Patroklus Murakami: we want to introduce a budget for events and publicise it to prime the pump
Rose Springvale: wasn't that done?

Last edited by Patroklus Murakami on Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:03 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Election Meeting - Transcript 2/2

Post by Patroklus Murakami »

Patroklus Murakami: we would also appoint an economics minister and a foreign minister to improve accountability and focus
Patroklus Murakami: the economics minister would be responsible for the economy and businesss in the CDS
Gxeremio Dimsum: who would they work under? the chancellor or the leader of the RA?
Jon Seattle: Welcome Gwyn :)
Gwyneth Llewelyn belatedly says hi
Patroklus Murakami: the foreign minister woudl be resonsible for foreign relations
Dnate Mars: do we really need foreign relations at this time?
Patroklus Murakami: we would also develop a brand identity and mission statement for the CDS
Moon Adamant: hiya Gwyn :)
Arria Perreault: Hi Gwyn
Rose Springvale: are there people willing to serve in these positions?
Patroklus Murakami: Gx, the ministers would report to the RA. we intend to work with all the parties in the new RA to achieve our common goals
Rose Springvale: i was under the impression it is difficult to find volunteers
Arria Perreault: I agree for foreign minister and for communication officer, but is a minister of economy usefull?
Patroklus Murakami: Rose, the ministers would come from the ranks of the RA members elected
Rose Springvale: oh.. i see
Gwyneth Llewelyn: note that a minister of economy is mostly someone that promotes commerce...
Patroklus Murakami: yes gwyn is right
Moon Adamant: think on them as specialists
Patroklus Murakami: the economics minister would be responsible for the state of commerce in the CDS
Arria Perreault: why not a minister of cultural activities?
Gxeremio Dimsum: Oh I see - so the RA would invest executive powers in individual RA members.
Rose Springvale: would they? or is it just a reporting relationship?
Arria Perreault: this is the most developped activities in CDS
Patroklus Murakami: we've had a dead quiet marketplatz and a pretty quiet forum for too long. and the RA, under previoius leadership, has not seen it as its job to tackle these issues
Jon Seattle: Gx, executive activities are still under the leadership of the Chancelor
Gwyneth Llewelyn: uh-huh
Patroklus Murakami: we think it is incumbent on the RA to see this as part of its remit
Gxeremio Dimsum: Now I'm confused - are they ministers or advisors?
Patroklus Murakami: arria, we could consider a culture minister if ppl thought there was that need. it's my impression that the cultural life of the CDS is working well compared to commerce :)
Gwyneth Llewelyn: :)
Patroklus Murakami: GX, it's about having ppl responsible for developing that part of CDS life
Jamie Palisades: Pat -- will giving two RA members portfolios change the fundamental "land speed" of the RA?
Gwyneth Llewelyn: What would that "land speed" be?...
Dnate Mars: what about the growth of the CDS?
Jamie Palisades wants to get back to that agility- versus - consensus uber alles thing
Jamie Palisades: well Gwyn
Patroklus Murakami: the Economics Minister would be working with others - Chancellor, Traders Association, Guild to enhance commercial activity
Jamie Palisades: before you came in, I threw out some comparions between the growth of CDS in the last year & other "comps"
Gwyneth Llewelyn: haha Jamie
Gwyneth Llewelyn: we "barely" grow.
Jamie Palisades: indeed
Jamie Palisades: why?
Jamie Palisades: and is that good?
Gwyneth Llewelyn: We struggle along ;)
Dnate Mars: is there going a be a push to grow the CDS quicker then we have in the past?
Jamie Palisades: as with all life ...
Gwyneth Llewelyn: We're too careful I guess,
Gwyneth Llewelyn: we don't take any risks
Jamie Palisades: is it that?
Patroklus Murakami: we grow slowly because we're a democracy, and democracies do things *slowly*!
Gxeremio Dimsum: Hmm...so would these ministers have additional authority, or just responsibility?
Gwyneth Llewelyn: Well, mostly, Jamie.
Arria Perreault: what kind of risks can we take?
Jamie Palisades: And with respect to Madame SC, what does CSDF think about that?
Gwyneth Llewelyn: Well, I was talking about financial risks,
Patroklus Murakami: Gx, responsibility and any delegated authority the RA wishes to devolve
Gwyneth Llewelyn: we could, say, borrow US$ 16,000 and buy 10 sims... but... how long would it take to repay them?
Liviaugusta Messmer: :) :) I am leaving bye bye
Gxeremio Dimsum: me too
Rose Springvale: so no concrete plans from the CDSF
Gwyneth Llewelyn: I'm pretty sure they'd be all full in 3 months... but... the ROI!...
Arria Perreault: bye
Patroklus Murakami: bye livi :)
Moon Adamant: bye Livi, thanks for attending this meeting! :)
Gxeremio Dimsum: yeah sounds like generalities that i hope go somewhere, but not sure where...
Jon Seattle: The CSDF has always been for growth, but responsibile growth that builds out community and gives oppertunities to our citizens. Not growth for growth' sake.
Gwyneth Llewelyn: Creating the offices of ministers sounds pretty much concrete to me, Gx ;) with due respect...
Rose Springvale: think he's gone
Gwyneth Llewelyn: alas :)
Patroklus Murakami: we have five minutes! and i'd like to briefly mention our third campaign leg - the chancellor
Moon Adamant: mayeb he's crashed... he didn't say bye
Gwyneth Llewelyn: :)
Jamie Palisades: Jon, how would you characterize that balance last year, and next term? Would love to hear that, at some point convenient
Dnate Mars: crashing in SL?!? Never!
Patroklus Murakami: without wishing to denigrate aliasi, who has taken on the task of chancellor the past two terms...
Jon Seattle: Jamie, glad to talk about that later
Patroklus Murakami: we think it's time for a more active chancellor, one who drives things forward
Patroklus Murakami: we think the hiring of a Public Information Officer is a top priority
Patroklus Murakami: along with promotion of the CDS and a closer working relationship with the guild
Rose Springvale: was it not for the past RA?
Patroklus Murakami: and more transparency on covenant waivers
Patroklus Murakami: our preferred candidate is Moon Adamant, who has a track record of achievement in the CDS and in Second Life
Patroklus Murakami: and who would make things happen!
Moon Adamant bows :)
Gwyneth Llewelyn: yay :)
Patroklus Murakami: we're out of time but happy to continue to answer questions
Jon Seattle: Cheers!!
Rose Springvale: thank you for your presentation... good luck to you all.
Jamie Palisades: :) I asked one, Pat
Jon Seattle: Thanks, Rose
Moon Adamant: Rose, thanks for showing by :))
Patroklus Murakami: i'll scroll back jamie
Dnate Mars: What is the stance on growth?
Gwyneth Llewelyn: " Jamie Palisades: Jon, how would you characterize that balance last year, and next term? Would love to hear that, at some point convenient"
Jamie Palisades: :)
Gwyneth Llewelyn is just a copy-paster
Dnate Mars: so, who are the 3 people that are the canidates for the CSDF?
Jon Seattle: Yes, I don't think our rate of growth has been because we lack people with tallent.. I myself learned most of what I know about building islands from the Colonia Nova project. I would much much prefer to see a few good islands that expand our capacity, then to see ten islands that mearly represent a transfer if funds.
Moon Adamant: Pat, Jon, and I
Patroklus Murakami: personally, i favour expanding our citizenship first, and then our territory. introduce the kind of open arms policy pel has outlined and allow ppl to join us for a monthly fee. that will expand citizenship and bring in money
Jon Seattle: I woud also echo something Salzie has said
Patroklus Murakami: it will also build up the pressure to expand the territory, which will be easier with more ppl on board
Jon Seattle: She said that if you look at both NFS and CN, you see places that reflect the personality and heart of the people here.
Jon Seattle: We can never buy islands like those.
Gwyneth Llewelyn: interesting, I might have missed that, but she's so right on that...
Patroklus Murakami: and if we decide to expand existing themes rather than starting from scratch every time
Jamie Palisades: FWIW I completely agree Jon - but see tough balancing acts when a socially stable group has to scale to embrasc the dreams of a larger, more inconstant number
Patroklus Murakami: are ppl planing to attend the CARE election meeting? i'm beat so i will have to give it a miss
Dnate Mars: I am, I need to decide who to vote for
Jamie Palisades: thanks so much for making yourselves available to chat
Arria Perreault: about themes, we have to debate once
Gwyneth Llewelyn passes Dnate a coin ;)
Patroklus Murakami: oh, vote for us dnate. u know it makes sense :)
Dnate Mars: :P
Gwyneth Llewelyn points out that the coin just passed just has two heads ;)
Arria Perreault: for one sim, it is Ok, but for several, bavarian architecture has limitations ....
Patroklus Murakami: your're welcome jamie, thanks for coming
Jon Seattle: yes, Arria, I agree that we will need to extend our current themes as well as grow new ones. I very much liked both sim proposals.
Patroklus Murakami: oh yes arria. i think we should expand the countryside theme rather than the city itself, at least initially
Dnate Mars: Well, good luck to the party.... but I must see what others are talking about
Gwyneth Llewelyn should do the same hehe
Gwyneth Llewelyn: :)))
Patroklus Murakami: thank you everyone for coming
Moon Adamant: thanks everyone!
Jon Seattle: Thanks everyone.. remember CDSF meetings are open to everyone each week
Arria Perreault: thank you for your presentation
The meeting closed at 16:9 Linden time.

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