Election of Speaker of the Senate

[Funky Wombat]

Dorji Támsáng, She-Who-Has-Most, takes the floor of the Senate. As her colleagues have noticed by now, she opens her arms wide before almost any speech, and smiles widely. Today she is especially ornamented, with large bone earrings complementing her usual traditional garb and enormous necklace.

Honoured colleagues! The time has come for the Senate to elect a Speaker, to regulate discussion and to better facilitate the twin wonders of commerce and international relations!

As you know, I am She-Who-Has-Most of the Ercha peoples of Longinquissima Insula. Through my cunning and acumen, I have gathered the greatest herd of yak that my home has seen in three generations. The lakes tremble with their passage, and the mountains echo with their contented grunts. My yak are fat and happy, and stand as a testament to my drive and determination to succeed.

I would bring the same qualities to my tenure as Speaker of this august assembly, I assure you. You would all become very wealthy men, women, Zaee and Swynndyrr. And perhaps our own lands would benefit also, that would be yet another happy benefit of my rule!

But as we say at home, if only one person wants a yak, there's either something wrong with the yak, or with the person. I welcome any of my colleagues who feel they can measure up to my high standard to present themselves for election, and then we can decide the matter through this strange Drachumvelin invention of democracy!

She returns to her yak-skin-covered seat, smiling broadly and nodding to everyone.

[Harvey]

I choose to call myself Providence. You may recall me.

While we of the Favored do not seem to judge personal wealth by the amount of yaks we posses, strong, healthy herds of animals would do to quell uncertainty about sustainable food supplies in faces of enlarging populations.

I do not yet speak on behalf of AURA and the consensus of the Favored. These are merely my own thoughts at this time.

[Alicorn]

I am as before, Iriwande, Self-Appointed Minister of International Participation-in-Things, acting on the authorization of the rest of the Cezkwe and the Avewe.

As she seems to be confused on the matter, I inform fellow senator Dorji Támsáng that it is in fact accurate and courteous to refer to Zaee as "men" and "women" as appropriate, and add that I, personally, am the former. I am not aware of the protocol on this matter regarding Swynndyrr and invite the corresponding Senator to inform us likewise.

As is so... eloquently demonstrated... by Dorji Támsáng, who at our last meeting gave me a yak which I have... entrusted to the care of... my son-in-law, wealth means various things to various peoples. I mean her no disrespect and in particular do not dispute the assertion she has a truly enormous herd of yak. However, I and my countryfolk would prefer criteria that are unrelated to yak to be the deciding factors in who becomes the Speaker. In particular, skills at diplomacy, conflict resolution, and understanding miscellaneous differing cultures are to be valued for this purpose.

I do not intend to press my candidacy, or even vote for myself, if someone more qualified than I loll- er, steps forward. However, I came here today prepared to end the meeting as the Consensus-Appoin- I mean to say, the democratically elected Speaker. Thank you for your attention.

[Scott Alexander]

As most of you are aware, my various positions in the Drachumvelin government, my service to the Autokrator, and the necessity of caring for my aged grandfather have left me little time to perform my duties as Speaker pro tempore, and I would be honored to hand the position over to either of the two worthy candidates before me - and indeed I look forward to hearing more of the Senators I have come to know over the past nine years declare an interest in the position!

Let me explain, before this campaign heats up, how I view the position of Speaker. [OOC: this is gonna lapse way out of character here, but whatever]

The Autokrator keeps the world running. He updates maps, works with the Resplendent Senator to keep the forum going smoothly, admits new statelets, advertises the Archipelago abroad, and is partly responsible for the conworlding contests. It is also his job to "be above the fray" and resolve disputes that the Speaker is too politicized to get into.

The Speaker makes the world fascinating and suprising. Eir job is to encourage interesting stories to form, get everyone participating, and weave them together in a way that everyone finds fun. Eir job is also to create - and resolve - conflict in creative ways. To come up with interesting ideas for Senate resolutions. To act as an in-game leader who determines how the decisions of the Senate will be enforced, and to roleplay their enforcement. Ey is the leader of the Archipelago's activity and creativity, the "conductor of the symphony", if you will. And on the more practical side, ey also sets Senate procedures and opens and closes votes.

I will wait to see how the Senators from Mevwan and Long Island plan to fulfill these responsibilities before determining how I will vote.

[Kallinn Ynnetrrr]

The Swnndyrrr people indeed are split into male and female genders, however I believe the intent of the clause was to refer to our races as non-human, which I do not find insulting.

The Swnndyrrân Hallatekrrr will neither put forward a candidate for Speaker, nor give support to either of the current candidates at this time.

[Carl Jackson]

The Safirian Empire and its Dominion of Pelagia join the Swnndyrrân Hallatekrrr in abstaining from putting forward a candidate for Speaker.

[Aryeztur]

The Empire of Aryasht will also abstain from putting forward a candidate for Speaker.

[Andreas the Wise]

You may refer to me as He Who Listens For New Words. I represent Those Who Shelter Words, and my words carry weight beyond the waters. Much fascination has resulted from listening to the speeches produced within this august body, but the temporal occasion appears for my personal words to also be spoken publicly.

Words are our lifeblood, and without mighty and true words, there is naught but falsehood and silence. Since this is a body of many shared words, it would be inappropriate to determine the One Who Guides Our Speaking primarily on the basis of bovine possession. I agree with the Self-Appointed Minister of International Participation-in-Things that skills in building bridges, calming tempers and understanding new words are more worthy criteria for decision making. This body needs strong and wise words, and so the One Who Guides Our Speaking must likewise be of strong and wise words. Until a person with stronger and wiser words approaches, seeking to lead, I support the Self-Appointed Minister of International Participation-in-Things to be the One Who Guides Our Speaking. So I have spoken.

[Alicorn]

(OOC: Omigod you guys I don't actually want the job I was just being in character please don't vote for him. In the future I will make such notes in the post wherein I have characters pursue things I don't want them to have.)

[Scott Alexander]

Alicorn, "consensus-appointed"

I am giving candidates one more day to announce their interest in this position. Please, let's not make this a shoe-in for anyone.

Alternately, if candidates expect to be interested in this position but are unable to campaign at this time, I am giving them one more day to request a postponement of Speaker elections for not more than two weeks.

[Funky Wombat]

Alternately, if candidates expect to be interested in this position but are unable to campaign at this time, I am giving them one more day to request a postponement of Speaker elections for not more than two weeks.

OOC: While I'd quite like to do this job, I don't want it to be at the expense of roleplaying. If anyone feels like they'd like to be a contender please feel free to ask for an extension on this!

[Emir of Raspur]

“Hail & Godbless Pelago-Sabs!

In long-hut of Jashamba when we are first growing tall from kiddlings to men tall like the spear we watch the example of our elders who sit in long hut and talk and talk when they have any matter that needs addressing and talk and talk some more about how this may be dealt with and talk and talk some more just for the sake of it and often because they like the sound of their own voice. Yet there is always one - we call him Headman - who always guide the talk in the direction it needs to go and who has the ideas but who also allows everyone present in hut to have their say to feel that they themselves are in some way responsible for having idea and this makes them feel proud and good and happy to follow the lead of headman who is after all only following their suggestion.

For this reason I consider myself 'eminently qualified' for position of Speaker in this long hut, which is round and tall rather than long.

Also there is new En Lugal - law-bark speaks of redistributing mana... me know what that means! En Lugal have cooking pot and Me no want to go home!

[Daniel]

And Nature’s Queen entered the room where Senators all met, rose to podium and patiently said the view words that would introduce her nation with storm to the nations of the Earth.

“I am Yll-Nôrai, Nature’s Queen, and I grant my servant Syr-to-Yll the right to stand for election for speaker, for that is my will, and the will of my people. May you listen to these words, for they are mine and the words of my people.”

“My people consist of a few thousand men, women, children and indentured animals most of whom are nomadic and live out of the forests of the great rivers. But we must meetthe needs of an ever-changing planet, and we grant our servant the will yllynnôrai!”