News from Cesae Vauvra
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Icholasen Bans The Sims 4
Harriet LeRauk (TANKIES-Manufacturing) put forward a bill banning The Sims 4. She, and others, outlined several reasons for this. 'The Sims 4 is a watered down cash grab with less gameplay features; no open world - where you could walk to or drive work, school or to community lots; it is not as good graphically as the Sims 3 -- which is superior due to its more realistic style; and the Sims 4's town are much smaller.' Harriet then got out an image of the new Sims 4 Town from an expansion pack, which costs the most out of all packs. It has 4 families. The Sims 3 base game town had 25. This is unacceptable.' LeRauk stated. 'This is why I propose this bill, banning the Sims 4 and pushing for a Socialist version of the Sims that captures life under Socialism, but in the meantime promoting the Sims 3 as the best sims game in the franchise.'
Baskin agreed with the law, stating that she thinks 'the Sims 4's gameplay is terrible. The sims look terrible, awful. They look like cartoons. I want realism in my game and the Sims 4 does not offer it to me. There is no create a style tool in the Sims 4 which is disgusting - why would they take it away after it was so good in the Sims 3? I want to make everything in my sims house leopard print. I cannot do that in the Sims 4, but I could in the Sims 3. A disgusting oversight. The gameplay, too, is awful. They tried to make it into a smaller game so that people on lower end PCs could run it, but that is no excuse for me. I have a deluxe leopard print gaming rig and if I want a massive, bloated game, I am entitled to that. The Bill passed both chambers and was signed into law by Korojaunu Sanders.
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Small Crowd of 15 turns out in support of ending sanctions on Reitzmag
A small crowd of 15 people (out of the UNSR's 75,000,000 people) went to Cesae Vauvra today to complain about the UNSR's choice to sanction the Kingdom of Reitzmag. The protestors, who shouted chants like 'I say Reitzmag you say Trade - Reitzmag - Trade! - Reitzmag - Trade!', and 'what do we want? trade with Reitzmag! when do we want it? now!'
Many of the chants were inaudible because of passing busses, cars, and even just the chatter of pedestrians. 15 people, it turns out, cannot make a lot of noise and as such are seldom recognised by news media. Some other protestors who were on the 'Pro Dairy Freedom Walk,' joined them thinking that this was part of that protest, but they eventually realised it was some random fringe protest about sanctions with a nation the UNSR barely traded with anyway, and that most Nicoleizians had never even heard of before they kidnapped their Foreign Secretary. No major politicians commented on this, as there were only 15 people there.
The head of this protest said that 'we're here today to demand trade with Reitzmag reopen, now! We fully support the Spanish Vox Party, who want to stop the sanctions. They are so brave. We could only dream of having a political party support our cause here in the UNSR. The Spanish are a lot closer to ending sanctions on the UNSR, it'll only take a year. Here in the UNSR it could take much much longer.'
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Mass Protests in Cesae Vauvra Surrounding Dairy Prohibition Act
Around 500,000 people today descended on Cesae Vauvra to protest their right to consume dairy, which is being taken away on July the 5th. Many people gathered want to stand by the 2015 referendum, which permitted dairy usage in Icholasen after about 115 years of dairy prohibition. But, the government reversed that decision without a referendum last week and so these protestors came to voice their disgust.
One protestor, Simon Desborough, said that 'the government can't take things away from us, what's next - are they gonna take our money, too? Ridiculous. This is shocking and another example of government overreach, I want to be free to smoke some pot and then eat 5 tubs of ice cream afterwards. Is that so much to ask?'
Cécile Laucre said today that; 'these people want anarchy. If we legalise dairy, what comes next? Cocaine? No. We must keep dairy prohibition no matter the cost. We must also strengthen our border force to make sure no one -- I mean no one -- is smuggling contraband mint ice cream into the country. Carole Baskin could commit today to ensure that our border force, with its exceptional border security guards, are given the tools they need -- such as dairy sniffer dogs -- and other things that they need to stop criminals smuggling milky bars into the UNSR. I shudder to think.'
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Katya Petrovna Zamolodchikova, the TANKIES' Minister of Defense and Air Marshall of the UNSR, Leads Military Flyover the Length of Icholasen
Katya Petrovna Zamolodchikova has today lead a flyover of planes over Icholasen to display strength while the European Union Heads of Government / State Summit happens only a few hundred kilometres away in Europolis. The flyover, lead by Ms. Zamolodchikova, was watched across our island by many people, including Korojaunu Sanders, Cécile Laucre, and Harriet LeRauk who watched over from the Korojaunu's Dacha in Rujonau at a garden party.
Katya, once landed, said 'we did this flyover both to show our airforce is ready to combat any and all aggressors, and to send a message to the Eurocrats in Europolis that the UNSR is here to stay. The sands of time will favour the UNSR and as capitalist nations rot from the core of their governments, we will still be here. Don't threaten the UNSR, European leaders. That's our simple message. Oh, and Harriet Copala, watch your back, boo.'
Carole Baskin, leader of the Alliance écologique nicoleizienne (AÉN), had a different view of the flyover. 'What is Katya Petrovna Zamolodchikova playing at? I know she's a war hero who nearly slayed the evil dragon that is Harriet Copala, but imagine how much CO2 was released by all those planes. We need to think of carbon as a budget, we need to give that budget first and foremost to the people who need it most, the people who need to heat their homes or drive places. I also don't think that this is the best way to get recognition from the European Union - doing provocative stuff like this is the way we get nuked by the DU. We're not indestructible and neither is our planet!'
Korojaunu (and Foreign Minister) Sanders said that 'the European Union Heads of Government / State Summit is a disgusting gathering of neo-liberal shills who love money more than they love their fellow man and woman -- with the exception of course the delegations from Socialist countries. What will the neolibs discuss there? The murder of the proletariat and the destruction of their revolution of course. I hope that the socialists and communists there challenge the neoliberal imperialist dogma that will no doubt cast shadow on the entire meeting. Shame on most of them, especially Mikaela Kligenberg. I fully support this flyover and it sends a strong message - don't mess with the UNSR.'
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Cécile Laucre's bill banning landlords passes both houses of the Socialist Congress unanimously'Landlords - what do they really do ?' Asks Cécile Laucre. 'They rob people. What service are they providing? This is why I propose requisitioning all property owned by landlords. I, of course, support them being owned by the state, but this bill will give the ownership of the units to the Republic Governments, for them to decide what to do with them. Either ownership by the state, or by the tenants to own themselves. We often see in Icholasen whole streets owned by one landlord, and it's really not on -- housing is a human right and so should be available to everyone at a reasonable price, without having to pay off someone else's mortgage. There will be no 'compensation' per se, but they are allowed to keep the profits they have already reaped from people.'
Laucre continued... 'It is bizarre that capitalism invented a system where you can do no work and expect to get money. How does that make you an efficient part of an economy under capitalism? It doesn't, because capitalism isn't and will never be an efficient system of economic management. The profit motive is above anything else. Sometimes that produces efficiency, but rarely parity or equality, and often there is an immense amount of waste. Look at supermarkets, and of course, look at landlords. Capitalism is a failure.'
Carole Baskin, agreed with Ausnatrice Cécile Laucre. 'I'm glad that Laucre's Law allows the AÉN-controlled Republics to allow the tenants to take ownership of the units, that is perfect. I look forward to seeing what tenant owned towers and collections of houses vote for in order to use their own money in the way they want to make their units comfortable for them.'
This law condones the use of force to seize property, and might cause violence. It will be reiterated to landlords that they are allowed to keep their own homes, the profits they have taken, and that they are free citizens. Long live communism.
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President Imelda Wuaulsh Attends Nuwnociluosoaulaunk National Day
Imelda Wuaulsh, the President of the Nuwnociluosoaulaunk Socialist Republic (Shu Nuwnociluosoaulaunk Socoaulosst Repellok) has attended events today to mark the Republic's national day. To celebrate, there was a flyby of SU-57 jets, military défilés in the capital of Lunonjrauk, and a speech by the President of the Socialist Republic, followed by the anthem of the Republic.
In her speech, President Wuaulsh stated that 'though Inquistan fascists encircle us economically, military and in all manners, we are prepared to do anything to safeguard the revolution against these fascist dogs. A sacred war with Inquista might be coming, and I and all comrades are prepared to sacrifice everything to keep them at bay. Comrades, the bounty of socialism will be apparent soon enough and the Inquistans will not take it from us.'
'We are making progress here in this Socialist Republic. We are collectivising agriculture, industry and all sorts to make the economy incredibly efficient for you, the workers. We are in the process of ridding the nation of fascistic influence, such as dairy, marijuana and the Sims 4. We will prevail under communism's beautiful bounty, the fruits of the labour of the workers will provide people a higher standard of living than under capitalism.'
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Budget passes
Auswirr Leader Carole Baskin, Korojaunu Sanders and Ausnat Leader Cécile Laucre have come to an agreement on the national budget. The key headlines are that military spending is at 19%, the Nicova has increased its funding, and there have been some investments into green electricity generation. However, public services spending remained the same, which is a real terms cut in the efficacity. The budget passed in both houses with all TANKIES voting for it, with patchy AÉN support that got it over the line.
Carole Baskin stated that 'this budget is satisfactory, not what I would've wanted, but we have to work with the realpolitik of the two houses of the Socialist Congress, and the control of the executive Politburo. We managed to get some funding for renewable energy and I think that that's a great thing.'
Cécile Laucre also praised the budget, saying that 'funding for the armed forces and the Nicova is crucial. Now, we have more money to find spies and prevent reactionaries from invading us from within or without.'
Misty Foxx, Majority Leader of the Auswirr and leader of the Anarcho-Communist faction, critiqued the budget. 'I don't think we should spent 19% of the national budget on the military. It just doesn't make sense. We're sacrificing our public services and all sorts of things just for an international [REDACTED] measuring contest. We needn't spend so much on conventional forces anyway - we have nuclear weapons.'
Korojaunu Sanders said 'this budget is absolutely crucial, and I am thrilled to sign it into law. We face a threat across the emerald sea and in the emerald sea, with the Vardic Fleet. The AÉN brush it off, but it is a real threat. Our army remains strong, our motherland remains strong, and this budget ensures that. Glory to communism.'
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Carole Baskin's Bill Passed in the Assumllau Wirrurnayau (Auswirr) mandating a workers' lending bank
The workers lending bank (Launre Wirrurnaye in Nicoleizian) is for other cooperatives to invest in other cooperatives in different, or the same sector, and also to receive money for their cooperatives' business plans - if they're approved. The bank will work by taking the repaid loans (that have an average interest rate of 2.5%) and reinvesting them. But firstly, there will be an initial injection of capital by the Nicoleizian State. The Ausswirr has the authority to unilaterally set up this organisation, but it has received critique across Icholasen's political system.
Harriet LeRauk has said that 'this is a market economy with extra steps. What next, a show where obnoxious young business-people (and sometimes celebrities) compete to be the best apprentice ?! That really would be terrible and I would never be a part of that. Do we really want big banks? And do we really want there to be small, inefficient sects of economic activity, rather than the power, efficiency, and might of centralisation?"
Baskin, being the author of the bill, disagreed. "This bill is meant to empower cooperatives to take money and use it to create more jobs and more economic growth. We want cooperatives - where the means of production are controlled by totally by the workers - to be able to expand to incorporate more people into their common business ventures."
Sandra Hardcastle, the elected CEO of a vineyard near Chalons in Romain, said that 'the wealth that me and my colleagues collectively produce is great. It's great to know the work you do is enriching you and not a fat cat. But cooperatives like mine need extra money to buy more means of production commonly. We need a new truck, for example. This people's investment bank could help cooperatives like mine expand and grow.'
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Statue Restoration Ceremony in Cesae Vauvra Marked by the Chairman
Chairman of the Nicoleizian Communist Party, Michul Jirluchuz and Korojaunu of the U.N.S.R. Bernard Sanders today rededicated a statue that was torn down in the 90s.
'This iconoclasm against the people's statue was an act of violence' Michul said. 'The taking down of this statue, showing the power of the proletariat, was erased by the reactionary NAP government that took power after the unfortunate collapse of Socialism in the U.N.S.R. - their choice to tear this statue down was aimed at humiliating the proletariat. It was violence against them. From Lunon, to Lrushnuz, to now me and Comrade Sanders, the U.N.S.R. has had a long, rocky, but glorious history. The reinstatement of this statue, and its re-dedication to the people will empower them to dream big. But we must act, act to empower to proletariat, and we have.
We have taken power from the landlords who charge for the privilege of shelter. We have taken power from the utilities companies who charge for the privilege of water, heat and electricity. We have taken power from the transport companies who charge for the privilege of movement. These 'privileges' are now rights. Icholasen's workers produce enough capital to pay for all these things, they produce enough capital to live comfortably. But, the cream of their labour is taken by bosses. And what do bosses actually do what do landlords actually do - not more that the worker on the shop front, slaving over a hot grill, working 12 hour shifts at the store, or any other 'menial' jobs. Surely that is harder work than sitting in an office and delegating work. Now, the workers bringing the means of production under their control. This very statue was made by a metalworking cooperative. They made the collective decision to undertake this project, managed themselves, and got it done in time. And may I say, they have done a fine job.
Comrades, Proletariat, Workers, this statue is for you. And your government will continue working to make life better.'
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Housing in the UNSR - Major Reforms Approved by both houses of the Socialist Congress and signed into law by Korojaunu Sanders
Home ownership in pre-revolution had been gradually declining since a mortgage crash and a recession in the late 2000s. The economy, which at the time was still struggling to make capitalism work, was devastated. Nowadays, less than 60% of people in the UNSR own their home, with 42% renting. A law which passed in July meant that landlords could choose one of their properties (including their own home) to keep, but the rest were confiscated by the government and the mortgages written off by the newly nationalised banks. No compensation was given to landlords, but they were allowed to keep the rent they took before and during a 5 month transition period while their properties were audited by the state. Landlords were furious, but they were reminded that the state could punish them for the money the laundered from the proletariat. They proceeded to protest, as is their right, but the government just ignored their protest.
The 5 month transition period is meant to make sure landlords can find new jobs, and make sure the state can set up housing cooperatives for people who can't afford to buy houses and want to continue 'renting'. This concept of rent, however, is much different to the current system. There's no profit to be made, so rent will be lower for all renters in the nation. Houses will be grouped into housing cooperatives of varying sizes, where they can pool resources and eventually come to own their group of houses collectively, and no longer pay rent to the state.
The new reforms are the nationalisation of water, gas, and electricity to provide renters and homeowners alike a better service. With just one, standardised system, everyone receives them all for free automatically and they aim to . People are free to opt out of the broadband scheme and use one owned by a cooperative that would have better speeds than the basic, government one. This is because both factions of the Communist Party believe that broadband has become a basic commodity, like water, gas and electricity.
All banks have been nationalised (though the Alliance écologique nicoleizienne has said that cooperative ownership of banks is acceptable), and as such mortgages have come into state control. The governing faction has decided to reduce the income rate of mortgages, to lower payments for people. The remaining interest is to be used to just keep the banks going, and to keep staff hired. Speaking on behalf of the governing Faction, the TANKIES, Cécile Laucre, released the following statement: 'Housing is a human right. Water is a human right. Heating is a human right. Electricity is a human right. People say that people will use too much of these and waste them, but the reality is that the real waste is not from normal people having more baths. It comes from the profits stolen off the back of normal, everyday people in wage theft, in rent, in their utilities. We are giving back the workers the profit that they make, the rent money stolen from them, and taking away the profits made on the utilities they need to live. It is fully medieval, feudal even, to let people to make money off of the things people need to survive. Let's remember folks, life was not always like this. In the very distant past, in prehistory, people supported each other - gave food, water and shelter for free. Gave what limited healing abilities they had to provide healthcare for free. I'm not an primitivist - by any means. But with the technology we have today means no one needs to make a profit off the survival of human beings. The reforms we have made hopefully mean life is more bearable, more affordable.'
Housing was a key element of grief amongst the proletariat of Icholasen before the revolution. Rent and mortgages were rising above inflation which meant that as productivity rose, wages stayed the same but prices and rent rose. The factions within the Socialist Congress believe that this is the way they win the hearts and minds of the Nicoleizian people as some resistance remains.
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Susan Sarandon, Assembly of Workers Member for Agriculture, Proposes Bill to Invest Requisitioned Wealth into the UNSR's Cooperatives
In the UNSR, all businesses above 50 employees that haven't been nationalised have to convert into cooperatives before the year is out. This means that all workers must have a say in the management of businesses, they must elect their high-ups, and there is a (much debated) ratio of pay that must be enforced so that people are paid for their work. For most small businesses above 50 employees, nothing will change. The ratio of compensation that they give to their workers already fits within the ratio agreed by the Socialist Congress. Additionally, if they are and have been popular bosses then they will continue to be elected as head of the company.
Sarandon, an AEN party higher up, often even called a 'party hack' who is known for her famous quote saying that 'voting third party is the most stupid thing you could do in this election. It's clear that it's just between us and the TANKIES. Don't throw away your vote.' It's clear Sarandon has a very low opinion of those who don't vote for the two main parties, but that hasn't stopped her from appealing to the voters that are shut out of the UNSR's political system.
Speaking in the Assembly of Workers, Sarandon said that 'we have requisitioned around 13 billion Euros in wealth from the wealthiest Nicoleizians. This money should go back into the cooperatives that make our country work. People mock the UNSR, they say we are corrupt and everything is ran by the state. We don't want that. We want a normal economy, just with the means of production owned by the workers. Some, on the other side of the political divide, do want state tyranny. And we say no to that. We in the AEN want only the things nationalised by most EU countries, water, energy, rail. Individual freedom, if the AEN can help it, still exists in the UNSR. And with this bill, I propose we encourage these individual freedoms.'
Then, Harriet LeRauk, Minority Leader of the Assembly of Workers took to the podium. 'I agree with my fellow Assembly member. However, I think we should also consider the workers in our newly nationalised industries. They need investment too, after being ignored for so long under the Romanov Regime. It is time now for a half and half approach, we can help our cooperatives and our nationalised industry.'
But Carole Baskin retorted; 'we have to be realistic, this is a one time injection of funds. As the famous Davishirian once said, we will run out of 'other people's money'. Though now, they have ran out of other people's labour and life force that they used to extract it via exploitation. We must consacrate all of this money into our cooperatives, since they need it now in this time of economic uncertainty and doom.'
The Assembly of Workers controls the purse strings of the government, and as such Sarandon's law was voted in. Cooperatives that have finished their transition and small business, will have the chance to receive some of this money by detailing what hardships they are currently facing. Bureaucrats will then assess their need and allocate the money accordingly.
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Carole Baskin hosts a meeting of the UNSR's cooperative presidents at the Assembly of Workers
Both large and small cooperatives alike have gathered their (elected) presidents at the Assembly of Workers. Presidents such as NBC's president Élizabeth Martichoux (Icholasen's principal broadcasting agency), Jean Giroux, president of Susci, one of the big 5 supermarkets in Icholasen, and many more smaller ones.
The main theme of the summit was international trade, Baskin wants cooperatives to have more power in accepting investment from foreign companies or states. This bill would be the largest increase in the openness of the UNSR's economy since the revolution. It would permit investment, increased trade, and less regulation for cooperatives so long as they follow the rules about the limited wage difference ratio between employees of all levels, the power of employees to have plebiscites and elect their president, and the general principle of reducing CO2 and pollution of all kinds. Many in her own faction and the opposing faction disagree with her about this for various reasons. Let's take a look at the composition of the Assembly of Workers, the body which decides employment regulations among other things.
Around 286 AEN Assembly Members are die-hard Baskinites and will support her in whatever she does. However, around 151 are part of the more anarchist faction whose most extreme members want a return to a largely pre-industrial revolution society, with smaller factories, organic farming, and the return of green spaces. This second faction, headed by Misty Foxx (who in a surprise win became Majority Whip) will probably oppose an increase in trade with the rest of the world. They want carbon emissions lowered by any means necessary in order to prevent climate change, and of course more trade means more CO2.
However, Baskin has argued that there can be limits placed on some unnecessary trade so that it can be produced in the UNSR, while still increasing some services based trade. The UNSR is far from full employment, with a pre-revolution level of 16,8% - which, admittedly, was reducing under the reign of Whiteford. Baskin's plan, however, differs from that of Whiteford. Whiteford wanted to increase Icholasen's services industry, as the jobs lost to globalisation were not going to come back, she believed. This had some effect, but there was still an increase of productivity, without an increase in wages. Baskin wants more things to be built and made in Icholasen, rather than relying on imports.
This proposal has support among some TANKIES - the TANKIES are acutely aware of the effects of a European Union blockade on the UNSR, and are in agreement that more things need to be made on the island of Icholasen. This same thinking has triggered the use of public parks to grow vegetables and subsidies to encourage cooperatives' increased breeding of animals while Icholasen still has access to foreign grain. These animals will be able to be culled en masse and their meat frozen in the event of an EU blockade. In addition, the production of powdered eggs has been ramped up by the executive branch.
Stevie Nicks, speaking at the convention of cooperative presidents said the following;
'I am fully in favour of increasing production on the island of Icholasen - this will reduce Icholasen's CO2 emissions for transportation. It will also bring us closer to our goal of full employment, with people able to train to be able to have a practical benefit on their society. This is a great return to human society of old, collective ownership of basic and fundamental industries. It is also a welcome return to our world pre-globalisation, where most things that our people used were made right here on our island! What a concept. I know some in my faction will oppose this for not going far enough, but whilst there is still a large threat of invasion and suppression of our revolution, we must take all the wins we can.
With this win, we can continue to oppose the evil reforms planned by the TANKIES. Us in the AEN must stand together for that. As the 2021 Assembly of Nationalities election starts to heat up, this is what we must talk about. We must protect our civil liberties from the TANKIES, but also empower our cooperatives to ensure that our people are free at work too. I am so glad that the elected presidents of these cooperatives have come here today to share their ideas. I hope that we can re-orientate our economy to focus on people's health and the reduction of pollution, the reduction of unemployment to ensure everyone has a job that they can be proud of, and the democratisation of work.'
Cécile Laucre, Speaker of the Assembly of Nationalities agreed with the legislation in principal, but had serious concerns
Speaking at a press conference about Eastern Haane, Cécile was asked about this new bill.
'I think that the UNSR does need to increase its economic self dependence, and I like all TANKIES are in favour of cooperative ownership of most industries. However, nationalised industries are also owned in the common good, too. It's a trust. I'm glad to see we both have the priority of reducing unemployment, the state was always able to do that but Whiteford chose not to. She sold Icholasen down the river through globalism. Now, at least, the state is doing something to resolve this problem.
There are some ways in which this bill goes against communism, however. I don't think trading with capitalist corporations even if the workers consent is true communism. However, that was in their faction's manifesto and they won in that branch of government. I am glad that in the upper house we have a more orthodox approach.
I have spoken with Korojaunu Sanders about creating new mines/drills and opening old ones in order to increase Icholasen's already strong energy independence. We have natural gas, coal, and crude oil which means that our energy sector can continue to be independent. Me and Baskin have, however, agreed to start funding electric cars, seeing as our oil reserves are out in the open ocean and thus vulnerable.'
A reporter asks; 'Ms. Laucre, do you not think that we should be moving away from hydrocarbons and pollutants to prevent climate change?'
'I think that Nicoleizians and the UNSR is not to blame for most of climate change, I do believe in it, but we have been forced to use these sources of energy for the foreseeable future due to the danger of a blockade on us. I will be speaking with Baskin about the investment into existing and new renewable energy, like wind farms, but these will have to be on land due to the imperialist forces in rightful Nicoleizian waters.'
The vote in the Assembly of Workers was called that day, and after Misty Foxx's endorsement it was clear it would pass. The bill which gives more freedoms to cooperatives to trade with corporations and other states (provided they have the approval of the workers) means that the UNSR will be a much more open country to the world. Baskin hopes that she can rekindle the economic relationship that was forged with Inquista under Craticus, though that is increasingly unlikely under the Bishopric of Mikaela Kligenberg. Other economic partners that could be forged may come forward, but a potential Nicoleizian manufacturing boom is technically feasible. It is just up to nations and workers to negotiate on the price for the labour and goods. Will working as a collective and spending less on the bloated salaries of managers increase profit margins for foreign companies, or will the increased labour rights make it a nightmare?YES NO AEN 399 38 TANKIES 94 301 Totals 493 339 The vote went as follows, with the AEN staying more unified than that TANKIES. Many TANKIES supported this bill just for the fact that it could help the UNSR's economic system survive. Many are much less concerned about strict adherence to theory at this very moment, since the UNSR is in a perilous position.
