Jacobi

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Jacobi
National rank	458
Level	20
Politics
President of Canada
June 6, 2009 – October 5, 2009
Preceded by	Bruck
Succeded by	William Duncan
Congressman of Nova Scotia
April 26, 2009 – June 5, 2009
Congressman of Quebec
October 26, 2009 – Present
Society
Nationality	Canada
Date of birth	February 12 2009
Residence	Florida

Jacobi is a Congressman from Quebec and a Distinguished Adviser for EDEN. He was a two term Congressman from Nova Scotia, and the Prime Minister of Canada from June to October. He is also Chairman of Carpenter Industries and Proprietor of The Merchantman newspaper.

Jacobi holds the record for longest terms in office as Prime Minister (four terms continuous) and largest amount of votes in a single election and during an entire career.

The following is Jacobi's farewell speech, in which he outlines the history and accomplishments of his term of office.

Good afternoon,

I speak to you tonight for the 54th, and final, time as your President. Four terms and months ago, I came to the Presidency promising a change from the status quo. I promised significant reforms in the culture of government, in how the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches worked. I promised a clear fiscal direction, a more appropriate system of taxation, and a new accessibility and accountability to where government funds were spent. I promised an enhancement of the Armed Forces, not just in military budgets and funds, but in the size and capability of the CAF itself. I promised a government that would be more inclusive, more responsive and more representative of Canadian players. I promised a foreign affairs policy that re-established Canada's relationship with it's allies even as ATLANTIS crumbled while moving beyond tradition to gain Canada new allies and friends.

I promised growth, prosperity, and a better way forward after months of stagnation and complacency. I promised all this, and my team of dedicated, reliable and gifted cabinet ministers and I delivered.

I will say first that all this change could not have been possible without my team in Cabinet. Their ideas, their work, their commitment to our shared vision of Canada made our achievement possible. The credit for this government’s success goes to each of them, and I am deeply grateful for all that they done.

Ironically, it is also true that much of the foundation we laid in the past four months would not have been laid, or laid as quickly, if not for the war. The war, I believe for the better, changed Canada and it is impossible to separate it from the legacy and history of my administration. While we suffered much in the darker days, and there were many times where the journey seemed endless, we have come to the end of the dark and twisted path to see a Canada forged in fire, reborn like a Phoenix from the ashes of World War Three. Not from our victories, but from our defeats, not from the easy, but from our struggles, not from our triumphs but from our losses did Canada learn the lessons it needed to learn to survive, adapt, grow, and then, to overcome.

The War clarified Canada and the mission of my government the way nothing else could have. We learned first, the value of loyalty and friendship.

Our foreign policy at the beginning of this administration stands the same as it does at the end. On three pillars, a strong alliance, secure borders, and expanding our friendships and relations to country’s we had never before talked to. And of course, much like location in real estate, the guiding vision behind all three of those pillars of our foreign policy has been reputation, reputation, reputation.

We have worked hard to make Canada the ally that can be depended on, the nation that is a fair dealer in a world of cheats, a generous and yes, forgiving, nation that doesn’t let emotion get in the way of doing what’s right. We are respected in the world because of who we are and how we act, and I truly believe that we have expunged the stain that we carried after French Toast. And we have already seen the dividends that our foreign policy has paid – in a country like Sweden, which at the beginning of the term stood against us in Germany, giving us a free quality 5 hospital. In countries like Malaysia, where we had next to no presence, allowing us to join their training war at the drop of a fedora. We have developed, through our ambassador corps, contacts necessary for our continued international success. We have succeeded in creating a reputation that we have, and we will, put to work.

Obviously, we do what we need to do in context of our alliances, the two biggest being EDEN and the Brolliance. Our membership in both of these groups at the beginning of the term was by no means assured, Fortis having not yet been much more than a couple meetings and EDEN being the block which Canada was actively opposing in Germany. However, we in government recognized Canada’s requirements for allies as a middle power, and it is certain today that without the firepower brought to bare against the United Kingdom, France, and Iran. We joined EDEN because we owe our friends there our support in case they find themselves in the position we were in most of this summer yes, but we also joined EDEN because in a world dominated by a global superpower bent on imperialism and destruction, there is safety in numbers.

We have many responsibilities to EDEN as a full member, but one of the ones we take most seriously is cleaning up our own backyard to the extent that we are able to. I am unhappy with the expectation some had that we could go on leaving our borders unsecured because EDEN would be there to help in the worst case scenario. They would – but it is better for Canada to be the ally doing the helping than the ally begging for help. Part of being a strong member is making sure that Canada had secure borders…a NAP with the United Kingdom, peace with France, and a nigh eternal bond with the United States, to make sure that Canada would not be easy to invade in the near future. Some might disagree with this course of action, but no sane President would ever attack an MPP laden France or UK. If we are not to gain anything out of war, why not gain something out of peace? From that we have taken the steps we could to make sure that, after 10 months, secure borders in Canada will finally be a reality.

To conclude, as Canada will participate in training wars in Malaysia for our eventual boss fight with Hungary, it is self-evident what the benefits have been for Canada in expanding our foreign relations past our traditional allies. From our observer status in Sol, an alliance partially born out of the original Canadian led training war group, we have gained the ability to continue powering the Canadian war economy and increase the damage power of our soldiers for our inevitable confrontation with Hungary. With diplomatic efforts by dMoFA Fram and Speaker Bassett, we have gained new allies in Bosnia, a new alliance that may very help benefit all of us in EDEN in the long run. That’s not to say that we haven’t proven ourselves capable of tough love, whether that being refusing to discuss any terms of peace which required the loss of Canadian regions or playing hardball over baby traps with Iran, I have never believed that we need to shy away from our interests, just to choose our battles wisely.

Choosing battles wisely has always been something the CAF has fought for, and as President I originally came from a position of ignorance towards the finer points of the war module. Because of this, and perhaps thankfully so, I had the opportunity to be unbiased in soliciting the advice of CAF High Command. In this solicitation I came upon two important truths: First, that the role of the Canadian government, of the President, is to provide a direction for the country, to provide for an armed forces that is capable of defending and executing missions on behalf of Canada and its allies. Second, that to function effectively in modern eRepublik wars, the CAF needs autonomy in planning and carrying out missions that often have to be updated several times a day. Giving the CAF autonomy was perhaps the most important decision that this administration made, making sure that vital operations were not delayed or cancelled just because the President was not online, as it had been before.

However, even though I had not come to office with a military background, I came to office with a specific goal in mind with our military: to improve funding and to grow the CAF to a size commensurate with our population growth. The situation before, an armed forces stuck around the 100 active member mark and strapped for battles to train and cash for weapons, was every day being outpaced by European armies that focused on the quick training of troops to Field Marshall. Before the war, our primary goal was an army of Colonels, and having more than 8 Field Marshals a goal considered to be lofty and months away at best. Once the war set in, however, our priorities and funding levels for the war drastically changed. In the milieu of war and the thousands of gold spent fighting for Canadian freedom, the face of Canadian military power changed. 25 days ago, Canada boasted 21 Field Marshals, 87 Generals, and 168 Colonels. Our damage output was and is higher than both Iran and the United Kingdom, and it showed. The goal today is no longer an army of Colonels. We have that. The goal now, is an Elite Force of Field Marshals, an Army of Generals, and Rangers that are Colonels. And, most excitingly, that goal can very well be in our grasp.

As for the size of the CAF, we today can proud of a combined force pressing 300 supplied troops, with room in the CAF budget for continued growth. This is possible by a number of new changes brought in under this administration. The first, and most important, was the change in supply. Previously, the way that the CAF was supplied limited the maximum size of our armed forces, and practically excluded any Reserve units from supply at all. The new system, in place for the last month has allowed for greatly enhanced and efficient supplying, witnessed this weekend where Elites, Regulars, Reservists, Rangers, and Bruck’s Canucks all were funded in the attempt to take Saskatchewan and aid our Scandinavian allies. It is not inconceivable that with the supply system, organizational hierarchy, and of course the skills of our CAF themselves, that we can have a supplied army of 600 trained and active soldiers, making Canada a military power to respect and to fear. If there is any legacy that I would most want, it would be to be the President that got that ball rolling.

Domestic change has been a subject of philosophical interest in Canada since I’ve been playing, with much institutional resistance towards increases in the non-military size of government. As President, I have made a focus on having specific Ministries, well funded and equipped, target specific problems that were non military in nature, but nevertheless harmed Canada. It became true that in an age where Canada has been at war more days than not over the last four months, the idea of Health Care in Canada has radically changed, but it is still true that there is a need for an organization willing and able to help new players and those with below 40 wellness become more productive citizens. It is true that Immigration Canada did not get to everyone that needed a ticket when we had to move our entire active population out of the country, but the efforts of having a capable and dependable Minister like Citizen B meant that hundreds of stranded Canadians did receive help. It is true that previous governments discounted the need for translations into French in a predominantly English game, but under ElDorino and ChristianDoe, we have made concerted efforts to engage francophone Canadians in the government and military of our country. It is true that the Ministry of Public Safety was once a joke to pacify Augustus Baldwin, but it is equally true that Canada needs someone to administer our forums and IRC effectively and safely, and 1ronman has done so, even shepherding us to a new forum. And it is true that the concept of a Ministry of Justice was derided as extraneous at best and a waste of time at worst before, but we have proven its need and effectiveness in having a Ministry to deal with an active supreme court, a new Criminal Code, and eventually, a new constitution itself.

One area of domestic affairs that we have changed course on during this administration has been that of infrastructure, Canadian hospitals and defense systems. Originally, I believed strongly that all Canadians should have the ability to live in their own provinces and have equal access to hospitals, while our borders and major provinces were guarded by massive defensive systems. As I watched hospital after hospital, system after system, become completely destroyed through the war, I saw the error of that view. We do not have the money in Canada to accommodate regionalism, because we know that the only threat that Canada will face will be the one that completely wipes us off the map. If we have to retreat New Brunswick, or Nunavut, or Manitoba, we ought not have to worry about the loss of hundreds of gold because of lack of foresight. As

I have always been a big believer in delegation, in Ministers who have specific tasks and have the autonomy to complete them. I look at Citizen B, perhaps the greatest Minister of Industries this country has ever had, and I know I’m looking at proof at what can be done when an intelligent individual is given a task to complete without interference. I am happy to see that this trend to compartmentalization is to continue as all three of my potential successors formulate large cabinets with each member having specific tasks. An activist, engaged, effective Cabinet with clearly outlined goals will outweigh the good a small Cabinet with broad mandates will accomplish any day of the week. There is too much to Canada now, and too much that Canada needs now, to go back to the beta way of thinking. I have also been a big believer in accountability, in having specific sections of the Canadian government accountable to a specific Minister, who can appoint his own Deputies, workers, or Ambassadors, and can be accountable for their actions. It is my hope that Congress takes the ball that’s been given to them, and uses the committee system not only to keep Ministers accountable, but also to provide a pool of knowledgeable and active players to support them in their duties.

When I first ran for President, the majority of my non-Congressional experience was as an outspoken business owner. I was well known enough at the time that my opponent offered me the Ministry of Finance, had he won the election. While I learned much from Minister Rearden about erepublik economics, we differed philosophically on the role of government and taxation. While he believed that the economic policies of government ought to be geared towards benefiting citizens over businesses, I have always believed that increasing the profitability of Canadian businesses, especially as how we continue to be one of the top exporters in the world, to be essential to our long term prosperity. To create an economic system that encouraged business expansion and development, the administration turned to Dean22, who crafted the taxation plan still in use. To keep it simple, we keep income taxes low, the VAT extremely low to encourage consumption, and use import taxes as a valve to control prices and protect domestic industries that need protection. That does bring me to the administration’s other secret to success: We kept it simple. It was obviously tempting to provide loans, but we had seen from past administrations that drawing up an enforceable contract was difficult and Canada has lost tens of thousands of gold in lending sprees that are inherently unfair. It was tempting to provide incentives, to use economic tricks, and to manipulate the economy using the enormous buying power of the government, but one of the things we recognized (and I think Addy Lawrence has just found out as the Canadian dollar skyrockets despite 70,000 CAD printed) was that real life economic principles can’t apply in a world where 4500 citizens have a chance to make 5 gold appear out of thin air at least once a month and may purchase more at their leisure.

I brag, rightly, about Moffington’s budget and ability to track revenue. Having a National Revenue Minister unbothered by economic forecasting, but limited to keeping the treasury in working order was an incredibly important function of government. While the war made budgets unworkable, we have come now to a point in time where having a budget that can look at taxation levels, consolidate debts and revenue streams, and provide a picture of our fiscal health to Congress is not only possible, but necessary for any future administration.

To finish, printing Canadian dollars on a weekly basis is an innovation that started with this administration, an innovation that has brought incredible purchasing power and wealth to government coffers. Did Moffington, Dean, or myself pioneer printing CAD to keep the dollar at a stable and even keel? No, as many countries around the world use this method to create the funds needed to war it surprises me that we had not done so before, especially after the theft of an entire months’ CAF budget. But we have certainly used that as the primary mode of revenue for the government to feed the voracious appetite for currency that comes from an exporting country. I do caution however, the abuse of this mechanism, however good intentioned. Printing CAD is a tool to create revenue in a healthy economy, and should be respected by future Presidents, Finance Ministers, and Congresses.

As I said, in four months, we have been able to accomplish a lot and as I said, we would not have been able to accomplish this without an excellent, dedicated and intelligent team of players. All of them deserve my thanks, and the thanks of a grateful nation, but this wouldn’t be a farewell without a final shout out of thanks.

To My Cabinet:

- Kelly Mahoney, William Duncan, two great Deputies who served Canada during light and dark moments with resolve and strength;

- Gaidal Cain, the strategic genius who got back our country;

- Citizen B, the best Minister of Industries Canada will ever have;

- Moffington, Dean, and Cham, who all made their mark on our modern financial systems;

- Eldorino, whose contributions wherever anyone needed him, in Foreign Affairs or Heritage, made their mark on Canada;

- Dabman and Lokes, Communicators par excellance;

- Derek Harland, Scorpius, Marcchelala, Duke Leto, Adasko, Goran Thrax, 1ronman, Christian Doe. Leaders and visionaries that have changed our country;

- New faces like AngryMobMan, or Booleus, Artorius or Lokes, the powerhouses of tomorrow.

I can’t and won’t forget the contributions made by all of you.

To the CAF:

Canada couldn’t have done it without you. I couldn’t have done it without you. I cannot believe how badly I misjudged the CAF when I started my career.

Also, Coda. You rock. Ramizeth, CosmicZombie, BelatedDeath, JT Vanguard, all the High Command who supported the CAF and supported the government as we defend our nation. Much respect.

To the CPP and CSD:

Both the Canadian Paradox Party and the Canadian Social Democrats supported me from Day One. Tom Hagen, Fram, Shaun, of the CPP stood by us unilaterally and gave much needed advice and counsel during the dark times and celebrated the good times. My career, even when I was in the Democratic Action League, started in the CPP...they gave me the chance to run for Congress, and backed me even after my first loss. My first platform, the principles of government that we established then, were in a large part written by committees of CPP members. The CPP has always stood for things that I wanted to represent, and their support of me, even when it wasn't popular has always been appreciated.

I was extremely proud that the CPP gave me the chance to do what I did. Sperry, Nosyt, and Trenton, who, with their party, were willing to let me carry their banner. And the DAL, who supported me most of the time ;)

Thank you.

To the United States:

I am so happy that I get to be the President who signs a four year long Brolliance. Do you know how awesome that feels? :D

Canada has never had a better friend than the United States, and I have always been happy with the closeness that I’ve had with Scrabman, with Harrison, with Gaius, and with Emerick.

Much love to Emerick.

Much love to America.

To our Allies:

I wouldn’t be doing this speech if it wasn’t for you, in EDEN, Malaysia, Israel and the German and British expats who stood by us. Without you Canada would very well be scattered to the four corners of the globe.

Canada will never forget what you have done, and I will never either.

Also. Shoot is the Greatest Supreme Commander ever and I cannot shout that enough even if my shouts were unlimited.

Finally.

To the Canadian People.

The honour and privilege that you have given me, time, and time, and time, and time again to serve as your President still embarrasses me. I feel so much gratitude to the opportunity I had to serve, and the faith that was given to me, even when it seemed like all was lost. I am grateful that you gave me a chance, and I hope that I did not let you down.

And so, after four months I depart the office of President of Canada. It has been for me, an extremely interesting journey as any, filled with highs and lows, and twists and turns.

I will still be here of course, helping whomever becomes the new President, and contributing where required and where I can, but I am thinking of how this is the end of a chapter and the beginning of the new. I may indeed run again, if the opportunity presents itself, and I don’t think my political career has quite ended yet. However, I will take this a vacation, and work towards some things that I have been putting off in reality for a very long time.

Again, my thanks, and my gratitude, for all that you have done for me, all that you have done to make what we have done the success that it is, and for the last time as President,

Goodbye!

And Farewell!