State of the Union XI

**Written By:** Nathan Maine, Major Executive

**Released:** September 10, 2013

Honorable dignitaries of the Executive Branch, mindful representatives of the Administrative Branch, formidable friends of the Union, and righteous citizens of the Triumvirate, as this Union has moved forward for the last four months, so too will it move forward another four.

In the last four months the government of this Union and I have set upon creating sturdy monetary policy, creating reasonable regulation for the establishment and management of banks, created rules for public companies, better improved services to citizens, begun taking steps to expand our foreign affairs, and, of course, we passed the largest stimulus in Triumvirate history. That stimulus, after so much fighting and some serious arguments on all sides, has given this Union economic strength, helped increase membership, allowed for a wider range of economic prosperity, and helped secure our financial system for the future. As a result of the progress we’ve made in the last trimester the Triumvirate has more foreign input, is at an all time high of membership, is more prosperous, and is safer than it ever has been. We are in a state of progress, but it is one that is far from over.

It’s time to set up building a Grand Union, and with the solid progress we made in the last trimester, matched with the momentum and ferocity we have this trimester, the path before us is cut. Last month I signed the treaty between the Occidental Coalition and the Triumvirate, which was approved by the Executive and Administrative Branches, and represents the biggest foreign agreement in over two years ever since the treaty signed with Andrew Hester’s Empire. Their President has been speaking with Chief Ambassador Jackson Mearl over the past month about how he can tether his economy to ours, utilizing our currency in his own domain, and working to communicate their own security concerns and how we may aide them in that regard. It is a true testament to the security and relevance of our currency and to our defensive capabilities that a foreign power would ask to use our currency for their own economy, trusting our monetary and financial systems, and that they have faith in our protective abilities. This treaty is the first step towards more like it, and, if need be, hostilities against those who ought not to be. I believe, as I feel much of the Triumvirate does, that when we put ourselves first, that others can use our success to aide themselves. I am an isolationist at heart when it comes to foreign affairs, but I am also a realist and I recognize that there is great potential in foreign affairs that can help us out in the long run and make us stronger. I will never allow any foreign power to come before this Union and I won’t make a compromise about the dominion or authority of this Union, and with those two instructions in mind, the Department of State and Department of Intelligence have set to finding both potential allies and potential foes. Just days ago the Administrative Branch passed a keystone piece of legislation for this trimester, the WEB Act put together by myself, Chief Ambassador Jackson Mearl, and Edward Stenbach. What this act does is it gives this government, primarily my office and that of the Chief Ambassador, the teeth needed to seize authority on crumbling sites and insert our own management structure so as to prevent disintegration and to broaden our reach. In the weeks to come I will propose the ARMED Act, a bill also compiled by myself, the Chief Ambassador, and Mr. Stenbach, which will reinvent our defense and attack readiness abilities and procedures. With improved defense, with foreign affairs reinvented, this Union will be revised and enhanced.

My Grand Union ideal does not end with foreign affairs and defense though, it also includes the implementation of long term necessities for the Triumvirate. I have already begun working on a four court plan, which would, at the Triumvirate reaching a specific number of members, set up three more courts to complement the Supreme Court: the First Criminal Court, with one judge; the First Civil Court, with one judge; and the Appeals Court, with three judges. The two lower courts would hear most cases, while the appeals court would exist so that appeals could be made if need be, and the Supreme Court would not only serve as a court of last resort with appeals, but also hold authority over the most major issues such as matters concerning the entire government or foreign powers. Along with this, I will table legislation which, on the Union attaining the same number of members, will require each Department to maintain minimum employment or else they will lose funding. This is a way to see that the Departments are providing jobs, pay their workers a decent wage, are not understaffed, and give citizens experience in Departments so that they can pursue other and more intensive jobs as directors, judicial authorities, or even Executives later on. Another idea to complement these is a set of stages at which the government automatically coins more tri to expand the economy as citizenship expands. Along the lines of at 30 members, 1000 more tri are coined, at 40, another 1000, and so on. We need to be growing economically as our population grows, it wouldn’t make sense to keep the same amount of money circulating when we had 20 members as we would when we had double that. These additions will provide the Triumvirate with plans already set for the future, so that when we grow to a certain size, many things kick in and the Triumvirate expands dramatically to make it a truly Grand Union.

This plan for a Grand Union harks back not to Elliot Neil’s plan for a modern and efficient government, and not to Stavrok’s plan for a sound and international system, but instead, to Arnold Ogamon’s plan for a long-lasting Union, one with fundamental institutions and laws, one with stability and fortitude, one with intelligent products and mindful ideals.

We begin this trimester with many novelties. Longtime Executive, Mitar Curesse, has departed and former Deputy Speaker, Ryan Bleitze, has joined the Executive Branch, further diversifying our political views. The Administrative Branch has seen a new streak of conservatism, and despite all odds, has elected two talented men from the same party to serve as both Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Politics will be more unique than at any point in our past, and with two new political parties present, we see a wider assortment of opinions in our government. Unfortunately, we also begin this trimester facing a great loss, that of Andrew Hester, who resigned from his office not just as Minor Executive but also as Head of the Treasury within the first twenty-four hours of the trimester in protest to the hostile political climate in the Union. Head of Commerce and Industry Lanclot Rice was elected via a special election as Minor Executive for this trimester and Ryan Bleitze, a renowned economist of his own, became Head of the Treasury. Though this loss is sharp, it is my hope that this loss will inspire greatness, and give us exactly the push that we need to work together to accomplish our mutual goals.

It is this month, in just five days, we celebrate our fourth year. Think about that, four years. Think how much has happened since that one day in September of 2009 where our founder, along with figures like Ascencia, Nremni, Reliaha, and Ehtya came together to create this marvel of a Union. One year after that, Arnold Ogamon had entered the scene, and the Triumvirate had an Executive Branch and was about to create the Major Executive and Minor Executive position. One year after that and Arnold Ogamon was our Major Executive, leading brilliantly after the Triumvirate’s founder left, creating the resume system and setting up a functioning Administrative Branch. The next year, Major Executive Stavrok had freshly passed the PEACE Act and Executives like myself and Elliot Neil came into the Triumvirate. This year, the fourth year, you’re on the fifth Major Executive, an all time high of active membership, and the Universal Triumvirate has made steps to secure that it will not only reach a fifth year, but also a tenth year, and a twentieth, and if we continue to make solid progress, I have no doubt in my mind that this Union will reach its hundredth year too.

Thank you, have a wonderful and productive trimester everyone, and let’s make 2013 the greatest year the Triumvirate has yet seen.

*-Nathan Maine, Fifth Major Executive of the Universal Triumvirate*