Halloween Shutdown

The Halloween Shutdown was the first government shutdown ever in Triumvirate history. It went on from October 30 until November 13, lasting exactly fourteen days, in 2013-III under Major Executive Maine. It was caused due to a lack of government funds to pay for promised dues to the Department of Intelligence and a failure to reach an agreement on how to come up with those funds.

It is largely considered the climax of tension and hostility between Major Executive Nathan Maine and the Progressives against The Trio and conservative forces, primarily Speaker of the Administration Andrew Mearl and Administrative Liaison Mitchell Carrick.

## Prelude

The trimester of 2013-III got off to an immediate rough start when the Establishment Party swept the ballots and were able to achieve three seats in the Administrative Branch, allowing them to gain unprecedented control by winning the seat of Speaker of the Administration as well as Deputy Speaker (meaning they totally controlled what got to go to the floor of the Administration). This set the Establishment Party up for even more hostilities with incumbent Major Executive Nathan Maine, who had recently been reelected, being challenged by the Establishment's own Mitchell Carrick. The Establishment Party also protested and argued against Maine's extensive spending programs, particularly the 2013-II Economic Stimulus and Infrastructure Investment Act from the previous trimester, putting them in further conflict with Maine.

In September of 2013, new Head of the Treasury Ryan Bleitze proposed that the government distribute the surplus of funds it held to the general public, which, despite resistance from the conservatives and even the Major Executive, came to pass (some suspect that a few economically-conservative individuals voted for it so as to corner Major Executive Maine and force him to cut spending). This dramatically reduced the government's amount of money it had on hand which set the government up for fiscal problems in the coming months. Furthermore, Major Executive Maine proposed the ARMED Act, which improved defense measures but also set up more funding to the Department of Intelligence, promising them 300 tri within two weeks from its passage on September 22 as well as a trimester budget of 50 tri. This was later extended, but increased as a result, to give the Department 200 tri on October 7 and then promising them 150 tri on October 30. The government did not have enough money (it only held 64 tri) after paying the first 200 and thus, the government realized that a shutdown would be imminent if they did not find the money elsewhere (but the government had already used its total bond/debt allowance). With Major Executive Maine's political opponents in the Administration recognizing that this could be an opportunity to squeeze Maine's spending programs, they began to deliberate how to work with the Major Executive to resolve a potential shutdown.

## The Eleventh Hour Meeting

The meeting began on October 29th, 2013 with 6 people in attendance. In exchange for allowing Mitchell Carrick and Edward Stenbach to attend the meeting, Nathan requested the presence of Theodore Crown and Lanclot Rice. When the meeting began, both parties began to speak of the looming shutdown and what was required to make sure this circumstance did not become reality. With what seemed like an easy deal looming, Andrew Mearl brought up the hitch that not all of the votes were secured to pass this deal. A tax raise, part of the deal, was the start of the downturn. Claiming that most of the Administrators had been elected vowing not to raise taxes, Andrew Mearl demanded that Nathan transfer 200 Tri from the Major Executive account into the Central Government account. Nathan, refusing to agree to such a deal, claimed that they had already reached a deal, and to try and ask more of what was agreed on was heinous. The Establishment Party, who held both positions of power in the Administration, asserted that the original deal would not be tabled unless the 200 tri alteration to the deal be made. Furious, Maine said "Then shut it down" and left the group chat. Shocked, both sides tried to piece together exactly what had happened. Declaring the meeting over, the representatives parted their ways and began to plan for the eventual shutdown. In quick fashion, Speaker Mearl prepared a speech to give confidence to the people of the Triumvirate, and pin blame on Maine. Lanclot Rice wrote a response to the accusations made by Mearl, and both parties and the Triumvirate settled into what would become their first shutdown.

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## Shutdown Begins

The day of the shutdown began without very much activity. Statements were made from many who were affected, such as Luke Cannon and Clark McDearny, who were both furloughed due to the shutdown. Nearly 5 days passed before Mitchell Carrick came to the Executive Branch with a deal to end the shutdown, which included capping recruitment incentives at 50, end artwork funding as soon as 2015, withdraw ∇400 from the Dept. of Naturalization, withdraw ∇200 from the account of the Major Executive, and authorizing ∇1,000 in debt. Major Executive Maine then released Major Orders which pertained to the shutdown, dealing with primary funding of the Department of Intelligence, the Chief of Staff, and the JCC. Mitchell, arguing he was in direct violation of the financial code, petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge the orders. As a result of the Courts being closed due to shutdown, as well as the Major Executive not being allowed to be challenged in civil court while in office, and the fact that the Major Executive has authority over defense infrastructure, Mitchell's concerns were quickly disproved. With the front half of the shutdown coming to a close, the stretch drive set in.

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## Lull of the Shutdown

With the government being without finance or being able to fully operate to its capacity, the life of the shutdown dragged on very silently. With the occasional thread opening to give information on the shutdown, most of the Executives were sitting without anything to do. On November 4th, Satine Ehtya offered a moderate solution put forth by the Union Party to end the shutdown on reasonable terms. The deal included ∇1,500 in debts, withdrawing ∇400 from the Department of Naturalization, ending recruitment incentives after 60 members, and increasing taxes by 1%. Passing the Executive Branch easily, the proposal was quickly cut down in the Administration on the grounds that the Establishment party had not been informed of the deal. This, coupled with the inability of the Establishment figures to end the shutdown, gave the favor of the Union Party and some individuals to Nathan Maine. This action marked the beginning of the end to the shutdown, and the dramatic rise of Maine and subsequent decline of the Establishment Party.

## Shutdown Ends

After two total weeks, Mitchell Carrick proposed one last ditch effort to end the shutdown in the Establishment Party's favor. The deal itself included authorizing ∇1,500 in debts, withdrawing ∇400 from the Department of Naturalization, increase taxes by 1%, ending artwork funding after 2014, and ending recruitment incentives after 75 active members. Tasting blood, Maine and his coalition who had formed to back him denied the still skewed deal. No sooner than a day later, Maine proposed his own deal to end the shutdown after a long discussion with Andrew Mearl. The Establishment Party, conceding defeat in the political battle, gave in to Maine's will and agreed to pass a deal to end the shutdown. The deal included ∇2,500 in debts allowance, withdrawing ∇400 from the Department of Naturalization, taxes being raised to 6%, recruitment incentives ending at 60 active members, and artwork funding ending at the onset of 2015. The deal had a little more details added onto it, one of which being the election of Edward Stenbach as Chief Attorney. Also, the two parties agreed on the passage of the Futures Code, which wasn't released until the end of the Trimester. With the deal in place, the government of the Triumvirate officially opened up for business on November 13, 2013, lasting two weeks and one day. With workers now being re-instated and Executives busy on making up for lost time during the Shutdown, the Triumvirate moved past its first shutdown and began to operate as normal with the end of the year coming upon them, and 2014 about to start.

## Impact

The biggest impact of the Halloween Shutdown was the dramatic weakening in the Establishment Party, particularly Administrative Liaison Mitchell Carrick. The shutdown and the events therein were likely the defining reason that the Establishment Party suffered in the 2014-I Election.

The shutdown also unified the group of people who would come to be called "Maine's Coalition", the group of people that took to Maine's side during and following the shutdown which included nearly all groups besides the most conservative.