Optimism & Opportunity Act

[Aleksandyr Gaillard]

Bill C-18343.1 - Optimism & Opportunity Act

• All worlds bordering our enemies with a population greater than 1 billion will be demilitarized. Instead bordering worlds with under 1 billion population will be placed under temporary wartime military governance.
  
• Promote the local governments of these worlds to pursue greater interest in free enterprise, lower taxes, and promote stable costs of living.
  
• Utilize propaganda to promote festivities, recreation, and create an environment that promotes regular day-to-day activities that are otherwise hindered by general fear.
  
• Move all war industry off border worlds and deeper into Republic territory.
  
• Create a temporary wartime council of Senators and Officers to execute these plans and conduct strategic decision making where required.

"Senators of The Republic!" Lionel took the floor.

Looking over the various Senators of exiled governments and newly conquered worlds; he nodded respectfully.

"I am here to propose the Optimism & Opportunity Act," his eyes glanced over to the Prime Minister, "The bill I'm proposing is motivated with liberating the citizenship of those worlds bordering our enemies from fear and pessimism. The past administration has overlooked these worlds and treated them as trenches which to fight from. This not only breeds fear along bordering worlds but stagnates industry, free enterprise, and promotes the dissolution of liberty and opportunity."

"By demilitarizing worlds with populations of over one billion and granting temporary military bases for armed forces operations on those with less than one billion we can safely reduce collateral damage and promote a culture of optimism in the face of adversity. Do not mistake me; these threats are real but that shouldn't stop us from continuing peacetime affairs where battles are not being fought. Border worlds or not."

His eyes once again glanced around to gather the expressions of his colleagues. "The Sith wish us to be in fear and that fear is their greatest tactic, by breaking down our will to fight and destroying the trust citizens place in us, we effectively lose hearts and minds of our people. Why should we give into fear? By supporting my bill we encourage through example, that no matter what strikes us -- The Republic will continue to act as it always has... As a nation of free enterprise, free thought, and opportunity!"

After delivering his speech he simply nodded again and took a step back to allow the other voices to be heard.

[member="Faith Balor"] [member="Adrik Turov"] [member="Persephone Callas"] [member="Jack Sparrow"] [member="Aliannah Sophia Filia"] [member="Thalia Rist"] [member="Valen Cerezo"] [member="Carlos Castillo"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

All Lasedri needed to hear was the word 'demilitarizing' and she was not exactly enthused--especially when the worlds this policy would occur on would be the ones with the high populations. She had little tolerance for 'soft defense'. "Senator Roux," she began, standing up behind the Prime Minister's podium to make her hatted presence quite apparent. "It is of my opinion that the people ought to be increasingly aware of the looming threat just beyond our systems' borders. Or how can you fight a war without urgency?" She looked about to the dish-like pods that each present senator occupied, attempting to spot the dissidents.

"I understand the goodwill intent behind this, Senator. I really do." Maybe. "But I would rather give up 'beachhead' worlds than allow billions of people to be taken hostage in one fell swoop. While we believe in protecting our people, the Sith have quite obviously expressed no qualms about massacring innocents. May I refer you to the One Sith's invasions of Alderaan and Manaan?"

[member="Faith Balor"], [member="Elizie Adasca"], [member="Adrik Turov"], [member="Lionel Roux"], [member="Persephone Callas"], [member="Jack Sparrow"], [member="Aliannah Sophia Filia"], [member="Valen Cerezo"], [member="Carlos Castillo"], [member="Thalia Rist"], [member="Macharius Solaire"], [member="Mark Crassis"]

 

[Valen Cerezo]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Lionel Roux"]

Blinking rapidly as he read the new proposed bill, he had to admit he was a touch dumbfounded. Maybe he had read it wrong, but no the words were still there. The part were the military would take some words while they demilitarized others, including border worlds with populations over one billion.

The other parts also struck him as odd to be trying to promote in the current climate, except for moving the needed industries to provide for the war to deeper within Republic space. Not that they had much left, losing 85% of one's shipyards would do to that to a sovereign state.

"Senator, Prime Minister, if I may," the Senator of Reecee began, his deep voice echoing slightly. "I have to agree with Prime Minister Lasedri that this bill would have . . . not the desired effect. Every world, no matter how militarized it is, is safe from Sith aggression. They want everything to be in their hands, not just militarily significant worlds. Parts of this bill I could support, such as moving what remains of our war infrastructure to safer regions, but the first point is almost . . . too optimistic that the Sith won't attack those worlds and then we have no defenses there to defend them. Zeltros comes to mind for that."

 

[Aleksandyr Gaillard]

Lionel listened to the two opposing members.

He more or less ignored the Prime Minister in the earlier moment.

"Senator Cerezo. Humor me, if you will... When the Sith took Kuat, Rendili, Balmorra, and our former strategic capital Anaxes... Was it out of spontaneous thought? Did they just claim these worlds because they could? Or maybe because of the obvious strategic value they have? It came to a shock when the senate previously moved itself deep within the insignificant jungles of Onderon. It came to a shock that we put significant effort in obtaining Ossus. It almost looks as if we're running away from the Sith, not fighting them. Spreading the line of our military on those worlds that border the Sith is the most idiotic stratagem ever devised that it must've been the the product of political motivation."

The Senator of Eshan began. He wasn't really trying to belittle the man but the Echani people have always had a keen eye for strategy; a people prided as equals to the Mandalorians in war and combat.

"By allowing people to live without fear of the next attack we can loosen our paramilitary efforts in keeping the peace. By fighting tooth and nail over every single world we're allowing more to fall. Rather, we should devise a strategy that allows us to concentrate military efforts on key worlds and rely on defense-in-depth so that we might use these worlds as strike points for counter-offensives."

Lionel then turned to the PM.

"We can't continue to pretend that there's any effort in saving face. All of us have the barrel in our mouths; we ought to learn when to pull the trigger."

[member="Valen Cerezo"] | [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Valen Cerezo]

[member="Lionel Roux"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

"Senator Roux, if I remember my history correctly, I believe that was the strategy that the Empire used after the Battle of Endor," Valen countered. "I don't believe falling back to defend only strategic worlds paid off for them as one of our predecessors shows when the Empire finally lost their hold over much of the galaxy. If I was a normal citizen on say Borleias or Arkania, and I saw the security forces leaving to go defend some other world because we were strategically unimportant, I would fear for my world."

Taking a sip of water, he continued.

"Fear would fill every world that didn't have a defense force, fear that they would know we wouldn't defend them from an attack unless strategy dictated it. As you point out, Senator, we need a new strategy to conduct the war, but this bill would severely hamper our efforts. Fortress worlds can be choked out and surrounded, the Sith need merely be patient once they take the worlds we left to defend our own skins."

 

[Mark Crassis]

Mark Crassis, the recently elected senator of the world Shulstine V, sat quietly and listened to the more seasoned senators debate the benefits and costs of the proposed law. Crassis had to admit, he had immediately been turned against the motion when the words "demilitarized" and "bordering One Sith territory" spoken. While there were other worlds closer, Shulstine V was a world that bordered One Sith territory and it certainly was of no strategic importance. Shulstine V was a den of thieves and and criminals.....but it was Crassis den of thieves and criminals and he would be damned if he would leave the people there undefended.

Still, as a relatively new face in the crowd of politicians, Crassis wasn't about to jump into the discussion and demand that his world be defended. He understood the necessity of making sacrifices in a time of war....

Slowly rising to his feet, Crassis tapped his cane on the ground three times, as was typically his habit when addressing a group and cleared his throat.

"Esteemed Senators." Crassis began, his voice loud and audible, but somewhat cold and aloof, "let me start by saying it is an honor to be joining such an august body such as this. I will endeavor to do the position justice."

"Fear, Senator Roux, is a good thing." Crassis said smiling and shrugging. "Imagine if you will our primitive origins....the progenitors of our species on a savanah or in a jungle or on a dusty plain, eons ago. There is a rustling in the bushes in our periphery. If our ancestors didn't feel fear, they wouldn't run, and while that rustling might have been nothing, it could also have been a predator." Crassis said shaking his head.

"Many sentient species exist partly because of fear." Crassis finished glancing up as he spoke. His voice had taken on a day-dreamy quality. Glancing back around at the senators gathered, his smile faded and his voice became more hard and rigid. "Our citizens should be afraid. The One Sith have ravaged us time and time again. We've lost millions of lives and will continue to lose them until we are capable of beating back the enemy."

"Abandoning the worlds on our borders will not help us do that." Crassis said, making his vote clear. "If we begin abandoning worlds and securing more defensible ones, we cease to safeguard the citizens and worlds of the Republic, which in turn could make those worlds wonder why they should be members of the Republic to begin with."

Crassis glanced around once more before shrugging again and taking his seat.

[member="Lionel Roux"] | [member="Valen Cerezo"] | [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]​

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack patiently waited his turn, sipping from a glass of cool water while his fellow senators spoke in turn. Each represented themselves with varying degrees of eloquence. Finally, the Senator of Kashyyyk rose and leaned into the microphone, holding the bill aloft as he did.

"Nnnnnnnnnnnnnno," he stated. When it seemed the Senate was waiting for him to say more, he cleared his throat and added: "No no no no no, and also, may I add in Shyriiwook, the language of the people I represent, Rrrrrggrgwwroooooogkk. That means no." Now on a roll, Jack continued: There's nothing 'optimistic' about abandoning worlds that border the enemy, and the only 'opportunities' are those that would be opened up for anyone with a reasonably decent navy. Thank you, Kashyyyk yields the floor. Also, nothing personal. Love your hair."

[member="Mark Crassis"] Lionel Roux | Valen Cerezo | Geneviève Lasedri

 

[Aleksandyr Gaillard]

"With all due regard. You do understand the concept of defense-in-depth? I understand not every world in The Republic has a history of being militarily academic. Sure... On primitive worlds one might garrison a fortress but what fleets allow is strategic mobility... By stationing armies to safeguard our worlds from sudden attacks, we're effectively limiting our mobility. When one has a garrison the logistics of mobilizing it are fundamentally ineffective... By the time we could maneuver troops from one world to the other it would be too late and we'd have to figure out how to properly defend the ones they came from."

He began his retort to the opposition. Roux didn't expect anything less from political responses; although he did respect the scientific nature of [member="Mark Crassis"].

Turning to [member="Valen Cerezo"] he exhaled.

"There's a reason why the bill states that the council in-charge of these arrangements would include the military. I'm not a career politician, I'm merely a representative with a military background; so forgive my blunt attitude. Do you have any history with the military, Senator? Do you have any idea how quickly a station from one world can respond to any threat on ten systems? With logistics, planning, and organization we can maximize our effectiveness and minimize the spread of our troops. By placing garrisons, bases, and fleets across many star systems we create a complicated network of very thin supply lines that if disrupted would cause chaos within the military."

He finished his lengthy retort with that.

"As you understand. Politicians are the responsible for wars are lost, not the men who fight them."

Turning himself to face Crassis.

"A respectable insight. That is exactly why we should maintain peace-time affairs on such worlds. We'd want to prevent panic; they'd be as secure as before. they merely wouldn't realize it because if our fleet isn't right in front of their eyes then for all they know it might not exist. Yet by increasing optimism in the people and economy we can eliminate that. If we live in a war-time state when the battles aren't raging right then and there we're going to see economic crises on these worlds and risk an influx of refugees moving towards the interior. Which would cause more panic than risked with my strategy."

[member="Jack Sparrow"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack rose again, sighing. "Why do soldiers who turn politician have such a need to pontificate about how the common man will never understand who dies, how, and the amount of respect they assume is dispensed?" He shook his head in frustration. "Your pontificous catch phrases notwithstanding, let's discuss instead the bill as you proposed it. 'All worlds bordering out enemies with a population greater than 1 billion will be demitilerized.' That, senator, to my eyes, means removing said world's means of defense, unless you instead plan on building automated defense platforms or some sort of shielding grid over each planet, which would require vast resources. and this: 'Move all war industry off border worlds and deeper into Republic territory.' You've mapped out the resources for all border planets, have you? You can tell us all exactly how far it is from a planet that is capable of producing the raw materials necessary for military construction to the planet that will be supplying said materiel? And the additonal costs for creating these weapons somewhere else and then transporting them where they used to be built will be assumed by who? The now-demiliterized planet that is no longer allowed to sustain itself? What will happen to the hard-working people whose jobs it was to mine, refine, build and-slash-op maintain said materiel? Will they be trained in new professions? By whom? You?"

Jack paused to gather his thoughts. "I do like this bit, though: 'Utilize propaganda to promote festivities, recreation, and create an environment.' Nothing like a government telling a people how to enjoy themselves, as long as it's in service to a Republic that won't let them keep a standing military. Happy, docile, and distracted." He looked at Lionel. "Am I missing something?"

[member="Lionel Roux"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith looked at the bill . What was the Senate coming to were they all just taking up space attempting to exert control over all things that we independent. Were they looking to be the Empire? A chill ran down her spine just then no, that could not be allowed. She listened as each Senator present explained their position.

Only when a pause came did Faith speak up, This measure would take any planet with less than a billion citizens and put them under martial law? Are you suggesting that we replace their current form of government? Will the military goverance tell them what free enterprise is allowed? And then you want to show them where they can have a good time, or how to have one."

Faith couldn't help it air passed through her lips hard as if almost exasperated. Senator Roux what do you think this will accomplish? Aside from alienating those worlds and giving them reason to want to invite the enemy into their borders. I agree with Senator Sparrow on this, and Senator Crassis, Senator Cerezo, and the Prime Minister. So, what argument do you have to convince us to agree? Or sir are you planning a "Wag the Dog" movement?

[member="Jack Sparrow"] [member="Lionel Roux"] [member="Mark Crassis"] [member="Valen Cerezo"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

"If optimism is what the people need, then a distant military and a loss of war factories--places where people have jobs--is certainly not the way to go about it. This doesn't sound at all like proactive defense. It sounds like retreat." Lasedri's right hand balled into a fist and pressed harshly into the metallic stand before her. The strategy sounded like there might be some sense drawable out of some phrase or clause, but it was utterly contrary in its otherwise entirety. "Tell me, Senator Roux: Where the hell are we going to move these companies that isn't within reach of the Sith fleet? And--even if we found a place for all of them--under your new strategy, we'd be allowing the Sith to simply press into our border region. And then they're undoubtedly a simple skip away from our new production locations." A mandatory serving of sarcasm: "We just solved a problem, as you can see."

There was no need to touch on the propaganda, however. Geneviève was not exactly one opposed to such things if the motives were true. But the people needed to be considered in all cases. "You're proposing we play with lives, Senator. Trillions; perhaps quadrillions of them."

She thought she was done, but before she took her seat, the Prime Minister turned back towards the Echani senator and added a little bit extra for him to mull over. "That takes a lot of responsibility, by the way."

[member="Lionel Roux"], [member="Valen Cerezo"], [member="Mark Crassis"], [member="Jack Sparrow"], [member="Faith Balor"]

 

[Aleksandyr Gaillard]

Lionel didn't expect a standing ovation when he rolled this bill passed them. In fact; it generally goes without saying that the truly good ideas are the ones most overlooked and even might seem crazy.

"Prime Minister Lasedri, we're already playing with billions of lives by having democratic elections during an all-out war. Risks should be taken, caution is what costed us worlds. Caution is why people overlook military logistics in order to fell comfortable when sleeping at night. Rather than actually trying to find a valid solution we stick to the basics."

His response was weighed towards experience to say the least.

"The concerns with this motive being addressed is that the Sith may very well just attack... They're going to attack regardless! They may already be on their way. Yet why am I not panicking? Why do you not panic? It's because we're in a situation where when a billion people might die we still put on our ties the next day." Although the Senator was not wearing a tie, it was a metaphorical statement.

"We're in a state of emergency but we're still having arguments like any other day in the senate. Our economy should be stable where we can keep it that way but we must mobilize our war economy elsewhere. We have neither the manpower nor resources to maintain a direct approach in warfare. Defense-in-depth allows us to control where the attacks are going to happen. The Sith can only attack so many places at once, so why should we have forces on ten worlds when they only have the logistics for two. With early-warning detection we can mobilize our forces with flexibility and reduce the impact on our more essential worlds. Kashyyyk is some-what important but I'd give it up in a second if it meant we could retake the core. Onderon is worthless, Prime Minister... If any retreat did happen I believe it already has when we moved our capital."

The Senator leaned forward, their back-and-forth debates have been going on for time time now.

"This isn't about political gains or trying to take hold onto more than our hands will allow us. We need to win this war by giving it everything we've got. Worrying about sacrifices is meaningless when our entire nation is on the line. So why are we catering to the whims of failed monarchies, do-gooder idealism, and semantics?"

[member="Valen Cerezo"] [member="Mark Crassis"] [member="Jack Sparrow"] [member="Faith Balor"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Mark Crassis]

"Because this is a Republic." Crassis said shaking his head. "And we are its Senate and decisions such as these require discussion. In a Republic, voices are heard regardless of whether or not they are from 'failed monarchies', 'do-gooder idealism', or 'semantics.'" Crassis said rising once more to his feet, putting much of his weight on his cane as he did.

"You continue to talk about 'defense-in-depth' as if this is the solution to the war with the One Sith." Crassis tapped his cane and shook his head in the negative. "Defense-in-depth requires several things of us. (1) We must have the mobility necessary to retreat and allow our attacks to advance and then strike at weakpoints, (2) we must have the morale necessary for this to be allowed to occur, and (3) we must be willing to lose said ground to the enemy."

"I will concede that are armed forces have the mobility and ability to fight a war of attrition such as this. However, I fail to see how we have the morale necessary to lose these worlds or the want to do so. We haven't fared well in the war with the One Sith. We rest on the edge of a blade and if we sway to far to one side, we will lose the support of the people."

"And while these worlds do not house military instalations or factories that are vital to the survival of the Republic, they house a resource much greater."

"Our people." Crassis said and then repeated himself. "OUR PEOPLE!"

"The One Sith have shown time and time again that their conquests are bloody conquests. If we allow these worlds to fall in order to play at some end game, we jeopardize the lives of millions of our citizens."

"I'm sorry Senator Roux, but I don't believe we are there yet. Sacrifices are necessary in war, I'll also concede that. But in this situation, those sacrifices are too high and the necessity of it too low for me to consider this a viable option."

[member="Lionel Roux"] | [member="Geneviève Lasedri"] | [member="Faith Balor"] | [member="Jack Sparrow"] | [member="Valen Cerezo"]​