The Oppressed People Of Varrag

[Nugog]

Uranium Mining Workers Strike!

Government Acts
The Issue
Workers across the nation have gone out on indefinite strike over what they claim are substandard wages in the Uranium Mining industry.

The Debate
"We are the backbone of this country, and we demand a fair wage rise!" says union leader Abraham Li. "I don't think a 20% increase over two years is too much to ask. Unless the government forces employers to give us our due, we'll shut this whole industry down! Let's see how well Varaag's economy manages without any Uranium Mining, huh?
[Accept]


"We pay our employees very generous wages," says employer representative Buy Bush. "Especially when you consider that without us, they'd be OUT ON THE STREET. Hear that, you scumbags? OUT ON THE STREET! Anyway, my point is, if you cave in, you make our entire industry uncompetitive. You can't do that in the global marketplace. It'll hurt the whole country. The best solution, economically speaking, would be to relax industrial laws and allow us to fire troublemakers on the spot."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Below Average Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Unheard Of

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, safe nation, renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 615 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 67%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Information Technology.

Citizens rise at daybreak every day for mandatory exercise, the government seizes all major gold finds, public loudspeakers constantly tell citizens they are "happy people", and employers may fire workers without giving any reason. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Cancer Sufferer Demands Euthanasia Bill

Government Acts
The Issue
Dorothy Terwilliger lies immobilized in a hospital bed, unable to move. She has end-stage cancer, and wishes to end her struggle against death. However, laws prevent her doctors from obeying her wishes.

The Debate
Dorothy and her family are campaigning for a "Dying with Dignity" bill, to change this situation. She implores the government to legalize euthanasia.

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I understand this is a very difficult time for these people," says freelance medical writer Aaron Rifkin. "But the solution is not to let our medical system slide down the slippery slope of killing people in pain. We must cure, not kill. This is not the right time for euthanasia."
[Accept]


"I agree, but go further: there is never a right time for euthanasia," says Bishop Falala Rifkin. "The lives we lead are given to us by the grace of God, and he decides when they end. It is not for us to question God's divine purpose, no matter how odd or screwed-up it may seem."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

Child Casino Shock

Government Acts
The Issue
Children as young as eight have been spotted gambling in some of Varaag's seedier casinos.

The Debate
Social activist Beth Frederickson is outraged. "Gambling needs to be outlawed immediately. It's no wonder children are becoming sucked into the vice, with adults setting such a poor example. Gambling is a stain on Varaag's international reputation and it must be stopped!"
[Accept]


However, Crown Casino chairperson Freddy Utopia says, "What's wrong with children gambling? It prepares them for the realities of life, teaching them that success or failure is not due to hard work or intelligence, but the roll of the dice. Besides, if kids weren't gambling, they'd be spraypainting trains."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Average Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Unheard Of

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 622 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 66%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Information Technology.

Public loudspeakers constantly tell citizens they are "happy people", employers may fire workers without giving any reason, young children are regularly seen wagering pocket money at blackjack tables, and euthanasia is legal. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Uranium Deposit Promises To Enrich Varaag

Government Acts
The Issue
Prospecting company Nukes4U has uncovered a large uranium deposit in Varaag's south-west.

The Debate
"This is a terrific find!" claims Nukes4U CEO Abraham Shiomi. "It will provide an enormous stimulus to our economy and create thousands of new jobs. It's win-win! All we need from the government is permission to bulldoze the rainforest that's on top of the deposit."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"You've got to be kidding," says Green politician Miranda Jones. "This rainforest is thousands of years old! This country needs more environmental protection, not less. And to destroy the environment in order to mine uranium that then goes into nuclear bombs--well, that really sticks in my craw."
[Accept]


"There's no need for an either-or decision," says the government's Minister for Mining, Clear-Felling, and the Environment. "We can preserve most of the rainforest and allow mining of a small part. After all, think of all the good that the money from this uranium deposit can bring to Varaag."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

Streaker in Snooker Game Fiasco

Government Acts
The Issue
After a sixty year old man with psoriasis streaked past cameras and millions of sports fans during the snooker league playoffs, protesters have called for tougher action.

The Debate
"This can't go on!" says traumatized snooker player May Longbottom, "Children are watching sports and having them exposed to this lewd behaviour is unacceptable! I demand that these people be locked up for several years and maybe they'll have learnt their lesson!"
[Accept]


"Oh don't be ridiculous!" scoffs prolific streaker Roger Summers, "It's all just a bit of fun and the kids shouldn't be wrapped in cotton wool, or they'll learn nothing! Sports are so dull anyway, it needs a little bare skin to liven it up. Streaking should be legal!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Average Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Unheard Of

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, safe nation, renowned for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 634 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Commerce. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 54%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Gambling.

Euthanasia is legal, the country's famous rainforests are being bulldozed by the mining industry, streakers swamp all public events in order to bare it all, and the government is reigning in public spending. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Tiara Sign Of Oppression, Declare Feminists

Government Acts
The Issue
Varaag's upcoming hosting of a major international beauty pageant has upset some citizens concerned about the message it puts across.

The Debate
"These beauty pageants are a disgrace to women everywhere!" shouts feminist campaigner, Jack Li. "They objectify the female body and re-enforce negative stereotyping! They celebrate the appearance instead of the personality! What message is this sending out to our children? Do we want them to think shallowness and vanity are virtues? Ban beauty contests! We must focus the education of our progeny on ethics and equality or suffer the consequences!"
[Accept]


"I agree that the pageants should be banned," pontificates renowned moralist, the Ever So Slightly Reverend George W. Dredd. "But purely in the name of moral decency! All those fashion stores that sponsor these contests make lots of money from this blasphemy and that is just plain wrong! These women wear revealing clothing that seek to entice and seduce young men. As such, we should go a step further, and institute a dress code! Long, plaid skirts for the girls, with necklines that never drop below the base of the neck! Only then will the women of our nation be cleansed of sin!"
[Accept]


"What in the name of all that's decent and good are you talking about?" exclaims Chastity Chicago, leader of the egalitarian civil rights movement 'Everyone Is Equal, Dammit'. "Obviously these pageants will always be sexist unless they're open to everyone. Admiring women only for their beauty is an insult to their intelligence and the beauty of men! It's dually sexist! Open up the pageant to both sexes!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 3.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Average Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Unheard Of

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, notable for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 646 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Commerce. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 56%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Gambling.

The country's famous rainforests are being bulldozed by the mining industry, streakers swamp all public events in order to bare it all, the government is reigning in public spending, and Max Barry is this year's Miss Varaag. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Cutting Off Sex Offenders?

Government Acts
The Issue
After the capture and trial of notorious rapist Henry Taiden, who was convicted of the rape of over 50 women in the past two years a debate has emerged on how he should be punished.

The Debate
"That psychopath should be castrated!" cries rape victim Colin Love, "The agony he put me through must be punished with a means that will ensure that no human being will ever go through what I did! If castration is used more often in these cases you will see rape drop to nothing!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I understand that this is a terrible time for the poor victims in this case," says defense attorney Roger Wall, "However, the answer is not to revert back to the dark ages. Instead, we should focus on rehabilitation of all criminals in our prison system."
[Accept]


"Everyone knows re-education is a waste of money, we shouldn't go soft on these crooks!" says CEO Calvin Chicago of the People Trading Corporation. "Simply place all rapists and criminals in Varaag into forced labor under the management of our company to serve out their sentences. When we're through with them, they won't even think of jaywalking, much less harming another person. We get cheap labor, and these crooks get put straight. Everybody benefits... well, except the crooks."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Average Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Unheard Of

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, remarkable for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 651 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Commerce. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 56%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Gambling.

Streakers swamp all public events in order to bare it all, the government is reigning in public spending, Max Barry is this year's Miss Varaag, and sex offenders find themselves 'cut off' from any ability to repeat their crimes. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Birds, Bees, And Breeding Teens

Government Acts
The Issue
A study has shown that an increasing proportion of teenagers in Varaag are falling pregnant.

The Debate
"We need comprehensive sex education to be mandatory in all schools," says Falala Christmas, a teacher while tidying away some diagrams that make your eyes water. "The plain fact is that teenagers will experiment with sexual intercourse despite what society or their parents wish. So I say give these kids free contraceptives, and make them fully aware of the consequences of their actions. Information is what they need, not condemnation. If they ignore it then hey, it's their own damn fault."
[Accept]


"If you give them contraception it'll just encourage them to do... terrible things," says Jean-Paul Washington, a religious parent and member of Moral Minority. "And what's with giving them so much information? There's even diagrams for goodness sake! Have they never heard of 'monkey see, monkey do'? They'll just go and try it out, mark my words! The solution is simple: girls should be kept at home and away from the monkey house of lustful impetuousness and young males until they are of marriageable age. Teaching teenagers abstinence and chastity is the key, not giving them step-by-step manuals."
[Accept]


"However sex education is taught, it is still social engineering and so undermines parental authority," says conservative newspaper columnist Peggy Hamilton. "My own son learned about something called 'homosexuality' the other day! For shame! We all know it should be Adam and Eve, not Adam and... Geoff? Anyway, my point is that sex education should be dropped from schools and instead taught by parents the way they see fit. That way children will get consistent messages and parents, not society, will cop the blame if any of their kids fall pregnant."
[Accept]


"No-one's asked me my opinion yet," says Catherine Gratwick, a teenage mother as she bottle-feeds her baby. "I think it's perfectly obvious what the cause of teenage pregnancy is - teenage boys! My son's father is the one that got me into this mess. He's the one who pressured me into having sex, but all the education is focused on the girls. Teenage fathers should be made responsible for their actions for once and be made to join the military so they can send their wages back to pay for their children's upkeep. If that's not a deterrent, then I don't know what is."
[Accept]


"I think we've missed the fact that maybe this teenage pregnancy phenomenon is not such a bad thing," says Beth Chicago, a famous demographer. "We need the population to grow, we need more people of working age, we need more tax for public services, et cetera. There are plenty of sound demographical reasons why we should be encouraging women to have families. By all means educate them about the dangers, but I don't think we ought to discourage teenagers from procreating - it's nature's way you know."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 5.

[Nugog]

Where There's A Will There's A Tax

Government Acts
The Issue
After the vast fortunes of a recently deceased oil tycoon in Varaag were left to a small cactus plant, citizens nationwide have been asking the same question: should the inheritance tax laws be changed?

The Debate
"Every time I see a stupid rich kid having an easy ride of life with money they did nothing to deserve, I go into a jealous rage and start punching walls," says economically disadvantaged individual Billy-Bob Longbottom. "Abolish inheritance entirely! If the government takes the inheritance then we can spend all that cash on things that make ordinary people's lives better, like education, social welfare, and attack helicopters."
[Accept]


"This is a disgusting breach of my human rights," says Klaus Mombota, heir to an international widget empire. "Just think of all the poor families who have spent their lives scrimping and saving with the dream of passing on a modest luxury yacht to ensure the security of their children's children. All that sacrifice, all that toil, all those long nights working their fingers to the bone setting up offshore accounts - it brings a tear to my eye. Inheritance tax has got to go!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"Surely we can arrange some sort of compromise here," says comfortable knitwear fan Alexei Trax. "Yes, it's true that some people exploit the system - but a lot of people rely on inheritance for their basic support! Why don't we just set a sensible ceiling on how much you can inherit? That way you get to keep the family farm, but not the five mansions and the oil refinery."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Average Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Unheard Of

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 656 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 54%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Gambling.

Max Barry is this year's Miss Varaag, sex offenders find themselves 'cut off' from any ability to repeat their crimes, the lowest age at which one can marry has been recently lowered to 12, and inheritance tax has recently been abolished. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.