President Aguard was elected with the laudable goal of diversifying and distributing power throughout the Federation, but instead of honouring the existing protocols that achieve this, such as the franchise system, much better to simply relocate the capital system of the Executive, for example, because that will distrbute power.
The President remains the President, and those with real influence, her closest advisors are core staff, are likely to have remained largely unchanged and relocated at the same time.
What has this actually achieved, really?
Perhaps I’m being unfair. Perhaps a new Press Officer with a Parchanier accent will help the people of Sinq Laison feel more represented and empowered.
A solution that is politically inconvenient for the Federation, and so of course cannot be allowed to happen, regardless of the policy contradictions such a position brings with it.
Rather than allow the tools available to the Intaki Assembly to resolve a long running issue for the people of Intaki, the Federation seems content to frustrate any potential for progress with years of deliberate interference and delay.
The Federation has done well to perpetuate the idea that it’s the stipulation for a minimal navy presence that is the root of Intaki’s security woes. A stipulation it’s worth pointing out is currently being ignored, and has been for over over two years.
If only the Federal Navy were permitted to operate (legitimately) within the Intaki system, all would be well in New Eden.
A little gaslighting can go a long way, but fortunately the long term neglect across the rest of the Placid region reveals the real value of Federal Navy “protection”.
And this is the contradiction: overlapping neglect and interference.
But should any of us argue against the latter, it’s become fashionable for some to cite the historic projection of Intaki influence, sometimes by military means, into Verge Vendor during the earliest years of the Federation. As if such a distraction of whataboutery actually contributes to the topic at hand.
The thing is, the pre-Yiona Reforms Intaki would have been capable of defending itself without the need of contractors and franchises.
Perhaps the people of Intaki would have pursued their own security and defence policies, distinct from that of the wider Federation.
Perhaps the people of Intaki would not have found themselves in the middle of a conflict zone, their home little more than a trophy for both sides to fight over.
Perhaps Intaki would actually be secure.