So, this vote is about two things:
- Who to involve in the investigation teams to check for the validity of cases.
- The possibility of the implementation of checkpoints for roaming WS-aligned nomads
Options 3, 4, and 5 address the possibility of a second point. Initially, I was in favour of option 4 would because we can probably recover the lost favourability, and I was interested in the changed dynamics and how it can factor into future votes.
However, discussions have brought up how it's disadvantageous to Jaromila's stances on certain policies. Since she's our WS mirror, that's a net negative. It may also increase tensions with the aligned tribes if their promised freedom is restricted, so it's counterintuitive. So, I don't think options 3, 4, and 5 are any good.
This only the question of who to involve in the investigation teams: Options 1 and Options 2.
Giving the MoI more influence here is probably not in our best interests. In the previous vote, the bone we threw was something they were very skilled in, Law and arbitration, and the suggested member will probably be one person in a panel of 4, so their effective influence is diluted. Secondly, we had the Head of the Southern ES MoI (or something similar. I don't really remember his title) promise to send unbiased judges here.
For this vote, their influence is much less controlled. Firstly, it would mean that they would not only have influences in judging cases, but also in what cases get judged and what evidence is shown to judges. Secondly, they can overreach into other portions of the Embassy, and we can't do anything about it since it'll be a natural consequence of their responsibilities.
Which is not a good combination for xenophobic people whose interests oppose us.
That together is already too much power over the justice system at the Embassy. I admit that the MoI also has some experience with investigation, but it is mainly "find threats and kill them", not "work with people to understand and resolve conflict".
We've already had a glimpse of investigations may go with the dispute which was gone over with Jin Tae. Looking at that, I don't really have a lot of confidence in the MoI's ability to be unbiased and not abuse their power. So I don't think option 2 can work.
The Crows, however, have shown to be objective in their tasks and diplomatic investigations, such as not immediately judging Astronomer Wu, not taking offence from Zheng Fu, etc. Even though they're part of the Polar Theocracy, they are also very detached from it and only follow the Crowfather, so the relative impact of the Theocracy's influence will be small.
Secondly, with Ministry influence in the judges, Theocracy influence in the investigators can counterbalance things to ensure fairness.
So I think option 1, a split of ES/WS investigators, with some Crows from the theocracy, is the best best for us here.
While numbers can be important here, we are ultimately trying to reach out personal interests too, and that's the option that meets them best, imo.
[X] Promise to push for an investigative arm to be created attached to the judiciary here. It would be split much like the judges. (No Favor change, +20% on next roll for Polar Theocracy Favorability. Theocracy influence on Embassy Increased)