5-0 walks into the street and steps up on a wooden box.

I am yet only a lowly thug, but my bloodline has been around to see the events of the past months.

I'm curious to everyone's thoughts on the new "government" we have ruling our cities at the moment.

Months ago the cities were ruled by Roman and Premeir and everything was for the most part past through them out of fear, Now after the take down we have a council.

I am just curious to see everyone's opinion on it. I want to see if anyone will speak their mind or are we still afraid. Did we trade tyranny for tyranny, Do we have the best set up known to the game. How long do you think it will last, will someone take over and run the gf council behind closed doors and rise to the top. Is the game stagnant and boring now, was Las Vegas the answer to the staleness of the game. Are we doomed to only have a city get taken down every now and again.

None of this is my opinion of course, I don't have one yet.

Why are things stagnant?  In my personal opinion, every city is far from untouchable.  My definition of untouchable is the days when Roman and Prem were around, and if their own cities didn't turn on them they were literally untouchable. 

Godfather council, good or bad?  They bring out some great ideas but just like everyone they make mistakes and sometimes have experiments that don't work out.  Nothing they do will please everyone but if it satisfies the majoirty I think it will make do. 

What I do like about the council however, is the increased level of communication between the cities.

The counsel was made because the current GFs or acting GFs are sensible enough to make one. If we had head strong impulsive people that rushed into wars we would have no counsel. There will still be wars and the game is still interesting but i feel there will be none with the current leaders.

First off, this world is not a democracy. The leaders aren't here to make our lives pleasant and frankly, they've earned the right to do what they please. This, in fact, is a place of business and they've chosen a way of governing said business. So, if they want a council, they get a council. To anyone who thinks this place is stagnant, then maybe you're in the wrong business. If you don't like the way things are run, work really hard and maybe you will get an opportunity to run things the way you see fit. That's the way it is, always has been and always will be. That's my opinion, for what it's worth.

Before I provide my opinion; I want to preface the parameters that produce my position. I lead a crew in a city with few HQs. My city is without a Godfather (by rank, not title), and due to our lack of overt power, we are subject to the opinions and whims of the other cities. This manifests itself in multiple ways, but the most obvious is the entitlement of many to judge Philadelphia for their actions or words. However, that is for another time.

The Godfather Council provides a system of checks and balances. It preserves peace, and leaves war as a last resort in many circumstances. Obviously, that is different than it used to be. The present leadership has recognized that war doesn't help anyone, and work together to fix the problems that plague our cities. In the past, this has meant putting "maintaining the peace" at a higher priority than a CL's own members; but presently that isn't the case. Sure, we try to keep everyone happy, but no one tries to exploit a city for their mistakes.

This keeps cities responsible, both large and small. Each city is accountable to every other city, because presently we aren't at a massive standstill. No one is too big to fail (excuse the pun-able modern reference), and each is subject to the strength of other cities. Since every city is aware of that, the GF Council was formed to keep everyone alive and happy.

Personally, I appreciate that matters can be discussed on a national scale, and that the larger cities have given up some of their influence for the sake of keeping the peace. The "game" is not stagnant, and hasn't been for quite some time. People have the appropriate channels to make moves if they want; and achieve anything you put your mind to. When nothing (and no one) is between you and your goals, you don't need to push anyone out of the way to get there (except in Las Vegas, presently).

*blows smoke from a fresh lit cigar*

I agree with the fact that this isnt a democracy thats into play here, but more like men and women all about money and I'm sure for the most part when someone plans and money gets fundled with and misplaced so will the bodies. Keep in mind, we all have the same and equal opportunity to pull the trigger anytime, your reason is your reason alone, and in my eyes its all you need.Stagnant I'm not seeing at all, just cities waiting back on that moment to live up to "no guts no glory", or we are all peaceful right now, which in this world and day, who's to be trusted.

*Walk in the bar*

Like stated at the beginning none of this is my opinion..Just things I have heard...

I have kept my opinion to myself, and it is not a bad one...I agree with most of the points brought up here.

I think the council was a great idea, and what they have done with the cities we reside is pretty remarkable for the most part. I can't wait to see where the road they are building leads them and the events we all will participate in and witness. Stagnant, no, I think the time of Roman and Premeir were the most stagnant times we ever had excluding their fall.

I brought this up is because I havn't seen it brought up but have heard it in many coffee shops but nobody coming to the streets and speaking their minds and hopefully triggering some friendly debate.

Now I do think it is inevitable that somebody takes the reigns of the godfather council and uses it to secure their own power tower, which I'm sure will not last long nor will it get there without bloodshed and things getting very interesting. Which who knows when but with the group in power now I don't see that happening anytime soon.

That is my opinion

Why would we have traded tyranny for tyranny? I don't see any tyrannic decisions being made.

I think things are great now. There is still a lot of rebuilding to do and we are all working hard to achieve it. Other than some people being allowed to be disrespectful, I don't see any major issues. None of those people are in really high places, so I'm not even worried about them yet.

Why would you repeat things other people said if you don't believe in them? Unless you do believe them and for some reason are not willing to state your opinion? Are you asking for our opinion to draw your own conclusion and tell us?

"I want to see if anyone will speak their mind or are we still afraid." So far, many have spoken. Why don't you join us?

No I had my own opinion, for one my father was part of the solution, it may have been lacking some structure to it, but no not scared to state my opinion, anybody who I am know I am not afraid of sharing it...

Now why would I repeat what others have said if I don't believe them, I don't think believe is the word I would use, disagree with would be more at what I would state my opinion on their thoughts. And to that this is about their opinions, and why wouldn't I repeat it, even though I disagree with them doesn't mean I don't want to hear what they have to say along with everyone elses.

Well.

I see no stagnation; quite the opposite, in fact. There are positives and negatives currently at play, as is bound to be the social condition after a war. That much is unavoidable. However, I would suggest that the GF Council is one of the strongest positives to come out of the war.

Tyranny is a word that has been thrown around now quite a few times and I must be honest - I question whether those using the term are entirely familiar with it's meaning. How is it possible to have tyranny when those in the upper echelons of our world gelled together their respective powers to create something that represents all eight cities? Moreover, how is it possible to have tyranny when those in power have an undoubted variation in their individual opinions? The point is that they saw the need to combine their efforts, communicate effectively and make collaborative decisions; to me, this goes against the very concept of tyranny. Anyone who believes otherwise needs a little re-education.

Several times now, we have seen mobsters come to the Streets in order to acquire a public assessment of the state of things. The problem is that these attempts are premature - it is much too soon. Judgements and opinions need to hold fire for the time being; it is par for the course that many kinks will need ironing out and that there will be some aftershocks following the earthquake that was the war. We have already borne witness to this, and I think it is something which will continue for some time. The blood of the Streets is a heady mix of ambitious fire, fury and anticipation, but this bears no relevance to whether or not our new GF Council was a wise move. It is the inevitable result of everything that has happened recently - the culmination of events, bubbling under the surface on a slow simmer. The GF Council serves to keep something of a lid on that pot, to administer some level of control lest it overflow.

It's success or failure is yet to be determined, but that does not deter from the fact that it was, beyond everything else, the best possible endeavour for the interests of all in This Thing Of Ours.