Loafian Herald - Interview with Injibin Aster, Monsummer 1154

For your reading pleasure, the Herald has interviewed the leader of the infamous Loafian Imperial Coalition. The material below has only been edited for grammar and concision, and all words altered have been explicitly marked.

What led you to start the Coalition?

I was part of the Federalist Party before the Coalition came together last year, and I felt that I was saying a message nobody else was, that Loafians needed to hear. I believe change comes best from the ground up, and given that the modern liberal order is a sack of s--t, I argued for the increased devolution of authority to the province and parish level. I'll admit that the Federalist Party was tiny and had no real sway, but then I looked over and saw another great right-wing party giving good, straight talk: the Holy Party, which was just giving good messages about our religion. I got into talks with the Holy Party about an alliance, and eventually their leader told me, "Have you heard of the Loafian War Hawks?" Soon enough, all three parties had a big convention and the Imperial Coalition was born. I think this only worked because we had such different issues that were all compatible with each other, and all the parties are better off for the merger.

Right now, your party claims about 40% of high-up posts in the federal government due to your alliance with the Moderates. Any comments on this, or the future of the situation?

Well, Speaker Alben and I have a tricky relationship. We share some policies but differ on others, but we agree on enough that we can keep the government running and keep Loafian faith in the system. However, the current state of affairs often ends up in annoying stalemates between my party and Alben's, and we're trying to get those resolved. But gripes aside, I like to say that the Moderates are the only other sane party in Parliament because they're the only ones actually willing to hear everyone out, unlike, say, Peace and Freedom, which deserted the Moderates because they wouldn't break their compromises for their ideals.

Any comment on Imperial City, or Loafian Aegis?

Oh yes, my pride and joy! For those of you worried about the secrecy of the Midnight Invasion, that was totally necessary to keep our enemies off their guard. And besides, the good reports just keep rolling in! Imperial City is demonstrating the competence of the Loafian Guard, while the reconstruction efforts in Loafian Aegis show their virtue. I'm sick of the whiny pacifists in Parliament: violence is atrocious, but not all armed soldiers seek to kill! The Loafian Guard doesn't even have any registered casualties on the record! Imperial City (by the way, I have an exclusive report coming out soon) is a beautiful Loafian model, and I hope we can apply this model to places around the globe.

And what about your ties to the Dorian-Quorisport Alliance?

Okay, so a lot of liberals think my policy is scattered all over. They couldn't be farther from the truth. I am the leader of the only real right-wing party in the Holy Empire, and as a member of the right wing I hold its ideals: every individual on this globe has a right to self-determination. It's been shown time and time again that those in authoritarian nations love what their government is doing. And yes, you'll be quick to bring up the suppression of free speech and the questionable practices that go on in these places, but I'll be straight with you all: authoritarianism is not such a bad thing. Small abuses happen, yes, but that happens in democracies too. Done well, authoritarianism has much of the happiness and choice of democracy without its waffling ills. I'd never advocate it for a nation like the Holy Empire, not after our millennium of theocracy, but I don't think it's our place to go around spreading "democracy" and taking down governments we think are "bad." I think, more Loafians will get more goods and more jobs if we go where the rest of the EDP has not and make a trade deal with Dorian-Quorisport. I think it's a good damn idea.

Thanks for your time, Mr. Aster. Any final words to the reading Loafian?

Think for yourself. Don't buy anybody's propaganda, and don't even trust everything I say. Read me, read Alben, hell, even read the Communist stuff, and then make your own informed decision on what's best. I'm sure you'll find the correct path.