==== Overview ====
Civil Rights: Excellent (69)
Economy: Good (50) [+12]
Political Freedoms: Excellent (73)

The Free Land of Gogan is a massive, safe nation, ruled by Doctor Marcin with a fair hand, and notable for its anti-smoking policies. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 1.877 billion enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it devotes most of its attentions to Education, with areas such as Religion & Spirituality and Defence receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 62%, and even higher for the wealthy. A large private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

Truth is often impossible to tell from fiction on the evening news, the arms industry is strictly regulated, photographers can be found hiding behind the curtains in Doctor Marcin's bedroom, and citizens are allowed to rise or fall based on their own merits. Crime is totally unknown. Gogan's national animal is the Goglodyte, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Gog.

Gogan is ranked 2,652nd in The North Pacific and 61,854th in the world for Happiest Citizens, scoring 10 on the Relative Cheerfulness Rating.

==== Issues ====
20 hours ago: Following new legislation in Gogan, citizens are allowed to rise or fall based on their own merits.
20 hours ago: Gogan was reclassified from "Liberal Democratic Socialists" to "New York Times Democracy".
The overview has been updated following the last decisions made.

Polygamy Causes Division (issue 297)
The court system in Gogan has ground to a halt since the record-breaking divorce case of serial-polygamist Matt Trimony, who has decided to divorce all 47 of his wives simultaneously. The case has become so lengthy and complex that lawyer-filled encampments have sprung up outside the building, preventing any new cases from being processed.

1. "The courts just can't cope with the strain," warns Lauren Hanover, your trusted legal advisor. "Divorce cases have become so complex that lawyers now have to take courses in complex mathematics just to settle property disputes! If this continues any longer, our legal system is going to collapse. The best solution would be to make prenuptial agreements mandatory for all new marriages. That would free up the courts from dealing with complex property disputes once and for all."

2. "This is sacrilege!" exclaims Reverend Larry Frederickson, bursting into your office without warning. "It was a mistake to legalize polygamy to begin with! It's made a mockery of the sanctity of marriage. I implore the government to repeal this perversion of matrimony and make polygamy illegal throughout Gogan - if not for the sake of the families it has torn apart, then for their very souls under the eyes of our great Lord."

3. "I've got a better idea," claims renowned TV critic Mary Cho, sprawling paperwork across your desk. "You want to keep polygamy legal, but don't want to pay through the nose in legal fees, right? Why not broadcast the divorce proceedings live across The North Pacific? Think of the drama! Think of the viewing figures! Just sign here on the dotted line, and the studio will cover all the expenses." She forces a pen into your hand.

==== Public announcement ====

Sounds fun - 297:3

297:1 -- What could go wrong? No, seriously. I want to find out.

297:1 - very, very reasonable. When one gets married, one tends to think it is forever and therefore thinks that a prenup agreement isn't necessary. ... And when then the marriage suddenly is no more, things get ugly. Mandatory prenuptial agreements also circumvent the barrier of one partner asking: "Why do you want an agreement? Don't you trust me?"

Also: send 'Reverend' Larry to the Cure immediately. I wonder how these loonies keep escaping!

With few no no escapees lately, perhaps the guards have gone lazy?

297:1 i wanna see the response text for this

297:dismiss

This looks interesting, here is my first contribution:

297: dismiss | Mandatory prenuptial agreements for polygamy cases would be an acceptable solution (as these are responsible for the current situation), but for all marriages it is not.

Thanks, Maighstir, for managing that cool project for, wow, almost a year now! +1

With a tight voting result (40-60 between the top two), the issue cannot be decided upon, and as such will be dismissed.

==== Overview ====
Civil Rights: Excellent (69)
Economy: Good (50)
Political Freedoms: Very Good (64) [-9]

The Free Land of Gogan is a massive, safe nation, ruled by Doctor Marcin with a fair hand, and notable for its anti-smoking policies. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 1.877 billion enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it devotes most of its attentions to Education, with areas such as Religion & Spirituality and Defence receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 62%, and even higher for the wealthy. A large private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

Truth is often impossible to tell from fiction on the evening news, the arms industry is strictly regulated, photographers can be found hiding behind the curtains in Doctor Marcin's bedroom, and citizens are allowed to rise or fall based on their own merits. Crime is totally unknown. Gogan's national animal is the Goglodyte, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Gog.

Gogan is ranked 2,652nd in The North Pacific and 61,854th in the world for Happiest Citizens, scoring 10 on the Relative Cheerfulness Rating.

==== Issues ====
1 day 20 hours ago: Following new legislation in Gogan, the nation's diplomatic missives are now delivered via sniper rifle.
1 day 20 hours ago: Gogan was reclassified from "New York Times Democracy" to "Inoffensive Centrist Democracy".
The overview has been updated following the last decisions made.

Radio Rebels Ruffle Government (issue 298)
The 'Underground Element', a newly formed resistance force to the governing party in Gogan, has begun broadcasting anti-government messages over a network of public radio stations.

1. "These rebels are harmless," says Ethel Cruz, political commentator. "In the interests of free speech and democracy, we should allow them to broadcast their messages. There's nothing wrong with a little criticism of the government - indeed, it could do with some more incentive to perform well."

2. "It'd be one thing if it was genuinely insightful criticism," says Fleur Rikkard, your personal advisor. "But this is a disgrace! It's simply fear-mongering and government-bashing. We should shut down these punks before they fill our citizens' heads full of mistruths. And while we're at it, there are a few other radio stations that need to smarten up their attitude to the government, too."

3. "Now now, let's be reasonable about this," muses Declan Utopia, radio chatshow host. "The government should think very carefully before it gets into the business of telling people what they can and can't say on the air. The solution here is not to ban criticism, but to price radio station licenses at an appropriate level - that is, higher than a rabble of unshaven hippies can afford."

==== Public announcement ====

298:1 - It's free speech after all and if they're doing something illegal, call jurisdiction.

298:1 | I agree with Kamerad DeMignon.

298:1

298:1

298:1 - free speech.