Interview: Bill 'Rocky' Moor Addresses the LDP-Momentum Rift and Tripod Controversy
Editor’s Note: Senator Tripod was invited to participate in this interview to provide his perspective on the controversy, but declined. This article reflects only the perspective of Bill 'Rocky' Moor.
Introduction
In the aftermath of a major political controversy involving accusations of partisanship, personal ambition, and internal disputes within SimDemocracy’s Senate, Goldenflower Investigation and Reporting sat down with Bill 'Rocky' Moor, a senior member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), for an exclusive interview. This conversation offers Rocky’s perspective on the political crisis, including the fallout with Senator Tripod, Tripod's departure from the LDP, and the growing influence of the Momentum Party in the Senate.
Transcript:
1. Origins of the Rift with Tripod
flor: Tripod declined to be interviewed for this article. In your view, what’s the core reason behind the breakdown in trust between you two? Was there any trust to begin with? In your opinion, could this have been prevented?
Bill 'Rocky' Moor: To my memory, our relationship started in a professional capacity and stayed that way. I had worked for him as his political consultant under the ULP (United Labor Party). At one point, he wanted to run for president with Thyme as his running mate (this was the election that elected Delarosa). I had been trying very hard to get a coherent policy platform and message for the campaign.
And after struggling to get an answer to the most important question of any campaign “why do you want to be president,” he then gave his now-famous “I want to be president so I can say I’ve been president” quote. That was the moment my faith in him as a public servant evaporated. When the LDP had to run him (it was one of Tripod’s demands for the acquisition of the ULP), we just couldn’t find anything he particularly believed in, or any real reason he should win. He eventually dropped out.
"He then gave his now-famous “I want to be president so I can say I’ve been president” quote. That was the moment my faith in him as a public servant evaporated."
Whilst remaining in the party, Tripod was hard to predict. He’d either do things that were just poor politics, or that openly stood against the people who trusted him and helped get him elected. A huge one was when Stalin didn’t make Tripod the deputy speaker, and so Tripod attempted to change his vote and force a tie in the speaker vote. To be frank, we were astonished at the pure political greed and blind ambition that a backstab like that took.
In short: He started out as a fine client who reliably paid. But when I, along with the LDP at large, at to place our trust in him and rely on him, we were repeatedly and reliably disappointed. That was the most reliable thing about the ordeal. That, along with an apparent lack of beliefs or policies + the blind and poorly managed political ambition did not make a good combo. If he was just reliable and talked to us before doing the things he did, this all could have been avoided.
2. Response to the “Party Loyalty” Accusation
flor: In his departure announcement, Tripod accused you of “preaching party loyalty” in your direct messages. Could you provide any context to this? How do you respond to that characterization?
Bill 'Rocky' Moor: It’s hard to provide context for something that is categorically untrue. The LDP provided Tripod the majority of his votes. I have personally put on display how each and every individual in the LDP is just that: an individual. I have gotten several bills proposed through non-LDP members, and I have openly worked with policy-makers across the aisle on several occasions. The LDP has shown nothing but the greatest support and aid in these endeavors.
The difference between me and Tripod is that I openly communicate what I want to do and why, I notify party senators and we work to make it as beneficial to both everyone involved and SimDem as a whole, and if anything I hope to do doesn’t sit right with the party, we sit and debate it. I’ve had the party tell me no plenty of times. Did I make a news post about it and scream corruption? Of course not.
"The concern I conveyed to Tripod is that he went beyond the very few bounds that we set. And that wasn’t acceptable to us."
The LDP’s job (along with literally every political party to ever exist) is to help get me (one of its members) elected or in a position to make policy. As a member of the party, I have a responsibility to work towards its goals, help get its other members elected, and to work within the party structure. Tripod just didn’t get how parties work, I suppose.
I have extreme freedom in the LDP, but I just can’t do things that directly put the party in harms way, prevent its members from getting elected, or prevent its policy goals from being realized. I’m positive Tripod will find the same exact restrictions in every other party. The concern I conveyed to Tripod is that he went beyond the very few bounds that we set. And that wasn’t acceptable to us. So we offered that he remain with the LDP for the duration of the term, and that he could then leave peacefully and respectfully. He, evidently, did not accept that olive branch.
3. Evaluating Tripod’s Political Influence
flor: Do you believe Tripod still poses a serious political threat or destabilizing force in SimDemocracy? Why or why not?
Bill 'Rocky' Moor: No. I don’t believe Tripod currently poses a threat. I don’t he’d get elected reliably enough to do any real damage. And he’s tried to get into the presidency many of times and failed, so I don’t think we’ll have a problem on that front either. Politics is based almost entirely on trust and reliability.
"And most importantly, do the voters see trust you enough with their laws, and do they see you as a reliable leader?"
Can your peers in the senate trust you enough to caucus with you? Can they reliably predict how you’ll vote? Can the parties trust you enough to build a coalition with you? And most importantly, do the voters see trust you enough with their laws, and do they see you as a reliable leader? I think the voters, as a whole, will largely come to the same answer: no. However, I hope that Tripod works to change this.
4. Perspective on Tripod’s Move to Momentum
flor: What’s your perspective on Tripod’s switch to the Momentum Party?
Bill 'Rocky' Moor: Everyone at the LDP knew it was going to happen. It’s just a symptom of the blind political ambition I’ve been talking about. If you ask any of the MMTM members, I’m fairly confident that all of them would have some material policy disagreements. So my question is how can Tripod immediately go from two parties (that tend to be in opposition of each other) without changing ideologies? The answer is that he didn’t; in fact, he couldn’t have — he has shown no real ideology to change in the first place.
"The reason behind all of these being blind political greed, ambition, and pettiness."
It was the same when he merged the ULP (a far far far left party that even had vocal communists in its leadership), to a liberal party. And it was the same reason he tried to force a tie in the speaker vote to try and twist the LDP’s arm into making him the Deputy Speaker. And it was the same reason he recently tried to oust the speaker out of pure pettiness and partisanship (a move that was rejected unanimously, including members of his own party).
The reason behind all of these being blind political greed, ambition, and pettiness. Also, my guess (and I’m speculating here) as to why he joined MMTM and not any other party? My best guess is because MMTM is the main opposition to the LDP, and he wanted to stick it to the LDP. I haven’t heard any policies or beliefs of his that align with MMTM (or in general). But it could also be because that’s where Thyme is. But that’s just a guess.
"My best guess is because MMTM is the main opposition to the LDP, and he wanted to stick it to the LDP."
5. Broader Momentum-LDP Relations in the Senate
flor: Do you have any further comments on Momentum’s recent Senate successes and the Notcom controversy? Do you think relations between Momentum and the LDP have been damaged?
Bill 'Rocky' Moor: I’m not politically concerned. Their recent success mainly centers around two senators leaving their party and joining MMTM. Rein left the center due to the chaos in the party, and Tripod left the LDP because of… Tripod related reasons. So MMTM’s success is a success in picking up stragglers, not an electoral one. I’m fairly confident that the party’s majority in the senate will be rectified at the next election.
I’ve been very disappointed with the entirety of the NotCom situation regarding the ticketing. I’m disappointed with NotCom if she’s found guilty for saying what she’s alleged to have said (can’t remember at the top of my head), but I’m also greatly disappointed with Tripod for ticketing NotCom out of spite and disdain for whatever the reason may be. Regarding the attempted ousting of the Speaker (Stalin), I think it was absolutely abhorrent of Tripod to take such an action out of nothing but pure pettiness, partisanship, and vengefulness.
"All-in-all, I think that the Tripod situation will be a political non-factor moving forward for everyone except Tripod."
Tripod himself said that he only made the motion because he wasn’t in the same party as the speaker when he proposed the motion. I don’t believe that the LDP/MMTM relationship has been damaged in any meaningful way. Just today I proposed a major bill for the economic sector (the Bank Note Regulations Act) that establishes a safe and reliable regulatory foundation for what I believe to be the future of the SimDem Economy: bank notes and foreign exchanges. (Shoutout to Rein [MMTM] for proposing the bill). So, I haven’t really seen any effects on the inter-party relationships. All-in-all, I think that the Tripod situation will be a political non-factor moving forward for everyone except Tripod.
6. Closing Thoughts
flor: What final message would you like SimDemocracy’s voters to take away from your side of this controversy?
Bill 'Rocky' Moor: Politics is about Reliability. Friendships are about reliability. People need to be reliable. Tripod wasn’t. That’s why this happened.
Closing Note
This interview offers an unfiltered look into Bill 'Rocky' Moor’s perspective on the recent upheaval within SimDemocracy’s political sphere. Through this discussion, readers gain insight into the complex dynamics between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Momentum Party, and Senator Tripod.
The political future of both Tripod and the Momentum Party remains uncertain. However, this conversation sheds light on the internal fractures, strategic alliances, and personal tensions shaping the current Senate landscape.
As always, Goldenflower Investigation and Reporting encourages readers to consider all available perspectives before drawing conclusions on this matter. We remain committed to delivering comprehensive and independent coverage of SimDemocracy’s political affairs.