My Little Pony XXXIX: There is no Pegasus Mafia!

[Thanqol]

Amazing how you were able to rattle off analysis without a lot of deep thought! Spoken like a true English major!

I try to use my power for good. Which means not using it at all.


Also, Pony Presidential Elections! I voted Rainbow Dash because "Don't you just want to see what would happen?"

It's like the mystery bag of policy. Maybe she'll add herself to Mt. Rushmore. Maybe she'll invade Canada. Maybe she'll declare herself Princess. Anything could happen and, if we're going to go down anyway, shouldn't we go down with a bang?

[darthbobcat]

Why am I completely unsurprised that Twilight Sparkle is winning by leaps and bounds? Stupid popularity contest, no concept of what happens if she has a Lesson Zero freakout near The Button.

There there, AJ. You're the best pony. And you have a sound financial policy.

Huh. She's actually in second place. Either everyone at Equestria Daily has warmed up to her, or they know leadership when they see it.

[MCerberus]

Pinkie will win. You need to know your enemy before you can beat them, so she gets it by default.

[Zevox]

Also, Pony Presidential Elections! I voted Rainbow Dash because "Don't you just want to see what would happen?"

It's like the mystery bag of policy. Maybe she'll add herself to Mt. Rushmore. Maybe she'll invade Canada. Maybe she'll declare herself Princess. Anything could happen and, if we're going to go down anyway, shouldn't we go down with a bang?

Heh, neat. I voted Twilight though, because I wanted to be practical - go with the one who might actually have the potential to do a decent job. Also, for Science!

Also, I'm pretty sure Rarity is the most likely one to declare herself Princess, not Dash.

Zevox

[Eakin]

I try to use my power for good. Which means not using it at all.


Also, Pony Presidential Elections! I voted Rainbow Dash because "Don't you just want to see what would happen?"

It's like the mystery bag of policy. Maybe she'll add herself to Mt. Rushmore. Maybe she'll invade Canada. Maybe she'll declare herself Princess. Anything could happen and, if we're going to go down anyway, shouldn't we go down with a bang?

Twilight/Pinkie Pie 2012! Let Twilight make all the decisions, leaving Pinkie to throw parties for the administration's supporters, and persuade congressponies to vote for the administration's policies.

Nopony knows more about party politics than the party pony

[darthbobcat]

... wait, people actually think Twilight would be a good president? Sure, she's organized, but she loses her manure for silly reasons all the time. She'd be a better cabinet member; let her be a chief adviser.

[Thanqol]

Why am I completely unsurprised that Twilight Sparkle is winning by leaps and bounds? Stupid popularity contest, no concept of what happens if she has a Lesson Zero freakout near The Button.

There there, AJ. You're the best pony. And you have a sound financial policy.

Huh. She's actually in second place. Either everyone at Equestria Daily has warmed up to her, or they know leadership when they see it.

I've actually warmed up a lot to Applejack since writing Yours Truly, and she'd be my non-comedy choice - just for the novelty of an honest politician if nothing else. I don't think Twilight's capable of handling pressure of any kind. You get the genius to crunch the numbers not set the policy.

[MCerberus]

I just realized something: If Pinkie wins she'll set up a strong cabinet to actually do stuff, then be a crazy figurehead that the public goes crazy over while others do the work. President Pie is Zaphod Beeblebrox.

[darthbobcat]

I just realized something: If Pinkie wins she'll set up a strong cabinet to actually do stuff, then be a crazy figurehead that the public goes crazy over while others do the work. President Pie is Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Well, she has six hooves... but where's the second head?

[Thanqol]

I just realized something: If Pinkie wins she'll set up a strong cabinet to actually do stuff, then be a crazy figurehead that the public goes crazy over while others do the work. President Pie is Zaphod Beeblebrox.

She stands a roughly equal chance of setting up a cabinet consisting of a bucket of turnips and a bag of flour.

Heh. I was going to make a Caligula's horse reference but I think the premise pre-empts me.

[MCerberus]

Well, she has six hooves... but where's the second head?

You're right, she works better as the Ford to Twilight's Arthur.

She stands a roughly equal chance of setting up a cabinet consisting of a bucket of turnips and a bag of flour.

Secretary of Defense LeFlour herself is a strong deterrent.

[erikun]

Also, Pony Presidential Elections! I voted Rainbow Dash because "Don't you just want to see what would happen?"

It's like the mystery bag of policy. Maybe she'll add herself to Mt. Rushmore. Maybe she'll invade Canada. Maybe she'll declare herself Princess. Anything could happen and, if we're going to go down anyway, shouldn't we go down with a bang?

... wait, people actually think Twilight would be a good president? Sure, she's organized, but she loses her manure for silly reasons all the time. She'd be a better cabinet member; let her be a chief adviser.

I'm still a tossup between Twilight and Applejack. You make a convincing point about Twilight under stress, although are most of the others really that much better?

How about a Applejack/Twilight vote?

[RobD]

Soooo....
New Pony tumblr?
New Pony Tumblr.

[Eakin]

... wait, people actually think Twilight would be a good president? Sure, she's organized, but she loses her manure for silly reasons all the time. She'd be a better cabinet member; let her be a chief adviser.

Ah, but she only goes crazy when she's afraid of the princess rejecting her. If she outranks the princess, she can't get rejected!

She stands a roughly equal chance of setting up a cabinet consisting of a bucket of turnips and a bag of flour.

I think it's more likely that she takes advice from an actual cabinet. As in that four paneled wooden thing that holds plates and teacups.

Somehow this leads to peace in the Middle East and economic prosperity anyway, because Pinkie Pie

[Zevox]

... wait, people actually think Twilight would be a good president? Sure, she's organized, but she loses her manure for silly reasons all the time. She'd be a better cabinet member; let her be a chief adviser.

Nah, she only cracks when Celestia's involved. She's not very good when she thinks she might do anything to disappoint her teacher. Shouldn't be an issue.

I'd put AJ as my #2 choice though, and think she'd make a good VP or cabinet member/adviser for Twi. I'd just rather have the smart one in charge than the stubborn one with a history of not accepting help.

Zevox

[Kyouhen]

Also, Pony Presidential Elections! I voted Rainbow Dash because "Don't you just want to see what would happen?"

It's like the mystery bag of policy. Maybe she'll add herself to Mt. Rushmore. Maybe she'll invade Canada. Maybe she'll declare herself Princess. Anything could happen and, if we're going to go down anyway, shouldn't we go down with a bang?

I'd like to see her try.

Personally I'm voting Rarity for president. What? I'm not American, I don't care what ends up happening. It'll be amusing to watch too.

Fluttershy would be my choice for Prime Minister though. Super nice and polite? Able to stare down anyone who thinks they're a serious threat? Hordes of friends ready to defend you should anyone try attacking you? That sounds like the Canada I want and love.

As much fun as it would be to have Pinkie Pie in charge I'm putting her at the very bottom of the list. Twilight snapping would be terrifying, but the media would completely break Pinkie. A pony that wants everyone to be happy wouldn't last long as a national leader.

[MCerberus]

Soooo....
New Pony tumblr?
New Pony Tumblr.

Sad Woona... not sure if want.
Wants hugs though.

As much fun as it would be to have Pinkie Pie in charge I'm putting her at the very bottom of the list. Twilight snapping would be terrifying, but the media would completely break Pinkie. A pony that wants everyone to be happy wouldn't last long as a national leader.

Wait you might be on to something. If Pinkie snaps this can only end with 'And he loved Big Sister.'

[Thanqol]

Secretary of Defense LeFlour herself is a strong deterrent.

"Commander, the Russians are parachuting into New York! What are your orders?"
Bag of flour: ...
"Commander!"
*Close up*: ...
"Commander, we're dying here! What do we do? WHAT DO WE DO?"
*Single tear trickles down the bag's face*

I'm still a tossup between Twilight and Applejack. You make a convincing point about Twilight under stress, although are most of the others really that much better?

How about a Applejack/Twilight vote?

I could support Twi as VP.

Ah, but she only goes crazy when she's afraid of the princess rejecting her. If she outranks the princess, she can't get rejected!

Any country with a monarchy will walk over us.

[MCerberus]

"Commander, the Russians are parachuting into New York! What are your orders?"
Bag of flour: ...
"Commander!"
*Close up*: ...
"Commander, we're dying here! What do we do? WHAT DO WE DO?"
*Single tear trickles down the bag's face*

Secretary! What are your orders?!
straighthair!Pinkie nudges her cabinet member
Ve show them! THEY WILL REGRET ZIS DAY! *twitch*
And that's how earth was unmade!

[Dexam]

Hello new Ponythread!

There's so much that I want to reply to, but rather than dig out quotes, I'll put my random "Putting Your Hoof Down" ramblings in here, so spoilers!

Spoiler

Show

First off, overall rating from me is "could have done better". There was good stuff the episode, but there was also quite a few scenes that could have been improved with just the slightest bit of tweaking.

Highlight: Iron Will. Practically every scene with him was awesome, in my opinion. Mr T references? Johnny Bravo-style poses? Using the goats as a mobile platform? The goats themselves - nibbling Pinkie's tail and each other's ties. Seminar held at the center of the hedge maze? I see what you did there! All fantastic.

However, I don't understand what the kerfuffle is over the head-set mic he and the goats were wearing? The pegasus announcer and organiser at the Best Young Fliers competition in 'Sonic Rainboom' were both wearing headset mics, and I don't recall much fuss over that.

Lowlight: Angel Bunny. Okay, I get that the character of Angel Bunny is supposed to be a spoiled brat, but the violence against Fluttershy is going a bit too far. It would have been better portrayed as a childish tantrum, in my opinion.

Highlight: Pinkie Pie. Great cartoon antics from the pink party pony. Someone(s?) commented about the 'Rabbit season / Duck Season' being cliche or having seen it before, so it's not that funny? It gets a pass mark from me because the majority of the target audience wouldn't have seen it before, and for the parents of the target audience it's a nice nostalgia shout-out.

Lowlight: Rarity. It seems to me that the writer of this episode (Merriweather Williams?) just doesn't quite get how the character of Rarity is supposed to work. She's supposed to be a charming, fashion-conscious, social-climbing, details-obsessed pony without resorting to the horrible stereotypes of similar characters. The 'charming the nerdy pony' scene made me cringe. Yes, Rarity using her ponycharm in a confident manner makes sense for the scene, but it would have been so much better if it had been an ordinary stallion or mare rather than that hideous cliche. Writers: watch 'Dog & Pony Show', 'Sisterhooves Social', or even 'Sonic Rainbow' and learn how to write Rarity as she should be.

Mixed: Ponies are jerks. It seems the lesson here was not that Fluttershy needs to be more assertive, but that the residents of Ponyville need to learn some basic manners. Yes, we've seen if before, but it felt a bit like the writer was beating us over the head with it in this episode. I thought that Linky cutting in line at Sugarcube Corner and the teenager 'Valley Girl" fillies were handled well, but the rest? Needs improvement.

Mixed: Fluttershy. Some good bits, some not-so-good bits. It's hard to say what hasn't already been said. What I felt was missing was a scene linking 'Old Fluttershy' to 'New Fluttershy'. In my opinion, a short training montage of Iron Will shouting catch-phrases at Fluttershy, and Fluttershy staring down some goats, all to the background music of 'Eye of the Tiger Minotaur' would have worked nicely and smoothed out the pacing a little. Someone commented on the 'He's not monster, he's a minotaur' joke not being funny? I didn't interpret that as a joke, but as a lead-in to Fluttershy's 'I'm the monster' comment, so that gets a tick from me.

Other random stuff: I'm more convinced than ever that Bon-bon is one of twins or even triplets. In the Ponyville market scenes I'm sure we see Bon-bon shopping, with Lyra, then shopping again, then with Lyra again. There's got to be more than one of them.

In other news, my Derpy Day muffins for the anti-Bronies were well received. I handed out the muffins as soon as I got to the game, and everyone fell on them like ponies on free muffins. I waited until everyone was chowing down to announce "Congratulations! You've all taken part in Brony holiday. Happy (belated) Derpy Day everypony!". I got a few joking comments along the lines of getting infected and asking if it was too late to give them back, but it was all in good humour. The DM applauded me and agreed that it was well trolled (he's a fence-sitter when it comes to ponies... I'll convert him yet ). As our party of adventurers were fighting aberrations from beyond the stars (a Mind Flayer and later a Beholder), I pulled out a Dr Whooves pocket pony cut-out to serve as our mascot for the game, which the DM thought was rather amusing.

All in all, a pretty good Derpy Day - though I did later learn that some of the Perth bronies were handing out free muffins in the city centre that day. I wish I'd known in advance, so I could have met some of them. I'll make it to a meet-up one of these days.

[darthbobcat]

Oh no? What happens when Twilight wants to make a decision Celestia wouldn't approve of.

Hm. Celestia always had a 14.3% capital gains tax... but I need to fund our schools... dare I do a 14.4% tax? If I make this massive change and I stifle investment, the whole economy will suffer, and Celestia will demote me from President to janitor! Oh no, oh no, gotta do something to distract her from this. QUICK! ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS! YOU NEED TO REBUILD EQUESTRIA A HUNDRED MILES THAT WAY! WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE!

And that's how Twilight Sparkle caused a war with Griffondonia, when she sent in an army with express orders to extend the borders of Equestria 100 miles.

Because after all, as Prime Minster of Equestria, she rules at the whim of the princess.

[Zevox]

Oh no? What happens when Twilight wants to make a decision Celestia wouldn't approve of.

Nothing, because once she has a job like that, Celestia's no longer her teacher. No need to worry about getting punished when, as Eakin pointed, she outranks the Princess.

Besides, you could just as easily construct equally-or-more plausible scenarios where AJ's stubbornness and unwillingness to accept that she can't do everything herself leads to catastrophe.

Zevox

[darthbobcat]

Nothing, because once she has a job like that, Celestia's no longer her teacher. No need to worry about getting punished when, as Eakin pointed, she outranks the Princess.

Besides, you could just as easily construct equally-or-more plausible scenarios where AJ's stubbornness and unwillingness to accept that she can't do everything herself leads to catastrophe.

Zevox

Okay fine. Be reasonable.

I'll just lay it out. I don't want Twilight and she's no president of mine. I'm moving to Griffondonia until the party I like gets back into power. All like minded people can join me.

[Thanqol]

Nothing, because once she has a job like that, Celestia's no longer her teacher. No need to worry about getting punished when, as Eakin pointed, she outranks the Princess.

Besides, you could just as easily construct equally-or-more plausible scenarios where AJ's stubbornness and unwillingness to accept that she can't do everything herself leads to catastrophe.

Zevox

Which is why I voted for Rainbow Dash. Because that way we can accept that catastrophe is going to happen and prepare accordingly/take bets on which one. The others may or may not cause disaster, Rainbow definitely will and, moreover, it'll definitely be awesome.

Rainbow Dash: The Most Reliable Candidate

[darthbobcat]

Which is why I voted for Rainbow Dash. Because that way we can accept that catastrophe is going to happen and prepare accordingly/take bets on which one. The others may or may not cause disaster, Rainbow definitely will and, moreover, it'll definitely be awesome.

Rainbow Dash: The Most Reliable Candidate

I suspect the worst she'd do is sleep all day and let paperwork pile up.

[Mewtarthio]

Twilight is by far the best-educated, but... well, there is the whole "Her response to stress is to cast horrible forbidden black magic to control the minds and bodies of those around her" issue. That's not just a Princess thing, by the way: She did the same thing in "Green Isn't Your Color," though she did a much better job of looking calm*. The Presidency's a stressful job, and she just can't handle the stress. Besides, she's terrible at dealing with people. No way would she get a single bill through Congress, to say nothing of foreign relations. She goes into the cabinet.

*It's possible I'm misinterpreting her actions there. It's possible she honestly thought that was a good idea--which it was, in the sociopathic, emotionless literal genie sense, I suppose. It's also possible she is secretly a closet sadist, seizing an opportunity to do unspeakable things with Fluttershy while being able to avoid all negative repercussions. I'm just giving her the benefit of the doubt here.

I'm going with Applejack, personally. Her one major flaw is that she refuses to back down, and that's going to be a major advantage when she comes up for re-election.

In case you're wondering about the others: Rarity would dump all her duties on the VP and spend her term living like puppet royalty, Rainbow Dash would decide to fix everything by kicking foreign heads of state and uppity Senators in the face, Fluttershy would be too terrified to take the Oath of Office, and Pinkie Pie would plunge the nation into a permanent Depression by declaring every day a national holiday.

[MCerberus]

Twilight WOULD work, however, if she were to go with her instincts and set up a Wilson administration. First among equals with the cabinet, she seems to be good at attracting oddly specific talent, after all.

For different Scenarios:

Parliamentary system: Fluttershy. Usually out of the way and with the group but when stuff needs to get done, THE STARE gets activated and stuff gets done.

Strong-executive power presidency: Applejack with VP Pie. Steady behind the helm with a wacky public figure behind her. Plus Pinkie has some remarkable insight that she can work with if she needs to take over.

Weak-executive power presidency: Twilight with VP Rarity. An organized taskmaster setting up what she can while having checks against her whims. Rarity in this case you must realize that she's worldly and adaptable to more social situations than one might expect. She'd be an excellent diplomatic asset in the administration if you keep her away from the treasury.

[Eakin]

Twilight is by far the best-educated, but... well, there is the whole "Her response to stress is to cast horrible forbidden black magic to control the minds and bodies of those around her" issue.

In B4 cheap shot at the Bush administration and the Patriot act!

Pinkie Pie would plunge the nation into a permanent Depression by declaring every day a national holiday.

Irony! not really, but the cheap Alanis Morriset type at least

Which is why I voted for Rainbow Dash. Because that way we can accept that catastrophe is going to happen and prepare accordingly/take bets on which one. The others may or may not cause disaster, Rainbow definitely will and, moreover, it'll definitely be awesome.

Rainbow Dash: The Most Reliable Candidate

So she starts some kind of international incident, her approval rating drops to 20%, and she's defeated in 2016 by President Fluttershy who hands over Equestrian sovereignty to the first world power to request it with "pretty please with sugar on top?"

EDIT:

Twilight WOULD work, however, if she were to go with her instincts and set up a Wilson administration. First among equals with the cabinet, she seems to be good at attracting oddly specific talent, after all.

I actually see her as an awesome crisis-era president, putting together a ragtag group of misfits team that somehow functions way better than it has any right to, a la Lincoln.

Sure, she'd get bogged down in the swampy, divisive domestic policy issues. But the girl's a born leader when the horse apples hit the fan. And she'd organize the labyrinthine government bureaucracy in two shakes of her tail.

[MCerberus]

And she'd organize the labyrinthine government bureaucracy in two shakes of her tail. After a touching musical number

Had to add in a little something because we're losing track of real pony-politics here.

[thubby]

rarity has the force of personality and general levelheadedness to influence the upper class movers and shakers of equestria, and can handle herself in a crisis.

my concern with AJ is that she lacks a good understanding of the forces at work outside her farm.

and twilight, as mentioned, tends to crack under certain kinds of pressure.

edit: also, rarity's musical numbers are awesome.