Kalistan

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Kalistan's Talking Heads Discuss Empress' Opening Salvos

"Black Empress" Appellation makes rounds on Social Media

Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto

December 31, 5558

Political Pundit Class on Radio Kaliburg generally mixed on Empress' new policy direction, but supportive of her as a person

The ominous pronouncements from the acting Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Jacqueline DuMont announcing Imperial Fiats have grown more common in recent days following the Empress' return to Kaliburg.  Most of them seem to be housekeeping matters, but what is clear is that The Empress has begun ruling Kalistan directly without the legislature, as a true absolute monarch, and this situation will likely continue into the foreseeable future.

The actions of the Empress over the last month have drawn significant attention to about half a dozen major political podcasts on Radio Kaliburg.  Each have audiences in the hundreds of thousands, and all gained notoriety before the troubles began across the Empire.  Initially the political podosphere had dozens of podcasts operating on a regular schedule, like a terrestrial station would, but defeat of the rebellion led to about 20 podcasts suddenly ending, when it became clear that the insurgency had no chance.  The remaining podcasts all took a somewhat sympathetic, though not sycophantic, tone regarding the Empress, and all independently produced tributes to the late Emperor following his assassination.  As a result, each of these shows' producers have so far escaped any official sanction, though they are occasionally critical of Imperial Policy.

Following the Empress' suspension of the National Assembly, these podcasters and a fairly wide swath of political bloggers began referring to the Her Imperial Majesty as "The Black Empress."  The term seems to have caught the zeitgeist, and it is now fairly common to refer to her in this fashion online and on political podcasts.  So far, the Empress herself has not commented on the use of the nickname, which amounts to tacit endorsement.  But the term is only occasionally used as a term of respect.  More often, it is used as a signifier of a measure of dreadful awe.

"Never before has a monarch, or any government as far as I can tell, concentrated so much power in the hand of one individual," said prominent Sulari Based Podcaster Charli Conway.  "Its a little scary when you think of what kind of power the Black Empress will wield if someone really pisses her off."

"You really gotta cut the Black Empress some slack," said podcaster Martin Guerra, who is a distant relative of the House Ananto.  "She's really been to hell and back.  I mean, she returned to Wilson House.  The last memory she has of the place is being woken up at like 1:30 in the morning by regular infantry, all carrying high power fire arms, and more or less kidnapped, put on a helicopter with the Princess Carolina, and told enroute that her husband has been murdered in Kalistan, and that she needs to flee to Gaduridos for her own life and the life of the Crown Princess.  Do you go back there?  I don't."

The current podcasters are already calling the insurgency "the death rattle of an old dynasty."  "I mean, yeah, we have a new dynasty," said Kaliburg based podcaster Michelle DeLeon.  "The old line is broken.  Fredrick didn't have any kids, and Mark Ananto has said he has no desire to sit on the throne.  He's in Gaduridos right now, and his kids are more Gaduri than they are Kalistani by this point.  And she's a Hulanevek.  Totally new Dynasty.  She's legit the Empress, and nothing short of war is going to change that, so like it or not...  I mean..."

While most of the major commentators are split on support for the Empress' Fiats, most are supportive of the Empress' actions in general and are supportive of her personally.  "It's bold, decisive leadership," said Eshar based podcaster Janice Concklin, who was initially supportive of the democracy movement, but switched following the Emperor's assassination out of shock and horror.  "This is the kind of firm leadership, I mean, initially anyway, from what I can tell, that Kalistan hasn't seen since the days of Nicolette the One.  The Great.  If she can keep up this big boss energy throughout the remainder of her reign, people will be calling The Black Empress 'Pavlina the Goat!'  Especially if she don't f--k with our civil liberties, and just lets us live our own life."

"Its time for Kalistan to finally shake off the fetters of the past," said host Bradley Hanley.  "Kalistan has often gotten right up to the line, and then for some reason not crossed it.  We have relied on too many people for far too long, and it is time for the Empire to assert itself in this world.  Right now, the door is closing, and it is such a joy to watch the Black Empress put her foot right in the gap and say 'Not today, Devil.'  It's really inspiring for such a, kind of a badass, I don't know.  She didn't defeat the insurgency, but when she came back what did she do?  Forgive the rebels and lop the head off her own Party.  What kind of genius does that?  You'd almost think she had what's his face killed to make an example of him, then bought all his people off and got them to join her side!  That's either brilliant or crazy, I suppose we'll find out."

Taken as a whole, the podcast class generate more support on Radio Kaliburg, which, though independent, has become one of Kalistan's most popular broadcast medium.  Concklin cited polls that showed support for the Empress has skyrocketed since July, and remains high despite the Empress' taking over the National Government.  "Interestingly enough, we see support for the Black Empress to be six points higher based on whether you listen to Radio Kaliburg or not.  Are we propagandists?  I certainly ain't:  There is plenty I disagree with, and you all know what I said during the protests, but I mean, she helped clear out my mother and father's house when it was destroyed.  How can I hate someone like that who helped me clean my childhood room and find the only photo album I still have left of my folks?  I can disagree with her, but friends, if you are listening to this show, you should know that I personally won't ever say another bad word against her as a person.  Does that make me a propagandist?  No, I think it makes me a human."

Most Podcasters on Radio Kaliburg, including the big ones, have repeatedly invited Her Imperial Majesty onto their show.  She has so far not responded to the requests, and they have had to settle for surrogates who are authorized to speak for her.  "I don't like having Count whatever on the show," said Guerra.  "That count is only here to give us the official line, and I really don't think I can stand to hear more one more entitled snob telling us about elections or how Kalistan still has democracy.  Really, I don't even care.  I think if we're going to get candid answers, we can't keep having some toady come on the show and tell us what we already know."

As the reforms under Empress Pavlina I Ananto deepen, it is likely that more political podcasters will join the gaggle.  Kalistan still has a free press, and a only slightly positive political pundit class is just one example of this.  "We've not received any kind of cease and desist for our commentary," said Concklin, "even when the stuff we say has been highly critical of the policy choices of the Empress.  I think the line is making it personal.  She seems to tolerate our policy criticism, and I can confirm that I have been visited by IBSI who I treated to a tour of the studio here, because I guess we're doing that now.  So I know they are listening to us at least.  But we haven't been told to stop criticizing her policies, or calling on her to have more democracy in the National Legislature.  Or let them come back into session even.  In fact, I think the visit from IBSI was pretty flattering, actually.  It kind of shows that the spooks care enough to let us know that they like and subscribe!"