Cabinet Guide

Set the national diplomatic posture. Multilateral engagement boosts transparency and civic participation but slightly increases media polarization; isolationist focus reduces polarization but lowers public trust.

• Isolationist: Reduce foreign commitments. Lowers media polarization but erodes public trust in government. Effects: Media Polarization -0.02/turn, Public Trust -0.02/turn.
• Balanced (default): Pragmatic engagement. No additional metric effects.
• Multilateral: Pursue broad international cooperation. Boosts government transparency but increases media polarization from foreign policy debate. Effects: Government Transparency +0.02/turn, Media Polarization +0.01/turn.

Launch a civic engagement program in one state, boosting civic participation and public trust in that region.

• Target region: Civic Participation +0.04/turn, Public Trust +0.02/turn

Activate emergency diplomatic resources to address a crisis, temporarily boosting public trust and government transparency.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Public Trust +0.08, Government Transparency +0.05

Set the federal fiscal stance. Expansionary spending boosts GDP and reduces poverty but worsens the budget balance; austerity improves fiscal health but slows growth.

• Austerity: Tight fiscal discipline. Improves budget balance but slows GDP growth and increases poverty pressure. Effects: Budget Balance +0.03/turn, GDP Growth -0.02/turn, Poverty Rate +0.01/turn.
• Moderate (default): Balanced fiscal approach. No additional metric effects.
• Expansionary: Increased federal spending. Boosts GDP growth and reduces poverty but worsens the deficit. Effects: GDP Growth +0.02/turn, Poverty Rate -0.01/turn, Budget Balance -0.03/turn.

Designate one state for targeted economic development grants, boosting GDP growth and reducing poverty in that region.

• Target region: GDP Growth +0.04/turn, Poverty Rate -0.03/turn

Deploy emergency stimulus funding to a state experiencing economic distress, delivering a large temporary GDP boost.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: GDP Growth +0.08, Cost of Living Index -0.04

Allocate the federal grants pool across all 50 states. Each state receives a percentage of the total pool. Must sum to 100%.

• Pool: Federal Grants Pool

Set the split of quarterly sovereign debt issuance across 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year maturities.

Set the national military readiness posture. Elevated readiness boosts public safety confidence but increases fiscal pressure; reduced readiness saves budget at the cost of public confidence.

• Reduced: Scaled-back military operations: lower force upkeep and readiness across the order of battle.
• Standard (default): Normal operational readiness across the force.
• Elevated: Heightened military readiness: higher force readiness, at greater upkeep.

Expand military facilities in one state. That state benefits from improved public trust and social cohesion through military employment and community presence.

• Target region: Public Trust +0.03/turn, Social Cohesion +0.03/turn

Deploy National Guard units to a state facing a crisis, delivering a large temporary boost to public safety confidence.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Workplace Safety Confidence +0.12
• Side effects: Social Cohesion -0.04

Set the federal enforcement priority. Tough-on-crime reduces crime rates but increases incarceration; rehabilitation focus lowers incarceration and recidivism but allows crime to creep up.

• Rehabilitation: Focus on reform and reentry programs. Reduces incarceration and recidivism but crime rate increases slightly. Effects: Incarceration Rate -0.02/turn, Recidivism Rate -0.02/turn, Crime Rate +0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced enforcement approach. No additional metric effects.
• Tough on Crime: Aggressive prosecution and sentencing. Reduces crime rate but increases incarceration. Effects: Crime Rate -0.02/turn, Violent Crime Rate -0.01/turn, Incarceration Rate +0.02/turn.

Deploy a federal anti-corruption task force to one state, accelerating improvement in the corruption index.

• Target region: Corruption Index -0.05/turn

Surge federal law enforcement resources into a state with critically high crime, delivering a large temporary crime reduction.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Crime Rate -0.12, Violent Crime Rate -0.08
• Side effects: Incarceration Rate +0.04
• Requires: target region Crime Rate above 5500

Set the federal land management priority. Preservation expands protected areas and improves climate resilience but restricts economic activity; extraction opens land for development but degrades environmental metrics.

• Extraction: Open federal lands for resource development. Reduces protected land and air quality but boosts regional economic activity. Effects: Protected Land -0.02/turn, Air Quality +0.02/turn, GDP Growth +0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Mixed-use land management. No additional metric effects.
• Preservation: Expand conservation areas and tighten environmental regulations. Increases protected land and air quality but slows economic growth. Effects: Protected Land +0.02/turn, Air Quality -0.02/turn, GDP Growth -0.01/turn.

Direct federal conservation funding to one state, boosting protected land and climate resilience in that region.

• Target region: Protected Land +0.04/turn, Climate Resilience +0.03/turn

Deploy emergency environmental cleanup resources to a state facing an ecological crisis, delivering a large temporary boost to air quality and climate resilience.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Air Quality +0.1, Climate Resilience +0.06

Set the federal agricultural policy direction. Subsidized farming reduces food insecurity and poverty but increases spending; market-driven policy boosts small business formation but allows food insecurity to rise.

• Market-Driven: Reduce farm subsidies and let markets set prices. Boosts small business formation but food insecurity rises. Effects: Small Business Formation +0.02/turn, Food Insecurity Rate +0.02/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced agricultural support. No additional metric effects.
• Subsidized: Expand farm subsidies and nutrition programs. Reduces food insecurity but slightly reduces small business formation. Effects: Food Insecurity Rate -0.02/turn, Poverty Rate -0.01/turn, Small Business Formation -0.01/turn.

Direct rural development funding to one state, reducing food insecurity and poverty in that region.

• Target region: Food Insecurity Rate -0.04/turn, Poverty Rate -0.03/turn

Deploy emergency food distribution and nutrition assistance to a state facing acute food insecurity.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Food Insecurity Rate -0.1, Poverty Rate -0.04

Set the national trade stance. Protectionist policy supports domestic industry at the cost of higher consumer prices; free trade reduces prices but increases competitive pressure on domestic firms.

• Protectionist: Domestic-first trade policy. Boosts small business formation but increases cost of living through tariffs. Effects: Small Business Formation +0.02/turn, Cost of Living Index +0.02/turn, GDP Growth +0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced trade policy. No additional metric effects.
• Free Trade: Open trade policy. Reduces cost of living through cheaper imports but slightly reduces domestic business formation. Effects: Cost of Living Index -0.02/turn, Small Business Formation -0.01/turn, GDP Growth -0.01/turn.

Designate one state as a federal enterprise zone. Businesses in that state receive investment benefits, delivering a GDP growth boost.

• Target region: GDP Growth +0.04/turn, Small Business Formation +0.03/turn

Deploy emergency small business grants and trade relief in a state experiencing economic hardship, delivering a temporary GDP boost.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: GDP Growth +0.06, Cost of Living Index -0.04

Set the federal labor regulatory stance. Pro-worker regulations increase wages and reduce inequality but raise unemployment; deregulation boosts employment but widens income inequality.

• Deregulated: Ease labor regulations. Reduces unemployment but widens income inequality and lowers workplace safety. Effects: Unemployment Rate -0.02/turn, Income Inequality +0.02/turn, Workplace Safety Confidence -0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced labor regulation. No additional metric effects.
• Pro-Worker: Strengthen worker protections and minimum wage. Reduces inequality and boosts wages but slightly increases unemployment. Effects: Income Inequality -0.02/turn, Median Household Income +0.01/turn, Unemployment Rate +0.01/turn.

Direct federal job training and workforce development funding to one state, reducing unemployment and boosting social mobility.

• Target region: Unemployment Rate -0.04/turn, Social Mobility +0.03/turn

Deploy emergency federal employment and retraining programs to a state facing high unemployment.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Unemployment Rate -0.1, Social Mobility +0.04

Set the federal healthcare policy direction. Public expansion reduces uninsured rates and improves affordability but increases government spending; market-based approach reduces costs but leaves more people uninsured.

• Market-Based: Reduce government health programs and promote private insurance. Improves affordability index through competition but uninsured rate rises. Effects: Healthcare Affordability +0.01/turn, Uninsured Rate +0.02/turn, Budget Balance +0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced public-private healthcare model. No additional metric effects.
• Public Expansion: Expand public health coverage. Reduces uninsured rate and improves preparedness but increases fiscal pressure. Effects: Uninsured Rate -0.02/turn, Public Health Preparedness +0.01/turn, Budget Balance -0.01/turn.

Launch a focused public health campaign in one state, delivering a targeted improvement in healthcare affordability and preparedness.

• Target region: Healthcare Affordability +0.04/turn, Public Health Preparedness +0.03/turn

Declare a public health emergency in a state, deploying federal medical resources to dramatically reduce preventable mortality and boost preparedness.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Preventable Mortality -0.1, Public Health Preparedness +0.08

Set the federal housing policy direction. Affordable housing investment reduces homelessness and cost of living but increases spending; deregulation promotes development but may widen inequality.

• Deregulated: Reduce housing regulations to spur development. Lowers cost of living but does less to address homelessness directly. Effects: Cost of Living Index -0.02/turn, Homelessness Rate +0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced housing policy. No additional metric effects.
• Affordable Focus: Invest heavily in affordable housing and homelessness programs. Reduces homelessness but increases cost pressure on housing markets. Effects: Homelessness Rate -0.02/turn, Poverty Rate -0.01/turn, Cost of Living Index +0.01/turn.

Direct federal urban renewal funding to one state, reducing homelessness and boosting social mobility in that region.

• Target region: Homelessness Rate -0.04/turn, Social Mobility +0.03/turn

Deploy emergency housing vouchers and temporary shelters to a state facing a homelessness crisis.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Homelessness Rate -0.1, Poverty Rate -0.04

Set the national infrastructure investment priority. Highway focus improves road conditions but neglects transit; transit focus improves public transit but diverts highway funding.

• Highway Focus: Prioritize highway and road investment. Improves road conditions but public transit quality declines. Effects: Road Condition +0.03/turn, Public Transit Quality -0.02/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced infrastructure spending. No additional metric effects.
• Transit Focus: Prioritize public transit and rail. Improves transit quality but road maintenance receives less funding. Effects: Public Transit Quality +0.03/turn, Road Condition -0.02/turn.

Direct federal infrastructure funding to one state, closing the investment gap and improving road conditions in that region.

• Target region: Infrastructure Investment Gap -0.05/turn, Road Condition +0.03/turn

Deploy emergency repair and reconstruction resources to a state following infrastructure failure or natural disaster.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Road Condition +0.1, Power Grid Reliability +0.06

Set the national energy strategy. Green transition accelerates renewable adoption and reduces emissions but strains grid reliability during transition; fossil focus maintains grid stability but increases emissions.

• Fossil Focus: Maintain fossil fuel infrastructure. Keeps grid reliability high but renewable energy stalls and emissions increase. Effects: Power Grid Reliability +0.02/turn, Renewable Energy Share -0.02/turn, Carbon Emissions +0.02/turn.
• Balanced (default): All-of-the-above energy strategy. No additional metric effects.
• Green Transition: Accelerate renewable energy development. Boosts renewable share and reduces emissions but grid reliability faces transition pressure. Effects: Renewable Energy Share +0.03/turn, Carbon Emissions -0.02/turn, Power Grid Reliability -0.01/turn.

Direct federal clean energy funding to one state, boosting renewable energy share and reducing carbon emissions in that region.

• Target region: Renewable Energy Share +0.05/turn, Carbon Emissions -0.03/turn

Deploy emergency resources to stabilize power grid infrastructure in a state facing reliability failures.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Power Grid Reliability +0.1, Infrastructure Investment Gap -0.05

Set the federal education policy direction. Vocational focus improves near-term workforce skills; academic focus builds long-term test performance and college enrollment; balanced delivers steady improvement across both.

• Vocational: Prioritize trade and vocational training. Boosts workforce skill faster but reduces academic test performance emphasis. Effects: Workforce Skill Level +0.03/turn, Academic Test Performance -0.01/turn, College Enrollment Rate -0.01/turn.
• Balanced (default): Balanced curriculum approach. No additional metric effects.
• Academic: Prioritize academic excellence and college preparation. Accelerates test performance and college enrollment but does not directly help workforce skills. Effects: Academic Test Performance +0.02/turn, College Enrollment Rate +0.02/turn, Workforce Skill Level -0.01/turn.

Direct enhanced education funding to one state. That state receives accelerated improvement in graduation rates and test performance.

• Target region: High School Graduation Rate +0.04/turn, Academic Test Performance +0.03/turn

Launch an emergency education program in a state, delivering a significant temporary boost to graduation rates and workforce skill development.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: High School Graduation Rate +0.06, Workforce Skill Level +0.08

Set the federal veterans services funding level. Expanded funding improves healthcare access and reduces veteran homelessness but increases spending; streamlined approach saves budget but reduces service quality.

• Streamlined: Reduce VA overhead and consolidate services. Saves budget but physician access and coverage decline. Effects: Budget Balance +0.01/turn, Physician Access Rate -0.02/turn, Uninsured Rate +0.01/turn.
• Standard (default): Maintain current veterans services level. No additional metric effects.
• Expanded: Expand VA healthcare and benefits programs. Improves physician access and reduces homelessness but adds fiscal pressure. Effects: Physician Access Rate +0.02/turn, Homelessness Rate -0.01/turn, Budget Balance -0.01/turn.

Establish an enhanced veterans services hub in one state, improving physician access and reducing veteran homelessness in that region.

• Target region: Physician Access Rate +0.04/turn, Homelessness Rate -0.03/turn

Deploy emergency veterans healthcare and housing outreach to a state facing acute service gaps.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Physician Access Rate +0.08, Homelessness Rate -0.06, Public Trust +0.04

Set the national security posture. Heightened security reduces crime and violence but restricts migration and increases cost of living; relaxed stance promotes openness but may allow crime to increase.

• Relaxed: Lighter security enforcement. Boosts migration rate and reduces cost of living pressure but crime rate increases slightly. Effects: Migration Rate +0.02/turn, Crime Rate +0.02/turn, Cost of Living Index -0.01/turn.
• Standard (default): Balanced security enforcement. No additional metric effects.
• Heightened: Enhanced security measures. Reduces crime rate but restricts migration and increases cost of living. Effects: Crime Rate -0.02/turn, Migration Rate -0.02/turn, Cost of Living Index +0.01/turn.

Focus federal security resources on one state, reducing crime and boosting public trust in that region.

• Target region: Crime Rate -0.04/turn, Public Trust +0.03/turn

Declare a security emergency in a state with critically high crime, deploying federal agents for a large temporary crime reduction.

• Cost: 1 ministerial action, lasts 24 turns
• Effects: Crime Rate -0.12, Violent Crime Rate -0.08
• Side effects: Public Trust -0.05
• Requires: target region Crime Rate above 5500