I'm glad you enjoyed it! Not everyone did, but it was harmless fun, so I don't see the issue. Some folks just lack a sense of humor.
Yeah, that's usually the case everywhere else, but I guess they think they're giving those of us from smaller universes some kind of say in things by having us govern ourselves a bit. They didn't exactly set it up well to accomplish that because the whole thing is still heavily slanted towards the overwhelming majority, as it always will be. That's just how things tend to work in most worlds. But I like the way things sound, where you come from. Small, with an approachable leader, people kind of just doing what they do. Sounds ideal. Not without its problems, though, I'm sure.