The Atlasian Sentinel Presidental Debate, October '09

[Lief 🗽]

Thank you for hosting this debate, Mr. Governor, and thank you to the candidates for taking part. Debates are an integral part of Atlasian presidential campaigns, and I'm happy that we have the opportunity to take part in one.

When I was elected a few months ago, Atlasia was at a crossroads. We had seen a large surge in activity, with elections with record-breaking turnout (that have since been broken, I believe). We had, for the first time in a long while, the beginnings of the development of a strong and coherent party system. We also faced problems. This mass of new people had no reason to be involved, except as zombies. Political debate in this country was restricted solely to personal disputes and dry arguments about which technical constitutional reform was the best. Cabinet officers were inactive. And, last but not least, we faced an economic crisis.

In my short time in office so far, I've acted with these facts, the situation I inherited as President, in mind, constantly striving to live up to the promises I made in my campaign and earn the support of the Atlasian people.

I promised in my campaign to reorient debate on to political issues. My administration delivered this promise, and the bills that the Senate has passed have been weighty, important, progressive reforms.

I promised in my campaign that I would expand the office of the President beyond a mere figurehead position. My administration delivered this promise, as I have been an active voice in legislative debate, asking questions of Senators, pushing for my own positions, and, when I need to, using my veto powers as President to redraft or veto legislation that I cannot sign. At the same time, I've faced foreign policy problems in my time in office, and acted with measured responses to protect Atlasian citizens and uphold the rule of the law.

I promised in my campaign to revitalize the Atlasian economy. My administration delivered this promise. Under my guidance, the Senate has passed universal healthcare, an economic stimulus package, and set a national minimum wage.

In this debate, I hope to defend my record of revitalizing Atlasia, in the forum, economic and foreign policy spheres, while also elaborating my plans for a second term. Thank you.

[Lief 🗽]

Our current problem of employment, though cyclical as well, is primarily due to a structural weakening of the Atlasian economy over the past two decades, with our governments not only allowing the free market to run amok unbridled, but actually subsidized this running amok, with an unfair tax system, free trade policies that put corporate profits before the well-being of both Atlasian and foreign workers, a steady weakening of the Atlasian educational system, and other structural impediments that reward the rich and punish the poor, reward wealth and punish work. Income equality has sky-rocketed, savings have plummeted, and wages have stagnated. This economic crisis is just the culmination of decades of government policies that advantaged the rich at the cost of middle and working class Atlasians.

My administration, working with the Senate, has taken concrete steps to solve these economic problems. The stimulus will reinvest in Atlasia, putting out of work Atlasians to works, improving our infrastructure, and giving much needed help to the struggling auto industry, which employs millions of honest, hard-working citizens. The national health act will provide all Atlasians, regardless of their income, the fundamental human right to quality, affordable health care. It will take the crippling costs of providing health care off the backs of Atlasians businesses, allowing our businesses and our workers to compete with the rest of the world. Finally, the national minimum wage act will lift hundreds of thousands of Atlasians out of poverty, and ensure that no working Atlasian is not able to afford the costs of living.

My fiscal policy platform for my second term, which I will publish within the next few days, focuses on reforming the tax code to reward work, not wealth; reforming the education system, so that primary and secondary education works better and allows Atlasians to compete with foreign students, while college and university education is made more affordable for all Atlasian students; and investing in rural and urban renewal and revitalization.

Ultimately, we are all in this boat together. What is good for working Atlasians is good for the stock market and is good for the Atlasian dollar. For far too long has our government only looked out for the interests of the top 10%, those who don't need the government to look out for them. My administration has been an ally of working and middle class Atlasians, and if re-elected, will continue to be.

[Lief 🗽]

I feel, and I believe the voters will back me up on this, that I've been a very active and engaged President throughout my term. Not only have I taken an active part in Senate debate, one of the lowest activity hurdles one should be able to clear, I have expanded the role of the presidency in the legislative process, using my veto and line-item veto powers to constructively move the debate and legislation in the proper direction. I have taken a firm stand against bills that I feel would have hurt ordinary Atlasians, whether by restricting their economic and associative freedoms (the Smoking Ban bill) or by denying them full access to the social safety net (the first Welfare Reform bill).

I've been active in foreign affairs and have ensured that the GM was active, replacing BrandonH with Purple State. I've also advocated for a legislative agenda, the first time in a long time that a President has done so.

I do think criticisms that I haven't used the "bully pulpit" enough are in some ways legitimate. I also think that one could make the argument, which kind of ties into the previous one, that I've been too focused on the Senate workings on things, and haven't done enough to bring the Senate and the legislation it passes and the ordinary citizens and voters of Atlasia together, so that citizens understand what's going on in the Senate and the Senate understands what the people think of their work. I believe that the President has the stature and the ability to do that, and I will at least try, if re-elected, to make the public more involved in legislative debates, through greater use of the "bully pulpit."

[Lief 🗽]

I believe that, in a best case scenario, everyone on the planet would live in free and fair societies, where a just rule of law was upheld. To that end, I support a foreign policy that encourages the growth of liberal democracies and international institutions linking nations together, allowing them to cooperate to solve pressing problems. At the same time though, I am realistic, and realize that Atlasia is not big enough or rich enough to overthrow every dictator or help every starving human-being. I realize as well that military force, though always an option, more often inflames conflict and resentment than it helps to bring peace. Thus, we need to use our armed forces sparingly and carefully.

As President, I have supported our allies, particularly those allies of ours who have made great strides in ensuring freedom, equality and justice for their citizens, and those allies of ours who have been threatened by the sort of warmongering militarism that should no longer exist in the 21st century. I fully stand by our efforts in Colombia and Venezuela, and in the coming days I hope to work with the Senate on crafting legislation to aid our allies in Yemen, one of the few democracies and fair systems of government in the region.

If re-elected, I will ask SoEA HappyWarrior to continue on. His work ethic and activity in his position are admirable, and I truly think he has been one, if not the, best Secretaries of External Affairs to have served. If he chooses to stand down, however, I will look for someone with a similar dedication to the job, as well as an interest in and knowledge of world affairs.

[Lief 🗽]

With all due respect, anyone who calls Yemen a democracy is obviously not fit to be in charge of this country's foreign policy.

I think it's certainly better than the regional alternatives.

[Lief 🗽]

Yemen, one of the few democracies and fair systems of government in the region.

I'm very distressed by that statement. Yemen is not a democracy at any rate, except going by the Russian definition of the term or something.

Like I said, the Yemeni government is certainly better than regional alternatives and the Shabab al-Muomineen insurgency in the country. It's important that we work with and encourage governments of all stripes to liberalize their laws, fight corruption, and ensure as free elections as possible, and I would tie any increases in aid to the beleaguered Yemeni government to promises and actions taken to achieve these ends. 

[Lief 🗽]

I think a problem like, so detrimental to the working of the game, requires an outside the box solution, rather than tinkering out with registration laws (though strong registration laws are important as well). That's why I've taken a stand and called for the abolition of regional senate seats. Regional senate seats have been broken for a long time, and it's time we discarded them. Even this election, in which supporters of regionalism claim that we are seeing active regional elections, really only three are being contested. Sixty percent, though better than the twenty or forty seen in the past, is not good enough.

I would also be willing to look at restrictions on moving, either making it so that voters cannot reregister in new states or increasing the wait time between moves to half or a full year. What I do not support are any plans to "redistrict" the regions or complicated schemes to shrink the number of regions. A problem like this can be solved with a simple solution; there is no need for needlessly complicated ones.

[Lief 🗽]

Nationally elected seats of some sort, and I've always been open to the idea of a Council of Governors. During my first month or so in the Senate, I pushed for a 10-nationally-elected seat Senate and a five seat Council of Governors as a fair compromise to the situation, but it didn't passed. I still think it's a good, simple reform that will make the game more fun and interesting.

[Lief 🗽]

@ Lief and Franzl: Would you push for a Senate election reform as President?

Yes, and it's part of my platform. I'm willing to hear ideas about the issue though.