Office of Vice President Duke (vote for The Truth: the new constitution)

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Office of the President

Welcome to my office. Here, you may find useful information as you wade through the game we call Atlasia. Below, you will find the current team we like to fondly call the Duke Administration.

President: Duke
Vice President: Matt
Chief of Staff: RowanBrandon
Press Secretary/Policy Advisor: HappyWarrior
SoIA: Superique
GM: SirNick
SoEA: SJoyce
Attorney General: Ben Constine
SoFE: Homelycooking

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I encourage all of you to vote who haven't yet. I promise I'm not doing this to divert attention away from how undecided I am in this race.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I want to issue a warm congratulations to NC Yankee, tmth, and franken on their reelections to the Senate, and welcome both bgwah and Winston as well.

I also want to congratulate aflietch and Smid on their surprising victory in the Presidential race. I've known and worked with both for a good amount of time now, and I don't think we could have elected two nicer men to the position (except myself and fezzy, who will be running a campaign for the ages one day). I also want to thank Bacon King and HappyWarrior for their spirited campaign, and for their service as Vice President and SoEA. They are also dear friends, and it was a hard choice for me this election.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I want to make this statement short and sweet. This special election is full of great candidates, three of whom I consider allies and friends, and another new Atlasian that can bring promise and a fresh look at the game. Vepres and I have a long relationship dating back to his days in the RPP, and I've watched him grow into a fantastic governor during his tenure. He also wins races as an independent, which is impressive to boot. HappyWarrior is perhaps my closest friend in the DA, and he's a man I know I can rely on when I need questions to be answered or just someone I can talk to. And finally, Bacon King and I go way back. We've always been close politically, I've seen his work in the Senate and Vice Presidency, and he's always been a friend both inside and outside Atlasia. This was not an easy decision for me, and I hate having to chose one of these three men over the other, because whoever wins in this race, Atlasia will have a capable Senator taking over for afleitch. Today, I am endorsing Bacon King. I strongly support his proxy legislation, and hope to be able to work on getting it passed. The integrity of the game is what is at stake here.

Thanks for your time, and have at it, as always.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I dont get why you didnt endorse me.

You're running for Senate?!

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I am obviously disappointed I did not receive your endorsement but if it had to go to anyone else I'm glad it was Bacon King.  Much like myself I feel he would as he has in the past make a great Senator for Atlasia.

Understand this was a very difficult decision for me. You both are close friends to me, and I know I can rely on either one of you for help or advice when I need it. I hate having to vote when there are many people running that I like. I hope you don't take it personally.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

A couple of days ago, I introduced a bill that, hopefully, will begin the move towards banning proxy voting - which seems to have led to a good deal of voter fraud. We seem to be having some issues as to how to exactly enforce such a bill, so, as I said in my campaign, I'd love to hear your, the people of Atlasia, feedback, questions, comments or snide remarks. I feel like this is an extremely important bill to ensure the validity and legitimacy of our elections.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Reelection Announcement

The past few months have been quite the learning experience for me and many of my other new colleagues in the Senate. I've enjoyed debating and learning about Senate procedure, getting to know the Senators, and doing what I can to advance the betterment of Atlasia. I'm here to announce, after some deliberation, that I will be running for reelection in a few weeks. While the current Senate has not been the most active, I have done my part in helping to clean up some of the more shady aspects of Atlasia voting, I voted to lower spending in certain areas, and have stood up for individual rights when I felt it was reasonable to do so.

Election season always has the potential to be a lot of fun, and I hope many of you will use this thread as an avenue to ask questions, voice opinions - whether good or bad - about my performance, and say whatever else you want. Don't be shy. Through this, I hope to better myself as I work to get the privilege of serving you all again for another four months. Let's get to work.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Which of, if any, would you introduce of support in the next session if you get re-elected?

I'd love to answer that for you!

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I've long been a supporter of keeping the game as fair as possible. In the past, I've stated that the idea of the HAEV was good, but I was wary of how politics could come in the way when it came to deciding who was cut off the voter rolls and who wasn't. I once said I feared it would become a political free-for-all. Unfortunately, I have seen this fear being practiced, and if it does come up for a revote, I would likely vote to repeal. That said, I did want to give it a chance to prove or disprove itself. That isn't to say that I would not look for other ways to make sure vote stacking and such doesn't occur. I was very bothered by the news that seven voters in the NE Senate election either used proxies or were socks of someone else. That should bother any person in Atlasia, regardless of what party you are in.

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In general, I do favor an income tax, which probably isn't the answer you want to hear, and obviously I can't say I wish to eliminate it entirely. I do favor reductions in the income tax when spending cuts are made to mirror the tax cuts. We, obviously, can't afford to cut away income taxes and continue to spend as we are, which would lead us to bankruptcy. I do strongly favor lowering the business tax significantly though, and I did support cutting the capital gains tax. However, I simply cannot endorse doing away with the income tax entirely. Scaling back the government to accommodate such a move would be reckless, methinks. I would stand against any move to increase taxes, especially on people making less than $250,000, and I don't think the top tax bracket should exceed 40% in any circumstances.

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I absolutely favor a balanced budget when it is feasible. Deficit spending and borrowing trillions from overseas leaves Atlasia in danger of becoming reliant on foreign powers for support, and that's something we need to avoid. It threatens our sovereignty.

Selling the Pacific Region to Canada

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See above. I definitely support any measure to lower business taxes. That's one of the reasons many of our corporations leave our shores for foreign countries. Our business taxes are too high.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

     First-preferenced, man.

Thanks, PiT

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

New campaign sign. I swear I didn't take the design from John McCain

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Thank you all for the kind words and support.

Also, I still am taking questions if anyone is curious as to where I stand on some other issues, or if you just want to know about the way I think.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

What is your position on Environmental regulation? Specifically creating green energy jobs and protecting the natural environment of Atlasia. 

The environment is obviously an integral part in what makes Atlasia great, and whether you believe in global warming or not, living in a place that has cleaner air and water is something good for all of us, and I think most can agree with that. You're lucky that I live in an area in South Carolina that is very big on protecting our natural environment, and we spend a good deal of time making sure that when we do build homes and businesses, we do it with the environment in mind. I very much support nature's beauty. I support any type of clean energy alternatives we can think of, because that sector is one that can create jobs in the future. Getting out from under the hand of relying on oil is a good thing, and we have the manpower and the technology to do it.

That said, we still have work to do. I have expressed wanting to work to implement a cap and trade system into Atlasia as opposed to the current carbon tax now on the books, but apparently that didn't go over so well in the past. I also would like to give tax breaks and incentives to businesses that can reduce their footprint and become carbon neutral if that is not already in the books (and I'll admit, I haven't checked the current laws). I think incentives like those speak louder than imposing a tax that could hurt our economy further.

There is a wealth of opportunities out there for this country to create a cleaner, safer world less dependent on foreign sources. We just need to tap into that. If we did, I can assure you we could start creating jobs for the better.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

What is your position on Environmental regulation? Specifically creating green energy jobs and protecting the natural environment of Atlasia. 

The environment is obviously an integral part in what makes Atlasia great, and whether you believe in global warming or not, living in a place that has cleaner air and water is something good for all of us, and I think most can agree with that. You're lucky that I live in an area in South Carolina that is very big on protecting our natural environment, and we spend a good deal of time making sure that when we do build homes and businesses, we do it with the environment in mind. I very much support nature's beauty. I support any type of clean energy alternatives we can think of, because that sector is one that can create jobs in the future. Getting out from under the hand of relying on oil is a good thing, and we have the manpower and the technology to do it.

That said, we still have work to do. I have expressed wanting to work to implement a cap and trade system into Atlasia as opposed to the current carbon tax now on the books, but apparently that didn't go over so well in the past. I also would like to give tax breaks and incentives to businesses that can reduce their footprint and become carbon neutral if that is not already in the books (and I'll admit, I haven't checked the current laws). I think incentives like those speak louder than imposing a tax that could hurt our economy further.

There is a wealth of opportunities out there for this country to create a cleaner, safer world less dependent on foreign sources. We just need to tap into that. If we did, I can assure you we could start creating jobs for the better.

Darned tree-hugging liberal socialists.

Seriously though, I'd be willing to consider working with you on a proposal for cap and trade if we're fortunate enough to serve together in the next Senate. The carbon tax was passed before my time and I'm not sure what the purported advantages are compared to harnessing market forces to lessen greenhouse gas emissions.

If I recall, the carbon tax came up for a vote recently, and I mentioned doing away with it and putting in a cap and trade to no avail.

I would like to work with you in creating one in the next session, if both of us make it through the elections.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I would like that. I actually think a carbon tax may do more harm than good, so putting a more efficient, effective system in place is a goal I think we need to have during the next session of the Senate. IIRC, the carbon tax currently in place isn't even having an impact.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I want to wish everyone good luck tonight when the polls open. This cycle is a crowded field, and I honestly have no idea what the outcome will be, but no matter what it is, Atlasia will be in good shape. I encourage everyone to participate in this process, and don't be hesitant to place a (1) or (2) by this old has-been's name.

But seriously - good luck to all; thanks for reading my posts; and thanks for dealing with me through all of this.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Much thanks to everyone who supported me in my reelection campaign. I was always worried whether I could receive another term from the good people of Atlasia, but you showed that even a washed-up, baby killing, cap'n trade supporting, far-right, brash, insensitive, needs-to-be-primaried has-been can still have his day!

I also want to extend a warm congratulations to Bacon King, Bullmoose, Libertas, and Badger. I look forward to the months ahead serving with you in the Senate. And to the others, I appreciate the spirited campaigns each of you ran. Even if you didn't win, you added pieces to the race that make elections so interesting.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Thanks everyone. Shots are on me!

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Just a quick note to everyone. I will most likely be out of commission between now and May 6 thanks to final exams. If I miss any votes or other business, it isn't because I don't care or love you all, it's because I'm reading 5 books between now and Thursday, as well as learning about the in depth economics behind the healthcare industry.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Now that school is out, I can start cranking out legislation faster than Ted Kennedy at his prime!

Kidding, but I have introduced a bill, called the Atlasia Clean Energy Act, that aims to transform our energy policy and hopefully further help our efforts in cleaning up our environment and making the world a better place to live for future generations.

I think it's a good balance between regulation and tax cuts. What i don't want to do is hurt our industry, but at the same time we need to make sure we are all on the same page policy and goal wise. This bill should cultivate that further, I hope, by giving industry ample tools and opportunities to clean up their acts. 

I also want to thank those who have come out in support of this so far. Your kind words will go far in ensuring it can get passed.

This is the first of what I hope to be a series of bills aimed at making Atlasia energy independent using a variety of methods. 

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Now that school is out, I can start cranking out legislation faster than Ted Kennedy at his prime!

Kidding, but I have introduced a bill, called the Atlasia Clean Energy Act, that aims to transform our energy policy and hopefully further help our efforts in cleaning up our environment and making the world a better place to live for future generations.

I think it's a good balance between regulation and tax cuts. What i don't want to do is hurt our industry, but at the same time we need to make sure we are all on the same page policy and goal wise. This bill should cultivate that further, I hope, by giving industry ample tools and opportunities to clean up their acts. 

I also want to thank those who have come out in support of this so far. Your kind words will go far in ensuring it can get passed.

This is the first of what I hope to be a series of bills aimed at making Atlasia energy independent using a variety of methods. 

I think the tax cuts for those who invest in alternative energy is a great step. This way those that can will be able to, and those that want to but can't, still have time. That is why I'm not so supportive of fines for industries that cannot comply with the mandates, but eventually we will have to move very much to clean and alternative energy. I think the tax credits are a good step in that direction, especially for major corporations and energy industries.

I'm not a fan of the penalties either, but I see them as a necessary evil to get the point across that we are serious about cleaning up the environment. If I didn't include the provisions with tax cuts, then I'd leave them out. I wanted to make sure the tax cuts were not being used for bonuses or other things while companies completely ignored energy investments. The amount over that triggers the penalties can be negotiated, but since initial levels are going to be placed at 2005 levels, unless companies pollute more than they did a few years ago, they should not have to worry about penalties unless the President lowers the cap an outrageous amount.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I just want to make a statement about the current bill I have introduced on the Senate floor. It calls for a nationwide ban on products containing high fructose corn syrup in leu of the study out of Princeton that finally confirmed that HFCS is, in fact, much more dangerous for the human body than natural cane sugar.

Many people may say, "Duke, this bill is pretty nannystatist of you you Bloomberg-esque man you!" And I realize it may look like that, but, while I was opposed to it for a long time, I never favored banning it because there was no concrete evidence that it was, in fact, worse than sugar (I also use this reasoning to justify my support for marijuana legalization ie, no proof that it causes longterm health problems). These recent findings confirm some long suspicions that this substance is not naturally digested by the human body, and I firmly believe allowing manufactures to fill their foods with this trash in order to sell them isn't what we want to see in Atlasia.

Anyway, questions, comments or remarks are welcome.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I'm a bit late announcing this, but I will be pretty in and out of this place between now and Wednesday night as my best friend is in town. Sorry for any trauma this may cause.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Thank you all for the concern expressed during my absence. Thank you cards will be sent in the order that the cards were received.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

That does it. I'll be running again this month for my seat. I decided to resurrect this just in case anyone had any comments at all, but I'm nearly 100% positive no one will really say anything.

With that said, anyone wishing to send me money can PM me for details. I have a secure account nearby in Nigeria. Everything you send me is 100% secure.