Atlas Forum Primaries 2016, Part 2

[Jeppe]

Visit New Hampshire: 1 Token
Barnstorm in New Hampshire: 10 Tokens
Visit Nevada: 2 Tokens
Fundraise: 5 Tokens
Positive Advertising: 2 Tokens

Sorry for the uninspired post, I'm on mobile. If you want me to add more detail, I can do that when I get to the hotel tonight.

Also, I can't send PM's, is there any other way I can contact you?

[Wells]

Just a few things to say:

• If you can't PM then it's probably because you don't have enough posts. Don't worry, I'll work on a solution and in the meantime you can manage without PMing me. Corruption and endorsements aren't necessary to win.
• 5+10+3+2+2+1+1+1+2=27. Not 28.
• Barnstorming costs 10 tokens, not 6.
• The Iowa caucuses will be after Turn 3.
• There is no set time period for turns. Yes, they are 72 hours in real life, but in game this turn takes place some time before Iowa, and some time close to when the news events detailed in the starting post happened.
• In the future, if you haven't fixed any errors in your turn then I won't bother to tell you and I'll just fix it myself (by charging you the extra tokens you left out or similar). And your mistake will have consequences.

[Jeppe]

Could I conduct an internal poll by posting on this thread for now & have you PM me the results? Also, can I internally poll states that aren't being publically polled yet?

[Wells]

Could I conduct an internal poll by posting on this thread for now & have you PM me the results? Also, can I internally poll states that aren't being publically polled yet?

It doesn't take me long to make a poll. Internal polls only cost one token for most states, two in MI, NC, GA, OH, PA, IL, NY, FL, TX, and CA, or zero if you can get a Super PAC to do it for you.

And I came up with a solution for those who can't PM me. If you're one of those people then tell me in this thread and I'll PM it to you.

Yes, I do realize I raised the price of some internals.

[Jeppe]

I want to conduct an internal poll for Nevada.

[Wells]

I want to conduct an internal poll for Nevada.

Your inbox is full. I can't send it to you. (Clear it.)

[Jeppe]

Sent you an email & cleared my inbox (only 1 message at a time).

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

Name: Nick Walsh
Age: 39
Party: Republican
Location: Knoxville, TN
Position: Rep from TN-2 (2015-present), City Council of *small town* (2013-2014)
Ideology: S: -1.39, E: 0.39

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Turn 1
Three turns until Iowa
Balance before turn - 30 Tokens
5 Tokens - Fundraising in North Carolina
3 Tokens - Campaigning in Iowa
1 Tokens - Campaigning in New Hampshire
3 Tokens - Campaigning in South Carolina
10 Tokens - Barnstorming in Iowa
Total - 22 Tokens
Balance going into Turn 2 - 8 Tokens

[Wells]

Once again, barnstorming costs ten tokens, not six or two.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Also, since Mike said I could, I endorse Gov. Peebleton.

[Wells]

Also, since Mike said I could, I endorse Gov. Peebleton.

I did say that. . . may as well give everybody a few endorsement points.

[Leinad]

Outside interjection: Catholic priests are formally barred from seeking public office by the Vatican. See this guy, for example.

I see Mike already mentioned this, but either way:

Catholic Backlash Against Priest Seeking Presidency

The long-shot campaign of controversial Rhode Island Priest James Wilkinson has reached a roadblock today, at least according to the Catholic Church.

Noted Catholic scholar, who occasionally makes outside interjections into politics, Professor Cath Con, explained that "Catholic priests are formally barred from seeking public office by the Vatican. See Robert Drinan, for example."

Upon hearing this news, Father Wilkinson's response was less than favorable: "this is just a socialist takeover of the Church trying to suppress the voice of the people so that they can implement their globalist agenda! Shame on them! These Catholics-in-name-only must be stopped, and the only way to win our Church back is to win our country back, and elect myself, as voice of the people, President!"

When asked for comment, Con replied "that's not how Catholicism works. That's not how anything works!"

It seems likely that he will have to stop doing one or the other. Various Catholic pundits have discussed the conundrum: they want him to leave the Priesthood, but at the same time don't want him to run for President. This Reporter would agree if he was allowed to be biased.


Full turn to come shortly.

[Wells]

Currently there are 8 candidates who haven't posted their turn with 24 hours left. Please get them in!

[diptheriadan]

Name: Antonio "Tony" Jasso
Age: 55
Party: Independent
Location: Aspen, Colorado
Position: Governor of Colorado (Jan, 2011-Present)
Ideology: S: 1.22, E: -0.39

[White Trash]

Terribly afraid that I am going to have to drop out of this. Time has turned out to be an issue for me

[Wells]

I've decided to give everyone an extra 24 hours to post their turns during the Republican debate. I'll have the debate rules and questions up soon.

[NeverAgain]

I've decided to give everyone an extra 24 hours to post their turns during the Republican debate. I'll have the debate rules and questions up soon.

Yay! Thanks a bunch. Will have my stuff up ASAP.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I'm posting my announcement and early schedule, but I'm confused: how many tokens do I have? I don't have any big endorsements (yet) and I'm not listed on the last page since I'm sorta late to the party.

[Wells]

I'm posting my announcement and early schedule, but I'm confused: how many tokens do I have? I don't have any big endorsements (yet) and I'm not listed on the last page since I'm sorta late to the party.

It's still turn one, so you don't have any tokens. At the beginning of turn two I will distribute tokens and new arrivals can start campaigning.

[Wells]

Originally I wasn't going to allow turns during the debate, but so many people haven't put theirs up that I figured I had to.

On with the debate: It will last 24 hours and complete this turn. You must answer all questions directed at you by the moderator (me) and can only respond to another candidate's response if they mention you by name. You may only choose to respond to one candidate's response.

The following candidates are invited to the debate: Samuel O'Houlihan, Abraham Washington, Ethan Berkowitz, Daniel Conway, James Wilkinson, Laura Rummel, Harry Auldman*, Nick Walsh*.

_{*You still have to wait until turn two to campaign, though not to announce.}

Questions:

Opening Statements

Recent movements across the country are spreading the message that the minimum wage should be raised to as high as $15. Lexington, Kentucky recently raised the minimum wage to $10.10, while Portland, Maine rejected a $15 minimum wage. Will the minimum wage be raised under your presidency, and if so, by how much?

Some of you have been attacking the news media for being “unfair and disrespectful” to you. Do you believe that you or other candidates have been getting fair treatment by the media?

An issue that has been getting a lot of attention lately is the widespread cases of illegal immigration. What steps will you take to secure the border and find a place for immigrants?

Under David Leip’s presidency, the national debt is projected to be upwards of $20 trillion. Is this important to you and will you fix this?

The polls on the Democratic side show an even closer race than this one, but our latest Fox Poll shows Emily Peebleton with a small lead. How would you describe the current Democratic Party front runner?

(To O’Houlihan) You’ve come under fire for posting some tweets which seemed to be the cause of another candidate temporarily leaving the race. Tsumiki Harmon, a Democratic candidate said you should have your phone taken away. What is your response to her statement and do you stand by your tweets, even the one that said: “anyone that is sad enough to be near you is a disgusting pig themself”?

(To Washington) Some pundits have been calling you too moderate to be nominated. You are staunchly neutral on social issues and labelled yourself as a “Reagan Democrat” in the late 1980s. You are in the single digits in our latest poll. Are you too moderate to be nominated?

(To Berkowitz) Most pundits are saying that you are too extreme on issues like immigration and abortion to stand a chance in a general election. Can you win with stances like that?

(To Conway) On the campaign trail we have seen you defend free trade from its critics. This is a contentious issue that doesn’t necessarily divide us among party lines. Does your experience in economics provide you with any special insight into this issue?

(To Wilkinson) A running scandal in this campaign has been the fact that Catholic Priests such as yourself are not allowed to run. Are you going to cease your campaign or cease being a priest?

(To Rummel) On the campaign trail, you have been a vocal proponent of decriminalizing the usage of marijuana. Could you explain your stance on the issue?

(To Auldman) You are by far the candidate with the most political experience on stage, yet this cycle there seems to be strong support for candidates who brand themselves as outsiders. How would you defend your years inside our political system?

(To Walsh) You have barely been in the House of Representatives for a year and yet you are already running for president. Some pundits have described you as “too ambitious” or have been questioning whether you have enough experience. What is your rebuttal to these claims?

Closing Statements

[Mike Thick]

Balance before turn - 30 Tokens
5 Tokens - Fundraising in Wisconsin
3 Tokens - Campaigning in Iowa
1 Tokens - Campaigning in New Hampshire
2 Tokens - Campaigning in Nevada
10 Tokens - Barnstorming in Iowa
Total - 21 Tokens
Balance going into Turn 2 - 9 Tokens

Debate Responses:

Opening Statement - "My friends, America is not on the right track. The economic recovery has been sluggish, the national debt is skyrocketing, and liberty is under attack from all sides. Tonight, I will explain to you my plan to restore America by shrinking government and expanding freedom, just as I have done during my time in public life. Thank you, and it's good to be here."

"This is the kind of thing that's good at a low level, but starts causing economic trouble when it's raised too high. By forcing companies to pay employees more than they may be able to afford, we in turn force them to eliminate jobs -- creating a situation where we have a smaller number of jobs with slightly better pay instead of more jobs with the same pay we have now. This will hurt the little guy in the business world -- not the Walmarts and McDonalds of our economy, but the mom-and-pop shops on main street. For this reason, if I am elected President I will not attempt to raise the minimum wage.

"The liberal media has been out in full force against the Republican Party this cycle. It's the same as it's always been -- glowing coverage of the liberals on the other side of the aisle, incessant attacks on conservatives over things as insignificant as spats on Twitter. I hope that this is something all of us can agree on."

"In the Senate, I have worked hard to find a conservative solution to America's immigration problems, and I would continue to do so in the White House. The first priority of any reform plan has to be to secure the border, and that is what I would do -- expand San Diego model efficient fencing, which would simultaneously keep would-be border-crossers out and allow for increased, more efficient patrols of the border. However, we must consider what is causing the problem -- a broken system that works so slowly that people feel they must cut in line in order to get ahead, I would streamline our visa system to prevent this need. I would support legal status for nonviolent illegal immigrants in the form of visas, but I think they should have to get in line for citizenship like everyone else."

"The National Debt is the single biggest threat to America's economic well-being. As President, a natural consequence of reducing the size and intrusiveness of Government would be a reduction in spending, which on top of economic growth would contribute to a reduction in the deficit and, ideally, a balanced budget."

"Governor Peebleton is, by any standard, radical. Her policies would dramatically change America for the worse, expanding the government's reach into the lives of you and I and hurting the American economy. It's a very good thing that she will never be President."

"I support decriminalization of marijuana because I don't think it's the federal government's job to tell people what they can and cannot do. We have enough on our plate with a huge budget deficit, a sluggish economy, and a broken immigration system -- we don't need to further our troubles by wasting money and time stepping out of place and enforcing unenforceable laws telling Americans what they can and can't smoke."

Closing Statement - "It's really been a pleasure to join all my friends here tonight, and hopefully the American people got to learn a little more about how Republicans think, and how I think. I hope I earned your vote, and I look forward to doing this again! God bless, and goodnight."

[Leinad]

I've decided to give everyone an extra 24 hours to post their turns during the Republican debate. I'll have the debate rules and questions up soon.

Sorry, lost track of time. I'll try to have it up tonight, although it's a busy Atlasia day.

[/]

The first person to promise a border wall between the United States and Canada gets my endorsement.

[Leinad]

The first person to promise a border wall between the United States and Canada gets my endorsement.

Father James N. Wilkinson: "Yes, those godless cultural marxists must not be allowed entrance! I fully support a border wall between the US and Canada!"