Without a doubt one of the most dishonest people whom I've met, online or IRL. HP. Anyone who votes 'FF' is deluded.

Shall I start a final vote at the appropriate time tomorrow?

Sounds wonderful, Yankee.

This is a good piece of legislation, and it has my support, although I do think that the Attorney General should remain responsible for adding laws and court cases to the wiki as they are passed.

Irregularly. But apparently jokes about cannibalism aren't kosher on the History board.

I'd probably vote against confirming Geithner. Likely 'Aye' on all others.

Ooh! We might have a five-way RNC!

And, by the way, I'd like to drop Gore from the Democratic ticket and have Jerry Brown as Cuomo's running mate.

What shall he be? Former Governor wouldn't work, not 14 years out. How about the current Energy Secretary?

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court!

Ugh. Car dealers are disgusting; they make realtors look like upstanding members of the community.

It's a three-way tie between Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.

I just noticed that you've returned. Endorsed! When is this election scheduled?

This place had become bad for his emotional issues.

He always reminded me of myself a bit.

Whatever your flaws, Carl, I don't think you've ever been guilty of dishonesty or insincerity. That's to your credit, and it means a lot.

As many of you have probably read on the Forum Community board, Clarence has suffered a heart attack and is currently in recovery.

I had looked forward to running against Clarence; he is a good person, a good friend, and someone whom I deeply respect. I wish him the best, and I encourage my supporters to keep him in their thoughts and (if it's your thing) their prayers.

Out of respect, my campaign will slow down for the next several days. I don't think that Clarence would want Atlasia to grind to a halt on his account, but I'd prefer not to focus on this campaign for at least a little while out of respect for him.

This makes me very sad. Clarence, you are in my thoughts.

[NATIONAL DEFENSE AND FOREIGN POLICY]

I somehow lost my paragraph on national defense and foreign policy.

NATIONAL DEFENSE AND FOREIGN POLICY

Αverroësland is heavily engaged with the outside world. It leads the world in foreign aid per capita, and thousands of Αverroësland work abroad with various government organizations and non-profits. Military spending amounts to about 1.5% of GDP; Atlasian troops have not been deployed in combat abroad since WWII.

[POLITICAL SYSTEM]

POLITICAL SYSTEM

The Republic of Αverroësland is a parliamentary republic. The federal legislature is a unicameral body consisting of 200 Senators who are elected from multi-member districts every three years.

The ruling party, the Democratic Alliance, leads a left-wing coalition government supported by two partners, the Liberals, and the Greens. The Democratic Alliance has been the largest party for decades, with the bulk of its support coming from low-wage workers and pensioners. The largest opposition parties are the People's Movement, a centrist communitarian group, and the Conservative Party.


TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING

Αverroësland is known for its high-quality public transportation. High-speed rail connects all of the country's major cities, and intra-urban transit is fast, safe, and convenient. Over one third of households don't even own a car, and it is extremely rare for a family to keep more than one vehicle. Most people live in dense, diverse, mixed-use neighborhoods, and with few exceptions, children walk to school.

Taxes on fuel and land are the dominant source of income for local and regional governments; besides encouraging people to become less automobile-reliant, these taxes have nudged many toward more compact living arrangements. The typical Αverroëslander lives in a townhouse of about 1500 square feet.


COMMUNITY LIFE

Religious observance is relatively high; about 60% of Αverroëslanders are regular churchgoers. Belief in God, however, is low, and few citizens consider themselves spiritual. High church attendance is merely a symptom of how engaged people are in their communities; people know their neighbors and devote a great deal of time to community events and community institutions.

People in Αverroësland place great importance on the open exchange of ideas; it's common to see groups of Αverroëslanders congregated in public places talking excitedly about politics, philosophy, literature, or science. Educators, scientists, and academics enjoy extremely high social status in most communities, and most of the country's politicians come from these professions. Libraries, which are well-funded, are hives of activity and the heart of most communities.

When people aren't taking part in community activities, public broadcasting is a popular sources of entertainment in Αverroësland. While other options exist, they are not especially popular. Fewer than one in five households has a cable connection, and over a third don't even own a television.


THE ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE

Attachment to the land is important to most Αverroëslanders; while over 80% live in urban areas, most are involved with community farm  projects organized by community groups. Agriculture is an important part of the nation's economy, and people regularly travel to the nation's rural corners to visit its farms. The "Αverroësland dream" is to retire to one's own small farm in a quiet, picturesque corner of the countryside. The country also has a beautiful, well-funded system of national parks. Millions of Αverroëslanders visit these parks by bike each year. (Vehicles are not permitted, except for the physically handicapped.)


GOVERNMENT

Government spending amounts to 45-50% of GDP. The federal government's primary sources of income are a carbon tax and a steeply progressive consumption tax. A guaranteed minimum income sufficient to cover food, housing, and other basic needs is provided to all (means-tested via a negative income tax). The government takes a substantial role in education and health services, with both arranged as single-payer systems to guarantee universal access.

The government is also heavily involved in the energy industry; government-owned and operated nuclear power plants provide over 75% of the country's electricity, with a majority of the remainder covered by wind, hydroelectric, and biomass.

Αverroësland's economy and population have grown at a rapid pace in recent years; both rates of growth are high compared to other developed nations. Most economists attribute this growth to the country's extraordinarily permissive immigration laws. Virtually any employable adult who lacks a criminal history, along with his or her family, may enter the country and become a citizen within ten years.

Worker's rights are reasonable for employers but vigorously protected. Αverroëslanders hold the 35-hour workweek and the $12 per hour minimum wage sacred. Most private sector workers are members of unions. It is also considered extremely bad for an employer to fire someone over his or her behavior outside of the workplace; lawsuits relating to this, when they are successful, become a public-relations nightmare for any firm involved.

Drug use and prostitution are decriminalized and heavily regulated. While the sale of hard drugs is not legal, dealers are largely ignored so long as they remain non-violent and leave civilians alone.

Cuomo/Jackson; will support Nader if Dems fail to renominate Cuomo.

'Patent trolls' amass large patent portfolios through licensing. Then, using broad patent language, they assert and litigate unsuspecting firms for infringement. Affected firms must then spend significant sums - usually millions - settling or defending with the trolls. Even when these firms are successful, they must cover their own legal fees. Patent trolls are especially significant problem for tech firms. For large ones, they're an annoyance that drives up the cost of doing business. For tech start-ups, these lawsuits can be fatal.

Patent trolls contribute nothing to society or the economy. They aren't interested in developing new products or new ideas. They exist solely to extract money from firms that do. In 2012, patent trolling accounted for 61 percent of patent litigation.

Patents exist “to promote the progress of science and useful arts.” Not for what is essentially extortion. Passing this law and providing firms with the opportunity to recuperate their expenses from frivolous lawsuits will make doing business easier for productive firms and more difficult for patent trolls.

[2.]

Reformatted for clarity, MaxQue's amendment in red:

2.The following acts shall not be recognized as animal cruelty: Hunting (a) for food as regulated by local environmental protection laws; (b) designed to secure the welfare of the target species, the integrity of its ecosystem, or both as regulated by local environmental protection laws; or (c) for the protection of human beings as regulated by local environmental protection laws

O'Malley

[Let me reiterate why I believe that we must pass this resolution.]

X has described the effect of our current position: Ignore, don't repeal. We have already reneged on this commitment, we have already said "We don't like these treaties, so we'll ignore them." By passing this resolution and formally withdrawing we will show that we have finally chosen not to ignore this commitment.

We also demonstrate to other nations that we don't expect them to follow a different standard than us. I expect that in the wake of our withdrawal, other nations have begun or would like to pursue decriminalization and public health-based drug control strategies will feel more comfortable withdrawing from these treaties and joining our call for renegotiation.

I'll repost something else that I think addresses Yankee's question:

For the benefit of Senators new and old: Let me reiterate why I believe that we must pass this resolution.

• Proponents of prohibition are free to re-litigate the matter, but the fact remains that the desirability or lack  thereof of recriminalization is not what the current debate is really about. Atlasia has decided to pursue drug law liberalization, and this liberalization is fundamentally inconsistent with the treaties that we have signed. The relevant international conventions require that we treat low-level users as criminals. This is not, in fact or in principle, the Atlasian approach to drug control.
• By remaining party to treaties that we do not enforce, Atlasia demonstrates that it does not take international law seriously. This is immensely damaging. We live in an increasingly multipolar world, one in which nations are bound together more closely than ever. Promoting international comity is essential. Remaining party to these agreements damages our credibility and weakens the legitimacy of every other international agreement that we have signed. Even proponents of drug criminalization should recognize this and understand that this is a legitimate reason to withdraw from these treaties completely and immediately.

Aye

Am I alone in finding Clinton's personality repellent?

I can't name anyone from my regular social circles under the age of 35 with whom I've discussed gay marriage who is against it. Can't think of any younger celebrities (other than politicians) who publicly oppose gay marriage, either.

Trying to read a public figure's heart is futile, idiotic, and pointless. What matters are a president's actions and the consequences of those actions. Nothing more.

Yes to all four candidates

Did I endorse you earlier? Either way, have my first preference.

I wasn't sure whether to interpret your prior comment as an endorsement. I'll add you to the 'allies' list now. Thank you for your support!