Office of Chairman TNF: Red Army takes NM, UT, ID, AZ

[TNF]

Well, we didn't win. But that doesn't mean that I'll be ending my time in Atlasian politics, that's for sure. Stay tuned for an announcement about my future plans in the coming days!

[TNF]

Or, well, today. In lieu of Senator Snowstalker, a good friend of mine, retiring and my move to Wyoming of all places, I would like to be the first out of the gate to declare myself a candidate for the Senate to replace Snowstalker. I admit that I am new to the Midwest, but that I believe that I can represent Midwestern citizens in Nyman and I pledge myself to work towards the establishment of a Fair Society for all Atlasians, be they Midwesterners, Mideasterners, Southeasterners, Pacificans, or Northeasterners.

My platform will be released in the coming days, and it shall, for the most part piggyback off of the things I proposed doing at the regional level in the Mideast, but made bigger and better at the federal level. Thank you all for your support in my last race, and I would love to have that support returned in kind for another race, this time for the Senate in the Midwest!

TNF FOR SENATE
June 2013
Working for the Atlasian Worker

[TNF]

We are of totally different parties and totally different ideologies, but you seem dedicated and willing to work for the Midwest, and are a much stronger fit than I for he region, so I will be running for re-election and will endorse you in your run.

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Thank you both for your kind words and your support. As I have said before, I believe that doing the best for Atlasia means reaching out across party lines and working together. We may disagree on principle at times, but we can always agree to stand together to make our regions and our game a better place. Thank you for your endorsement Maxwell, and thank you for your support, Snowstalker.

[TNF]

I'm sad to see you leave the Mideast, but I know you will do a great job as a Senator!

Endorsed!

Thank you for your support, Gass3268!

[TNF]

We need more intelligent, thoughtful leftists like you in the Senate. Endorsed.

Thank you for your endorsement, Senator!

[TNF]

Labor.

The Labor Party has made great strides in improving the conditions of work and bringing dignity to those who work for a living in the Republic of Atlasia. But our work is far from done. There is still much work to be done to make Atlasia a fair society, but I am confident that should we work together and put those who work at the head of our agenda, we will build that fair society. To that end, I favor...

...an increase in the minimum wage from the current $12.50 an hour (as per the Living Wage Act) to $15 an hour.

...an end to separate minimum wage rates for those under 18 and all subminimum wage rates, including the existing subminimum wage rate for persons with disabilities and the subminimum wage for tipped employees, gradually raising it from $2.13 an hour to a rate equal with that of the federal minimum wage.

...repeal of the "Right Wages for the Right Regions" Act and eventual replacement of all existing minimum wage statutes with a new law that links increases in the minimum wage with increases in worker productivity.

...amending the Labor Rights Act of 2012 to impose stiffer penalties on union-busting, a clarification of Section 2 to make it easier to understand, and the inclusion of federal government workers as among those eligible to unionize, collectively bargain, and strike.

...repeal of the Hatch Act and the 'hot-cargo' provision of the Landrum-Griffin Act.

...allow union organizers equal access to the workplace currently granted to only the employer and allow unions access to their worksite for union meetings.

...a new Fair Labor Standards Act.

...increased funding for workplace safety and oversight powers for OSHA, the FDA, and the Mine Safety Administration.

...denying federal contracts to corporations that engage in anti-union activity ranging from union busting to refusal to negotiate a contract with unions.

...expand coverage of the minimum wage to the whole of the wage-earning workforce.

...limit working hours for persons under the age of eighteen on a sliding scale basis.

...require, for the first time in Atlasian history, paid breaks, paid sick leave, paid vacations, paid long service leave, and paid parental leave.

...banning unpaid internships, prison labor, and the sale of all products knowingly made with prison or child labor.

...banning the use of replacement workers, also known as 'scabs' during a strike.

[TNF]

It's always good to have a "true populist" (maybe a bit on the left) which isn't a liberal "Ron and Rand Paul fan". Endorsed!

Thank you for your endorsement, windjammer!

[TNF]

Further additions to my platform will come later tonight or perhaps tomorrow. But for now, I want to announce a policy shift on my part - I had once opposed the implementation of a universal basic income policy. I have changed my mind, and will introduce legislation in the Senate, if I am elected, to establish an income floor for Atlasian workers.

[TNF]

Absolutely endorsed!

Thank you for your endorsement, GM!

[TNF]

Labor.

The Labor Party has made great strides in improving the conditions of work and bringing dignity to those who work for a living in the Republic of Atlasia. But our work is far from done. There is still much work to be done to make Atlasia a fair society, but I am confident that should we work together and put those who work at the head of our agenda, we will build that fair society. To that end, I favor...

...an increase in the minimum wage from the current $12.50 an hour (as per the Living Wage Act) to $15 an hour by July 1, 2014. From there, increase the minimum wage to $18 an hour by January 1, 2015.

...an end to separate minimum wage rates for those under 18 and all subminimum wage rates, including the existing subminimum wage rate for persons with disabilities and the subminimum wage for tipped employees, gradually raising it from $2.13 an hour to a rate equal with that of the federal minimum wage.

...repeal of the "Right Wages for the Right Regions" Act and eventual replacement of all existing minimum wage statutes with a new law that links increases in the minimum wage with increases in worker productivity.

...amending the Labor Rights Act of 2012 to impose stiffer penalties on union-busting, a clarification of Section 2 to make it easier to understand, and the inclusion of federal government workers as among those eligible to unionize, collectively bargain, and strike.

...repeal of the Hatch Act and the 'hot-cargo' provision of the Landrum-Griffin Act.

...allow union organizers equal access to the workplace currently granted to only the employer and allow unions access to their worksite for union meetings.

...a new Fair Labor Standards Act.

...increased funding for workplace safety and oversight powers for OSHA, the FDA, and the Mine Safety Administration.

...denying federal contracts to corporations that engage in anti-union activity ranging from union busting to refusal to negotiate a contract with unions.

...expand coverage of the minimum wage to the whole of the wage-earning workforce.

...limit working hours for persons under the age of eighteen on a sliding scale basis.

...require, for the first time in Atlasian history, paid breaks, paid sick leave, paid vacations, paid long service leave, and paid parental leave.

...banning unpaid internships, prison labor, and the sale of all products knowingly made with prison or child labor.

...banning the use of replacement workers, also known as 'scabs' during a strike.

...establishing a law banning the firing of an employee for any reason other than 'just cause' after a probationary period.

...refusing to give any employer than pays his or her workers less than a living wage or has a CEO making more than thirty times what their average hourly employee makes a federal contract.


Education.

Previous Labor Party administrations have made good on their promise to do something about making Atlasian education a priority. I want to make education and even bigger priority in my term as a Senator and in the term of our next Labor Party administration. To that end, I favor...

...equal funding for all of our school districts, with all funds coming directly from the federal government.

...a federal curriculum designed with the aid of teachers' unions.

...a ban on all forms of private education, including homeschooling.

...a ban on 'charter schools', voucher programs, and other means by which capital seeks to undermine and destroy our public education system in Atlasia.

...the reduction of class sizes on a sliding scale basis. Ten students per teacher in an elementary school setting, fifteen students per teacher in a middle school or junior high school setting, twenty students per teacher in a secondary school setting, and twenty-five students per professor in a higher education setting. Lecture halls should be capped at thirty students per instructor.

...the establishment of a right to child care services and early childhood education services, built upon the existing Head Start program, though amended so that every Atlasian, regardless of income, may access these programs.

...truly public education from cradle to grave. Completely free access to early childhood education, elementary, middle or junior high, high school education, two-year or four-year college or university, graduate education, or an equivalent vocational or technical program.

...stringent price controls on the cost of educational materials.

...a ban on merit pay for teachers, a reduction in the number of standardized tests allowed to be given to children, a reduction in the allowed amount of homework given to students, alternatives to letter-based grading systems, a ban on corporate finance of educational facilities, programs, or schools.

...an expansion of technical and vocational training programs.

...a union hiring hall for teachers, as well as giving more day-to-day control of school administration and functions to teachers.

...fact-based sex education in schools, including school provision of condoms, birth control pills, and the morning after (plan b) pill.

...free and open access to information, with an expansion of libraries and the nationalization of all large, public databases in Atlasia.


Democracy.

Making Atlasia a more democratic society is one of my goals and will be a goal of mine as a Senator. I don't believe you can have true labor government without democracy, and will thus support every effort, every endeavor, to make our society a more just and democratic one. To that end, I favor...

...a constitutional amendment electing the Senate on an at-large, rather than regional basis, by means of party-list proportional representation. The idea that Senators are closely tied to their regions is, at this point in our history, becoming more and more of a fiction. We have a very fluid game structure, so it makes little sense to continue electing Senators on a regional basis. Under my proposal, all members of the Senate would be up for election at the same time the Presidency is up for election, and they would run on a party-list. Voters would then choose from a party's slate of candidates, and seats would be distributed according to the percentage of the vote received.

...an expansion of the Senate from ten to fifteen members.

...the election of members of the Supreme Court of Atlasia.


Energy.

The administration of President Marokai has made great strides in moving Atlasia towards a more independent energy footing. I want to continue that process and accelerate it by introducing legislation that will...

...nationalize the energy sector in its entirety under the auspices of an 'Atlasian Energy Authority' (AEA) modeled on the existing Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). My proposed AEA would acquire ownership of all energy sources and energy producers in the nation and coordinate a national energy plan that keeps prices low for consumers, moves towards sustainable growth and development, and allows the Atlasia to sell energy to other nations and make a bit of a profit from it.


Revenue.

I believe that taxation should be progressive and fair. To that end, I favor...

...tax relief to renters equal to that of homeowners.

...the abolition of any and all tax relief accorded to married individuals not given to unmarried individuals, or alternatively, the abolition of civil marriage and equal tax relief given on an individual basis.

...the creation of a luxury goods tax, a financial transactions tax, a more progressive income tax, and a progressive inheritance tax scheme.

...the elimination of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in favor of a simple, universal basic income. The universal basic income I am proposing would be taxable payments distributed on a monthly basis to every individual in Atlasia. Every Atlasian citizen over the age of 18 would receive $1,250 per month, and every Atlasian citizen under the age of 18 would receive the same amount, though that money would be put in a bank account inaccessible by that child's parents. Upon reaching age 18, that child would have full access to their accumulated basic income payments.


Science.

Our nation has made great strides in advancing the forward march of human progress through scientific endeavors in past years. I want us to continue making those strides, those leaps forward, and I want Atlasia to be the world's leader in scientific development. To that end, I favor...

...an expansion of funds for the National Institute of Science (NIS) including a new system that will assume public ownership of all scientific discoveries that could in someway be made profitable and that will give royalties for a number of years to the scientists responsible, as well as allow the Atlasian government to collect a fee on the use of this knowledge by the private sector.

...doubling the number of full-time, paid researchers.

...expanding our space program and reinvigorating it. NASA needs far more funding to get the job done, and the job that I want to see done is an Atlasian on Mars, Atlasians on the moons of Jupiter, and Atlasians beyond. I will fully support any and all efforts to put another Atlasian on the Moon by 2018, the first Atlasian on Mars by 2023, and the first permanent space colonies by the end of the decade.

[TNF]

People.

Our people are our greatest strength. There is nothing that the average Atlasian cannot do when he or she puts his or her mind to it. I believe in the great masses of our people, and I believe that they can do great things. But I also believe that for too long, wrongheaded policies have been adopted that hamper the efforts of our people to have decent and fulfilling lives. To that end, I favor...

...the abolition of life imprisonment. No person should be imprisoned for an amount of time longer than one-fourth of the average life expectancy of an Atlasian citizen.

...an actual end to the war on drugs in Atlasia. Far from a noble crusade against illicit drug use, the drug war has, for the entirety of its existence, been a cover for a brutal system of systemic racial repression that has, without a doubt, ruined the lives of millions of Atlasian citizens. I do not wish to amend the New Jim Crow. I wish to abolish it outright. I support full on legalization of LSD and Psychedelic Mushrooms. I support the decriminalization of hard drugs, and ending the use of law enforcement to address what is and should always be considered a public health issue. I support abolition of the DEA, with all enforcement of drug regulations thus transferred to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I support drug maintenance programs, clean needle programs, and rehabilitation, rather than prison time, for the addicted.

...the abolition of the drinking age in Atlasia, with a legal purchase age of sixteen for beer and wine and eighteen for hard liquor.

...requiring gun safety courses in secondary schools.

...rehabilitation over retribution, and a prison system that is humane and allows prisoners to receive adequate education and training.

...banning private ownership of prisons.

...full legalization of sex work, along with regulation and licensing for all sex workers.

...expanded community release and probation programs.

...a robust policy to promote and protect our culture and fully fund arts and culture programs in our schools and in our communities. I support full funding for libraries, museums, and other cultural centers to keep them free and open to all.

...a ban on parental notification laws for abortion. I support free access to birth control, condoms, and the morning after (plan b) pill for all who wish to use it as well as ending restrictions on federal funding for abortions.

...the abolition of, or the modification of, civil marriage as an institution.

[TNF]

It has come to my attention that I am being sought out as a write-in candidate for Archduke of the Althing. While I will not campaign for that position or ask for the votes of those in the Midwest for this position, if elected, I will serve in that capacity to the best of my ability, while also continuing to seek the open Senate seat currently being vacated by Senator Snowstalker.

[TNF]

SENATE CANDIDATE ROLLS OUT FOREIGN POLICY PLATFORM IN MEMORIAL DAY STUMP SPEECH

Fargo, North Dakota - Fellow Midwesterners, today is a time of mourning for all of us as much as it is a celebration of those who gave their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice for Atlasia abroad. As such, it is appropriate that we reflect upon our nation's foreign policy today and take great care in how we make decisions that could send young Atlasian into harm's way. I am opposed to the use of force as anything other than a last resort. The doctrine of pre-emption is un-Atlasian and conflicts with our heritage as a nation that obeys and respects international law. Furthermore, I am steadfastly opposed to utilizing Atlasia's armed forces as instruments of international or national capital to enforce any kind of business or other contracts abroad or to destabilize or undermine governments with which we have disagreements. Atlasia's military must never become the advance guard of Atlasian capital.

With regard to trade policy, I support policy that is fair and raises the living standards of Atlasian workers, not drags them into the dirt. I am not opposed to utilizing tariffs or protectionist strategies, if these strategies are in our best interest. Atlasia was built upon protectionism, and I see no reason why we should abandon our heritage when the rest of the world continues to protect their own domestic markets. In that vein, I favor an Atlasian industrial policy to promote our domestic industry and strict 'Buy Atlasian' laws to promote domestic businesses.

Thank you, and Dave Bless.

[TNF]

STATEMENT REGARDING COMMON MARKET TALKS

Wichita, Kansas - Folks, I would like to expand upon my answer in the Senate debate thread with regard to in progress talks toward an Atlasian-Canadian Common Market. I understand that those close to Secretary Polnut's office have said that the talks have reached a stalemate, or are "dead" at this point, so to speak, but I do not think that we should allow these talks to wither on the vine. An Atlasian-Canadian Common Market, if done correctly, would be an important step forward for working people in both the Republic and the federation to our north. Senator Nix, a good friend of mine and an ally of the working people in Atlasia, is currently running for President and is a strong supporter of such a common market, with good reason and good intention. If I am elected the next Senator from the Midwest, I offer my services in crafting a treaty for consideration by the Senate and the Canadian government that would establish a common market between our nations. I would like to take a minute to outline what I think a good common market agreement between Atlasia and Canada would look like.

An ideal Atlasian-Canadian Common Market would mandate the highest possible standards for workers, regulation, and the environment. That means that our Canadian cousins would have to adopt the 32 hour work week we have established in Atlasia, including our labor standards where those standards outpace Canadian ones. Where Canadian standards are higher, we shall adopt those standards, be they environmental, regulatory, or labor-related. We cannot have yet another trade agreement that will drive down wages in a race to the bottom. The age of neoliberal 'free' trade must be brought to an end, and the age of fair trade, with respect to human rights and human dignity, can and must be inaugurated in the second decade of the 21st Century. There is no better way to do that than with a joint effort by two of the most stalwart defenders of human rights on the globe, Atlasia and Canada.

True to the proposed Labor Party platform that I helped author with my good friend, Mideast Assemblyman Gass, an ideal Atlasian-Canadian Common Market must pave the way for further integration between Canada and Atlasia. The project of an integrated Canada and Atlasia has been part and parcel of the Labor Party platform since our President made it a defining issue of our party and of our game. Any Atlasian-Canadian Common Market should pave the way for the ultimate integration of our two nations into one nation, united in brotherhood and common ancestry. This means, ultimately, the adoption of a common currency, the adoption of a common foreign policy, and at some point, the adoption of a common governing structure. These are all ideas which we may pursue at some point in the future, but they are impossible to pursue without adopting an Atlasian-Canadian Common Market.

Thank you all, and Dave Bless.

[TNF]

Endorsements
The Labor Party
Gov. Maxwell (F-Kan.)
Sen. Snowstalker (Lab-N.D.)
Mideast Assembly Minority Leader and At-Large Senate Candidate Gass3268 (Lab-Wisc.)
Sen. Αverroës Nix (Lab-N.Y.)
Midwest Most Serene Representative windjammer (Lib-Mont.)
Game Moderator and Chairman of the Labor Party Adam Griffin (Lab-Ga.)
Pacific Senate Candidate Politics Junkie (Lab-Oregon)
Attorney General DemPGH (Lib-Penn.)

[TNF]

TNF, with a number of good social progressives in the Senate, it would be nice to see someone advance the cause of labor rights as well as your economic goals, so I wish you the best in your campaign. You would be a great addition to the Senate.

Thank you for your support, Attorney General (and hopefully our soon to be Vice President)! I hope that we can work together in the future to create a more just and humane Atlasia for all.

[TNF]

A FAIR AND HUMANE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Omaha, Nebraska - The Prison Reform Act currently being debated in the Senate is in many ways a good first step at changing the way we do business as far as criminal justice, and specifically, prisons, are concerned, but I share my colleague and friend, Senator Nix's concern that the bill does not go far enough. The focus on prison reform is not without warrant and I am glad to see my friends across the ideological spectrum lining up to condemn the sorry state of affairs that is the Atlasian prison system, but there is far more, beyond the prison gates, that we must address as a society if we wish to reduce crime and reduce the instance of recidivism among those who end up in our county jails, our federal penitentiaries.

Before I go into my proposals, I would first like to discuss the limitations of and the problems with the existing Prison Reform Act. The third section of the bill reads as follows:

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I will come back to the first part of Section 3 when I address Section 5, but the second entry in this section is particularly egregious, in my view. No person should be subject to physical punishment in our prisons system, period, regardless of what that person has done to 'deserve' it. Prison guards should only respond with violence to a prisoner in self defense, and in no other instance. Corporal punishment is barbarous and a form of cruel and unusual punishment that if elected to the Senate, I will personally seek to ban.

The fourth section of the bill reads as follows:

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The arbitrary division of prisoners at the age of 25 for enrollment purposes makes little sense, nor does the provision limiting what is to be taught to those imprisoned. We all suffer when those exiting our prison system have learned nothing from their time in prison and reoffend because it is quite literally all they know how to do to make a living. Teaching inmates useful skills is something that I applaud the bill's sponsors and writers for including in said bill, but what has been included is far too narrow to be effective in providing an alternate means of income for most of those leaving the system.

To that end, I favor the creation of a wide-range of learning programs in our prisons. They should not be limited by age and no prisoner should be given a priority over any other in enrollment. Local schools, universities, trade union locals, and businesses should be allowed to partner with prison and rehabilitation centers to offer these classes to those willing to learn them. GED courses for those who dropped out of high school should be made available at every prison in Atlasia, as should vocational training of some sort. Partnerships with trade union locals, businesses, and universities should put those prisoners who complete the programs successful on a path to a guaranteed means of employment after they complete their term in prison or a guaranteed college education, with credit for classes already completed.

Section 5 of the Prison Reform Act reads as follows:

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The first entry in Section 3 limits non-violent offenders to a prison term no longer than two years, but provides exceptions for persons falling under the criteria of Section 5. As Senator Nix has said in debate concerning the bill, this is a step forward but brings to mind why some of these prisoners should even be housed in prisons in the first place, as they prove no real threat to society. I would like to reiterate that point, and discuss further some of the Section 5 exemptions to the term limit, which I find in many instances arbitrary or unreasonable.

"Cyberterrorism" is not defined at all by the author of this legislation, leading to a number of troubling possibilities. What would be considered "cyberterrorism" under this law? Would hacktivists become targets for imprisonment?

As for the rest of the exceptions mentioned here, I am not thoroughly convinced that these warrant a stay in prison for over two years. Impersonating a medical professional is certainly not something we should encourage, but it is certainly not worth imprisoning someone for five or ten years over.

Section 6 of the bill reads as follows:

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While all of these are good suggestions, the elephant in the room, I think, is the fact that upon release, these former prisoners, who have served their time and paid their debt to society, will forever have over them a criminal record that will make gainful employment difficult and in some states, voting to change those conditions impossible.

I do not believe that any person should be subjected to such life-long humiliation and denied the right of gainful employment after he or she has finished paying his or her debt to Atlasia. Therefore, I favor ending all restrictions related to employment on those who have finished their term in prison or a rehabilitation facility, as well as a constitutional amendment that would protect the right to vote of all Atlasians, imprisoned, formerly imprisoned, or not. No person should be denied the right to vote under any circumstances once they have reached the age of majority, and that includes prisoners and those who have served time. To this end, I also support the abolition of all criminal 'registries' that place undue or illiberal burdens upon former prisoners, and likewise support an end to restrictions upon gun ownership for former prisoners. Once you have served your time, you should not be treated any differently than any other person in Atlasia, period.

My full program for reform of our criminal justice system shall be unveiled in another post, as I am in danger of heading over the character count. Keep posted here for it, it'll be up shortly.

Thanks, and Dave Bless.

[TNF]

The prison system as it currently exists is abhorrent and should be replaced by a system of restorative justice that seeks to rehabilitate the criminal, rather than punish he or she. Prisons should become Rehabilitation Centers that offer a new start for the imprisoned, with learning and job training opportunities and outlets for community building, rather than a mill for recidivism and more crime. To that end, private ownership of prisons should be banned, forced labor in prisons should be banned, as should the sale of items made with prison labor, corporal punishment should be abolished, and prison rape should be cracked down upon and those guilty prosecuted.

Our prisons should not be a place to house society's addicted and mentally ill. The continuation of the New Jim Crow, in spite of legal Cannabis, should be ended. Atlasia should adopt a strategy to reduce drug use that reduces harm, allows for freedom of choice, and restricts access to particularly dangerous substances while allowing for the free use of less harmful substances. This means keeping the legal status of Cannabis as is, and legalizing psychedelic mushrooms, LSD, and other 'soft' drugs for personal use by adults. This also means extending a state monopoly into the field of hard drug use and administration. Basically what this means is state ownership of alcohol, tobacco, and all other hard drug supplies and appropriate regulation of those activities. For example, I have proposed abolishing the drinking age while requiring instead a legal purchase age of 16 for beer and wine and 18 for hard liquor. Liquor companies should be banned from advertising in the same way that tobacco companies are banned from advertising, and once again, both alcohol and tobacco should operate as state monopolies.

While we're still on the subject of The New Jim Crow, I oppose legislation that criminalizes tobacco use, but support the existing ban on tobacco advertising and support funding for tobacco cessation programs under the framework of our national health program. I oppose bans on public smoking, and favor licensing certain establishments to allow smoking, along the lines that are currently allowed for liquor licenses.

Drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, etc. should operate under a new framework that treats addiction to these substances as medical problems, rather than criminal acts. Doctors should be allowed to prescribe addicts increasingly limited amounts of these drugs to wean them off of these substances, and harm reduction should be the key to our drug strategy. I believe in the creation of clean needle dispensaries and drug maintenance programs to combat drug addiction in Atlasian society, and oppose any and all efforts to attack the drug problem in this country by using the police or law enforcement. Drug addiction is a public health problem, and should be treated as such.

Sex work, euphemistically referred to as prostitution, is another area in which the state should intervene not to ban the practice, but rather to bring it out of the shadows and regulate the activity in the interest of the community. Sex work should be a legal means of making a living for those over the age of 18, and sex work should be highly regulated to protect those involved and prevent the spread of disease. Sex workers should be licensed, with requisite STI testing to ensure that sex workers who may be infected are not working. Sex workers should be required to use condoms, report their income and pay taxes on it, and have legal protection from abuse. Brothels should also be made legal, though under heavy regulation. As for the subject of pornography, actors should be required to wear condoms, regularly be tested, and the legal purchase age for pornographic material should be lowered to 14.

As far as sentencing is concerned, I believe that the abolition of the death penalty did not go far enough. No person should be imprisoned for more than 1/4th of his or her natural lifespan, something that should be determined according to life expectancy statistics in our own country. Non-violent offenders should be placed in community release or other alternative programs, as they provide no clear and present danger to society.

That's all I have for now. Any questions, comments, or concerns?

[TNF]

I was unaware that at age 14, Atlasians can already purchase pornographic materials. Huh. Guess you can strike that out of my overall criminal justice reform proposals, then. Later today I'll be posting something as far as the economy is concerned, with my own blueprint for economic growth and development to follow. Stay tuned!

[TNF]

I have two questions:
-Who is the guy in your picture?
-I think, like you, that we should modify our imprisonment system, but could you be more precise please, it's really interesting me!

I don't agree with all your views, but I appreciate that your programm is really developed and worked.
I hope you will be elected, good luck for your campaign.

To answer your questions winjammer,

The person I'm using as my avatar in the game is Earl Browder, who was general-secretary of the Communist Party, USA from 1936 to 1946, when he was ultimately expelled from the party for not towing Moscow's line. I chose him not because I'm a communist (far from it) but because I admire his style of dress and I couldn't find someone better looking with a pipe. Also, that 1940s style of mustache is clearly the best.

As for prison reform specifics, the kind of rehabilitation center I envision replacing all prisons is kind of like a center for reforming those individuals who broke the law and preventing them from reoffending, rather than simply punishing them and then not giving them any way of breaking the cycle of prison recidivism. To put it simply, it would be a lot like the Scandinavian model of restorative justice rather than the Anglo-American model of retributive justice. Persons housed in the rehab centers would not sleep in overcrowded concrete rooms. Rather, they would have communal living with their own rooms, furnished with beds, televisions, computers, etc., all the things they would normally have access to were they free. It would be far less structured than existing prison systems in the United States, with those in rehab allowed to enroll in education courses, learn a trade, or even go and visit one another's living arrangements, whathaveyou. Men and women wouldn't be segregated, though there would be considerable segregation between exceptionally violent and less violent offenders.

I wonder if that helps or not. Would you like more detail?

[TNF]

BUILDING A HIGH-WAGE SOCIETY


Cartoon courtesy of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which merged with the Atlasian Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO.

Chronically high unemployment has been a problem in Atlasia for some time, in spite of the best efforts of President Marokai and our regional executives to address this greatest of ills in our society. The fact remains however that employment is depressed because wages are depressed. We have adopted a 32 hour workweek without requisite increases in pay. We have raised the price of a gallon of gasoline as well without requisite increases in pay. The labor movement, no doubt, has been able to win pay increases at the bargaining table, but these increases are piecemeal and do not go to the whole of our wage-earning workforce. Senator Napoleon's act increasing the minimum wage to $12.50 an hour by January 1, 2014, is a good bill, but still leaves much to be desired, as does the current scheme of inflation adjusted raises for the minimum wage.

To build a high-wage society, we must first attack the source of depressed wages: unscrupulous employers. Employers who have benefitted from massive increases in productivity over the past four decades have not shared the resulting increases in profit with their employees. We are kidding ourselves if we think they will do this out of the goodness of their hearts. Much like minimum wages had to be made the law of the land in the 1930s, so today guaranteed increases for productivity growth must be made the law of the land. Atlasia should require, by law, that if productivity increases as a percentage, wages should increase by that same requisite percentage. For example, if the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that in the economy last year overall worker productivity was up by 2%, then wages, across the board, should go up by 2%.

The most telling example of the failure of the current system to increase wealth for workers as it increased wealth for the bosses comes in the knowledge that had the minimum wage kept up with productivity growth since 1968, today it would be worth around $22 an hour. I don't think that $22 an hour is too much to ask for in a society as rich as Atlasia. That is why I have advocated in my platform and will continue to advocate an increase in the minimum wage from the current $10.50 an hour to the proposed $12.50 an hour to eventually that very number - $22 an hour. It must be done gradually as not to upset the whole of the economy, and I understand this quite well and will author legislation in the Senate providing for that gradual transition, but it is something that must be done. At that point, we should continue allowing the minimum wage to adjust for inflation and for increases in productivity, but we should never allow the minimum wage to fall below half the hourly median wage in terms of purchasing power.

This isn't rocket science. We have the tools to make these things happen automatically and we should make use of them. But increasing the minimum wage itself will not spur wage increases across the board. That's what unions are for, and I'm a big, big fan of our labor movement in Atlasia and a card-carrying member of the Atlasian Education Association (AEA). I commend the work that so many of our party members have put into regularizing the situation regarding unions in Atlasia to that of a developed, industrial democracy. We have in Atlasia free workers, but too often, the freedom to join a union and for unions to act in concert is inhibited by law or employer intimidation. That is why I have proposed a ban on 'scabs' when workers go out on strike, as well as a repeal of anti-labor legislation like the Hatch Act and some provisions of the Landrum-Griffin Act. Unions are the democratic organs by which working Atlasia is given a voice. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the voice of labor is the voice of Atlasia.

One of the suggestions that has come to mind, recently, is to allow for collective bargaining on an industry-wide basis. At present, Atlasian law does not provide a mechanism for industry-wide collective bargaining. I believe this should change. If 30% of workers at a jobsite can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election, why can't 30% of union workers in a given industry petition for a mandated, across the board collective bargaining agreement in the industry itself? For example, let's say that the Atlasian coal industry has 60% union density, that is, 60% of coal workers belong to a union, whereas 40% do not. That 60% should be able to bargain for wages, working hours, and working conditions for the whole of industry. Those non-union members would benefit from this arrangement and would of course pay a small fee for the services of the union or would themselves become union members as the coal miners' union set up shop and the men and women already organized would not be undermined by non-union mines dragging down their wage and working hour demands. Even industry would benefit, in that ultimately, industry-wide collective bargaining would eliminate duplication of effort in individual contracts and would on the whole provide for more stable production and industrial peace.

I am also a firm believer in the principle of co-determination. In Germany, employers with over 2,000 employees must have representatives of labor comprising half their corporate board. I see no reason why Atlasia shouldn't adopt a similar law, with labor representation on corporate boards determined on a sliding scale with regard to size. I also support the expansion of existing Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) and support making it easier to form worker co-operatives.

That's all I have for now. Thank you, and Dave bless!

[TNF]

My entry on wages is finished, if anyone is reading. Feedback, thoughts, questions, comments, or concerns? Any requests about what I should write about next? I was thinking about labor standards or perhaps a piece on social welfare.

[TNF]

Currently, in the Midwest Althing, there is a debate going on about legalization of prostitution. What are your views on prostitution, and if it is not fully legalization in which you view it (as I do), than what sort of middle ground solution do you have to the issue, and does it look like what is currently being proposed?

Governor Maxwell,

Thank you for contacting me regarding this issue. Sex work (I prefer the term to 'prostitution' personally, as it helps us remove the social stigma associated with it) should be made a legitimate means for earning a living in the Midwest, and ideally in Atlasia as a whole. My reading of the latest version of the proposed bill in the Althing at the moment is that while the bill is certainly a step forward, it leaves a lot to be desired and could use a bit more fleshing out as far as details are concerned. The current proposal, for those who are sitting in on this discussion, reads as follows:

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I agree with Article 1 for sure. Persons who wish to become sex workers should be allowed to without fear of reprisal or arrest. I believe that those sex workers should be able to do business independently, through a private agency, a co-operative, or in some cases, through a publicly owned facility such as what windjammer has mentioned here. I do not believe that we should, as a society, punish those who frequent sex workers, meaning that I am in complete disagreement with Article 4. I believe that those who wish to spend their money in this manner should be allowed to do so, and those that are abusive towards sex workers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Article 3 I believe needs to be fleshed out a bit more. First and foremost, I think that limiting the activity to persons over 21 is a mistake. If you can vote at 18, you should be able to be employed as a sex worker at 18. I believe that sex workers should be licensed and operate under a regulatory regime similar to what has proposed here, with frequent STI testing, income reporting, and taxation requirements.

Basically, if I were rewriting this bill, it would look something like this:

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I'm not sure if that answers your question or not, but I hope it helps with the forward march of the Althing in legalizing, taxing, and regulating sex work, Governor.

Dave Bless

[TNF]

I would enjoy hearing about your views on social welfare.

Consider it in the pipe. I'll probably post something on social welfare either tonight or tomorrow, Senator.

[TNF]

Thank you very much, Senator-elect . I think sex work is one issue we have complete agreement, and I like the detailed version of the bill you have up. If it's okay with you, I may bring it before the Althing to see if there is any reaction from our Representatives.

Fine by me!