Mideast Gubernatorial Debate

[Vepres]

Welcome to the Mideast Gubernatorial debate. I am your moderator, Vepres.

I would like to welcome the candidates and begin by letting each give an opening statement.

[tmthforu94]

I thank you, Vepres, for agreeing to moderate this debate. I look forward to debating with NiK the issues facing this region, and hopefully this debate will answer many questions in the mind of Mideasterners.
I have enjoyed my last four months as Governor of this region, and I’m asking you all tonight to give me the privilege of serving you for four more months. While we haven’t had as many bills signed as in years past, we have taken large steps in doing something that has been never done in Atlasia before, which is a regional budget. I believe I have been active and productive in the Assembly, and I have kept the Mideast Wiki up to date, with the help of several citizens.
If I am honored to serve as your Governor for the next four months, my first priority will to successfully complete the budget that the Assembly and I have been working very hard on. It’s also vital that we continue to improve education standards in our region, as well as continue to fight high unemployment numbers.
I make a vow to you now that I will not quit on you for a higher position, no matter how tempting it may be. I end my opening statement with a question: Why change the ingredients of success?

[Psychic Octopus]

Thank you, Vepres, for being the moderator for this day-by-day debate. I will enjoy my debate with the Governor, and help that it will outline key policy differences.

As a proud Atlasian public servant, I would enjoy the privelege of being Mideast Governor. As Governor, I will continue to deal with matters of the budget, submitting ideas and concerns. I will fight for Education reform, seeking to repair our public schools by making necessary changes. I am a proponent of merit pay, weakening tenure, school uniforms, and year-round school. Being from Flint, Michigan, I also recognize the need to solve the Mideast's violent crime problem, and as Governor, that will be near the top of my agenda. And given the Mideast's lingering economic programs, I will fight tooth and nail for a prosperous Mideast and small-business friendly Mideast.

I would not be running if I didn't have ideas to improve the region. While I do not expect victory, I promise that if elected, I will do my best as Governor.

[California8429]

As Governor, I will continue to deal with matters of the budget, submitting ideas and concerns.

Question: How are you already working on the budget?

[Psychic Octopus]

As Governor, I will continue to deal with matters of the budget, submitting ideas and concerns.

Question: How are you already working on the budget?

Sorry, I meant to say Governor Tmthforu's work and input on the budget.

[Vepres]

On that note, how do you feel about the budget process currently? Would you do anything differently?

[tmthforu94]

I'm really excited by the progress made on the budget, though I wish it would have gone at a faster pace. We've had a couple Assemblyman work really hard on this, and I'm really liking the suggestions and bi-partisan agreements being made in the Assembly. The only thing I hope to improve on is encouraging the Assembly to speed up the process, but continue the quality that is being shown now.

[Psychic Octopus]

On that note, how do you feel about the budget process currently? Would you do anything differently?

Like the Governor, I am excited about the new budget, and during my tenure as SoIA I also advocated a national budget. But back to the topic... In the Mideast budget, I would support A-Bob's proposal of near-universal merit pay in the education department, based on test scores and standardized testing, as opposed to Govenor Tmthforu94's compromise numbers. I strongly support additional funding for alternative energy, and believe in "turning the rust belt green." I'll be frank with you, a lot of the jobs lost in the Mideast aren't coming back, but we can mitigate the damage by providing new opportunites in "green jobs."

I support a four month period for the budget, as anything longer would be hard to work with. 

Sorry if the reply was muddled.

[tmthforu94]

If I may respond to NiK...

How would you propose we judge teachers based on merit?  Like Xahar said a few weeks ago, I seriously question how we define merit. Sometimes a teacher will just get a bad class. My Mom's a teacher, and every few years I hear her complain every night about her class that year not being very strong. Are we going to cut paychecks because of that? How do we know it is this teachers fault? What if the students previous teachers had been failing? Are we going to punish the current teacher for previous teachers mistakes?

I think we're taking a risk including merit at all. In a perfect world, yes, we should base a lot more on merit. But it's simply too difficult to determine it that way without using millions and millions of taxpayer dollars.

[Psychic Octopus]

I didn't mean universal, and as someone with teachers in my family as well, let me elaborate. Wealthy neighborhoods would undoubtedly benefit from a policy that is stirctly pure. Often it isn't the teacher's fault, as you said, but in my opinion, I believe that teachers who have been proven to teache better through consistent years of successful students measured by test scores. It would be for the few. In truth, it isn't exactly true merit pay, but an adaptation of it. I would support a guaranteed income for teachers, and having it be somewhat higher then the 40K average proposed in the Assembly. Every teacher would start with that minimum, and significant progression would only occur if they have proven to be a good teacher through these categories.

I would also take into account the demographics of the district in general in my proposal. Obviously a place like Detroit is going to have different children, policies, and standards for teaching then let's say, a rural Illinois county.

[California8429]

Side-note. I came up with the compromise numbers to make sure we included rewards to strong teachers without hurting though in tough situations. And I said I would support full merit-based pay, if it were possible (tmth layed out why it isn't).

Continue

[Psychic Octopus]

Side-note. I came up with the compromise numbers to make sure we included rewards to strong teachers without hurting though in tough situations. And I said I would support full merit-based pay, if it were possible (tmth layed out why it isn't).

Continue

Whoops! Sorry, I thought the Governor came up with it. Yes, I too believe that true merit pay is inadvisable, but a form of it certainly is.

[tmthforu94]

NiK, do you think you could clarify your position on merit? First you say, and I quote, "I would support A-Bob's proposal of near-universal merit pay". However, you later contradict that statement by saying "I didn't mean universal" and that teachers should have a base salary, which would be going against your earlier comments on merit. I'd also like to clarify for A-Bob's sake, he never stated we should base a salary solely on merit. He agreed that a base salary is needed and we should also include college education and experience:

$40,000 seems like a good start. And if someone, perhaps you Barnes can make up some system where we reward merit, experience and college education while making sure those in urban settings with tough conditions don't lose tenure just because they have bad kids. I think that's fair if we can draw it up. $40,000-$60,000.

I think the people of the Mideast deserve to know our true positions, and you've made your position on this important education issue vague with little facts and incorrect assumptions.

[Psychic Octopus]

I would like to offer a sincere apology, as while reading the Mideast Assembly earlier I made that error of thinking that A-Bob supported it. My mistake, A-Bob. I haven't been easy to read, and have been muddled. I don't think I have been vague, just hard to read. I'm new to debating. I did say that we should have a base salary; I was just suggesting that most of the pay advancement should come based on categories in which a teacher is measured, which would include test scores and region-standardized testing. My ideal starting pay would be around $50,000.

No need to be bitter.

[tmthforu94]

NiK, I am not being bitter. You are a good friend of mine. I just think you made your position very unclear on one of our biggest issues currently, and was asking you to clarify it better. Though this is a fantasy game, I think it's important that before heading to the polls, the citizens of this region know exactly what each candidate stands for, and you made your position on an issue unclear.

[Psychic Octopus]

My mistake then, good friend. Shall we continue with the debate?

[tmthforu94]

As soon as Vepres delivers the next question.

[Vepres]

What specific policy/policies would you push in the next term besides the budget itself?

[Psychic Octopus]

What specific policy/policies would you push in the next term besides the budget itself?

Well, being that the budget is the most critical issue in the Mideast, I will focus on that first.

I plan to push, if elected, more funding for alternative energy in the Mideast. Additional spending for ethanol and solar, wind, and nuclear power, as a means of weakening foriegn oil's grasp on citizens, and combating global warming in turn.

I also would push for either setting up a child board for the legislatures, or at the very least moving it to the Government board. It seems rather inappropriate to me that the Assembly is in a board relevant to elections, and not one for governing.

[tmthforu94]

Besides the budget, I seek to improve our education system in the Mideast. That is something I only got to slightly improve last session with the weighted grades amendment. It is vital that our school facilities are better, we have better tools to teacher our students, and better teachers to use those tools effectively. Unemployment is still a major concern in the region, and hopefully the Assembly can pass some sort of job bill next session.

I also think a child board would be good for regional governments, and several times have stated my support on the forum, as well as personally message Dave about that. I will continue that fight if I am reelected.

[Vepres]

Will you promise to serve out your entire term if elected, or will you be open to accepting an appointment? Will you leave open the possibility of running for another office (for example, at-large Senator)?

[Psychic Octopus]

Will you promise to serve out your entire term if elected, or will you be open to accepting an appointment? Will you leave open the possibility of running for another office (for example, at-large Senator)?

If elected, I promise to serve out my entire term, barring catastrophe in my personal life. I would not take another job while serving.

[tmthforu94]

I have no intentions of running for any other office while serving as Mideast Governor. That being said, to be quite honest, I have considered a few cabinet positions, and if I felt accepting an appointment to one of those positions would be in the best interests of the Mideast, Atlasia, and myself, I would do it. But then, and only then, would I ever leave office. At the end of the day, I am truly committed to the well-being of this region, and will do everything in my power to help you grow. I will never quit on this region, or this country.

[Vepres]

Both candidates may now make a closing statement.

[tmthforu94]

First off, I would like to warmly thank Vepres for agreeing to moderate this debate. I think we can all agree that he has done an excellent job.

Significant progress has been made over the past four years in the Mideast, Sadly, I don't have any GM data to back this up (since there isn't any data, period), but from our education reform to our almost completed budget, the Mideast is improving day by day. We had some rough times, especially in July when over half the Assembly was appointed by me , but we've had some high points where we all have come together under one cause.

I ask you tonight: Is changing horses midstream worth the risk? While I have the greatest respect for my opponent, his platform seems to predominantly be continuing what I have already started. We have a great start on the budget, and I'm confident that it will be a success if I am reelected Governor.

Please consider casting your vote tomorrow for me. I can promise you today that I will continue fighting for the Mideast region, regardless of the results. My positions will stand firm, and I will do what's best for this region, not myself or my political party. I truly believe that if we all work together, great reform can be made. Thank you, and Dave bless!