Vepres for at-large Senate (Concession Speech)

[Vepres]

That's right, I have returned from the remote mountains of Denial!

I shall be unveiling my reactionary well thought-out platform over the coming days. Any questions are welcome

Fun fact: Both Barnes and I ran unsuccessfully in the at-large election in Dec 2009 (though I survived to the final round, unlike him ).

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Good luck, dude.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Endorsed, man.

[tmthforu94]

I'm happy to endorse you. You'd make a fine addition to the Senate. While I'm sure the other two also would, I find your political positions closer to mine.

[SPC]

I will vote for either you or Wormyguy, depending on who is more likely to advance to the final round.

[California8429]

Endorsed!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Endorsed.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

I can't endorse you since there is already another yellow avatar candidate who already declared in this race. It would have made more sense for you to run for the newly-vacant Midwest senate seat.

[Vepres]

Plank 1: Cutting Taxes

As you all know, Atlasia has very high income taxes, particularly in the higher brackets. This is something that I fundamentally oppose. Not only is it not helpful for our economy, but in principle I think people should be able to keep as much of their money as possible.

Now, cuts should start from the bottom up, but that doesn't mean hiking taxes on the wealthy for the sake of cutting taxes for others. My hope would be to eliminate taxes for all families making less than twice the poverty line (around $44k for a family of four).

Obviously, these would have to be paid for. This could be done in a number of ways, and I'm willing to compromise in this regard.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Ah, what the hell... you have my second pref, buddy.

[Badger]

Plank 1: Cutting Taxes

As you all know, Atlasia has very high income taxes, particularly in the higher brackets. This is something that I fundamentally oppose. Not only is it not helpful for our economy, but in principle I think people should be able to keep as much of their money as possible.

Now, cuts should start from the bottom up, but that doesn't mean hiking taxes on the wealthy for the sake of cutting taxes for others. My hope would be to eliminate taxes for all families making less than twice the poverty line (around $44k for a family of four).

Obviously, these would have to be paid for. This could be done in a number of ways, and I'm willing to compromise in this regard.

Remember those budget sims and how surprisingly expensive eliminating the AMT was? I think you'll find this is quite unrealistic.

FWIW, which is more important to reduce in your view, V: taxes or the deficit? You really can't have both....

[Vepres]

Plank 1: Cutting Taxes

As you all know, Atlasia has very high income taxes, particularly in the higher brackets. This is something that I fundamentally oppose. Not only is it not helpful for our economy, but in principle I think people should be able to keep as much of their money as possible.

Now, cuts should start from the bottom up, but that doesn't mean hiking taxes on the wealthy for the sake of cutting taxes for others. My hope would be to eliminate taxes for all families making less than twice the poverty line (around $44k for a family of four).

Obviously, these would have to be paid for. This could be done in a number of ways, and I'm willing to compromise in this regard.

Remember those budget sims and how surprisingly expensive eliminating the AMT was? I think you'll find this is quite unrealistic.

FWIW, which is more important to reduce in your view, V: taxes or the deficit? You really can't have both....

The deficit, of course, but that is a false choice. As I said, I would not cut taxes without paying for them. True, the ways I think that should be done probably wouldn't be passed (repealing the Fritz healthcare bill, eliminating SS for wealthier seniors, transferring Medicare beneficiaries to some sort of utility-like private system, etc), but I think that lowering taxes should be a long term goal.

[Vepres]

Ah, what the hell... you have my second pref, buddy.

*hughughug*

[Vepres]

Plank 2: A Return to Private Health Insurance

The healthcare bill passed over a year ago expands government and is essentially a single-payer system in all but name (granted, private insurance isn't illegal). I believe it is important to have private insurers compete, and that the current system sucks up so much of taxpayers' dollars.

To replace it, I propose we create Health Savings Accounts as an option for consumers or, if they prefer, private insurance. The insurance companies would be all required to provide a basic plan and would not be allowed to profit from that. However, with a few regulations regarding ethics, they will be allowed to offer whatever they choose in all other respects. For people whose health expenditures exceed 15% of their post-tax income in a year, the government will subsidize all their premiums and legitimate health expenditures for the remainder of the year.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Ah, what the hell... you have my second pref, buddy.

*hughughug*

Now, that's a true midwestern spirit

[Vepres]

Ah, what the hell... you have my second pref, buddy.

*hughughug*

Now, that's a true midwestern spirit

I'll always be Midwestern in my heart (well, I am also literally a Midwestern still )

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Ah, what the hell... you have my second pref, buddy.

*hughughug*

Now, that's a true midwestern spirit

I'll always be Midwestern in my heart (well, I am also literally a Midwestern still )

I won't believe until I see your birth certificate.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Ah, what the hell... you have my second pref, buddy.

*hughughug*

Now, that's a true midwestern spirit

I'll always be Midwestern in my heart (well, I am also literally a Midwestern still )

Oh really?

[Barnes]

I KNEW it!

Vepres is a dishonest forger, folks. And he hangs out with Martha Coakley, to boot.

The latter is a good enough reason to not vote for him.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I KNEW it!

Vepres is a dishonest forger, folks. And he hangs out with Martha Coakley, to boot.

The latter is a good enough reason to not vote for him.

Bo ho ho!

[Fritz]

Plank 2: A Return to Private Health Insurance

The healthcare bill passed over a year ago expands government and is essentially a single-payer system in all but name (granted, private insurance isn't illegal). I believe it is important to have private insurers compete, and that the current system sucks up so much of taxpayers' dollars.

To replace it, I propose we create Health Savings Accounts as an option for consumers or, if they prefer, private insurance. The insurance companies would be all required to provide a basic plan and would not be allowed to profit from that. However, with a few regulations regarding ethics, they will be allowed to offer whatever they choose in all other respects. For people whose health expenditures exceed 15% of their post-tax income in a year, the government will subsidize all their premiums and legitimate health expenditures for the remainder of the year.

The health care bill that Vepres refers to was the crowning achievement of my Senate career, of which I am most proud.  The Fritz campaign firmly stands against candidate Vepres.

Vote for Barnes.  He won't try to take away your guaranteed health coverage.

[Vepres]

I KNEW it!

Vepres is a dishonest forger, folks. And he hangs out with Martha Coakley, to boot.

The latter is a good enough reason to not vote for him.

Oh NOES, I've been caught!

[Franzl]

Anyone who isn't happy with government health insurance has every right to go out and purchase whatever they desire. Nobody is forced to get anything from the government.

I love competition....but there's nothing preventing competition here.

It disturbs me that you call the Atlasian healthcare system "essentially single-payer", when in fact it has no similarity whatsoever. I (and other Senators) made sure it didn't turn into single payer, which was actually the original bill. I'm proud of both killing single payer.....and providing our citizens with the options they now enjoy.

[Vepres]

Vepres takes his place behind a podium, where thousands of his supporters in Boulder, Denial have gathered...

Well my friends, we fought a good fight. This wasn't the blowout I expected. Indeed, that I kept the race in single digits percentage-wise is a surprise to me. I am encouraged as to what this means for the future of the Atlasian right.

I would like to congratulate Barnes on his victory tonight. Truly, while we have disagreed on many issues, he has been a very active member with many contributions to this game; his entering the Senate was a long time coming.

Now, I understand your disappointment. After all, for awhile there it looked like we stood a chance. However, the JCP machine once again kicked into gear to beat us down. No matter! We continue to fight on for the causes we all hold dear! Limited government, lower taxes, more freedom.

Well, it is time we move on. Let's ensure that it is our side that comes out victorious in the next elections, for we shall never rest! *crowd roars with applause*

[Marokai Backbeat]

14 votes. That's the number of votes that Barnes got that were not from the JCP. That number is greater than 25% of a share of his total votes. You of course got diverse right-wing support (that tends to just happen when the two of three major parties are right-wing parties) but let's not pretend Barnes won solely because of the big JCP baddies.

(Also, no one should be surprised at how close Veepers got. I don't know why he is, but these results are roughly around what I expected.)