Oakvale/Snowguy for Atlasia: Concession; Congratulations to Tmth and Dallasfan!

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm not a fan of Marokai, but I'm certainly still inclined to give him my 2nd preference, and I think most JCPers will do the same. Tmth's best chance to get elected is if certain UDL members keep barging into JCP threads and personally attacking us without justification. I'm certainly not happy with Marokai's recent antics in this thread, but again, he's still my 2nd preference at the moment. If you guys keep this up, though, people could start to change their minds.

Just take a chill pill and try to have fun.

While I have my personal squabbles with some of the intentions behind the formation of this ticket, now isn't the time to let those personal issues get in the way of letting the right-wing go hopping scotch all the way into the White House.

The UDL is a different party of the left with a style we try to pride ourselves in (though these things don't seem to be going off without a hitch at the moment) but we are still a party of the left, and when push comes to shove, I will defend the left whenever possible, whoever that may be.

Oakvale will have my second preference, and I encourage all others who are planning to first preference me to follow suit. We're UDLers, but remember, we are left-wingers first and foremost.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

All right, despite my initial stance I'll second-preferencing Oakvale.

[Antonio the Sixth]

This ticket will get my 2nd pref as well. You are two great people, and though it would be a big disappointment for me if the UDL ticket loses, I'd be still glad if you manage to win.

[California8429]

I'm not a fan of Marokai, but I'm certainly still inclined to give him my 2nd preference, and I think most JCPers will do the same. Tmth's best chance to get elected is if certain UDL members keep barging into JCP threads and personally attacking us without justification. I'm certainly not happy with Marokai's recent antics in this thread, but again, he's still my 2nd preference at the moment. If you guys keep this up, though, people could start to change their minds.

Just take a chill pill and try to have fun.

While I have my personal squabbles with some of the intentions behind the formation of this ticket, now isn't the time to let those personal issues get in the way of letting the right-wing go hopping scotch all the way into the White House.

The UDL is a different party of the left with a style we try to pride ourselves in (though these things don't seem to be going off without a hitch at the moment) but we are still a party of the left, and when push comes to shove, I will defend the left whenever possible, whoever that may be.

Oakvale will have my second preference, and I encourage all others who are planning to first preference me to follow suit. We're UDLers, but remember, we are left-wingers first and foremost.

That's what everyond said in October, remember that?

[Oakvale]

Hey everybody!

Irritating internet outages and, more to the point, a rather nasty bug have conspired to keep me away from my campaign as of late, but I've struggled out of bed to let you all know I'm still alive and to take part in the debate.

I'll knock off my opening statement ASAP, and, hopefully, get most of my answers in through Saturday and Sunday, when I'll presumably be in somewhat better shape.

Oh, and I realise that taking part in Atlasia while ill arguably qualifies as Taking The Game Too Seriously, but hey.

Rest assured that this temporary illness will not keep me from the important work of this drama-spewing, often hilarious campaign for long. I should be back to normal by Monday or so, assuming the doctor didn't slip me some kind of placebo.

[Oakvale]

You should all tune into the debate between Marokai, Ben, Tmth and I.

It's pleasantly interesting so far.

[Insula Dei]

I am bumping this, because the left needs all of its campaign on the frontpage if we are to defeat Tmth.

[Oakvale]

Good timing, I've just returned from my unfortunate flu-induced hiatus, and, being on enough medicine to kill a horse, am able to continue my campaign.

I'll post my response to the debate questions I missed shortly.

[Thomas D]

Good timing, I've just returned from my unfortunate flu-induced hiatus, and, being on enough medicine to kill a horse, am able to continue my campaign.

I'll post my response to the debate questions I missed shortly.

Glad you're feeling better.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

This ticket will have my second preference. I believe if the UDL ticket is unsuccessful then we need to ensure that a progressive vision for Atlasia will endure.

[Oakvale]

My delayed response to the debate questions I missed due to being sick for a few days -

What is your current opinion of the financial regulations the Federal Government currently has for corporations?  Is it fine as it is or should it be changed?  How and Why?

From what I can tell from quickly scanning the wiki, there aren't any major problems with the regulations on corporations we've got in Atlasia. They seem to be more serviceable those in the real-world United States, at least. I second Tmth and Marokai in advocating the closing of tax loopholes for corporations - it's a no-brainer, obviously, but bears repeating.

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Education is the obvious one to avoid cutting, it being arguably the most important long-term function of government.

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I'm going to disagree with my fellow lefty Marokai here, and admit, somewhat sheepishly, that I'd actually favour the privatization of the postal service.

*hide from angry mob*

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Apparently - I'm a strong supporter of universal healthcare, and the system as stands puts most of those in other developed countries to shame. People still have the option to go private if they so wish, which I also support.

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My philosophy on this can be summed up as "free trade is good". While trading with nations such as China might not be an ideal situation, decreasing or even stopping such would be just plain silly. Economics does not work that way, etc, etc.

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Does anyone know the current state of the military? I don't think it's crazy to suggest that Atlasia seems like the kind of place where cutting defense sending is one of the go-to solutions when trying to find the cash for a particularly juicy bit of legislation.

If possible, I'd like to see a summary of the status of Atlasia's current defense spending - as I've mentioned before, most legislation (if not all) disappears into a black hole and is never heard from again. Hell, defense spending is probably in the negative figures at this point.

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As Governor, I cut business taxes to give companies in the region an incentive to hire. I've said this again and again - burning a deficit is acceptable, even necessary to get out of the kind of economic apocalypse we're facing. I'd also advocate reducing the middle-class tax rate from 25% to a less burdensome 21% for the duration of the current mess.

As for churches - my instinct is to oppose the taxation thereof. I'd make an exception for churches that are more business than religious institution - the odious "megachurches" spring to mind - and for those that peddle political bile from the puplit or what have you.

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This is a pet issue of mine, and one I've been very engaged in as Governor. My overbearing focus in the Pacific's requests for the economic stimulus act was on "green" and renewable energy, and I was an active member of the Green Lobby when Barnes was still around.

To answer the question (), yes, I think the green sector could be a "lifesaver" for the economy. It's the very definition of a growth industry, and I think the federal government should be heavily involved in providing generous incentives for businesses to innovate in order to create more efficient cars, solar panels and so on.

It's somewhat controversial as to whether it's "green" or not, but I'm a huge proponent of nuclear power, which is, IMO, the only real solution to the energy crisis.

Also, because I have to throw it in somewhere - rural broadband! Rural broadband!

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Yes. Well, sort of. I think anyone would concede that a crisis of this magnitude is unlikely to be resolved in a single term. At the very least, I think we can prevent the situation from getting any worse  - I'd consider that a "win", if nothing else. It's evident, though, that it will take a very long time indeed for substantial growth and, most of all, jobs to return.

It's bleak, but that's the way it is.

[Oakvale]

Atlasia has been mostly an isolationist state for it's existence.  Do you support the status quo foreign policy?  Would you like to see Atlasia more interventionist in foreign affairs?

It depends what you mean. To get a possible interpretation out of the way, I'm adamantly opposed to what some people have suggested in the past - interacting with other political 'games'. It'd be an utter mess, and, plus, I rather like having the simulation as a feature of the forum rather than a seperate, impersonal clusterf***.

Assuming you're referring to "in game" geopolitics, I'm at heart an internationalist - or an interventionist, if you prefer. To briefly cover the inevitable questions about military intervention - I have no qualms about taking military action against rogue nations that pose a  threat, or those that harbor terrorists. I'm not some Cheneyite neoconservative lunatic, but I think it's sensible to pursue a realistic foreign policy - not every nation is necessarily our friend, after all.

As I mentioned earlier in the debate, Atlasia really does need two GMs - and I' m glad to see the candidates all more or less agree on this. Foreign policy is almost always ignored - we're an introspective, domestic nation, but I want to change that. Under my administration, the Secretary of External Affairs will be a vital and visible part of government, not an impotent job that nobody but the occasional newspaper writer notices. A dedicated "foreign policy GM", working in tandem with the regular old economic/social/domestic/whatever GM is the obvious solution to the servere lack of international issues in the game - one thing I've learned in my time in office is that the way to create activity and interest is to give government positions clear, precise and focused goals, hence a second GM.

I've even got a couple names who'd be a perfect fit for the new post.

[Oakvale]

We'll move on then with three questions, due by 6 PM:
Do you believe that out-of-site membership should be encouraged (as in branching out to other political sims and inviting them to join us)?

No, I'm afraid I don't, and it's something I've often argued against as JCP whip, despite calls from some quarters to do just that. It sounds like a good idea in practice, but, as Marokai deftly pointed out, it's just too susceptible to bias - a left-wing member is, naturally, going to search for new members on the Democratic Underground, not the Free Republic. To use an exaggerated example.

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As I said in my opening remarks, my proposal is for two and a half GMs, so to speak - one for domestic affairs, one for foreign affairs, and a secondary domestic GM who'd help out the 'main' domestic moderator, focusing on regional issues. As you might be able to tell, this is something close to my heart as a Governor. I'm sure Tmth can relate.

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The game thrives on conflict, what can I say? I think the growth of new parties, and of the RPP, is ultimately a positive thing. It shakes things up a bit! Some of the personal drama has been unfortunate, but that seems to have been aired out for now.




Right, I think I've covered all the questions I missed - if I've overlooked one, let me know and I'll address it as soon as I can. Apologies again for my absence - influenza conspired to make taking part in the latter half of the debate rather difficult.

I hope you'll all excuse my posting of a short closing statement in the thread.

[Oakvale]

And, last but not least, my closing statement -

I too realize that the debate is over, but I hope it won't be too much trouble if I provide a brief closing statement before the switched-off cameras and empty seats.

First and foremost, thanks to Archangel for hosting this debate. It's certainly been one of the more interesting discussions I've partaken in recently.

While I unfortunately missed the second half of this genuinely interesting and engaging debate due to falling ill, I enjoyed arguing and, on occasion, agreeing with my three opponents - it shows that, if you'll excuse the massive cliché, what unites us is stronger than what divides us. Most obviously, we all agree that a second GM is needed to draw further attention to the storylines that supposedly run the game. We may differ on the details, but the fundamental is an accepted truth.

Whoever wins in Febuary, myself, Tmth, Marokai or Ben, this debate has made me hopeful that Atlasia will be better off for it. We're not going to get saddled with an inactive or incompetent administration, and I think that's something to be glad for.

I hope you've all got a sense of how I'd govern, and what my policies would be as President. The brief flash of drama we had the other week is, thankfully, fading, and it's nice to see we're focusing on what the election should be about. If elected, I will strive day and night (well, day) to shake some life into Atlasia's creaking, dusty institutions. If there's one thing I've learned as Governor, it's that fundamental change requires changing the fundamentals. [1] That's what I propose to do.

Without further ado, I'll get off my soapbox. Vote Oakvale/Snowguy.

Thank you.


[1] Sorry.


PS: Yes, Badger, you'd still have a job.

PPS: You can read my responses to the questions I missed here, here, and here.

Now back to regular campaigning.

[Oakvale]

You should all take a look at the Vice-Presidential debate, recently concluded, where Snowguy emerged as the clear victor.

[Oakvale]

Due to the most recent developments, I'd like everyone interested to sign below this.

1. Regardless of a party affiliation, all members of the Atlasia left are interested primarily in working for a common values and causes.
2. Regardless of an electoral campaign, we should think about preserving a cooperation between us.
3. We should help fellow left members to become relevant in Atlasia politics.
4. Where it's possible, we all should rally around fellow leftist candidates and when there are more candidates, we should give our next preferences to fellow leftists.

x Kalwejt

Who else?

I'd suggest all in the UDL and JCP sign on to Kal's pledge.

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Due to the most recent developments, I'd like everyone interested to sign below this.

1. Regardless of a party affiliation, all members of the Atlasia left are interested primarily in working for a common values and causes.
2. Regardless of an electoral campaign, we should think about preserving a cooperation between us.
3. We should help fellow left members to become relevant in Atlasia politics.
4. Where it's possible, we all should rally around fellow leftist candidates and when there are more candidates, we should give our next preferences to fellow leftists.

x Kalwejt

Who else?

I'd suggest all in the UDL and JCP sign on to Kal's pledge.

Yay



Signed

[Oakvale]

Can anyone with a better grasp of internal UDL politics than I possibly explain to me what's going on in their executive council thread?

[Хahar 🤔]

Kalwejt's trying to stir the pot.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Can anyone with a better grasp of internal UDL politics than I possibly explain to me what's going on in their executive council thread?

Hard to know. Some people have gotten mad at Marokai for a reason I (and himself) don't understand.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I was basically voicing some votes of concern and dissapointments you guys should, nor can't afford, to ignore.

[Insula Dei]

Can anyone with a better grasp of internal UDL politics than I possibly explain to me what's going on in their executive council thread?

I don't think I have a grasp of internal UDL politics.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Can anyone with a better grasp of internal UDL politics than I possibly explain to me what's going on in their executive council thread?

I don't think I have a grasp of internal UDL politics.

Does anyone... really?

[Јas]

Question for the candidate:
What's your opinion on the recent Presidential nomination, and subsequent withdrawal of nomination, of Taft4Prez for Secretary of Forum Elections?
And what can you tell us about how you would propose to come up with Presidential nominees for such positions as may arise during your prospective tenure?

Thanks.

[Oakvale]

Good news, guys.

My exams end tomorrow, so I'll be able to resume campaigning normally. Apologies to my supporters for my sporadic presence on the campaign trail in the last couple of weeks. Pesky real life.

Jas -

The Taft nomination fiasco is an interesting one. I have some sympathy with him - it's only human to change your mind, after all. Having a SoFE who isn't ready for the job would probably be worse than not having one at all.

I thought the confirmation thread was quite interesting - more real in-depth probing of a nominee then I've seen of, well, anyone, in my time here. Sure, it didn't pan out, but I think it's actually a good model for the Senate to continue with. Proper confirmation hearings, please!

Anyway, as President I'd take a two-fold approach to filling positions, which is the same I've done with similar tasks as Governor. I PM people I'd like to do the job, and let people put their name forward. If there's an overlap, great, we've got a nominee. If not, I pick the person who I think would

A) Do the best job (...)

but, also

B) Stick with the job for a reasonable period of time.

B) is pretty important I think - Cabinet musical chairs isn't very productive, especially with a position nobody really wants like SoFE.