Office of ZuWo

[ZuWo]

The Governor will discuss with a group of teachers and talk about education later today. A summary of this discussion will be published shortly after the conclusion of these talks.

[ZuWo]

Meeting with a group of teachers from Michigan

Governor ZuWo met with a few dozen teachers in Detroit today. Below are some of the remarks the Governor made during the discussion.

"First of all, I want to highlight that I understand your job and the challenges that you all face every day. I have worked as a language teacher for several years and I know what it means to stand in front of a class every day. Being a teacher is a great job - you can play an active role in the success of your students and every day is different from the previous one. On the other hand, it is often one of the most difficult jobs. With me as your Governor, there is someone at the helm who understands you and your needs."

"Before an election, politicians are often tempted to make many popular promises, but I'm a realistic Governor and won't promise you anything that I can't keep. The current Mideast budget shows a deficit of $22 billion - that's down from $32 thanks to the hard work of me and the Mideast Assembly - so we have no room for additional money. I can promise you that there will be no cuts to education but there is no way I can promise you more money at this point."

"A sizable number of students leave school and only have superfical reading skills. This must change. Therefore, I applaud Assemblymember Oldiesfreak, who has introduced a bill on speed-reading. However, I do not think that we have tom ainly focus on speed-reading. We have to make sure that our students get more reading practice, so I favor proposals which would strengthen the role of reading in the curriculum of elementary, middle and high schools."

"Finally, let me stress again how important your work is - for the children and for society as a whole. Teachers deserve to be treated with respect because with their work they lay the foundations for a stronger and better nation." 

[ZuWo]

A meeting with members of NARAL Pro-Choice Atlasia is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The meeting takes place in Madison, Wisconsin.

[Is JCL in mushy sappy love]

A meeting with members of NARAL Pro-Choice Atlasia is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The meeting takes place in Madison, Wisconsin.

That could get interesting.

[ZuWo]

Citizens,

you can now vote on the "Equal Rights Amendment".


I am personally opposed to the "Equal Rights Amendment" because I see problems with its practical applicability - see the debate thread in the Senate for concrete examples. This may be a well-intended amendment but I think there are problems when it comes to its compatibility with reality. Indeed, Clarence has mentioned during the debate in the Senate that private organizations such as women's clubs or fraternal organizations can be subject to lawsuits because of this amendment, and there hasn't been a compelling counterargument in response to his objection. All in all, the amendment seems much too broad and courts have the possibility to interpret the term "equal rights" in a way that harms private organizations such as the ones Clarence mentioned.

[ZuWo]

Meeting with members of NARAL Pro-Choice Atlasia in Wisconsin

Governor ZuWo addressed members of NARAL Pro-Choice Atlasia at the University of Wisconsin in Madison today. Being aware that his words on abortion would not be welcomed with open arms, he stressed the importance of open discussions in a democratic society.

"I stand before you today because I want to talk to you about this highly controversial and emotional issue. I stand here to say what I think about abortion: Life is the most precious thing we have, and I believe that it begins at conception. For this reason, my conscience does not allow me to support abortions."

"The question whether abortions should be legal or not is not a question of women's rights to me - it's a question of human rights. I do not oppose abortion because I want to lead a war on women or I want the government to control women's bodies. I oppose abortion because I think that an embryo, a fetus is a form of human life that is worthy of protection."

"Despite the emotionality of the abortion debate it is important to try to understand the other side. I absolutely despise those who have expressed their opinion on abortion in a violent way. I am aware that most of you do not have the same definition of the beginning of a human life or that you believe a woman should have the right to end her pregnancy whenever she wants to do it. But if there is one thing I want you to understand today, it's that the great majority of the people who are part of the pro-life movement are not focused on taking rights away from women - they are focused on the protection of lives. Try to look at our reasoning from this point of view: If I believe that life begins at conception, it is irresponsible and morally inexcusable not to take a strong stance against abortion."

After the discussion the Governor said that he was very positively surprised by the friendly reception in Madison. "This meeting has shown me one thing: Sometimes it helps to express your opinion in a clear and unmitigated way. While the members of NARAL completey disagree with what I said, I think they can respect me for saying what I believe, just as I respect them for taking a clear stance."

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

What about making a campaign stop together? I have something at Mideast rally -

09/12 - Louisville, KY
09/14 - Bloomington, IN
09/16 - Bloomington, IL
09/18 - New Lenox, IN
09/20 - Mishawaka, IN
09/22 - Canton, OH
Pick one you like!

[Supersonic]

A meeting with members of NARAL Pro-Choice Atlasia is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The meeting takes place in Madison, Wisconsin.

I thought you was going to u-turn on abortion when I read this.

I'm glad that wasn't the case.

[ZuWo]

A meeting with members of NARAL Pro-Choice Atlasia is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The meeting takes place in Madison, Wisconsin.

I thought you was going to u-turn on abortion when I read this.

I'm glad that wasn't the case.

I'm not the u-turn guy in general, although it's not unlikely that my points of view on some issues will probably change throughout the years (however, I don't think that abortion is one of them). And if I tried to flip flop on an issue, I would attempt to do it in a less obvious way.

Pingvin: I have a city apartment in Louisville - I invite you to visit me there on the 12th of September so we can discuss the details of a joint campaign stop.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

OK.

[Is JCL in mushy sappy love]

I could swing down also on the 12th after a Patriot Day rally with a Tea Party group in my hometown. You guys are welcome to join in unless you've got Patriot Day obligations.

Patriot Day is our holiday in memory of the 9/11 attacks honoring first responders and military.

[TJ in Wisco]

Thanks for visiting Madison, Governor!

There are still some conservatives here believe it or not

[ZuWo]

I certainly enjoyed my day in Madison, TJ. Have fun over there!

Thanks for the offer, JCL. I will try to organize a meeting with a Tea Party group in a few days.

Tomorrow I will adress veterans in Missouri.

[ZuWo]

Meeting with Veterans in Missouri

Governor ZuWo addressed a large number of veterans in at the Veterans Center at Missouri University this Sunday morning.

"You all have done an invaluable service to our country. Every citizen owes you a lot. You have shown your readiness to sacrifice your lives for the people of this nation, which is the greatest sacrifice a human being can make."

"As Governor, I have introduced an amendment to the "Mideast Soldier Memorial Act". The Assembly passed this amendment, so the nameless memorial is now called "Clarence Memorial", in honor of Senator Clarence who has served this country in the navy. Clearly, Clarence stands for all of you who have served our nation in this most selfless and admirable way."

"I also supported the "Honouring Veterans of Foreign Conflict Act", which was sponsored by Assemblyman 20RP12. I worked with the sponsor and other members of the Assembly to make sure the bill could be passed. Indeed, veterans' affairs have been a priority of mine during my entire first term."

"I don't think I have the courage or the ability to serve my country in such an honorable way as you did. That's why you have my deepest respect and gratitude."

[ZuWo]

I will adress a local tea party group in Fishers, Indiana tomorrow afternoon. I will mainly talk about the budget and how I want to balance it.

[ZuWo]

Appearance in Fishers, Indiana

"It's great to be in Indiana today. Thanks for the warm welcome! But there is something I have to admit right here. You know, I have bad news for you today. You are all part of the so-called Tea Party movement, but the truth is - I don't like tea! Hahaha ... Haha ... Ha ... Ha ...
 
*whispers to advisor* Jack, who is the idiot that wrote this line? Fire him!

Alright, humor aside, what I have to tell you today is serious. I respect the Tea Party movement because it consists of people who care about this country and want to make a real effort to put our nation back on the right track. I do not always agree with you when it comes to the issues, but I know that your hearts are at the right place. Like myself, you only want the best for the region so we have a lot in common.

I came here today to talk to you about the Mideast budget. Indeed, this is a concrete example that shows us where ideology and realism differ from each other. Keep in mind that this is the first budget in the history of our region. I am not the candidate who merely talks about the budget, but I'm the candidate who takes concrete steps to improve the budget.

Former Governor A-Bob as well as numerous past GMs and shua, the current GM, have contributed a lot to the budget. When I first introduced the budget, we were faced with a deficit of $32 billion. Only in cooperation with the Assembly we managed to cut the deficit to $22 billion by doing away with certain tax breaks, but that's still not satisfactory. We will establish a regional lottery and have to introduce a regional pension tax if we want to avoid a massive deficit.

It is clear to me that some of these measures do not meet with your approval. Believe me - I'd much rather lower taxes for individuals and corporations but that would be irresponsible at this point. I want to have a balanced budget, so there's no room for unfulfillable promises. In fact, I cannot promise the citizens of the Mideast to balance the budget, lower taxes, fight unemployment, spend more money on the education and not to talk about concrete cuts at the same time - that simply doesn't add up and would be an irresponsible and insincere approach to the budget problems we're confronted with.

Of course, I could promise you all these things if I based my campaign on popularity, but I prefer to treat the voters in an honest way. You are not naive and deserve to hear the truth. Therefore, I must tell you that I won't be able to lower taxes, which may disappoint some of you. At the same time, we can't afford to cut spending on government programs - many of these programs are nearly underfunded so there's simply no room to make cuts.

I hope you can understand my decisions. Realism trumps ideology, and in these times of economic uncertainty we have to try to do what is feasible and not what is ideologically pure or simply popular.

I thank you for having me here today. Please continue your fight for a better Atlasia!"

[ZuWo]

A meeting with a local police force in Schaumburg, Illinois is scheduled for tomorrow 1 PM.

[Governor Scott]

Sorry for bringing this up again, but I feel it is important that I ask: at this time, do you believe your region's budget problems may interfere with potential infrastructure projects, or is infrastructure one of the expenditures you feel are underfunded?

[ZuWo]

It's a dilemma because the infrastructure is notoriously underfunded. On the other hand, we cannot spend a lot of money with the current budget deficit. So everything depends on the concrete costs of such infrastructure projects and on the final version of the budget. If the regional lottery and the pension tax bring in enough revenue to balance the budget, it will be easier for the Mideast to contribute to trans-regional infrastructure projects, and if that's the case I can support them.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Mr. Governor, I would like to enthusiastically inform you that the following bill has passed the Assembly and is awaiting your signature!

Mideast Pension Tax

A citizen's taxable income shall be calculated as his/her income before any contributions to a pension or other retirement fund.

Any contributions to a pension or retirement fund by an employer shall be taxed at a rate of 1.5%.  This tax shall be paid as part of the yearly tax filing for the year the contribution is made.

[ZuWo]

I hereby sign the Mideast Pension Tax

Governor ZuWo

[ZuWo]

Gubernatorial Debate

I approached my opponent Tmthforu94 and Franzl, someone I think would be a good moderator, with the idea to hold a gubernatorial debate . It is very important that the citizens of the Mideast get an even clearer idea of what the candidates envision for the Mideast in the next months, and an open debate seems like the best way to make sure that this happens. I'm looking forward to another opportunity to present myself and my record to the citizens of this region. Make sure that you don't miss the debate!

[ZuWo]

Schaumburg, Illinois: Meeting with a local police force

"Being a police officer must be one of the toughest jobs on earth", the Governor began his speech in front of several dozens policemen and policewomen. "I'm grateful for the work you're doing as you're protecting the citizens of this region. Your work contributes enormously to the stability and security in the Mideast. Thank you!"

"As you may have read or heard in the news, our region is struggling with a budget deficit. When there's a budget deficit, the first things politicians usually do is cut government programs. But I said no to that. We cannot afford to take away money from our justice system, which is why I decided to leave spending on regional law enforcement and security entirely unchanged."

"But my task is also to look ahead. What can we do in the future to make sure that you, the police forces of our region, are able to work in an effective way and that you are satisfied with your jobs? I believe that we have to increase the number of police officers in the long term. We currently don't have the resources for such a measure but I hope this will be possible at a later point. This measure would reduce the pressure of every single police officer and be an asset in the fight against crime. Indeed, many police officers also complain about their shifts. For too many of you it has become difficult to have a normal family life - when you get home at 11 in the evening your children are asleep and at the weekends you often can't take out your wife because you have to work. Clearly, most of this is a natural part of your job, but police officers should not be forced to work too many extra hours. Therefore, we must look into ideas and proposals that make your work and your life easier. For example, it should be easier for you to work part-time if you would like to do that. You are important public servants, and as your employer the government has the responsibility to take your concerns seriously and care about your problems. Thank you for your time!"

[ZuWo]

A Stronger Region

In the past four months, the Mideast has flourished. We have seen a growth in population, an extremely active legislative session and many citizens have participated in the political process of the region. We saw a higher turnout in the last election for Assembly, and numerous Mideasterners voiced their opinion and cast their vote on regional and federal amendments and propositions.

The Mideast is better off today. Our region is stronger, more vibrant and overall a much more interesting place in Atlasia than just a short while ago.

As Governor, I'm doing all I can to keep our region on this path of success. If you vote for me, you vote for a continuation of the last four exciting and productive months. The Mideast is in very good shape, and that's why I'm running for a second term.

Governor ZuWo

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

The following bill has passed:

Underage Labour Guidelines Act of 2012

Section 1

1. If a company, business or corporation based in Mideast Region hires an employee under the age of 18 (eighteen) they must adhere to the following guidelines:

• If an employee is a student at a primary or secondary school, either public or private, he/she may not work more than 6 hours a day on days during which he/she attends school or evenings before a day in which he/she must attend school.
• During school holidays, employees who are at least 14 years of age may work up to 20 hours a week; those who are 15 may work up to 25 hours a week; and those who are 16 years of age or older may work up to 30  hours a week.
  
• The employee may not work after 11 PM local time.
• The employee must be paid no less than the statewide minimum wage unless the employee is a waiter or waitress and is paid at or above the statewide minimum wage when including gratuities.
• The employee is entitled to the same benefits, be it health or otherwise, that any normal tenured employee is entitled to.
• The employee must work in appropriate working conditions, meaning they may not operate heavy machinery or any other type of dangerous machinery unless under the guidance of an adult.

2. If a company, business or corporation is found to be not adhering to these guidelines, they may be subject to a $1,500 (one thousand, five hundred) fine.

3.The guidelines shall not apply to family farms or family-run businesses.