Confirmation Hearing: Homelycooking (SOFE) [Confirmed]

[President Marokai]

Per the President's appointment of Homelycooking to Secretary of Federal Elections, this hearing is opened for his confirmation. If anyone has any questions, speak now or forever hold your peace!

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What kind of experience do you have for this position?

[President Marokai]

What kind of experience do you have for this position?

Hard hitting questions.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Only the beginning.

[Junkie]

I see no reason why I should not support Homely.  I think he would do a great job.

[homelycooking]

What kind of experience do you have for this position?

Counting the Dec. 2011 Senate election and the Jan. 2012 Special Senate election in an official capacity; providing accurate counts through my election watchdog outfit HEART in the June 2011 Senate and Presidential elections, the July 2011 Special Senate election, the August 2011 Senate election and the November 2011 Special Senate election - which were used and recognized by the SoFE as the most accurate available, as well as counting the April 2011 Northeast Regional Election in an official capacity and providing the Northeast Governor with authoritative counts of the December 2011 Regional Election and various special elections to the Northeast Assembly. I established a while back an elections results repository, which contains the results of over two dozen elections, referenda and ratifications.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Has it ever taken you 19 hours to count the results of an election?

[For Oklahoma]

Are you up to the challenge of handling both offices? I don't doubt you are, but if the workload becomes too stressful, I wouldn't blame you, honestly. You're a trooper for doing both

[homelycooking]

Has it ever taken you 19 hours to count the results of an election?

No. The December Senate election took me 10 1/2 minutes; the recent special election was counted in 45 seconds.

Are you up to the challenge of handling both offices? I don't doubt you are, but if the workload becomes too stressful, I wouldn't blame you, honestly. You're a trooper for doing both

Yes.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Have you ever been associated with the Nevada or Washington Republican Parties?

[homelycooking]

Have you ever been associated with the Nevada or Washington Republican Parties?

No.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What's your opinion of this hearing so far?

[homelycooking]

What's your opinion of this hearing so far?

I refuse to answer this question for the reason that it may incriminate me.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I'll ask again after a few more questions and see if you still feel that way.


What is your personal opinion on the currrent vote counting system for At-Large Senate elections, and if negative, what would you desire to see it replaced with?

[homelycooking]

I'll ask again after a few more questions and see if you still feel that way.


What is your personal opinion on the currrent vote counting system for At-Large Senate elections, and if negative, what would you desire to see it replaced with?

I have a high opinion of PR-STV and would not seek to replace it with anything at the moment. My larger concern with Senate elections is the lack of competitiveness, especially referring to the upcoming regional elections. Perhaps there would be a greater willingness of parties to run candidates if we switched to a (closed/open) party list system and abolished the regional Senate seats.

[For Oklahoma]

Do you like waffles? How about pancakes? French toast?

[homelycooking]

Do you like waffles? How about pancakes? French toast?

I like all three when they're prepared from scratch.

[TJ in Wisco]

What are your thoughts on the caucus structure, ie. limiting it to one party, listing them on the ballot, etc.? Do you find the caucuses cumbersome?

[Senator Napoleon]

Aye

[For Oklahoma]

Aye

This.

I have no doubt Homely will be a fine SoFE.

[homelycooking]

What are your thoughts on the caucus structure, ie. limiting it to one party, listing them on the ballot, etc.? Do you find the caucuses cumbersome?

The purpose of the caucus legislation, as originally proposed, was to encourage factional division within the JCP and RPP so as to facilitate the major parties' fission into more ideologically specific groups. That was clearly accomplished. So long as the caucus legislation represented an attempt to bring about the specific goal of game reform, it was a legitimate and worthwhile enterprise. If the current amendments to the CIFA were written with a similar goal in mind, I would very much like to hear what that goal is. Otherwise, I favor the repeal of the CIFA and the severing of all government ties with caucuses. If members of a party, or multiple parties, wish to form an informal grouping, that is their right and prerogative. I do not think that the government should grant official recognition to these caucuses any longer because the legislation which authorized them in the first place has exhausted its purpose. Besides, I would appreciate less clutter on ballots and in the New Register Thread.

I will, of course, abide by the Senate's will and make sure the laws are enforced and obeyed, whatever its will may be.

[bgwah]

He's been de facto SoFE for a while and done a fine job. No questions from me.

[President Marokai]

I'm now calling this confirmation hearing to a final vote. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain, on confirming Homelycooking as Secretary of Federal Elections.


Aye.

[For Oklahoma]

AYE.

[MOPolitico]

Aye