wormyguy for [Northeast Regional] Senate: VOTE NOW!!!

[tpfkaw]

VOTE NOW, IN THIS THREAD: uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=149115

Hello all!  I am running for certain defeat to be your next Northeastern Senator in the election this month!

To that end, I will answer some frequently asked questions:

1. Why are you running?

To feed my megalomaniacal desire for power.

2. What is your position on [X]?

Don't you already know?

3. Why should I vote for you?

Because if you don't I'll phone the Nevada GOP and you know what happens after that.  Also, once I'm out of the Northeast Assembly (which I have served actively in for quite some time, including a term as Speaker) they'll be able to tax and spend and regulate like nobody's business.  Think tactically, folks, tactically!

4. I hate you and think you should be dead!

I hate you and think you should be dead!

[tpfkaw]

Presso Releaso Numero Uno!

The Anti-Conscription Amendment

Recently, the Senate has once again taken up debating the Anti-Conscription Amendment, as originally proposed by Jbrase.  I'll let you in on a little secret:

I was the original author of that amendment.  (Jbrase will confirm).

It is my personal belief that conscription is a war crime and has no place in a civilized society.  I will be one of the most forceful voices against conscription in the Senate and will introduce the Anti-Conscription Amendment in its original form in every Senate session until it is passed.  I applaud Senator Napoleon for his leadership on this issue and can assure all the citizens of the Northeast that there is no one who will continue his work more faithfully than I.

[tpfkaw]

Change your name to Donut! Don't you want a Senator Donut?

Mmm... donuts...

Especially the glazed chocolate ones:

[tpfkaw]

...

You have to keep an open mind with this sort of thing.   In the field of sweet stuff, I also like grape soda and white chocolate, so what do I know?

[tpfkaw]

P.S., the Anti-Conscription Amendment has been completely diluted with amendments contradictory to the title of the bill. It started out as a piece of legislation that actually banned conscription, but now has been amended to cater to odd situations. At this point, it's more pro-conscription than anti.

Yes, I know.  It's disgusting.

Vote for Wormyguy

Thank you for your endorsement!

[tpfkaw]

Presso Releaso Numero Deux!

Federal Tax Reform

So, you want the Northeast to have taxes, eh?  Well, I'll make it easy for you!  If I am elected to serve the Northeast in the Senate, I will introduce the following legislation such that federal revenues will be collected at the regional level.  This new mechanism will allow for regions to experiment with revenue collection methods in order to find whichever one yields the most economic growth for the revenue they are required to collect, while also increasing activity at the regional level as the federal budget request will require innovation in methods of revenue generation in every region.  Regions which do not provide enough revenue will be penalized by having their federal grants reduced, while regions which provide more than enough will have their revenue requests for the next year reduced.  Economically depressed regions, that is to say regions with higher unemployment, will have less of a revenue burden than more prosperous regions, creating a tax system which will now for the first time be progressive by region.  This mechanism also allows for automatic Keynesian stimulus by automatically increasing the deficit the government is allowed to run in periods of high unemployment.

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[tpfkaw]

Your opposition to military slavery will get you a high preference from me.

Thank you for your support; I'm glad that my reform-focused platform attracts supporters from both right and left.

[tpfkaw]

Would the regional government get any of those tax funds?

Yes.  Obviously, the regional government would keep whatever revenues it raises that aren't requested by the federal government.

[tpfkaw]

Hey Wormy, what's your position on electoral reform?

Reform is always a good idea.  I would prefer if regional senators were elected regionally instead of federally, and if regions could be allowed to recall their senators.  I also think a multi-member executive branch may be a good idea.  If you have any specific ideas I'd love to hear them.

(I'd love it even more if you moved to the Northeast and voted for me. )

As for Antonio, if he wants to drag up old controversies, I'll say myself that that incident is one of which I am deeply ashamed and have apologized profusely for.  In fact, I behaved poorly enough that I probably should have been banned for it.  In my defense, I was under an incredible amount of stress at the time due to an unfortunate incident within my family which I'd rather not discuss, except to say that it was highly personal in nature and did not reflect poorly on me.  Still, that's no excuse, and I displayed a lack of judgment in my actions that almost makes me sick to my stomach.  It's a perfectly legitimate reason not to vote for me, in fact.

That said, as long as we're dragging up old controversies, shortly afterwards, there was another controversy involving Polnut's running mate Tmth, who actually blackmailed Jake Matthews (or Carl Schulz) into changing his vote.  If Antonio thinks that old controversies are a reason not to vote for someone, then I'd challenge him to put his money where his mouth is and encourage people not to vote for the Polnut/Tmth ticket.  Now, I'm not saying this to pick on Tmth, who's a good friend of mine.  He's also apologized repeatedly, and I believe he is genuinely sorry for his actions, which like mine were made spur-of-the-moment without thinking.  All I'm saying is that Antonio's high standards right now seem like a bit of a double standard.

[tpfkaw]

Presso Releaso Numero Drei!

Constitutionally Protecting a Sensible Foreign Policy

Since 2001, Atlasia has been dragged into several needless wars that have damaged our international credibility and our strategic posture, as well as causing the deaths of thousands of our soldiers and the maiming of tens of thousands more, as well as the deaths of hundreds of thousands if not millions of civilians in the countries we have invaded, bombed, or destabilized.  After over a decade, little progress meaningful to average Atlasians has been made after the expenditure of trillions of dollars and thousands of lives.  Those who have benefited are largely well-connected corporate interests in the military-industrial complex, who profit off of a needlessly-aggressive foreign policy.  If I am elected Senator, there is no issue I will be more active on than to end this state of affairs, immediately and permanently.  To that end I will offer the following constitutional amendment:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[tpfkaw]

Am I (or anyone else, for that matter) going into Polnut's campaign thread and complaining about Invaligate?  No, because that's not an appropriate thing to do.  Past is past, Tmth apologized, 20RP12 accepted his apology, move on.  If you have a substantive disagreement with me, I'd love to hear it.  If you have a personal problem with me, I'd ask as a simple courtesy that you PM me about it, or even start your own thread.  I've tried my hardest to refrain from personally attacking fellow forum members, and have the greatly-reduced infraction point tally to show for it.  I'm happy to be the adult in the room but would prefer if I didn't have to be.

[tpfkaw]

Well, I wasn't here for the whole invaligate thing, but whatever the case, people aren't harassing 20RP12 for falsely accusing Tmth of blackmail, or whatever the case may be.  My point is that I'll admit I'm a highly-imperfect person, but I'd ask to keep things positive if at all possible.  It's not like I go and follow Antonio from thread to thread in order to harass him.

[tpfkaw]

Since we now have almost two pages of this idiocy, I'll repost the actually-relevant stuff for people actually concerned about the election.  Cheers all!

Presso Releaso Numero Uno!

The Anti-Conscription Amendment

Recently, the Senate has once again taken up debating the Anti-Conscription Amendment, as originally proposed by Jbrase.  I'll let you in on a little secret:

I was the original author of that amendment.  (Jbrase will confirm).

It is my personal belief that conscription is a war crime and has no place in a civilized society.  I will be one of the most forceful voices against conscription in the Senate and will introduce the Anti-Conscription Amendment in its original form in every Senate session until it is passed.  I applaud Senator Napoleon for his leadership on this issue and can assure all the citizens of the Northeast that there is no one who will continue his work more faithfully than I.

Presso Releaso Numero Deux!

Federal Tax Reform

So, you want the Northeast to have taxes, eh?  Well, I'll make it easy for you!  If I am elected to serve the Northeast in the Senate, I will introduce the following legislation such that federal revenues will be collected at the regional level.  This new mechanism will allow for regions to experiment with revenue collection methods in order to find whichever one yields the most economic growth for the revenue they are required to collect, while also increasing activity at the regional level as the federal budget request will require innovation in methods of revenue generation in every region.  Regions which do not provide enough revenue will be penalized by having their federal grants reduced, while regions which provide more than enough will have their revenue requests for the next year reduced.  Economically depressed regions, that is to say regions with higher unemployment, will have less of a revenue burden than more prosperous regions, creating a tax system which will now for the first time be progressive by region.  This mechanism also allows for automatic Keynesian stimulus by automatically increasing the deficit the government is allowed to run in periods of high unemployment.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Presso Releaso Numero Drei!

Constitutionally Protecting a Sensible Foreign Policy

Since 2001, Atlasia has been dragged into several needless wars that have damaged our international credibility and our strategic posture, as well as causing the deaths of thousands of our soldiers and the maiming of tens of thousands more, as well as the deaths of hundreds of thousands if not millions of civilians in the countries we have invaded, bombed, or destabilized.  After over a decade, little progress meaningful to average Atlasians has been made after the expenditure of trillions of dollars and thousands of lives.  Those who have benefited are largely well-connected corporate interests in the military-industrial complex, who profit off of a needlessly-aggressive foreign policy.  If I am elected Senator, there is no issue I will be more active on than to end this state of affairs, immediately and permanently.  To that end I will offer the following constitutional amendment:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[tpfkaw]

Presso Releaso Numero Fjórir!

Election Day!!!

Fellow Atlasians and Northeastern citizens,

Election day is upon us!  You may vote in this thread: uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=149115

While I would like you to vote even if you do not vote for me, I strongly urge you to support my campaign for Northeastern Senator.  I am

• The ONLY candidate to present detailed proposals for actual legislation (while the Senate is reduced to debating "joke" legislation).
• The ONLY candidate to consistently support a volunteer military and a peaceful foreign policy that puts Atlasia first, and who is willing to ensure their implementation with constitutional amendments.
• The ONLY candidate to propose serious, progressive tax reform that empowers regions, will provide a much-needed increase to activity at the regional level, and promotes automatic countercyclical policy in the case of recession.
• The candidate with the longest record of public service and reform in the Northeast.

Many thanks for your support,

-wormy

[tpfkaw]

(while the Senate is reduced to debating "joke" legislation).

Are you KIDDING me?

Nope, I'm not kidding you.  https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=148726.0

The "Let's Get it Over With Amendment" was also proposed as a 'joke' (although it passed, ironically).

[tpfkaw]

(while the Senate is reduced to debating "joke" legislation).

Are you KIDDING me?

Nope, I'm not kidding you.  https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=148726.0

The "Let's Get it Over With Amendment" was also proposed as a 'joke' (although it passed, ironically).

So why is it wrong to propose joke legislation in the Senate, but okay to do it in the Assembly?

I wasn't proposing that legislation as a "joke" or to annoy people, but to delay the passage of other legislation.  I've never proposed any legislation without an actual purpose and will continue my record of activity in the Senate.

[tpfkaw]

(while the Senate is reduced to debating "joke" legislation).

Are you KIDDING me?

Nope, I'm not kidding you.  https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=148726.0

The "Let's Get it Over With Amendment" was also proposed as a 'joke' (although it passed, ironically).

So why is it wrong to propose joke legislation in the Senate, but okay to do it in the Assembly?

I wasn't proposing that legislation as a "joke" or to annoy people, but to delay the passage of other legislation.  I've never proposed any legislation without an actual purpose and will continue my record of activity in the Senate.

Sounds more like trolling than representing.  I don't see why someone would propose dumb laws for the sake of preventing legislation that hadn't even been written at the time, yet.

No, it sounds like representing the Northeasterners who voted to elect me to Assembly and continue to.  In fact, I regularly top the poll in Assembly elections.  If the legislation had not, in fact, been written, then I would have withdrawn my bills.

[tpfkaw]

Well, he conveniently leaves out the ones in which I did top the poll, and I was second in each of those (if I'm recalling correctly, I'll admit I'm not an expert in Atlasian election minutia).  I didn't say I always do.  In any case nitpicking is rather beside the point.  I have a substantive, reform-oriented platform and have run an entirely positive campaign to serve the Northeast region.  If my opponents want to engage in the politics of negativity, that's fine, but the politics of negativity ultimately benefit no one in the end.

[tpfkaw]

Alright, I'll amend my statement.  If I wanted to, I could top the poll in every election, however, since February 2011 I haven't seen fit to pester people to vote for me because I am well-liked enough that I do not have to, and have continued to be elected with even stronger totals even after the reduction in Assembly size.  In fact, I have had to pester people not to vote for me, so that I could have allies in the Assembly.

[tpfkaw]

It's funny, several pages of negativity directed at me, nearly all of it from out of region, and not a single one a substantive criticism based on my campaign or my platform.

[tpfkaw]

Presso Releaso Numero πέντε!

An end...  And a beginning.

Friends, Northeasterners, Countrymen,

Unfortunately, my opponent has amassed a lead that appears insurmountable at this point.  While I am disappointed in the apparent outcome of this election, I would like to congratulate Scott on a well-fought campaign and I am sure he will make a fine senator for the region.

I'm glad that our voters were enthusiastic and motivated to give me a lead on day 1 of this campaign, and while the choice of Northeastern voters was clear, it was equally clear what the choice of active and reform-oriented Northeasterners was, and I would like to thank each and every one of them for their support.  I'm glad I ran a campaign that attracted broad support on its own merits and didn't require PMing anyone 10 times to vote for me, and that it didn't succumb to the negativity that so often plagues our politics.

I never expected to win, but we exceeded expectations and have shown that active, issues-oriented Northeasterners reject politics as usual.  I believe that this is only even more true of Atlasia as a whole.  That is why I would like to announce that I am continuing this campaign and will be a candidate in the April at-large Senate election.

[tpfkaw]

If I may say so, your campaign sign is probably the one I've liked the most since joining Atlasia!

Muchas gracias!

Yours is quite nice too, if vaguely ominous.