Local Office of IDS Emperor Scott - Salisbury, NC (Back in Business)

[PJ]

Governor Scott, you have my endorsement for Senate!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Thank you for your support, Nick and PJ!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

A response to my opponent

I would like to use this opportunity to write a brief response to concerns raised by my opponent.

First, Representative Poirot mentioned that expanding the St. Lawrence Seaway would bring more jobs to other regions of Atlasia than the Northeast, and that he would only support upgrading it on the condition that the economic benefits that would be brought to the Northeast meet his expectations.

Yet I fail to understand his reasoning behind this particular concern.  Obviously, the St. Lawrence Seaway would economically benefit our nation as a whole.  But that is only more reason to get behind the expansion, not oppose it.  Ultimately, the economic vigor of one region is going to partly determine how the Northeast thrives in the long run.  As Senator, I will be outspokenly against any bill that I find damaging to our economy, but the job of the Senate is to ensure the economic stability of all regions.

The second concern Poirot addresses bears a little more weight, and that is the environmental impact of this expansion project.  Indeed, we need to assess how these projects will affect the fragile ecosystems that exist in our territories, and I agree with my opponent that these concerns need to be addressed.  I am a firm believer in the idea that we can protect our environment while promoting our economic interests, and I will work with the GM and other senators to address any problems as they come up.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Don't forget that sea travel is cheaper and less fuel-intensive than carrying cargo overland by either train or truck. Expanding the Seaway would almost certainly result in a significant reduction in carbon emissions per ton of freight transported.

This is very true.

[DemPGH]

Endorsed for the NE Senate seat.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Have I endorsed you yet? If not, I will now.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Endorsed for the NE Senate seat.

Have I endorsed you yet? If not, I will now.

Thank you both for your support!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

To borrow from one of my favorite American presidents, my campaign song will be a little classic called Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac.

[PJ]

Governor, what is your opinion on the second paragraph of this excerpt from the debate?

An updated post due to Secretary Polnut's recent announcement:

As many of you may have read, the Atlasian-Canadian talks about the ACCMA are dead, and reasons are unknown at this point. We should not be forcing anything on Canada that they do not want, but if the Canadian government has an issue with a specific part of the agreement, we should have a willingness to compromise to get the job done, as it would benefit both nations immensely once the ACCMA is put into law.

Referring to Governor Scott's response, if we are further opening ship travel within the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes area, a primary concern would be the spread of invasive species. Take for example, the Zebra Mussel, which lives in the Atlantic Ocean. This mussel attaches itself to ships, and used this method to introduce itself to the Great Lakes. Once in the Great Lakes, the mussels attach themselves to anything, including water intake pipes, and nearly stop the drinking water systems in many cities on the Great Lakes. These mussels would harm the drinking water in Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, Erie, Green Bay, Duluth, and many other cities. And they already do. And all this is an addition to the ecological damage that they cause.  If we are to increase the shipping industry in this area, we must work with the scientific community to figure out how to remove zebra mussels from this area and prevent their reintroduction, while allowing the area to have a successful economy. If elected to the Senate, I would be willing to work on how this bill would affect the ecology of this area.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Politics Junkie - while, indeed, the concerns you've raised are serious ones, I do not believe that expanding the St. Lawrence Seaway would increase the level of risk involved.  The Zebra Mussel has already spread to all five of the Great Lakes, so I think this objection would only make sense if we were proposing building the Seaway.

With that in mind, I believe it is important that we pass regulations on the discharge of ballast water and work with government agencies, as well as those who use the seaway, to address the situation when it arises.  Water recreationists should be expected to know how to control invasive species through prevention, inspection, and removal.  While the government can and should have a role in preventing their spread, ultimately I am confident that the boaters will manage these problems the same way they have for half a century.

[PJ]

Politics Junkie - while, indeed, the concerns you've raised are serious ones, I do not believe that expanding the St. Lawrence Seaway would increase the level of risk involved.  The Zebra Mussel has already spread to all five of the Great Lakes, so I think this objection would only make sense if we were proposing building the Seaway.

With that in mind, I believe it is important that we pass regulations on the discharge of ballast water and work with government agencies, as well as those who use the seaway, to address the situation when it arises.  Water recreationists should be expected to know how to control invasive species through prevention, inspection, and removal.  While the government can and should have a role in preventing their spread, ultimately I am confident that the boaters will manage these problems the same way they have for half a century.

Ok, Great!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

For the convenience of Northeast voters, I am copying and pasting my debate responses here:

Atlasia-Canada Common Market

First, I would like to thank Emperor SJoyce for hosting this debate.  It's a pleasure to be here, in light of personal events, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to exchange ideas and inform our constituents of where we stand.

Folks, our nation's trade partnership with Canada is integral to the jobs of many.  While I understand that trade has its costs, ultimately I feel that trade with nations like Canada benefit all of us in the long run.  I believe we can maintain a fair, rule-based trading system with Canada and other nations, as well.  But while our ties to Canada are strong, our national infrastructure is severely lacking, and such weaknesses prevent us from taking full advantage of our trading capabilities.

This is why I support an expansion and refurbishment of the St. Lawrence Seaway that Senator Nix has proposed.  If I am elected to the Senate, I want the opportunity to introduce the legislation that will get the job done.  We're going to give larger vessels access to the Great Lakes, reducing transportation costs and increasing commerce.  This project will bring Atlasia and Canada a number of construction jobs, and everyone at home will enjoy the benefits.  As Governor, I have, and will continue to work with Prime Minister Harper on this plan, as well as other regional executives, which will provide ocean access to three of our regions.

Drug Policy

My position on this issue is very clear: while I do not support the legal status of cocaine, heroin, or other drugs, I do not believe that we ought to criminalize any individual who is victim of addiction.

Simply put, drug addiction is a brain disease.  It has harmed the lives of millions of men, women, and children in our nation.  But while we must stop this ongoing problem at its roots, we must take a look at how other nations have handled their drug problems.  The United States, for example, has handled its drug epidemic in the worst ways imaginable.  Their approach to this issue has led to the needless incarceration of thousands, police brutality, and worse neighborhoods.  Meanwhile, several other nations - many of which are in Europe - have removed the stigma from drug use and formed their drug policy so that it is on the side of the victims.

The real offenders, undoubtedly, are the dealers.  Drug dealers are the people we need to crack down on, the people who chose to live a life of crime and trapping others seeking false hope for bad situations.  But I will not support any bill that puts a single victim of drug abuse behind bars.

Furthermore, we need to drastically overhaul our prison system, so that it produce less criminals, and more doctors, lawyers, teachers, parents, and people who have the potential to improve our society.  That's why I support the current amended form of the Prison Reform bill.  

Relations with Syria

I'll be honest with the voters and say that foreign policy is not my forte.  However, I believe that our government should do its best to rally for the side of human rights and peace while keeping both the Syrian government and the rebels on communicable standings with one another.

I may elaborate depending on how my colleagues respond.

Infrastructure

Our infrastructure is seriously in need of repair - especially our nation's bridges.  If you don't believe me, I would refer you to this chart from the Huffington Post-



As you can see, an overwhelming number of states in the union have failing infrastructure.  And we've seen, time after time, what happens when these problems are ignored.  Just a few weeks ago, Washington state's Interstate 5 bridge collapsed, nearly killing several people.  By pure miracle, no one died.  When the bridge was inspected, 58-year-old bridge had a 'fracture critical' design, meaning loss of a single structural support could undermine the crossing.

These are bridges that haven't been touched since Eisenhower was president, and we have no one to blame but ourselves when these problems arise.

Now, there is legitimate concern on the side of those who prioritize a conservative handling of the deficit.  And while sacrifices may need to be made, I know first-hand that it is possible to invest in our infrastructure without putting a dent into the deficit.

As Governor, I authored legislation that established a board to help better coordinate our region's infrastructure dollars.  This bill put us on par with numerous developed and developing nations.  Our plan is simple: we work with the private sector to invest in our infrastructure by offering matching loans to projects that lack funding, are in need of repair, and offer a clear benefit to taxpayers.  After we passed this bill, we ended up with a budget surplus three times larger than the one we had when I took office.

This is a perfect example of how fiscal responsibility can go hand-in-hand with progress.  The Northeast did it, and I'm confident that we can design a similar plan for the rest of the nation.

Reducing Carbon Emissions

First things first: we need to acknowledge that climate change is real, and that the quality of life will decrease for people all over the world if we don't act soon.

We need to execute a thorough overhaul of our economic system.  This means a comprehensive energy policy that not only changes the way we do business, but preserves the integrity of our coal miners.  We need to tell our coal workers that the green revolution will improve the lives of everyone.  Last year when I was senator, I authored a bill that outlawed the practice of mountaintop removal, which not only pumped extreme amounts of CO2 into our air, but destroyed thousands of mining, fishing, and hunting jobs, and poisoned everyone who lived along these mountain sites.

This was a large step we took toward addressing our environmental challenges, but it wasn't enough.  I believe that nuclear and renewable energy should be looked into, and I want our government to work with the private sector to create an environment that's both economically sound and environmentally friendly.  This could include awarding companies that put the most effort into reducing their emissions, distributing grants to municipalities and companies, cleaning up our rivers and lakes, and, of course, ensuring that all infrastructure projects are safe to our earth.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I would also like to point out that my opponent, former Representative Poirot, has only made one response after several rounds of this debate.  I feel that his failure to address some of the important issues of our time should be known to the people before they cast their ballots.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Our regional debate has begun!  Please view this thread to watch.  Only candidates and the moderator (myself) will be allowed to speak.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Our first campaign ad is up online!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I will be delivering a speech on coal and mining jobs momentarily.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Good evening, everybody.  I'd like to thank the Pennsylvania chapter of the United Mine Workers of Atlasia for inviting me to speak with you.

Folks, tonight I'm here to speak about an issue that we don't hear about as much from our leaders in New York City and in Nyman, and that issue is the future, and the integrity, of our loyal coal miners.

Coal miners have been laid off in droves within the last couple of years.  Thousands of miners all over the country are asking the same question: what is Nyman doing to protect these jobs which is so integral to our energy economy?  But so many politicians are fixated on political posturing and divisive rhetoric.  This Nyman malarkey hasn't saved a single job, and the UMWA has every right to be upset about it.

As we transition from traditional energy sources to different, more renewable ones, we must prepare our loyal coal miners for a new and more diverse field of work.  But before we go about this, we must put an end to the problems within the coal mining industry that kill jobs.  That's why last year, I helped pass a bill to outlaw the practice of mountaintop removal mining, which, as you all know, is responsible for an overwhelming number of layoffs.

There needs to be more job-training programs established and focus on sectors into which former coal miners could transition.  Instead of diluting debate by oversimplifying it with political games and buzzwords, we should be focused on protecting the integrity of each and every one of you.  States across Appalachia, like this one, need leaders who can be trusted to advance the diversification of the region's economy so that its future is bright, sustainable and successful.

The state of the coal-mining industry is in decline, and we all must accept this fact before we begin to move forward.  End the petty politics of winners and losers, put away the rhetoric, and work together for the future of Appalachia's economy.

[Sopranos Republican]

Tonight, I officially announce my support for Governor Scott, to once again become Senator Scott. We see eye to eye on many issues, and while I really do wish his Presidential endorsement were a bit different, I give him my endorsement, and plan on voting for him in the Senate Election! You have been a great Governor, and I while I like Poirot and his ideas are good, you have been a constant voice of reform in Atlasia, much like myself I believe, and I don't believe there is a man more fit for the job. So while it was a tough choice, I will give you a very enthusiastic vote next weekend Scott!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Thank you for your kind (and rather unexpected ) endorsement, Mr. Senator!   While I unfortunately was not able pledge my full support to you for this race, I am confident that Atlasia will be in goods hands whether you or Senator Nix are victorious next week, and that is why I am enthusiastically giving you and Governor Maxwell my second preference.  Much can be accomplished through teamwork and bipartisanship, and I will be more than happy to work with a Matt/Maxwell administration as I would with others that are just as qualified.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Our second ad is now online.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I will be delivering my farewell address to the region Tuesday following the election.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

West Hartford, Connecticut

As this campaign finally winds down, I'd like to use the last few days to hold one more town hall here in my home state.  Though we've talked about numerous issues this campaign, I'd like to give voters the final opportunity to make their voices heard.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I have been formally endorsed by both the Labor and Federalist parties.  I am very honored to have my campaign receive support from people across the aisle.  Thank you both!

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I will be delivering remarks regarding the current situation in the Pacific Region later today.

[Incipimus iterum]

The Union of National Democrats for Altasia would like to Annouce its Endorsment of Governor Scott for Northeast Senate