Oakvale/Cincinnatus 2012: The Independent Ticket: Concession.

[Emperor SJoyce]

Campaign announcements:

More developments! First of all, we've chosen Ice Cube's classic It Was A Good Day as our official campaign song.

As President, I will be commited to providing all Atlasians with good day sans barking from the dog, smog, hog, and including Yo! MTV Raps, basketball and, most of all, not having to use their AK.

I even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp, and it read "Oakvale/Cincinnatus 2012".

In related news, I've been working with our campaign manager, Fuzzy, to draw up a tour schedule of speeches and visits in states across the nation, on which we'll be rolling out our official campaign platform. Stay tuned!

Your campaign has acknowledged its inferiority through the use of a blimp, while ours has a mighty zeppelin. You have to special order those things fom Württenberg.

[oakvale]

Way to steal all of my/sjoycefla's ideas

/kidding

Au contraire,  my worthy opponent, I posit that you stole your idea from Ice Cube.

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

Way to steal all of my/sjoycefla's ideas

/kidding

Au contraire,  my worthy opponent, I posit that you stole your idea from Ice Cube.

Ice Cube stole his idea from Public Enemy

[Fuzzy]

Bump



The official campaign kickoff will take place in the city of Los Vegas!  



It's only fitting, since they have all the top-notch hookers.  

[oakvale]

Bump



The official campaign kickoff will take place in the city of Los Vegas! 



It's only fitting, since they have all the top-notch hookers. 

I've got a speech coming up en route at a nuclear power plant.

[oakvale]

San Onofore, San Diego, California



Oakvale kicked off his Presidential campaign earlier today with some brief remarks on energy after a tour of the controversial San Onofore nuclear plant in San Diego county, California.

Good afternoon, everyone!

It's great to be here, and to be starting our Presidential campaign. It's a long road ahead, but I'm excited and looking forward to sharing our ideas with the nation and debating my fellow candidates.

It's especially nice to be back in the Pacific region! The Pacific, was, of course, my original home in Atlasia and will always have a place in my heart. I have fond memories of my time serving as your Governor here, and I'm glad to see the region seems to be thriving.

Talking of which, before I begin my remarks proper I'd like to just comment quickly on the ongoing argument over which forum - pardon the pun - the Presidential debates will be held in. My personal view is that the traditional, text-based discussion posted on this board for all to see is the most accessible and informative method of debating, and that arguing over more novel formats is a distraction at best.

Now, Cincinnatus and I are here today to say a few words about energy policy. In a society threatened by climate change and depressingly frequent environmental disasters - the Gulf Oil leak calamity springs to mind - it becomes clearer every day that our current energy consumption habits are reckless and unsustainable, that, in effect, continuing an unchecked dependence on polluting fossil fuels is gambling with our future.

I'm an environmentalist - I believe clean, renewable energy is the only sensible path forward for Atlasia. An Oakvale administration would be commited to leading Atlasia into, eventually, an age based around green energy, without the use of archaic, dangerous fossil fuels. I support solar power, wind power, and tidal power, enthusiastically, but those alternative energy sources are not the main thrust of remarks today - there's a reason I've picked this venue, that's been a source of frequent controversy, for my speech.

Nuclear energy has been a source of heated debate all across the political spectrum, perhaps most of all on the left. Supporting nuclear energy is a position that puts me at odds with many, even most, people in the country, and I'm aware that this position might cost me more votes than it earns. But I'm a proud and firm support of nuclear power, and if elected President I will champion nuclear energy in combination with solar, wind and tidal power to transition to a greener energy system. If managed prudently, nuclear power can be a low-cost, clean, efficent energy source - I don't support nuclear power in spite of being an environmentalist, but because I am an environmentalist.

Of course, I recognise that when dealing with something as volatile as nuclear power, safety must be our utmost concern, although I urge to you remember that incidents like Three-Mile Island and Fukishima are exceptions, not the rule, and that many countries have had success with majority nuclear systems without any catastrophic consequences. We must also be vigilant to make sure fissile nuclear material does not fall into the hands of rogue nations or terrorist groups. That said, I absolutely believe that nuclear power can be harnessed with safety and security, and that, combined with other alternative energy sources, we can transition into  an era where fossil fuels are a thing of the past.

This June, the choice is clear - if you want an independent President willing to work with Senate that's conservative, liberal, or anywhere in betwen, and who will fight for clean, affordable energy sources, for nuclear, solar, wind, and tidal energy, you should vote for Oakvale/Cincinnatus!

I have to go now, we're heading to Las Vegas! Enjoy the refreshments!

Thank you!

[applause]


Oh, by the way, avoid the burritos, they're irradiated.

[Senator Napoleon]

Can I get a list of bills you proposed or passed as a Senator or Governor? We never did get to serve together.

[oakvale]

Can I get a list of bills you proposed or passed as a Senator or Governor? We never did get to serve together.

Sure, I'll dig around in the Wiki, the Pacific legislature thread and my old office and Senate debate threads, and get a list of the stuff that passed (or in one memorable case, I vetoed ) as Governor.

As I recall, most of what me and ArchangelZero focused on was a series of (mostly failed, but, hey it was worth a try) constitutional amendments, so fortunately they should be easy to find.

Hopefully  I can "overlook" that bill I signed, er, banning cars or whatever that was. Oh, Pacific. Never change.

EDIT: Actually, since I'm compiling my  legislative record I'd like to put it together in a proper post with a few explanations and notes, if you don't mind waiting a little longer.

[Senator Napoleon]

Awesome. I know you served honorably on the Court for my entire Senate term.

[Senator Snowstalker]

So Cincinnatus became one with the herd...

[Yelnoc]

So Cincinnatus became one with the herd...

I.E Snowstalker impersonated him in chat, without the good sense to pick an IP mask from New York too.

[Senator Snowstalker]

Eh, I didn't expect anyone to fall for it, so I set my preparations low. However, it seems that it briefly worked until Yelnoc noticed the whole "Guest7256".

[Cincinnatus]

Eh, I didn't expect anyone to fall for it, so I set my preparations low. However, it seems that it briefly worked until Yelnoc noticed the whole "Guest7256".

Pony scum impersonating me?!?  The People disapprove greatly.  Vote for Oakvale/Cincinnatus.  We are the only ticket that will eliminate handle this nations greatest threat

[oakvale]

Campaign schedule details:

I'll be delivering some marks on my record and experience at the suggestion of my fellow candidate Napoleon in Las Vegas in a short while, in order to reintroduce myself to Atlasians who might not have any idea who I am.

Directly after, the Oakvale/Cincinnatus campaign will be flying to Chicago, Illinois, in the Mideast region for a series of campaign events culminating in a speech in which we'll be unveiling our ideas on the much-hyped topic of game reform, and, with the passage of dissolution, what our path forward is.

After that, it's on to Minneapolis, Minnesota for more campaigning and the roll-out of our education platform - we've got some interesting ideas on how to reform the Atlasian education system for the 21st century.

The campaign will be in the Mideast region for the rest of the week.  

[oakvale]

Las Vegas, Nevada

Although noticeably groggy after a night on the town, independent Presidential candidate Oakvale delivered some remarks on his experience and record at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas earlier today.

Good evening, everyone.

First of all, it's great to be here in Las Vegas, despite the throbbing pain in my head and the stench of alcohol coming off my campaign manager. Step back a bit, Fuzzy. Okay.

Right, well, I was originally scheduled to deliver my remarks this evening on the topic of game reform - Cincinnatus, Fuzzy and I have some interesting ideas for shaking up the structure of the game a little - but I've put them aside for a moment, and I'll deliver them at our next stop instead, because I ran into Napoleon playing blackjack last night and he asked for some words on my record.

We were in the MGM Grand and we  ran into each other. Unfortunately, he won my hard-earned winnings and then drunkenly demanded that I change my speech. That's not a judgement, I was a little worse for the wear too. I was like "okay, Napoleon" and then we had to leave because Fuzzy was getting aggressive with the security and Averroes Nix was trying to discreetly tell Napoleon that the "women" had arrived in his hotel room,  so it was time to make our excuses.

So, anyway, where to--- ugh, excuse me.

[Oakvale briefly disappears, sounds of retching]

Uh, sorry, I had to attend to a policy issue. About, uh, energy policy. As I was saying, where to begin? I want to tell you about my time in Atlasia, and the record I've built along the way.
l joined this game back in early 2009, when Badger contacted me on behalf of the JCP - remember them? - and I moved to the Pacific, to Oregon. Soon after that, Antonio V decided to step down as Lieutenant Governor and I decided to run to replace him. I was new to Atlasia, but excited about the game and hopeful that I could help bring some activity to a region that was often stereotyped as stagnant and dull.

I had fun for the few months I served as Lieutenant Governor, and then Governor Ebowed resigned when President Purple State appointed him to the Supreme Court, and I became Governor. Not long after, ArchangelZero won a special election to become my Lieutenant Governor.

I had a great time as Governor of the Pacific, serving out the rest of Ebowed's term and going on to win two more terms in my own right.

Allow me to interrupt myself for a moment - you know, having served in all three types of office - executive, as Governor, legislative, in the Senate, and, finally, judicial as a member of the Supreme Court,  I'd have to admit that I'm most suited, and most enjoy, executive office. I was honoured to be elected to the Senate by incredibly close margins each time, with thanks to my old friend, colleague and Vice-Presidential adversary bgwah (), but, personally, I was frustrated with the Senate. Looking back, I didn't have the mindset - or, let's be honest, the patience - to be a great Senator like TJ In Cleve, or Marokai Blue.

I am proud of my record in the Senate, and we did some great work on welfare reform (including that massive, massive bill which we ended up having to table, IIRC ), on health care reform, on infrastructure, but, alas, I was terminally impatient with the slow pace of life in the Senate, and, as any long-time Atlasian can attest they tend to do, real life commitments kept me from making the contribution I would have liked. My appointment to the Supreme Court by my friend Tmth came as something of a surprise, and was a great honour - the Court had been for some time my ambition in my political career - and I'd still like to ultimately return there some day, but, again, the Court, as you know, moves at a very slow pace. I presided over a grand total of one case in my time on the Court - that was good for some time, as I was serving in various bureacratic political positions and enjoyed not having to worry  about elections every couple of months. But, yes, I'm an executive at heart, and the time came to move on.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes.

I'm back in the Pacific region, slightly hungover, to talk about my record, and how I hope to bring the lessons I learned from my career to the Presidency. When I became Governor, I was new, largely unknown, and rather annoying to a lot of people. I wouldn't shut up about activity, and throughout my time in office would prove a perpetual pain in the ass by coming up with amendement after amendment to wrangle some interest in regional politics. At one misguided point I recall suggesting the Populares attempt to move to the Pacific to foster competitive elections. *cough*

As Governor, I strived to kick some activity into the regional legislature. I championed such diverse initiatives as an important amendment to the Classification of Religious Institutions Act that would tax churches that demanded fees as a business and leave others untaxed - to the Educational Incentives Act, which provided the cost of college tuition to college students choosing to pursue degrees in math and science, to the Pacific Hiring Incentives Act, which gave common-sense incentives to regional businesses for hiring new employees, to a controversial (it being a left-wing region) veto of a bill criminalizing the possession of automatic weapons, and many, many more bills which made life a little simpler and easier for citizens of the Pacific region. I worked closely with my friends in the legislature and my inimitable Lieutenant Governor to get this done, and I'll be forever grateful.

A primary focus of mine as Governor was game reform - I'd come to office as a centrist Governor in a left-leaning region, and I knew governing as a reformist was the option that I could get Pacificians of all political stripes behind. I got to work almost instantly on reforming the region.

I wrote and, then, passed an important amendment which gave the Lieutenant Governor clearly defined responsibilites, most noticeably updating regional Wiki pages. This was based on my own experience of the office, and I think this is the best solution for mantaining the large bulk of the wiki - a regional solution to a large problem!

I authored an amendment reforming and resurrecting the overlooked position of Pacific Justice, with the requirement that the Justice approve legislation as constitutional before it can be adopted upon passage by the legislature - this virtually eliminated the need for Supreme Court intervention in regional matters.

Most prominently, Archangel and I created the Pacific Council an unprecedented step creating a bicameral legislature with an elected house.

The Council ultimately was adopted on a trial basis, and, despite some promising early successes, was eventually discontinued. But I don't consider that a failure - quite the opposite.

I've always been keen to experiment with game reform options, and Atlasia needs a President who's not afraid to try something radical and unprecedented, even at the risk of failure. I have the experience to know that reform sometimes means you have to try things that don't always work out.

My friends, my head still hurts and I've talked for longer than I've meant to, but this June Atlasia has a very clear choice - if you want a President with a record of reform, who governed across party lines, and with the executive experience to usher Atlasia's bright new era into being, vote for me, Oakvale!

Thank you, and on to Chicago!

PS: If you're curious about any aspect of my record, feel free to thumb through the legislature thread or my old office thread, or message me about specific legislation and I'll get back to you.

[oakvale]

Press Release

Former Justice Oakvale arrived in Chicago, Illinois in the Mideast region early this morning along with his campaign staff and publicly congratulated Presidential rival Ben on his appointment to the Midwest Senate seat:

"My sincere congratulations to Ben on his appointment to the Senate seat, and to Governor afleitch for making a wise appointment. I've looked forward to debating Ben again, and I'm sure he will represent the region well, although he will be missed at the External Affairs department.

However, I have every confidence that President Polnut will choose a more than capable successor to succeed Ben."

The candidate will be in Chicago for another day, unveiling he and Cincinnatus' plan for game reform in an event on Saturday, before travelling to Minneapolis to campaign and unveil his education platform.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Hey, what about appearance on mah show?

[oakvale]

Hey, what about appearance on mah show?

Absolutely, I'd enjoy appearing on our version of FOX News. :)

[Cincinnatus]

PRESS RELEASE
May 4th, 2012

Vice Presidential candidate Cincinnatus will remain in Las Vegas for a few days to gamble and fornicate enjoy everything the area has to offer, and meet several campaign contributors.

[ZuWo]

PS: I agree with Napoleon that infighting on the Left would be a very move electorally - if there'd been a decent transfer pact last year Ben or I would have won on the strength of left-wing votes - this time around I think all left-of-center candidates can agree that we should all give high preferences to each other.

Does that mean the Oakvale/Cincinnatus ticket can be considered a ticket of the left?

[oakvale]

PS: I agree with Napoleon that infighting on the Left would be a very move electorally - if there'd been a decent transfer pact last year Ben or I would have won on the strength of left-wing votes - this time around I think all left-of-center candidates can agree that we should all give high preferences to each other.

Does that mean the Oakvale/Cincinnatus ticket can be considered a ticket of the left?

I'd consider us centrist on balance, and certainly in attitude, although my personal sympathies would lean more to the Left than the Right - I helped found the Liberal Party, after all.

My record's been rather centrist - removing taxation on religious institutions, vetoing a ban on automatic weapons, etc - with a liberal tilt. Hope that helps!

[Senator Napoleon]

Your rhetoric on health care seems to indicate that you do not favor The New Atlasian Healthcare Act. Is this true?

[oakvale]

Your rhetoric on health care seems to indicate that you do not favor The New Atlasian Healthcare Act. Is this true?

That's not true, sorry, I should have been clearer.

My mistake for being ambiguous - I was actually referring in that post to our rival for Labor's endorsement, 20RP12's, plan, which, er, isn't so much privitisation by stealth as just blatantly repealing Fritzcare in its entirely and leaving millions of Atlasians without adequate healthcare.

My reference to "reform" being used as a codeword for privatisation didn't relate to a specific bill but my fear of what a very conservative majority in the Senate might attempt to do during the next President's term.

I don't know enough about Scott's bill to reach a conclusion immediately but from what I can see it seems like an example of actual reform, rather than privatisation in reform's clothing. I'd actually be inclined to support it as President.

My only obvious qualm is with the inclusion of pseudoscientific chriopractic "medicine" in the legislation, but that already exists under Fritzcare - I'd strongly back Yankee's amendment to remove that from coverage. We're not going to fund homeopathy, so why fund another branch of quackery?

It's not entirely related to the bill, but I'd also caution against adopting Senator Nathan's (who, for the record has been a fine Senator and does a generally terrific job) attitude whereby society should "accept" "disability" instead of attempting to "cure" it. That's not an attitude I have a lot of time for, personally.

That's assuming I'm reading the Senator's comment correctly, which I'm quite possibly not - I might be wrong, and usually am.

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

My mistake for being ambiguous - I was actually referring in that post to our rival for Labor's endorsement, 20RP12's, plan, which, er, isn't so much privitisation by stealth as just blatantly repealing Fritzcare in its entirely and leaving millions of Atlasians without adequate healthcare.

Woah woah woah, hold your horses partner. Blatant attacks like that are uncalled for and frankly untrue.

My plan does not and will not "leaving [sic] millions of Atlasians without adequate healthcare."

My plan is to scrap the current system and work with both left AND right wingers to find a solution. It is my belief that the entire healthcare system does not belong inside the federal Government, but instead should be left to the free market. I would sign a bill, however, that perhaps insured some lower income Atlasians within the federal Government but that's it. I do not believe in the principle of forcing people to buy anything. It is simply against the ideals of liberty.

[oakvale]

My mistake for being ambiguous - I was actually referring in that post to our rival for Labor's endorsement, 20RP12's, plan, which, er, isn't so much privitisation by stealth as just blatantly repealing Fritzcare in its entirely and leaving millions of Atlasians without adequate healthcare.

Woah woah woah, hold your horses partner. Blatant attacks like that are uncalled for and frankly untrue.

My plan does not and will not "leaving [sic] millions of Atlasians without adequate healthcare."

My plan is to scrap the current system and work with both left AND right wingers to find a solution. It is my belief that the entire healthcare system does not belong inside the federal Government, but instead should be left to the free market. I would sign a bill, however, that perhaps insured some lower income Atlasians within the federal Government but that's it. I do not believe in the principle of forcing people to buy anything. It is simply against the ideals of liberty.

Fair enough. I apologise for being somewhat glib.

There's a philosophical difference here with is irreconcilable, I fear, and may be best left for the debates, but, more importantly, the use of "leaving" in that post was not a grammatical mistake and thus does not require a "[sic]".